Utah Part 2- The Temple

Visiting the temple was a bizarre experience. Coming from the conference where I was engaging in dialogue with thoughtful Mormon theologians and students, I felt like I had set foot in another dimension. Visiting the temple means much more then just one building. It is a relatively large property that encapsulates a myriad of buildings, chapels, grounds, museums, and dining areas. The whole area is swarming with helpful Mormons who seem incredibly eager to assist you in any way possible: Give you directions, a tour, information or history, and even their own personal testimony. The tour guides are all young, prettily dressed women who come from all over the world. I know that serving at the temple is an option for missionary service(side note: all Mormon men are required to give two years of missionary service. Women only need do this if they experience a particular "calling". And even then, their term is only 18 months), however, I found it intriguing that only woman were fulfilling their service there. What is the rationale for this? I hesitate to speculate.

The two women who gave us the tour were completely sincere and passionate about their faith, sprinkling bits of their testimony amidst their explanations of Mormon history. At one point in the tour, we sat in front of a 10-12 foot statue of Jesus, and listened to a deep-God like voice speak about Mormonism. We concluded the tour by watching an hour long film dramatizing Joseph Smith's life. This was very revealing...all the controversial aspects of his history had been left out. Not only that, even the visual effects of the film seemed slightly one-sided. He was a handsome, blond haired, blued eyed man who looked incredibly pious the whole movie, while the people who opposed or persecuted the Mormons had stringy, greasy hair, rotten teeth, and spoke in snarls and grunts.

The temple square is an aesthetically beautiful place; every piece of architecture is exquisitely done. Nonetheless, I was very uneasy at this manifestation of their faith. Perhaps it was the pretty young girls, who, although earnest and sincere, almost seemed parrot-like in their affirmations of the truth. Maybe it was the realization that their faith was so tied to a location, and this presented a more cult-like feeling to the whole experience. Whatever the case, I was there too short a time...I wish I would have had more time to explore.