I remember taking the temple prep classes and being so excited to attend the temple. It sounded so mysterious, so holy and beautiful. I "rented" my temple clothes that first time, and was so excited as the lady handed me my pile of clothing and accessories (what was all this for?) My enthusiasm waned just a little bit as I went through the "washings and annointings" and was given a name to remember forever, covenanting with God that I would never utter that name to anyone...even my husband. Then to discover that I wouldn't be sitting with my husband for the whole ceremony...that felt strange to me. The fact that the temple ceremony consisted of watching a movie felt odd, and the stress and awkwardness I felt while trying to keep up with everyone while putting on all those weird pieces of clothing...I was a nervous, uncomfortable wreck! My poor husband, who I could watch from across the room, was faring no better than I was. I watched him struggle with his baker's hat and sash, and wondered what the heck we were doing. We had the support of quite a few members of our ward, who had traveled to the temple to be a part of our endowments. I was comforted seeing them in the same get-ups, but wondered how they could not feel even a little bit silly? When we put on the aprons, I was alarmed. I mean, in the video, Adam asks Lucifer what his apron is. Lucifer replies that it is his apron, his symbol of power. Immediately afterward, they stop the film and everyone puts on THEIR apron. I only went to the temple a few times, but each time, that part of the ceremony made me very uncomfortable. Even though we were instructed not to discuss the temple ceremony outside of the temple, I DID ask a few people who I trusted what they thought of that part of the ceremony. No one had an answer for me! Anyway, I hadn't known that my husband and I equally dreaded going to the temple. It wasn't until we both decided to leave the church that we admitted this to each other. People have no idea how weird that temple ceremony is. Anyone want to share their temple experiences?

I agree completely freegirl10! Going through the temple for the first time prior to serving a mission (which I ultimately abandoned) planted the first seeds of doubt into my mind. Everything about the temple just seemed so... wrong. It wasn't what I had been told it was like. It wasn't uplifting, enlightening, or any other positive characteristic.

When I first put on my garments I was completely horrified at how uncomfortable they are, but I figured God would help me get used to it. I literally just now googled female mormon garments to see what they look like, and there is NO way I can marry a girl who wears those. Forgive me for being a visual male!

During the actual temple ceremony I was saying to myself, "Really...? Is this it?" for the first 15 minutes while it just went over the creation. Why do we have to go through all the difficult steps necessary for entering the temple just so we can hear about the creation? Not to mention it was soooooo drawn out. "And make the birds, and the beasts.... We will go down... Return and report..." And then Heavenly Father and Jesus/Michael just HAVE to repeat what the other person just said.

During the parts when we had to put on our various accessories, it took me a while, and I would always just wonder what the whole point of it all was? My least favorite part was when they made you switch the robe from your right shoulder to the left (or was it the other way?) During all of the promises I would always just mouth the words instead of saying them, and when we were supposed to say the promises in our minds I wouldn't do it. It just felt too cultish for me.

Afterwards I was brought to the temple president with my dad (I wish they hadn't brought my dad with me) to ask questions. I had a TON of questions, but the only one I actually asked was what was the purpose/significance of the name we were given. His response was essentially "we'll need it Heaven." I kept asking him for more details, but he either didn't know or didn't tell me. I said it was weird then we left.

Although during my 4 weeks at the MTC I did sort of look forward to going. Not for any Spiritual reason, but because it took up a sizable amount of time, you could get away with closing your eyes, and following it was dinner. It was also interesting to me how none of the other missionaries would say how enlightening the temple was afterward. In fact we just never talked about it.

At least you didn't get the penalties wherein you pantomimed having your throat slit and being disemboweled. Ah, the memories.

I can't imagine that...although I was such a "blind sheep" that I probably would have gone along with the rest of them.

