This is the scheduled lesson for tomorrow. Last week's was about baptism for the dead. I have absolutely no idea on how to even go about this lesson. Usually I can find a way to leave out the cult and/or damaging aspects and have a good humanist lesson, but I'm kind of drawing a blank here. Help, please? Thank you. They're 9 years old, by the way.

https://www.lds.org/manual/primary-5-doctrine-and-covenants-and-church-history/lesson-35-the-nauvoo-temple-is-used-for-sacred-ordinances?lang=eng



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/2013 09:17PM by rainwriter.

I'm a nevermo so I don't have much of an idea on how to help you out but holy crap, what an awful lesson both to learn as a kid and to teach as a non-believer. Really, really nasty concepts in that lesson ("think clean thoughts" - wtf?).

Maybe you could generalize the message... that a lot of places, not just the temple, have dress codes or require certain behaviours for entry too - like following rules to enter a public swimming pool (pay the fee, be clean/non-infectious, shower first, wear a swimsuit, don't pee in the pool) and these are the mo temple rules. It would give the info but maybe remove the 'thou shall do this' overbearing feeling from the message in the lesson.

I dunno! I don't envy your position. I hope someone else gives good advice.

I read it. Ughh.

Leave out the clean towel/dirty towel analogy. It's a damaging and dumb analogy. The only way to keep towels perfect is to wipe your hands on your pants.

You could talk a lot about the history. The story about Brigham's body double was pretty cool.

I would also play down the persecution claims. The church never discusses their part in provoking attacks (by their own attacks).

Maybe you could discuss the requirements to attend the temple, but also embellish them by talking about what it means to be a good person. I was disappointed that there wasn't anything in the recommend questions about being kind, charitable, loving. It was all about purity, obedience and conformity.

I would approach it on two levels. Instead of emphasizing moral purity, I would talk about doing the right thing and making amends when you don't. These are concepts to which kids can relate. Give one or two examples, then ask them to share several examples. Say that the church expects its members to always strive to do the right thing. But people, being human, will sometimes mess up, in which case sincere amends are necessary.

Then go into some of the history behind the Nauvoo temple. I like the story about the RS sisters amassing so many pennies. I would talk about how the steady saving of even small amounts of money can accomplish great things. ;)

As a follow up, have the kids draw pictures of themselves doing the right thing.

Avoid discussion of martyrdom. Just say that the temple later burned down.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/2013 09:53PM by summer.

What Ima said. If your conscience is up for it, also tell them anything we're honestly sorry for and try to make right, HF through Jesus forgives. Nine is too young to introduce the concept of "worthy" and "unworthy." Half the kids will see themselves as the dirty towel.

Don't teach it..... Teach a different lesson.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/2013 10:15PM by Redneck Wonderland.

I agree with Redneck

that you are there to intercept that ugly message the church is trying to give those kids.

They won't have to absorb the fear of becoming that filthy towel. They won't be taught that they are a persecuted people. They won't get pushed along the path of religious scrupulosity/worthiness issues.

Don't! Teach something universally good that you can feel good about passing along; sharing, or leaving the world a better place or something like that. Don't let the lesson manual turn you into a hypocrite. Good luck!

Don't even teach a lesson, just have a games day. It's the weekend and kids are supposed to be having fun. Also, if you keep doing that they might just release you.

Oh, one of the primary presidency is supposed to come around to classes tomorrow to ask the kids questions for the primary program, so a random drop-in visit is scheduled.

I'd simply mention that temples are places that are sacred in the Mormon faith as well as other religions like the Buddists and the Jews. You could stay very general about Mormon temples such as they are for getting married and learning more about the doctrines of Mormonism that they will learn when they are older and go thru for themselves. You could do a little history or social studies about what other religions use temples for. Then, if you want to, you could give some history about Nauvoo as a city. The last time I was in Nauvoo I remember the missionaries telling the individual histories of the people who lived in the different houses. I found that really interesting. They told what they did for a living and how they came to live in Nauvoo and where they ended up after Joseph Smith was killed. You could also give some background on the building of the first and the second Nauvoo temples. I'm a history freak and find that side of things far more interesting than the garbage they want you to teach in that lesson. And I also think the kids would remember more if you tell some interesting personal stories mingled with history factoids. Even the cost and building. But I'd avoid the faith indoctrination altogether. Just end whatever you teach with a summary that states "And the Nauvoo Temple was the focal point of Nauvoo life." If nobody is monitoring your lessons there probably wouldn't be a problem.

Whoever wrote that lesson must be a half wit. Teach anything you want but don't teach that lesson.

A "random drop in" visit is "scheduled?" That is hilarious. Just tell her you felt prompted by the spirit to do whatever you end up doing. She can't argue with that.

They're "scheduled" to come into each of the classes sometime during the lesson, but what time during that block is undetermined, hence the random. +1 for "the spirit told me"!

Trust me, I've done it. There's no proper LDS comeback for it, no matter how mad they may be. :)

Choose the time when they arrive to start talking about the temples, and let the kids share their own personal stories they may have, about waiting outside for their siblings to get married, being sealed etc.

They would never know you hadn't been teaching that way all along.

rainwriter, I'm sorry you have to go through this. It's one of the things about my years in Mormonism that piss me off the most, the wasted hours preparing for idiotic pre-packaged lessons written to brainwash the masses. One of the reasons my last calling was in the nursery was because I told them I wouldn't do anything else. There at least I didn't have to teach much except Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam.

Brigham Young was trying to sell off the temple, not build it as permanent monument. He was trying to get the Catholic Church to buy it, but they couldn't raise the $200,000 asking price.

He didn't leave it with caretakers, he sold it to David Tulley LeBaron for $5000, March 1848. LeBaron was Mormon, but he gave tours and tried to rent or sell it himself, in October 1848 it burned. Later, LeBaron sold it to a utopian religious group the "Icarians" for $2000.

The Strangites alleged Brigham Young arranged the fire. Brigham Young publicly wished it would burn to the ground, shortly before the fire, and after the fire, said he was glad it burned down.

The Strangites were also bent out of shape that Catholics were allowed to enter the Holy of Holies in the temple when touring the property. Then the LeBarons gave tours to anyone with admission. They felt the temple was not being properly respected.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2013 12:34AM by crom.

Show them a YOuTube video of the temple endowment.

Omg. Yes, do this ^

Here is some helpful advise:
Call them up and say I QUIT.

Why put yourself through this every Sunday.
Surprise checks - wtf?

You can and should just walk away.

Because then I'd have to sit through Sunday School and Relief Society instead. I'm still not sure which is the better option.

Actually, you don't "have to" do anything.
Stay home and put your feet up instead.

You're right; I don't _have_ to. I'm choosing to finish my degree at one of the great and spacious church schools, though, which requires "appropriate and consistent" church attendance.

Could be worse; you could be teaching this lesson tomorrow:

http://www.childrens-church-ministry.com/free-childrens-church-object-lessons.html

Christianity is poison.

+1