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Holy cow Mercury. There is something wrong with you because normal people don't see things the way you do. Counteless nonmembers who tour the temples before they are dedicated attest of the inner peace and beauty found therein. You are outnumbered Mercury. Something is terribly wrong with you. Perhaps you're just being nasty about things and trying to shake testimonies of those who enjoy the temple - but you must know that your position is not healthy, at least not compared to the general public. I doubt anyone would put much stock into your sick position.

Think about that.

Paul O

So ladies and gentlemen, am I outnumbered?

Who else believes I am out of touch?

I honestly would like to know. Paul, you can go play in the Nursery. I believe theres some pictures of Jesus, joseph smith and moroni you can color on. Later after snack time you can make a macaroni necklace with the accompanying piece of paper tied to the noodle necklace that states "joseph smith was a prophet".[/b]

There sheep...BAHHHHHHHHH

Mercury wrote:

Holy cow Mercury. There is something wrong with you because normal people don't see things the way you do. Counteless nonmembers who tour the temples before they are dedicated attest of the inner peace and beauty found therein. You are outnumbered Mercury. Something is terribly wrong with you. Perhaps you're just being nasty about things and trying to shake testimonies of those who enjoy the temple - but you must know that your position is not healthy, at least not compared to the general public. I doubt anyone would put much stock into your sick position.

Think about that.

Paul O

So ladies and gentlemen, am I outnumbered?

Who else believes I am out of touch?

I honestly would like to know. Paul, you can go play in the Nursery. I believe theres some pictures of Jesus, joseph smith and moroni you can color on. Later after snack time you can make a macaroni necklace with the accompanying piece of paper tied to the noodle necklace that states "joseph smith was a prophet".[/b]

I wonder how many pills Paul pops before going to spiritual masturbation session at his local Mc'Temple?

Mercury wrote:

Holy cow Mercury. There is something wrong with you because normal people don't see things the way you do. Counteless nonmembers who tour the temples before they are dedicated attest of the inner peace and beauty found therein. You are outnumbered Mercury. Something is terribly wrong with you. Perhaps you're just being nasty about things and trying to shake testimonies of those who enjoy the temple - but you must know that your position is not healthy, at least not compared to the general public. I doubt anyone would put much stock into your sick position.

Think about that.

Paul O

So ladies and gentlemen, am I outnumbered?

Who else believes I am out of touch?

I honestly would like to know. Paul, you can go play in the Nursery. I believe theres some pictures of Jesus, joseph smith and moroni you can color on. Later after snack time you can make a macaroni necklace with the accompanying piece of paper tied to the noodle necklace that states "joseph smith was a prophet".[/b]

I posted this up in celestial. http://www.lightplanet.com/Mormons/temp ... _room.html

I think those rooms are beautiful. A few are spectacular. Some people may feel at peace there.

I have always loved the temples. The grounds are usually landscaped to perfection and I feel even more peace on the outside. The inside is quiet, clean, and beautiful. Some temples are stunning when you drive up to them. The smaller ones are pretty in their own way, but don't bring the same feeling as ones like the San Diego or Salt Lake Temple. At night, when the temples are lit up, it's quite a sight. The D.C. temple is another favorite of mine.

The Celestial rooms are very beautiful and peaceful. Temples can be the perfect place to escape the world and connect with your spirit.

The temple clothing and endowment ceremony are a little different. During the endowment it is so stressful trying to move the clothing in the proper position quickly so nobody is waiting on you, remember to say and do everything without making a mistake, and trying not to look over at the men wearing those bakers hats. that I never could relax and feel peace. Honestly, those outfits are very goofy. The womens clothing are not as funny but not much better. The veils are difficult to put on correctly and move around.

The endowment itself is a bit distracting from the peace of the temple. The creation part of the movie is about the most relaxing part of it. The rest of it is so ritualistic that it feels like you are in a cult. The voice instructing in the endowment room always seemed a little stern, and could make you laugh when he said "sisters...." like he was going to scold us.

Once you are in the Celestial room you breathe a big sigh of relief that the endowment is over. It's a nice place to ponder life and connect with God.

I certainly found the temples to be peaceful places suitable for quiet meditation.

While I don't attribute this to supernatural agency, I also don't believe it to be mere coincidence or just the power of suggestion. The temples are designed to evoke feelings of reverence and peace. The simple but beautiful decor; the brightness of the (physical) illumination (especially in the celestial room); the absence of unnecessary chatter, auto and machinery sounds, radios, etc., and other sensory factors combine to create a feeling of peace and a reflective attitude. In and of itself, I can find only good in this.

I don't know if it would be just the same now, but I recall that entering the celestial room seemed like stepping out of time and into eternity--if only for a while. The temple was a self-contained universe where one could withdraw to gain a different perspective than that of mundane life and the daily grind.

My 2 cents,

Don

Mercury:

If one didn't undergo any rituals but merely hung out inside the building to take a breather, do you think that the temple would, indeed, be peaceful?

I don't find the LDS temple rooms to be that impressing from the photos I've seen. But then again, I've never experienced on of them (there are definitely I few I'd be more disappointed to find myself in than others, though, I think!).

I put something in my board blog, "Youthful Harlot's Curse," just now, about a different kind of "celestial room;" one that did have otherwordly effects on me. I hope people read it and also look at the 360 degree panorama shot I linked to.

Dr. Shades wrote:Mercury:

If one didn't undergo any rituals but merely hung out inside the building to take a breather, do you think that the temple would, indeed, be peaceful?

I think any place that is quiet and furnished is peaceful. What im getting at in this and other posts is that the Mormon concept of "the temple" is in the initiates mind before they arrive. Stupid stories are bandied about concerning the miraculous circumstances of minutia, etc. The stage was set in the adherents mind for them to be in awe of the mediocrity before they even got there.

It is no more peaceful than a hotel. Great care is given and great stagecraft is applied in order to frame the temple in the participants minds as a peaceful place but in the end this manipulation is what creates the "special place". If one could do that with another unrelated location it could easily be done.

For the record, I have seen notable TBMs on MAD and elsewhere complain about the temple, saying they think it is too long or boring, etc. juliann, in particular, has called for a shortening of the ceremony. And, of course, there were a number of folks who found the pre-1990 penalties very disturbing/alarming.