Your “smoke machines” are called censers. ;-)
“ Your “smoke machines” are called censers. ;-)
+1
Stained glass windows, statues etc. are all about creating a beautiful house of worship worthy of the creator of the universe and direct the peoples attention to heavenly/holy things. If you think that kind of beautification is superfluous, you should look up Gods very detailed instructions to the Israelites for building the temple. Gold and marble everywhere. The place was truly a wondrous place of beauty and opulence.
I encourage you both to do a little research. Much of the design and layout of traditional Catholic churches/cathedrals is taken form the old Jewish temple. Everything had a reason to be there and to be where it was. We’ll, it used to be. Many newer Catholic churches are an abomination of “modernity” IMO.
Likewise with Incense. It has nothing to do with theatrics, or creating “atmosphere”, but is rooted in ancient tradition derived directly from sacrifice and worship in the Jewish temple.
But the Catholic Church is not immune from this kind of modernism/showmanship creeping into their services. In some parishes, the Mass has devolved into some kind of protestant/evangelical like rock show events.
The Church as a whole has embraced far too much of the world’s ways. This is intentional, and it’s from Satan himself.
Honestly, I do not believe there has been a legitimate pope since Pope Pious the 12th. The “seat is empty” as we say. But some of us are still trying to keep the old legitimate Catholic Church alive.