My mom attended temple prep classes for her endowment, complplaining, that they really don't let you in on anything that will happen, but thank God, she left right before after me, the anti showed her a few things. When she learned about the cut-throat stuff, she said "Oh my! They would have to carry me out." (Than we both laughed--even it's sad, tying to visualize that scene and wondered what the 'brethren' would use for excuse. She never resigned, being creeped out by the thought of those ituals, recalling how a masonic co-worker way back use to worry after tattling about his rituals, and the stories about the Danites so creeped her out, she 'moved on' real quick-like, LOL!

I absolutely remember being alarmed over the apron thing, and that we were actually ordered to put on the apron, when it was made clear it was a symbol of satan's priesthoods (plural). I thought this is bizarre. I believe there is a reason why they always tell you to go to the temple often ... it is because if you do, you learn to disregard these red flags in some form of self-hipnosis. You learn to hear it without actually paying attention to it.

There are so many other things that are alarming in the temple ceremony. The whole thing smacks of secret handshakes and combinations. You convenant (you make a covenant, not even a promise, or attempt, but a covenant with punishements if you break the covenant) to give up loud laughter, not to speak against the 'lord's annointed', and to give up everything you have or will ever have for the church? Seems like a cult to me.

The punishment? It is in the signs, which you make with one hand extended to cath your entrails while the other (with the thumb pointed towards you) to slash your belly (and your neck) in a disemboweling motion (blood atonement). The actual blood oaths were taken out but the action with your hands are still there, and most people don't even know what they actually mean.

It just terrified me when I went and realized that when the book of mormom talks about secret handshakes and combinations and the abominable whore with all its riches, that it seems too much like the mormom church. Have you ever noticed how the church leaders (GBH in particular) loved to talk about meeting in the glorious buildings, the spacious buildings, with it's beatiful pulpit (made out of some oak tree)?

The worse is the get up. If you look you get a bit of the KKK fashion going on. It is a truly creepy and evil place. People are so misled and they shut their eyes when they go there.

Runtu, where did you serve your mission? How did you manage to abandon it, and did you leave the church right afterward?

topojoejoe, thanks for your perfect analysis of the temple ceremony. It made me a little queasy to read it, since it's been a couple of years since I've been to the temple and I'm beginning to become "comfortably numb". I am SO glad that is behind me!

It was one of the first things that really shook my "testimony." I realized that most of the temple ceremony was ripped off from the Masons (that's why it seems so weird and foreign).

I served a mission in Bolivia. It took me almost 20 years to finally decide I was done making excuses. I figured out the truth behind the church when I was in my early 30s, but I stuck it out because I had a testimony.

As for abandoning it, it's not easy. My wife and most of my kids are still believers. But I'm a live and let live kind of person, so we do fine.

Runtu, your attitude toward your family is awesome. I'm sure part of you wants so much to convince your wife and kids that they are being misled. But I've read about people leaving the church (or finding out the truth) at all stages of life, so there's still plenty of time. Do you ever go to church with them?

I learned a long time ago that you can't make people see things if they aren't ready or willing. Trying to convince your loved ones that you're right and they're wrong is a recipe for serious family problems (I learned that the hard way). We've learned to stop trying to change each other, and we're doing fine.

I go to sacrament meeting on occasion, and it doesn't drive me crazy anymore.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/2010 03:09PM by runtu.

Wow, sounds like you have come a long way!

The temple prep class was no prep at all. Of course, if they had told me that some old guy was going to bless my junk and that I would swear an oath to have my throat cut and be disembowled if I didn't keep the secret handshake a secret, then I probably would have never gone in the first place. I went expecting a mystical experience, feel the spirit, etc. Instead I get felt up by a guy and get generally creeped out.

No new theology, just secret handshakes, secret gestures, funny clothes and true order of prayer. Pay lay ale.

other than it was long and boring. I thought Eve was hot and for some reason liked the part of Satan.

I wonder if anyone has ever done weed in the temple parking lot before attending a session. Surely it must happen occasionally.

