tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3975311211849239826.post1288022051183089041..comments2023-08-19T06:31:20.395-06:00Comments on Jeff's Thoughts and Stories: Church History Tour Part 1: MissouriJeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10357398682419756851noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3975311211849239826.post-64446225639318183322011-05-08T09:42:32.068-06:002011-05-08T09:42:32.068-06:00Phew. I'm happy it's illegal to kill Mormo...Phew. I'm happy it's illegal to kill Mormons! Now I have nothing to fear.Kaylihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06418947533297193343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3975311211849239826.post-79455129054850387842011-05-06T07:03:58.580-06:002011-05-06T07:03:58.580-06:00I want to go to Adam-Ondi-Ahman and experience the...I want to go to Adam-Ondi-Ahman and experience the acoustics! That is sweet!Heatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06138201277373799444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3975311211849239826.post-51785553987860255752011-04-25T13:00:43.949-06:002011-04-25T13:00:43.949-06:00It was kinda sad when Jeff drove us out of Missour...It was kinda sad when Jeff drove us out of Missouri. He always does that. Later he drove us from Nauvoo then Winter Quarters. We just wanted to live in peace.Jared W.https://www.blogger.com/profile/09091250369286400515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3975311211849239826.post-55933506279605033052011-04-25T10:44:38.215-06:002011-04-25T10:44:38.215-06:00Thanks for looking up those links, Jeff : ) I like...Thanks for looking up those links, Jeff : ) I like how the level of detail is inspiring without being gaudy.Aprilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16932495960253800127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3975311211849239826.post-59707570622111746042011-04-25T04:31:00.373-06:002011-04-25T04:31:00.373-06:00I am glad your trip is going well. I hope you had...I am glad your trip is going well. I hope you had a great time!Marilynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07225525158114828242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3975311211849239826.post-30096268140609128152011-04-21T22:07:42.466-06:002011-04-21T22:07:42.466-06:00April,
While it is true that we hold our temples a...April,<br />While it is true that we hold our temples as sacred and therefore don't take photographs inside or share them with the world, it is actually possible for you to see inside.<br /><br />When a new temple is built, the church has an open house where the public can come and walk through the newly built temple. Depending on the size of the temple and the demand, this open house could last anywhere from a couple weeks to a couple months. After this period we hold a "dedication" where the President of our church (or a member of the twelve apostles) says a special prayer dedicating the building to the Lord. After that the temple is closed to the public. I'm not sure where you live, but there are currently 10 temples under construction and 16 others that have had their locations announced so one of them may or may not be near you.<br /><br />But even without that, the church has published some online. I just randomly found a couple sites that had some pics. They probably aren't of the quality you'd be looking for to understand their architecture but I hope you enjoy them nonetheless. The two sites I tracked down were <a href="http://www.mormonwiki.com/Inside_Mormon_Temples" rel="nofollow">http://www.mormonwiki.com/Inside_Mormon_Temples</a> and <a href="http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/temples/celestial_room.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/temples/celestial_room.html</a>. There are others out there but most of them are just in single news articles and not really compiled into one place.Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10357398682419756851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3975311211849239826.post-26301858144477954822011-04-21T12:13:04.703-06:002011-04-21T12:13:04.703-06:00Thank you so much for your in-depth answer! Don...Thank you so much for your in-depth answer! Don't be embarrassed about your verbosity, I've also left more than my share of essay-like comments before : )<br /><br />I totally understand what you meant now. And I feel a little... ego-centric? career-centric? to have thought that it had to do with the architecture! ha. <br /><br />Your answer clears up my curiosity about why I've never seen photos of the insides of LDS temples. & I'm sure I'd feel the same way if I encountered a gift shop inside any church!Aprilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16932495960253800127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3975311211849239826.post-6344151999893169032011-04-21T11:21:17.060-06:002011-04-21T11:21:17.060-06:00I am so excited for you and your trip. I have want...I am so excited for you and your trip. I have wanted to do a church tour for a few years now. Hopefully, soon we can make it a reality. Enjoy the rest of your trip, and be sure to keep track of all the things Graham and I should do when we someday go!Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12566980999265477262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3975311211849239826.post-86220883572258757382011-04-21T10:39:57.403-06:002011-04-21T10:39:57.403-06:00It has been a fun trip even when I have a really u...It has been a fun trip even when I have a really ugly cranky face on.Robynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14215365331722185746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3975311211849239826.post-5831258348337994272011-04-21T07:50:14.749-06:002011-04-21T07:50:14.749-06:00Wow, that answer didn't seem that long when I ...Wow, that answer didn't seem that long when I was writing it. Sorry I'm so verbose. :)Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10357398682419756851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3975311211849239826.post-32547518478924006882011-04-21T07:49:46.766-06:002011-04-21T07:49:46.766-06:00April, it was nothing about the architecture that ...April, it was nothing about the architecture that made the building not seem sacred. It was more the function that they used and the attitude they had towards it. It was a multi purpose building that was a house of worship but also a place for tourists to walk through, to make purchases at the gift shop, to see the museum. It just seemed like they conducted the day to day worldly business inside the temple.<br /><br />This is just my perspective, and I'm sure is based on my upbringing in my own church, but in my paradigm, a sacred place is one where you leave the world outside and you go in and commune with deity. It's a place where you can forget day to day matters and focus solely on your relationship with the divine. <br /><br />I felt similarly when I was in Paris. Inside the Notre Dame cathedral it was strictly a place of worship. We walked in during mass and I felt a little bit like the tourists were desecrating their worship service.<br /><br />Then we went to the St. Chapelle cathedral and there was a gift shop inside. I felt like the gift shop made it lose something for me. <br /><br />So that was a big part of the difference to me, was simply that it functioned as a tourist attraction and that they did various bits of business with tourists inside. Of course, I mean no disrespect to them. I appreciate that I was allowed to come inside and look around, but it just seemed that they didn't have the reverence for their temple that I have for my own.<br /><br />In Salt Lake City, we have the headquarters of our church and we have the temple there as well. Tourists are allowed to walk the grounds of the temple and there is a very beautiful visitor's center where they can learn more about our beliefs. But tourists are not allowed to actually enter the temple unless they are members of our church who are in good standing.<br /><br />Anyway, I hope that answers your question. It just seemed that they had a different perspective towards their temple. It was a beautiful building but just seemed to perform a different function then the one I am used to from my paradigm.Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10357398682419756851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3975311211849239826.post-81971473346070971912011-04-20T23:44:21.762-06:002011-04-20T23:44:21.762-06:00That spiral temple is fascinating! As an architect...That spiral temple is fascinating! As an architect, I'm curious what makes it seem less sacred to you, would you mind elaborating?<br /><br />I love learning about different religions and their histories! Thanks for sharing your trip : )Aprilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16932495960253800127noreply@blogger.com