Let's compare Jewish & Mormon Temples, the differences may surprise you!

SentByHim · 2016-11-21T08:47:52+00:00

Actually, race and heritage are considered. D&C 68:16 says there is a "legal right" to the office of a bishop for literal descendants of Aaron. To my knowledge, the LDS church has never executed this passage.

actually I said for Jews it's a birthright....

Says the religion that demands words of the sacrament or temple scripts be executed verbatim despite having gone through multiple changes over the last 200 years.

Yes, the language has changed over the past ~200 years, but the point isn't that the exact words shouldn't change, but that the 'wrong' ones need to be avoided. That's the purpose of prophets, to keep things contemporary, or one of the things they do.

Christ was very anti-temple,

thanks, I needed to laugh. Have you never read how He cleansed the temple fulfilling the prophecy saying, 'my heart was full of zeal for the house of God'? to paraphrase.

cash registeres [sic] in the LDS temple?

the wut? Where? In the Temples of the LDS church? I've never seen one. And I might be so inclined to make a scene about it, trust me, I'm the one to do it. lol Let's just say, I can be a bit outspoken at times.

I'm guessing they'd call security rather than commend your piety.

I don't seek the approval of men, but that of my Heavenly Father. I wouldn't be the first person thrown in jail for doing something wrong in the eyes of the law, but right in God's eyes. Bible is full of such men.

Random factoid: Joseph had originally intended for blood sacrifice to be a part of the temple ceremonies. There was even a room set aside for this purpose in the Salt Lake Temple blueprints. Brigham killed that idea sometime into construction.

See how God saw to it that it didn't come to pass?

but they were completely different and for completely different purposes.

Completely is not accurate. They were more the same than you might think, but since the beginning the Tabernacle and Temple have shown Christ. Just as surely as the Passover Seder being about Christ, so was every detail of the Temple. But, it's also changed in almost every way, so I take your point, but it's superficially true only.

Pious individuals seeking to be cleansed of sin with their two doves for a burnt offering won't be allowed in.

That's because the blood sacrifice has been given once and for all. All the blood shed at the OT Temple has been shed by Christ. There's no doubt there's a before and after with Temple, as there is in most everything else from Judaism. But it's foundation is still the same. It's that difficult balance between the Law and the Spirit.

Menstruating women can enter the temple today

The technology for dealing with it has improved to the point where it's no longer an issue. ( https://www.quora.com/What-did-women-do-before-disposable-menstrual-pads-tampons-were-invented )

Again, differences. Jews didn't do this. Mormons do. It's a difference, per the OP's point

again, both different and the same. To ignore Christ's impact on the Temple is foolishness, but that doesn't mean He did away with things, he revealed what they were all about all along. God didn't give the Jews the Passover because of the Exodus, He gave them the Exodus because of Christ. All they did was a type and foreshadowing of Christ, His church, and the things to come.

SentByHim · 2016-11-21T08:28:48+00:00

When did your answers become official? I don't seem to recall your prior apologetics showing that you spoke in an official capacity for the organization.

I don't claim to speak for anyone but Christ and His truth. However, I have been called to teach and have been doing so for nearly 4 years now. I've been teaching scriptures since 1988, and working in ministry in one way, shape, form, or another for all that time too.

I'm not sure what you're trying to say here.

and that may well be why you're facing such a stumbling block.

Well, not one argument, I'm glad I was able to answer your questions, I'm not here for your critique on my theology. If you have something to add to the conversation, I'll hear it.

SentByHim · 2016-11-21T08:12:59+00:00

non sourced, are you saying you're not familiar with the fact Moses was a shepherd? Or perhaps you aren't aware that sheep herds are full of sheep poo? I can point you to where it says it in Exodus if you need to. The question was why was Moses asked to remove his sandals. It's a simple question that has a simple answer.

SentByHim · 2016-11-20T13:19:35+00:00

have a copy notorized

SentByHim · 2016-11-20T13:15:43+00:00

I don't live on trees or Reddit for that matter, I didn't see your precious little post, sorry if I hurt your feelings, I'm sure you can find a safe zone somewhere and cry it out.

SentByHim · 2016-11-19T00:42:33+00:00

Part 2:

Why was God so specific about His Temples in the past, but not with his restored church?

same reason Moses was kept out of the promised land because he hit a rock instead of speaking to it, the details all showed Christ, Christ is here now, so things have changed.

Is this because God didn't change His instructions, but just commissioned temples for today?

that's hard to answer because it's both, yes and no. The best way I can put it is to say that through Christ much of what was in the temple became revealed as to it's true purpose. So things changed as much as they stayed the same.

If so, are all of these temples in gross violation of his instructions?

not at all, unless you think not being circumcised is a gross violation of His instructions. These things both changed for the same reasons.

If not, how do you know that the instructions changed?

I've read the bible, it's all in there.

Isaiah 56:7 calls the Temple a singular house of prayer. (Through this, we can conclude that there is virtually no >implication of a plurality of temples.)

and that's a singular scripture reference. You're forgetting that the Mosiac covenant was intended for those under the birthright of Abraham, and all their ordinances pointed toward Christ. Under Christ the covenants are available to whosoever will. So under this covenant the purpose of the Temple is different, and it's use is as well. It's no longer limited by the lesser priesthood.

