Control, yeah, mainly; it gives folks a speshull feeling, or a feeling of being speshull and priv'liged.
"No other church has THIS!" they'll crow archly.
Being sworn to secrecy gives one a feeling of being part of an elite bunch, and others who aren't "worthy" being excluded is part of that too. It always seemed to me like a little children's game, a see-krit club.
If they put LSD in the water there would be no more kolobians. Boundary dissolving psychedelic experiences are exactly what the brethren want the members to avoid...
IMO it is a vehicle to used to keep the money rolling in.
If you have a recommend you can be with your family for eternity. You can be sealed to your spouse for eternity. you can give your dead relatives the option of wanting to do the same.
When you die,you will know the secret combination to get into heaven. You will know your spouses secret name to give her the same privilege.
They tell you if you go to the temple that you will have blessings you won't have otherwise.
They will accept and require 10% or more of your income in order to let you pass the gatekeepers
You can never use the excuse of just wanting to rest during you time off from work. You will have a totally valid reason for never doing anything with your kids.
They say you are consigning the dead to spirit prison if you don't go do the work for them. You will have more discernment and protection than those who don't have recommend.
You will get to wear weird underwear. Some say it is physical protection, while others say it is spiritual protection. Lots of fps told about your undies.
You will be part of an elite club. other wise you will be left out of just about every thing except the stuff that the elites don't want to do.
You will "get" to be interviewed twice a year by two men who will then take over the job of God and Jesus and determine your state of righteousness by asking you things that are none of their business. This is a fear based interview. Lots of humiliation and ward gossip if you don't pass.
Not getting a recommend has the capacity to destroy your marriage, family, and depending on your circumstances may even get you fired from your job. So there you have it!
And the sealing thing? What's that all about? I'm getting the feeling it's all part of a feelgood act put on by those higher ups starting with JS. Maybe he could do this to get around that "pesky one-wife-only-in-marriage" law that keeps biting him in the butt...
It provides the follower higher initiation levels- this provides elite and brotherhood standing. It establishes true insiders from outsiders.
It provides ritual which many people need for centering their lives and expressing their awe of things.
It gives the members something to do so they don't do as many other things that don't keep the church forefront in their minds.
It provides busywork so the members have things to do.
It provides some kind of link between living and dead- most religions provide some form of ancestor worship. It helps people think they will be connected and OK when they die.
It provides nonsensical mystical mythological answers that make the person think they have answers and meaning.
Of course it ties in members into obedience and paying money.
I understand the reasoning, but what about the cost they put into building temples? Why would they spend so much of their (cough) hard earned money to make it SO fancy. Is that really necessary to feed the appeal.. seems like a bit of waste when taken to such an extreme limit.
That was one of my thoughts, if they are gonna make THEIR temple look beautiful, then why not we make OUR temple look beautiful? Skin art, as it were. But the funny part of it is, I come up with all different kinds of skin art ideas... never put them into execution. So, it's strictly ART, done on the computer or in pen/paper or colored pencil/paper.