By Eric Johnson
Whenever a new Mormon temple is built in a particular city, a 3- or
4-week “open house” is held so the public can see the inside of the new
structure. Once the open house is complete, the temple is immediately
dedicated in elaborate ceremonies officiated by a member of the First
Presidency. After this, only Mormons with temple recommends—which are
identification cards ascertaining that a certain list of prerequisites
have been met—are allowed entrance into the temple to perform special
rites for both themselves as well as those who have died.
Thousands of people visited the Sacramento temple, located in Folsom,
CA, during its open house during late July and August. According to the
local media, the open house would help visitors better understand the
LDS religion. For instance, the July 28, 2006 Roseville Press-Tribune
reported that it “is meant to share with the public the inner workings
of the temple.” In fact, “church representatives (were) prepared to
answer any questions the public has and be as transparent as possible
about their practices.” LDS spokeswoman Maureen Dudley is quoted to say
that “our ceremonies aren’t secret but they’re sacred.” Lisa West, the
temple media coordinator, added, “There are no closed doors in there.
We’re here to dispel the myths.”
Is all of this true? Or are these just empty promises? I toured the
Sacramento temple on two different days. Midway through my first tour,
we entered the men’s locker room area. An elderly male guide gave a
short one-minute talk while we were gathered just outside the locker
area. As I walked over to the cubicles that housed the various lockers,
I noticed the words “Initiatory room” printed on the wall just outside
the door well.
Spotting the wife of our guide, I pointed to the room and asked her,
“What happens in this room?” She looked at me and, in a stuttering
voice, whispered, “Oh, there are just more lockers back there.” Wanting
to give the lady another chance to get it right, I asked again, “Are you
sure? It says ‘initiatory room’?” “Yes,” she replied with a new
confidence. “There’s nothing more than lockers there.”
Knowing that this room was the washing and anointing room—a place where
this 60ish-year-old lady would have certainly visited in other temples
where she served—I believe it was obvious that she had just lied to me!
After the tour was complete, I asked one of the young 19-year-old male
missionaries in the fellowship hall about this initiatory room. After
attempting to come up with an answer to no avail, he finally said, “I’m
not sure I can give you that information. But I know someone who can
help.” This was, he said, an issue that he was not supposed to answer on
his own.
He walked me over to Lee T. Perry, the mission president of the
California Roseville Mission and the son of L. Tom Perry, a senior
apostle who is fourth in line to become the next Mormon prophet.
Certainly with his impressive pedigree, this man could help set the
record straight.
Me: “What is the initiatory room?”
Lee: “This is a place where a person is cleansed so he can go through
the rest of the temple.”
Me: “On my tour the guide made it appear that this was just a room with
more lockers.”
Lee: “Well, that’s not true.”
Me: “Why did she not tell the truth?”
Lee: “I wouldn’t put it that way. Perhaps she felt put on the spot and
didn’t know how to answer.”
Me: “I’m not sure I understand. She must have known what this room was.”
Lee: “It might have been an honest mistake.”
Me: “Are you telling me she didn’t know what an initiatory room was?”
Lee: “It’s a very complicated matter.”
Me: “I think you have two options, Mr. Perry. Either hide the room with
a curtain so nobody will see it. If this is your choice, then you need
to be honest with the media by telling them that, because some parts of
the temple are considered so sacred, no details can be divulged. You
must then quit telling the media that there are no secrets in your
temple. Your other option is to give full disclosure, telling the public
about each of the rooms and being more complete with what really goes on
inside the temple. Then you would have the right to tell the media that
‘there are no closed doors.’”
I decided to visit the temple on the following Monday, which was the
next day that the temple was open since it is closed on Sundays. While
our group was walking through the baptismal font area, I asked Laurie,
the wife of the temple guide, whether or not we would be seeing every
important room in this temple. “Absolutely,” she quietly assured me.
Wanting to make sure she wasn’t mistaking my question, I asked, “Every
room?” “Uh huh,” she said in a matter-of-fact manner.
As we came to the men’s locker area, I was surprised that her husband
had allowed the group to gather directly in front of the lockers. This
gave me a chance to walk partway into the “initiatory room” and peek
inside, confirming that this was indeed the washing and anointing room.
After the guide provided a quick explanation of the lockers, he asked,
“Are there any questions?” “Yes,” I answered, pointing behind me. “What
happens in this initiatory room?” Since I was not wearing a button-down
shirt with a tie, and my slacks were hanging in the closet back in my
Southern California home, I think it must have been obvious to him that
I was not a Latter-day Saint. Looking a little confused as he looked at
the sign, he stumbled over his words and said, “I’m not sure what it’s
for.”
