Burial in temple clothes

[2bizE]

Anyone know why endowed members get buried in their temple clothes? When did this start and why?
I’m pretty sure we all agree that we can’t take our clothes with us to heaven, so what Celestial reason is there for being buried in temple clothes?

[jfro18]

So we can look like masons as we decompose six feet under

[Mormon 8]

I wonder how many LDS men who were buried in their temple clothes got to the other side, discovered they had been buried in Masonic clothing and were like 'doh'?

[wtfluff]

No idea when it started, but I can tell of a stupid reason that I can surmise from something else I "learned" as a MORmON young person.

"The reason we shouldn't cremate our bodies is to make it easier on Elohim to re-assemble our bodies during the resurrection." (I'm not positive where I heard this - could have been from one of my parents.)

You could use the same lame reasoning for being buried in the MORmON Polygamy Uniform: Make it easier on Elohim. After all, isn't the celestial kingdom just an eternity of endowment ceremonies with the stupid baker's hat cutting off circulation to the male brain?

[Reuben]

Literal believer hat on. It's to prepare you to pass the angels who stand as sentinels and approach the Lord at the veil, where you give the signs and tokens you learned at the temple.

Progressive believer hat on. It's to symbolize being protected from judgment by Christ (symbolized by the garment) and having the authority of God (symbolized by the temple clothes).

Progressive exmo hat on. It's spiritually meaningful to them. I refer you to the previous two answers.

Bitter exmo hat on. It's stupid. Everything about the temple is stupid and controlling.

Reuben hat on. I want to be drawn and quartered after my death to make it harder for Literal Jehovah to raise me.

[1smartdodog]

I always think of funerals I have been to where they are laying there in their temple clothes knowing they had not been to the temple in many years or church for that matter.

I think it is somehow comforting to those left behind to have hope they will make it after all. Funerals are for the living after all not the dead.


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[jfro18]

Reuben hat on. I want to be drawn and quartered after my death to make it harder for Literal Jehovah to raise me.

I've mentioned to DW many times that if I go first I want to be cremated. She does not take it well, which at first I just didn't really make the connection that it's because she's been raised to think cremation is against the will of God and will make it harder for me to be resurrected.

Which is stupid, putting me in the bitter ex-mo camp.

[Palerider]

Reuben hat on. I want to be drawn and quartered after my death to make it harder for Literal Jehovah to raise me.

I've mentioned to DW many times that if I go first I want to be cremated. She does not take it well, which at first I just didn't really make the connection that it's because she's been raised to think cremation is against the will of God and will make it harder for me to be resurrected.

Which is stupid, putting me in the bitter ex-mo camp.

Interesting that as of the last 20 years or so the church has softened significantly on cremation. As they move into some countries like India for example, it's a very accepted practice because of their culture and also I think it's a matter of having the space to bury all those people. Huge population.

I'd have to look it up in the handbook but I think there is no more prohibition against cremation.

As a matter of fact I just had a stalwart TBM friend who passed away last week who asked to be cremated. I was a little surprised since some of those policy/cultural traditions die hard in Mormon land.

[Reuben]

Reuben hat on. I want to be drawn and quartered after my death to make it harder for Literal Jehovah to raise me.

I've mentioned to DW many times that if I go first I want to be cremated. She does not take it well, which at first I just didn't really make the connection that it's because she's been raised to think cremation is against the will of God and will make it harder for me to be resurrected.

Which is stupid, putting me in the bitter ex-mo camp.

FWIW, I don't recall contradicting Reuben in his bitter exmo hat.

[Jeffret]

It's pretty similar to how traditionally people are buried facing east. And why many traditional, symbolic Christian churches face east. This started long ago, lost in the mists of time. From the beginning of awareness the sun has been the bringer of light, life, and awareness. Symbolism around the sun dates way, way back. Mormons have heartily adopted this same symbolism.

(Some discussion on the nature of orientation in Christianity, Why are people traditionally buried facing east? and Orientation of churches. Like most Protestant churches, Mormon churches aren't built around orientation to the sun. Mormon churches are generally light on symbolism. The temples have symbolism directly related to the rituals, but otherwise most of them are pretty light on symbolism. About the only consistent symbolism in regular Mormon churches is that everyone faces and looks up to the priesthood leader. Oh, and basketball courts.)

