Anti-Mormon Utah Carpetbaggers From Tri-Grace Ministries Try To Spoil Open House For Indianapolis-Area LDS Temple

Update July 17th: Here's a short video showing the interior of the Indianapolis Temple.

https://youtu.be/hkiTk8clS1Y



As the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prepares for the open house for the new temple located in the Indianapolis suburb of Carmel, Indiana, Satan has decided to show up to cast his negative vote -- using a bunch of anti-Mormon Utah carpetbaggers as his handmaidens.

Activists from the Utah-based Tri-Grace Ministries plan to set up a tent across the street to declare what they think is "the truth" about the LDS Church. They fired their first volley last week when they took out a 12-page advertising supplement in community newspapers in Carmel, Westfield and Zionsville that warn about the so-called "deception" of the religion. Tri-Grace Ministries founder Chip Thompson claims that the LDS Church is not telling the truth and Mormons are not following what Jesus taught.

So far, LDS Church officials have refused to dignify Tri-Grace Ministries with a response. But other Christians in the local area see through the hatred and bigotry spewed by this bogus ministry. Chris Duckworth, pastor of New Joy Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Westfield, was irked by the advertising supplements and was quoted as follows:

"We don't treat people, who have been seriously picked on, in that way. We know better than that. We are better than that."

"If my Mormon brother says he's a Christian, I'll accept his word at that. We might disagree in theology or have differences in opinion about what core tenets of Christianity are. But I'm not going to deny him the right to call himself what he or she in their faith believe they are."

Pastor Duckworth adds considerably more detail on his church's website. He plans to attend the LDS open house, and he further writes:

"Theological differences between the Mormon Church and the Lutheran Church are real. But so too is the unfair treatment our neighbors, friends, and fellow children of God of the Mormon Church receive to this day. My friends and neighbors don’t deserve to receive, on their doorstep, such a publication. I cannot remain silent. I have to speak out.

For me, living a life of faith is not about projecting my faith into the public square to the detriment of others, or seeking public assets – be they government or business – to enshrine and propagate my faith through their power and reach. Instead, living a life of faith is about coming to the defense of my neighbors, seeking the good of the community – particularly the most vulnerable and “least of these” (Matthew 25:40) – living into the promises of the coming Kingdom of God, and having the opportunity to worship and live according to the dictates of faith."

Although Pastor Duckworth does not claim to hold either the Aaronic or Melchizedek Priesthood, there is no question that the Lord is working through him and that he does access the Holy Spirit. Pastorship is a function of priesthood, and the Lord will recognize and use his ministry so long as he acts in a Christ-like manner. At his level of knowledge and light, Pastor Duckworth is a champion for Christ.

A visit to the Tri-Grace Ministries website shows that their sole objective is to denigrate and defame Mormonism. There is absolutely no effort on their part to actually win souls for Christ. During a time period when traditional Christian values are under attack by the elite nationwide, waging civil war against fellow Christians is tantamount to treason against God.

The open house will take place from July 17th through August 8th; details available at the dedicated website. On August 23rd, the temple will be formally dedicated, after which time only templeworthy LDS members will be allowed admittance. The temple, which will become the 148th operational temple in the world, will serve approximately 30,000 LDS members who currently go to the Louisville, Chicago, and Columbus temples. Read the complete fact sheet on the temple for further details about its construction and composition.

Motorist Dies After Crashing Into The Base Of The Lubbock LDS Temple

Media outlets are reporting that a man crashed his car into the LDS temple in Lubbock, Texas, but the temple itself only sustained minor cosmetic damage on the exterior. News video available from KCBD NewsCenter 11 (doesn't embed properly).

Lubbock Online (5 free views per 30 days) has the most complete account so far. Cameron Tanner Alldredge, 25, was traveling east when he drove through the intersection at 7100 Genoa Avenue sometime after noon on December 8th and struck a metal fence at the east side of the intersection. According to Lubbock police, Alldredge continued east and struck a retaining wall on the west side of the temple in the 7000 block of Frankford Avenue, coming to rest at the base of the temple. No other vehicles or individuals were involved. Although first responders initially reported Alldredge had critical injuries, by 2:30 P.M. he was pronounced dead. The Lubbock Police Department is continuing to investigate to determine if there were other contributing factors, although KCBD reports that Alldredge wasn't wearing a seat belt.

The Lubbock Texas Temple, dedicated in April 2002, serves an estimated 13,500 LDS members from 6 stakes and 1 district based in West Texas and Southeast New Mexico:

-- Abilene Texas Stake
-- Amarillo Texas Stake
-- Fort Stockton Texas District
-- Lubbock Texas North Stake
-- Lubbock Texas Stake
-- Odessa Texas Stake
-- Roswell New Mexico Stake

LDS Church Issues Revised Video On Sacred Temple Clothing

While it is well-known that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued an unprecedented video showing the unique clothing worn in the temples, that video has now been rendered private. A revised video has been issued by the LDS Church:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkTz_NQqKA8



After the initial video was released, the Church learned that one short clip used in the original video came from stock footage filmed several years ago, and that the Church member shown in the clip was the subject of criminal charges. Only those who maintain optimal standards of personal behavior may "star" in an official LDS video. So the Church replaced that eight-second clip with new footage, but the script, imagery and all other aspects of the video remain unchanged.

While the original video was well-received both inside and outside the LDS community, some devout Mormons were a bit discomfited by the casual public display of temple garments. Many older Mormons were originally briefed upon receiving their endowments that the ceremonies and clothing were secret, and promised dire symbolic penalties if they ever publicly revealed the information. So the Church's outburst of transparency surprised them, and they wish they had been warned in advance. Nevertheless, they also accept the change.

LDS temple garments serve as a personal reminder of covenants made with God to lead good, honorable, Christlike lives. The wearing of temple garments is an outward expression of an inward commitment to follow the Savior. People of other religions also wear special garments to symbolize their own covenants, including Jews with their yarmulkes and sheitels, and Muslims with their hijabs, burkas and chadors. Accessibility to temple garments is considered so important that the LDS Church authorizes the use of Desert Sand garments for those who require camouflage clothing on the job; the Church provides special garment guidelines for military, police, and firefighters who require camouflage. While temple garments have actually evolved over the years to maintain a proper balance between functionality and spirituality, the area of the body covered is basically unchanged.

Read the LDS Church's topical guide on temples for an overview of ceremonies conducted therein.

