666 on front of Nauvoo Temple?

[_Buffalo]

When I visited Nauvoo, I was a little disturbed by the pentagrams. But pentagrams weren't Satanic at the time. They were Masonic, I believe. Most symbolism on those early temples is Masonic. Celestial Masonry, and all that.

[_jon]

I heard Temples were symbolic of the opulence the Lord requires from Mormon's. Must be a different Lord to the one in the New Testament...

[_stemelbow]

I really don't get concern for symbolism. Any symbol can mean whatever you like it to mean. Symbols are borrowed to mean something different than orginally intended all the time. Its as if peole actually think there is some weird power in symbols themselves--like they possess some evil force or they can bring evil demons to life to eat us. Whatever floats some people's boats I guess.

[_Buffalo]

I really don't get concern for symbolism. Any symbol can mean whatever you like it to mean. Symbols are borrowed to mean something different than orginally intended all the time. Its as if peole actually think there is some weird power in symbols themselves--like they possess some evil force or they can bring evil demons to life to eat us. Whatever floats some people's boats I guess.

Agreed. Only superstitious yokels believe in demons.

[_jon]

Its as if peole actually think there is some weird power in symbols themselves--like they possess some evil force or they can bring evil demons to life to eat us.

I agree, like the symbols on certain types of underwear perhaps...

[_consiglieri]

Are the columns, sunstones, and five pointed stars all that's there (or are they just all that some evangelicals see when they look at it)?

I honestly can't answer your question about Nauvoo temple architecture.

But if I recall, there were also moonstones and starstones on the exterior.

And the SLC temple has tons of symbols, including the big dipper and the north star. (I think the big dipper has six stars in it, but it goes to seven if you count Polaris.)

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

[_consiglieri]

Its as if peole actually think there is some weird power in symbols themselves--like they possess some evil force or they can bring evil demons to life to eat us.

I agree, like the symbols on certain types of underwear perhaps...

It's like watching a guy step on a rake.

[_just me]

Doesn't the pattern continue on all sides of the temple making it much more than 6 of 3? I don't know for sure, but it seems like it.

Six is actually a pretty neat number. It represents economy, organization of elements and efficiency. The shape of six is the hexagram and hexagon and is found in the structure of honeycomb....think bees and deseret. HA!

Numbers aren't anything to be scared of.

There is a lot more on the front of the Nauvoo temple exterior than those columns with the sunstone caps. Why are we only counting those elements? It's like someone counted 6 of three things and stopped because they were so excited to find 666. LOL
If you're gonna look into and try and interpret a people's symbolism at least be honest about it (not, you but whoever came up with it).
There are 6 pilasters, 6 stars above them, 6 sunstones, 6 moons at the bottom. So that is actually 6666. There are also 2 trumpets on each sunstone, why not count those as well? This is not so sinister, really. There are also a bunch of other elements like the windows and arches.

Now, there are some strange things about the symbolism of the Nauvoo temple. I actually think it might be because the architect/planner/Joseph Smith didn't fully understand the symbolism. Or really did and that makes it all the more interesting.

I think it is interesting that the stars are ABOVE the sunstone. That seems like an odd choice. At least if they represent the lowest kingdom of glorty as is often said in LDS symbolism today.

The five-pointed stars are pointed downwards with an extended point. This would suggest earthy rather than heavenly. Five is a very neat, mysterious number. It represents life and is found in living forms. Humans have lots of fives found throughout their forms. The pentagram can be used as a symbol of life-giving and regeneration.
It has been suggested that these stars represent Jesus Christ, as the Morning Star/Venus. If that is the intended meaning by the original designer than it does make sense for them to be placed above the sunstone.
Jesus Christ is a Christian symbol of regeneration and seen as the Life Giver. Again, this makes sense within the symbolism of five and the pentagram.

So, I'm gonna stop there for now. I love symbolism, personally. I think it is awesome.

[_Investigator]

There is a lot more on the front of the Nauvoo temple exterior than those columns with the sunstone caps. Why are we only counting those elements? It's like someone counted 6 of three things and stopped because they were so excited to find 666. LOL
If you're gonna look into and try and interpret a people's symbolism at least be honest about it (not, you but whoever came up with it).
There are 6 pilasters, 6 stars above them, 6 sunstones, 6 moons at the bottom. So that is actually 6666. There are also 2 trumpets on each sunstone, why not count those as well? This is not so sinister, really. There are also a bunch of other elements like the windows and arches.

I think you mean it's like someone counted three of six things and stopped counting.

That's what I was asking.

Thank you.

6 moons at the bottom

At the bottom of what?

The six columns?

That would really blow the triple six thing out of the water here?

But it would still leave the question of whether triple six is always evil?

I read somewhere that when Salt Lake City was built, it was originally laid out in ten acre squares, each "six hundred and sixty six and three quarter feet in length."

Is that true?

Could God ever use that number in a way that wasn't meant as some kind of a warning?

[_jon]

inq, here's one that'll blow your mind.

This board originally had 6 forums, 6 registered users and 6 threads in each forum. Not only that, there were 6 times as many posts on the 6th day of each month and 6 times as many again in June each year. There are 6 mods, who are each from a family with 6 kids, but from 6 different states.

Spooky...