"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift."

I'm not particularly skilled with the Bible, but for whatever reason the other day I recalled this verse when I was talking with a Mo friend about her upcoming wedding. Of course half of her family cannot attend because they aren't Mo. Which has royally torqued them off (duh).

I was kind of discussing her thoughts on the matter, just because she seemed like the type who would agonize over this decision. However, she came home from BYU a few years ago and has just been a different person. Very self-righteous and indignant. When I asked her "how is it that the church is family oriented when half of your family cannot even see you be wed? Including your dad."

Her response was that if her family was offended by her choice that was their problem. Not hers. I was a little shocked by that, but I guess I shouldn't be. That's when I remembered the bible verse. I wanted so badly to throw it in her face, and tell her that if they were offended then it WAS her problem but then I was like "no, better not".

I guess it doesn't matter. I'm the shitty immoral apostate. She wouldn't hear a single thing I had to say regarding the bible anyway. To be fair, i'm probably the last person who needs to be quoting scripture at anyone. On the other hand, it kind of goes along with what everyone here says about how Mormons should try a little harder to NOT BE SO OFFENSIVE. I mean, the damn Bible tells them not to.

Anyway, the whole thing just kind of made me sad. This rant is really going nowhere.

A TBM couple admitted to me this past summer that if they had to do their wedding over again, they would have been married civil service then be sealed in the temple when they could. They said that her mother never got over not seeing her daughter get married.

Damage, the LDS is about permanent damage to families.

What the church doesn't want is outsiders to hear the convenants being made to the church as opposed to the couple promising themselves to each other.

I think you are right. The sealing ceremony isn't romantic and loving. It's weird and obnoxious. The church is well-aware that other people would find it odd. That is probably one of the biggest reasons why outsiders are not allowed in.

It got me to thinking about my own son, and how when he grows up there is a good chance I won't get to watch him marry. Because I am now "unworthy" of it since I left.

Which really gets me angry, who gets to decide worthiness? Another man? And if anyone is "worthy" enough to get special treatment by God, then what was the point of Jesus exactly?

I thought the whole point was that NONE of us were worthy of Heaven and God's blessings, so Jesus had to die to save us. Wasn't that the point?

Christianity is perplexing to me anyway, but Mormonism just takes my mass confusion surrounding religion to a whole other level.

for the life of me i can't figure out why people don't just quietly go be sealed in those ugly outfits....then head over to the Real wedding afterwards. It would solve all the problems. The word needs to get out to these young kids how dreary these drive thru weddings are.

"...The sealing ceremony isn't romantic and loving. It's weird and obnoxious. The church is well-aware that other people would find it odd. That is probably one of the biggest reasons why outsiders are not allowed in."

Indeed, MadameRadness, most outsiders would probably watch the ceremony and say "WTF was THAT!? Was that a WEDDING!?"

They might be MORE offended if they GET to see the sealing and that the couple has to consecrate themselves and all to the CHURCH..!