LDS Public Affairs Unaware Of Any Proposed Changes To Temple Marriage Policy

A spokesman for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Public Affairs office has downplayed reports that the Church is contemplating a change to its current temple marriage policy. The change would only be effective in the United States, Canada, and South Africa. In a statement published by the Provo Daily Herald, spokesman Dale Jones submitted the following:

"Church leaders are well aware of the issues surrounding marriage and continue to examine them carefully, but we are unaware of any meetings where changes to temple marriage policies have been discussed".

This statement was prompted by a post on the This Week In Mormons website, in which Geoff Openshaw claims that temple workers, specifically in Bountiful and Rexburg, have been informed of a pending change at temple training meetings, and that there will be a public announcement in December with implementation beginning in January 2015:

However, it appears that this past weekend, in temple training meetings, workers were informed that a change is, indeed, on the way, and in the United States, prospective spouses will need to be married civilly (at a courthouse or wherever) before heading to the temple for their sealing, requiring them to present their marriage certificate (not just a provisional, to-be-signed license) at the temple office.

This change would put an end to the sometimes-awkward spectacle of non-member and less-active guests at temple wedding ceremonies having to sit downstairs while the ceremony takes place in the upper room. It would allow for friends and family unable to enter the temple to have full involvement in a wedding of their loved ones. A "ring ceremony" is a poor substitute for the real deal.

Note that the LDS spokesman merely said he wasn't aware of any impending changes; he didn't issue a flat denial. This indicates a strong possibility that at least some of the General Authorities find the present dichotomy awkward. This shows that the Brethren are indeed in touch with the membership, even if they react with glacial speed at times. It could also be in response to the current kerfluffle in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, where the city government is threatening to sanction a minister under local nondiscrimination laws with a 180-day jail term and $1,000 per day fine for refusing to perform same-sex wedding ceremonies. In that case, Donald Knapp and his wife, Evelyn, both ordained ministers of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel who also run the Hitching Post Wedding Chapel, have responded by filing a federal lawsuit and a motion for temporarily restraining Coeur d'Alene city officials from forcing them to perform same-sex wedding ceremonies. However, Coeur d'Alene city officials maintain that the Hitching Post Wedding Chapel does not qualify for a religious exemption because the Hitching Post is a for-profit company registered with the Idaho Secretary of State's office as a business, a limited liability company. So maybe the LDS Church might want to position itself to get out of the civil marriage business altogether if push comes to shove.

But for the time being, ministers who don't charge for weddings shouldn't have any problem. However, the day could come when that might change. After all, the LDS Church was threatened with disincorporation in the 19th century by the Federal government for its practice of plural marriage. If churches and ministers can be persecuted once, they can be persecuted again.

European Court Of Human Rights Rules Rules Preston LDS Temple Not Entitled To Same Tax Exemption As Chapels

In the United States, temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are customarily awarded the same tax exemptions as chapels. However, this is not necessarily the case elsewhere, and in the United Kingdom, British authorities withdrew the tax exemption awarded to the LDS Church for its temple in Preston. Instead of earning a complete statutory tax exemption, the temple would only qualify for an 80 percent exemption. The Church filed suit with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), claiming this decision violated two articles of the European Convention of Human Rights, and on March 4th, 2013, the ECHR ruled against the LDS Church. Media stories have been published by the Independent and the BBC.

Applicability: Potentially applies to any area under the jurisdiction of the ECHR. Consequently, this could apply to any other LDS temple in the area, which is probably one of the reasons why the Church decided to push it all the way to the ECHR. According to the Telegraph, Malcolm Adcock, UK spokesman for the LDS Church, said "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints respects the decision of the Strasbourg court, and is grateful that the charitable activities of churches are recognized under UK and European law."

Below is a summary of case highlights; the full details are available on the specific case page of the ECHR:

Background: Under the United Kingdom's Local Government Finance Act 1988, a valuation officer must compile and maintain a local rating list for his or her area. Premises included on the list are liable for the payment of business rates. Premises used for charitable purposes are entitled to charity business rates relief, which cuts the amount of rates payable by 80 percent. Places of public religious worship are wholly exempt from the tax.

History: The dispute first arose in 1998. Although the Preston temple was listed as a building used for charitable purpose and therefore retained a liability to pay only 20 percent rates, it was refused the statutory tax exemption reserved for places of public religious worship because the temple is only open to recommend holders rather than the general public. The valuation officer did accept that the stake center on the same site, with its chapel, associated hall and ancillary rooms, was a place of public religious worship accessible to the general public which was entitled to the exemption. Other buildings on the site, for example a building providing accommodation for missionaries and various ancillary buildings were subject to full business rates. For the financial year 1999/2000, the applicant paid a total of GBP 117,360 in respect of all the rateable buildings on its Preston site.

In March 2001, the applicant applied to have the temple removed from the rating list, claiming the benefit of the exemption for places of public religious worship. In October 2004, the Lancashire Valuation Tribunal granted the application for appeal and determined the temple to be exempt under the statutory provision. However, in December 2005, the Lands Tribunal overturned that decision. The applicant’s appeal to the Court of Appeal was dismissed on 24 November 2006. The applicant then appealed to the House of Lords, who in turn dismissed the appeal in July 2008 on the basis that the temple, because of the limited public access, did not qualify as a place of worship. The LDS Church then appealed to the ECHR, claiming that the decision was a violation of Articles 9 and 14 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, alternately referred to as the European Convention of Human Rights.

-- Article 9: (1). Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance. (2). Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

-- Article 14: The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in [the] Convention shall be secured without discrimination on any ground such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status.

Open House To Begin At New LDS Temple In Gilbert, Arizona Prior To March 2nd Dedication; Fort Lauderdale Temple Next Up

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has completed its new temple on the southeast corner of Greenfield and Pecos Roads in Gilbert, Arizona, and is preparing to dedicate it on March 2nd, 2014, after which time it will be open only to Mormons possessing a temple recommend. But the general public will get an opportunity to tour the temple during the open house that will take place from Saturday January 18th through Saturday February 15th, 2014 (except for Sundays). Open house reservations are being accepted at www.gilbertmormontemple.org; note that cameras will not be allowed inside the building during the tours. Among the VIPs getting special preliminary tours was Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, who characterized the temple as a beacon of hope, faith and love.

