I think it’s a lot to do with the fact that I’m used to European churches that I think most of the American ones are really unimpressive.
I’ve strolled around Westminster Abbey, visited Notre Dame and the cathedrals of Florence and Siena.
Granted those are are a hard act to follow but even small local British churches have a great deal of charm. Many of the local US ones aren’t in the same league – in fact they don’t even seem to try. Many of them look as if they were originally designed for a different purpose and then transformed into churches as an afterthought – slapping a dodgy steeple on the roof and adding a porch apparently makes a warehouse a church.
I know it isn’t so much about the building and it’s more about what happens inside, but there’s something about the atmosphere that seems like a good start for religious activities. I’ll admit that I haven’t actually attended a US ceremony but if I wanted to, I’d rather it was in a church not a warehouse. That said, there are many many people who don’t seem to mind in the slightest about the location. Good for them.