Doug McLeod noted: "I still say a church steeple with a lightning rod on top shows a lack of confidence."

I would add that cathedrals, mosques, minarets, temples, synagogues and most other high and mighty places of worship also take precautions against lightning storm and tempest.

God really is a pain, isn't he? All this expenditure on these needlessly opulent places of worship - PLUS this added expense due to powers that SHOULD be under their control - could be put to much better use, like feeding the hungry and housing the homeless.