This temple has attracted more attention than most because at 85,000 square feet, it's the largest temple the Church has constructed in 17 years. In addition, with the spire reaching a height of 195 feet, it becomes the tallest building in the East Valley area of the Phoenix metroplex. Anticipating the additional construction of a chapel on the site within four years, the parking lot was wisely designed to accommodate 654 vehicles, which minimizes any traffic problems. Upon dedication, the Gilbert Temple will become the 142nd operating temple of the Church worldwide. It is one of four temples in Arizona, with others in Mesa, Snowflake and the Gila Valley. A fifth temple in Phoenix, which was delayed until the concerns of local residents were satisfactorily addressed, is under construction and a sixth, in Tucson, has been announced. There are an estimated 400,000 LDS members in Arizona.

If you cannot visit the Gilbert Temple in person, there are photostreams linked on the LDS website. In addition, here is a short video incorporating a number of still photos which alternate exterior views with pictures of the most significant interior rooms:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQUKa9WF8-g



Temples are considered houses of the Lord where Christ’s teachings are reaffirmed through marriage, baptism and other ordinances that unite families for eternity. Inside, members learn more about the purpose of life and make promises to serve Jesus Christ and their fellow man. LDS members dress in white clothing during the services to symbolize purity, cleanliness and setting aside things from the outside world. Raising some occasional controversy is the fact that there have been periodic adjustments to the oaths and ceremonies in the temple, as described in this timeline, but these changes were made to keep the temple ceremonies consistent with changing doctrine. The most recent batch of changes took place in 1990 after a survey of Church members' feelings about the endowment. Changes in temple ceremonies do not impinge upon the authenticity of LDS Church doctrine. In the 15-minute video from 2012 embedded below, Elder William R. Walker, who heads up temple operations worldwide, gives a more detailed presentation about the value of temples and how they expand upon the normal worship services available in chapels:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGN9Mg-KnMY



And another temple will be opening soon as the First Presidency has announced open house and dedication dates for the Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple. The public is invited to visit the temple during an open house from Saturday March 29th through April 19th, 2014, excluding Sundays. Free reservations for the open house can be made through the fortlauderdalemormontemple.org website in the coming weeks. Local Florida media sources are already spreading the word.

LDS Church Releases New Temple Movie For Endowment Ceremony, But You Must Be A Templeworthy Mormon To See It

Update August 13th: Have added some additional and important reaction to the temple movie published since this post first appeared; scroll down to paragraph 3.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has released a new movie to be shown during the endowment ceremony held at their temples, but you won't see this movie posted on Mormon Messages. That's because it's not intended to be shown outside the temple, and one must be a templeworthy Mormon to access an operational temple. For those readers unfamiliar with the endowment ceremony, an overview is provided on LDS Endowment, which is neither a pro-Mormon nor an anti-Mormon website.

Fear not, because the Deseret News published a brief story, while several other sources, namely Wheat & Tares and Jana Riess's truthfully-named Flunking Sainthood blog, provide additional background and perspective. The film is also discussed on the LDS Freedom Forum and on LDS.net.

Update August 13th: Since this post, there has been some additional important reaction published. Zomarah published a complete review of the movie without violating any covenants. Zomarah agrees that the new movie is an improvement, but thinks the casting still leaves much to be desired. On Adventures in Mormonism, Bruce F. Webster was sufficiently impressed that he teared up for the first time ever when watching a temple movie. Webster also rebuts Jana Riess' anti-racist propaganda about the film being "too white", stating that half of the eight actors (including Adam and especially Eve) look as though they come from Latin America, not Northern Europe. On Mormanity, Jeff Lindsay liked the acting, and noted that Eve was portrayed as much more of a real woman, a thinker, and a leader than in the past. And finally, on The Exponent, which is the more moderate and rational feminist Mormon blog, they conducted a poll and over two-thirds of respondents believe Eve was portrayed better than in the past.

For the most part, the Deseret News merely published the following official LDS Church statement from Ruth Todd, which triggered considerable commentary:

"The new temple film is the first update in more than 20 years. There have been no changes to the script. English-language copies of the new film are being sent to temples over the next few weeks and will subsequently be translated into other languages".

Wheat & Tares adds a few more details. The new movie adds about 15 minutes to the endowment ceremony, lengthening it from 30 minutes to 45 minutes. LDS officials found that as the Church introduced more temples to Africa, some African languages require more words to get explain the temple ceremony. So the Church modified the entire ceremony, allowing more pauses to accommodate the African Saints. This is all in keeping with the LDS Church's commitment to enable members to hear the Gospel in their own native languages whenever possible.

On Flunking Sainthood, Jana Riess does praise the LDS Church for striving to make the temple ceremony more accommodating to African Saints, since even though Mormonism is growing rapidly in Africa, retention of converts is reportedly low. However, Riess then offsets this by playing the race card and complaining about the fact that every single person in the movie is still White. Riess is one of those hard-left progressives who believe that equal outcome is necessary to validate equal opportunity, unmindful of the fact that the two can be mutually exclusive. As long as anti-racists like Jana Riess continually pick at the scabs, healing will never occur and progress towards a more Christ-like post-racial society will be inevitably delayed.

Some individual comments (after the jump):

Cyclone Evan Batters Samoa; LDS Temple In Penega District In Apia Suffers Minor Damage

Location of islands

While Mormon feminists are obsessing with wearing pants to church, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints along with others on American Samoa and Western Samoa (an independent nation now simply known as Samoa) are confronting a REAL problem -- the aftermath of Cyclone Evan.

Red = Cat 3, Green = TS

On December 13th, 2012, Cyclone Evan, which had originally formed on December 9th, struck both Samoas. Featuring wind gusts as high as 175 km/h (130 mph), it caused widespread damage in the capital, Apia. The storm destroyed numerous houses and caused almost complete failures in the power and water supply systems. The Tanugamanono power plant was heavily damaged and power might not be restored for up to two months in some areas, while a water treatment plant near Apia was also reported destroyed. As of December 16th at 8:07 AEST, at least four people are known dead, eight more unaccounted for, and at least 3,000 people are now in emergency shelters. Undamaged LDS chapels are also serving as emergency shelters.

The LDS temple in Penega did not emerge completely unscathed, either. According to the LDS Church's NewZealand/Pacific website, the temple suffered some flood damage and a couple of sheets of roofing blew away. The temple will be closed except for two weddings scheduled for Saturday December 15th. It is currently being reported that all LDS members and missionaries on the island are accounted for. Local Church leaders are assessing needs and are assisting members and others with basic relief supplies. The Pacific Area Presidency has approved initial funding for immediate relief efforts. It's not the first time the Samoan Temple has been damaged; on July 9th, 2003, the temple was destroyed by fire, although the statue of the Angel Moroni survived.

