Tag: Temple

  • The Relief Society

    The Relief Society

    Image: Artists portrayal of Joseph Smith Jr. addressing the Relief Society

    The LDS Relief Society is lauded as one of the oldest and largest women’s organizations in the world. Yet it is an organization that is presided over, budgeted and organized by men.[footnote]The Relief Society – WikiPedia[/footnote]

     

    Crash Course:
    The Relief Society – WikiPedia
    Nauvoo Women: An Overlooked History of the Mormon Relief Society
    Joseph Smith’s Teachings about Priesthood, Temple, and Women  – LDS Gospel Topic Essay
    Psychologist’s Response to Women and Priesthood essay – Mormon Transitions
    How the temple is sexist (and the church is, too) – Young Mormon Feminist
    First prayer by woman offered at Mormon conference (video) – Salt Lake Tribune

  • Not by Commandment

    Not by Commandment

    Image: Prohibition era (1920 to 1933) image showing the disposal of alcohol.

    From Doctrine and Covenants 89:2,3, the revelation giving the Word of Wisdom[footnote]Doctrine and Covenants 89[/footnote]

    2 To be sent greeting; not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the word of wisdom, showing forth the order and will of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days—

    3 Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints.

    In 1921, in the midst of the United States prohibition ban on alcohol, church leaders made adherence to the Word of Wisdom a requirement for admission to the temple.[footnote]The Word of Wisdom: From Principle to Requirement – Dialog Journal[/footnote]

     

    Crash Course:

    The Word of Wisdom: From Principle to Requirement – Dialog Journal
    Word of Wisdom – Wikipedia
    Word of Wisdom – Mormon Think
    Doctrine and Covenants 89

  • Justified Evil

    Justified Evil

    Image: President Dieter F. Uchtdorf – April 2017 General Conference

     

    From the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 10-13, 18:[footnote]1 Nephi 10-13, 18 – LDS.org[/footnote]

    10 And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed the blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay him.

    11 And the Spirit said unto me again: Behold the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands. Yea, and I also knew that he had sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he would not hearken unto the commandments of the Lord; and he also had taken away our property.

    12 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;

    13 Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.

    18 Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Laban by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own sword.

    Excerpt from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s April 2017 General Conference address:[footnote]Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s April 2017 General Conference address – LDS.org[/footnote]

    “There may be moments when we are tempted to justify our actions by believing that the end justifies the means. We might even think that to be controlling, manipulative and harsh will be for the good of others. Not so, for the Lord has made it clear, ‘the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness [and] temperance.’ “

     

    Crash Course:

    Mormon leader condemns fear tactics; new Utah temple, four others announced – Salt Lake Tribune
    April 2017 LDS General Conference – LDS.org

  • Evil of the World

    Evil of the World

    Image: President Thomas S. Monson and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf – April 2017 General Conference

    Excerpt from President Thomas S. Monson’s April 2017 General Conference address:[footnote]Thomas S. Monson’s April 2017 General Conference address – LDS.org[/footnote]

    “We live in a time of great trouble and wickedness. What will protect us from the sin and evil so prevalent in the world today? I maintain that a strong testimony of our savior, Jesus Christ, and his gospel will help see us through to safety.”

    Excerpt from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s April 2017 General Conference address:[footnote]Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s April 2017 General Conference address – LDS.org[/footnote]

    “One of the ways Satan wants us to manipulate others is by dwelling upon and even exaggerating the evil in the world … [and] the corruption and wickedness in our day are unique and alarming. But … I wouldn’t trade living in this time with any other time in the history of the world. We are blessed beyond measure to live in a day of unparalleled prosperity, enlightenment and advantage.”

    Here is a summation of the April 2017 LDS General Conference addresses. Note talks by Joy D. Jones, Neil L. Andersen and D. Todd Christofferson which often exaggerate the ‘evils of the world’ – https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04?lang=eng

     

    Crash Course:

    Mormon leader condemns fear tactics; new Utah temple, four others announced – Salt Lake Tribune
    April 2017 LDS General Conference – LDS.org

  • We Love Our Women

    We Love Our Women

    Image: 2017 April General Conference, view from inside the LDS Conference Center

    A 2015 Time article (citing a ARIS Study) shows for every 100 male members there are 150 female members (in the state of Utah) of the LDS church:[footnote]What Two Religions Tell Us About The Modern Dating Crisis, 2015 – Time[/footnote]

    One of my web searches turned up a study from Trinity College’s American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) on the demographics of Mormons. According to the ARIS study, there are now 150 Mormon women for every 100 Mormon men in the state of Utah—a 50 percent oversupply of women. On a lark, I emailed my friend Cynthia Bowman,* a devout Mormon who grew up in Salt Lake City and returns there often, and asked her whether Mormon sex ratios are as lopsided as the ARIS study claimed.

