We've all read (or actually lived) stories of going through the temple for the first time and not knowing what was being agreed to beforehand; in other words, "agreeing to a contract before knowing the contents".

So, my stupid Q of the day regards temple prep classes--do they honestly *Not* tell you what is going to happen!? Sort of like telling you that you should take your driver's test seriously and honor the guy from the DMV, but never actually going over what the test involves??

I haven't taken those classes myself (before my time) but I have seen them used for re-activation purposes as well. Can't be much to it, then, other than the usual pay, pray and obey.

Isn't the course material online at lds.org?

Nope. I taught temple classes a bunch of times (and Celestial Marriage classes in Institute) and they don't tell students anything about the actual endowment session. Prolly because it would freak the students out and shout "CULT" if they did describe the endowment. But it's all under the guise of, "it's too sacred to discuss outside temple walls."

Har-dee-har-har-har!!!

Me, too. I have taught the classes, and can tell you that they never give any information that is helpful. But when my wife took a religion class at BYU that was all about the temple, they actually did tell her about the various covenants, what one is to expect, and expected to do, etc. Since she had told me all about that class, I figured that those facts were fair game, and I included them in my lesson.

Thanks for the responses.

So I will assume that temple prep classes are about as useful as getting music lessons from Harold Hill.

:-)

That is not a stupid question.
I personally had forgotten much of the lessons that I had taken almost five years ago...but I guess that's not a bad thing.
I can tell you that you are definitely not informed about what goes on inside those temples. Sure, they talk about Adam and Eve. Also about what kind of person you have to be, and what you have to do to be "worthy." Equivalent to another typical gospel priciples sunday school. This is from what I can remember. I still can't believe that I sat through that shit.

I believe the reason why you are not informed on what goes on in the temple during those classes is because not everyone who attends goes on to the temple (or rather to get their recommend).
For example, a friend that I have on Facebook attended every class with me, but still has yet to get her recommend. Even though she seemingly wants to get her endowments.

The temple prep classes I went to really stressed service. How sacred it was for us to be serving our dead. Nothing about the cultie aspects, nothing about the goofy clothes, or the emphasis on women's second-class status . just what an honor and privilege it was to serve the dead.

The dead are best served before decomposition sets in.

Not stupid!

IMO, the real reason for the classes is to get the person deeper invested and further committed to follow through and go to the temple.

The more invested a person is, the harder it is for them to admit to themselves that they were hornswoggled.

They are conditioned to think they are "special" and a notch above to be allowed into higher levels of sacred "knowledge" (aka claptrap). It feeds their ego.

Of course they (the church) would not be honest and tell the person what is in the contract before asking them to sign in a class. They don't even bother in the temple to be honest and transparent up front. They know it would be way too uncomfortable for the person to make a scene and back out- considering it is usually a wedding day or pre-mission requirement. The person has come too far and is too invested to back out.

Yours is a good question. The guy I was assigned to take the class from had developed a really awesome flow chart of "the plan of salvation". We spent a really awesome amount of time viewing his awesome flow chart. It was really awesome but had nothing to do with what to expect in the temple.

Sounds "awesome"!

LOL!

Extra points if he used stock pictures on the flow chart. Double points if he used a flannel board.

Yes on the stock pictures but alas no flannel board. However we did get an awesome copy of his flow chart to take home and keep.

I would compare those classes with riding the old Disneyland Space Mountain roller coaster for the first time. You wait a long time in a huge line until you reach the loading/unloading deck. You have a split brief moment to climb into the coaster or jump out to exit. You can not see what's ahead of the ride except for a black hole that is blowing steam.

It was a MAJOR let down attending those so-called temple prep classes. You learn nothing specific about what to expect. TSCC deliberately keeps it so vague so that it'll be too late to bail when you freak out.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/13/2017 02:33PM by messygoop.

I was on Space Mountain once when it broke down; the lights came on and you could check out all the supporting girders and other stuff you usually don't get to see.

It was.....awesome!


And then it got boring.

Space mountain always seemed to be broken down when i was a kid it wasnt a very reliable ride

Not a dumb question at all. Mormons make you feel "dumb" for asking any intelligent question.

The posters are right--the temple preparation class tells you NOTHING. It is just more sales hype and emotional manipulation, to get you in there.

Here's what happened to me: In the temple for the first time, when the voice over the microphone gave us the option of leaving, I wanted to run! I was already sensing evil in there. Nothing prepared me for seeing my parents and people I knew and respected, all dressed up in ridiculous costumes. The tight baker's hat was making a red mark on my fiancee's bloated, sweaty face.

