Difference between revisions of "Church"

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{{quote | text=The church is not a building. Nor is it an organisation or human institution. The church is simply the people whose sins have been forgiven through their faith Jesus Christ... (An extract from the book [[Once a Catholic]] by [[Tony Coffey]])}}
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{{refimprove|date=August 2007}}
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{{Infobox_Contents |  
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{{redirect|Lupanar|the Pompeii brothel|Lupanar (Pompeii)}}
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  topic_name = Church / Ecclesiology
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:''For the 2008 film of this name, see ''[[Brothel (film)|The Brothel]]''. For the television series of this name, see ''[[Cathouse: The Series]]''.
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[[Image:Christians at lourdes.jpg|thumb|center|Christians at [[Lourdes]].]] |
 
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  subtopics = [[Church building]]
 
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* [[Church history]]
 
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* [[Denominations]]
 
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* [[World-wide church directory]]
 
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* [[Church service]]
 
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* [[Church Terms Index]]
 
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* [[Megachurch]] |
 
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  opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}}
 
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* {{ebd}}
 
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* [[What is the Church? (G.G.)]]
 
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* [[The Theology of the Church (AmericanCatholic)]]
 
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* [[The Church (justforcatholics.org)]] |
 
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}}
 
  
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The word '''church''' is used in many different ways. The '''church''' is the Christian community of believers, that is, it is the people. Sometimes the word '''church''' is also used to refer to a [[church building]] (the building used in [[Christian]] [[worship]]) or a [[church service]] (the weekly meeting of a group of Christians in a church building) or to a church [[denomination]].  
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A '''brothel''', also known as a '''bordello''' or '''whorehouse''', is an establishment specifically dedicated to [[prostitution]], providing the prostitutes a place to meet and to have sex with the clients. In some places, brothels are legal, and in many countries, places such as [[massage parlor]] are allowed to function as brothels, with varying degrees of regulation and repression. Depending on [[zoning]], brothels may be confined to special [[red-light district]]s or 'tolerance zones'.
  
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'''Ecclesiology''' means the study of the doctrine of the church.
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[[Image:Sally Salisbury stabbing a client in a brothel.JPG|thumb|250px|18th century illustration of [[Sally Salisbury]] stabbing a client in a brothel.]]
  
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===Etymology===
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==History==
  
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The Greek word ekklesia ([[Εκκλησια]]) is translated as "church" in English.
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Brothels have been known for most of recorded history. Early incidences include [[temple prostitution]] in many [[Mediterranean]] and [[Middle East]]ern countries.  
  
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This word ekklesia was used in ancient [[Koine Greek|Greek]] to mean "gathering" or "assembly" in a political sense. In the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament, the [[LXX]], the word ekklesia occurs over 200 times (usually as a translation from the Hebrew word qahal), most commonly to refer to the assembly of the covenant people of God. In the [[New Testament]] the word ekklesia occurs in the [[gospels]] only twice ([[Matthew 16:16]] and [[Matthew 18:20]]), but it occurs many times elsewhere in the [[New Testament]].
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By the time of the ancient [[Ancient Greece|Grecian]] and [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] civilizations, brothels were established and sometimes licensed institutions, with the latter first being recorded in [[Athens]] in 594 BC. Public sources of the time applauded the installation of said brothel by [[Solon]], as this was deemed to reduce the disruptions caused by sexually unfulfilled [[transient]]s (sailors, workers), as well as bringing money into the public purse. This first official brothel was soon followed by many others, and also influenced the creation of special schools in which various classes of prostitutes (from [[slave]]girls to future [[courtesan]]s) were trained for their profession.<ref>''[http://www.helleniccomserve.com/salpedof.html Salamis, Tarts, Paedophilia and Pornikotelos]'' - ''[[Hellenic Star]]'', Thursday 7 September 2000</ref>
  
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From the Greek root ekklesia, the English word Ecclesiology is derived, which is the study of the doctrine of the church.
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==Business models==
  
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The English word "church" itself is actually derived from the Old English word "cirice" (which is related to the [[Greek]] word "κυριακή" which means "of the Lord")
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Brothels use a variety of business models:
  