    Here is a summation of the April 2017 LDS General Conference addresses – https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04?lang=eng

    Interesting to note that a woman wasn’t allowed to pray in General Conference till the Spring of 2013. [footnote]First prayer by woman offered at Mormon conference (video) – Salt Lake Tribune[/footnote]

     

    Crash Course:
    April 2017 LDS General Conference – LDS.org
    Joseph Smith’s Teachings about Priesthood, Temple, and Women  – LDS Gospel Topic Essay
    Psychologist’s Response to Women and Priesthood essay – Mormon Transitions
    How the temple is sexist (and the church is, too) – Young Mormon Feminist
    First prayer by woman offered at Mormon conference (video) – Salt Lake Tribune

  • Arm to the Square

    Arm to the Square

    Image: Nauvoo Illinois, LDS Temple.

    Masonic First Degree, Duegard of a fellow craft mason:[footnote]DUNCAN’S RITUAL AND MONITOR OF FREEMASONRY.[/footnote]

    The left arm, as far as the elbow, should be held in a horizontal position, and the rest of the arm in a vertical position, forming a square. The right hand detached from the stomach, fingers extending outward.

    PENALTY

    Draw the right hand rapidly across the neck, as represented in the cut, and drop the arm to the side.

    ‘All this I most solemnly, sincerely promise and swear, with a firm and steadfast resolution to perform the same, without any mental reservation or secret evasion of mind whatever, binding myself under no less penalty than that of having my throat cut across, 1 my tongue torn out by its roots, and my body buried in the rough sands of the sea, at low-water mark, 2 where the tide ebbs and flows twice in twenty-four hours, should I ever knowingly violate this my Entered Apprentice obligation. So help me God, and keep me steadfast in the due performance of the same.’

    The Sign and Penalty of the First Token of the Aaronic Priesthood, LDS Endowment Ceremony (note: the penalty was removed in 1990)[footnote]Handshakes, signs and penalties of the LDS endowment ceremony[/footnote]

    Is made by bringing the right arm to the square, the palm of the hand forward, the fingers close together, and the thumb extended.

    PENALTY, pre 1930

    The participant placed his or her right hand palm-down with the thumb extended and the tip of the thumb just under the left ear. The execution of the gesture was made by drawing the tip of the thumb swiftly across the throat until the thumb was just under the right ear, then dropping the hand and arm quickly to the side of the participant’s body.

    ADAM : “We, and each of us, covenant and promise that we will not reveal any of the secrets of this, the first token of the Aaronic priesthood, with its accompanying name, sign or penalty. Should we do so, we agree that our throats be cut from ear to ear and our tongues torn out by their roots.“

     

     

     

    Crash Course:
    Temple Oaths – Mormon Think
    Secret Masonic Handshakes, Passwords, Grips And Signs Of Blue Lodge Masonry 
    Mormonism and Masonry (Podcast) – Mormon Expressions
    The LDS Endowment – For Latter-day Saints, the endowment serves as a rite of adult initiation.
    Masonic Symbols and the LDS Temple – Sandra Tanner
    Masonry and Mormonism, an Interview with Greg Kearney (Podcast) – Mormon Stories
    Similarities between Freemasonry and the Mormon endowment – Richard Packham

  • Has it a name?

    Has it a name?

    Image: Salt Lake City LDS Temple

    To anyone who has knowledge of both the LDS Temple Ceremony (especially the pre-1990 temple ceremony) and Mason Rites it is very apparent that they have many similarities. Many things are exactly the same. Even knowledgeable Mormons admit that the endowment ceremony (especially in its earlier versions) contains many details that are similar to the Masonic initiation rites of Joseph Smith’s day. The symbols, oaths, handclasps, and terminology resemble the Masonic ritual in hundreds of ways.

    Masonic pass grip of a fellow craft:[footnote]Secret Masonic Handshakes, Passwords, Grips And Signs Of Blue Lodge Masonry [/footnote]

    The hand is taken as in an ordinary hand shake, and the Mason presses the top of his thumb against the space between the first and second knuckle joints of the first two fingers of his fellow Mason; the fellow Mason also presses his thumb on the corresponding part of the first Mason’s hand.
    The name of this grip is “Shibboleth”. When a candidate is imparted with this grip and its usage it is done in this manner:

    First, the Worshipful Master says to the candidate:

    “I now present my right hand in token of the continuance of friendship and brotherly love, and will invest you with the pass-grip, pass-word, real grip and word of a Fellow Craft. As you are uninstructed, he who has hitherto answered for you, will do so at this time. Give me the grip of an Entered Apprentice.”