Sounds like the Samoan Saints have more serious concerns than whether or not to wear pants to church.

Cyclone Evan (see track map on left) is currently moving away from the northwest coast of Samoa and heading west-southwest at around 15 kilometres an hour. Average winds close to the center are estimated to about 170 km/h with momentary gusts to about 230 km/hr. Tonga and Fiji lie in its path. It's expected to skirt the northern part of the Tonga Islands on December 16-17 local date; winds will vary from 40-60 km/h increasing to 70km/h with momentary gusts up to 100km/hr in the northern part to southeast winds 40-50 km/h throughout the remainder of Tonga. From there, its next stop will be Fiji, although the strongest impact will be in the northern part. Both Tonga and Fiji have LDS temples.

Anti-Mormon Posts YouTube Video Of Secret Mormon Temple Rituals On Reddit

While visiting the Reddit site on October 21st, 2012, I noticed that someone posted a link to a video entitled "Behind The Veil: Never-Before-Seen Footage of Secret Mormon Temple Rituals". The intent is to denigrate the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; the video was filmed surreptitiously by someone who went through the Salt Lake Temple recently, and the commentary embedded within the video indicates the person is anti-Mormon. Even though the temple rituals are not disclosed to non-Mormons and Mormons who are not temple-worthy, I decided to embed the video here because this story is too important to be owned by anti-Mormons. At least the videographer had the dignity to obscure the faces of the worshippers.

What you'll see on the video, in order, is a group of worshippers in temple garments initially giving the prayer "Oh God, hear the words of my mouth" during the orientation preceding the endowment ceremony. You will then see a young teenage girl performing proxy baptism on behalf of a deceased person. Then you will see the endowment ceremony itself, first the mass briefing along with a clip of the film shown, then an individual passing through the opening, reciting the tokens or key-words while offering the ceremonial handshakes, and then the individual concludes the ceremony and goes into the Celestial Room to contemplate and reflect for a few moments before departing the temple:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6udew9axmdM



Other evidences of anti-Mormon distortion embedded within the video:

-- References to an "Oath of Vengeance" that has long since been abandoned. FAIR Mormon addresses this issue in more detail.
-- Repeated derogatory highlighting of Mitt Romney to perpetrate the false notion that he would take orders from President Thomas S. Monson should he be elected President.
-- References to a government of Zion which make it appear that the LDS Church is planning to take over the government and establish a "worldwide theocracy" at some time in the future (after the Second Coming, there will be a worldwide government -- headed by Jesus Christ).
-- Misrepresentation of LDS doctrine regarding the creation. We believe that God created the earth, but we define "create" as "to organize", and we believe the Father delegated that authority to Jehovah and the archangel Michael.
-- Repeated references to the Freemasons. Similarity between Mormon and Masonic ceremonies is coincidental; there is no overt connection between Mormons and Masons.

The video was uploaded to YouTube by someone identified as Newnamenoah, and it's an abridged version of a much longer video of 1 hour and 18 minutes. Despite reassurances to the contrary by the LDS Church, Newnamenoah seems convinced that the oath taken by Mitt Romney in the temple will conflict with his Presidential Oath of Office. But Newnamenoah offers no objective evidence supporting this conclusion, but merely paranoid conjecture. If A, then B. Classical simplistic slippery-slope logic.

However, Newnamenoah's anti-Mormon bigotry will backfire. We will take the lemon with which he has presented us, and transform it into lemonade. For this offers us another "every-member-a-missionary" opportunity to spread knowledge of the fulness of the restored Gospel, particularly for LDS members who have YouTube and Reddit accounts and can post comments. We might want to act fast, because there's the possibility that the LDS Church may ask YouTube to take the video down, or even to take down Newnamenoah's channel, simply because the temple ceremonies are sacred. There certainly is not sinister about anything presented on the video. The LDS Church Temples website presents a more detailed explanation of the endowment ceremony.

When Jesus Christ Encountered Moneychangers In His Temple, He Didn't Exactly Declare Them "Too Big To Fail" And Give Them TARP Funds

It is amazing how many people idealize Jesus Christ and try to cram him into their own imperfect ideological shoebox. Some say Jesus was a socialist, others say a libertarian, and still others a capitalist.

The fact is, Jesus used whatever worked best in a given situation. In the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, He espoused the libertarian approach when He approved of the idea that employee compensation should be strictly a matter between employee and employer, even if it meant not all employees would receive equal pay for the same job.

But Jesus also displayed a socialist side as well when he encountered moneychangers at the temple during one of his visits. Instead of deciding that the moneychangers were "too big to fail" and giving them TARP funds, He reacted quite differently. It's recorded in multiple sources, starting with John 2:13-16:

13 And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,

14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:

15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;

16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.

From Luke 19:45-48:

45 And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;

46 Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.

47 And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him,

48 And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.

And from Mark 11:15-19:

15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;

16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

19 And when even was come, he went out of the city.

Note that Jesus did not object to the existence of the moneychangers or their profession; instead, He objected to the location. As it is inappropriate for a woman to show up at sacrament meeting wearing a miniskirt, so it is just as inappropriate to engage in moneychanging on ecclesiastical property. Yes, Jesus is spoken of as the Prince of Peace who counseled us to turn the other cheek, but when He encountered the moneychangers turning His temple into a stock exchange, He didn't turn the other cheek; He took out a whip and parted their cheeks with it. My kind of Savior.

So what about the relationship between the LDS Church and the controversial City Creek Mall in Salt Lake City? Analysis of the Lord's encounter with the moneychangers indicates that the Lord does not necessarily object to His church investing in shopping malls so long as His church invests a higher priority in building chapels and temples. The church's share of the profits from the City Creek Mall are intended to give the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints additional income to permit it to continue its mission of preaching the Gospel unto every creature and caring for the needs of the membership even during hard economic times when tithing receipts drop and consumption of welfare resources rises. And considering that the LDS Church has 138 temples in operation, this would indicate the Church has given a higher priority to building temples.

