I have heard that Mormons have secret rites at times. Is this so? If so, why?
Secret? Hardly. They’ve been posted on the web for years.
Sacred? We like to think so, and we seek to keep them that way.
To me a rite like baptism by immersion is replete with deep meaning. Similarly temple worship is also heavily infused with many teachings but they are basically the same teachings we teach in our public meetings. If you ever talk to the LDS missionaries or attend our services, what you will find is that what we talk about there is the same things we learn there. The major difference is that we believe that every temple worthy lay member must live in some respects like a priest, and similar to a priest in other faiths, the temple is the vehicle where we aspire to live up to these priest like ideals.
With that picture in your mind can you imagine how distasteful it is to rant on about other faiths and their clergyman? Many clergyman, rabbis, etc. wear symbolic religious attire, but yet they are not mocked. Also, imagine how distasteful it sounds if the rites and practices of holy men of other faiths were routinely mocked in the public square. Is this not a double standard then for the treatment of my faith?
Anyway, a very strong point for keeping our personal worship private is that it forces the temple worshiper to figure it out things for him or herself. It forces the worshiper to find references which jump out in the Bible relating to the teachings. And it is great way for the worshiper to rely on prayer and build a relationship with God and Jesus Christ to help understand. I am amazed how much more deeper I learn about God and Jesus Christ every time I attend. To me the things I keep private are pearls of wisdom which Jesus Christ said not to throw away casually, lest they be trampled.