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are temple goers relieved of any perceived obligation to remain mum about what goes on inside?

Supposedly the oath of secrecy in the temple is to preserve the sanctity of the sacred nature of what goes on in there. But the LDS Church itself revealed way back in the late 1800s in the Smoot Senate hearings what the text of then ceremonies in the temple were. (It was that important to the LDS Church to get one of its own in the U.S. Senate; imagine what compromises the LDS Church might be willing to make if the FP/12 thought it would help one of their own win the White House!)

The transcripts of the temple ceremonies are, it is my understanding, kept updated at the Library of Congress, available to the public. And recently, there's even a video snatch of it on youtube.

Since putting everyone under oath to keep it secret, what's the point of others observing that oath today? What purpose is served?

And are those areas of the temple ceremony that have been removed from the ceremony still considered too sacred to talk about? Or can members talk about how new attendees have it easy compared to the old penalties?

"I tell you kids have it easy these days. In my day you had to risk getting your throat slit. Ahh the good ole days when penalties really meant something. In fact we had to walk to the temple uphill in the snow barefoot. . . bothways."

sock puppet wrote:are temple goers relieved of any perceived obligation to remain mum about what goes on inside?

Supposedly the oath of secrecy in the temple is to preserve the sanctity of the sacred nature of what goes on in there. But the LDS Church itself revealed way back in the late 1800s in the Smoot Senate hearings what the text of then ceremonies in the temple were. (It was that important to the LDS Church to get one of its own in the U.S. Senate; imagine what compromises the LDS Church might be willing to make if the FP/12 thought it would help one of their own win the White House!)

The transcripts of the temple ceremonies are, it is my understanding, kept updated at the Library of Congress, available to the public. And recently, there's even a video snatch of it on youtube.

Since putting everyone under oath to keep it secret, what's the point of others observing that oath today? What purpose is served?

No, the Smoot hearings do not show the Church revealed the contents of the endowment. Various church representatives denied what was said to be there, and ex-mormons testified a little as to what was there. Typically, the apostles who testified said they could not recall the contents of the endowment, because back in those days you only went through the temple once, and unless you were an officiator you would not know much about it. The apostles who testified were not officiators.

But, yes, it is freely available to one who spends 15 minutes looking.

But, just as I would not speak publicly about private things clients tell me because I am professionally sworn to secrecy, even if my client goes and blabs about it on the internet, I would not blab about the endowment. I suppose if I reached the conclusion that a client wasn't a client after all, and that I was tricked by the client, I might blab but caution would say that I wouldn't. Same with the endowment.

But I don't really get my knickers in an wad if somebody goes out and blabs about it. Not my concern.

As I understand it, the commitment to keep the contents of temple ordinances secret is designed as a measure of the persons individual capability for total obedience rather than as a protection of the 'stuff' that goes on.

In other words, it's okay if everyone knoews what goes on in the temple as long as it wasn't 'you' that let it slip.

Drifting wrote:As I understand it, the commitment to keep the contents of temple ordinances secret is designed as a measure of the persons individual capability for total obedience rather than as a protection of the 'stuff' that goes on.

In other words, it's okay if everyone knoews what goes on in the temple as long as it wasn't 'you' that let it slip.

A secret that is available to everyone.

sock puppet wrote:

Drifting wrote:As I understand it, the commitment to keep the contents of temple ordinances secret is designed as a measure of the persons individual capability for total obedience rather than as a protection of the 'stuff' that goes on.

In other words, it's okay if everyone knoews what goes on in the temple as long as it wasn't 'you' that let it slip.

A secret that is available to everyone.

It's not secret, it's sacred

are temple goers relieved of any perceived obligation to remain mum about what goes on inside

No.

It's not secret, it's sacred

Esoteric.