I know I know, this is going to make some people mad. But hear me out. Unless your head has been under a rock, you’re aware by now of the fire that took down the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. If not, you can read up on it here.

I’ve seen a lot of people upset about this, including some of my Evangelical Christian friends — even my Reformed brethren. My intent is not to throw any of them under the bus, but to get them to look at the bright side of this.

First and foremost, we’re thankful that nobody died — however, it is reported that one firefighter was seriously injured. We pray for his recovery. But let’s look at what happened here. Many of my friends are upset that a historical iconic structure has been burnt to the ground, possibly forever. It would literally have to be rebuilt from the ground up to be saved, and even then, it wouldn’t be the same. All said and done, the historic building is destroyed.

However, the Notre Dame Cathedral was a Roman Catholic Cathedral, and it’s history isn’t really that bright. The history of the Roman Catholic Church is one of violence against the saints. Literally, millions (some estimates as high as 65 million, though unlikely quite that high) were killed at the hands of the Roman Catholic Church during the inquisition. The Roman Catholic Church has stood in opposition to the bride of Christ since its inception. It is not a Christian organization.

The Notre Dame Cathedral was initially constructed in the 12th century AD under Pope Alexander III. The Cathedral has experienced much warfare and has changed hands between different cults and religious organizations on a few occasions, ultimately remaining under the control of the Roman Catholic Church. The Cathedral was adorned in with idols and demonic statues which bore great witness to the god the Roman Catholic Church serves — Satan.

Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made.

Isaiah 2:8

It is reported that during the fire, some of the relics and statues have been saved and transported to another location. It is unclear as to which ones were saved, but one thing is for certain, Roman Catholic relics have been used to enslave people to the Roman Catholic Church and keep them in bondage for nearly 2000 years.

Things to remember: as Bible-believing Christians, we understand that God is in control of all things. We also understand that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). The Roman Catholic Notre Dame Cathedral has stood in proud opposition to Biblical Christianity for nearly a millennium. God has sovereignly allowed this symbol to burn to the ground. Was this an act of judgment at the hands of God? It could be. One thing is for sure — in God’s mercy and grace, He didn’t take out multitudes of people with it. It is clear that God is giving idolaters, blasphemers, and haters of God a chance to repent and believe the true Gospel. In this opportunity for repentance, we rejoice.

In the meantime, we should be thankful that this stronghold of Satan has been burnt to the ground.