In the past there have been times when Ive been distracted, frustrated, and questioned all sorts of things with the temple ceremony. Perhaps the heavy use of symbolism in the temple has for some become a hindrance in a world where blunt, unscripted and in your face "reality" is causing young people to lose the ability to comprehend let alone appreciate the form of teaching found in the temple. Just to be clear I am not blaming the church for poor treatment of women. Thanks for engaging. You make some points that polygamy was used by some families in a positive way. Youre agreeing to wear the garment however defined by the brethren in the temple recommend interviews for the rest of your life. Strikethroughs are used to indicate deleted passages, . The conclusion of the creation story is no longer the end for Adam and Eve as major actors in the ceremony. (1) The LDS version of covenant is contractual, obligatoryinfantilized into a model of promises. During October 2021 general conference, the prophet announced 13 temples, bringing the total number of temples announced this year to 34. You may also like:A gift to the Master: 20 years of Tabernacle Choir Christmas magic. These changes may not seem like much, but consider that we are only one generation removed from temple ceremonies that consisted of mock ritual suicide and inappropriate touching. On August 6, Mike Leavitt was called as president of The Tabernacle Choir. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints We covenant to live be covenant; were not truly loving until we love to love, and so forth. What my interviewees noticed this time was that when God discusses Adam, he also includes Eve (Adam and Eve and their posterity was one remembered phrase). (1) While it may be possible to believe that men & women are different in a way that is not negative, that is not the reality in our Church. Major changes to Mormon temple ceremony, especially for women To be honestand I know this may be hurtful, but I promise I dont mean it that way the only sexism I see in this thread is the idea is that having men in certain leadership positions is somehow wrong. When reporting about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please use the complete name of the Church in the first reference. However I imagine the fundamental differences you are referring to might be different than the ones I am referring to. Questioning the terms of this discussion. I personally mean you no harm. A little odd, but oh well. (And I suppose if we were to get nit-picky about that arrangement we could argue that that places the woman on a more sacred footing than the man.) I felt weird. I asked my parents the same questions and they gave me awkward and concerned glances and told me it wasnt appropriate to talk about the temple outside the templeit was sacred, not secret. But there are quite a few changes to other aspects of the temple endowment that merit discussion. Whereas in the past, patrons were asked to stand up and sit down at various points in the ceremony, and to adjust pieces of their ceremonial clothing, now the endowment is more streamlined, and participants are seated for most of it. The Assembly Hall, Tabernacle, Family History Library, and Church History Library also began reopening this summer in July, followed by the Beehive House and Church History Museum in August.Read about the announcement on Newsroom. My understanding is they were designed to minimize contact during Covid but Ive not seen explanations or attended. It is the second First Presidency announcement in five weeks dealing with marriage. The policy changes do not impact marriages that can be performed by Latter-day Saint chaplains, as directed by the handbook. Unspecified changes underway for Mormon temple ceremony @Elisaok wow, Im really having an off day! To remedy: in the endowment presentation, as we move to a higher spherethe fig leaf apron would be removed, as if traded for a body of flesh (mortality). The Creation Room room in the Idaho Falls Temple. I have had many friends (sadly) leave their religious faiths, but it seems only Latter-Day Saints care enough to stick around and blog, gossip, speculate, comment, rehash, reassign, and reassault those who simply enjoy their religion. The Church's announcement emphasizes how much more efficient the renovated temples are going to be. Were thrilled that the Churchs historic sites will be open to visitors this summer, Church Historian and Recorder Elder LeGrand R. Curtis Jr. of the Seventy told Newsroom. Kristi, Yea I understand that in theory you can talk about it in sacred settings but nobody does so its a very strong implied and very much enforced contract. My experience was antithetical to that sentiment by comparison. Im reading, reading, skimming, reading, skimming, skipping, skimping LOL. Anyway, long response, but hopefully its helpful. You are now leaving a website maintained by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. How could Jesus, when he was on the Earth, not at some point say by the way, Im not going to get into the specifics, but there is a completely separate ordinance out there everybody has to have, some special words and signs and more covenants. He would occasionally come to dinner but he never spoke to my great grandmother. No witness couple. I truly have no idea where your argument is coming from, and no, you shouldnt be surprised that people who read the text itself interpret it differently than you do. Elisa, the ordinances of the endowment bestow upon both men and women the same powerstheyre identical. Latter-day Saints must take unprecedented measures to strengthen their