Some LDS friends invited us to join them on a tour on the very last day that was possible, and I'm glad they did. It's a beautiful building and everyone there was very gracious.
Thoughts from an Atheist: Not singling out LDS on this at all. It's universal among organized religions. From Cathedrals to Mosques, to the Golden Temple in Amritsar, The religious hierarchies spend HUGE - almost incomprehensible - money on these buildings, "To the Glory of G*d." Does He really need / want / command that? Would HE possibly prefer that HUGE amount money to be spent on His creation - Mankind, so many of whom are in want - poverty, hunger, disease, war, famine etc. Buildings like this appear to be Man's decision, not G*d's. Those in religious power might consider being content with more modest-but-serviceable buildings and really put the boots to the evils that afflict the bodies and souls of their flock - and others' flocks. Example: Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris underwent serious fire damage a couple of years ago. Over a Billion Dollars was needed to restore the Cathedral. It took a matter of hours to put the money together. I wonder if that could have been accomplished, for a Humanitarian cause? BTW - I couldn't see this video - "not for my country" (Canada) - per YouTube, and I don't have a VPN installed. There were about 20 other videos of this building on Youtube and I watched a couple of them. Yes, it is indeed beautiful. But my question still stands
Doubtful, Lerner. Normally only a practicing member of the LDS church in good standing may enter one of their temples. They were only offering tours of the Washington temple to outsiders because it was being renovated and was due to be reconsecrated afterwards.
Understood, I been to Salt lake city multiple times, visited some other related facilities near the temple, and in the late 90s did some IT work for their call center but never been in to the Temple it self. I knew its restricted to the members, was wandering if we had some members on this forum who seen it inside.
This is so true! It amazes me how far one can go before being ex-communicated, so "good standing" pretty much does come down to tithing.
I just watched "Under the Banner of Heaven", and was surprised to learn that even kids must tithe. 10%, rain or shine.
I really need to watch that along with The Book of Mormon. People think all sorts of incorrect things about me, but the number who think I am Mormon is pretty hilarious.
"Hey, kid. I notice youse is runnin' a lemonade stand on Blueberry Road. My, uh, "associates" and I think it's a nice one. Be a shame if somethin' happened to it...."
Meanwhile my seventeen year old has to pay an even larger percentage to a much bigger and less forgiving organization.
