Churches as a mean to store energy

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 13 Feb 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

le-mat	13 Feb 2003
Someone told me once that christian churches were built to store energy. It seems that one of the goals of masses was to gather energy from people and somehow store this energy on the basement of the church. Its conic shape also helps to get cosmic energy. Actually I don't know if someone told me that or if I read it on the Internet... The thing is that at the time I thought it was a bunch of b.s. but now I think it might be possible.... all those people praying... I don't know, what do you think? Have you heard this story before?

Karenwhe	13 Feb 2003
I don't mean to be rude or not respectful but you are right, churches are there to store energy. The store the energy of power and control of the masses. They make sure they store all your energy so you won’t god forbid think for yourself. It is just my humble opinion. You can start throwing tomatoes…….

zorya	13 Feb 2003
just a reminder that this community is made up of people from not only many different countries but many different faiths. please remember to be respectful of those whose faiths, views and/or opinions may differ from your own. there are ways to discuss spiritual and religious matters without putting down or offending others. thank you, zorya co-moderator, spirituality

Butterfly	13 Feb 2003
Rather than storing the energy I think it is more designed to funnel it up to the divine (aided by the cross). This isn't so strange, it's much like many pagans do during their rituals (I'm thinking it's called cone of power? or have I watched too much Get Smart). Think of the glass elevator in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory- the freedom and energy when the elevator broke through the ceiling. It's designed to add power to prayers, blessings, spells etc. Beautiful, simple but deep concept isn't it! Upward and onward blessings

vijeno	14 Feb 2003
Whether they store energy, take energy from people, GIVE energy to people, draw (one of many, or THE one) god down or whatever - is a matter of faith. What we can say for sure is that there is an ancient tradition, back to the stone-age, of having dedicated sacred places - and that while religions changed, many of those places remained in the awe and respect of people. We can also say that christianity took over and transformed rituals, social structures, architectural plans, ideas from many other religions - mostly from judaism (obviously) and the celtic/germanic religions. Every religion does that, I guess, in its time of power. (There are amazing pictures of zodiacs carved into the floor in some ancient synagogues, for example). I think the power to transform the rites of other religions, and incorporate it into one's own belief system, is just a sign of spiritual strength. vijeno

jmd	14 Feb 2003
There seems to be a sense in which certain ancient temples were the very dwelling places of the Gods, whereas the later Christian churches appear more as the meeting places of the worshipping people. As such, entering a sacred Temple, the feeling one gets is of its fullness, whereas a church appears empty until filled with the resonance of the congregation (I am not, by the way, in any way denigrating one or the other - but trying to capture something of the difference between, for example, ancient Greek or Egyptian temples and the more well known Christian churches). 'La Maison Dieu' (card XVI - The Tower), then, certainly acquires a different shade of meaning with these considerations.

vijeno	14 Feb 2003
Quote: Originally posted by jmd There seems to be a sense in which certain ancient temples were the very dwelling places of the Gods, whereas the later Christian churches appear more as the meeting places of the worshipping people . I'd agree to that and add, quite humbly ;-), that this change of ideas is logically inherent in christian thought: an OMNIPRESENT god can hardly dwell in a specific place. (If I'm not mistaken, though, there is a small reminder, of the ancient idea, at least in catholic churches: the eternal light, and the tabernacle) I think this is partly due to the fact that the "evolution" of the christian church was rather (not solely, of course) (Jerusalem) Temple -> Jewish Synagogues -> Christian Churches, than Temple -> Church. And as synagogues are multiple decentralised places of the worship of the One God, this god can hardly "dwell" there in the same sense as in a pagan tempel, in the first place. Just to make things more complicated *g*: Some ancient temples, including Jerusalem, are also places where rituals are performed "according to the rituals performed in heaven (or wherever the gods dwell)". As above, so below, so-to-speak. Afaik, there is no such idea in christianity. vijeno

le-mat	14 Feb 2003
...that people (priests) could use the energy of the masses for their own purposes? like a magick spell or something?

vijeno	14 Feb 2003
I lack the knowledge of magick to answer that question. vijeno

oceanpoetry	14 Feb 2003
le-mat, I definitely believe that churches store up energy, from the many prayers said in them over generations. I know some of the most awe-inspiring places I have been are old churches and cathedrals. In particular I am thinking of Durham Cathedral in England, a Romanesque cathedral, a thousand years old. I found it to be incredibly beautiful and sacred. I do believe priests call upon the masses for magic, in the Catholic tradition, it is for transubstantion, the transformation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. And I do believe by worshipping with others does create a strong energy, that is more apparent with the older churches.

Aoife	15 Feb 2003
The cathedral at Notre Dame, Paris held a particular power for me. I was raised [low] Church of England so the 'bells, smells' and sheer beauty of the architecture fascinated me. My husband's mother had died long before I met him [she had been a devout catholic]. It felt 'right' that I should light a candle for her and in so doing I held a conversation with her in my head in which she told me of her approval and blessing for our marriage [i had been worried that she would not approve of me/ the marriage - because i was not a catholic and we had opted for a secular wedding]. It was a very powerful experience. Many years ago we were holidaying on the west coast of Ireland and had to return quickly to friends who lived on the north coast. Taking the most direct inland route we crested a hill and were met by a startling white light - a place called Knock lay before us - [a town/ city?] built in white stone - a place of prilgrimage for Catholics that I had never heard of. We didn't have the time but we spent a few hours there. Neither my husband nor I ascribe to the beliefs that founded the place [i think in the 1960s after someone had a visionary experience] but we were both riveted by the powerful energies. We later concluded that there was probably something very significant about/within the land and that the energies of the pilgrims had brought the significance of the place to conscious awareness for all to see/feel.

The Churches as a mean to store energy thread was originally posted on 13 Feb 2003 in the Spirituality board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Spirituality, or read more archived threads.