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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
NottonightJosepheen · 16/04/2019 09:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MissLucyHoneychurch · 16/04/2019 09:56

OK, so maybe IABU

Op- how bloody dare you! That goes completely against the spirit of AIBU - get back here and fight your corner Grin

fluorescentflossie · 16/04/2019 09:57

Ashamed to say it took me a good 15 mins to get Buster72 joke.

Putthatlampshadeonyourhead · 16/04/2019 09:57

I use my village hall. Doesnt mean I pay for it if burns down.

Pinkyyy · 16/04/2019 09:58

I use my village hall. Doesnt mean I pay for it if burns down

Whilst I'm sure your village hall is lovely, the two really aren't comparable.

IncrediblySadToo · 16/04/2019 09:58

FFS

LadyRannaldini · 16/04/2019 09:58

Look, they could have spent that money on more yachts and diamonds for their fourth wife. I'm delighted they are spending it on Notre Dame instead.

Or maybe they could have donated it to third world countries in abject poverty and then their despots' wives could have even more diamonds and yachts!

Putthatlampshadeonyourhead · 16/04/2019 09:59

Op- how bloody dare you! That goes completely against the spirit of AIBU - get back here and fight your corner

I know....slightly disappointing response from OP. Grin

WhatNowRandy · 16/04/2019 10:00

Hah, I just retold Buster's joke to DH, and he looked up all interested going "Oh...?" and then hung his head "...dear..."

LagunaBubbles · 16/04/2019 10:02

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

I hate the term "doesn't sit right with me". Thankfully people can do what they like with their own money!

Original poster
Bearbehind · 16/04/2019 10:02

Op- how bloody dare you! That goes completely against the spirit of AIBU - get back here and fight your corner

😂😂😂😂

OP posts:
Halija · 16/04/2019 10:02

What is it that old labour song says? ‘Our lives shall not be sweated/From birth until life closes/Hearts starve as well as bodies/Give us bread but give us roses.’

The Notre Dame is art. It is beauty. We need both those things in our lives.

Putthatlampshadeonyourhead · 16/04/2019 10:03

Whilst I'm sure your village hall is lovely, the two really aren't comparable.

Why not? A pp is saying the Pope should pay for it as they use it for catholic church services. But dont own it.

Langrish · 16/04/2019 10:03

Causes aren’t mutually exclusive. They’ve probably donated to many over the years. Their money, their business.

TaMereAPoilDevantPrisu · 16/04/2019 10:04

Actually if you were the major daily user of your village hall and didn't chip in with a tenner to rebuild it if it burned down I'd think poorly of you too.

Bluntness100 · 16/04/2019 10:05

I'm guessing you never spend money frivolously then op? You live on the bare min! Always donating to charity that you feel is worthwhile rather than on stuff you don't need?

Or are you being hypocritical?

Borntobedifferent · 16/04/2019 10:06

The Catholic church don't own the building. The government does.

They allow the church to use it.

As France is secular it is quite complex to get the Catholic church to rebuild as I'm sure they would want some form of ownership of it.

The building is / was stunning and yes it is a worthwhile cause to rebuild. Joy from art and history is important.

Lockheart · 16/04/2019 10:06

I don't think you're understanding me TaMere. Whether it's the Pope or Bernard arnault, they don't have it spare. They probably don't even have it at all at the moment. It will come from future income from business profits, dividends, interest, maybe the sale of some investments, and will almost certainly be given over many years in instalments. It is a pledge, not a cheque.

Vitalogy · 16/04/2019 10:06

Maybe the Church could have a rummage around in their basements, for any treasures they haven't already got on display and donate that.

Putthatlampshadeonyourhead · 16/04/2019 10:07

Actually if you were the major daily user of your village hall and didn't chip in with a tenner to rebuild it if it burned down I'd think poorly of you too.

Think poorly for not donating and saying that you should pay for it are 2 different things

Besides which, who says the Pope wont donate?

Not would it surprise me if the church paid the state to use it.

Eustasiavye · 16/04/2019 10:11

It is a beautiful building and I'm glad people are offering money to help rebuild it.
Well done.

Laffinalltheway · 16/04/2019 10:12

BigChocFrenzy - Less for the French taxpayer to fund

Ermm, actually, according to Macron, it's going to be a 'Global' effort to rebuild Notre Dame!

So we have to pay as well!

Wonder if we can retrospectively get the French to pay for Windsor Castle...

TaMereAPoilDevantPrisu · 16/04/2019 10:12

OK then Lockheart I'll pledge FOUR hundred million and make them look cheap. Oh no, it'll never happen because I'm not a multi-billionaire tax dodger so I couldn't scrape that money together in a hundred lifetimes.

LadyRannaldini · 16/04/2019 10:14

I'm amazed that so many seem to have been slow on the uptake re the 'got a hunch' comment, I had an email with that on at about 8pm last night!

RomanyQueen1 · 16/04/2019 10:15

If I had the money I would to. I'm not even Catholic or French.
It was an amazing building with such history and culture. If it isn't your thing then fair enough, but no reason to piss on someone else's chips.

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