    As previously explained from the Entered Apprentice degree, he then has this exchange with the Senior Deacon, who is standing next to the candidate, who is still kneeling at the altar, after having assume the obligation of this degree):

    WM: Brother Senior Deacon.
    SD: Worshipful Master.
    WM: Will you be off or from?
    SD: From.
    WM: From what and to what?
    SD: From the grip of an Entered Apprentice to the pass-grip of a Fellow Craft.
    (At this time, the candidate is shown the Pass Grip)
    WM: Pass. What is that?
    SD: The pass-grip of a Fellow Craft.
    WM: Has it a name?
    SD: It has.
    WM: Will you give it to me?
    SD: I did not so receive it; neither will I so impart it.
    WM: How will you dispose of it?
    SD: Letter or syllable it.
    WM: Syllable it and begin.
    SD: You begin.
    WM: Begin you.
    SD: Shib
    WM: bo
    SD: leth
    WM: Shibboleth, my Brother, is the name of this grip. You should always remember it, for should you be present at the opening or a Fellow Crafts Lodge, this pass-word will be demanded of you by one of the Deacons, and should you be unable to give it, it would cause confusion in the Craft.

    From the LDS endowment ceremony, Second Token of the Melchizedek Priesthood:[footnote]LDS Endowment Ceremony – Second Token of the Melchizedek Priesthood[/footnote]

    PETER: The Lord then gives the second token of the Melchizedek priesthood, the patriarchal grip, or Sure Sign of the Nail, and asks:
    LORD: What is that?
    PETER: The second token of the Melchizedek priesthood, the patriarchal grip, or Sure Sign of the Nail.
    LORD: Has it a name?
    PETER: It has.
    LORD: Will you give it to me?
    PETER: I cannot. I have not yet received it. For this purpose I have come to converse with the Lord through the veil.
    LORD: You shall receive it, upon the five points of fellowship, through the veil.
    PETER: The five points of fellowship are: inside of right foot by the side of right foot, knee to knee, breast to breast, hand to back, and mouth to ear. The Lord then gives the name of this token and asks:
    LORD: What is that?
    PETER: The second token of the Melchizedek priesthood, the patriarchal grip, or Sure Sign of the Nail.
    LORD: Has it a name?
    PETER: It has.
    LORD: Will you give it to me?
    PETER: I will, upon the five points of fellowship, through the veil.The person then repeats back to the Lord the name of this token as he received it, whereupon the Lord says:
    LORD: That is correct.

     

    Crash Course:
    Temple Oaths – Mormon Think
    Secret Masonic Handshakes, Passwords, Grips And Signs Of Blue Lodge Masonry 
    Mormonism and Masonry (Podcast) – Mormon Expressions
    The LDS Endowment – For Latter-day Saints, the endowment serves as a rite of adult initiation.
    Masonic Symbols and the LDS Temple – Sandra Tanner
    Masonry and Mormonism, an Interview with Greg Kearney (Podcast) – Mormon Stories
    Occultic and Masonic Influence in Early Mormonism – Joel B. Groat

  • Not Equal

    Not Equal

    Image: Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, LDS Prophet

    Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine:[footnote]Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 114[/footnote]

    ‘Negroes in this life are denied the Priesthood; under no circumstances can they hold this delegation of authority from the Almighty. (Abra. 1:20-27.) The gospel message of salvation is not carried affirmatively to them . . . negroes are not equal with other races where the receipt of certain spiritual blessings are concerned, particularly the priesthood and the temple blessings that flow therefrom, but this inequality is not of man’s origin. It is the Lord’s doing, is based an his eternal laws of justice, and grows out of the lack of Spiritual valiance of those concerned in their first estate.’

     

    Crash Course:

  • Secret not Sacred

    Secret not Sacred

    Excerpt from the pre-1930 endowment ceremony:[footnote]Why the need for secret death oaths in the LDS Temple Endowment Ceremony?  [/footnote]

    ADAM : “We, and each of us, covenant and promise that we will not reveal any of the secrets of this, the first token of the Aaronic priesthood, with its accompanying name, sign or penalty. Should we do so, we agree that our throats be cut from ear to ear and our tongues torn out by their roots.”

    ADAM: “All bow your heads and say Yes.”

    TEMPLE PATRONS: “Yes.” (All patrons sit down.)

    PETER: “The brethren and sisters will now stand, push back the seats, place the robe on the left shoulder, and receive the Second Token of the Aaronic Priesthood. We and each of us do covenant and promise that we will not reveal the secrets of this, the Second Token of the Aaronic Priesthood, with its accompanying name, sign, grip or penalty. Should we do so, we agree to have our breasts cut open and our hearts and vitals torn from our bodies and given to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.”