spiritual foundations like the extraordinary effort to reinforce the original, pioneer-era foundation of the iconic Salt Lake Temple, President Russell M. Nelson said Sunday morning. That is kind of anti-atonement, then we can add a picture of Jesus with a certificate saying you have been forgiven, charge $50 for small sins, $1,000 for big sins and of course have a better quality picture of Jesus, maybe with a guided frame, and now selling indulgences is what Jesus would do. For more information on the use of the name of the Church, go to our online, First Presidency Letter: Adjustments in Temple Ceremonial Clothing. that places the woman on a more sacred footing than the man Pedestal much? So essentially Cains pattern ruins the order of Creation, while Enochs pattern restores it to a new Creation. Even so, Im not opposed to men placing women on pedestals. Read more about the notice at Church News. We inherit from the womb-like fig symbol, the Gate to the First Estate, which is the Mortal Body, identified by Flesh and Blood, and from the Second Estate, the Resurrected, Immortal Bodyidentified by the incorruptible linen garment, a skin, or covering of Light. This new one? Years and years spent trying to decipher some kind of meaning in the shapes that my hands made. . The angel Moroni. All rights reserved. Thanks Elisa. Those missionaries who choose not to receive the required immunizations, which will now include the COVID-19 vaccination, will be assigned to a mission in their home country in accordance with existing Church policies.. I have sough that, most recently when I last went and found a friend to be a temple worker, but she could tell me nothing other than those are not the questions she asks. Some of the most notable were long-term volunteer positions becoming service missionary opportunities, including administration (office), youth center, clothing or laundry, custodial, facilities maintenance, grounds, and security. Having lived in different cultures, and studied the history of religion, I have seen how under different circumstances symbols can have different meanings. I stood there in shock thinking, The book was dead right. Law of Chastity But Im very happy with how its going now. Even when I barely allude to those differences Im labelled a sexist. But, as far as going through the actual motions, the weirdest part by far is the prayer circle. There were a couple of small changes from the 70s-90s that I wondered about if God was The same yesterday, today, and forever but with the changes that have happened since then that Ive read about it just seems to be to be a slower adaption to the world than the church makes in its more open statements to the public. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax Remember how the Pharisees were perfectly obedient, but widows and orphans were neglected, so Jesus condemned them (the Pharisees operated by commandment, not covenant). Learn more about FSY conferences at ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Sorry folks use that stupid down-thumb social-blog-control mechanism, I like your comments. Any chance it can be removed/significantly altered? Read about plans for the Nauvoo Pageant, the British Pageant, and the Mesa Pageant at Newsroom. I always find what you have to say interesting and illuminatingeven when I disagree with you. Should the Saints be better? This couples job was to demonstrate the signs and tokens for other people. I felt the light of the Lord, Kristen Johnson, of Pocatellos Trinity Episcopal Church, told Deseret News. Re: The Law of Obedience: I wouldnt get too fussy over the seeming double talkits just one of those things. Allow yourself to see. Sorry! There is less standing up and sitting down and rearranging the clothing (a good thing for those with physical disabilities). I really appreciate it! [pause] . The first time I went to the temple was in the 70s. In making that determination, we recommend that, where possible, they counsel with a competent medical professional about their personal circumstances and needs, the statement reads. PDF The Mormon Temple Endowment Ceremony On December 13, the First Presidency released the following regarding the completion date for the Salt Lake Temple renovation project: The seismic strengthening of the Salt Lake Temple and the extensive remodel of the Temple and surrounding area are sacred and significant undertakings. Multiple reminders that this is symbolic. It is a manmade construct. The differences between men and women is what makes the cosmos go around? One time I asked a temple presidency member and his wife in the temple about the penalties and was curtly told I shouldnt be asking. . The broadcast included music and activities, with two Primary children hosting and two children as field reporters who learned about covenants from Elder Ulisses Soares. My interviewees said there were several points when the script reminded people that the temple endowment is symbolic and mentioned how those symbols pointed to Jesus Christ. In fact thats one of the things we learn in the templewe cant just ascend willy-nilly. They will no longer feel special. Sexism disguised as, well, sexism, is still sexism. I had initially thought some changes were designed to shorten the ceremony to encourage more people to comeif my stake and regional communications are any indication, I think temple attendance is still way down and nowhere near pre-pandemic levelsbut apparently thats not the case as some are reporting it is now 13 minutes longer. At least one of the coupleeither the bride or groomis a member of the Church. I literally didnt sleep the 24 hours afterwards wondering what I had done but -alas my whole family had been doing this for generations and I thought myself unworthy for questioning. There are too many positive symbolic usages of the fig tree (IMO) for me to let go of its sacred connotations. Does that men the Church is sexist against men? Symbols seldom have *one* hard and fast and unchangeable meaning. Ive long complained that in the narrative of the endowment, Christ is at best a minor character who does little more than delegate instructions. A prominent place. That is our choice in the frames of D&C 132, and often that is how our choices are administered in the framework and culture of the church. Even so, I would say that complimentary relationships can be considered doctrinaldepending on how we define doctrine, that is. