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Original poster

To think there are better things to donate €100m to than rebuilding Notre Dame?

344 replies

Bearbehind · 16/04/2019 09:07

I know no one has to donate anything but 2 French billionaires have reportedly donated €100m and €200m respectively towards rebuilding Notre Dame.

The Catholic Church is not exactly short of money.

It just doesn’t really sit right with me spending all that money on a building when it could be used for so many other things

OP posts:
NaturatintGoldenChestnut · 17/04/2019 10:49

I would have liked to see them come out and say they'll foot the bills for the repairs because of this and encourage those who have donated to use the money for other causes.

I'd like to see the royal family stripped off all taxpayer funding and donate their entire personal fortune to the needy and give all their personal property to the homeless. Grin

NaturatintGoldenChestnut · 17/04/2019 10:52

When Buckingham Palace went on fire, the Queen should have paid for every bit of the repair! I mean, it's a working palace and such, even if she doesn't own it, and tell the government to dispense their money to causes they saw as fit (like duck houses and quangos and HS2).

DoNotWorry · 17/04/2019 10:53

I'm not sure that agreeing with Janet Street-Porter is something to be proud of.

VoteJadot · 17/04/2019 10:55

anyone who knows anything about it knows it was Windsor Castle, not Buckingham Palace. And yes, the queen should have footed the bill. She did have the good grace to start paying income tax, at least.

VoteJadot · 17/04/2019 11:02

Can you quantify that small percentage for us? Cos it seems to me that there are four church services a day in ND and seven on Sundays. That doesn't sound like a very small percentage of the building's use to me (NC from upthread, BTW, I was overdue for a change).

VoteJadot · 17/04/2019 11:04
  1. No-one is saying the church should dictate how people should spend their money, just that they should be at the front of queue to volunteer.
  1. there are many ways in which we dictate how people spend their money.
Flobochin · 17/04/2019 11:04

@Bearbehind

I kind of agree with you, it's a building, I'd rather help those people who suffered cyclone Idai.

Flobochin · 17/04/2019 11:06

@Bearbehind

And of course the Catholic Church has wealth beyond our wildest dreams!

Putthatlampshadeonyourhead · 17/04/2019 11:07

It's not upto the catholic church to tell people to spend their money elsewhere.

Maybe the billionaires have told the church, they would rather pay for this French owned building. A point of pride?

Fact is why have no idea what these people usually donate to. Or what's happening behind the scenes

PregnantSea · 17/04/2019 11:11

Yeah, and giving money to charities that support children with disabilities is a "waste of money" because there are other charities that bring clean drinking water to communities in sub-saharan Africa.

Old rich billionaires can give their money to whoever they want. Just be glad they aren't using the money to funding terrorism and child sex trafficking rings.

Putthatlampshadeonyourhead · 17/04/2019 11:13

Can you quantify that small percentage for us? Cos it seems to me that there are four church services a day in ND and seven on Sundays. That doesn't sound like a very small percentage of the building's use to me (NC from upthread, BTW, I was overdue for a change).

You do realise that plenty of non Catholic tourists attend mass there, that tons of visitors are in and out all day? That around it there are lots if business that need the cathedral to bring the tourists to their business.

Theres so much to it that, yes I would say mass 25 times a week, is a small part of its use.

VoteJadot · 17/04/2019 11:15

Well we'll have to disagree.

Putthatlampshadeonyourhead · 17/04/2019 11:24

Yep we do

DGRossetti · 17/04/2019 14:24

It would have been nice to see them come out and say "cheers for the donations guys but you know what we've got this one. Please use your money to help elsewhere".

Howabout "Thanks for your donations. We were expecting just a few thousand, but now it's hundreds of millions, we feel it would be better spent on the homeless, the hungry, the sick and the poor" ? Admittedly unChristian and less tax-deductible.

Putthatlampshadeonyourhead · 17/04/2019 14:28

Maybe that's what they will do with what's left.

Though I am pretty sure you cant just spend donations on whatever you want, if it's been given for a specific reason

DGRossetti · 17/04/2019 14:30

Though I am pretty sure you cant just spend donations on whatever you want, if it's been given for a specific reason

Depends on French law, I guess.

Putthatlampshadeonyourhead · 17/04/2019 14:32

It's not just French law is it. Since the Vatican is based in Rome and this would be the decision on the Vatican.

But also remember the Vatican wont be the keeper of these funds. Because they dint own the church. Not sure they will get to decide how its spent.

DGRossetti · 17/04/2019 14:40

It's not just French law is it. Since the Vatican is based in Rome and this would be the decision on the Vatican.

I guess it depends where the donor->recipient transaction takes place ? Although I'm pretty certain the Catholic view is it takes place in Heaven. Which means there's no lawyers to adjudicate.

NaturatintGoldenChestnut · 17/04/2019 15:28

Um, but the money hasn't been donate to the church, has it? Because well, they don't own the building. It's also used for a number of state functions, IIRC.

NaturatintGoldenChestnut · 17/04/2019 15:29

Just guessing but wouldn't the French government set up a fund for the restoration? Apparently it was going to be open to those in France who wanted to contribute. It's their building, after all. Confused

Putthatlampshadeonyourhead · 17/04/2019 15:33

As pp said, the church wont be in charge of these funds.

They could put up the money themseleves. But that doesnt mean the money donated will go to a cause some other random feels is more worthy.

And as said, rich French nationals may feel it's a point of pride and want it to be paid for, mainly, by the French.

Although I'm pretty certain the Catholic view is it takes place in Heaven.

That doesnr even make sense.

derxa · 17/04/2019 15:39

They sit on their expensive smart phones and new laptops posting on forums moaning about Grenfell and foodbanks, and complaining about poverty, and that someone should do something about it. But not them, obviously. Absolutely spot on.

NaturatintGoldenChestnut · 17/04/2019 15:41

And as said, rich French nationals may feel it's a point of pride and want it to be paid for, mainly, by the French.

This. It's their building and their spare money to spend as they please. Maybe they want to see it entirely paid for by themselves and feel it's like Westminster or St Paul's to them.

Gromit78 · 17/04/2019 17:37

I, too have mixed feelings about this. Notre Dame is an incredibly important building. It's a heritage site and a place of worship for many people, so it should be restored and if you have a couple of hundred million euros in the bank it would really help.
However, I question why any billionaire exists? Especially when there is so much proverty in the world? How can anyone wake up in the morning knowing they can eradicate poverty in just one country alone and then spend stupid money on themselves? Last night I watched a programme with my daughter about a street child in India who wrote a report on children who live and work in a rubbish tip. What has more value? Children or an ancient church building?

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 17/04/2019 18:20

How can anyone wake up in the morning knowing they can eradicate poverty in just one country alone and then spend stupid money on themselves?

Why? They aren't responsible for it. They didn't cause it.

Yes the children need to be thought of, nobody would deny that but that's for the parents to be doing. Its their responsibility, not a strangers.

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