Most importantly, Jesus Christ was always attuned to the will of the Father. When the will of the Father showed that socialism was best, Jesus employed socialism. When the will of the Father prescribed a libertarian approach, Jesus employed libertarianism. And when the will of the Father demanded a capitalist approach, Jesus employed capitalism. Jesus Christ was bigger than all the precepts of men; since He descended below us all at Gethsemane and Calvary, he was allowed to ascend above us all -- but for the purpose of taking us with Him if we choose to follow Him. It is not up to Him to conform to us -- it is up to us to conform to Him.

Institute For Religious Research Publishes Transcript Of Typical LDS Temple Endowment Ceremony

One of the more unique aspects of the style of worship employed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the endowment ceremony held within its temples. LDS men generally undergo the endowment before embarking on a full-time mission at the age of 19. LDS women usually receive their endowment before marriage, or if and when they leave on an 18-month mission at the age of 21. LDS members in general will then subsequently receive the endowment again, not just for themselves, but also on behalf of deceased individuals, enabling those in the spirit world to accept or reject the ordinances and covenants according to their own free will.

The Endowment ceremony includes four basic aspects:

-- A preparatory ordinance of ceremonial washing and anointing, and dressing in sacred temple garments, plus temple robes, always white as a symbol of purity and equality between everyone in attendance.
-- A course of instruction that features the creation of the world, some of the experiences of Adam and Eve, and the plan of salvation or redemption available to every human thanks to the sacrifice of Christ.
-- Making covenants constitute yet another aspect of the Endowment; LDS members solemnly promise the Lord to be obedient, giving of self, chaste, and loyal to the restored Church of Christ and its cause. In return, God will fulfill promised blessings of joy, protection, progress, and eventual return to His glorious presence.
-- Discernment. Most temple visitors can actually feel a degree of divine presence even now, for LDS temples are specially dedicated as places of holiness, of light, of peace and revelation and understanding. The Lord's hand can be felt in the LDS Church's practice of temple building, and it can be felt in the hearts and lives of those who worthily and reverently enter the temple.

Because the symbols used in the Endowment and the meanings of those symbols are sacred to Mormons, the Church customarily does not divulge specific details of what goes on in the temple. Because much of the Endowment ceremony differs significantly from other Christian ceremonies, individual Church members attend a Temple Preparation Seminar prior to undergoing the Endowment. Despite this, a small number of people find the Endowment difficult or even offensive; some eventually leave the Church because of it.

To better reassure people that the Endowment is strictly benign, I have linked to a transcript of a typical Endowment ceremony first identified in a May 17th Tucson Citizen article. The transcript is provided by the Institute for Religious Research, which, although they do not regard the LDS temple ceremonies as sacred and do not agree with the idea of keeping sacred things secret, expressly state that it is not their intention to mock Mormons or their practices, but merely to make information available to those who are looking for it. They provide the transcript without any editorial commentary; it is too lengthy to be re-published here.

The transcript of the Endowment ceremony does a great job of bringing out fundamental Gospel principles. It symbolically shows the complexity of setting up man's sojourn on Earth and the interaction that occurred between Elohim, Jehovah, Satan, Adam, Peter, James, and John. It shows that some of those whose mortal missions would occur much later, to include Peter, James, and John, played important pre-mortal roles in launching man's sojourn on Earth. This is revolutionary stuff not promoted by any other Christian denomination. It shows the limitless possibilities offered by Mormonism.

The Endowment ceremony is nothing to be scared of. It is something to be anticipated, but only once one is truly prepared. And to those people who wonder if they'll remember such things as the Sign of the Nail and the First Token of the Aaronic Priesthood, etc. etc., have no fear; when the time comes that you need to use it, you will remember all of these signs and tokens. We are told that at judgment, we will have a bright recollection of everything we ever heard, said, or did. As Spencer W. Kimball once said, faith precedes the miracle.

Female Episcopal Priest Danielle Tumminio Tours Kansas City LDS Temple, Says She Felt Close To God

On May 6th, 2012, the Kansas City Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will become the 137th operational temple when it is formally dedicated. After that time, access will be available only to members of the LDS Church who possess a temple recommend. An unofficial list of stakes to be transferred to the Kansas City Temple District is available HERE.

But until the day of dedication, the general public are taking tours of the facility during the open house, which will continue until April 28th. Among those taking a tour is a female Episcopal priest, Danielle Tumminio. Tumminio has a rather imposing resume; she's also a certified life coach and spinning instructor, and the author of "God and Harry Potter at Yale: Teaching Faith and Fantasy Fiction in an Ivy League Classroom". Tumminio has also authored various editorials and feature articles on religious issues, many of which focus on the intersection between Christianity and popular culture.

But Danielle Tumminio has a natural curiosity about other belief systems, and she learned of the opportunity to tour a religious facility not normally open to her. So she took advantage of the opportunity to tour the Kansas City Temple, and recorded her impressions, as well as seven photos, in a Huffington Post article.

Tumminio notes that no one tried to proselyte her during her temple tour. She found everyone quite welcoming, and that the guides were willing and able to answer any question she asked, no matter how challenging or controversial. But what's particularly noteworthy is her reaction when she made her way up to the Celestial Room. Here's the key excerpt:

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.

Note that although Danielle Tumminio belongs to a different denomination, she felt close to God nonetheless. This is why, although the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is "the" true church, it is not the only church with truth. Just as the stars in the heavens vary in magnitude, the religious traditions of earth vary in truth.

Also note that Danielle Tumminio felt no call to join the LDS Church as a result of her visit. This is important because we preach that those who knowingly reject the fulness of the Gospel will not earn celestial glory with exaltation in the next world. But what does "knowingly reject" really mean? If Tumminio felt no call from the Holy Spirit to join the LDS Church, how could a just and merciful God penalize her for "knowingly rejecting" the fulness of the Gospel? Perhaps the reason she felt no call to join the LDS Church is because she might be exactly where the Lord wants and needs her at this time. Do you really believe that John Paul II will be denied celestial glory simply because he was the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church instead of the President of the LDS Church? It behooves us to be less judgmental towards others on this issue; instead of spending an inordinate amount of time perfecting others, at times against their will, we should first perfect ourselves and our loved ones. We can trust in our Heavenly Father to judge a righteous judgment upon all of us; we will be denied nothing that we didn't get through no malicious fault of our own.

As an afterthought, I find it interesting that Danielle Tumminio diplomatically refrained from discussing the irony of a female Episcopal priest touring a temple owned by a church that not only doesn't ordain women to preside over stakes, wards, branches, and quorums, but doesn't even confer Priesthood upon women. I appreciate her restraint. Priesthood won't be extended to women in the LDS Church except by revelation.