    “All bow your heads and say yes.”

    TEMPLE PATRONS: “Yes.” (All patrons sit down.)

    PETER: “We and each of us do covenant and promise that we will not reveal any of the secrets of this, the First Token of the Melchizedek Priesthood, with its accompanying name, sign or penalty. Should we do so, we agree that our bodies be cut asunder in the midst and all our bowels gush out.”

    “All bow your heads and say yes.”

    TEMPLE PATRONS: “Yes.” (All patrons sit down.)

     

    Crash Course:

    Why the need for secret death oaths in the LDS Temple Endowment Ceremony?
    Temple Oaths – Mormon Think
    Mormonism and Masonry (Podcast) – Mormon Expressions
    The LDS Endowment – For Latter-day Saints, the endowment serves as a rite of adult initiation.
    Masonic Symbols and the LDS Temple – Sandra Tanner
    Masonry and Mormonism, an Interview with Greg Kearney (Podcast) – Mormon Stories
    Occultic and Masonic Influence in Early Mormonism – Joel B. Groat

  • No Paid Ministry

    No Paid Ministry

    Image: Thomas S. Monson, LDS Church President. 

    From the April 2006 General Conference address ‘Our Sacred Priesthood Trust’:[footnote]Our Sacred Priesthood Trust – LDS April 2006 General Conference[/footnote]

    I have experienced many opportunities. One occurred 21 years ago, prior to the time when the German Democratic Republic—or East Germany, as it was more commonly known—was freed from Communist rule. I was visiting with the East German state secretary, Minister Gysi. At that time our temple at Freiberg, in East Germany, was under construction, along with two or three meetinghouses. Minister Gysi and I visited on a number of subjects, including our worldwide building program. He then asked, “Why is your church so wealthy that you can afford to build buildings in our country and throughout the world? How do you get your money?”

    I answered that the Church is not wealthy but that we follow the ancient biblical principle of tithing, which principle is reemphasized in our modern scripture. I explained also that our Church has no paid ministry and indicated that these were two reasons why we were able to build the buildings then under way, including the beautiful temple at Freiberg.

    From a 2014 letter to First Quorum of the 70 addressing living allowance increase:[footnote]First Q70 Living Allowance – Mormon Leaks[/footnote]

    In Accordance with approved procedures, the annual General Authority base allowance has been increased from $116,400 to $120,000. This will begin with your paycheck issued on January 10, 2014 (pay period 1).

    Detailed information on the t2014 medical benefits and related premiums was sent to you earlier by Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators.

     

     

     

     

    Crash Course:

    How the Mormons Make Money – Bloomberg

    LDS Church Finances – Wikipedia

    Mormon Leaks

    Church Finances, 1947-Style – By Common Consent

    What does “unpaid ministry” look like? – Eric Johnson

  • Choose the Rights

    Choose the Rights

    Excerpt from the 2013 BYU devotional, by Elaine S. Dalton – General President of the Young Women’s organization[footnote] “Prophetic Priorities and Dedicated Disciples” BYU Devotional – Elaine S. Dalton, January 15, 2013 [/footnote]

    “Young women, you will be the ones who will provide the example of virtuous womanhood and motherhood. You will continue to be virtuous, lovely, praiseworthy and of good report. You will also be the ones to provide an example of family life in a time when families are under attack, being redefined and disintegrating. You will understand your roles and your responsibilities and thus will see no need to lobby for rights.”


    Crash Course:

    “Prophetic Priorities and Dedicated Disciples” BYU Devotional – Elaine S. Dalton

    Joseph Smith’s Teachings about Priesthood, Temple, and Women  – LDS Gospel Topic Essay

    How the temple is sexist (and the church is, too) – Young Mormon Feminist

    The Church and the Proposed Equal Rights Amendment: A Moral Issue – LDS.org

  • Educated Women

    Educated Women

    Excerpt from the 2006 general conference address Rise Up, O Men of God, by Gordon B Hinckley[footnote] Rise Up, O Men of God – Gordon B. Hinckley, 2006 [/footnote]

    “It is plainly evident from these statistics that young women are exceeding young men in pursuing educational programs. And so I say to you young men, rise up and discipline yourself to take advantage of educational opportunities. Do you wish to marry a girl whose education has been far superior to your own? We speak of being “equally yoked.” That applies, I think, to the matter of education.”


    Crash Course:

    Joseph Smith’s Teachings about Priesthood, Temple, and Women  – LDS Gospel Topic Essay

    How the temple is sexist (and the church is, too) – Young Mormon Feminist

    The Church and the Proposed Equal Rights Amendment: A Moral Issue – LDS.org