The very first thing I saw, upon entering the inner sanctum of the temple was a cash register! I immediately thought of Christ and the money-changers. We paid money to rent the ugly flour-sack robes and long underwear. I did not like being touched on my private parts, naked, under a skimpy sheet. I could hear hushed mumbling in the booths next to mine, and the rustling of robes, as others were being dressed, too. It was the creepiest experience of my life! I felt robbed of my individuality, and shuffled along an assembly line. We had to lock our clothes in lockers, to avoid theft. Yes--there was evil in that place!

The temple workers find out if it is your first time in the temple, and they make sure you are not by yourself. If you have no one of the same gender to sit with, the workers assign you a "helper" or two, to sit on either side of you, and help you with the clothing. Actually, it is to keep you from running away!

--During the session, I thought, "This is creepy and evil--I'm running out of here!" Then, I thought about my mother on one side of me, and my SIL on the other side of me, and embarrassment kept me in my seat. I thought, "Well, they do this all the time, so it must be all right. I'm the one who's being being weird about this. Relax."

--Still, I kept wanting to leave. I thought about the 300 people planning on attending my reception that evening! I felt guilty about all the time and trouble and expense my parents went through. There was the pre-paid, destination honeymoon. That's a lot of pressure heaped onto a little bride who was lied to! The pantomimed death oaths were too grotesque. I forced myself to consecrate my life to a cult, and to vow to obey my husband--a man I barely knew. I could not breathe with the veil over my face. I had to leave twice, to go be sick in the bathroom--and the matrons did not take kindly to this! I asked if I could sit in the back, nearer the bathroom, and they hissed at me, like angry cats, "You have to sit in your original seat!"

It was the worst day of my life. Afterwards, instead of going to the nice luncheon my mother had prepared for everyone, my new husband drove me to a motel and raped me. I didn't know a husband could rape a wife, in those days, but I was begging him not to take my virginity, until I had a chance to walk down the aisle with my father, in my white dress, at the reception, and greet all my friends and family. (There's no walking down the aisle at the temple, and my loved ones weren't allowed in the temple to see my wedding.) I had been pure all my life, in anticipation of this. I was still sick to my stomach. I begged, struggled, tried to get out of the room, and he forced himself on me, quoting the D&C 132, and saying that I belonged to him now, as his property, and he could do anything he wanted to me. I could barely walk into the reception, and I was bleeding badly, and all I could think of was how nice and supportive and happy everyone was. I thought, "Please, God, get me through this without throwing up." My Atheist soul-mate was there, and he kissed the bride. My parents wouldn't allow me to marry him, because he was an Atheist. Very sad.

Why didn't I leave? Brainwashing! I tried--through severe beatings and false promises to stop beating me--to make that marriage work, because it was for time and all eternity. I still bear the physical scars, the PTSD, and the fear of Mormons and their cult. Hence, RFM.

Well, you asked....

Wow Breeze,

thanks for posting that. It helps a lot of us.

Oh Breeze, I'm so sorry to read this! You're a survivor who has great wisdom to share. What you wrote about is so brutal. Friendship and hugs!

YES. I'm sorry, too.

Breeze, I am so sorry to hear about your tragic wedding day. I can empathize with you on the beatings. I was beat to near death for no reason by my TBM ex, more than once. I went to my bishop and all he asked me was "what did you do to set him off?" He was never called out on it. What crap!

Holy shit that story is horrifying i am even more grateful i left before i did the temple thing thank you for sharing this. Wow breeze you lived my worst nightmare of what happens in the temple on a wedding day i knew it could be bad but not that bad i am so sorry that happened to you. I was physically and mentally abused by church leaders when i was a teenager and my parents didnt care or side with me they turned against me thats when i figured out this church might be screwed up way before i reached temple age but i had no where to turn back then.

Howdy CnB, good question. It reminds me of something dear old Boyd wrote in one of his books--If someone asks you a difficult question, answer the question they should have asked instead. In other words, talk shit rather than answer directly

I had no idea about what would happen during the Endowment. I knew that there were Temple clothes--I knew the apron was green and looked like leaves, I didn't know about the robe, baker's hat, or sash--I just thought folks wore white clothes.

Surprise! But, hey, the church was true and my best friend was doing the shit with me.

To my chagrin, after I had been through the temple a woman I was dating asked me if people really practiced slashing their throats in the temple. CnB, I lied for the Lord. I told her no, that the temple was very inspiring and to think of all the wonderful Mormons she knew who would never do something so bizarre. I also added that there were some references to what she asked about.

There, you have it. Your EXMO Boner lied his ass off to protect a temple secret. Protecting a cult!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/13/2017 06:29PM by BYU Boner.

Well, in all fairness it wasn't a valid contract. One condition of agreeing to it was that you agreed before you knew the conditions. So you have nothing to worry about.

Oh wait, Stan would like a word with you in private.

Ah, Boner--you didn't lie for the Lord!

In the temple, you promised to "allow" your throat to be slashed. By someone else. So you didn't practice slashing your own throat.

