As you may know, the Middle East's first Mormon temple will be built in Dubai. Bednar, who is responsible for this, said “...The presence of a temple in Dubai will be a great blessing in the lives of our Church members.” What's going on here? They have only about 1.500 members in the whole of the United Arab Emirates.

Dubai has transformed itself into a major international city and tourist destination. IMO, this isn't about the members. As you point out, there are hardly enough to justify a temple. IMO it's about the church gaining a higher profile in the community, about being seen as a "player".

It's another LDS real estate investment mainly.

Having a presence in most major cities is part of the church's corporate way to get their brand out there. "We're so global!"

Also, probably a lot of Americans have jobs there or need to travel there, no doubt including Mormons. The church needs to provide a social network and all the bells and whistles to keep people engaged with other Mormons.

About 25 years ago I was back in Finland for a business trip working on a chemical recovery boiler and some training. (I was a missionary to Finland 1974-1976). I visited a cousin who was still a Mormon at the time and active at some senior level in the Mormon corporation there. He told me they were going to build a temple in Helsinki as tons of money had piled up in the coffers of the church because much of the monies could not be sent to SLC due to Finnish laws. They were trying to figure out what to do with all the money. They decided to build a temple with a portion of the funds even though there are few Finns that would ever use the temple.

They couldn't figure out a way to use it for charity, apparently. Sheesh.

Is it ocean-front property ?

most don't, I'd be thinking, WTF??? I would assume my daughter is thinking that. My dad would have. Spend all this money on a building that will get next to no use. Like it will be a missionary tool, having presence in the country. I don't know which temple plans are more laughable, China, Russia, or Dubai.

In communist and theocratic nations those buildings and the property they stand on can be confiscated by the government at any time.

Wouldn't you love to see that happen?

Maybe the Dubai temple could be transformed into a mosque.

That would be nice. In their minds, the infidels deserve to have their building and property confiscated. The place would make a nice palace. The baptismal font would need an upgrade to something with more jets.

And the TBM's wonder why we cannot leave them alone. It's stuff like this that makes me refuse to turn my back on the corporation. It is rotten to the core. There is nothing LDS,Inc. won't do to further their mission to make more money. It is an obscene power rush for the leaders. They cannot get out of it so they just keep building the coffers. True charity can go to blazes. Making money builds kingdoms, not charity.

I so wish I could live to see the "kingdom" fall into a zillion tiny pieces.

I have a relative who works out of Dubai, makes a ton of money. I doubt American Mormons would move there for any other reason. The tithing potential plus the marquee value for the organization must trigger the happy flag on their cost justification spread sheet.

how many IMW contractors will be involved? I doubt that ChurchCo would get their 10% kick-back from any UAE workers, architects, electricians - plumbers, etc.

Then there's the matter of temple security & maintenance; who's going to manage & perform those tasks?


I Smell a Rat whenever ChurchCo builds something, that's certain.

So if the Temple thing doesn't work out, Brother Rusty gets a voice mail from the Lord in say 2-3 years from now and they convert the place into a 5-star hotel? Feasible...

N'uh Uh~~!!

Solomon built the first mormon temple in the Middle East! Would I try to kid you?

LDS Inc. is just jealous of Starbucks and BoA; after all, those are temples to coffee and commerce on every corner.

how gaudy will it be, I ask you.

I have it on good authority that the baptismal font will be on the backs of twelve golden camels.

Got to respect the ethnically historical. Right?

And, get this, like Seagull Monument, they are going to erect a Peregrine Falcon Monument since they were instrumental in helping the Arab nations find food in the sparse desert during times of famine which is almost always cuz you can't eat oil, The Falcons that Heaveny Father sent brought back bustards, and "Curlews"--- an obscure relative of Cureloms---which proves the BoM is true.

The Marvelous Work and a Wonder marches ever onward.

+Done & Done:

You have to spend money to make money.

~~~~iceman9090

Too right.

Dubai is a great place to open a franchise. Know a lot of people working in Dubai. Driving Rolls or Bentleys and Ferraris rot on the streets because its easier to buy a new one than to wash them or fix them. Money money money.

The Mormons should at least up their tithing to 20% which would be chump change over there---if they manage to snag any of the locals to be victims. I would bet most Mormons in Dubai are expats.

the Whispers / 1979 / And the Beat Goes On

https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/dubai-united-arab-emirates-temple/

https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/shanghai-china-temple/

https://www.shanghaidisneyresort.com/en/

I didn't have time to post why I posted these links.

I find it interesting how business and LDS go together like chicken and waffles. Business opens up a place and The Mormons are there with millions of dollars. And it ain't for charitable purposes no matter they tax deductions.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2020 07:12PM by Elder Berry.

The geniuses at LDS Inc are waiting on Elon Musk shuttle service first before God will announce the new Mars Elysium Planitia Temple. Right now they have zero members but they will find a way to justify it.

Complete with Italian marble columns, patrons will feel one cycle closer to Kolob while absorbing breathtaking views from Olympus Mons (3x bigger than Everest) to Valles Marineris (3x grander than the grand canyon.)

Yes everything is bigger on the red planet, even tithing too! While members are staying at Mars Marriott, they will be asked to help subsidize those patrons who come after them by contributing 30% (3x bigger than earthly faith)

brought to by the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Later-Day Saints.
Where the Universe is our Downline.

Don't you realize it has nothing to do with
Doctrine
and everything to do with
Dollars

Most of the potential "patrons" would be LDS Filipinos who are working there. These would not be citizens of the Emirate of Dubai. And Dubai is chock full of Wahabi Muslims, who see themselves as the protectors of Islam. Announcement or not, I don't see it happening; maybe the church got what it wanted just by announcing plans to build it.

Oh goody. The Arabs who convert can be sealed to their harem of wives in the temple.

They might want to downplay the anti-polygamy rhetoric in those parts.