Why do mormons always build opulent temples? (beliefs, service, Lord)
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As long as the members of the church are willing to pay for it, it's their money. How often do members use the temple? Does every Mormon use it? I'm just curious, not attacking.
As long as the members of the church are willing to pay for it, it's their money.
Thank you for your change in tone.
I totally understand someone saying "it's not for me" or "I don't believe it" or even just "Hogwash!" But that is quite different from criticizing the very existence of beautiful temples as unjustifiable, inconsistent with "true religion," or inherently bad.
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How often do members use the temple? Does every Mormon use it? I'm just curious, not attacking.
Members are encouraged to go frequently, but how often is up to them. When people are close to the temple, sometimes they go monthly or even weekly. I know of some elderly people who have gone every day (except the temples are closed on Sundays and Mondays). When people live far away so that going takes many hours or even days, trips can be once or twice a year or even much less often. In the last ten or fifteen years the Church has been building a lot of much smaller temples to get them closer to people. These small buildings are beautiful, but much less "excessive" than the large ones that come to mind when you think of a Mormon temple. I don't know the exact number of temples in the world, but it is around 120 or 130 serving the 13,000,000+ members.
Any Mormon 12 years of age or older can use the temple if he/she is living certain minimum requirements. Of the people attending church each week, probably well over 90% qualify. If you'd like to talk about what you need to believe and do to go to the temple, I'd be happy to explain.
Why? Cause, people who complain about how others use their money generally don't use their own money for the same purposes.
I think you are hard pressed to argue that Mormons don't use their money to give to the poor by the way.
Bacano,
I think you are confused. I am a Latter-day Saint. My wife and I donate money to the poor, both through the Church and through other ways. I have not complained here at all about how other people use or don't use their money. I have argued vigorously here on this board that Mormons do, in fact, use their money to help the poor.
Did you mean to direct your remarks to someone else?
What I was told by a Mormon is they're obeying a part of the Bible that says to make the House of God from the finest materials. Even then, they're being modest.
Exactly. One thing to point out is that the temple is a place where Mormons do the work of the Lord. Supposing that Mormonism is what it claims to be then the Lord, not anyone else, ordered them built to do his work. If there is a God and he did order temples to be built...would anyone who knew of his existance not build a temple or rootbeer and hot dog stand if God asked?
I think you are confused. I am a Latter-day Saint. My wife and I donate money to the poor, both through the Church and through other ways. I have not complained here at all about how other people use or don't use their money. I have argued vigorously here on this board that Mormons do, in fact, use their money to help the poor.
Did you mean to direct your remarks to someone else?
As long as the members of the church are willing to pay for it, it's their money. How often do members use the temple? Does every Mormon use it? I'm just curious, not attacking.
We try to go once a month. When I lived in Provo, I was closer and went more. Someone mentioned the Temple as a Resort of some sorts...which it is a place of solice...but its purpose is for the members to carry out the work that they have been commanded and choose to do.
I'd be more impressed with that if the money didn't go through the church coffers first, but rather directly to someone who needed help.
Why? It makes sense that the money would go to a central fund. Giving money to the poor on the streets (who many times don't end up being poor at all) isn't necessarily the best way to help. I love that I can give to the organization that I trust to get the funds where they belong.
I love giving to an organization whose operating costs are relatively low compared to other organizations because the majority of the church functions are carried out by volunteer or lay members. For example, my Bishop does not receive a dime for his services. He is the person responsible for providing aide to local members who need it.
It's one thing to protect from the elements. It's another thing to do that and then spend a bunch of money on extravagant excessive things instead of using the money for good.
If they don't spend excessively on temples to impress God, then why? to attract followers for more tithing? Spend money to make money?
No one knows what God really is like. If that were possible, religion would be united, not divided.
The mormon church spent 20 million dollars campaigning for prop 8.
I don't understand why people get upset because a group stands up for what it believes in. I didn't see anyone marching in the streets when the Cali Sup Ct. overturned the voters will. Yet, the anti-prop 8 folk continue to work to undue the people's will in the courts. To me that is the much worse than a group that raises funds in a democratic election.
Remember, the argument is not what is wrong with gay marriage...it is what is right with it. How does it benefit society? Also, it is NOT a private matter...Marriage is a three party deal (the man and woman AND the state). there is a reason for this. The state, who work for the people, have a stake in marriages and families. I understand the homosexual argument, but I don't agree that because a group has a particular desire that the rest of society must accomodate them to the society's detriment.
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than the large ones that come to mind when you think of a Mormon temple. I don't know the exact number of temples in the world, but it is around 120 or 130 serving the 13,000,000+ members.
