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

[Bearbehind]

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

There were a couple of references above to the tax breaks the billionaires would receive on their hefty donations. I read this morning that at least one (I think Francois Pinault) said he would forego the tax break. That makes it a real donation, not just a PR exercise.

I'm just impressed by the spirit and patriotism of the French. It wouldn't happen here.

France should use the money they strongarmed Haiti into giving them. What was it 26 billion?

I can think about loads of worse things that €100,000,000 might be legitimately spent on. Weapons for example. Or super-yachts, super cars and private mansions that only benefit their owners. That much cash to restore a thing of beauty that has survived 800 years and is testament to human ingenuity and that brings awe and joy to millions of people? A bargain I’d say.

My verdict? Definitely YABU.

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?

Do you really think £100m would even make a dent in the poverty of a country?

@motherheroic

I agree! Please don’t get me started on that. The bloody cheek of it! Pay France back because they wanted independence and no longer wanted to be slaves?!?!?!

Regarding the ND, if it’s coming from a private benefactor then it’s up to them how they choose to spend their money, and if they feel it’s a worthy cause then there’s not much else to say. I wouldn’t do it, but each to their own I guess :-)

Hello,
I am French and I can assure you that Notre Dame is more than a “Church” in Paris hence its constant almost rebuilding it.

Why does that upset you anyway? Donations are something to be proud of and not compare in between other possible donations. So many professionals are actually working with/around ND. Why wouldn’t that be a great cause?

Just hope noone is looking down to where you give and think how horrible it is that you don’t also give to somewhere else without really knowing anything of your giving at all 🙄😑

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?

The same way as most people wake up in the morning knowing that they could fundamentally change the life of even just one person in poverty, but don't. The scale doesn't change that.

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?

It can hardly be a surprise to you that there are people around the world living in abject poverty. So what are you doing about it yourself? You might give a bit to charity, like most of us, but you still prioritise yourself and your family first, not just your needs but your wants as well. So unless you have given up all luxuries, all mod cons, all treats and all non-essentials so that you can give every spare penny to help the needy what right do you have to judge others?

Do popes have pockets?

I'm slightly puzzled: wasn't the fire caused by the (long overdue as ever - ref. Victor Hugo...) restoration? Which would have been heavily insured?

(TaMere - please tell me what 'pisu' means because it's driving me nuts not knowing!)

There is no shortage of money to rebuild it, and I would think they were insured. Perhaps these rich men think they are buying a better bit of heaven in the next life. That will not happen, remember the widow's mite?

On the other hand, it is their money and they have a right to do what they like with it. 'All things come from thee oh Lord and of thine own do we give thee' springs to mind.

For centuries the people have churches and cathedrals filled with carvings and paintings, items of gold and silver and stained glass windows superbly executed by craftsmen and stone masons. For the great majority of the people these grand buildings enabled them to see works of art that they would otherwise not see, Only wealthy people had such luxuries. The poor were able to see them every week. The craftsmen were paid for their work and had the chance to execute their crafts. Where else could carpenters, and stonemasons etc show off their abilities? Making their works available to the poor was part of the limited educations of centuries ago and this present day. Without beneficiaries there would not be the opportunity for ordinary craftspeople to show their talents and everyone able to see them.

I can see why people think the money could be better spent. So did the disciples when they saw the woman anointing Jesus' feet with costly oil. He said 'The poor are always with you'. What he might have meant was that he was there for just a little while.

Well I think it's a good that they have donated to be honest. Preserving history for future generations is not a worthy cause?
The fact that it is a religious building is irrelevant, it's the historical significance and that it is a world heritage site.
They donors probably donate to charities themselves as well, how do you know that they don't?
OP completely misses the point.

Wondering if it was ensured?

Insured d’oh

I expect that the Notre Dame Cathedral has given away far more than we can imagine.

Notre Dame is just one of many medieval churches in France which was in desperate need of refurbishment. The amount the French Government had set aside each year for upkeep was paltry and it was falling apart. I think it is great that French people want to upkeep their patrimoine, but I think that some of the contributions should be used to maintain some of the other great cathedrals, some much more important from an art historical perspective (eg, Chartres).

BigChocFrency....No!! When it happened to Windsor Castle the tax payers said a big fat NO by protest and the queen paid for it to be rebuilt/restored even though it belongs to the country, the same as the French situation, and not her. Did not see any UK billionaires lining up to help out then, at least not publicly? Pretty sure we did not get any supporting messages from state leaders or bell tolling in support for the UK back then from France or any one else either unlike from our Queen and country for this to them from us?...I am really proud how totally British that is though under the 'Euro' situation circumstances, especially with France. Perhaps you need to be as old as us to remember? LOL

Lots of best wishes I say to the Fireman who is seriously I injured from fighting the fire .
Also interested to find out the cause and what responsibilities the French stare have for the maintenance and upkeep of this building as it is so old

I for one am glad someone is donating private money to have it restored. I have a lovely memory from visiting there years ago. DP (now dh) and I arrived to find a mile long queue to get in and my dh, cheeky git he is grabbed my hand and started to follow a group of Italian students who were being led in through a side door by a tour guide. As we stepped inside the tour guide noticed us and garbled something in Italian (probably "who the hell are YOU?") And my Dh just went "si senora" and ran off into the throng! I was mortified but I pmsl when i think about it. It was beautiful inside and i had a little holy moment in there and said a little prayer and lit a candle (bad lapsed catholic that I am)! I shed a little tear actually and a nice French granny gave my arm a squeeze.

This is the link to the site of the group which was raising money to restore Notre Dame prior to the fire. Too bad the 800 million euro was donated only after a catastrophe instead of before one happened.

The Catholic Church is worth $30 billion. Let them fix their own church (which, presumably was insured anyway).

There are FAR better things to do with the money.

People valuing material over humanity. Nothing changes.

AIBU to be fed up to the back teeth of these sodding virtue-signalling posts here, and all over social media?

Compassion, charitable giving and love are not a zero:sum game. It is not a matter of one or the other. Amazingly, it is perfectly possible and valid to care deeply about the Grenfell fire and give to that emergency, and also to feel compassion about the remarkable building in Paris that is so widely loved and is special to so many people.

Nobody gets to tell anyone else how to donate. There will ALWAYS be a more 'valid' cause. Always. That doesn't mean that the causes deemed to be more worthy trump everything else.

Well said op.
I say, let all the religious fanatics pay for it whilst the rest of sane people do what we can to actually help those truly in need.
The 2 French billionaires could help an awful lot of people with that money - homeless, starving, educate people. It's nothing to them - £300m out of a £95ish billion fortune. It's like us donating a tenner.

I was crying watching the scenes and love old buildings and appreciate what a marvel it was.
I even appreciate the donations from individuals that will happen.
But I have to agree there are people starving, yes our own.
The church has millions and should be doing this.

My dd went to Rome at 8 and we visited the Vatican.

She couldn't understand why it was so luxurious, yet people begging on the street. Why don't they help them mum?

Are ppl thick?

Church will not pay for the repair because IT'S STATE OWNED, NOT CHURCH OWNED🤦‍♀️