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===Theology of the church===
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*In some, prostitutes are held in [[involuntary servitude]] without the option to leave,<ref>''[http://www.newint.org/columns/makingwaves/2006/06/02/rescue-foundation/ Liberating sex slaves in India]'' - ''[[New Internationalist]]'', Issue 390, June 2006</ref> receiving only a small portion (or none) of the money paid by the patron. This is typical where [[human trafficking]] procures a large percentage of prostitutes, and is common in (though not limited to) countries where prostitution is forbidden or repressed. In some cases, prostitutes are bought and sold by their keepers, reducing them to a state of [[chattel slavery]]. All of these are illegal in most jurisdictions.
 +
*In others the prostitutes are employees, receiving a small fixed salary and a portion of the money spent by the customer. (''Maison close'' French for "closed house")
 +
*In still others, the prostitutes pay a fee for use of the facilities, with the brothel owner not being involved in the financial transaction between prostitute and client. (''Maison de passe'', French for "trick house")
 +
*In the regulated brothels in [[Nevada]] the prostitutes are contract workers who split their earnings with the house, and are often expected to "tip" support staff (cleaners, limo drivers, etc.); they receive no benefits, such as health insurance, and no withholding for [[Social Security]] taxes.
  
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There are a variety of understandings about what the church actually is. There are also a variety of uses of the word "church" in common English.
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In those countries which restrict or forbid prostitution, the latter provides some level of [[plausible denial]] to the facility owner, who often (thinly) disguises the brothel as a [[massage parlor]], [[bar (establishment)|bar]] or similar facility. Allowing such brothels may also be a form of face-saving by politicians who are unwilling or unable to fully enforce laws against prostitution.
  
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====Uses of the word "church" in common English====
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==Military brothels==
 +
{{see|Comfort women|Bordels Mobiles de Campagne|Forced prostitution in German armed forces}}
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Until recently, in several armies around the world, a mobile brothel service was attached to the army as an auxiliary unit, especially attached to combat units on long-term deployments abroad. For example, during French and Japanese colonial campaigns of the 20th century, such employees were mainly recruited among the local populace of Southeast Asia and Africa; often, some of the women were [[underage]]. Because it is a touchy subject, military brothels were often designated with creative [[euphemism]]s. Notable examples of such jargon are ''la boîte à bonbons'' ([[French language|French]] for "the candy box"), replacing the term "[[Bordel militaire de campagne]]". Women forced into prostitution by the Japanese occupation armies throughout East Asia were known as "Comfort battalions". The prostitutes were individually referred to as "[[Military comfort women]]" or ''jūgun-ianfu''.
  
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In English, the word "church" means different things to different people in different contexts. It can be used in reference to a gathering of people for a religious meeting. It is also sometimes used to refer to a building or group of buildings, and occasionally it refers to an entire [[denomination]]. It can also be used in an institutional sense to refer to all churches, such as "... the church today...."
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==Nevada brothels==
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In the United States, the only state where brothels are legal is Nevada (see [[List of brothels in Nevada]] and [[Prostitution in Nevada]]). Brothels are allowed in counties with populations of less than 400,000 inhabitants, and not all qualifying counties have allowed them. County governments license and regulate brothels within their boundaries. The brothels and their employees have to register with the county sheriff and receive regular medical checkups. Brothels have existed in Nevada since the old mining days of the 1800s and were first licensed in 1971. As of 2007, thirty brothels existed in Nevada. The legendary [[Mustang Ranch]] operated from 1971 through 1999, when it was forfeited to the federal government following a series of convictions for [[tax fraud]], [[racketeering]], and other crimes.
  
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====The Church as the Community of Believers====
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Due to the county population rule, all forms of prostitution are illegal in [[Reno, Nevada|Reno]] and [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]], and prostitution not occurring in a licensed brothel is illegal anywhere in Nevada.
  
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The context in which the word [[ekklesia]] (church) is used in the Bible suggests that it was not originally intended to mean a building or an organization, but instead was intended to primarily mean a congregation or meeting of God's people. Thus the church, although consisting of the community of believers, is not simply the community of believers, but also includes activity.
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==Regulation==
  
