Temples, temples everywhere...

[Hagoth]

TLDR: My question is, what will the next guy do?

So, 15 new temples announced today and the announcements just keep coming.

People on the temple committee have admitted that Nelson is blindsiding them with temple announcements in places where no investigation has even begun. TBMs are oh so impressed and inspired, but those of us looking in from the outside see it as a megalomaniacal ego trip for RMN. He has no obligation to see any of it through because he knows his days are numbered, so he's seizing the opportunity to magnify his own legacy and be remembered as The Great Announcer of Temples.

My question is, what will the next guy do?

Oaks, or whoever, is going to be stuck with the burden of actually building the scores of temples that Nelson is pulling out of his... Holy of Holies. Will the next few presidents slow down the announcements and focus instead on actually building the damn things, or will they just jump on the bandwagon and keep kicking the can down the road because they know how popular it is with their admirers, and how it creates the illusion of growth?

There are 181 existing temples in operation and Nelson alone has announced 168 (if my math is right). If he survives another year there will be more temples in his imagination than actually in existence. Attention future presidents: If you don't bring this mania to a screeching halt soon you will have a thousand temples waiting in the wings despite a membership that is actually shrinking. It's insanity.

Personally, I think there is a weird sort of cruelty to this. Nelson, for the praise of man, is giving hope to people all over the world who may never see the temple they have been promised and have been faithfully looking forward to.

[Angel]

TLDR: My question is, what will the next guy do?

Perhaps a miracle and the next guy will announce "temple" is no longer a physical building, but " spiritual " building.


1 Peter 2:5 You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a "spiritual" house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer "spiritual" sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

No more $ tithes, no more physical ordinances, all is "spiritual", intangible

[moksha]

Knowing the Russian and Chinese temples will not happen, the planning committee might as well strike them. The Singapore and Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia) Temples are still being planned.

[Palerider]

Attention future presidents: If you don't bring this mania to a screeching halt soon you will have a thousand temples waiting in the wings despite a membership that is actually shrinking. It's insanity.

Just read recently that the church is too heavy on the money side and they need to use a bunch of it in "religious" or "charitable" causes in order to maintain their tax exempt status. Heaven forbid that they should help the poor and disadvantaged, so....."we'll just build a bunch of large, expensive, elaborate religious buildings that help no one and lighten our books..."

The result? Increased real estate holdings; more brand exposure, possibly more tithing payers and when seen in the big picture, a pittance paid in upkeep......where's the downside?

[alas]

Attention future presidents: If you don't bring this mania to a screeching halt soon you will have a thousand temples waiting in the wings despite a membership that is actually shrinking. It's insanity.

Just read recently that the church is too heavy on the money side and they need to use a bunch of it in "religious" or "charitable" causes in order to maintain their tax exempt status. Heaven forbid that they should help the poor and disadvantaged, so....."we'll just build a bunch of large, expensive, elaborate religious buildings that help no one and lighten our books..."

The result? Increased real estate holdings; more brand exposure, possibly more tithing payers and when seen in the big picture, a pittance paid in upkeep......where's the downside?

Where’s the down side? Well, if there really is a God as they claim, and he really cares about the poor, as the NT claims, they could be in trouble when they die. But that’s a bunch of “ifs” and ironic that they are more in trouble if they are right about what they teach.

[Palerider]

Where’s the down side? Well, if there really is a God as they claim, and he really cares about the poor, as the NT claims, they could be in trouble when they die. But that’s a bunch of “ifs” and ironic that they are more in trouble if they are right about what they teach.

That's the great thing about creating your own doctrine which reflects the god you have created: You can convince yourself that the best thing you can do for the poor and downtrodden is to perform an utterly useless, man-made ordinance for them, that has no eternal efficacy whatsoever and convince them they actually need to pay you for it. Not you help them.

I wonder how James 2:15-16 would apply here?

"If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?"

I know the members help through their fast offerings as they are able, but the corporate organization does very little compared to their ability. I doubt their little god will support their rationalized doctrine when confronted by The One who is really in charge. No where to hide their shame. No magic underwear will cover their nakedness then.....

[2bizE]

Most of you have probably been tracking the tactics the church is taking to get some of these temples built in Wyoming, Nevada and Texas. The church is now claiming the tall, tall steeple is integral to the religious observance in the temple….
The church has sent out letters to ward leaders in these temple districts and to members to have them write letters to the planning boards in their communities.
There are a few podcasts about this. Here is one from Nemo the Mormon.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7X1FPIvzTr4

[Cnsl1]

In my opinion, announcing temples creates the illusion of great growth, spends money that needs to be spent, and helps keeps the faithful faithful.

Meanwhile, like has been stated, stakes are shrinking and members are leaving.

Our stake, that a few years ago inexplicably added wards and made them smaller, possibly to give the appearance of growth and hope for a temple, just recently consolidated and dropped 4 units, going to FEWER total units than existed prior to the time of "growth". Interestingly, the schools in the stake are growing, but church attendance is shrinking.

Very interesting the language they used to justify the change. "To more closely meet the minimum standards for the size of wards and to equally distribute the strength of active members throughout the stake" was sandwiched between "to strengthen the youth and wards" and "to allow stake leaders to better serve the ward members."

In other words, we don't have enough active members to justify the units we recently added (anyone attending the wards could have told you that), and don't even have enough to justify the number of units we used to have.

But, Yeah.. rah rah, glory be. God is good and maybe we'll get a temple soon.

My eyes are rolling out of my head.