NOM

Well, yesterday was my last time seeing the inside of the House of God (what does Fluffy call it? International House of Handshakes?). Some mixed emotions.

My biggest concern was that I would meet up with Mrs. Hagoth in the Celestial room and she would be in tears. No such thing. She said she briefly entertained the idea of asking me to finger-cross my way through one more recommend cycle but said "I understand why you can't." Then she asked "how can they call it the true order of prayer if they made women veil their faces for a hundred years and then just suddenly stopped without explanation? Was that part of the true order not true?" Great question. It's fascinating how different things make impressions on different people.

Anyway, my recommend is sputtering its last fumes (expires the end of the month) and that will be the end of that. Time for underwear shopping?

Hagoth wrote: ↑Sat Feb 22, 2020 4:15 pmWell, yesterday was my last time seeing the inside of the House of God (what does Fluffy call it? International House of Handshakes?). Some mixed emotions.

My current favorite reference is the Polygamy Palace™.

Congrats on your last visit. You can always go visit he open houses when they build new palaces, there's also the open houses after the remodels also.

If you really think you'll miss the Masonic schtuff, build yourself an altar and hearken back to the early days of LD$-Inc. and do some MORmON-Masonic LARP-ing with the wife at home.

wtfluff wrote: ↑Sat Feb 22, 2020 5:59 pm If you really think you'll miss the Masonic schtuff...

No chance of that. My mixed emotions have entirely to do with not wanting my wife to feel abandoned in any way.

I remember a few years ago when I realized that I had likely gone through a temple ordinance for the last time. Soon after, I read on the Internet that they had switched out the video presentations. I was curious about that, but I guess not curious enough to attempt to renew my recommend.

I've had leaders and family members ask me about my recommend status from time to time, and as far as I know the impression I've been giving is simply that I haven't been motivated to bother with it. Where in reality if I wanted to keep up appearances in that way I'd probably have a trouble getting through the first few interview questions. (And it's also true that I don't feel like bothering with it.)

Even now, while I don't have a desire to go through the ordinances, I'm conscious of having lost an aspect of a community that I still belong to to some degree.

It's also been a while since I've had one of those bizarre alternate version of the temple dreams.

I don't remember my last temple visit.

Does that fact have any larger meaning or significance? I remember the last time I hiked up the mountain in back of my house. We boarder on Federal forest land. I love the quiet intimacy of the woods.

We're currently in Southern Arizona for the winter. I miss my mountain. I never miss the temple....

Hagoth wrote: ↑Sat Feb 22, 2020 4:15 pm Well, yesterday was my last time seeing the inside of the House of God (what does Fluffy call it? International House of Handshakes?). Some mixed emotions.

My biggest concern was that I would meet up with Mrs. Hagoth in the Celestial room and she would be in tears. No such thing. She said she briefly entertained the idea of asking me to finger-cross my way through one more recommend cycle but said "I understand why you can't." Then she asked "how can they call it the true order of prayer if they made women veil their faces for a hundred years and then just suddenly stopped without explanation? Was that part of the true order not true?" Great question. It's fascinating how different things make impressions on different people.

Anyway, my recommend is sputtering its last fumes (expires the end of the month) and that will be the end of that.

Oh wow Hagoth, I certainly understand your feelings.

I vividly remember walking out of the celestial room and knowing it would be my last time. I did have mixed emotions. I also remember the last time I took my garments off, knowing I would never put them on again. They were both weirdly emotional moments for me.

I've held on to my last recommend (it's in a small, plastic bag with my husband's last one too). I mainly hold onto it because it has my membership # on it.

I think your wife's attitude is admirable and so respectful of your feelings. You're a lucky man!

Hagoth wrote: ↑Sat Feb 22, 2020 4:15 pmTime for underwear shopping?

I hope you have as much fun doing this as I did (and still do)



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Hagoth wrote: ↑Sat Feb 22, 2020 4:15 pm She said she briefly entertained the idea of asking me to finger-cross my way through one more recommend cycle but said "I understand why you can't."

I know you already get this, but I just gotta make the observation that you've got a keeper there in Mrs. Hagoth. Well played on her part. What a woman!

Palerider wrote: ↑Sun Feb 23, 2020 9:56 am I miss my mountain. I never miss the temple....

