A question for the older crowd. What were visitors supposed to see when attending an LDS chapel? Were they really supposed to be wowed by awesome Mormon artwork.

The inside of the chapel was bad enough and nothing to look at when compared with other churches. A clock on one wall and two vases of tropical flowers. Not much to look at and this was long before people could escape into the world of their smart phones. No windows and the one emergency door had a dreary cloth curtain drawn.

Long before Nelson ordered all LDS artwork to be Jesus freak centered, what was hanging on the walls of the foyer?

My chapel had a local member's oil painting of a morning sunrise of Hill Cumorah. It was likely inspired by the cringeworthy song Oh How Lovely Was the Morning. The other foyer had a church sanctioned lithograph print of a giant blob of light with a dazed and confused Joseph Smith blinded by the light.

They were supposed to be overwhelmed by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, simply for entering the building. IMO.

From my reading on this board, I had understood that LDS chapels had a characteristic, er, odour ;-)

Is that the holy spirit you are referring to?

;-)

I remember on my mission walking into the first large Catholic Cathedral I had even been in........I was awestruck. What a beautiful building, such incredible architecture, and the stained glass windows.

But to your other point, since the members took over the cleaning of the buildings per LDS Corp., yes they smell. The bathrooms even worse if you venture into one.

> But to your other point, since the members took
> over the cleaning of the buildings per LDS Corp.,
> yes they smell.

The odor finally matches the substance.

The thing is, many Mormons have never visited a church other than their own. I think many are completely oblivious to the fact that other churches often have a beauty and specialness that Mormon churches lack. It's like being the ugly duckling and everyone else knows it but you.

I finally had the opportunity to see the outside of a Mormon Temple yesterday. There are prisons with higher curb appeal. I’ve driven past the closest ward house many times and it seems to have been built by the same company that built the Brady Bunch house. There is no hope that such ugly ducklings will ever turn out to be beautiful swans.

I think they were supposed to "see" Protestant style drudgery and duty. Even from the talks, there was little laughter. The music was the equivalent of white bread lunchmeat sandwiches.

No frills like stained windows and art are around. Only abominable whore and idol type of churches focus on such things. Well, except for tasteful Little America types of décor in temples.

The problem is that Mormons are raised with that view of things and don't realize what it looks like through the eyes of visitors. Mormons are not showy with décor at church. That would be conspicuous consumption. However they are very showy to each other in competitive and humble brag ways. Visitors wouldn't understand the nuances.

I visited a ward in my youth to attend a fair that they were hosting. It struck me as being a typical modern church building -- nothing special or memorable about it, but nothing bad either (this was before they fired the professional cleaners.) The people were friendly but a little odd, as if they didn't quite know how to relate to me.

I see you've mentioned cleaners too. I find most Mormons too ordinary though. Their doctrines may be weird but their conformity in all things often reacts against eccentricity.

They save all the "nice", expensive decor for the temples. That is if you consider a Marriott lobby "nice".

Oh, but oops, no visitors allowed!

Hedging is about where things might just have ended up.

Waytogo

I think the intention was that they would see the people and hear the messages. LDS chapels have nearly always been poor on the visual side. The architecture is appalling.

Regarding the odor – correct. They went downhill after they fired all the paid janitors/cleaners.

I grew up during the time period they were switching from hard wood benches and floors to upholstered benches and chairs and wall to wall carpet everywhere. It was suppose to feel---Lush. And as I recall that is what people noticed as they entered the chapel. Carpet and upholstery.

The building I went to church in for most of my youth had a big picture of the pioneers in the foyer. I liked that picture a lot. Not because it was pioneers. It was just a beautiful picture. Other than that, I can't remember. I thought the building I went to was a lot nicer inside than other ones I went to for other ward functions.

I visited Handsworth, Birmingham chapel back in the mid-1970s and it was an Edwardian era chapel, built for the Mormons. I remember how nice and normal it looked. I seem to recall it even had some modest stained glass.

I don't know if the chapel is still there.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/20/2024 04:34PM by matt.

They got rid of many of their historic buildings and replaced them with monstrosities.

I think they were supposed to see the missionaries.

Bingo!

When I was young the chapel had the Head of Christ by Warner Sallman hanging in the chapel and on the other side was the YM/YW or mutual theme of the year that we recited during opening exercises every Tuesday.

I remember members in the small ward upset when they were removed.

They were supposed to see with their spiritual eyes.

¿ why hasn’t anyone mentioned the fiberglass steeples ¿

(Bell towers without a Bell)

GNPE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ¿ why hasn’t anyone mentioned the fiberglass
> steeples ¿
>
> (Bell towers without a Bell)

We used to sneak out and climb up on the wall (which had been constructed to keep us monkeys from climbing up the steeple).

I just got an idea for the steeple with a Bluetooth speaker for a 'faith-promoting' Sunday message at meeting time...