BUILDINGS ARE NOT THE PLACE
God has made it very clear that he does not live in buildings made by human hands. And he has also made it clear that he dwells in the midst (i.e. inner parts) of his people whom he calls his house.
STUDY TIP: See Tabernacles, Temples, Altars, High Places and Pilgrimages for more about the place where God lives.
Nevertheless, religions insist on building fancy structures which they wrongly represent as God’s house. And they proudly promise that visitors to these buildings will have some kind of encounter with God there because he lives there, or at least visits there regularly.
It is no mystery that religions maintain this myth about God’s house. If they could not promise that encounters with God happen there, they could not attract visitors who will come and pay good money to have such encounters. It is all part of the business of religion.
STUDY TIP: See Examples of Business and Commerce in Religion and Jesus and the Money-Changers in the Temple for more about the business of religion.