Opponents Of LDS Temple Near Paris, France Organize Petition Campaign To Subject It To A Popular Vote In Hopes Of Derailing It

Local opposition to the proposed temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be built near Paris, France has emerged. They've started a petition campaign to get it stopped, and part of their strategy is to ask that the project be submitted to the local electorate for a popular vote. As of this post, 6,000 people have signed the petition.

According to Voice of America, Chesnay Mayor Philippe Brillault, who admits he was not thrilled to receive the church's request to acquire the property, says most of the signatories are not local residents. The mayor's opponents have criticized the project primarily for political reasons. But Marie Drilhon, local chapter head of UNADFI, a group fighting religious extremism, views the Mormon faith with skepticism. Drilhon says the Mormon church demands a lot from its members, both financially and spiritually. It uses marketing methods to proselytize, which Europeans are not used to. And she doubts the temple will benefit the local community. Listen to the Voice of America report below:

Here is the Google English translation of the petition:

We ask that public consultation be organized [for] citizens about the future of 46 Boulevard Saint-Antoine, with all Chesnaysiens entitled to vote. October 27, 2011, the mayor of Chesapeake has signed an order granting permission for the creation of the French National Mormon Temple, the field offices of former EDF-GDF, 82 days after filing the application. We believe that - an implementation of this nature and magnitude of this change permanently our city and its surroundings - this project does not meet any needs of the town and its inhabitants - the future of 46 Boulevard Saint-Antoine b has not been properly disclosed. The notice of Chesnaysiens on a project that commits to this point the future of their country deserves the means of public consultation are implemented across the city. Also, we ask that all Chesnaysiens entitled to vote in local elections are asked to vote for an opinion "for" or "against" the selected project to date by the mayor about the future of 46 Boulevard St. Antoine, the Chesapeake.

Local LDS Church spokesman Christian Euvrard says the Chesnay temple will allow other French people to discover his faith, which has been established in France since the 1850s. Euvrard notes that the temple project includes gardens that will be open to the public, and with time and greater awareness, he believes French fears about the Mormons will disappear.

The LDS Church first announced the proposed French temple in July 2011. The complex will also include a residential hotel and several pavilions for the exclusive use of templegoers, as well as an underground car park, and could cost as much as 80 million euros to complete. The LDS Church provides a French-language overview of the project HERE.

Fire At Los Angeles LDS Temple Complex Destroys Mission President's Residence; Temple Itself Undamaged, Arson Not Immediately Suspected

A fire on the grounds of the Los Angeles Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints early on January 10th, 2012 destroyed a mission president's residence leaving only a charred skeleton standing, but inflicted only minor damage upon the temple president's residence which is still under construction, and did not affect the temple building itself. An excellent photo of the damaged structure is available via the Los Angeles Times, while the Westwood-Century City Patch provides the most comprehensive story.

The blaze was first reported around 1:01 A.M. on January 10th. A total of 48 firefighters ultimately responded, and the fire was effectively doused by 1:27 A.M. The 4,000-square-foot building, which was intended to house the Los Angeles LDS mission president and serve as an administrative welcome center for visitors, was in the wood framing stage. No damage estimate is yet available.

Two short videos provide additional perspective. The first one shows the fire in reference to the location of the temple itself, and indicates that the temple was never threatened:



The second video focuses exclusively on the burning building. Flames were estimated to have been 30 feet high:



The temeple's director of public affairs, Matthew Ball, says arson is not suspected because the temple had not received any threats, and on-site security guards detected no intruders. The temple property is patrolled around the clock. Nevertheless, a Los Angeles Fire Department House of Worship Task Force, part of the department's counter-terrorism unit, was dispatched to the scene for an arson investigation, because that is their standard response for any fire at any religious site. No connection with the recent spate of car fires is suspected since a suspect has been arrested and the outbreak of fires ceased thereafter.

Mormon Messages For Youth: Salvadoran LDS Youth Speak Out On The Beneficial Effects Of The San Salvador LDS Temple In El Salvador

On Sunday August 21st, 2011, the San Salvador El Salvador Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) was dedicated by President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, along with a host of other LDS dignitaries. At that time, it became the Church’s fourth temple in Central America and 135th operating temple worldwide.

The benefits of the temple have been manifested in many ways. Some of those benefits are psychological, as the LDS youth who appear in the Mormon Messages for Youth video below can attest. One of them says LDS are known just as "Mormons" any more, but as "the people with the castle", while another says it reminds them that in their own behavior, they should reflect the purity of the temple. The video also shows snippets of the practice, dedication, and celebration of the temple.



However, as is the case in so many other nations, the Salvadoran people had to go through hell before they could obtain this small slice of heaven. From 1980-1992, El Salvador was racked by a brutal civil war which debilitated the nation. From this sprang the infamous MS-13 gang. But El Salvador overcame and recovered, and now they've earned the blessings of the temple on their own soil. This will motivate Salvadoran Saints to continue to stay put and build up stakes of Zion in their own country rather than seek Zion elsewhere. The fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is intended to roll forth and engulf the entire earth.

How Are Mexican Latter-Day Saints Coping With The Violence Spawned By The Drug Cartels? El Paso Mormons Also Take Risks To Visit The Juarez Temple

The violence spawned by the activities of the Mexican drug cartels has touched many Mexican families without regard to income or religious denomination. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have not been spared; in 2009, former temple President Meredith Romney was abducted from his ranch property near Casas Grandes, Chihuahua. The U.S State Department, the FBI and Mexican authorities worked together on the investigation, but Romney was only released after his family finally succumbed to the blackmail conditions and paid for his freedom.

In addition, breakaway polygamist Mormons not affiliated with the mainstream church have also been targeted by the cartels; in July 2009, the Washington Post reported on the kidnapping of Benjamin LeBaron from Colonia Lebaron in the state of Chihuahua after LeBaron dared to denounce criminals who had grabbed his teenage brother Eric earlier in the year. LeBaron also refused to pay the demanded $1 million ransom. While Eric was ultimately released, Benjamin was killed.

The BYU Daily Universe provides the story of the current situation. For example, in a ward on the north side of Ciudad Juarez, leaders close the vehicle entrance to the grounds to prevent unknown cars from coming into the chapel’s parking lot. As a measure of additional security, LDS families try to get home early and to stay in constant communication during the day. Leticia Orozco, an LDS member in Juarez, explained how they cope. “It’s hard to live in a city where violence is a common thing, especially for our kids,” said Orozco. “We teach our kids that they need to be valiant and not be afraid, that God will protect us, if we trust Him and pray for protection. It’s a great way to develop faith and prayer together.”