The 20 or so Mormons in our group seemed to fidget since this room
embarrasses many members in the church. This may very well be the reason
why changes were made in the washing and anointing room in the spring of
2005, which lessened the awkwardness of having temple workers touch the
participants on different parts of their bodies. But there is no doubt
that most, if not all, of the members of our group knew the purpose of
this room, even if the guide really didn’t. After an awkward pause, a
middle-aged gentleman in the group whispered quietly to the guide. “Oh
yes,” the guide finally responded, seeming pleased that he suddenly
remembered the purpose of the room. “It’s a place where people are
cleaned.” Not wanting to allow my original question to be answered so
vaguely, I persisted. “Is it like a shower?” “Yes, like a shower,” was
his response.
Probably because this was not a very good description of what really
happens in this room, the gentleman who had whispered to the guide
looked directly at me and said, “It’s a room where the temple Mormon
goes cleansed to prepare him for the rest of his time in the temple.”
Relieved that he was off the hook, the guide quickly exited the room and
everyone followed. As we were exiting to the next room on the tour, the
gentleman sidled up to me and whispered, “We call it the washing and
anointing room. It’s what we do at the beginning of the endowment
ceremony.” At last, I was receiving some accurate information, though
certainly no thanks to the official guide who was supposed to be the one
who would help “dispel the myths.” Of course, no additional details were
offered, and I wouldn’t expect them to be much more detailed. But at
least someone—I found out his name was Paul—was willing to call the room
by its name as well as provide a short explanation for what went on
there.
After we finished the short tour—again, very little information was
provided in any of the rooms that could give a clear picture as to what
really happens in a temple—I ran into Paul again in the punch and cookie
line at the hospitality center. Paul told me that he is a member of the
bishopric at a local Sacramento-area ward. We spoke for about 45 minutes
on the temple ordinances and other issues related to Mormonism. Before
we parted, he told me, “You know, I was talking to my wife as we were
leaving the temple tour, and I told her that there was no reason why the
guide had to blow off your question like he did. It’s not like the
washing and anointing room is a secret.”
“Ahh,” I responded, “I’m glad to hear you say that. Based on the
response from the tour guide, though, it really appears that it really
is a secret.” Paul gave me a disagreeing look and said, “I’m not sure
what these guides are told to say by the officials in charge. But I
think not being forthright is not the right way to approach questions
like yours.”
When Bill McKeever and Keith Walker (director of Evidence Ministries,
www.evidenceministries.org) toured the temple during the
third week of the open house (August 14th), their tour guides were
Richard and Dawn. When directed to the locker room, Bill wandered into
the adjacent “Initiatory Room” where patrons are ceremoniously washed
and anointed. Perhaps my conversation with Mr. Perry during the first
week had some kind of effect because Bill noticed that the words
“Initiatory Room” near the entryway were covered with white tape. Bill
exited the small room and waited for Dawn to finish addressing the
group. According to Bill, he asked Dawn, “What’s in this room?” To which
she replied she was unsure, but that it was a “transitional room” to the
other rooms they would visit on the tour.
When Bill and Keith’s group was escorted to the ordinance room adjacent
to the celestial room, Bill discreetly asked Dawn if the large curtain
at the front of the room was raised when the room was in use. Dawn said
no. Bill then said “So it is always down,” to which she said, “uh-huh.”
Keith mentioned the room looked like a theater but that it lacked a
projector like the previous room had. Dawn said many assume there is a
stage behind the curtain but she said that was not true. When Keith
asked what was behind the curtain Dawn said it was a little area that
led in the next room (celestial room) and that there was really no
significance to it.
When their group came to the sealing room (where couples and families
are sealed for eternity), Dawn explained to the group that she and
Richard make it a point to visit a Mormon temple once a month. After the
couple bore their “testimonies” to the group, everyone exited the
temple. They were then ushered into the hosting center. It was here
where Bill asked Dawn for further clarification.
Bill: “Dawn, I have a question. If you and your husband go through the
temple once a month, then you should have known that that was the
washing and anointing room.”
Dawn: “Uh-Hmm.”
Bill: “But you said you didn’t know.”
Dawn: “Right.”
Bill: “Why did you say that?”
Dawn: “Because we’re told to say what we can say.
Dawn then asked if she could get someone else to better answer Bill’s
questions. Bill said that wasn’t necessary and that he only wanted to
know why she answered that way. Bill then asked about the curtain. She
insisted that she did not know if the curtain went up because she had
never gone through a “session” in this temple before.
Apparently Bill’s questions greatly bothered Dawn. About four hours
later two security guards drove down to the intersection where Bill and
Keith were distributing our 4-page
temple handout. While Bill was across the street, the two men
approached Keith, taking a few pictures of him before telling him that
he was banned from entering temple property for the duration of the open
house. A security guard named Doug accused Keith of causing contention
during his tour. Asking what it was that made him “contentious,” Keith
was told that the tour guide was uncomfortable with the questions he
asked of her. Ironically, it was Bill, not Keith, who asked the
questions.
