Church Security

( "The Church" )

Recently Mormon Church Security knocked at the door of my little brother, Mike.  They introduced themselves as simply "Church Security".  The introduction seemed intended to impose great fear and trembling as if the FBI were at a crack-house.  My brother just giggled and thought to ask, "uh...which church?" --but he played along.  It seems Mike's tactics had earned him some notoriety within "The Church" administration.  I'm sure he has been marked as one of those "lost souls" that gets faxed to "The Church's" version of the Post Office "Most Wanted" bulletin board.  What kills me is that the "The Church" even HAS a security division.  I can see protecting the President of The Church, but is it tithing dollars that send the "Men In Black" to my brother's house?   What are they protecting by paying a visit to Mike's house?  He's certainly not a threat to the safety of the "The Church," it's President, property, or members.  So why were they there you ask?  The were there to inform  Mike that the "Visitor's Welcome" sign no longer applies to him.  That's it.  Mike recently learned of the further Changes to The Temple Ceremony and posted them on his website.   It was presumed by "The Church" that Mike had entered the Temple for the purpose of gathering the information.  Even if that were true, which it is not, "The Chuch" Security Task Force was dispatched to my brother's residence to squash any further dissemination of INFORMATION.  

Seems funny to me that "God" (The Mormon one) has a need to conceal  his plan of salvation from His children.  Well....it's not REALLY concealed.  If you are "a member in good standing" you can learn all that you must DO in order to enter Heaven.  Marriage is necessary, 10% tithing, Temple Endowment, Baptism, Handshakes, Signs Given, Tokens, Penalties (removed in 1990), etc..... Not to mention that a "Good Mormon" will do their Home Teaching, Plant a Garden, Take the Sacrament (communion) weekly, Go to the Temple on behalf of the dead, accept all callings, share "The Gospel", have the missionaries over, Proselyte, Bear Testimony, Fast and Pray on the first Sunday of each month, Family Home Evening every Monday, wear the "Holy" under-garment night and day, and so on and so on.   I really could go on!  So what "The Church" seems to be doing is making changes to the most unpalatable portions of the religion.  Pretty soon, the TEMPLE experience won't seem so odd.  You no longer have to promise to the Temple Practices secret at risk of having your throat cut from ear to ear.  You no longer have the oath to keep quiet  or be disemboweled.  NOW, you no longer have the creepy naked feeling of the Initiatory Work.  Long ago "the secret magical underwear" (Garments) were to the wrist and ankle.  Now they are just to the knee and shoulder.  I was waiting for the boxer-brief version........I'm sure it's coming.   All this change from an "Unchanging God".

According to any good Mormon, it's the Lord's Church and "the Lord", according to men that all Mormons believe to be inspired men of God, have said time and time again that "the Lord's" ordinances are "eternal" and are never to be changed.

For example, From the August 2001 Ensign (page 22), in big bold print above a large colorful portrait of Joseph Smith, we read:

"The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, "Ordinances instituted in the heavens before the foundation of the world, in the priesthood, for the salvation of men, are not to be altered or changed."

To back up the Joseph Smith quote used in the August 2001 issue of the Ensign Magazine one need only look at the History of the Church:

"Now the purpose in Himself in the winding up scene of the last dispensation is that all things pertaining to that dispensation should be conducted precisely in accordance with the preceding dispensations.... He set the temple ordinances to be the same forever and ever and set Adam to watch over them, to reveal them from heaven to man, or to send angels to reveal them." - The Prophet Joseph Smith, History of the Church, vol.4, p. 208

Also consider the following quotes that clearly indicate that sacred ordinances, such as those performed in the temple, should never be changed:

"...the endowments have never changed and can never change; as I understand it; it has been so testified, and that Joseph Smith Jr., himself was the founder of the endowments." - Senator Reed Smoot, Reed Smoot Case, vol. 3, p. 185

"...God is unchangeable, the same yesterday, today and forever... The great mistake made down through the ages by teachers of Christianity, is that they have supposed they could place their own private interpretation upon scriptures, allow their own personal convenience to become a controlling factor, and change the basis of Christian law and practice to suit themselves. This is apostasy." - The Prophet's Message, Church News, June 5, 1965

"As temple work progresses, some members wonder if the ordinances can be changed or adjusted. These ordinances have been provided by revelation, and are in the hands of the First Presidency. Thus, the temple is protected from tampering." - W. Grant Bangerter, executive director of the Temple Department and a member of the First Quorum of Seventy, Deseret News, Church Section, January 16, 1982

"...build a house to my name, for the Most High to dwell therein. For there is not a place found on earth that he may come to and restore again that which was lost unto you, or which he hath taken away, even the fullness of the priesthood.... And verily I say unto you, let this house be built unto my name, that I may reveal mine ordinances therein... For I deign to reveal unto my church things which have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world, things that pertain to the dispensation of the fulness of times. And I will show unto my servant Joseph all things pertaining to this house, and the priesthood thereof, and the place whereon it shall be built." - Jesus Christ Himself, Doctrine and Covenants 124:27-28, 40-42

"The Gospel can not possibly be changed.... the saving principles must ever be the same. They can never change.... the Gospel must always be the same in all of its parts.... no one can change the Gospel... if they attempt to do so, they only set up a man-made system which is not the Gospel, but is merely a reflection of their own views.... if we substitute 'any other Gospel,' there is no salvation in it.... the Lord and His Gospel remain the same--always." - The Prophet's Message, Church News, June 5, 1965

The fact of the matter is, Mormonism is a constantly evolving faith that bends to the will of society and outside pressure. Shortly before the significant changes made to the temple endowment ceremony in 1990, the Office of the First Presidency actually sent out a survey to hundreds of Mormons asking what they liked (or disliked) about their first visit to the temple. Coincidentally, a short time later, virtually every offensive part of the temple endowment was removed (including the grossly disturbing "penalties").

Once again, we see that the Mormon leadership has bowed to the demands for change. The Initiatories were typically the only part of the temple that had to be assigned out. That's because no self respecting person would actually want to have a stranger (usually a very old man for the men and an old woman for the women) touch them all over their naked body with water and oil and watch them put on their underwear.

I suspect that it will be much easier for Mormon leaders in the future to get members to volunteer for Initiatories (a.k.a. Washings and Anointings) now that they don't have to stand nearly naked while they do it.