Did anyone expect an orgy or kitten killing or something like that before they went through the temple for the first time?

I had no idea what to expect.
The "temple prep" classes I was sent to didn't actually prep you for anything, or give you any idea what to expect. All they really did was try to convince you that no matter what you saw, it was "holy." They were wrong, it was wacky and disgusting and silly.

I did. I expected I would be walking around naked or something. Thank God for the shield but it didn't change the creepy old men.

I seriously thought it was going to involve going through the endowment naked and getting my new underwear at the end.

But in a way it was worse than I thought. I expected ritual but not THAT kind of rote promising and meaningless signs and tokens stuff.

I thought it would be tied to something that would appeal to a person and not a weird Adam and Eve endorsing my mindlessly repeating crap like we were all zombies.

^ this. I thought I'd have to get naked and be touched - mainly because my husband said that's what happened to him. We didn't know they'd changed some things... I also thought it would be more meaningful, but it was just silly rituals.

I didn't know what to expect. I didn't go on a mission, and went through a year after civil marriage, as many jack mo's do. They build it up like it's so special, but don't tell you any details. To me, it was just weird. Frankly, my BS meter was pegged, but I went along with it for the sake of DW. After decades of trying to make sense of it, I just finally realized it's all silly rituals with no purpose, except to make people think they're doing something important. The more I think about it, the more I have come to realize that it's really immoral. All that time and money could be used to help the living, like, say, diseased and starving kids, maybe? Just a thought.

No, I expected it to be far better than it was actually. What I vividly recall was seeing adults I grew up that I respected and revered in ridiculous costumes doing bizarre rituals. I expected at least some sort of confirmation through the experience that everything about the Church was true. What a letdown. I was absolutely clueless as to what to expect, but this was the pre-Internet era.

I personally think that the present public, and planet-wide, availability of authoritative information---including the audio/visual recordings---about what goes on during the temple ceremonies is one of the shining public service accomplishments of the second decade of the twenty-first century.

Kudos to everyone involved (including the authoritative information presented right here on RfM)!!!

Amen.

They saved me lots of time, money, and guilt.

When I saw the youtube posts by "new name noah" (one word), I knew right then and there that I would never go through with a temple ritual. I'm the kind of woman who would have walked out of there in the middle of it crying...from shock, anger, and disappointment. God bless him for saving me from such a sad fate.

The church did enough to break my heart. Despite all my flaws, I'm glad that I'm not a woman who listens to people telling me what I should/shouldn't read or watch. It only would have broken my heart more.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2014 05:52PM by godtoldmetorun.

Everyone wants to run out when they see it for the first time but everyone stays. That's whats so terrible about it.

That was me - bastards. They made sure the people you trust the most take you there.

What could be worse than slitting your throat and ripping your belly open? Even faking it?
Perhaps getting raped by the spirit of JS could be worse...Oh silly me, that already is part of it.

it would probably be orgies. I'm very "modest" and that was my greatest fear.

When I did baptisms (and others on the board say this happened to them, too) the old biddies wouldn't give me a towel until I stripped down and handed them my baptism outfit. Here I had been brought up to be modest by all my leaders and then they got me in the temple and had me strip down. WTF?

Then I heard that there was naked touching in the temple. I did make my older sister tell me what the W and A was all about. Because I was forewarned, that isn't what shocked me. I think the fact that it was so stupid. Worst movie I'd ever seen. That there was even a movie in the temple. The rituals (things I'd been taught Mormons didn't have), the fact they said sexual intercourse all was pretty bizarre, but I walked out relieved. Anytime someone keeps a secret, the probability is it is probably NOT GOOD or why keep the secret?

But, yes, I relieved when I walked out. BUT I only made it back a few more times. It just got worse and worse each time I went. The live session I did in IF was worse than the movie.

And it should have been a clue to me that my mother asked me to take someone else to help me my first endowment. As many times as she attended the temple, she never felt comfortable. One of her closest friends told me just days ago that she never felt worthy to stand in the circle and this lady is as devout as you can get.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2014 01:28PM by cl2.

Are you kidding? I didn't expect anything near as bad as it was (back in the throat-slitting, naked touching, pecker poke at the veil days).

Maybe an orgy would have been more fun...

;^)

No I expected it to actually be interesting or sacred or reveal something to me. But all it did was creep me out and give me more questions and totally confuse me.

I kid you not, I did think about the idea that they would reveal that there was no god or jesus and it was all a big santa-like myth. All the adults were in on it all along.

I thought that deep secrets would be revealed and that I would have some great knowledge and insight. I was disappointed with the retelling of genesis chapter 1 and the silly hand waving.