My friend and I were driving past the temple, and she made some comment about it. I looked over and said "That doesn't look like anything to me." (We're both huge Westworld fans, and I was relieved she got my joke.)

My son and I have driven past it with TBM family, and we hijack the conversation away from them by expressing unusual interest with the empty field across the street from it. They get frustrated by that. My son's sense of humor is very dry, with speculation about all sorts of boring land uses, and it's hard for me not to crack up. The first time we drove past it, he said "That probably looked better on paper." He's a nevermo and has no clue about Mormonism and hopefully never will.

...as long as you just keep driving past it, you're OK. I would only stop if there were some free casserole or potato salad incentive to attract some freak/random/transient visitor interest.

I hate to admit it, but I still think the Washington DC temple is awesome. I’ve never been in it or any temple though, just the grounds and visitors centre,
The DC one, looks huge. You see it in the distance, before you even get close to it. It looks like it’s right in front of you, then it all of a sudden looks like it’s on the left side, then later, the right side.

The one here in Indiana looks like a huge iconic phallus.

http://youarecurrent.com/2015/01/13/new-mormon-temple-could-draw-crowds-to-carmel/

The church built a giant butt plug for when people start getting larger and living longer in the Millennium.

It’s very Disneyesque. Definitely worthy of Goofy.

I live in the DC area. That temple definitely stands out. You can't miss it.

Nice article. I didn’t know the DC temple was closed for renovation. I didn’t know it was built in 1974. The Chicago one, I remember the open house for it and the way it glittered in the sun. I’m glad that I never went in it now, because if I saw it inside and what went on, it wouldn’t of been the same.

I received the endowment in the Chicago temple in 1987 back when they were still doing the blood oaths and naked touching. It wasn't a pleasant experience for me. I was sealed to my parents in the Washington DC temple in about 1977. We lived across the street from it. I remember seeing the hats and aprons. They told us not to laugh when we saw them. There were no windows, and my siblings and I waited for hours in the nursery. There was a large apocalyptic mural in the lobby with lots of fire and destruction and weeping.

I suppose the showy exterior and the sick interior is symbolic of the religion itself.

Shortly after our local temple was built during the Hinckley McTemple boom years, a Mormon co-worker was aware that I was beginning to drift away from belief. She invited me to go to the temple with her.

I was still active enough at that time that I could obtain a temple recommend, so I did. It was the second - and final - time I would set foot in a Mormon temple. I thought it was weird the first time, but tried to rationalize that I was overtired from an overnight bus ride from our little two-horse town to Atlanta.

No, I was right the first time. Even when the temple is right there in your own town, it is still creepy.

Sounds like the perfect place for someone to build a nice pub with proper pint glasses ;)

I've been asked a number of times why there are two mormon church buildings next to each other in my town (the stake center and the temple). So I've been asked to teach another class on mormonism in our adult religious education program. I told them that I would like to wait until next year since the temple is one of the ones that was torn down and is being rebuilt. I want to really be able to have them understand how it plays into the theology. And I want to use the videos of the ceremony. But then I'd like to time it so that we can go out to the open house before they dedicate it again.

I drive by a Hinckley McTemple everyday on my way to work. I like to yell out "you're wasting your time" (even though no one hears me it makes me feel better).

SMH- to think I was there when the cornerstone was laid, feet away from the Hinckster. And the hankie waving...

All just a bunch of BS now.

-Dennis

You're wasting your time--indeed.

My parents were attending this fancy gibberish and I was at home being babysat by my 10 year old sister and abused by my 11 year old brother.

Bitterness--party of one.

I'll try to remember that one. It's perfect.

Last time my TBM mom was down visiting, we went to Coronado. Which meant we drove down I-5 past the gaudy San Diego temple.

As is my habit, as we drove past the white monstrosity, I deliberately raised my left arm to the square, and extended my middle finger. TBM mom sitting in the passenger seat couldn't stifle a gasp...but said nothing.

I looked over at her, smiled, and said, "You have your rituals, I have mine."

:)

I remember when they were building that monstrosity. I drove by that thing every.single.day. Years later, I worked on Little Santa Monica in LA across from what? The LA temple. I can't win.

But Beth, so many opportunities to exercise your middle finger...!

When we drove past the Gilbert, AZ temple 3 years ago my Catholic wife pointed to it and asked "WHAT THE F*** IS THAT"? I told her what it was and she said. "Sure is ugly"! Bless her heart.

That one is way too vertical.