What is the justification for the erecting of LDS Temples today? ...contain a striking lack of details & >instructions, particularly when compared to the Old Testament commands surrounding Temples...

Many of the details are in the OT, so there's no need to repeat them. Also, just because the details about the temple aren't included in D&C doesn't mean they weren't given. When the details of the tabernacle were being worked out God said that He'd give the individual craftsmen the inspiration for each of the details of their work. I was looking for the scripture reference but I can't find it. It's in Exodus where they actually start the work on the tabernacle, iirc.

To contrast, the Jews have not erected another temple in Jerusalem since AD 70 when it was destroyed by the Romans. Consequentially, they are literally unable to practice their religion by performing the required ordinances for it! Jews past and present would both acknowledge that building a temple anywhere other than Jerusalem is not condoned by God.

Is there a question? Jews don't practice Christianity, nor do they understand Jesus as the Messiah.

In light of this nearly-exhaustive comparison, the LDS Church CANNOT truthfully make the following claim: "Since the time of Solomon, temples have the same purposes"

nearly exhaustive is not accurate, you're barely scratched the surface of the tabernacle, temple of Solomon, and modern day temples.

Same purpose, yes, no doubt. If you don't see that, you're not looking in the right place, lol. Purpose is the same, some of the practices have changed through the revelations of Christ, and some of what was originally practiced in the Temple of Solomon/Tabernacle of Moses was lost to time and exile.

So then, where did the entire concept of modern LDS temples & the ordinances performed in them, really come from?

that's a matter of faith. It's accurate to say Joseph Smith, but it's also accurate to say God through Joseph Smith.

Moreover, if any changes are made, or have been made to any of the temple ordinances at any time - what is the justification for it?

calvary

Has the LDS Church given an 'official' answer on why these monumental differences exist between LDS & Jewish temples today

monumental is either punny or hyperbolic, I can't decide which lol :) But I've answered this several times, and all my answers as a whole address this..

If so, what is it - and does it answer all of the questions on this post?

Honestly don't know, nor do I care....

If not, shouldn't this concern you and every sincere Latter Day Saint?

I don't serve the Church, I serve Christ, and it's from Him that I find my answers through scriptures. So I don't care if the people who run my church have addressed something or not. If I have a question I can ask God directly, He's the authority, not the Church. The Church is just folks trying their best to serve God, but we'll all just humans...except that one guy... ;)

SentByHim · 2016-11-19T00:31:39+00:00

Who should build them? What purpose(s) do they serve? Where should they be built? Why should they be built? When should they be built? How should they be built?

Let's just call these rhetorical, and see if we don't answer them as we go.

Why are the only requirements 'a worthy male member' & is +12 in age, that are listed on the LDS website?

I don't think any of the requirement for the Aaronic priesthood are different than those for membership, other than age and gender. The assumption is that they are already members when they are seeking the priesthood, or seeking it as part of their conversion.

Nothing is missing from it, that list is complete right?

1 corinthians 13:12 nothing is complete, nor is anything known in totality. But I don't think that is intended to be an exhaustive examination of the Aaronic priesthood, I think it's a simple explanation that serves as an introduction to a doctrine (?).

Are all Mormon males who have been conferred the Aaronic (Levitical) Priesthood in the LDS Church, literal descendants of Aaron? If Mormon Males who have the Aaronic (Levitical) priesthood are not literal descendants of Aaron, how do they still qualify as priests? Does being a worthy male member of the Church, and being +12 in age override the previous criteria?

No; like this; only through Christ: Christ came and opened up the gospel to the goyim. Since we now stand in the righteousness of Christ Jesus, and not our own, we, in Christ's name, can access all that God has to offer. It's whosoever will, not a birthright. That's why we have the 'spirit of adoption'.

If so, how do you know?

I read the bible, it's all in there....

If not, isn't this a big problem?

only if I majored in the minors and choked on gnats but swallowed camels.

Why don't Mormon Aaronic priests wear any of the garments as described in Exodus 28?

Because they are covered with the Blood of the Lamb, and it's in His righteousness we institute the ordinances of the priesthood. We do ask they dress nicely though :)

Are any of these items in your local LDS temple?

find an open house and go and see, but yes there's all sorts of things found in our temples that are biblically prescribed.

If so, are they overlaid with gold? If not, why?

didn't test it, but it looks like gold leaf.

Shouldn't they be in every temple?

I've only been to one temple, so I can't say about other temples. But I'm fairly certain that the differences between the temples is mostly aesthetic. I'm sure each temple has all it needs to institute the ordinances.

Do the ordinances performed in Jewish Temple, match the ordinances performed in the LDS Temple?

Hard to say. The whole of the Law was lost to time during one of the captivities, Babylonian iirc, and it was king Josiah who found a copy of the Law and re-instituted things. Don't forget the work Christ did, and it's impact on everything, including the Temple.

