Posted on 03/16/2009 8:33:44 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - People are talking this morning about an episode of the HBO TV series "Big Love". Sunday night's episode showed people performing sacred rituals inside a reproduction of a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In case you haven't seen the episode, it depicts one the show's main character's performing a sacred ritual that is meant to be kept private, which typically are only talked about between members of the church and only by those members who are in the temple at the time.
The series as a whole is drawing controversy. It depicts the life of a polygamist family in Utah who struggles with their relationship with the LDS church.
So far the latest episode showing the temple rituals has drawn the most attention.
Here what several people are saying:
ABC 4 News received an email Monday morning from Deb Terrell in Tooele. Paraphrasing her response she said, the LDS church is learning what its like when someone interferes with something important to them, much like the church interfered with gay marriage in California.
An anonymous writer commenting on deseretnews.com said "the representation was completely accurate. What exactly are you complaining about?"
Jess who commented on kvnuforthepeople.com writes, Honestly, the temple scene tonight freaked me out a little bit... I am not a Mormon I was embarrassed for my friends and family who are LDS not because of what the ceremony showed, but because they believe it to be sacred.
Many more comments may continue to surface. A lot of people were angry about this episode airing. HBO apologized ahead of time, but ran it anyway. As of right now the church hasn't come out with an official response now that its been broadcast.
they are embarrassed and that is why they are angry
This is basically exposing what “The God Makers” did but doing it much better and to a huge audience.
If a thing cannot stand up to the light of day, maybe it should not stand.
I gave up Polish jokes decades ago, and can't imagine saying the "N-word" (a particularly good habit to get in the practice of when you work for an organization with 300,000 African-American employees).
Why people would wish to watch such shows, tell such jokes or use such curses is a very good question. Are they sick or stupid or what?
Stick...head...in...sand...
Do...not...want...to ...know...
Demean...those...who...wish...knowledge...
Protect...those...who..worship...in ...darkness...
NEXT!
What a dumbassed comparison! Were the LDS the only people opposing gay marrige in California? I don't think so. They were just a convenient target because there are so few of them.
If the gay mafia would have tried the same idiotic protests at a black church, they would've had their heads handed to them.
It was never about gay marriage anyway. It was about letting the 1/3 of the 2% (maybe 3% or 4% in California) of the most miltant gays redefine the institution of marriage for everyone!
you make a good point. this the heart and soul of mormonism, everything they aspire to.
I certainly haven't and don't intend to. If Mormons want "secret ceremonies" that's their privilege under the laws and traditions of this name. You don't like it go to your own church somewhere else.
1 Corinthians 4:5 (New International Version)
5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
I believe God is Sovereign. It is He that brings to light what is hidden in darkness. The darkness has been exposed by the Lord.
Interestingly, EVERYTHING done in any church I have ever attended is available for all to see. It is key, in my opinion. Christianity is all about being Light. In it no darkness is found, and all that.
Secret oaths, rituals, etc., are all about darkness.
God - and his followers - is above that.
Any religion that isn’t 100% open about its doctrines, ceremonies, etc., is a cult. It’s fine if they want to do it since we have freedom of religion, but it’s not a mainstream relition.
I've pinged a few who have first hand experience. In short, it is a ceremony conducted only in mormon temples as a component for them gaining enterance into the highest level of heaven and becoming a god/dess. It is fundamentally based upon masonic rites and rituals of the 1800s and is not taught anywhere in the bible or suprisingly in any of the additional scriptures of mormonism.
I’ll also ask: What was the ritual and how was it performed?
That’s why, IMO, Mormonism is closer to Scientology than to Christianity. At least the former is just an old kook’s sci-fi fantasy come to life, rather than the latter being a perversion of another religion.
LOL, mormonism even has its home planet - Kolob.
Any group that keeps its rituals secret is not a religion; it’s a cult.
They were all dressed in white. They were in some special room with lots of veils, and then repeated stuff (don’t remember what), and then they went into some room and talked.
I don’t understand the meaning of it all. It’s not something I would participate in. It also definitely makes Mormonism different than mainstream Christianity.
I didn’t watch Big Love - and so I am not certain which ceremony was depicted. There are different ordinances that take place in a Mormon Temple.
There are eternal marriage ceremonies,
Endowment ordinances,
Saving ordinances of the dead that includes baptism, endowment and marriage etc.
There are special words, new names and handshakes that one learns. Each is representative of what Mormons consider part of eternity. There is a movie that plays that depicts the creation (according to Mormonism) and describes the “counsel of the gods” in heaven - how the earth was organized (as opposed to created) - how satan was part of god’s plan to tempt you so you could show how worthy you of of god’s promises etc. When I attended the LDS Temple this movie was actually a play where temple workers depicted the parts of Satan, Adam and Eve and Michael.
As I said, I’m not sure which of the ceremonies was being depicted, but you can find your answers on the internet via many sources. here is one http://frombehindthezioncurtain.blogspot.com/2008/08/mormon-temple-ceremony-observations.html
Post Office?
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