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Only members who have participated in a multi-tier personal interview process with patriarchal leaders are granted permission to enter. Complimentary relationships are nowhere in our doctrine.. The evening before we went out together to watch a movie Murder By Decree. Why would Jesus care about that stuff? All temples had live actors then. In fact, on Sunday you might see sitting in the next pew, smiling at you, keeping my covenants, sharing my talents and remaining faithful to my spouse, as always. Im really surprised theyve made the endowment longer and not shorter thats pretty crazy to me. I still think that most Mormons secretly dislike going to the temple. Elisa, the only rule I recall was that missionaries werent allowed to perform sealings. Whatever they do is too little too late and probably misses the whole point anyway, sort of like closing the barn window after the animals all walk out the open door. Should I let myself just be soothed by it all, like a crying child with a loving parent saying, there, there, darling, it will all be fine, just trust me I got this. @dot, IIRC were made to the actual text in the 2013 version but people generally liked Eves part in those movies as she seems a more active participant. Some of us just wish the Church would move a little faster on this issue than it is. There appear to be subreddits about leaving virtually every religion. By the way, many of us (myself included) have in fact spent a lot of time in other countries wheee temple attendance is more difficult. Temple Square in Salt Lake City before the Saturday morning session of October 2021 general conference. Then they will have to settle for being loved and maybe have to realize that God really does love all his children, not just them. The new temple film, which Ive only seen once so far, seems to me, to be just for them, and my friends in Africa. In January 2020, the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced changes to ceremonial temple clothing but later delayed the launch due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If we feel like we have to lie about our temple ceremonies then something is really off. But Im glad I didnt prioritise it over building my home or my kids activities or caring for our elderly or all the yard work. But like I said, different symbols have different meanings in different situations. If the new and everlasting covenant is just the priesthood and priesthood ordinances, then why dont men and women have the same promise? Nowhere in our sacred works does it say that women are born with more sense than men, or that men need the priesthood and we dont. Our Church is structured, intentionally, as a patriarchy in which the men lead and the women follow. Also, I think its important to note that most of the covenants we make in the temple are grounded in the scripturesthereby suggesting that the Laws of the temple are not simplistic. Missed yours @Glendale. My earlier response and appreciation was for you. Present the basis of your statements. Even the Lord Himself said it in Doctrine & Covenants 121:3637: the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, but when we undertake to exercise control or dominion or compulsion it is withdrawn [and] Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man.. Thats all well and good as long as men choose well. The Church President, of course, has repeatedly spoken of the vital importance of using the correct name of the Church. It is the opposite of the atonement. Cant the man and woman embrace each other, so they are both at the center and at the edge at the same time? This explaining of the symbolic meaning in the temple ceremony is something the church has been refusing to do, which sometimes causes offense when people apply a negative meaning instead of a positive one. It also creates a two-tiered membership for those who can and cannot or dont want to attend for whatever reason. ) And to be clear, Ive had experiences, as well: for example, I met the love of my life in high school, and we wanted to get married right after my mission. The Conference Center reopened to the public for tours on June 14. I do think the General Authorities tended to be misandrist for a long time, but perhaps the men of the Church really were, by and large, that bad. (2) how would you explain that men are to become priests and kings to God but women are to become queens and priestesses in the new and everlasting covenant? As to making it less sexist, the only thing I heard is that the veil instructions are now shown with a black female temple worker helping a white female patron, so is that really what we are calling less sexism now, in a ceremony that is based on polygamy? He welcomed them into His presence and gave stern warnings against abusing, bullying, or