Mormons who live on the U.S. side of the border are also affected, because the Ciudad Juarez Temple District includes two different stakes in El Paso. However, Yahaira Andrade, an LDS member living in El Paso, explained how they cope. “President Paredes [the current temple president] extended a promise to the members of the Church that if they go exclusively to the temple, and not for shopping or for fun, they will return home safe,” Andrade said. “My husband and I can testify that it’s true; we go just to the temple once a month, and many times we feel that angels watch over us as we drive across the border. We know that if we do our part, the Lord will do his.”

This serves as a good reminder that people all over the world, even as close as Mexico, continue to make sacrifices to go to the temple. It should increase the desire for those who live in safe areas to patronize their temples as well.

Opposition To Proposed LDS Temple In Fort Collins, Colorado Emerges; Impacts On Traffic, Health, And Environment Questioned

The Fort Collins Coloradan reports that opposition to the proposed temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Fort Collins has emerged, with concerns expressed about the impacts on traffic, health, and environment by the construction of a 27,000 square foot building in a neighborhood currently zoned residential. A map of the proposed site is available HERE. There is no overt sign of any local anti-Mormon bigotry behind the opposition, at least not yet.

KMGH Channel 7 also published a brief story; the 51 public comments appended so far may be of interest.

One of the opponents, David Hirning, best reflects the concerns of others. He notes that Trilby and Timberline Roads are already busy roads that will get even more congested with the presence of a temple. He believes property values will plummet, wildlife will be displaced and the increased vehicle emissions will be harmful to health. Another opponent says existing traffic problems already make it a "disaster" to try and get out of the neighborhood during the morning rush hour. Public comments to the story are also quite instructive, showing that opponents are focusing on the possible combined effects of a 27,000 square foot building serving the religious needs of more than 200,000 Mormons living in Wyoming, Nebraska and Colorado; they fear they'll be "inundated", so to speak. While these concerns are understandable, a visit to the official LDS Fort Collins Temple site and also to the Fort Collins Temple FAQ site will resolve most of them. To wit:

1. Area Coverage: Smaller than advertised by the media; the expected service area is limited to northern Colorado, southeastern Wyoming, and western Nebraska. When a temple is built, the LDS Church creates a temple district, in which only certain stakes are incorporated. This will maintain a virtual quantitative cap on the number of Church members who will use the temple; the number would only rise very slowly.

2. Traffic Load: LDS Church spokesman Eric Adams said the largest room in the temple estimated will only hold 50 people and will be used throughout the day by small groups. The number of people using the temple at any given time will rarely, if ever, exceed 100; members are required to make appointments in advance to use a temple. And since some local residents are already reporting traffic problems during rush hour, the opening of the temple is likely to spur local officials to improve local road access to the neighborhood even sooner than originally anticipated.

3. Size of the Temple: The large size of the temple is more reflective of the diversity of use rather than the number of people to be accommodated. LDS members use the temple for three primary purposes; to perform eternal marriages, proxy ordinances for the dead, and to receive their endowments. Each function is accomplished in a DIFFERENT part of the temple. Thus, the temple must be large enough to accommodate the different functions.

Opponents of the temple will get a chance to place their concerns on the public record on Tuesday, September 6th, 2011, at 3:00 p.m. during a land use hearing to be conducted by the Larimer County commissioners. The current property owner is requesting that the existing four-lot plat be reconfigured into three lots and that a residential restriction be lifted to clear the way for approval of the temple. An annexation petition for the site has been submitted to the city of Fort Collins, meaning plans for the actual temple would likely go before Fort Collins for approval.

Update September 7th: In the first public hearing on September 6th, Larimer County commissioners approved a plat change for the 38-acre property upon which the temple will be built. This is merely the first step to allow the LDS Church to acquire the land; it does not constitute permission to build the facility. Commissioner Tom Donnelly said other issues raised by residents - including traffic and safety - are valid concerns and need to be addressed, but in a different forum. Already some misinformation about the proposed temple is circulating; opponents said they had received a letter from the city stating the facility would include a 27,000-square-foot building with a 475-space parking lot. However, Ken Merritt of Landmark Engineering said the letter was inaccurate. Although the building has not been designed, the parking lot is likely to have only about 275 parking spots.

LDS Church Announces Plans To Build A Temple Near Paris, France After French Media Break The Story; Cost Of Temple Complex Could Reach €80 Million

Elizabeth Smart must have been a regular Pied Piper during her mission to France, leading the investigators in a veritable conga line straight into the baptismal font. Less than six months after Smart completed her mission, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced plans to build a temple in Le Chesnay in the outskirts of Paris. The Church has now set up a dedicated page on the proposed temple.

Normally, new temples are announced only during the twice-yearly General Conferences, but the French media broke the story early. The following statement was published on LDS Newsroom:

President Thomas S. Monson said today that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hopes to build its first temple in France on property on the outskirts of Paris.

Customarily, new temples are announced by the president of the Church at one of the Church's general conferences, after local government building approvals and property acquisition have been secured. Although the local government approval process for the French temple is still under way, French newspapers were already reporting Church plans to build at Le Chesnay, near Versailles, and this prompted today's announcement.

Church spokesman Scott Trotter said that the Church has been working for many months with local officials. More details will be given later.

There have been several previous attempts to find a suitable site for a French temple, but none were finalized. French members of the Church wishing to visit a temple usually travel to those in neighboring European countries.

One of the French media outlets breaking the story is Leparisien.fr; a Google English translation of the story is available HERE. They claim that the Church is prepared to spend as much as €80 million (euros, which converts to $113 million based on July 15th exchange rate) on the complex, which in addition to the temple, will also include a residential hotel and several pavilions for the exclusive use of templegoers, as well as an underground car park. No significant local opposition to the project is reported.

When this temple is finally approved, it will be the 162nd temple either announced, operating, or under construction. LDS Church Growth notes that the decision was made despite the fact that Church growth trends in France have been relatively stagnant over the past decade as the number of LDS congregations declined in France from 125 to 110. However, the sizable LDS population in France, consisting of 35,960 members organized into 110 congregations, would seemingly justify the investment.

