Posted on 04/24/2012 1:28:27 PM PDT by Jeff Head
As I stood in front of the new Mormon Temple in Liberty, Mo., it struck me as ironic that close to 175 years ago, Mormons were forced out of this same state.
Whereas the Missouri public once urged their governor to force Joseph Smith and his followers out of the area surrounding Kansas City, Mormons began to return to the region in the 1900s, eventually gathering in such large numbers that the Church organization decided the region needed a temple.
Which is why I came to visit.
Latter Day Saints restrict temple access to members of their denomination who have proven themselves to be faithful and dedicated adherents. Because Mormons believe temples are the most sacred places on earth, one needs to be prepared to enter them by being an active member of the Church. (In contrast, chapels, where Mormons hold Sunday worship, are open to everyone. Temples are used only for certain rituals and are not open on Sunday so that Mormons can be at their chapel services.)
When a new temple is built, anyone may enter prior to its dedication. So, always curious to learn about the faith of others, I didn't want to miss an opportunity to see a site normally closed off to an Episcopal priest like myself.
My visit seemed all the more timely because Mormons have been in the news a lot lately, and so have their temples. Elizabeth Smart recently married her husband in a temple in Hawaii during a ceremony called a sealing, in which the couple and close Mormon friends and family gather together to witness God joining the couple together for time and all eternity. In less complimentary news, Elie Wiesel took Mitt Romney to task for his faith's practice of baptisms of the dead, which also take places within temple walls.
These headlines, in addition to my own curiosity, motivated my visit to the new temple in Kansas City, and with my curiosity came some questions:
What does a Mormon temple look like, and what happens inside it?
Would I feel God's presence in this space, even though it's not a space that's sacred for me?
Before I go any further -- and because I know it's the question at the front of your mind, dear reader -- no one tried to convert me. In fact, everyone was very welcoming. Members volunteered en masse, clad in pressed suits and dresses. They offered guided tours, bent down to put protective boots onto my feet so my shoes wouldn't dirty the carpeting, and offered me a chewy snickerdoodle at the end of the tour. They showed me every space from changing rooms to sealing rooms where marriages take place and answered every question I asked, no matter how challenging or controversial.
And in the end, yes, I did have a God moment.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Mormons go to temples to be close to God. Much like the ancient Jewish people believed God lived at the heart of the temple in Jerusalem, Mormons believe that followers can meet God most intimately in the temple. The reasons they visit temples vary: In addition to having their marriages sealed in the temple, Mormons also have sealing ceremonies that unite parents and children for time and all eternity. Others come to participate in baptisms of the dead, which are intended to be used only for deceased family members of active Mormons, though the Church acknowledged in the wake of Elie Wiesel's comments that others -- such as Anne Frank -- have had baptisms performed on their behalf. These baptisms are not intended to convert the deceased but rather to give them a choice in the afterlife to embrace the revelation of Mormonism: Assuming an afterlife exists, the baptized deceased are free to say yes or no as they please. Finally, Mormons come to the temple to receive their endowment, a ritual ceremony where followers make promises to God and receive knowledge about God.
Unlike a cathedral, which is primarily composed of one large worship space, a Mormon temple has a variety of smaller rooms that serve different purposes. There are sealing rooms and rooms for men and women to change into white clothes (every male or female Mormon who enters a dedicated temple wears the same white clothing) and instruction rooms where individuals learn about God in preparation for receiving their endowments.
It was in these rooms, and the final Celestial Room, where I caught a glimpse of God.
You see, as part of our final stop on the tour, our guide took us to a room with a mural of the Missouri countryside painted by a local artist. The room had earthy colors, browns and greens and rows of cushioned seats. This was the first instruction room. From there, we took a step up -- as if ascending closer to heaven -- and entered a second room, similar to the first in shape and size but all white. This was the second instruction room. When we left that room, we took another step up and entered the Celestial Room, a space designed to give those who sit in it a foretaste of heaven.
It was a simple room yet ornate at the same time, all white with sparkling crystal chandeliers, large mirrors, and plump sofas and chairs reminiscent of those that must have existed in Joseph Smith's day. Our guide asked us to be silent and said we were welcome to sit wherever we liked and take a moment to pray. So I sat down on a sofa that seemed to envelop me, folded my hands on my lap and closed my eyes.
Like Dante, who saw God face to face but had no words to describe the encounter, I have few words to describe what I felt in that moment. But I can say this: While it did not convert me, nor did it make me want to be a Mormon, the silence and peace I felt reminded me of the many other times I've felt close to God, whether in an Episcopal cathedral, in a clear, warm ocean or in my ratty old car. And because of that, I came to understand why temples exist and why they are so important to Mormons across the world.
And along the lines of Mormons being across the world: As I wrote earlier, Mormons were ironically driven out of Liberty, Missouri and the surrounding region nearly 175 years ago. It cannot be lost on those who visit the new temple that almost two centuries later, Mormons are often still held in suspicion by society, but they are far from being as vulnerable as they were in their early years. They are building stronger foundations every day, and striving, as they do so, to catch a glimpse of heaven.
You are wrong on the first, and perhaps right on the second.
I don't want the STONES crying out the things that I should have said!
Pity the person who winds up entangled in MORMONism because a fearfull Christian failed to speak out!
http://www.allaboutfollowingjesus.org/early-christian-persecution-faq.htm
What?
Jeff does these things?
Who knew; as he has NEVER written about them here!!
How do we know THIS?
