Gospel Emergency!!!!

[JohnnyLingo]

Originally Posted by Mormon Red Death

geez... do you ever get bored spewing out complete crap?

Been doing it for over three years now at least... doesn't look like he's slowing down any time soon.

[fusnik11]

Originally Posted by Archaea

You make an assumption here not in evidence.

"In awe of the hand of man."

Perhaps they marvel at the materials provided by God to man, the knowledge God has imbued man with, and the symbology of the temple in representing man's omphalus with God.

True, true. I'm not a mind reader.

But I have spent much time walking through temple square and have heard many comments about how beautiful, how lucky we are to have it, how amazing the structure, etc. I have been in a Singles Ward temple preparation class and have heard the members opine at the beauty of the buildings the church produces.

Now if it brings them closer to God so be it, I personally feel it borders on idol worshipping and blinds us to the real purpose of a temple, tabernacle, or sanctuary.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by fusnik11

True, true. I'm not a mind reader.

But I have spent much time walking through temple square and have heard many comments about how beautiful, how lucky we are to have it, how amazing the structure, etc. I have been in a Singles Ward temple preparation class and have heard the members opine at the beauty of the buildings the church produces.

Now if it brings them closer to God so be it, I personally feel it borders on idol worshipping and blinds us to the real purpose of a temple, tabernacle, or sanctuary.

There is a field of study called aesthetics, which can be used for good or bad. However, aesthetics is not inherently bad or good. To the extent it illuminates the soul, it is a useful medium in preparing to worship God.

[fusnik11]

Originally Posted by Archaea

There is a field of study called aesthetics, which can be used for good or bad. However, aesthetics is not inherently bad or good. To the extent it illuminates the soul, it is a useful medium in preparing to worship God.

You make a good point. I have felt inspired and uplifted looking at castles in Germany. I have felt the hand of God stairing at the Sistine Chapel. I have felt the Spirit of God uplift me as I walked through the Louvre.

I'm sure many feel those same feelings as they gaze at the temple and it's not to me to discount those experiences, in other words sorry to offend.

I do think though we miss the point of Jesus' relationship with temples, what he wants of us, and what temples we should be recognizing as sacred places.

[RC Vikings]

Originally Posted by fusnik11

You make a good point. I have felt inspired and uplifted looking at castles in Germany. I have felt the hand of God stairing at the Sistine Chapel. I have felt the Spirit of God uplift me as I walked through the Louvre.

I'm sure many feel those same feelings as they gaze at the temple and it's not to me to discount those experiences, in other words sorry to offend.

I do think though we miss the point of Jesus' relationship with temples, what he wants of us, and what temples we should be recognizing as sacred places.

Fus if you're 253 lbs nobody is going to want to gaze at that temple. Get off this board and go ride that bike.

[All-American]

A story for you, Fuz:

John Rowe Moyle is an ancestor of mine. He was a stonemason working on the Salt Lake Temple. He lived in Alpine and woke up early every Monday and walked down to Temple Square to work on the temple, and walked back every friday so he could attend church services with his family during the weekend-- about 22 miles each way. One Monday morning, just before he began his walk to Temple Square, the family cow kicked him during milking and he suffered a compound fracture in his leg. The only treatment available was amputation. After he was sufficiently recovered, he carved himself a new leg and walked back to work again. He was the one who chiseled the words on the east facade, "Holiness to the Lord."

Whenever I am up at Temple Square, I do make a point to stop and look at those words and think about the sacrifices made by my ancestor and others to build the temple, and make it as worthy an offering to the Lord as their hands were capable of offering. That same sense of awe envelops other buildings, such as the Kirtland temple, which is noticeably less beautiful. These buildings weren't built as a testament to the grandeur of man or his architectural prowess; they were built as a witness of their builders' devotion to the gospel of Christ and of the sacred ordinances performed therein.

I do like what you point out, though: Christ came to show that HE was the temple. The temple has always been considered from ancient times to be the link between heaven and earth, and a link spanning the gap betwixt the two. In the days of Ancient Rome, Jupiter's High Priest was given the title Pontifex Maximus, or "Supreme Bridge-builder," in deference to the belief that his actions connected mortality to divinity (the title having been inherited, of course, by the Pope). In every sense that the temple spanned the gap between God and Man, Christ built the bridge that overcame the gulf that separates Heavenly Father from his children.

But in drawing this comparison, neither Christ nor his disciples ever diminished the significance of the temple. They emphasized its symbolic nature, to be sure, pointing out that in the end, it really is just a building meant to point us to higher and greater things. Notwithstanding this, the importance of the temple in this role is not downplayed whatsoever.

[SteelBlue]

Originally Posted by fusnik11

I personally feel it borders on idol worshipping and blinds us to the real purpose of a temple, tabernacle, or sanctuary.

Well, no worries about that in Ogden or Provo. You can just stick with those two.

[UtahDan]

Originally Posted by All-American

A story for you, Fuz:

John Rowe Moyle is an ancestor of mine. He was a stonemason working on the Salt Lake Temple. He lived in Alpine and woke up early every Monday and walked down to Temple Square to work on the temple, and walked back every friday so he could attend church services with his family during the weekend-- about 22 miles each way. One Monday morning, just before he began his walk to Temple Square, the family cow kicked him during milking and he suffered a compound fracture in his leg. The only treatment available was amputation. After he was sufficiently recovered, he carved himself a new leg and walked back to work again. He was the one who chiseled the words on the east facade, "Holiness to the Lord."

Whenever I am up at Temple Square, I do make a point to stop and look at those words and think about the sacrifices made by my ancestor and others to build the temple, and make it as worthy an offering to the Lord as their hands were capable of offering. That same sense of awe envelops other buildings, such as the Kirtland temple, which is noticeably less beautiful. These buildings weren't built as a testament to the grandeur of man or his architectural prowess; they were built as a witness of their builders' devotion to the gospel of Christ and of the sacred ordinances performed therein.

Thanks for sharing that story. Sometimes I think I would have an easier time if something dramatic were asked of me. I think that making a big sacrifice would be easy. It is these damn little things like attending all my meetings, doing home teachings, etc. that are hard for me.

[MikeWaters]

I can assure you that the Dallas temple wasn't built as a testament to the grandeur of man and his architectural prowess.

My grandfather helped build 3 different temples.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by UtahDan

Thanks for sharing that story. Sometimes I think I would have an easier time if something dramatic were asked of me. I think that making a big sacrifice would be easy. It is these damn little things like attending all my meetings, doing home teachings, etc. that are hard for me.

Is it becasue the big things are easy or becasue they are so hard? I dont' think htye are easy but that having made the decision to do a big thing you have in many regards crossed the stream more than half way and can't go back. THey are still hard, IOW, but it might help you be faithful becasue you are so deeply committed. It's easy to miss HT every third month or so, but having followed Bro. Brigham across two time zones and agreed to live in a remote high desert valley what are you oging to do but stay faithful? THis is not to minimize anyone's commitment or sacrifice, but I am not sure if one is neccessariyl easier or harder, they are just different.