Currently, French LDS members are split up among four separate temple districts. While members in the Lorient France District, the Paris France Stake, and the Paris France East Stake are assigned to the Frankfurt Germany Temple, members of the Lille France Stake are assigned to the London Temple District, members of the Bordeaux France Stake are assigned to the Madrid Spain Temple District, and members of the Angers France Stake, the Lyon France Stake, the Nancy France Stake, the Nice France Stake, and the Toulouse France Stake are assigned to the Bern Switzerland Temple District.

If It Was Not Undignified For Jesus To Wash The Feet Of His Disciples, It Is Not Undignified For LDS Members To Clean Chapels And Temples

In 1999, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in an effort to cope with the fact that many members were no longer donating above and beyond tithing and fast offerings to help operate their local wards and stakes, to include covering the rising costs of maintaining buildings and providing utilities, sent out a letter to local leaders calling upon Church members to assume a greater responsibility for cleaning and caring for Church meetinghouses. In particular, the letter suggested that Aaronic Priesthood quorums could play a prominent role in fulfilling this responsibility. Some local units began to terminate professional janitorial services as a result.

In the June 1999 Ensign, Presiding Bishop H. David Burton explained the issue, saying that saving money was not the only objective. Participating in the cleaning of the buildings would be a sacrifice by which members would better honor and respect and love our beautiful houses of worship. In short, the program was also intended to develop personal character and receive eternal blessings. Priesthood leaders who would teach their people that this is an opportunity to sacrifice and build the kingdom would find success in their efforts.

Church members would only take upon themselves light janitorial duties requiring no specialized experience or equipment; heavy janitorial tasks such as such as refinishing cultural hall floors, cleaning the grouting in rest rooms, and shampooing carpets would still be the responsibility of professional facilities management personnel.

And this doesn't just apply to chapels, but to temples as well. On The Rest of the Story, Alix and Brynt Barney reported on their recent experience taking a turn in cleaning the Rexburg Temple. They had a brief meeting where their responsibilities were explained and they were issued special "jump suits", then embarked upon their tasks. They were enthralled by the obvious presence of the Holy Spirit on the occasion, and what they took away from the experience was that the real point wasn't merely to clean something that was already dirty, but instead to keep it from ever getting dirty. Perhaps that explains why Jesus Christ said that when a man looks upon a woman and lusts after her, he has already committed adultery in his heart; unchecked, the impulse could lead someone to actually commit adultery and "dirty" up his life.

Other Church members also find it a worthwhile experience. In the February 2011 issue of Meridian Magazine, Susan Elzey describes her experience of cleaning her chapel in much greater detail. Banner, Sword and Shield notes that although she absolutely despises housework, she actually enjoys cleaning her chapel because it's not stressful, it's a demand that only comes up occasionally, it allows her a quiet period in a church where kids are not constantly needing attention. She compares it to the Celestial Room in a typical temple.

Amazingly, there are those who object to Church members being asked to volunteer to clean facilities. One detractor commenting to the Barneys' post ascribed ulterior motives to the Church:

Michael said:
You realize, of course, that you're doing janitorial work because the corporation would rather pour its money into the now-$4 billion mall in Salt Lake City, yes?
May 21, 2011 3:45 AM

Criticism pours in from other sources. On the Recovery from Mormonism website, cleaning facilities is denigrated as "scraping boogers off of chair bottoms". Another RfM thread denounces such members as "chapel-cleaning chumps". But, just as disturbing as the anti-Mormon invective is the element of elitism and snobbery entering into their discourse. They act as if cleaning and janitorial work is beneath their dignity. They behave just as the ancient Nephites did, who would enter into a cycle of prosperity, get lifted up in the pride of their hearts unto the wearing of costly apparel, and begin to look down upon their lesser brethren and sisters. Undoubtedly they looked upon janitorial work as "scut work" as well. And, of course, when the Nephites would not respond to their prophets' calls to repentance, an army of the Lamanites would often show up to administer their own lesson on repentance.

We should take our cues from Jesus Christ on this issue. In John 13:1-17, we find out that after the Last Supper was concluded, Jesus then proceeded to wash the feet of his disciples. Since Odoreaters™ had not been invented yet, this was undoubtedly not the most pleasant experience. Yet he did it anyway. The message Jesus intended to deliver was that no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

If it was not undignified for Jesus Christ to wash the feet of His disciples, then it is not undignified for LDS Church members to voluntarily clean their chapels and temples.

The Proposed Phoenix LDS Temple: First, They Didn't Like The Spire, Then They Didn't Like The Lighting...Now They're Complaining About The Parking

Note: All posts on the Phoenix Temple available HERE, with the most recent post displaying first.

Although neighborhood residents who oppose the placement of the proposed Phoenix Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in their neck of the woods repeatedly claim they have no axe to grind against the Church, one must begin to wonder if that's really true, since there seems to be no end to the objections they dream up.

First, they didn't like the height of the temple and its spire. So the Church lowered the base height of the building from 40 feet to 30 feet. Then, they objected to the lighting, so the Church said they would impose limits upon the length of time the temple would be illuminated each day.

Now, opponents of the temple are complaining about parking -- specifically, whether or not the number of parking spaces effectively matches expected usage of the temple. The Arizona Republic describes the critical attributes of this new dispute reasonably well:

-- A local city ordinance that regulates parking for places of worship and public assembly requires one parking space per three seats.
-- The Church proposes 394 parking spaces based on the size of the temple's largest room, which is projected to be used the most
-- Neighborhood organizer Scott Anderson says the numbers don't add up. Anderson claims he counted 133 rooms in the temple rendering, while the city calculated parking using only 25 rooms.

Anderson also claims that when the Church redesigned the temple to lower the overall height, they doubled the size of the temple. But Anderson provides no evidence to support this contention; the redesign may have just traded vertical space for horizontal space.

So the parking dispute effectively centers around the city's interpretation of the number of applicable rooms and whether or not the redesign actually increased the overall square footage of the temple.

Meanwhile, Phoenix Temple spokeswoman Jennifer Wheeler claims that parking exceeds that which is required by city code. She notes that architects and engineers are still finalizing the plans for the temple, and that the plans will be submitted for vetting as part of the permitting process. Read the LDS Church's information page about the Phoenix Temple HERE.

In the comments section, Scott Anderson continues to insist that he is not driven by any anti-Mormon bias. In response to someone identified as "Maximum", Scott writes (after the jump):