The next day Bill and Keith were approached by security guards named Ron
and Bill. With a big smile Ron, who is the temple’s chief of security,
wanted to tell them how happy he was that the Christians were there
distributing the newspapers because “you are doing us (the LDS Church) a
favor.” Calling Ron’s bluff, Bill said, “Then send your missionaries
down here to help us if you really believe that.” Ron only laughed. (We
hear comments like this all of the time from Mormons, but it seems we
never get any assistance from LDS Church officials in a distribution of
materials that is supposedly helping their cause! I had spoken to Ron
during the first week, and when he asked me if there was anything he
could do to make our distribution any easier—since we were “helping the
church”—I immediately replied, “Give us a tent on your temple grounds
with some chairs. We’ll stay there and then distribute these at the gate
when the guests leave.” Of course, my wish was not granted.)
Keith then asked Ron why the church banned him from the temple, and Ron
said it was “some of the comments you made.” Bill asked Ron, “So you
can’t ask any question you want even though that is what you told the
papers?” Rather than answer Keith’s and Bill’s inquiries, Ron switched
topics by telling them he did not come down to “bash,” but that he came
down because he was concerned for their “safety.” He then tried to imply
that he had the power to have the Christians removed. This is absolutely
not true. He had no such power. Besides, how much sense does this make
when he had just stated how much Bill and Keith were helping his church?
Keith still wanted to know the specifics as to why he was not permitted
to enter temple property. Bill explained that they were both very
low-key when they talked with Dawn. The only question loud enough for
the group to hear was the one asked in the men’s locker room. Bill spoke
in a hushed tone to her in the ordinance room and waited until the group
had dispersed in the hosting room before the final dialogue took place
lest he cause her any undue embarrassment. Ron said the tour guide felt
“threatened.” Threatened? “I think she felt convicted,” Bill responded.
She should have. What she said was absolutely false.
Ron said he too did not know where the washing and anointing room was
located. Bill explained that it was near the locker room but that the
small sign that said “Initiatory Room” was now covered. “When you cover
something,” Bill said, “it means you don’t want them to know what is
underneath it.” Bill said this game of semantics was very offensive and
deceptive. Ron said he was sorry if they were offended, to which Bill
pointed out that his apology meant nothing because the church has no
desire to change its policies. Bill reminded Ron that according to
Mormonism, true repentance means you stop the sin. The church never had
any intention of showing all of the rooms in the temple despite what
they told the media.
On August 18th three more of our volunteers toured the temple. When in
the men’s locker room they noticed that the entry to the Initiatory Room
was now blocked by several chairs.
The unfortunate part is the great majority of those touring this temple
would never recognize the misinformation that they were being fed on
their tour. Even more disturbing is the fact that the tour guides are
willing to do what they are told by their church officials in an attempt
to purposely conceal information. They have apparently learned well from
the words of Mormon Apostle Boyd Packer, who said:
"There is a temptation for the writer or teacher of Church history to
want to tell everything, whether it is worthy or faith promoting or not.
Some things that are true are not very useful. . . In the Church we are
not neutral. We are one sided. There is a war going on, and we are
engaged in it. . ." (Boyd K. Packer, "The Mantle is Far, Far Greater
Than the Intellect,” BYU Studies, Summer 1981, pp. 263, 267).
Perhaps they should instead take heed to BYU Professor Robert Matthews
who, in 1994, stated:
"Even sharing the truth can have the effect of lying when we tell
only half-truths that do not give the full picture. We can also be
guilty of bearing false witness and lying if we say nothing,
particularly if we allow another to reach a wrong conclusion while we
hold back information that would have led to a more accurate perception.
In this case it is as though an actual lie were uttered" (Robert J.
Matthews, "Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness," Ensign, October 1994,
pg.54).
As a visitor to seven temple open houses, I can say that the information
provided in the average tour is usually so nebulous that it is
meaningless unless a person is LDS or is a person with a good working
knowledge of the religion. Casual observers are left befuddled by the
end of the tour and could easily conclude that temple worship is a valid
practice ignored by Protestant Christianity. But the modus operandi of
the Mormon Church is providing fewer details about their doctrines and
practices, allowing it to be accepted by observers as just another
Christian religion. Wouldn’t it be nice if the church leaders would just
put full disclosure into practice? This is wishful thinking, though,
because the more information they provide, the less likely potential
converts would want to join the Mormon religion. Something tells me that
future temple open houses will probably not change very much at all—such
a shame!