There’s been a lot of furor inside The Salt Lake Tribune opinion pages lately, about the fact that only tithe-paying, faithful Mormons, who hold a valid Temple Recommend, are allowed inside the LDS Temples.

Under most circumstances, non- and ex-Mormons could care less. They have no desire to go inside and participate in the “sacred not secret” rituals. But then there’s the whole marriage thing. See, young LDS girls and boys are brought up to believe that the only “valid” and acceptable marriage is a temple marriage.

They also are taught that one should not have two marriages–a civil ceremony and a temple marriage–even if some of their family members cannot attend. It doesn’t MATTER who these family members are. Dad’s not a member? Too bad. Mom’s not a member? So sad.

If you don’t accept the fact that the LDS Church is the ONLY true church, you cannot participate in a temple wedding.

SO that’s what the furor is about. Letters have run in the forum supporting both sides. Yesterday, however, there was a doozy. Let me preface this with a disclaimer. If you are going to write to a PUBLIC NEWSPAPER and out yourself as a terminal idiot, with a helpful dose of extreme arrogance, you have to expect to be ridiculed. Here is the letter, as it ran, inside The Trib’s pages.

Church has rights, too

Over the last few weeks I’ve read numerous Public Forum letters about how people are upset because the LDS Church refuses to let anyone and everyone into their temples to see their friends/family/children/whomever get married there.

Has everyone forgotten that the LDS temples are private property? Paid for by private funds? My home is my private property. I can deny anyone I choose entry into my home for any reason. If they enter my home anyway, I can have them arrested for trespassing.

The leadership of the LDS church has every right to decide who can and cannot come into their temples. They consider their temples sacred. They consider the ordinances performed in those temples sacred. They have the right to say to the public that if you want to come into our temples and witness those ordinances, then you have to join our church and live your life according to a certain moral standard.

Everyone who wrote one of those pieces needs to get down off their high horse and realize that the LDS Church has the same rights as they do.

Hilton Harris
Sandy

Gee, ya think Hilton? You are suffering from a classic case of “I’m an arrogant horse’s ass who just doesn’t get it.” See, most of us don’t give a shit WHAT you do inside your temples, Hilton. I agree, they belong to the LDS Church. Just like Brigham Young University. When people get up in arms about the lack of religious and educational freedom at BYU, I just shake my head and say, “It’s so simple. Don’t go there. They OWN the university. They can do as they please.”

But what Hilton just said here is, “IF YOU AIN’T MORMON, you don’t live up to God’s moral standards.”

Don’t believe me? Here it is again, in bold print.

They have the right to say to the public that if you want to come into our temples and witness those ordinances, then you have to join our church and live your life according to a certain moral standard.

Methinks Hilton is SO high up on his HIGH HORSE that he can’t see the forest for the trees. (Warning: cliche alert!)

Those of us who do not believe Mormonism to be true, at least in Hilton’s viewpoint, do not have any right to expect to participate in the same things the true believing Saints get to participate in. And apparently, it is all about morality. Oddly enough, I know a lot of moral Christian people who are not Mormon. They don’t wear the magic underoos, though, and I guess that’s the morality Hilton is looking for.

Apparently, not cheating on your spouse, reading the Bible and teaching your chidren Christian values is not enough.

Truly, the whole thing would be a non-issue if the Church directives did not specifically say “You cannot have two ceremonies. Just one. In the temple.” See, then, most of us again would say, “We don’t care. It’s your church. It’s your temple. Do as you want.”

But we are talking about families here. Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and best friends. People that are being told that because they are not MORMON, they are not good enough to see their child/sibling/friend be married. A little bit of compassion and understanding from the LDS Church in this matter would go a very long way in soothing this rift that has long existed between the Mormons and everyone else.

The allowance of a civil ceremony in addition to a temple sealing is the obvious solution. Both sides get what they want.

But Hilton pretty much told you how many Mormons feel about that. In fact, many times, those who do choose a civil ceremony first must wait a year before attending the temple.

Now, me, I have no desire for a temple wedding. Time and all eternity is a long time to spend with another human being who cannot put paper towels on the roll, thinks farting and burping is an Olympic sport, and thinks duct tape is a viable patching tool for all manner of things, including sofas, kitchen plumbing and possibly surgery.

Not only that, but the whole ritualistic thing freaks me out. But I respect that others might want to put on a toga and fig leaf apron over their lovely, but modest, wedding dress and recite strange oaths. Whatever floats your boat.

But a little consideration given to those who don’t believe the same as Mormons would go a long way.

Hilton, on the other hand, is just what the Church does NOT need. A muzzle might be appropriate.