Ep169: Two Prophets- Two Visions for Temples

On this episode of Mormonish Podcast, Rebecca and Landon take a look back at the President Gordon B. Hinckley era of temple building.

There was a different vision decades ago in which small, accessible temples would dot the land and fit in with neighborhoods, communities and be a beacon of good will. What changed?

To answer this question, we explore the rivalry between Gordon Bl Hinckley and now prophet, Russell M. Nelson. When President Nelson took the helm, there were changes faster than you could count them, and the philosophy behind temple building may have been one of them.

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[norgepolo]

Surgeons aren’t only known for their poor bedside manner (especially among the older generations of surgeons like Nelson), they’re known for their massive egos and domineering treatment of OR staff, nurses, resident physicians, and support staff. They’re also know for displaying the same attitude and character towards the general public as well, especially when they’re in positions of power and leadership.

Thankfully those attitudes are fading out with the retirement of those old school surgeons.

[nancyevans]

Surgeons are well known for having the worst bedside manner of all physicians.
He’s king in the OR and all the nurses and surgical staff obeyed his every command.

[stephenjackson]

Rusty acts more like a lawyer than a surgeon.

[whitesalamander]

So glad you two are holding Rusty Nelson’s clay feet to the 🔥

[codyironworks]

Cody was started as a secular town, the first church was chosen by the winner of a poker game, now these mormons are trying to change Cody into another town lorded over by the LDS

[tawnyachristensen]

Money is the root of all evil, right? The Church is basically saying it's our way or the highway, Pride and arrogance and law suits are the hallmarks of the modern church, and as a former OR Nurse I can attest there is no one more arrogant than a surgeon.

[TheSaintelias]

Surgeons are not known for being really aware of others. They are used to saying “sponge” etc and someone giving it to them. They don’t get conditioned to not get what they ask for. Nelson is perfect example of this mentality.

[DamonSmith-xd]

You mean to say if in someone's back yard that could be seen from a temple in a residential area say a person put up a large sign advertising Joseph Smith was married to other men's wives who he sent away on missions....

[truebloodnz]

The Boston temple was started without approval for the spire, and therefore was completed and dedicated without the spire. Further law suits eventually resulted in the final decision in favour of the church. The spire was retrofitted on soon after. Similarly, the Sydney temple didn’t have approval to add the statue of the Angel Moroni until a while after dedication. Eventually the final decision in court allowed it to be retrofitted soon after the ruling was handed down.

[Leonardful]

I'm a nuanced member of the church, so, when it comes to temple, I have a more complicated point of view of the temple. I don't mind the temple, but I think church is building too many of them. I would agree with what's been said here that President Hinckley had better ways of working with the residents than President Nelson does, better bedside manner, or whoever in the church is working the residents to build all these temples.

[norgepolo]

1:12:00 there’s a specific term for what Hatshepsut did and what Nelson is trying to do: damnatio memoriae. It’s the “condemnation of memory” along with attempts to remove someone from official histories along with reversing that leader’s policies and doctrines. Orwell’s 1984 discusses this perfectly: “The past was alterable. The past never had been altered. Oceania was at war with Eastasia. Oceania had always been at war with Eastasia.”

Nelson is trying to erase Hinckley’s legacy because of his bitterness over being called out by Hinckley in the October 1990 GC after giving a GC talk in April 1990 saying essentially the same thing that his “calling ourselves Mormons is a victory for Satan” speech in 2018.

[Zeett]

So what do I do with all my Meet the Mormon DVD’s given to me? Maybe I can take them on Antique’s Roadshow.

[DamonSmith-xd]

Nelson seems to have certain pettiness. A certain envious nature. Trying to stick it to those who resist him.

[HPM]

Its interesting how in The Book of Nephi, Joseph Smith seems to condemn ostentatious displays of wealth when referring to the great and abominable church. Now that the Mormon church is so wealthy, the temples seem to becoming more ostentatious. Im no longer onboard but back in the day, I really liked the idea of the small and less imposing temples. Never made much sense to me to have huge and lavish temples. The important thing was the ordinances inside.

[Skooter]

They can buy anything in this world with money.

[ruelynng]

These smaller temples are more beautiful than the McTemples that are being built today. Will the proposed Temples in Nevada and Texas really be used full-time? Like 5am to 9pm like the old Provo Temple?

[MiriamBallejos-jh]

I'm no expert, but the Chicago temple was a small building, and within 10-20 years after it opened, the church had to add space to it. It would be interesting to see how many small temples have needed the same additions as demand increased over time.

[clydeLedford]

Why go get temple endowments, when you are told that the signs, tokens and needed to pass the sentry angels (Masonic outer & inner guardians) and get into the celestial kingdom is denied to you until... (or if you get rich enough)...you are called up to receive the 2nd annointed signs, tokens and symbols. So, none of it matters unless you get called up to recieve the 2nd annointed ones. And are those 2nd annointed signs, tokens and , the same as the endowments given out before getting "called up."
Progression up Masonic degrees change as one goes up, unlike LDS temple given out the upper (2nd annointed) but told those signs, tokens and mean nothing until you are called up to get the 2nd annointed. :.

[sallyostling]

I'm 52. I live in NE Metro Detroit area and have never noticed a Mormon Temple or stake center or church. I've never encountered a missionary. I've only met one Mormon, back in College. Michigan is not a big hub of LDS activity in my experience.

[r.l.]

1:43:23 Now is the great day of my power. I reign from the rivers to the ends of the earth. There is none who dares to molest or make afraid.