In other words, you promised to let someone else, perhaps the Danites, perhaps a Primary Class, to hold you down and "snicker-snick" from ear to ear...

Bradley and CnB, every time I have a colonoscopy I remember that I promised to disembowel myself for revealing the sign that I've been nailed. I figure the prep, GOLIGHTLY, has cleared my bowels of my sins and filled them with compassion for my gastroenterologist. You are correct, "I would rather..." never less, I did watch the video, and I did slash!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/13/2017 07:08PM by BYU Boner.

How tragic Breeze.

I am reminded of Deborah Laake's wedding night story.

Chicken N. Backpacks Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We've all read (or actually lived) stories of
> going through the temple for the first time and
> not knowing what was being agreed to beforehand;
> in other words, "agreeing to a contract before
> knowing the contents".

another term for that is called being blindsided.

Tee shirt about MORmON temple prep class and attending the MORmON temple, slogan below the outline of a MORmON temple: "I was given hints to expect a divine manifestation, Instead of having a spiritual experience I was; molested, shown (stupid) secret handshakes, threatened to be butchered alive if I did not keep quiet about what really happened."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLLaJLX0EFM

WHAT is the business secret of Utah's largest corporation?
-holding families hostage in eternity !!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LA_Eusla4o

I went to the temple for endowments in 1979. No prep class.

Stake pres was pissed because I hadn't read up on the New and Everlasting Covenant. Got a recommend anyway because I was getting married in three days.

EQ pres was pissed when he drove me down because I hadn't arranged to take a set of garmies for the endowment.

Temple guy was pissed because I never heard of Section 80whatever oath and covenant of priesthood. Gave me a crash course because I was getting married in three days.

I was clueless because everyone around, including soon to be DW, assumed I knew what was going to happen.

I was pissed at all of them when I got home.

The closest my temple prep ever came was "you'll make covenants, and we can't tell you what they are, but they're things that you'll -want- to covenant if you have a testimony of the church, so don't worry too much about it."

Honestly, I think that most tbms don't really take the time to think about what specific covenants they make in the temple. I'm guessing that most couldn't even tell you what covenants they made, at least not a full list.

Breeze!

I am soo sorry for what you went through!!Especially the rape.That is so awful.I am in tears.


I hope you are ok.

Nevermo4.

In one temple prep class the instructor gave a reasonably detailed story on the first Sunday this class was held. He mentioned there would tokens and signs (I'm not kidding) and hammered home the point that was SACRED not secret.

EXACTLY. No one can talk about what goes on because nobody would ever go for the first time.
That's why blood oaths were created- to keep mouths shut. It is the scariest crap ever. I don't like scary shows.. In the temple is a scary show. Were we to believe only one man and woman were created? That would make all of their children's children born of incest. I always wondered about that in the temple. Why would gawd want retarded offspring? Or deformed?

I dont like scary shows either and ive been through some stuff in my life.

I took temple prep classes because i legitamitely wanted to know what exactly they did in there but they didnt tell me a damn thing so i had to see it on youtube and then i understood what the hell i was born into and it was shocking to say the least ive never looked at my family the same since they made me feel like the weird and rejected one for a long time.
I wish i would have known what the hell everybody was doing in there as a child or teen i just needed one mormon to be honest for once or something but i had no one to turn to. i think it would have saved me a ton of years of hell from my family and i would have been a happier individual throughout the greater part of my life.

For the supposedly most important step you can take, the temple ceremony left me feeling conned. I was soooo disappointed, bewildered, and felt like I had been initiated in some silly 12 year old tree club ceremony. I was also angry on several levels but was there time to talk about these when I was there mainly to get married into a life that I was promised by the MormonCult would only bring happiness and bliss forever after? Surely, I jest.

Breeze, I am so sorry for your treatment which was nothing but evil. And, I am so sorry for all of us that have been conned by the cult into falling for their conjob. They took our fears, our hopes, and our needs, stomping them to pieces and us to pieces until we were able to find the truth and now can stomp on them.

And, I do and will every chance I get because their lies and actions deserve such treatment.

Certainly not a stupid Q---you are right and wise to wonder.

I was told NOTHING (as too sacred, not secret). And, as no one of my family had been there, I learned nothing from them, either.

Oh yes, I did know I had to have a white dress for the beginning stuff (before we got married), and was referred to a very small clothing store which only had a NR's dress to offer (which came to mid-shin), and lots of buttons (a bloody pain in the neck to get in and out of). But, I didn't want to rent (as why pay to rent cloths every time you went)?

The long John's I had to wear under this shin-length dress looked so striking, it made me feel beautiful----not!).

UGH!

Plus--I resented the veil I had to put over my face. I felt like a Catholic nun. And, it was really hot. I had to lift it out and away from my face, in order to cool down.

P.