Ah...
The Last Mile problem.
CAble stopped about 2.5 miles from my house and tv was thru the air, 2 directional antennas (amplifiers in the house as well) and rotators to get a signal no closer than about 25 miles thru thick stands of trees.
I was fortunate enough to have a small phone company with very forward thinking folks running it.
A year and a half ago, they installed Fiber Optic lines to the far reachs of their domain.
WHAT a difference in computer speed and the TV became available as well.
Phooey with this religion stuff; as I am in Heaven NOW!!!!
Farm livin' is the life for me!
I am almost at the end of the power line for this area, as there are only three other folks down the road from me before the wires just STOP!
It only took the SECOND long outage before I bought a big enough generator to power the important things in the house.
I still need to have enough GAS to last a long time, but so far the tank on the thing has been sufficient.
I should have a propane conversion carb on the thing, so I could use the heating stuff for a LONG time!
Oh my!
My biggest (so far) are deer.
It was like that for me, the first year, until they harvested the corn!
I never knew so many OTHERS folks lived within a mile or so of me. (It's all flat here, with maybe a 10 foot change in elevation over a mile.)
Remember Jarbidge?
Now THAT was remote!
O...
K...
I have no knowledge of what he TAUGHT; but I am aware of what the Articles of Faith SAY:
The Articles of Faith
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
- We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
- We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
- We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
- We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
- We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
- We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
- We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
- We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.- We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may
- We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
- We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
Joseph Smith
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Rights and use information.
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You probably like OTHER meat; right?
Be glad you ain't a WORTHY Mormon, who has a Temple Recommend!
They are not supposed to eat MEAT in warm weather!
Right, Jeff?
| The Official Scriptures of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints © 2006 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Rights and use information. Privacy policy. |
I’ll take issue with one point.
Because they believe in Latter Day prophets, anything said 150 years ago can be overturned at any time. So instead of telling Jeff what he believes, perhaps you should ask him.
It's really, at least IMHO, quite sad...but they have their right to their own slant on things and I do seek God's blessings on each of them, and anyone else for their own witness and faith in Christ Jesus, even if it differs in some points of doctrine from my own. Good to talk to you, hope and trust you and yours are well and I sincerely hope we can turn our nation around, building on 2010 here in 2012 and particularly removing Obama from the White House. God's speed. BZ
I am so glad my God is forever.
I would be so confused if He were changing his mind all the time, wouldn’t know what I was supported to do or how to behave.
So much easier to have a consistent God Almighty, rather than one who is imperfect so that He has to change His mind because He made mistakes before.
Genesis 6
5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them. ”
What HE believes is irrelevant. What the LDS religious organization has PUBLISHED is not.
You have got THAT right!!
In conclusion let us summarize this grand key, these “Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet”, for our salvation depends on them.
1. The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.
2. The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.
3. The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.
4. The prophet will never lead the church astray.
5. The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.
6. The prophet does not have to say “Thus Saith the Lord,” to give us scripture.
7. The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.
8. The prophet is not limited by men’s reasoning.
9. The prophet can receive revelation on any matter, temporal or spiritual.
10. The prophet may advise on civic matters.
11. The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.
12. The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.
13. The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency—the highest quorum in the Church.
14. The prophet and the presidency—the living prophet and the First Presidency—follow them and be blessed—reject them and suffer.
I testify that these fourteen fundamentals in following the living prophet are true. If we want to know how well we stand with the Lord then let us ask ourselves how well we stand with His mortal captain—how close do our lives harmonize with the Lord’s anointed—the living Prophet—President of the Church, and with the Quorum of the First Presidency.
Ezra Taft Benson
(Address given Tuesday, February 26, 1980 at Brigham Young University)
You show no evidence to the contrary. The text indicates that these jews were from all over. Since Pentecost is one of the three mandatory feasts (see Exodus 34:23-24), it is most likely that they were going to head back to their homes and business since Luke made such an emphasis of WHERE they had come from.
44And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had.
LOL, now you have to resort to hyperliteralism. Come on snipe, use a little common sense. Since the focus is upon the startings of Christianity, the focus is upon the main body in Jerusalem, just doesn't pay attention to those who left after pentecost.
If you want to argue about those who spoke greek - remember that greek was the broadest accepted language of the time and Hebrew was very restricted in many aspects at that time.
Skipping redundant straw
I do not know the full reason for the persecution except it is foretold the believers were to be scattered. Staying in Jerusalem after Pentecost was not the instruction given.
What happened snipe? Are you now realizing that the persecution was NOT directed by the Holy Spirit as you claimed? Or perhaps Jesus prophesied that in his instructions in Acts? And note - there was nothing regarding a specific time line - so you are arguing out of silence whether they could have stayed in Jerusalem AFTER pentecost for a period. LOL, just what I posted a lot earlier. Well, good to see you finally coming around to what I was trying to point out.
Genesis 6, is about sin, death and redemption.
God is consistent: sin causes death, their is redemption available.
Actually Appy, the issue is that the wordsmithing being used does not match the actual teachings of the doctrines of mormonism - from their doctrinal sources. One doesn't need to go anywhere else.
Thus we have the continual attempt to nail jello to the wall. We get an amorphous "witness" of one's belief that really says little or nothing beyond the mandatory "the church is true and smith is a prophet" etc etc. They like to use words like , "Jesus", "atonement" and "salvation" - but insert mormon definitions behind their use - definitions contrary to Christianity which they also try to claim.
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