Star Valley Wyoming is an idyllic mountain valley full of pioneer descendant farmers, whose ancestors incidentally moved to the valley to hide because of polygamy. Big families, devout Mormons. Rural area with several church buildings, but certainly not the typical LDS population for a temple. What it does have is tons of tithe potential. The MORG is building a temple. My father in law is one of these old farmers with hundreds of acres. Farming is not profitable anymore because of the areas short growing season. Tons of old farmers are selling their land. The land is worth way more for vacation homes. My father in law has been selling off his land, and you guessed it, paying 10 percent to the church. 10 percent or more of the total because he inherited the land. When he dies, 10 percent of not more of this land, probably worth at least 2 mil will go to the church. Hopefully not all of it in a will.

This situation is being repeated over and over here. My opinion! The church is putting a temple here because it will reinforce the pressure to pay tithing as people sell land and die. I bet they make tons of money by putting a temple here.

For me it is immoral. My father in law lives in a farm house and his whole life has been a struggle. None of these farmers made much money here, but now their land is worth a lot. This is generational land, and he never sold because it was not profitable until the last decade when the land greatly increased in value. Besides, farming is all he knows. You can't tell me that this is not at least partly about money. As this old generation approaches death, the temple will be a physical reminder they will see everyday of their need to pay up or face damnation. No way this is a temple because of the population.

When you see things as they really are, you recognize the corruption.

People over on the NOM board have speculated that they'll never build this temple due to shifting demographics and decline in active membership.

Mormons probably locate temples the way McDonalds locates hamburger stores. Raw data. Return on investment. location. Cost. Competition. Demographics. Profitability.

It's almost certain that the church has a massive, money-sniffing computer program that crunches the statistics and prints out a Revelation.

Yes to both, but I'd bet they occasionally overextend due to their own hubris.

The temple is for them to invest in this now-valuable property while it is on the upswing. It doesn't matter if there are no people--there will be vacationers and eventually the church will sell the land at a huge profit, saying they are "consolidating" and "downsizing" for ecological reasons or some such.

Meanwhile they have made a tidy sum now haven't they? You can tell which temples they build as visitor's centers in popular tourist destinations, like Italy. You see them adding touches like stained glass windows, crosses, decor we never see here in America, to make their showcase look less, well, Puritan.


Kathleen

That's what happened with the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. It's only four miles from the Jordan River Temple. Why have two temples in such close proximity? To boost the nearby land values for the high powered property owners. There is no need to have two temples that close when they both operate way below capacity.

As a side note, the Oquirrh temple's Moroni was hit by lightning just before completion. Was God sending a message?

. Oh my gosh. You're weird. Party on Ron.

my mother in law states that the First Presidency reviewed plans but rejected them as not being what God wanted. Funny. The leadership would rather have people speculate miraculous tales than inform about the reason for the delay

I just wrapped up the purchase of a lot in the north end of Star Valley - Alpine. Boy, was I a little pissed to learn that 70% of Alpine is LDS. With the number of vacation homes going in as opposed to year-round citizens, I wouldn't be surprised if the temple never gets built. But I know at least a couple of families relocated there permanently *because* of the announced temple. One family moved from Boise.

Doing a Google search on this, I came across the comments section.

http://www.deseretnews.com/user/comments/865556490/Site-location-announced-for-Star-Valley-Wyoming-LDS-Temple.html

I love the one comment how the Lord is "not logical".

Geezus! Reading the comments was like reading a DG for rabid 'Star Trek' fans.

Except that Star Trek is real.

It is about land transaction money of the old generation.

according to those in the know who used to frequent this board. It may be close to being paid for before construction even begins. All of my Star Valley relatives are EXTREEMLY excited that they have been found worthy of a temple in Star Valley.

There is a FB page or two on the subject with many fans. When I lived in Star Valley it was at least 95% Mormon. They run the school system and you can't teach there if you aren't at least a closet Mormon.

There was very little separation between church and state, and the seminary building shared a block with the High School.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/29/2014 10:12AM by darksparks.

That's why the church has so many MBAs.

If a temple plan is rejected as not what God wanted - why doesn't God or Jesus tell the brethren what he wants?

Joe said Jesus did that in Kirtland.

deleted.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/29/2014 06:46PM by michaelc1945.

Years ago, a co-worker of mine relocated to star valley. Someone sold him five acres of desolate windswept dirt. The only trees on the property were two emaciated saplings. I think he got overcharged. Anyway, he moved there to get away from people, and he didn't care for Mormons either. He's probably been moved by the spirit to clear out of there by the sound of things.

Well it was my grandpappie's land..Hale Canyon.. Homesteaded.. Sold for a song to the church in 1954..Then church sold to private family.. My granpappie is prolly so happy he could just crap his garmies.. I have old photos of that farm, and the field sans the temple, where I spent time in summers as a boy.. I'll now get sick to my stomach as I drive past moronee blowin' his trumpet.....

The church is very well aware (or should be aware) that lots of mormons are investing up by the Palasadies where its cheaper but close to Jackson. These are retired wealthy mormons who have the time to support temple attendance.

They don't build in not so pretty places, even being predominantly Mormon. Like Tooele, (90,000 population with likely 80,000 mormons in the valley but not worthy enough for a temple?)

I'm supprised that Monticello got a temple? there's like 100 mormons there out in the middle of no where?

There seems to be a phenomenon of people using temple attendance to justify travel or to justify buying recreational property where they can also attend the temple. It may be that some of the powers that be own land in Star Valley and can use the temple there not only to produce local tithing but to keep older wealthy mormons happy who have invested in rec property in the area.

When I was in New Zealand some ex-members explained to me that the NZ temple gets a very large portion of tourist temple visits, or it would probably close.

I think it's a shame Star Valley is being developed, it used to be a wonderful place with character all it's own.

If they can build it virtually free, as has been noted, why not? It will be a cash cow, and the church will buy up land (that they haven't already coerced members to will to them) and sell/develop later for profit. More people, more tithing, more cash.

ChurchCorp!

Temples are about retaining the next generation. A highly visible, bricks and mortar billboard touting Churchco's marketing stroke of brilliance: Families Can Be Together Forever (tm).

Indoctrination starts in the crib.

Edited to add: Never forget, temples started as a way to legitimize an American harem. When that failed, the genius stroke of forever families was born. That promise/threat has been their bread and butter and will continue to carry the day.

Second edit: Google up The Great Hall of the People sometime. Almost 2M square feet of floor space. Man has been building prominent edifices to keep other men in place for a long time. Pyramids are another example. The message is "You are insignificant"; this building and what it represents is paramount. And never forget it.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/2015 03:52PM by iflewover.

payYourIndulgences() try to convince him not to sell the land anymore. Developing farms is always sad. Look at what happened to West Valley over the last 40 years. yuck!