Mormons are buried in temple clothes primarily because that's what the CHI (Section 18.6.6) says to do, "Where possible, deceased members who were endowed should be buried in temple clothing." The symbolism here clearly inherits from the same place as graves facing east, "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." (Matthew 24:27). The idea is that at Christ's Second Coming and / or the Day of Resurrection (beliefs vary on exactly how or if those are connected), the graves will be opened and the dead will arise to meet him. If you're Mormon and you've been through the temple surely you want to meet him in your temple clothes to demonstrate your worthiness and how you're better than all those others. In your temple clothes you will be better prepared to "walk back to the presence of the Father, passing the angels who stand as sentinels, being enabled to give them the key words, the signs and tokens, pertaining to the holy Priesthood, and gain your eternal exaltation in spite of earth and hell." (Brigham Young)

I haven't seen anything detailing when it started, but it probably started during BY's reign. Temple rituals, like most other things, were in a constant state of flux during Joseph's life. Brigham codified everything. He was big on the temple, the after-life, and the symbolism involved. Most of the more imaginative theology and rituals were established by the time he died. He was pretty much the last theologian to lead the Church.

[alas]

When my f at her died, he had been endowed, then excommunicated, then rebaptised. No restoration of temple blessings. Do we follow this guideline or not? So we asked several people and got told that it was up to us. No policy on the x-ed and redunked. Since it was primarily my mother who should decide, we decided that IF Mormonism is true, then we want it as hard as possible for him to make it passed any angels. If not, it makes no difference. And we buried him in his favorite cowboy shirt and his Stetson. My brother about choked at Mom putting his Stetson in the coffin, but nobody said a word about lack of temple clothes. Conclusion, there is no policy and active Mormons care more about a cowboy hat than temple clothes.

[jfro18]

Reuben hat on. I want to be drawn and quartered after my death to make it harder for Literal Jehovah to raise me.

I've mentioned to DW many times that if I go first I want to be cremated. She does not take it well, which at first I just didn't really make the connection that it's because she's been raised to think cremation is against the will of God and will make it harder for me to be resurrected.

Which is stupid, putting me in the bitter ex-mo camp.

FWIW, I don't recall contradicting Reuben in his bitter exmo hat.

Man I phrased that poorly.

Was saying I find it incredibly stupid about the burial in temple clothes and reluctance/refusal on cremation, which then puts me in the bitter ex-mo camp.

I don't know if that was clear or not, but in re-reading it looks like I was saying that it's stupid of Reuben to put me in the bitter ex-mo camp. I have attended that camp all by myself!

[Reuben]

I've mentioned to DW many times that if I go first I want to be cremated. She does not take it well, which at first I just didn't really make the connection that it's because she's been raised to think cremation is against the will of God and will make it harder for me to be resurrected.

Which is stupid, putting me in the bitter ex-mo camp.

FWIW, I don't recall contradicting Reuben in his bitter exmo hat.

Man I phrased that poorly.

Was saying I find it incredibly stupid about the burial in temple clothes and reluctance/refusal on cremation, which then puts me in the bitter ex-mo camp.

I don't know if that was clear or not, but in re-reading it looks like I was saying that it's stupid of Reuben to put me in the bitter ex-mo camp. I have attended that camp all by myself!

Don't worry, friend. You phrased it fine, and I understood what you meant. We're good.

I replied because I was worried that you might be down on yourself for being bitter, and that I had contributed to that by my portrayal. I think I didn't communicate that very well. So here's what I meant to say: the bitter exmo in us makes a really good point.

[glass shelf]

I actually count having no conflicting feelings about being cremated as one of the positives of leaving Mormonism. I always knew it was what I wanted, but the crazy Mormon beliefs I grew up with in the 80s made me feel like it was "wrong."

My direct instructions to all members of my family

1) If I have any organs worth donating, whoever needs them can have them

2) After that, if science wants my body, send it on over to the program at the state university

3) Burn anything left and spread it out somewhere lovely

4) Go out to eat Mexican food and think of all the good times we had

As a side note--if you haven't told your family about what you want end of life--DO IT. If you would never want to be hooked up to a ventilator and have a feeding tube as a 95yo with dementia, tell them now. This stuff is sooooo important.

