Does the temple prohibition of “loud laughter” predate the Kinderhook plates or was it added after the introduction of aprons, baker’s hats, Pay Lay Ale and the sixty-ninth utterance of “Let us go down” into the ceremony? Seems to me the disembowelling pantomime would obviate the need. I mean, as long as snickering was still allowed.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/17/2024 01:33PM by mahu74.
I think it was added or greatly emphasized during the 1980s because that's when temple attendance began to be pushed hard. Prior to that, the temple attendance was extremely infrequent save to go on a mission or be married/sealed in the temple.
You are speculating that the loud laughter admonition came after an increase in temple attendance? Hmmmm, maybe you’re right. Laughter can be infectious. Wouldn’t want a whole chorus of sisters laughing when swearing to obey their husbands.
The prohibition against loud laughter is great example of what I hate about Mormonism (and really, most religions).
In the temple, we were told to take a sacred vow “before God, angels, and these witnesses” to avoid loud laughter, but what the F did that even mean? During all my years of activity, tithing, and temple attendance, I never got a straight answer.
Does it mean don’t laugh? No. Is it the volume (loudness) of the laughter? Uh, probably not. What is it, then? I had one SP tell me it was that we shouldn’t laugh about inappropriate things. I had two problems with that: 1) how do decide what’s “appropriate,” and 2) why didn’t God say “don’t laugh inappropriately”?
Jesus was the lawgiver in the OT, but he seemed to have a limited vocabulary. Like when he mentioned “hot drinks” in Section 89. Does that mean hot cocoa? No. Does it mean ice tea? Yes. Why did he say “hot drinks” when he meant coffee and tea? Did he not know the words “coffee” and “tea”?
I don't think most Christians would agree that Jesus was the lawgiver in the OT. The traditional view is that all that matters is what Jesus taught in the NT and that the OT only gains scriptural status because Jesus referred to it.
As far as I know, Mormons are the only ones who believe Jesus was the God of the OT.
I'm open to correction by people who may know better.
I certainly don’t know better, so I definitely won’t correct you. ;)
The point I was trying to make (obviously not that well) was from a Mormon perspective. Jesus revealed the D&C to Joe, but somehow didn’t know the word “coffee.” The temple ceremony was revealed, but Jesus couldn’t come out and tell us what we weren’t supposed to laugh about (but we did have to make a sacred vow about it).