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====The Church as belonging to Jesus and his presence among it====
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Various countries have fully legalized prostitution (as opposed to only tolerating it) in the last decades, including countries such as the [[Prostitution in the Netherlands|Netherlands]], [[Prostitution in Germany|Germany]] and [[Prostitution in New Zealand|New Zealand]] among others. Most of these countries seem to favor brothels, at least in theory, as they are considered to be less problematic than [[street prostitution]]. Laws regarding prostitution often include strict regulations for brothels, for example specifying that they may not be situated in certain zones (such as in residential areas or near schools) and usually prescribing various forms of health inspections. Actual regulations vary widely.<ref>[http://www.europarl.europa.eu/hearings/20040119/femm/document1_en.pdf A summary of the prostitution regulations in the EU member states] (from the website of the [[European Parliament]])</ref>
  
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The church, although consisting of people, Biblically speaking, is not simply an instution created by people. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus spoke about building '''his''' church and later, in [[Matthew 18:20]] he spoke about being present among the church
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==In popular culture==
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: ''{{Bible verse|matthew|16|18|lang=WEB}}'' (Matthew 16:18)
 
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: ''{{Bible verse|matthew|18|20|lang=WEB}}'' (Matthew 18:20)
 
  
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====The Church as both local and universal====
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Movies and television shows depicting brothels include:
 +
*''[[Born into Brothels]]''
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*''[[The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas]]''
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*[[CBS]]'s ''[[CSI: Crime Scene Investigation]]'': [[Ending Happy]].
 +
*[[HBO]]'s ''[[Cathouse: The Series]]''
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*''[[Hope In Heaven]]''
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*''[[Risky Business]]''
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*''[[Satisfaction (TV series)]]''
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*[[HBO]]'s ''[[Deadwood (TV series)|Deadwood]]''
  
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The Bible uses the term church in both a local and universal nature. Mostly the word refers to local churches, for example, the church in Rome or Antioch. Quite often it is spoken about the plural. On a few occasions the New Testament uses the word in a general or universal sense.
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==See also==
  
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====The Invisible versus the Visible Church====
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*[[Bordels Mobiles de Campagne]]
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*[[Prostitution]]
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*[[Sex industry]]
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*[[Soapland]]
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*[[Spintria]]
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*[[Sex workers]]
  
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Sometimes the church is spoken about in terms of the "invisible church" and the "visible church". The invisible church basically means the community or collection of true believers in Jesus regardless of denominational affiliation. The term visible church is used to refer to the physical countable members or leaders that make up a church or group of churches.
 
  
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Many Protestant churches tend to emphasize the invisible church, and view this as something quite distinct from the visible church. The Roman Catholic Church, on the other hand, teaches that the invisible church and visible church are very closely connected, although there is recognition that some elements of the invisible church can be present outside the visible (i.e. Roman Catholic) church.<ref>[[Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith]]: [http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070629_responsa-quaestiones_en.html Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine of the Church], 2007, second and third question.</ref>
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==Bibliography==
 +
*''The House of Dolls'', Karol Cetinsky
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*''101 Brothels i Have Loved'', DJ Tramp Steamer
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*''The Bishops Brothels'', E.J. Burford
  
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===[[Church building]]===
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==External links==
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{{Commons|Category:Brothels|Brothel}}
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{{wikiquote}}
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*[http://www.abc.net.au/queensland/conversations/stories/s1675865.htm ''Inside a brothel''] - interview by [[Richard Fidler]] with three brothel owners, June 2006 on [[ABC Local Radio]] (audio download available)
  
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Christians worhsip in church buildings. Although the [[Church]] (the people that belong to [[Jesus]]) can meet anywhere, they have since early times built buildings specifically for worshipping [[God]] in. There are many well known church buildings around the world such as [[St. Peter's Basilica]] in [[Rome]]. A common architecture for churches is a building in the shape of a cross, often with a dome or other large vaulted space in the interior to represent or draw attention to the heavens.
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==References==
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{{reflist}}
  
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====Photos of church buildings====
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[[Category:Brothels| ]]
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[[Category:Sex industry]]
  