[moksha]

Like most parts of a burial ceremony, it is for the living. The deceased being buried in ceremonial clothes helps the family establish their religious orthodoxy. Just be glad the religious customs do not demand a eulogy while on a pogo stick.

[felixfabulous]

Interesting discussion. I have heard that Brigham Young was the first leader to be buried in temple clothes and people kind of followed after that. I think it does tie back to masonry, masons are traditionally buried in their masonic aprons.

[alas]

I actually count having no conflicting feelings about being cremated as one of the positives of leaving Mormonism. I always knew it was what I wanted, but the crazy Mormon beliefs I grew up with in the 80s made me feel like it was "wrong."

My direct instructions to all members of my family

1) If I have any organs worth donating, whoever needs them can have them

2) After that, if science wants my body, send it on over to the program at the state university

3) Burn anything left and spread it out somewhere lovely

4) Go out to eat Mexican food and think of all the good times we had

As a side note--if you haven't told your family about what you want end of life--DO IT. If you would never want to be hooked up to a ventilator and have a feeding tube as a 95yo with dementia, tell them now. This stuff is sooooo important.

This. Get your end of life wishes in writing. My brother didn’t, and they put him on a feeding tube and gave him formulate he was allergic to, and he was throwing up blood and tearing out stitches. Then after months of extra pain and suffering he died any way. I console myself with how much he hated that with the idea that it gave his immediate family time to accept that he wasn’t going to get better. But I couldn’t stand it, so I stayed away.

If you want an Irish wake rather than a Mormon funeral, get it in writing. If you are an organ donor, be sure your family knows. Doctors don’t always see the little notation on your driver’s license. If you want your body cremated, or planted with a tree to rot naturally in a forest, or turned into a diamond, or any thing not a Mormon funeral, make sure it is in writing and your family knows.

[Not Buying It]

This is a bizarre, macabre tradition for those of us who live outside of Mormon country where you've got a funeral home who can dress the dead in temple clothes for you, by the way. Who do you think gets to dress your deceased loved one in their temple clothes out where I live? Family members, friends, or ward members, that's who. So you have to try and get the robes and the hat and the apron on someone who's dead, never mind that it's pretty hard for people who are living to get them on.

I've got a family member who I know I am going to get stuck dressing in their temple clothes when they die, and I don't even like touching the guy now that he's alive. I am totally dreading it. <<shudder>>>

Ah, well, at least I don't live in one of those primitive cultures where you eat the brains of your deceased family members. I guess it could be worse.

[crossmyheart]

I hate to thread jack- but it is sequitur...

My dyed in the wool mother just let me know my sisters will be the only ones who can dress her at her funeral. (it is coming soon and luckily enough we can make the plans with her)

I am not sure if I feel some kind of way about this. It doesn't hurt my feelings, but I don't want to be shooed out of the room during the process and have to stand outside with the rest of the family. I do not have a temple recommend- but I am still on the books and occasionally attend. I served a mission and was married in the temple. My husband is active- but he doesn't have a recommend either.

So... since I dont have the golden ticket- can I at least stay in the room? Thoughts?

As for the OP's question--- I had a thought but doubt it is the real reason: my mother still has a temple packet of her mother's. It is slightly different than the current style. Maybe it started with wanting to bury old fashions/styles and to encourage members to accept new changes to garment or temple clothing styles.

[Dravin]

No idea when it started, but I can tell of a stupid reason that I can surmise from something else I "learned" as a MORmON young person.

"The reason we shouldn't cremate our bodies is to make it easier on Elohim to re-assemble our bodies during the resurrection." (I'm not positive where I heard this - could have been from one of my parents.)

You could use the same lame reasoning for being buried in the MORmON Polygamy Uniform: Make it easier on Elohim. After all, isn't the celestial kingdom just an eternity of endowment ceremonies with the stupid baker's hat cutting off circulation to the male brain?

You'd think after recreating the bodies of countless generations of humans from scratch that have decomposed to dust that a couple generations of LDS bodies wouldn't be too much more work.