I had been serving as the Elder's Quorum President. My teen daughter once reported to me in our small community that she had witnessed a member of the quorum smoking cigarettes. This quorum member was in the process of going on a mission and had recently spoken in sacrament services about his testimony, blah, blah, blah.
As a good EQP, I went to the Bishop to let him know that my daughter had seen this quorum member smoking. The father of this boy was pushing his son to go on a mission. The bishop called in the father to question him about his son's habits.
Later the next sunday, the father verbally attacked me at church for going to the Bishop! The bishop had broken confidence with me and had given the father my name after he asked how he knew that his son was smoking. The father stoutly denied that his son was smoking.
Turns out the boy had more than just a Word of Wisdom problem. He'd also left his seed with a local girl and got her pregnant. The boy never did go on the mission after that fact was discovered.
I never ever again went to the Bishop with any concerns for any quorum members. Matter of fact, it was pretty much after that incident that I began to withdraw myself from participating in any church activities. I expressed my concern to the Stake Presidency that a Bishop would not keep confidentiality. I was basically told to let it be and carry on. It took a year after that before they finally clued in that I wasn't going to be actively serving as the EQP and was released.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Temple Ordinance
Further to my previous post, I have contemplated my own experience from attendance in the past. There are several pieces of clothing required to participate in the endowment. The clothing requirements are the same for those who are going through for themselves the first time or as proxy for the dead.
For men:
White Robe (worn over the shoulder)
White Cap (has a bow on one side, and a string on the other side. It is tied to one of three loops on the top of the robe)
White girdle (worn as a sash, and tied over the hip on the opposite side as the robe)
Green apron (with fig-leaf pattern)
White Trousers and Shirt (or White Jumper)
White Tie
White socks
White slippers or moccasins of sturdy fabric.
For women:
White Robe (worn over the shoulder)
White Veil
White girdle (worn as a sash, and tied over the hip)
Green apron (with fig-leaf pattern)
White Dress
White slip
White hose
White slippers or moccasins of sturdy fabric.
The correct way to put on these clothes is of great importance to the endowment ordinance. The first to be put on as one starts in the change rooms of the temple are the pants, socks, shirt, tie, slippers and for ladies the dress, slip, hose and slippers. Participants should already be wearing their garments prior to entering the temple. As the ceremony progresses, the first item of endowment clothing to be put is the apron. This is to cover Adam and Eve's nakedness once they realize they're shameful state after eating of the forbidden fruit. The next clothing to be put on is the robe, cap and girdle.
At certain stages of the endowment ordinance, participants are required to change their robes and caps from the left side of the body to the right side (the girdles are worn opposite the robe). This indicates a transition from officiating in the ordinances of the lower, or Aaronic Priesthood, to the higher, or Melchizedek Priesthood. Participants are asked to remove their slippers before putting on additional temple clothing and then when done to put their slippers back on. I still have no idea why.
What struck me as rather interesting in my reflection of my own experience is the necessity of putting the clothes on correctly. If you robe was on the wrong shoulder, you would have to correct that. If you had your cap on wrong, you would have to correct that. If you had your sash knotted on the wrong side, you would have to correct that. The proper wearing of the temple clothing was and is an important aspect of the endowment ordinance. Temple workers would carefully survey the participants to ensure that everyone was in compliance before the session would continue. Sometimes someone would have forgotten to include a peice of clothing in their temple clothing packet and a temple worker would have to go and scrounge one up from the change room.
In conclusion, I ask myself and question why the endowment ordinance has been altered and changed so many times when even today temple workers make it a big deal when temple robes are worn incorrectly. It is apparent to me that temple clothing is part of the ordinance. Changes to the temple clothing worn for the "Washing and Intiatory" ordinace were changed in 2005. If the ordinance was purely symbolic, none of this clothing would be required or be critical to be worn in a particular way. It is also interesting that since the inception of the endowement ordinance, the temple clothing and garments have too been altered numerous times.
Murmuring Mormon
For men:
White Robe (worn over the shoulder)
White Cap (has a bow on one side, and a string on the other side. It is tied to one of three loops on the top of the robe)
White girdle (worn as a sash, and tied over the hip on the opposite side as the robe)
Green apron (with fig-leaf pattern)
White Trousers and Shirt (or White Jumper)
White Tie
White socks
White slippers or moccasins of sturdy fabric.