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<center><gallery>
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[[bar:Puff]]
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Image:DCP 4427.jpg|The main church in [[Echmiadzin]], the physical centre of the [[Armenian Orthodox Church]]
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[[cs:Nevěstinec]]
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Image:Wittenburg church door gg.jpg|The door of the famous church in [[Wittenburg]] where [[Martin Luther]] is thought to have nailed his [[95 Theses]] to the door
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[[da:Bordel]]
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Image:Olney church.jpg|The church in [[Olney]] where [[John Newton]], author of the hymn [[Amazing Grace (song)|Amazing Grace]] worked
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[[de:Bordell]]
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Image:Stanfordmemorialchurch.jpg|Stanford Memorial Church in [[California]]
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[[et:Lõbumaja]]
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Image:Trinity baptist colonel light gardens.jpg|A small local church, [[Trinity Baptist Church (Colonel Light Gardens, South Australia)|Trinity Baptist Church]] in [[Adelaide]], [[Australia]], once known as the "City of Churches"
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[[el:Οίκος ανοχής]]
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Image:Église Collégiale Sainte Marthe (Tarascon).jpg|The Église Collégiale Sainte Marthe in [[Tarascon]], [[France]]
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[[es:Burdel]]
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</gallery></center>
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[[eo:Bordelo]]
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[[fr:Lupanar]]
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===[[Church history]]===
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[[id:Bordil]]
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[[it:Casa di tolleranza]]
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Since the church was formed after the resurrection of Jesus, major events and conflict, often over matters of [[doctrine]] have resulted in significant rifts. Initially the early Christians spread the good news of Jesus throughout the Roman empire and small congregations of Christians sprang up in many towns. Rome soon became the geographical centre of the church. However, there was a rift between the Church in Greece and the one in Rome that slowly developed over centuries culminating in a schism in 1054 AD. Later, in sixteenth century, Christians in northern Europe split from the Roman church, an event known as the [[Reformation]]. Today there seems to be a bewildering array of [[denominations]]. Some of the larger ones include [[Roman Catholicism]], the Greek and Russian [[Eastern Orthodox|Orthodox]] churches and the wide variety of [[Protestant]] churches.
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[[he:בית בושת]]
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[[jv:Bordhil]]
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==Quotes==
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[[lt:Viešnamis]]
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[[nl:Bordeel]]
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[[Once a Catholic]] by [[Tony Coffey]]
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[[ja:売春宿]]
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: The church is not a building. Nor is it an organisation or human institution. The church is simply the people whose sins have been forgiven through their faith Jesus Christ.
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[[pl:Dom publiczny]]
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[[pt:Prostíbulo]]
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Lenny Bruce
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[[ru:Публичный дом]]
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: Every day people are straying away from the church and going back to God.
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[[simple:Brothel]]
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[[fi:Bordelli]]
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Charles de Lint
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[[sv:Bordell]]
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: Why did men worship in churches, locking themselves away in the dark, when the world lay beyond its doors in all its real glory?
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[[tr:Genelev]]
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[[vec:Caxìn]]
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Robert Short
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[[zh:妓院]]
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: The church is the great lost and found department.
 
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Ralph Waldo Emerson
 
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: I like the silence of a church, before the service begins better than any preaching.
 
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George Mueller
 
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: An unvisited church will sooner or later become an unhealthy church.
 
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Ignatius of Antioch
 
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: Where the bishop, there the church (''Ubi episcopus, ibi ecclesia.'')
 
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Eugene de Mazenod
 
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: To love Jesus Christ means to love the church
 
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== References ==
 
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<references />
 
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==Links==
 
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* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church Wikipedia - Church]
 
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{{returnto}} [[Christianity]]
 

Revision as of 05:04, 21 September 2008

Template:Refimprove Church has various meanings. Select from these possibilities:

For the 2008 film of this name, see The Brothel. For the television series of this name, see Cathouse: The Series.

A brothel, also known as a bordello or whorehouse, is an establishment specifically dedicated to prostitution, providing the prostitutes a place to meet and to have sex with the clients. In some places, brothels are legal, and in many countries, places such as massage parlor are allowed to function as brothels, with varying degrees of regulation and repression. Depending on zoning, brothels may be confined to special red-light districts or 'tolerance zones'.

18th century illustration of Sally Salisbury stabbing a client in a brothel.

History

Brothels have been known for most of recorded history. Early incidences include temple prostitution in many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries.

