Big Love/LDS Church show-down in the making?

[stoney321]

Thanks to arcana_J for this article about an upcoming storyline on Big Love and how the LDS church is balking at it.

Comments

[irreparable]

I was Born in the Covenant as well but refused point blank to go to the Temple. In fact, I was so adamant about not going that everyone in the Stake thought I had some huge hidden sin (sex related of course, and I was only 13 at the time, what the hell,) that prevented me from going. Everyone was convinced that my sekrit sin was so Bad And Awful that my eternal shame prevented me from confessing to the Bishop and doing whatever it is you do when you confess big sins when you're a minor and they want you to be pure to go to the Temple.

My only big sin? I was terrified of the whole Temple gig. The mystery of it wasn't enticing or exciting, it was frankly fucking terrifying.

A few years ago I read this and not only did I feel immense sorrow and empathy for this man, but it also solidified my childhood belief that the Temple rites were not for me, not ever, no way, no how, nosireebob.

[stoney321]

I couldn't WAIT to go, myself. I did temple baptisms every month, and in college, sometimes every week. O_O WTF?!

But when I got older and heard more and more about the other things... that's when I didn't want to go. I NEVER could imagine wearing garments. I would see my mom getting dressed, putting her big ol' bra on over them, and just thinking it looked uncomfortable as hell. And living in Texas, where it's crazy hot? Uh...

I've read that guy's account, too. That's how a bunch of my friends that had gone on missions (or were married at 19) explained it to me, too. My 20s were filled with conflicting needs - temple and progression, or damnation? BLAH. I'm so glad I now see it all for what it is.

[irreparable]

See, my father was disfellowshipped before I was born, and when I was born, he was refellowshipped but not allowed to hold office. So the other kids knew about this (b.c when is there anything secret in the LDS?) and would give me hell for it and accuse me of being born in sin and not worthy of being in the chapel, let alone go to the Temple. At the time, the nearest one was in New Zealand anyway, so it was nigh impossible, but when I was 13, they started building the Sydney one, and now there's one in every city in Australia. Between the way the other kids lorded over me about how I was unworthy due to my father's sin of pre-marital sex and the doom-and-gloom of Seminary, my Temple phobia was off the charts. Plus all that white and white makes me look sallow

[stoney321]

Oh, of course they gave you hell for your father not being in the High Council, or whatever. Good god, I'm so glad to be out of that toxic environment. I was mocked for my dad ONLY being a high council member and not ever having risen to Stake President, etc. So stupid.

[enigmaticblues]

That's...wow. I'd heard some of this before from ex-Mormons, but I hadn't heard the bit about bra and panties going over garments. WTF?

[stoney321]

YEAH. Over the panties. Nothing comes between you and your Calvins. Er, G's.

Capped sleeves, modest neckline, down to your knees. Which means your clothing has to follow suit. Imagine living in Texas in August and having to wear sleeves and pants with all of those layers underneath?

And old school Gs went to your ankles and wrists and were WOOL.

[sihaya09]

So, um, question (hi, I am reading through this tag): do you get to wash garments? I thought you were only supposed to take them off when swimming/bathing. What happens when inevitable body stuff gets on them?

[stoney321]

Oh, you wash them like you would any other laundry. When they're ratty/needing to be tossed, you have to cut out the symbols on the nipples/navel/knees and burn that, then you can turn your G's into car polishing rags, or whatever.

...so crazy.

[furikku]

That's some wacky stuff.

Also, "Moroni" is a really unfortunate name. :/

[stoney321]

Yeah, it's not a good name. Neither is "Mormon." Take out one M...

[windstar]

Is the FLDS still using that temple? I thought they said it had been "desecrated" and they had to build another one?

Thanks for this detailed information, I am always wanting to learn more. The LDS/FLDS fascinates me for some reason. I am currently reading Daughter of the Saints by Dorothy Allred Solomon, and it is very interesting!

[stoney321]

Oh, I'm sure they're still using the temple at the Ranch. They probably had some ceremony to cleanse it.

Oooh, interesting tidbit about that Solomon book - that's a reprint you have where she went back and took out a BUNCH of stuff that could have been embarassing to her husband, etc. The original one is called "In The House of my Father" or something (it's at my dad's) and she talked about how after she left the commune and married her husband, they dabbled a bit in drugs (pot, pfft) and wife swapping groups. That's not in the book you have, is it? *G*

[windstar]

I haven't seen anything like that yet, no....I wonder if I can find the original somewhere. Probably...I got this one on interlibrary loan from Southwestern University.

[stoney321]

It's out of print and incredibly hard to find.

[gehayi]

This is when you swear to cut your throat, cut your heart out, and slit your bowels, spilling them forth if you ever talk about the temple rites outside the temple. WHICH IS WHY MORMONS GET FREAKED OUT WHEN SOMEONE TALKS ABOUT IT. You swore to kill yourself, basically.

I don't get it.

So freaking WHAT if you promised to kill yourself? People break promises all the time. I said a few "cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye" promises when I was little, but when I broke them, I didn't kill or blind myself! Nobody sane would! It would be STUPID.

Especially since all you have to do is tell God you're sorry, but you can't keep Promise X. He's bound to forgive you. It's part of His job description.

Women have to be "brought through" the veil by their priesthood holder, aka their spouse or their father.I know that I would try to find a way to go through the veil before the ceremony. The fact that a bunch of stupid old men said I wasn't supposed to would only convince me that something really cool happened if you went

[stoney321]

Keep in mind that for devout religious people, swearing something to God (which is what that "I'll cut my throat, etc." stuff is) isn't taken lightly. A nun takes her vows seriously, etc. etc. That's the level of belief/indoctrination we're talking about here.

Obviously someone such as yourself (and me) that doesn't cotton to religion thinks it's wacky, but when you're raised to believe that God is living and involved in every thing you do, you don't take swearing an oath lightly.

Everyone who is devoutly Mormon that has garments wears them and takes them very seriously. People who leave the church often find NOT wearing them weird and scary.

There's a good reason why I'm not religious at all. But for people that are? This is as real as anything to them.

[gehayi]

Why do they wear the extra underwear? The only reason I can think of is that it gets really cold in Utah. (And that the extra underwear must be a real bitch to deal with when you have your period.)

[stoney321]

"why do they wear the extra underwear?"

You wear them as a constant reminder of all the rigmarole you just did in the temple and to remind you of those Five Promises you just made.