For women:
White Robe (worn over the shoulder)
White Veil
White girdle (worn as a sash, and tied over the hip)
Green apron (with fig-leaf pattern)
White Dress
White slip
White hose
White slippers or moccasins of sturdy fabric.
The correct way to put on these clothes is of great importance to the endowment ordinance. The first to be put on as one starts in the change rooms of the temple are the pants, socks, shirt, tie, slippers and for ladies the dress, slip, hose and slippers. Participants should already be wearing their garments prior to entering the temple. As the ceremony progresses, the first item of endowment clothing to be put is the apron. This is to cover Adam and Eve's nakedness once they realize they're shameful state after eating of the forbidden fruit. The next clothing to be put on is the robe, cap and girdle.
At certain stages of the endowment ordinance, participants are required to change their robes and caps from the left side of the body to the right side (the girdles are worn opposite the robe). This indicates a transition from officiating in the ordinances of the lower, or Aaronic Priesthood, to the higher, or Melchizedek Priesthood. Participants are asked to remove their slippers before putting on additional temple clothing and then when done to put their slippers back on. I still have no idea why.
What struck me as rather interesting in my reflection of my own experience is the necessity of putting the clothes on correctly. If you robe was on the wrong shoulder, you would have to correct that. If you had your cap on wrong, you would have to correct that. If you had your sash knotted on the wrong side, you would have to correct that. The proper wearing of the temple clothing was and is an important aspect of the endowment ordinance. Temple workers would carefully survey the participants to ensure that everyone was in compliance before the session would continue. Sometimes someone would have forgotten to include a peice of clothing in their temple clothing packet and a temple worker would have to go and scrounge one up from the change room.
In conclusion, I ask myself and question why the endowment ordinance has been altered and changed so many times when even today temple workers make it a big deal when temple robes are worn incorrectly. It is apparent to me that temple clothing is part of the ordinance. Changes to the temple clothing worn for the "Washing and Intiatory" ordinace were changed in 2005. If the ordinance was purely symbolic, none of this clothing would be required or be critical to be worn in a particular way. It is also interesting that since the inception of the endowement ordinance, the temple clothing and garments have too been altered numerous times.
Murmuring Mormon
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Spirit of Disobedience or Spirit of Study of Truth?
As of late, my attitude toward the Church is one of murmuring. I find myself questioning aspects of Church doctrine as it relates to changes/adjustments in Temple ordinances and ceremonies. I have studied the words of men who call themselves prophets or apostles and find they have conflicting statements. Is Satan influencing my thoughts? Am I being deceived by the adversary to prevent me from following the prophet and keeping God's commandments? Should I feel guilty for this?
The Church and scriptures teach that a man who murmurs is going down the treacherous path to disobedience. First the murmuring starts with questioning. But how can questioning the truth be wrong? Just posting to this blog and sharing my questioning thoughts is in itself supposed to be part of the treacherous path to disobedience.
This past week I read the following on Temple Ordinances and Covenants on:
http://www.lds.org
Excerpt from:
August 2001 Ensign
Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander
The third article of faith teaches, We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
Sacred ordinances and the divine authority to administer them did not begin with the Restoration of the gospel and the founding of the modern Church in 1830. The sacred ordinances of the gospel as requirements for salvation and exaltation were instituted from before the foundation of the world. They have always been an immutable part of the gospel. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: Ordinances instituted in the heavens before the foundation of the world, in the priesthood, for the salvation of men, are not to be altered or changed. All must be saved on the same principles.
If this were not the case, salvation would indeed be an arbitrary matter and would be restricted to those few who may have been fortunate enough to have heard of, and believed in, Jesus Christ. It is this principle of consistent and unalterable requirements that gives true meaning to the performance of vicarious ordinances in the temple.
"Now the purpose in Himself in the winding up scene of the last dispensation is that all things pertaining to that dispensation should be conducted precisely in accordance with the preceding dispensations.... He set the temple ordinances to be the same forever and ever and set Adam to watch over them, to reveal them from heaven to man, or to send angels to reveal them."- The Prophet Joseph Smith, History of the Church, vol.4, p. 208
Through time and apostasy following Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension, however, the divine authority of the priesthood and the sacred ordinances were changed or lost, and the associated covenants were broken. The Lord revealed His displeasure over this situation in these words: "For they have strayed from mine ordinances, and have broken mine everlasting covenant;"
I have been a member since I was baptized at the age of 8. I followed the steps of Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood ordination and served a mission. I went through the Temple for my own endowments in 1982.