By the time of the ancient Grecian and Roman civilizations, brothels were established and sometimes licensed institutions, with the latter first being recorded in Athens in 594 BC. Public sources of the time applauded the installation of said brothel by Solon, as this was deemed to reduce the disruptions caused by sexually unfulfilled transients (sailors, workers), as well as bringing money into the public purse. This first official brothel was soon followed by many others, and also influenced the creation of special schools in which various classes of prostitutes (from slavegirls to future courtesans) were trained for their profession.[1]

Business models

Brothels use a variety of business models:

  • In some, prostitutes are held in involuntary servitude without the option to leave,[2] receiving only a small portion (or none) of the money paid by the patron. This is typical where human trafficking procures a large percentage of prostitutes, and is common in (though not limited to) countries where prostitution is forbidden or repressed. In some cases, prostitutes are bought and sold by their keepers, reducing them to a state of chattel slavery. All of these are illegal in most jurisdictions.
  • In others the prostitutes are employees, receiving a small fixed salary and a portion of the money spent by the customer. (Maison close French for "closed house")
  • In still others, the prostitutes pay a fee for use of the facilities, with the brothel owner not being involved in the financial transaction between prostitute and client. (Maison de passe, French for "trick house")
  • In the regulated brothels in Nevada the prostitutes are contract workers who split their earnings with the house, and are often expected to "tip" support staff (cleaners, limo drivers, etc.); they receive no benefits, such as health insurance, and no withholding for Social Security taxes.

In those countries which restrict or forbid prostitution, the latter provides some level of plausible denial to the facility owner, who often (thinly) disguises the brothel as a massage parlor, bar or similar facility. Allowing such brothels may also be a form of face-saving by politicians who are unwilling or unable to fully enforce laws against prostitution.

Military brothels

Template:See Until recently, in several armies around the world, a mobile brothel service was attached to the army as an auxiliary unit, especially attached to combat units on long-term deployments abroad. For example, during French and Japanese colonial campaigns of the 20th century, such employees were mainly recruited among the local populace of Southeast Asia and Africa; often, some of the women were underage. Because it is a touchy subject, military brothels were often designated with creative euphemisms. Notable examples of such jargon are la boîte à bonbons (French for "the candy box"), replacing the term "Bordel militaire de campagne". Women forced into prostitution by the Japanese occupation armies throughout East Asia were known as "Comfort battalions". The prostitutes were individually referred to as "Military comfort women" or jūgun-ianfu.

Nevada brothels

In the United States, the only state where brothels are legal is Nevada (see List of brothels in Nevada and Prostitution in Nevada). Brothels are allowed in counties with populations of less than 400,000 inhabitants, and not all qualifying counties have allowed them. County governments license and regulate brothels within their boundaries. The brothels and their employees have to register with the county sheriff and receive regular medical checkups. Brothels have existed in Nevada since the old mining days of the 1800s and were first licensed in 1971. As of 2007, thirty brothels existed in Nevada. The legendary Mustang Ranch operated from 1971 through 1999, when it was forfeited to the federal government following a series of convictions for tax fraud, racketeering, and other crimes.

Due to the county population rule, all forms of prostitution are illegal in Reno and Las Vegas, and prostitution not occurring in a licensed brothel is illegal anywhere in Nevada.

Regulation

Various countries have fully legalized prostitution (as opposed to only tolerating it) in the last decades, including countries such as the Netherlands, Germany and New Zealand among others. Most of these countries seem to favor brothels, at least in theory, as they are considered to be less problematic than street prostitution. Laws regarding prostitution often include strict regulations for brothels, for example specifying that they may not be situated in certain zones (such as in residential areas or near schools) and usually prescribing various forms of health inspections. Actual regulations vary widely.[3]

In popular culture

Movies and television shows depicting brothels include:

See also


Bibliography

  • The House of Dolls, Karol Cetinsky
  • 101 Brothels i Have Loved, DJ Tramp Steamer
  • The Bishops Brothels, E.J. Burford

External links

This image has been imported from the Wikimedia Commons.


Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:


References

  1. ↑ Salamis, Tarts, Paedophilia and Pornikotelos - Hellenic Star, Thursday 7 September 2000
  2. ↑ Liberating sex slaves in India - New Internationalist, Issue 390, June 2006
  3. ↑ A summary of the prostitution regulations in the EU member states (from the website of the European Parliament)

bar:Puff cs:Nevěstinec da:Bordel de:Bordell et:Lõbumaja el:Οίκος ανοχής es:Burdel eo:Bordelo fr:Lupanar id:Bordil it:Casa di tolleranza he:בית בושת jv:Bordhil lt:Viešnamis nl:Bordeel ja:売春宿 pl:Dom publiczny pt:Prostíbulo ru:Публичный дом simple:Brothel fi:Bordelli sv:Bordell tr:Genelev vec:Caxìn zh:妓院

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