Mormons believe that lds is the only way to return to God.
Remnant broke away and now believe that the above truth rests solely on them now, and their vehicle to God.
The portal, in those 2 religions, to get people to heaven, if I’m understanding correctly, is a temple.
These are external buildings, using high cost materials, that take a lot of efforting and hoops set by external judges, not God, to get to. (I guess we have to wait and see about a remnant temple, but I’m certain you will have to be baptized through them and be a “covenant holder”).
Temples were a common, and central, element to basically all ancient civilizations. The only odd thing about Israel 🇮🇱, as a nation and civilization, is that it didn’t originally have a temple. No temple with Abraham, Issac, or Jacob. Not until Moses is there a semblance of a temple- a tabernacle, which was given them after they declined Gods offer to come up the mount. King David had a nation, but no temple. It was under his son Solomon that Israel finally got a temple. Sadly, within I think 70 years, the temple was destroyed. Even their 2nd temple was destroyed. What is the symbolism here?
Our western culture pretty much has no temple as part of their religion anymore. We have turned to the synagogue (church) for the most part, albeit some churches are gorgeous cathedrals.
Could the abandoned temple structure in western civilizations be seen as a symbol of (the central idea of lds’s term) apostasy? That not only have real, genuine attempts at seeking the face of God been lost, so has the ritualized attempt?
Or could it possibly be a symbol temple edifices are a mockery before God because, as he stated, we are the temple of God, and the earth his footstool? Is the loss of the temple an open invitation to personally seek the face of God?
If Joseph Smith ended the apostasy, if there was, indeed an entire apostasy, what exactly was ended? Was it temple worship? Was it personal relationship with God? Was it returning an ancient bloodline, through Hyrum then Joseph, back on the earth? Two temples were built during their time alive, both lost, one totally destroyed. Is there a symbol there? Should we be attempting to build a new one?
Just some thoughts and questions. I would to open up a discussion. I’m sure I’m missing a lot of other perspectives.
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Great points. I haven’t heard any compelling arguments that convince me that a temple is needed. Just a lot of “because I said so”. I’m still open to that possibility, kind of. Denver said once God’s “chosen” people are almost always an example of failure. Maybe the temple is a symbol of that. As Fred Volcano always quoted revelation where John said of Zion that he saw no temple there. Seems like something important, that he noticed the absence of something. Then there is the first martyr’s statement about temples being condemnatory.
The church was declared to be under condemnation, then three months later the Kirtland Temple was announced.
Found this that I put together in 2017. Has what I basically still think about temples.
Breathings 