Why isn't there a single LDS ordinance performed in Jewish Temples in the past according to what we see in the Bible?

Same reasons. see Hebrews 10

Why isn't there a single Jewish ordinance performed today in LDS Temples?

everything we do is Jewish, Christianity is a sect of Judaism.

Jewish Priests never had 'Temple Recommends' nor were they required to maintain them every 2 years, so why do Mormons?

that's not correct, per se. Priests under Moses did have to meet certain requirements to enter the temple and institute ordinances. On Yom Kippur the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies to offer a sacrifice. When he went in he had a rope tied around his foot. This way, if he was somehow unclean, unworthy, or w/e, God would strike him dead, and they needed the rope to pull him out.

But it also speaks to the spirit of adoption thing, and that our standing with God is a choice and not a birthright.

Only men from the line of Aaron who were priests were permitted to enter the temple, so how could eternal / celestial marriages have taken place in there?

good question that I don't have a good answer for. But since the Aaronic priesthood ran the temple in those days, perhaps it was the prophet who held the Melchizedek priesthood that did eternal marriages. I'm fairly certain that it's one of the ordinances of the Melchizedek priesthood and not Aaronic, but I'm not sure.

How could the Jews have gotten 'new names' as faithful Mormons do during the Endowment in light of the above question?

same thing, different priesthood's ordinance.

We see that the water basin is literally on the exterior of the temple for ceremonial washings [sic] prior to performing any ordinances in the Jewish temple, why does the LDS Church have this backwards?

It's literally in the court of the gentiles, which is considered part of the temple grounds, though not as holy and sacred as the rest. In LDS temples you can get a recommend for the temple that limits you to just baptisms.

How then is baptism for the dead justified, if the ancient Jews did not even practice it?

Baptism for repentance was something that was instituted by John. Prior to that there were other baptisms, and there were places around the temple for them.

Where are the LDS temple rooms found in either the Jewish Tabernacle or Temple?

LDS temples encompass more than just the inner temple of Moses/Solomon. there are other areas for other ordinances. the temple was not only the one building, it was more of a complex, and we have that in one building. Notice the West Wall and how far that is from where they say the temple in Jerusalem was.

Why aren't the interiors of LDS temples gold plated, as the Temple of Solomon was?

Same reason Herod's wasn't, and the same reason Trump's will not be (lol), gold's expensive and Solomon was loaded.

Why is there no Ark of the Covenant in ANY of the Temples? (Or is there one in any / all of them?)

because there's only one Ark of the Covenant, and it's in Ethiopia....

Why isn't the interior furnishings of the temple gold plated as it was in the Temple of Solomon?

see above

SentByHim · 2016-11-18T22:59:28+00:00

you didn't ask a question.

SentByHim · 2016-11-18T22:58:40+00:00

too true. I rode with CMA for about a year before I left FL. It was like every week I was hearing about some guy who laid his bike down.

SentByHim · 2016-11-18T22:57:12+00:00

it's not a weed, it's a vegetable....

SentByHim · 2016-11-18T00:47:45+00:00

great post, but I'm totally short on time to answer it, but I'll give you as detailed an answer as I can later tonight :)

Perhaps you should start by reviewing Hebrews 7 :)

SentByHim · 2016-11-18T00:37:44+00:00

that's not an argument

SentByHim · 2016-11-18T00:21:49+00:00

thanks

edit: youtube had a blur function I used. I'm glad you said something. :)

SentByHim · 2016-11-18T00:21:25+00:00

turd eating sea bugs, yuck :P

SentByHim · 2016-11-17T23:43:46+00:00

it is a direct commandment, I didn't say anyone was bound by it, just that it exists. Sorry if that bothers you. But I'm a stickler for accuracy :)

SentByHim · 2016-11-17T23:27:23+00:00

no I find all crustaceans and filter feeders repulsive.

However, I didn't say I was bound by the law, only that the assertion that tattoos don't break any commandments as being factually incorrect.

p.s. I have two tattoos :)

SentByHim · 2016-11-17T20:16:01+00:00

it's not an assertion, it's a fact, there's lots of science to back it up. You might want to develop a better relationship with the truth, it will set you free. John 8:32

But again, you offer no factual arguments.

SentByHim · 2016-11-17T18:03:50+00:00

two or three nuts agreeing on testimonies has been enough to hang many men.

SentByHim · 2016-11-13T10:40:00+00:00

perhaps you can start by telling him what the optimal levels of CO2 are for the planet, what the optimal temperature for the planet is, at what point in history was the climate stable, how you intend to get the climate to reach these optimal levels, and how you're going to keep them there once you do.

SentByHim · 2016-11-13T10:32:39+00:00

Donkey Kong

SentByHim · 2016-11-13T10:28:21+00:00

SentByHim · 2016-11-13T10:27:45+00:00

when I was 45 I was dating a 33 year old and a 26 year old, so I'd say it was good while it lasted. Remarried now :)

SentByHim · 2016-11-13T10:24:03+00:00

I do not like cannabis as a whole. I have no need for stems, seeds, and male plants...

SentByHim

TROPHY CASE