hurting them in any way. Mormon. It seems like it took so long, two hours plus. I always thought that was strange in a church that bears Christs name, and holds Him up as the most crucial component of the plan of salvation everywhere except in the temple. Read it. I havent been to the temple for over a decade. (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints instituted a number of revisions last week to the temple endowment ceremony. Be honest with yourself. Sabbath, Tithing, Fasting, Chastity, and Consecration, are the fundamental kinship and responsibility laden in the conceptual metaphor for covenant. First Presidency Announces Changes to Temple Endowment Ceremony If you are going to look at roles, you might consider Eves position of questioning and considering on her own, rather than obeying, and then exercising her own spiritual authority to disobey God, and then to lead Adam to follow after her. Angela, Ive had the same experience as Georgis during temple day while at the MTC. The question none of them have been able to answer for me, though, is what wording of the covenants am I bound by? Given Phase 2-B status May 24, 2021. I stood in a prayer circle with sister missionaries a couple of times and no one said boo about it. They do need their free labor, though, so the sexism gets repackaged every once in awhile to make everyone feel better. A Message from the First Presidency on Changes to the Temple Endowment Adam and Eve are coregentsthough obviously different in some of their functions. Many people there will only attend the temple once, some mostly paid for by the One Time Temple Patron Assistance Fund. Youre rightI was conflating the switch to the slide show in 2019 with the (presumed) covid changes in 2020. I have been recently. The prayer included a blessing that the attendees would want to return and serve in the temple often. We both wanted to, but we waited because of the blessing. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks.. Seeing Eve walk around naked and with bare shoulders Im pretty sure caused scores of innocent young men and missionaries to violate the law of chastity through self abuse imagining mother Eve. I appreciate your engagement on this topic. @Anna, the grinch comment yes. The ceremony now opens with a list of the five covenants that individuals will be making in the temple during the ceremony. Certainly the Prophet Jacob had to deal with that, in the Book of Mormon. We sat on a back bench while they went through their entire ceremony, which included green aprons and robes, an alter, and had signs and symbols. It sounds plausible but still doesnt satisfy my thinking that it came to Joseph by way of revelation. No unity. I love a good discussion where every angle of a problem is honestly and openly examined. I am aware that we have many benevolent men who treat women well. I too find the prayer circle to benot my fave. I felt so happy. Ive never felt the Church nor the temple to be sexist, unless one conflates sexism with recognizing that men and women are different (which I would hope we all do). Its eye opening even for someone like me with mental health training. 1. so that sounds more like something man has created. 13 MINUTES LONGER?? 7) No effect. Is there a decibel limit? A May 24, 2021, letter announced that time-only marriages in the temple will no longer be performed. How is that for exalting fatherhood? Thats great that you feel like you have everything you need based on your baptism. Murals in the temple by Minerva Teichert are also being preserved. That He and Father knew I was going to make mistakes and counseled about it before the world was created and prepared a way to save all of us. What if we had a second income from a second wife? And we are not treated equally in the temple; setting aside hearken / obey / preside, men are promised to become kings and priests to God and women queens and priestesses to their husbands. Men are in multiple ways stand-ins as literal saviors to their wives in the temple ceremonies. Read the manifesto when polygamy was ended. I dont get why you think that evens things out. I wont be doing that again. An update to the Church Handbook in section 27.2.2 states, The decision to receive the endowment is personal and should be made prayerfully. The handbook also lists four conditions members should meet if they choose to receive the endowment, which are as follows: You may also like:No more bathing caps? I asked my bishop about some of the specifics of the initiatory ceremony based on what I had read and he outright misrepresented the ordinance, and then shamed me for questioning such a sacred thing. It just feels like we are being gaslit with these changes that are inconsequential and seem designed to stir interest in going through again just to see whats new. And it is in being one that both the woman and the man inherit all things together. When I attended the temple recently I was asked to witness a sealing. Maybe you object to the term sexism because you think its a benevolent kind of sexism. Even if youre right and its all of the ordinances, the reality is still that the promises given to men and women in the temple are not the same. Eve, for example, has a new line in which she talks about the blessings Latter-day Saints will receive if they are obedient. See a list of historic sites on Newsroom. I have to remind myself constantly to breathe and be kind to myself. The flower blossoms inwardly, within the fruit, never seeing sunlight (blind, perverse). Latter-day Saints are taught about the creation of the world in this room.
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