That really says a lot. And, I think I feel kind of like you do about the mountains. Just one of life's little reminders of how little we are, but in a way that makes me feel like part of the bigger whole.

If TBM kids are all married, I'm not sure why anyone would want to hang onto the TRs. Agree that TBM spouse can complicate things.

Also I've always thought that they could just streamline the whole interview thing by asking the most important question. In reality I think they care more about tithing than anything else.

slk wrote: ↑Sun Feb 23, 2020 12:50 pm If TBM kids are all married, I'm not sure why anyone would want to hang onto the TRs. Agree that TBM spouse can complicate things.

Also I've always thought that they could just streamline the whole interview thing by asking the most important question. In reality I think they care more about tithing than anything else.

Oh no......streamlining would make it blatantly obvious.

Hagoth wrote: ↑Sat Feb 22, 2020 6:08 pm

wtfluff wrote: ↑Sat Feb 22, 2020 5:59 pm If you really think you'll miss the Masonic schtuff...

No chance of that. My mixed emotions have entirely to do with not wanting my wife to feel abandoned in any way.

So beautiful.

I agree with your wife about the veil thing. I left before that happened, but I still have strange mixed emotions when I hear about them cutting back (admittedly in small ways) sexist practices of the past. It was so engrained in me that God had a reason for treating women like crap, er, separately, er, "in a way that honored their unique purposes" that it's hard to imagine how it would feel to see the things that everyone justified for so long just getting silently walked back. Where's the apology for all the damage this did to women and how this impacted them? Oh, that's right. #noapologies

glass shelf wrote: ↑Sun Feb 23, 2020 2:28 pm It was so engrained in me that God had a reason for treating women like crap, er, separately, er, "in a way that honored their unique purposes.."

Some like the term "equally yolked," but I've never seen a vertical oxen yolk where one ox is always above the other.

Hagoth wrote: ↑Sun Feb 23, 2020 7:05 pm

glass shelf wrote: ↑Sun Feb 23, 2020 2:28 pm It was so engrained in me that God had a reason for treating women like crap, er, separately, er, "in a way that honored their unique purposes.."

Some like the term "equally yolked," but I've never seen a vertical oxen yolk where one ox is always above the other.

haha Double decker oxen.

My last impression of the temple was this:

What a big, fat yawner.

My favorite thing about not going is not being subjected to such awful boredom. A close second is not pledging my life to the church.

My wife understands, too, and I'm sure it makes her sad sometimes. That would be the church's fault, not mine.

Give that woman a giant hug for all of us!

The Costco brand of men’s boxer briefs are extremely comfortable. It is a little weird to wear the same brand of underwear as your protein shakes but comfort is comfort!

The best thing about not having a TR is not feeling guilty for not going enough. It totally takes that nagging feeling of not doing enough away. Suddenly you can focus on things that matter versus attending the same religious ritual over and over and over again.

Duluth Trading Co. Buck Naked Boxer Briefs. (Available in varying lengths) Now these, are truly magical underwear.

Hermey wrote:Duluth Trading Co. Buck Naked Boxer Briefs. (Available in varying lengths) Now these, are truly magical underwear. [emoji23]

Yes they are, and I would also throw in ExOfficio give-n-go boxer briefs as another excellent choice.

MeUndies and Saxx are also good underwear. And if you want an undershirt that isn't garments I have really liked the Mr Davis shirts, they are a bamboo rayon and spandex blend, comfy with some stretch.

Red Ryder wrote: ↑Sun Feb 23, 2020 9:20 pm It is a little weird to wear the same brand of underwear as your protein shakes but comfort is comfort!

Not if you think of the undies as a protein storage device.

I can absolutely see and empathize with the mix of emotions this would trigger. I have been pretty vocal with my DW about my... ambivalence about the temple. To me, it mostly feels like a waste of time. I went with her 6 or 8 months ago, and I won't initiate a return trip any time soon. That said, I know it means a lot to her when we go together.

Hagoth wrote: ↑Mon Feb 24, 2020 2:16 pm

Red Ryder wrote: ↑Sun Feb 23, 2020 9:20 pm It is a little weird to wear the same brand of underwear as your protein shakes but comfort is comfort!

Not if you think of the undies as a protein storage device.

Mind. Blown.