She was a convert and though she had taken the temple prep classes, I was really concerned that she might think the whole thing was weird. But, alas, she was sufficiently indoctrinated (ie brainwashed) that it did not phase her a bit. Now many years later, she still goes to the temple. For me it's been over 10 years since I attended. I am glad that I no longer sit through the boring ceremony or get guilted into doing a worthless activity.

LOL Othersteve - I'm pretty sure I would have REALLY enjoyed the ceremony if I had!! I think you're onto something.......

My mom went inactive and criticised the church for it's sexism. She was a pre-1990 endowee.
When I went in 1990, dad overprepared me for what I expected to be a punch in the face. He said mom hated the subserviant parts, and that they were blatant and hard to get over, very Old-Testamentish. Dad didn't really offer any apology. He was uneasy with it too. But basically if you can swallow the polygamy camel, the temple is a gnat. I had already been pacified that polygamy was a restored Old Testament principle, not palatable, but a sacrifice for the greater good.
So, and it was news to my dad, the Lord saw fit to reveal yet another higher law and soften the endowment. In 1990 the narrator announced before the endowment that changes had been made, with stern instruction NOT to discuss the changes outside the temple (in practice the changes weren't discussed IN the temple either, and I never knew what they were until exmo websites told me).
So I found the temple easier to swallow than advertized. It was sexist, but hey, I already knew about polygamy and male-only priesthood, so I was a chauvanist to begin with, same as I was just enough of a racist to sympathize with God having to turn a few poor souls black for their own good.
I enjoyed the temple much of the time.
But then it just started to seem made-up.
I never had trouble with it until an especially serious bout of depression and anxiety. I really needed something other than a canned answer. But all in a row, priesthood leaders and the temple had nothing but the same old recited answers that didn't fit.
Trying to force a round peg into a square hole is what finally overwhelmed my testimony, before I ever read a word of anti-Mormon propaganda.

Did they change the temple ordinance so wives don't have to divulge their new name to their husbands? Damn! Back when, they were required to tell him the new name.

Ron

Okay, I'm reading all this and wondering what temple ordinance I went through? The apron represents Satan's priesthoods? No f'n way! Those green, goofy lookin' things were to "cover my nakedness" and Satan's was totally different. Satan's was WAY cooler with symbols and stuff all over it (this was in the live endowment).

I've been sealed twice within the last decade or so, and both times my wife had to divulge her new name to me. So ya, as far as I know they're still doing that.

People are told not to discuss the temple ceremony, not because its sacred, but because they are trying to hide the similarities between it and the masons. They figure the less people talk about it, the less exposure the similarities will get. Its all just part of the sneaky little plan.

I have purposely avoided going to the temple for the simple reason that all the videos I have seen about it on youtube scared me-- I saw some teaching the mason-like "handshakes", and personal accounts of the pre-1990 "penalties" gestures which the masons also practice.

Then I read most of the details of it here. This page highlights the details that were taken out of the ceremony after 1990, because some considered them "disturbing or offensive". they basically cut out a lot of the "women obey the men" and penalties parts:
http://www.lds-mormon.com/compare.shtml

So yeah, after seeing all that, I totally lost interest in it...

Then I went and watched a few mason ceremonies, and.... The nearly identical gestures and routines just blew me away.

It nausiated me to know that the ceremony was NOT inspired by any vision Joseph Smith (or any prophets) had... It was simply borrowed from the masons.. And Joseph Smith WAS a mason, here is some info about why and when he joined:
http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/people/joseph_smith/masonry.html

He had many wives too, despite Emma's and his own denial. Here is detailed info on the wives:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_wives_of_Joseph_Smith,_Jr.

That church is just a cult, built on lies, and masonic rituals.



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/2010 05:59PM by melissa3839.

Twelve years ago, I was invited to a "special session" in the temple with my wife's family. My wife's parents had just been released from being temple presidents overseas for three years. The entire recommend-holding family convened (over 20 people) in the Celestial room for an hour.

