Mormon Temple Film

I'm certain that you have been on an airline flight within the last ten years. Therefore you have probably seen the in-flight safety video. As we all know, those videos are horrid. The acting is awful. The production values are cheap. The music—at best—sounds like elevator muzak. So why do they keep showing it every time you board a flight? Probably because the video's value in saving your life outweighs its need in being commercially entertaining. The same is true of the temple video. One doesn't go to a Latter-day Saint temple to be entertained any more than one turns on "Friends" to discover the meaning of life.

What, then, is the purpose of a temple video? Originally, live actors carried out the temple ceremony. However, since the church has grown to 12 million members, and roughly 120 temples span the globe, it is impossible to extensively staff each temple with not just caretakers, cleaning crew, maintenance, but actors as well. Hence, the video was created, and done simply so that it could be dubbed in various languages.

Many wonder what happens behind those "closed doors" and what that "Mormon cult" is doing to brainwash its members. The temple ceremony is sacred, not secret. A trip to the temple is open to all who wish to enter (including a viewing of the temple video), as long as they have taken the necessary steps of baptism into the church and adhere to gospel standards.

Those who have not taken any sort of steps to spiritually prepare themselves (or, those who "sneak in" or lie to their priesthood authorities in a personal interview) often find the ceremonies of the temple dry, boring, and pointless. Those who make some effort to adhere to the gospel, however, leave the ceremony refreshed, motivated, and renewed. Those who have actually cracked open the scriptures at some point and actually tried to read a few passages will note many symbols and references given throughout the temple ceremony (including the video). To the dismay of anti-Mormons, the video contains no juicy secrets, crazy end of the world prophecies, or (according to some virulent anti-Mormons) sordid sex scenes. To the conspiracy theorist, it is a huge letdown. That's why so much anti-Mormon media contains so many inaccuracies and insinuations. There simply isn't enough stuff to fuel their hate, so they have to invent it.

Since its inception in 1830, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been the victim of much persecution. Not many know, but in Missouri it was actually legal to kill a Mormon (It's not a joke, it was actually legal to take someone's life based on their religious belief. You don't agree with your Jewish/Buddhist/Jehovah's Witness friend? Why not kill him?) Today it is more verbal than physical. There are many who do not agree with the tenets of the LDS Church. That is perfectly fine, to each his own. However, the average person (LDS or not) should probably question why some people go to all the trouble of mocking LDS temple ceremonies, drive hundreds of miles to disrupt LDS conferences, and spit on artifacts Mormons hold sacred in front of their holy sanctuaries. Could it be that these close-minded, hate-filled "Christians" are the same type of people who would have called for the crucifixion of that controversial "menace to society", Jesus Christ, were they living 2,000 years ago?

One of the viewers wrote, "The temple ceremony is sacred, not secret."

I call total BS on this.

"secret adjective 1a: kept from knowledge or view : HIDDEN b: marked by the habit of discretion : CLOSEMOUTHED c: working with hidden aims or methods : UNDERCOVER a secret agent d: not acknowledged : UNAVOWED a secret bride e: conducted in secret a secret trial 2: remote from human frequentation or notice : SECLUDED 3: revealed only to the initiated : ESOTERIC 4: designed to elude observation or detection a secret panel 5: containing information whose unauthorized disclosure could endanger national security" (per Merriam-Webster)

By definition, the temple ceremony is secret. The reviewer either doesn't know what they're talking about, or they're being deceptive. Either way, their credibility is blown.

Yes, the temple ceremony is also sacred to many devout believers. This fact does not require respect. I respect the reviewer's right to believe and cherish whatever they want, regardless of how ridiculous the belief may be. But, until you can provide evidence for the veracity of said extraordinary belief, the belief merits no respect as to its validity. Case in point, Brigham Young, the second president of the Mormon Church, taught that Adam, the first man, was God the Father. He thought this belief was so important, he even had it incorporated into the Mormon temple ceremonies (Google FAIR LDS's "Brigham Young's Adam-God theory").

I respect that Brigham had a right to believe whatever he wanted to believe, but the belief merits no respect at any level. Even the LDS Church has repudiated the doctrine.

Side note - I gave the movie 3 stars. It's boring, repetitive, and provides little, if any, new information. But, Gordon Jump was in this old version. He rocked, even if a few of his beliefs merited no respect.

This film is part of someone's personal devotion. I would hope that, however weird or twisted some may consider that devotion to be, any viewing or commenting on this entry would at least accord it the respect that they would hope would be accorded to their own personal devotion, religious or otherwise. It is disrespectful and irrelevant to treat it in the same fashion in which you would treat a film that was intended as a salable entertainment experience for public consumption. It was never intended as a commercial product, or an entertainment experience, or anything remotely similar thereunto. If treating that which is important to others in this sort of mischaracterized and derogatory fashion cannot be avoided, please have the common courtesy not to do so in a public setting. No one who has seen this in the setting in which it was designed to be viewed, or is involved with what it represents, is interested in outside commentary on it.

This movie is dull (bring your phone), low quality, and high priced (10% of your income). There are similar movies on Youtube about the Garden of Eden experience which are a lot shorter and you don't need to wear really weird green aprons. Some mormons claim a victim mentality (a common mindset) about how it is sacred. They are entitled to their opinion, but if you just are looking for something thought provoking, I'd go through Netflix and watch basically anything else. I assure you that the show you choose will have more meaning than the Mormon Temple Movie. Wild wild west is particularly good.

I've seen this film dozens of times at a very high cost, yet never enjoy it. Dull, contrived, poor acting, weird handshakes and circles of spooky prayer. The best part is operatic Satan speaking directly into the camera, warning viewers he will "reign down with BLOOD AND HORROR on this earth!" Classic. Otherwise wholly dull. Eve is an automaton who only speaks to Adam, not straight to God. God and Jesus wear hip white lamé gowns but go barefoot, inexplicably. Best part is a few breaks to be shown secret handshakes by elderly temple workers. 0/10 recommended. Use your 10% income to pay bills, travel, uplift the poor.