LDS Inc buys Kirtland Temple from Mormon rivals for $192 million

[Tom]

I do wonder why the money wasn't used to build the FARMS ziggurat. Alternatively, FARMS could have purchased the Kirtland temple, moved it by truck to Provo, and contracted with E. C. Construction Company to reconstruct the temple into a ziggurat. (I suspect that D. Peterson would have been hired to handle the water witching on the property.)

A very helpful post, Tom--thank you. It seems to me that this is yet another one of those instances where "the mask drops," and we can see how contemptuous the Mopologists are towards other faiths. Dr. Peterson's ridicule of the Strangites--e.g., wanting to cast Pee-Wee Herman as James Strang in his film--was bad enough, and now here he is, openly admitting that he would have liked to have essentially "bought out" a crucial piece of CoC history. He's practically giddy, in fact! He and Midgley have been saying negative things about the CoC for decades--dismissing it as a second-rate, overly liberal "shadow" of the True Church, and now he's publicly gloating--exultant, even--about a key piece of their history getting taken away. Quite shameful, if you ask me.

Speaking of contempt toward the CoC, I noticed a fascinating exchange between an anti-CoC visitor (whom I will refer to as “Visitor”) and the Proprietor:

Visitor:

Dan, this was definitely a long time coming. Full credit to the CofC for taking care of all these structures, they will continue to have full access as they very well should. But I've always viewed the CofC as a powerful and stark warning to Latter Days Saints about what happens when a "Mormon" Church embraces the world.

They have adopted every change so many "progressive" latter day Saints would like our church to embrace. Women ordination, same sex marriage, public financial disclosure, rejecting the Godhead, younger leadership etc. And what have all these changes brought them?

Insolvency, numerous schisms as you pointed out, massive membership and financial declines.

Now they have to do the equivalent of selling off a priceless family heirloom just to avoid foreclosure on their house after years of poor financial decisions. I feel sorry for their faithful members who have seen the CofC become a shell of itself.

People who live in glass houses…. Thank goodness the Church of Jesus Christ hasn’t embraced the world, has avoided severe financial problems, has never suffered schisms, and has never had membership declines.

Proprietor:

Visitor: "I've always viewed the CofC as a powerful and stark warning to Latter Days Saints about what happens when a "Mormon" Church embraces the world."

That's pretty much the way I've seen it, as well. It something of a lab experiment, with a "control group" and a "test group."

I bear absolutely no ill will toward our "separated brethren" (as a Catholic observer might term them), but I'm happy that my church has not taken their path.

Visitor: "I feel sorry for their faithful members who have seen the CofC become a shell of itself."

So do I. And I devoutly hope that we'll eventually be able to welcome many of them home.

[Doctor Scratch]

The Mopologists are predictably reacting with vindictive glee. It’s not enough for them to simply have the Kirtland temple back; they have to use the occasion to berate the CoC, accuse them of being “apostates,” and to treat the different CoC religious beliefs with mockery and contempt.

[Tom]

I found this interview of David Howlett, who has published a biography of the Kirtland temple, worth reading: https://www.dialoguejournal.com/article ... j-howlett/. Among other things, Howlett talks about Karl Anderson’s efforts to lift the “curse” on Kirtland and interactions between CoC temple tour guides and LDS visitors.

[Dr Moore]

I wonder if it will be rededicated. If only as a symbolic nod to the history there.

[Rick Grunder]

Possibly self-indulgent - but hopefully apropos to some of our concerns about sterilizing the Kirtland Temple - here are some lines from my novel 116 (p. 432) . . .

At length, Harry heard the voice again, distinct and audible above the irritating television which the nurse had left on. Through all this distraction, Harry tried to tell what the angel was saying. It included the usual “Wo, wo’s” and references to “latter days” and “inhabitants of this land,” and too much else to expect him to remember.

There was also something about “crimson blood” and “stars fallen from heaven” which sounded a little off-message. But the gist of it all seemed to be that Harry had messed up big-time. He must step aside now, and let “my servant Preston Young obtain the Book of Lehi” to oversee the necessary research and publication. Otherwise (the angel said), the Church would clean up the 116 pages so bad they wouldn’t be worth reading at all.

[I Have Questions]

I wonder if it will be rededicated. If only as a symbolic nod to the history there.

I think that might be seen as a slight on the people who have spent a great deal of effort maintaining the temple over the years. It’s potentially sending a message that it’s been sullied by the previous owner. I would hope the church isn’t that insensitive.

[I Have Questions]

The Mopologists are predictably reacting with vindictive glee. It’s not enough for them to simply have the Kirtland temple back; they have to use the occasion to berate the CoC, accuse them of being “apostates,” and to treat the different CoC religious beliefs with mockery and contempt.

The Kirtland temple would not be in its current condition had those “apostates” not put so much time, money and care into looking after it. They should be lauding the CoC for their effort, not disparaging them.