Mormons: Why are your ceremonies so secret?

Oh yes five books in the O.T. on how to run the temple, and if the Mormon swill say it was only for the Levites eyes only then I will have to say that when the Levities entered the room of the holy of Holies they had to have a rope with bells on it so if the priest did something wrong and was struck down by God, they could drag him out, this is something the Mormons do not do at all.

@zuboko Jesus replaced the need for temples when the curtain was riped after jesus died in the holy of holies, Jesus now lives in us and their is no need for temples anymore (Ark of the Covenant) Mormons never got this.

This is why Mormons also do not know where the Ark of the coverant is either to put in one of their temples.

@Ninja "sigh" as well, Such rites were were observed (purification) by choice by some jewish christians but not required of christians.

They're not secret. They're simply sacred to us, and so very private. After all, if you had some very personal experience, would you want to go shouting it to the world, knowing most wouldn't have had an even remotely similar experience and so wouldn't understand?

Most of what goes on in the temple is discussed freely, with anyone. The few things that aren't are held so sacred that we don't even discuss them amongst ourselves except in the temple itself, and often not even then. We respect them too much to make them part of casual conversation, but we're not trying to hide anything. Sacred and secret are not the same.

And I'm not sure that you're reading the same OT that I am. There were sections of the temple where very few could even enter. Remember the Holy of Holies? Why, then, would you expect our temples to be any different? Only those who understand and have prepared to enter the temple may do so. We're not trying to keep anyone out. To the contrary, we would love for everyone to enter and be part of these ceremonies. We just also know that those who aren't prepared and don't understand won't benefit from them. It's not an insult to those who aren't members, merely a precaution against lack of understanding.

Were the Old Testament temple ceremonies open to the public? Even if they were does it really matter? I don't think it does. Information about our temple rituals are widely distributed over the internet via anti-Mormon websites and even the ones that are completely off the beaten path in regards to what our temple rituals actually are, agree that they are very different from what were done in Old Testament times.

Many things have changed between now and then even according to the Christian wold as a whole. I don't hear about any Christian denominations sacrificing animals in their worship services and in Old testament temples all you did was sacrifice animals. Other than the Latter-day Saints, I do not hear about any Christian congregations building temples in additions to chapels. So who are you to criticize us for how we choose to practice something that you would know nothing about?

Let's take a look at one of those areas that have changed. In the Old Testament times you needed to be of a specific family linage to be able to hold the priesthood (see Ezra 2:62 and Nehemiah 7:64). However if you look in the New Testament then you find that there seems to be no genealogical requirements for holding the Priesthood. (see 1 Timothy chapter 3 the whole chapter talks about qualifications for the Priesthood).

So if God can change the requirements for being able to hold His Priesthood what is stopping him from deciding that Temple ordinances should not be discussed outside of the temple.

Anyway what is the big deal with us not talking about our temple rituals. Is it a bad thing for our government to not talk about sensitive matters to its enemies? Additionally was Christ a bad or evil person for telling several people on several occasions to not talk about certain things under certain circumstances? (See Matthew 8:4, 16:20, and 17:9; Mark 7:36, 8:30, and 9:9; and Luke 5:14, 8:56, and 9:21)

So please tell me what is so bad about us not talking about something under certain circumstances?

I don't understand....when I read the Old Testament, many of the temple ceremonies were done within the walls of the temple and Holy of Holies and were indeed NOT open to the public.

But, in response to your question..they are not secret but scared. Have you not been on yahoo answers and seen all of the rude, insensitive comments about "Mormon underwear" and the mockery associated with it? If someone has sacred beliefs, getting those beliefs sacred and nonpublic is a way of protecting those rites from being ridiculed and mockeed.

They are not secret, they're simply sacred. We don't even talk about what goes on in the Temple to other Mormons. For example, my husband attends the Temple, but I have been a member for less than a year so I cannot yet go. I do not even ask him to divulge Temple information to me because I know how sacred it is and I would never ask him to break his vows.

I will be attending the Temple in a couple of months and I will find out then. Actually, if I really wanted to, all I'd have to do is google it... but I WON'T because I hold that knowledge sacred also and I don't even know what it is that I don't know.

Not Secret, as the information can be found all over the internet. Mormons just choose to keep a sacredness in regards to them and don't speak of them to keep the ceremonies and rituals sacred and pure in our hearts.

@ Passionate. *sighs* Your understanding of the scriptures is incorrect, as Paul went to the Temple in Acts 21 for purification f it is true that the Temple was not necessary then why did Paul go to it after the time of Christ and preform the rituals as he felt was needed. The use of the Temple which apparently was part of Christian worship as it was utilized by Paul was abandoned due to it's later destruction by the Romans.

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you (Mathew 7:6).

Jesus is not really calling people swine here. However, someone revealed the temple ordinances to those who are not spiritually prepared to receive them and they are trampling them under their feet and turnning and rending members of the church right here on this site.

To those who are spiritually prepared (and this does not include all Mormons), the temple ordinances have power to lift people to a much higher spiritual level. To those who are not prepared, the ordinances are only foolishness.

Christ said that the things of God are foolishenss to man because the things of God are spiritually discerned.

Sonny: The ceremonies are not secret they are sacred. Not everyone is accepting of our religion and the work that we preform in the Temple is very sacred to us. The Temple is the house of the Lord and I would imagine he would not want anyone entering who would just mock and ridicule it. That is why we keep it private and available to worthy church members only.

The Jews wanted to kill Paul becuase they thought he let a non-Jew into the Temple. We aren't that strict.

A large body of the psuedopigrapha actually purports to reveal the secret teachings of Jesus during his 40-day post resurrection ministry. The Bible is strangely silent on this period. This secret teaching is known today as the Christian Mysteries. Here is an article that goes into greater detail:

http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/1999_Early...

LOL - if you're just going to go thru the "50 questions" letter --- here's a link that will save you some time.....

http://en.fairmormon.org/50_Answers#36._How_can_Go...

if however, you actually want answers from us here.....

not secret. if they were secret they certainly wouldn't be available all over the internet in different versions etc.....what they are is sacred. that means that those of us who understand a little bit of what they entail and represent do not speak lightly of them.

and the OT ceremonies certainly were not public knowledge. most were never allowed in.....the public was not allowed into the outer court, holy place, or the holy of holies. and parts were shielded by veils.

and Jesus taught his apostles things which they were not permitted to teach to everyone, and this was done in private.......

"and many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book" (John 20:30)

"speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3)

you find similar things recorded in the BoM as well.

they aren't really secret you can know exactly what they are doing in there if you wanted to. the reason you are not allowed to go inside and stuff is because it is a house of the lord and not just anyone can walk right in. you have to be worthy. the requirements are: must be 12+, you must have a temple recomend(which you can get really easily) and you have to be a rightous member