This was a well-educated group. Over 60% had advanced degrees. All were life-long Mormons. Some of my in-laws were anxious to use this occasion to "really get some answers" about the endowment ceremony. They came prepared with very good questions for my FIL.

It fast became apparent that our patriarch FIL did not have answers! It was embarassing how little any of us knew about the origin, purpose, and meaning of this ordinance so central to our religion. My FIL kept having to resort to "we take it on faith." After three years as a temple president, he had no special insight on anything of consequence.

It is no exaggeration to say that you can learn more about the endowment in 30 minutes with Google than you can in a lifetime of temple & church attendance!

Now cheerfully indifferent to all of this, I am

Eddie

actually you were very carefully prepared for the temple ceremony, you were brought in & emotionally anchored to the church first, the actual creepy substance of the temple ceremony was very carefully avoided while you were told all about how sacred it was. then you were blindsided when you could not back out with out looking like a real loser. Its called being blindsided! Welcome to MORmONISM !

I knew a lady who had been Mormon all her life but refused to go to the temple. She said "It couldn't possibly be as wonderful as they say it is, and I'm afraid I'll be disappointed."

This was the sharpest perception I ever encountered in the church. I wish I'd had that much insight.

For those of us who came out of the temple with that "WTF???" feeling, it was a major guilt trip, because we could only assume that it was OUR fault for not being spiritually good enough.

Because had the priesthood told you the truth about
the going ons in the endownment session,
you would surely hand in your resignation letter stat :)

And Joseph Smith knows his temple would be eventually
linked to Masonics. He proclaimed the temple proceedings sacred.

And just to ensure his Mormons adhered to the 'sacredsy'
(we now know is secretsy) he enacted the PAY LAY ALE oath.

But,

now that many exmormons (like myself) are still walking and breathing inspite of having revealed temple going ons, tokens, handshakes etc...

inspite of that throat slashing and guts disembowment oath
we made

- the modern day proppet quickly removed that PAY LAY ALE
swearing in the temple.

If I would have simply got up and left. I had a low bullshit tolerance level even as a TBM and often struggled within the church. I wonder if that would have sent me over the edge.

I don't remember what we learned or didn't learn but we never went to the temple.
Poor MIL had told everyone we were going to the temple. Ahhhhh
We had already been married in Vegas by a Justice of the Peace.

Luckily we walked away from mormo together.
And we didn't raise our kids in the church.

I want more descriptions of Satan........his clothes, apron, hat?

I'll google but anyone have more details?

K

Another “glorious” milestone on the ‘treadmill of Mormonism’ to prepare me for a mission was for me to receive my own endowment from the Grand Poobah at the Oakland Temple. This was to be the crowning spiritual experience to sustain me throughout my mission and to give me great insight and a testimony of the workings of the almighty God. The endowment ceremony was an eye opener to say the least. To say the most, bizarre, as nothing prepared me for what I was getting into and I thought I knew what the church was all about. How wrong I was!

While I was going through the bizarre experience called an endowment session, many thoughts kept popping into my mind:

Why is this old man with PolyGrip breath touching me under my togo?

Why am I learning secret combinations and handshakes while dressed up as the Pillsbury Doughboy?
Was not secret combinations forbidden by the Lord?

There is a true order of prayer?
You mean in church we are using a false order of prayer?

I am promising to slit my throat or disembowel myself?

Oh God, that old man in front of me just passed gas and my eyes are watering.

Satan is the best character in this incredibly boring movie so where are the spiritual experiences testifying that the Church was true?

Where are the angels?

Where is the burning in my bosom?

Where’s the Holy Ghost to confirm my faith?

Where's the exit?

I found the exit and now I was now wearing some kind of long-johns under my clothes that were climbing up my butt all the way home.

I never did get to meet the Grand Poobah.