Originally Posted By BeccasMommy A temple is no better of a place to worship if it is ornately decorated then if it were a simple brick building where people came together... and how about the Amish, who instead of having a central religious structure where they meet take turns hosting the weekly spiritual gathering... does their lack of a Temple offend God?
Originally Posted By utahjosh Sport Goofy, here you go: <a href="http://bible.org/seriespage/cleansing-temple-john-212-22" target="_blank">http://bible.org/seriespage/cl...n-212-22</a> Jesus was taken to the temple for a ceremony as a child. He returned there as an adult to cleanse "God's House." Seems like he thought the Temple was a good idea.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << It's sad to see so much bitterness toward God and religion. >> I have no bitterness toward God, but its not pleasant to watch people co-opt God's name in their own selfish interests.
Originally Posted By BeccasMommy I have no bitterness towards God, i believe in God and his goodness my problem comes in when people twists their interpretation of G(g)od and his commands to suit their own personal needs or vanity, which sadly due to human nature happens more often than it should
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << Seems like he thought the Temple was a good idea. >> And yet he nearly all of his teaching outside of the church.
Originally Posted By BeccasMommy When he returned as an adult to cleanse God's house do you think he did that because he was happy about what was going on there?
Originally Posted By utahjosh <my problem comes in when people twists their interpretation of G(g)od and his commands to suit their own personal needs or vanity, which sadly due to human nature happens more often than it should> Oh, I totally agree. I feel there are people out there that use the name of God without authority and twist His words. Others believe my religion does that, too.
Originally Posted By utahjosh Okay, you are moving away from the topic. You said Temples aren't a requirement from someone like Jesus Christ. Yet we have record of Jesus calling the temple his Father's house and participating in ceremonies therin. So.....is Jesus okay with a temple or not?
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan I've shared this before, but as a kid back in the hippy 60's and early 70's, the Catholic church we attended was in a converted auto shop. Folding chairs, a priest in jeans and long hair, folk music "choir", it was very low rent looking place that was sweltering in the summer and freezing cold most of the rest of the time. And no building felt closer to God to me, ever since. It felt experimental and fresh and really in line with the way Jesus would have wanted things. There are some magnificent churches and structures in the world, but there's a whole lot to be said for a more bare bones approach, IMHO. To me, it feels much more authentic and on the right track than the massive temples and monuments and falderal and such. Of course, after a few years with our little homespun, Kumbaya, Joy to the World, Michael Row the Boat Ashore cable-knit congregation, the church decided what was needed was a proper church. They built a modern one, with the pews and the lighting and sound system and stained glass and haircuts all around. The whole enchilada. And, for my family, something very special was lost in the process.
Originally Posted By utahjosh And I can also say i've felt God's spirit in a run-down chapel in a small town in Spain. Very little amenities, poor people working together to draw close to God. I've felt that same spirit in million-dollar structures and temples.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << So.....is Jesus okay with a temple or not? >> If the choice is to spend 95% of the churches funding on a building and its administration or to spend that same money on help the poor and down trodden, I'm pretty sure Jesus would choose the latter.
Originally Posted By BeccasMommy i think the word Temple can be defined in many ways, even the bible calls our own body a temple it does not need to be a giant edifice, a temple can be a simple structure, as long as it is a place of worship and respect And the temples of Christ's time, although large, were not likely ornately painted and outfitted like buildings of today
Originally Posted By utahjosh <If the choice is to spend 95% of the churches funding on a building and its administration or to spend that same money on help the poor and down trodden, I'm pretty sure Jesus would choose the latter.> I totally agree.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << I totally agree. >> LOL. You agree? You don't even know what percent of your church's tithing goes to charity, do you? I'll give you a hint -- it's less than 5%.
Originally Posted By utahjosh <And the temples of Christ's time, although large, were not likely ornately painted and outfitted like buildings of today> Actually, it was. Although I personally don't believe the Jews were doing everything according to God's will at the time, the Temple there was still God's house, according to Jesus. <a href="http://www.bible-history.com/jewishtemple/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.bible-history.com/j...dex.html</a>
Originally Posted By utahjosh <LOL. You agree? You don't even know what percent of your church's tithing goes to charity, do you? I'll give you a hint -- it's less than 5%.> Depends what you mean "goes to charity."
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy ^^ Yeah, I'm not counting the $20M in Mormon contributions that went to the Prop 8 political campaign. That doesn't seem very charitable. I wonder how many hungry people that money could have fed?
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>I've felt that same spirit in million-dollar structures and temples.<< Somehow, I haven't. I find that it makes me feel very distant, detached, and the disconnect between my vision of what Jesus was all about doesn't really mesh with the splendor of some of these places. And yet, standing by a cluster of 2,000 year old redwoods towering over me, though massive and impressive by any standard, feels very spiritual.
Originally Posted By BeccasMommy But if you base your definition of a temple of how the Jews were doing things, which is the more opulent house of worship, and you don't believe they were doing everything according to Gods plan how do you know they were correct at all? Doesn't seem fair to cherry pick what was correct and what wasn't
