I recognize that I have a traditionalist bent that makes me less than receptive to innovation, but this is ridiculous.
[UK Times]Sunbathers wishing to attend a Sunday service without the bother of getting dressed were offered an alternative form of religious experience yesterday: an inflatable church on the beach.
The “bouncy church” is 30 metres (100ft) long and 15 metres wide, and comes complete with an altar, an apse and a confessional. Using compressed air it takes only five minutes to inflate, according to Father Andrea Brugnoli, who organised the service on a beach at Cagliari, the Sardinian capital.
Some onlookers were were not so keen on the idea posting their displeasure on the diocesan website, although the Archbishop is said to be on board.
I know one Person who is seemingly not delighted by the inflatable Deity domicile, that would be God.
Yesterday the structure had to be deflated hastily because of a strong mistral that threatened to lift it into the sky.
Now that would have been a picture. If the bad taste balloon had been sucked up into the sky, ol’ fashioned biblical wrath style, now that might have gotten some sunbather’s attention. Maybe then, they would put on some clothes and go to a real church.
July 28, 2008 at 4:56 am
It’s not bouncy, but there is Mass a Malibu (Point Lookout) for those who don’t want to leave the beach…I wonder if the inflatable church is better visually that a defunct nightclub.
July 28, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Maybe they could have a Church filled with all the little plastic balls, too. As opposed to the one I attend that is filled with nuts.
July 28, 2008 at 3:22 pm
at least they said it wasn’t for Mass, no distribution of Holy Communion, just for “prayer”…but still, it’s so incredibly tacky.
July 28, 2008 at 7:03 pm
I think this would be great if filled with helium, perhaps for Easter. I had suggested this to my priest years ago, but, thinking he would use a bicycle pump, he was afraid it would take too long to inflat and didn’t want anyone to be late for Mass. The Ascension, very dramatic!