Posted on 04/15/2010 8:56:50 AM PDT by T Minus Four
Think of the Salt Lake Temple as a designer bottle holding a one-of-a-kind fragrance.
Think of the gardens and buildings of Temple Square as bubble wrap around that container.
Think of the City Creek Center to the south, the Church Plaza to the east, the Conference Center to the north, and the Family History Library and Church History Museum to the west as a firm, sturdy box around all of it.
When something merits that much protection, you have to figure rough bumps and bounces are coming down the road.
I get a feeling the LDS Church sees turbulence ahead -- nasty weather -- and it is making preparations.
It's not about being defensive and keeping things out.
It's about being protective and keeping precious things safe.
When the chilly winds blow, forest creatures gather all that's life-sustaining about them.
Horses in the fields cluster together to stand against the hail.
I feel the LDS Church battening down the hatches for bad weather.
The Tabernacle Choir, which was performing musical versions of Robert Frost poetry and other secular works, now releases CDs filled with songs of faith, assurance and the need to rely on the Divine.
I feel protection is the point behind the long row of sentries -- those Mormon temples -- that stand along the Wasatch -- the new Brigham City temple, new Payson temple, the new remade Ogden temple and all the others.
I feel protect precious things is the point of the new mission statements of LDS businesses, the point for books that are picked for publication and the lessons selected for manuals.
Part of the world would divide and conquer.
The church would gather and protect.
Something uneasy this way comes. Not a vilent clash as in Jerusalem -- where cultures fight openly. We won't be seeing stone throwers in the streets of Salt Lake City.
The battle here won't be about territory.
It will be about choices -- about the advent of a bolder, more self-indulgent popular culture.
The church can see the writing on the wall -- often literally.
And graffiti on the temple will never do.
It's time -- as the old hymn has it -- to "safely gather in, ere the winter storms begin."
The plan is not to force people away.
The plan is to keep what's on the inside safe from harm.
And if that means putting up ramparts and watchtowers, so be it.
Even heaven, if you believe the stories, is a gated community -- not to keep people away, but to safeguard the gentle hearts of those who dwell there.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E-mail: jerjohn@desnews.com Jerry Earl Johnston chronicles his take on the Mormon experience in his column “New Harmony,” which appears on MormonTimes.com on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Thank you for that tip, too. I may have to use my newfound cheat, lol.
(Hey, that's what a good chunk of their Mormon tithe goes for...'tis known as the "ministry" of "Speaking softly and carrying a big Lds.org, Pearl of Great Price, D&C, & Book of Mormon stick")
Definition of this stick:
"...every spirit that does not confess that God has sent Joseph Smith, and revealed the everlasting Gospel to and through him, is of Antichrist..." (Brigham Young, Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 435)
"You Christian sects are 100% wrong"; (Pearl of GP)
"You Christian sects are 100% apostate"; (Lds leaders)
"You Christians are 100% creedally putrid"; (Pearl of GP)
"You Christians are 100% corrupt as believers..." (Pearl of GP; Lds "prophet" McKay: "The church became corrupt")
"The Christian church is false & dead" (Lds "prophets" Hinckley & Taylor; D&C 1:30)
"...blasphemous are they who purport to baptize, bless, marry, or perform other sacraments in the name of the Lord while in fact lacking his specific authorization..." (Lds "prophet" Spencer W. Kimball in labeling all Christian leaders who baptize, marry & perform sacraments as blasphemers!!!)
...Signed: Cordially, your "nice" Mormon neighbor
P.S. "Of course, we grassroots Mormons will be polite & use Lds missionary doorstep language like 'universal apostasy' instead of pointing our fingers right @ you..."
"...and we'll fund the outer darkness out of hundreds of books which are chock full of quotes of our "prophets"...of different Pearl of Great Price translations...of online articles & curricula, etc...which mention all of the above in order to slander the outer darkness out of you Christians...so our 'big stick' will seem once-removed..."
"...But make no mistake about it, we've sent out literally over 1 million Lds missionaries who've wielded an extension of this 'Big Stick' around the world!!!"
I “feel” like Smith was a prophet despite his batting average...
You are welcome!
(Others got it, too; this way... ;^)
I’ll just die if I don’t get this recipe. I’ll just die if I don’t get this recipe. I’ll just die if I don’t get this recipe.
(Who typed this on your computer, Resty???)
so would I, I was having one of those low blood sugar moments!
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