From my own knowledge, death penalties/oaths which have been in the temple ordinance since the days of Joseph Smith were entirely removed from the temple ceremony in April 1990. Five Points of Fellowship were also removed at this time. The scene of Lucifer and the sectarian minister is removed from the endowment as are countless other changes that can be found elsewhere on the internet.
Beginning in 2005, in the initiatory and washing ordinance, imitates were instructed to clothe themselves in the garment in the privacy of their locker, before being presented at the washing room. This means that they are clothed throughout the initiatory. As before 2005, initiates wear a shield during the initiatory, but this is now worn over the garment. The 2005 revision eliminated the touching of the various body parts. Officiators pronounce the same blessings as before, but they do so while laying hands on the initiates head. Because officiators no longer wash or anoint other parts of the initiates body (which is covered by the garment), the shield is now closed at the sides.
Then this week I read a few other statements made by a prophet, apostle and general authority as follows:
"...those who administer the sacrament will kneel when asking the blessing. It is not that this form is absolutely essential to the acceptance of this ordinance by the Lord; but it is in accordance with the word of the Lord which was given for our guidance; and where it is possible to follow the written word, in the spirit in which it is given, it is always better to do so. Indeed, by doing so we will avoid a serious wrong, that might eventually grow out of a disregard for the rules that the Lord has established, for it might lead to a changing, to some extent, of the ordinances of the house of God. It is necessary that we should pay proper attention and care to carrying out the purposes of the Lord in the manner which He has already revealed. And this may be extended to other matters of our religion. One of the charges brought against the children of Israel, and mentioned by the prophets in the latter times, was that 'they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.' That is really the complaint against the world today, and it is not meet that we should indulge in any such things."- The Prophet Joseph F.Smith, Collected Discourses Vol.3, p. 308-309
"[Jesus Christ] instituted baptism to set forth this glorious thing unto men. But by degrees, yielding, as was supposed, to necessity, men depart from this manner of administering the ordinance of baptism for the remission of sins, until water sprinkled or poured upon the candidate was held to be sufficient for baptism. Whenever they did that, wherever they did it, they departed from the order established by the Son of God, they changed an ordinance of the Gospel."- Apostle B. H. Roberts, Collected Discourses Vol. 5, p.385
"As temple work progresses, some members wonder if the ordinances can be changed or adjusted. These ordinances have been provided by revelation, and are in the hands of the First Presidency. Thus, the temple is protected from tampering."- W. Grant Bangerter, executive director of the Temple Department and a member of the First Quorum of Seventy, Deseret News, Church Section, January 16, 1982
If one word or act of an ordinance is changed, is it not then wrong? In my murmuring...I mean questioning, it seems to me that it's just like messing up the words of the sacrament or not getting someone completely under the water in baptism.
So, in questioning whether changes/adjustments can be made to eternal Temple ordinances, have I started down down the treacherous path of disobedience? Have I let go of the iron rod? By sharing my thoughts with you, am I a sinner against God? I have not been a Temple Recommend Holder since I haven't paid tithing for 3 years now. That's a separate story that I'll post another time. For my first post, I think this will suffice. I've gotten it off my chest. I hope to get some feedback, whether positive or negative, member or non-member. Am I alone in my study of the truth?
Read more about Beware of Murmuring here:
Click Here
Murmuring Mormon
The Church and scriptures teach that a man who murmurs is going down the treacherous path to disobedience. First the murmuring starts with questioning. But how can questioning the truth be wrong? Just posting to this blog and sharing my questioning thoughts is in itself supposed to be part of the treacherous path to disobedience.
This past week I read the following on Temple Ordinances and Covenants on:
http://www.lds.org
Excerpt from:
August 2001 Ensign
Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander
The third article of faith teaches, We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
Sacred ordinances and the divine authority to administer them did not begin with the Restoration of the gospel and the founding of the modern Church in 1830. The sacred ordinances of the gospel as requirements for salvation and exaltation were instituted from before the foundation of the world. They have always been an immutable part of the gospel. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: Ordinances instituted in the heavens before the foundation of the world, in the priesthood, for the salvation of men, are not to be altered or changed. All must be saved on the same principles.
