Latest effort to "mainstream" LDS-Mormon Church still spells trouble for controversial religious sect.
March 5, 2005 (Press Release) --
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - The LDS-Mormon Church ended the practice of non-consenting naked touching during a secret temple ordinance called "washing and anointing." The unannounced, secret change came on January 18, 2005. The LDS-Mormon Church, a religious organization headquartered in Salt Lake City UT with approximately 11 million members and 119 temples worldwide, refuses to apologize or even discuss the exposure of church members to a sexually intimidating ritual for over 170 years.
Mike Norton, a former Mormon who can verify the change, said, "Removing naked touching from the Mormon temple ordinance represents one of the biggest changes ever to Mormon temple doctrine and practice."
For over 170 years, faithful LDS members have started the temple ordinance by completely undressing and then donning an open poncho called a "shield." During this temple ordinance, certain parts of the patron's naked body were touched with water and oil under the shield, including the forehead, chest and thigh. This "washing and anointing" ordinance is necessary to prepare members to receive their new temple garments, which faithful members must then wear as their only form of underwear for the rest of their lives.
One of the most disturbing aspects of the washing and anointing ritual is that first-time temple patrons do not consent in advance to the naked touching. First time temple patrons typically attend "temple preparation classes", but those informal sessions do not reveal the rituals performed in the temple. Furthermore, Mormons are not allowed to discuss temple rituals outside of the temple. A first-time temple patron only finds out about the naked touching as it occurs.
The last time the Mormon Church made changes to its secret temple ritual in 1990, it eliminated some "penalties" for revealing temple secrets that had temple patrons acting our their own disembowelment and the slitting of their throats. The most recent changes are more significant because it represents a major alteration of gospel ordinances that church leaders have historically declared were unchangeable and required for salvation.
There's evidence that the move to change this sacred ceremony was done rather quickly. The new "shields" worn by temple patrons are just the old open ones, which have been sewn shut. Temple workers started this week sewing the shields shut, so it does not appear that this was planned in advance. There's speculation that this was done due to lawsuit against the church - either in connection with recent cases of child molestation in the church, or one directly tied to the naked touching in the washing and anointing temple ordinance. In either case, the Mormon Church refuses to discuss the changes to the secret temple rituals. And individual Mormons are instructed in temple rituals to protect the temple's secrets with their life if need be.
Transcripts of the old and the new washing and anointing ordinances have been published on the Internet. The old ordinance is available at http://helpingmormons.org/initiate.htm and the new ordinance is available at http://www.josephlied.com
Summary of changes in the Mormon temple initiatory ordinance
http://www.think-link.org/think/temples/temple_ordinance.htm
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Mike Norton, a former Mormon who can verify the change, said, "Removing naked touching from the Mormon temple ordinance represents one of the biggest changes ever to Mormon temple doctrine and practice."
For over 170 years, faithful LDS members have started the temple ordinance by completely undressing and then donning an open poncho called a "shield." During this temple ordinance, certain parts of the patron's naked body were touched with water and oil under the shield, including the forehead, chest and thigh. This "washing and anointing" ordinance is necessary to prepare members to receive their new temple garments, which faithful members must then wear as their only form of underwear for the rest of their lives.
One of the most disturbing aspects of the washing and anointing ritual is that first-time temple patrons do not consent in advance to the naked touching. First time temple patrons typically attend "temple preparation classes", but those informal sessions do not reveal the rituals performed in the temple. Furthermore, Mormons are not allowed to discuss temple rituals outside of the temple. A first-time temple patron only finds out about the naked touching as it occurs.
The last time the Mormon Church made changes to its secret temple ritual in 1990, it eliminated some "penalties" for revealing temple secrets that had temple patrons acting our their own disembowelment and the slitting of their throats. The most recent changes are more significant because it represents a major alteration of gospel ordinances that church leaders have historically declared were unchangeable and required for salvation.
There's evidence that the move to change this sacred ceremony was done rather quickly. The new "shields" worn by temple patrons are just the old open ones, which have been sewn shut. Temple workers started this week sewing the shields shut, so it does not appear that this was planned in advance. There's speculation that this was done due to lawsuit against the church - either in connection with recent cases of child molestation in the church, or one directly tied to the naked touching in the washing and anointing temple ordinance. In either case, the Mormon Church refuses to discuss the changes to the secret temple rituals. And individual Mormons are instructed in temple rituals to protect the temple's secrets with their life if need be.
Transcripts of the old and the new washing and anointing ordinances have been published on the Internet. The old ordinance is available at http://helpingmormons.org/initiate.htm and the new ordinance is available at http://www.josephlied.com
Summary of changes in the Mormon temple initiatory ordinance
http://www.think-link.org/think/temples/temple_ordinance.htm
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