A TBM friend was assigned to 4 hours as a temple guide today. She was assigned to the sealing room area. (I have never been to the temple.)

She told me that all the woodwork was African mahogany. Google tells me that many species of African mahogany are endangered.

Egyptian granite was used extensively. It was shipped to China to be fabricated, then installed by local people.

There are 8 (I think) sealing rooms, one of which holds 120 people. I didn't find out about the little room in which non-worthy people wait. Wonder how many people it holds.

There are dozens of stained glass windows featuring desert roses and prairie grasses. These were created by local craft persons.

Parts of the newly sodded lawn that were yellow were spray painted green.

Local wards were each assigned several local homes to paint and clean up so the neighborhoods would look good to visitors.

Area restaurants were warned to be ready for large crowds and not to run out of food.

Glad my town is sprucing up, but ... Does any of this bother you? Seems to me that once again, TSCC is over spending to impress the "masses" with richly appointed buildings and fake facades. But don't look behind the curtain.

I asked my friend if any of expenditure of time and money bothered her. She responded like many members do when church actions are questioned, defending church decisions to use the richest materials available. I said I liked the ideas of the original pioneers who used local granite and painted pine boards to look like exotic wood and stone.

I have no idea what the temple renovation cost, but the whole effort leaves me with a bitter taste.

Morridora Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A TBM friend was assigned to 4 hours as a temple
> guide today. She was assigned to the sealing room
> area. (I have never been to the temple.)
>
> She told me that all the woodwork was African
> mahogany. Google tells me that many species of
> African mahogany are endangered.
>
> Egyptian granite was used extensively. It was
> shipped to China to be fabricated, then installed
> by local people.
>
> There are 8 (I think) sealing rooms, one of which
> holds 120 people. I didn't find out about the
> little room in which non-worthy people wait.
> Wonder how many people it holds.
>
> There are dozens of stained glass windows
> featuring desert roses and prairie grasses. These
> were created by local craft persons.
>
> Parts of the newly sodded lawn that were yellow
> were spray painted green.
>
> Local wards were each assigned several local homes
> to paint and clean up so the neighborhoods would
> look good to visitors.
>
> Area restaurants were warned to be ready for large
> crowds and not to run out of food.
>
> Glad my town is sprucing up, but ... Does any of
> this bother you? Seems to me that once again,
> TSCC is over spending to impress the "masses" with
> richly appointed buildings and fake facades. But
> don't look behind the curtain.
>
> I asked my friend if any of expenditure of time
> and money bothered her. She responded like many
> members do when church actions are questioned,
> defending church decisions to use the richest
> materials available. I said I liked the ideas of
> the original pioneers who used local granite and
> painted pine boards to look like exotic wood and
> stone.
>
> I have no idea what the temple renovation cost,
> but the whole effort leaves me with a bitter
> taste.

A few years ago I was listening to a GA talking at general conference about the stained windows in one of the new finished temples.
He told of one certain window that when upon final inspection one of the small pieces of stained glass had been installed just a bit out of place and how that would be unaceptable to the lord, so they had it removed and repaired until it was perfect. I could not help myself, in front of my family I said that inspector is a real jerk. The window was probably fine and think of all the meals they could have provided to the homeless with the money they spent fixing a stupid window. If christ were real I think he would be embarased

Damn, that's definitely a "can't see the forest for the trees" kind of situation.

God cares so much about order and perfection that he'd get upset over a small window, but they can't see how offensive that waste is?

There are two Lalique crystal bowls in the "celestial room"

$4,795 each.

I'm inclined to love the light fixtures though. These are truly on-off customs from Schonbek. Back in the day (1980's) they purchased custom fixtures, then when they started to do the cookie cutter McTemples, they went to Schonbek and bought large custom sizes of Schonbek's existing designs. This is maybe only the second one with a custom design I've seen yet, which means, these cost a bundle. I'd guess $25-38,000 each with the sconce/posts about half that.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/03/2014 01:42AM by Levi.

Bowls that cost 5K? Good grief! I'd love to be able to buy bowls that cost that much. But I'd be happy having that 5K. I could do a lot with that money besides using it for one bowl! Like a IRA for starters...

Another "fact" that will be emerging after Sept. 21st will be the LARGE amount of visitors to the temple. This, of course, will be due to the thousands of TBMs going there, en masse, because the stake presidents will arrange for many (mandatory) visits. My TBS spouse and family were invited [required] to visit the Draper and Daybreak temples as part of young men/women, RS, and other church functions.

All of the the above is to create a media events so TSCC can brag about how many people were interested in the Temple.

Truth be told, the new temple must be an improvement over the old wedding cake with the carrot stuck in 1970s crap.

Given that so many restaurants around the new temple serve alcohol, I think we may also see an uptake in beer and spirits for those of us, less worthy folk who don't give a fuck about what money can buy in Ogden.

The Boner!

"Truth be told, the new temple must be an improvement over the old wedding cake with the carrot stuck in 1970s crap."

I like to refer to it as 'George Jeston on an acid trip' architecture. Even though it was basically ugly it at least had a semblance of uniqueness (granted it was very similar to the Provo temple) unlike the soulless Soviet-goth mausoleum they replaced it with.

It was 1992 when the London temple was opened after the refurbishments. I was amongst those who went to see it and - although I was on my way out, I was still a member.
I think it was on the london news and heavily publicised, but everyone who I met there was already a member.

we were encouraged to bring non-members, friends, co workers, etc, to let them see the glory of gawds temple..... no one in my ward took a non-member

I honestly thought you were lying about this, so I Googled and found this article which verifies what you said, complete with video tour.
http://www.standard.net/Faith/2014/07/29/30-Ogden-Temple-tour.html

I find it appalling that they take so much money from tithing and rob American taxpayers to build this monstrosity. They can't even afford janitors for chapels and they can redo an existing temple in this gilded nonsense.

Even if they were going to spend this money, they could have at least built up the community. Why import Egyptian granite when the entire state of Utah is made of granite? Why use African mahogany, which is endangered, when you are surrounded by pine trees? Would it not be better for the Ogden Temple to be built by local craftsmen with local materials to support the local economy, not Egypt and China?

They give no thought to the poor, to the members, to the environment and build this opulent palace in the name of God? That's sickening.

My BIL told me about his ward going to spruce up a few homes. Turns out TSCC didn't end up funding the operation. They made members pay for all supplies (paint, brushes, bring your own lawn equipment, pay your own dump fees for hauling garbage off) and they are supposed to put their receipts in for reimbursement later.

I'm sure TSCC is hoping those receipts don't turn up, and I'm sure they will make everyone feel guilty who actually does turn them in.

Why am I not surprised? The members always provide the materials for church service projects. The the members are donating all the extra money, over and above tithing, and manpower and the church gets the credit when all they did was order members around.

Not just hoping they don't turn them in, but expecting them to not turn them in. And the church WILL guilt (and lengthy delay) those who do.

Club members get to glance at the crystal bowls, the stained glass, the plush carpets, and then be rushed through before the next session.

If it were me, I'd want to linger longer in the lounge of the lord, featuring all the furnishings I'd paid for.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/2014 02:31PM by PapaKen.

KILL IT?! Then they will have to waste more money to replant new grass?