Overall, this was a very honest and respectful compare and contrast of LDS temples, LDS beliefs sand protestant beliefs.
The format follows a basic question and answer.
Question 1 – What is a temple? He does OK explaining it. Obviously having never been through the temple as an endowed member, he does pretty good giving and overall explanation of what a temple is. It is definitely a place where sacred covenants are made, and ordinances are performed necessary for exaltation.
I would note: Elder Oaks talk in the last General Conference about the Kingdoms of Glory and exaltation. We will all receive salvation due to passing our first estate and receiving a body on this earth. However, exaltation does require a little more.
Question 2 – Why are temples exclusive? He does a good job explaining this as well. The temple is about walking the covenant path. Are you following the laws of God. Are you trying to live a clean and chaste life? Pastor Jeff was spot on that the ordinance that take place are sacred. Worthiness is necessary to maintain the sanctity of the edifice and ordnances performed.
Question 3 – How did a pastor get access? This is also a great explanation of the open houses.
Question 4 – What did Pastor Jeff see? He compares the three different temples he visited.
- Saratoga Springs, Utah Temple – Things he noticed: modern, ornate, contemporary, bright, wide open, detail, symbolism, celestial room, sealing room,
- St George, Utah Temple – Things he noticed: St George was one of the oldest temples, historical, colonial, archways, details, Victorian, vision of the founding fathers, certain rooms for endowments, progression of the creation, historical, evolution between Saratoga Springs and St George
- Orem, Utah Temple – Things he noticed: This one was with few tour guides and another pastor. It was more personal, took a lot longer, peered a lot closer at the details and practices, the emphasis on the building beings standardized for the ordnances, but the details reflected the geography, cherry blossoms, cherry trees, beauty in the details, art, stain glassed windows, beautiful, growth and bearing of fruit.
Question 5 – What goes on inside? – He gives a brief explanation of the different rooms. It is clean that his understanding is growing. Pastor Jeff had an opportunity to sit in the celestial room in all three temples. There is a space where one can go and reflect.
Questions 6 – why are temples so secretive? – More was withheld by outsiders than what is currently withheld by the church. There were only a few questions they said they didn’t know or weren’t sure how to answer. Other than that, he felt the discussion were very open and almost all of his questions were answered. The two questions he felt were not answered were:
- What happens on the other side of the veil?
- What is the assembly hall where the seats face each other?
IMPRESSION – He tried to bring up the idea of a “cult” and “secret society” briefly. It wasn’t bad. I’m sure this comes up in his circles a lot.
As he explains it [12:10 in the video]: “… the seeming vailed nature of what takes place in temples making it seem like it is something Joseph Smith instituted and has characteristics of what some people would call a cult. A lot of people will come to me and say, isn’t The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a cult based on the following of this one leader, this one individual and now these vailed practices that take place in the temple. In my experience learning about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saings there’s actually been less emphasis on Joseph Smith than I was expecting. And from what I understand even a decreasing focus on the Joseph Smith in recent year or even decades within the church and more of a focus on Jesus. So, I know that this video isn’t really getting into all the reasons and perceptions and impressions about the church being a cult. But I will say even just for Latter Day Saints the vailed nature of temples is something that does feed into that impression. I will say however, that it does share characteristics with secret societies where there are certain ceremonies that take place and a certain progression that individuals go through and things that are kept sacred and covenants that are made not to reveal things that seem very close to characteristics of a secret society which is another reason why there might be a little bit of a side impression from people outside the church. But again, Latter Day Saints that I have talked to as I have gone through temples and since I have gone through temples have been pretty upfront and open about communicating about what takes place other than a few small things. Which doesn’t eliminate but definitely lessons these characteristics that are associated with the idea of “Secret Society”.
In other words, he is subtly calling the LDS church a cult, but softening it by referring to it as a secret society instead. Either way, it does not matter. There are a few take ways form this passage. 1) He knows much more about the LDS Temples that he alludes to. 2) Within his circles I’m sure that LDS church is 100% classified as a cult. 3) He is either just stating the obvious because it is part of the discussion, “it is a cult;” or he is subtly trying to state the claim but not come out confrontational. Again, either way it does not matter. I think the honest depictions of the temples and what takes place in them that he explained far outweigh any cult claim that was made.
Question 7 – Why don’t protestants have temples? Pastor Jeff explained that he had no idea that the primary purpose of the temples was to carry out ordinances on behalf of those who had died. This lead to a discussion on what is salvation. He goes on to say, we have a different understanding of what is available to those who have died. The key is that the path to salvation is only available in this life.
He goes on to explain a few of the belief structures. The one that stood out to me was: There are mainline Christians who say that those who did not have the opportunity are simply not destine to be in God’s presence forever. So, they will be separated from God.
Note, this is not shared by all. But it reminded me of what I taught as a missionary. We would ask people if God was a just God? What would God do with all the people who never had a chance to listen to the Gospel of Jesus Christ? If God loves his children, don’t you think he loves all of them? Don’t you think he would give all of them the opportunity to follow Jesus Christ? This is why we baptize for the dead.
In 1 Peter 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; it talks of Jesus Christ after his death going and speaking to those who were in prison. They also need baptism and the atoning blood of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 3:18-21
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Pastor Jeff goes on to say, we don’t embrace the idea that what is offered in salvation can be augmented. The LDS believe we can receive an expanded salvation, through sealing, enter into the highest level of heaven, exaltation where one can progress to where God is. And where God has progressed like us. Pastor Jeff goes on to explain that those concepts are not found in the Bible. The salvation found in the bible only teaches salvation is returning to Jesus’s presence.
This is where I would interject and say we are so blessed to have had the Prophet Joseph Smtih, living prophets, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Pastor Jeff does not see the confusion that is caused by not having one foundational doctrine. He has explained over and over again justifying the theological differences between protestant sects and natural and justified. But, in my mind it does not make sense. The path should be straight and narrow. It should not be left to personal interpretation.
There is something he shares that is very beautiful about the relationship he has with God and his wife. He did the best he could to delicately describe the journey he went on to surrender his wife to Jesus Christ. Trusting in Jesus Christ that he, pastor Jeff, would be fulfilled. Relinquishing her into his hands. I could feel this was a very sacred journey and experience he had. At the same time, I don’t think he fully understands what he is missing by not being sealed and having the hope that that relationship that was developed on the foundation of Jesus Christ continue beyond this life. He even said that he fills like a temple sealing would be a step backwards. I thought that was very sad.
His journey to surrender himself and his wife unto Jesus felt a lot like our belief in the Law of Consecration. Where we promise to give all we have unto the building of the kingdom of God.
Before it ended, he went on to do a compare and contrast of what “paradise” and “salvation” were. We believe in eternal progression. They believe in eternal rest. It really does not get any clearer than that. Again, I would refer people to the talk given by Elder Oaks in the last general conference on the Kingdoms of Glory. We will all be partakers of some level of salvation. I think of words of Abraham.
Abraham 1:2
2 And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers.
Matthew 13:45-46
45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold ball that he had, and bought it.
Overall, I thought Pastor Jeff did a great job on this video. Hats off to him for being willing to constructively detail and explain his faith. He truly has a gift.