How can people say that Mormons are a secret society?
Our temples are out there, bold as brass. People know that only those Mormons who have a special recommend from their area leaders can enter the temple.
When we have built a new temple, or completely refurbished an older one, we usually have an open house where everyone and their brother can enter and see what it looks like on the inside.
This is what another LDS wrote in another forum, about the temple. His name is Dwight Rogers. I found it profound.
"Latter-day Saints invite all people to qualify themselves to come to the Temple and receive instruction. It is not intended that anyone be left out. However, as taught by the Bible prophets, the early Christians, and Jesus Himself, sacred things are shared only when people are prepared for it. The responsibility to prepare and become qualified rests on each individual. If any do not come it is because they exclude themselves and not because they are not invited. It seems so ironic to me that some people complain about being left out when, all along, we have been pleading with them to come, qualify themselves, and join with us."
So, how are we a secret society?
We are not out to make money. Churches need money to survive, however. But, if God asks you to give it all up, and follow Him, would you do it? Some say, Oh, YES! I would! but they absolutely refuse to give a measly 10% to the church to keep it afloat.
gar69, Did you read the entire post? We don't WANT to exclude anyone! But, not everyone is ready to hear what we teach there. Same as with Jesus and His disciples.
Siver C, our temple garments are not magic. We don't talk about our private life with anyone. as for the rest, the plates were not misplaced, God hid them away from greedy, evil men. And the hat thing, well, I don't know what that has to do with the price of rice in China.
What are we protecting? Do you know the verse Matthew 7:6?
Jesus did NOT do everything in the open. There were many things He taught His disciples that He would never tell anyone else. There were many times He told His disciples something, then said, Don't tell ANYONE!
And it's not just about giving money. It's about accepting everything that we teach and believe as from God. Not the anti-Mormon clap trap, what we REALLY teach. We make sacred covenants with God when we are first baptized into the church. How well we keep these covenants is how we get into the temple.
As for family who would like to see their child wed in the temple, but can't because they are not members, it's strictly between teh family, the church has nothing to do with it. No one HAS to marry in the temple, if they don't want to. If a couple chooses to marry in the temple, and know that many family will be left out, they need to sit down with their family and try to explain it to them.
To me, SECRET society is one that IS a secret.
Jesus' disciples did not feel that any secrets need be kept about what Christ taught them after His ascension. But, the fact that you can have three people read a verse in the Bible and come up with five different interpretations just tells me that Jesus was probably right in telling them not to tell anyone.
Like I said, we don't WANT to exclude anyone. Any members, we are constantly encouraging them to keep the covenants they made at baptism so that they CAN go to the temple. And non-members, well, you know.
Cherry blossom, If God prevents someone from doing something that they would otherwise be able to do, because of skin color or race or whatever, He WILL take their willingness and their sacrifices into consideration. He won't penalize them for not doing something that He didn't let them do, for whatever reasons.