If this were not the case, salvation would indeed be an arbitrary matter and would be restricted to those few who may have been fortunate enough to have heard of, and believed in, Jesus Christ. It is this principle of consistent and unalterable requirements that gives true meaning to the performance of vicarious ordinances in the temple.
"Now the purpose in Himself in the winding up scene of the last dispensation is that all things pertaining to that dispensation should be conducted precisely in accordance with the preceding dispensations.... He set the temple ordinances to be the same forever and ever and set Adam to watch over them, to reveal them from heaven to man, or to send angels to reveal them."- The Prophet Joseph Smith, History of the Church, vol.4, p. 208
Through time and apostasy following Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension, however, the divine authority of the priesthood and the sacred ordinances were changed or lost, and the associated covenants were broken. The Lord revealed His displeasure over this situation in these words: "For they have strayed from mine ordinances, and have broken mine everlasting covenant;"
I have been a member since I was baptized at the age of 8. I followed the steps of Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood ordination and served a mission. I went through the Temple for my own endowments in 1982.
From my own knowledge, death penalties/oaths which have been in the temple ordinance since the days of Joseph Smith were entirely removed from the temple ceremony in April 1990. Five Points of Fellowship were also removed at this time. The scene of Lucifer and the sectarian minister is removed from the endowment as are countless other changes that can be found elsewhere on the internet.
Beginning in 2005, in the initiatory and washing ordinance, imitates were instructed to clothe themselves in the garment in the privacy of their locker, before being presented at the washing room. This means that they are clothed throughout the initiatory. As before 2005, initiates wear a shield during the initiatory, but this is now worn over the garment. The 2005 revision eliminated the touching of the various body parts. Officiators pronounce the same blessings as before, but they do so while laying hands on the initiates head. Because officiators no longer wash or anoint other parts of the initiates body (which is covered by the garment), the shield is now closed at the sides.
Then this week I read a few other statements made by a prophet, apostle and general authority as follows:
"...those who administer the sacrament will kneel when asking the blessing. It is not that this form is absolutely essential to the acceptance of this ordinance by the Lord; but it is in accordance with the word of the Lord which was given for our guidance; and where it is possible to follow the written word, in the spirit in which it is given, it is always better to do so. Indeed, by doing so we will avoid a serious wrong, that might eventually grow out of a disregard for the rules that the Lord has established, for it might lead to a changing, to some extent, of the ordinances of the house of God. It is necessary that we should pay proper attention and care to carrying out the purposes of the Lord in the manner which He has already revealed. And this may be extended to other matters of our religion. One of the charges brought against the children of Israel, and mentioned by the prophets in the latter times, was that 'they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.' That is really the complaint against the world today, and it is not meet that we should indulge in any such things."- The Prophet Joseph F.Smith, Collected Discourses Vol.3, p. 308-309
"[Jesus Christ] instituted baptism to set forth this glorious thing unto men. But by degrees, yielding, as was supposed, to necessity, men depart from this manner of administering the ordinance of baptism for the remission of sins, until water sprinkled or poured upon the candidate was held to be sufficient for baptism. Whenever they did that, wherever they did it, they departed from the order established by the Son of God, they changed an ordinance of the Gospel."- Apostle B. H. Roberts, Collected Discourses Vol. 5, p.385
"As temple work progresses, some members wonder if the ordinances can be changed or adjusted. These ordinances have been provided by revelation, and are in the hands of the First Presidency. Thus, the temple is protected from tampering."- W. Grant Bangerter, executive director of the Temple Department and a member of the First Quorum of Seventy, Deseret News, Church Section, January 16, 1982
If one word or act of an ordinance is changed, is it not then wrong? In my murmuring...I mean questioning, it seems to me that it's just like messing up the words of the sacrament or not getting someone completely under the water in baptism.
So, in questioning whether changes/adjustments can be made to eternal Temple ordinances, have I started down down the treacherous path of disobedience? Have I let go of the iron rod? By sharing my thoughts with you, am I a sinner against God? I have not been a Temple Recommend Holder since I haven't paid tithing for 3 years now. That's a separate story that I'll post another time. For my first post, I think this will suffice. I've gotten it off my chest. I hope to get some feedback, whether positive or negative, member or non-member. Am I alone in my study of the truth?
Read more about Beware of Murmuring here:
Click Here
Murmuring Mormon
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