Dear Editor,
A Steeple or a California Howdy?
I read Leo Wolfson’s article on how the gigantic 101 foot tall, LDS Temple is a done deal in Cody, after church representatives threatened federal legal action. He used the word controversial, and it fits nicely with Mormonism.
For me as a pastor, Joseph Smith’s claim that all Christian “creeds were an abomination in God’s sight, their professors corrupt… draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” rubs me the wrong way. It could be resistance to the towering steeple stems from more than just a blocked view.
I know this is probably not the place to argue beliefs but the Mormon obsession with temple building was never part of historical Christianity.
There were only two stationary temples in Old Testament times and no mandates to fill the world with more. Jesus never sanctioned massive temple building projects either.
To emphasize that, after saying “it is finished” He died on the cross, and the veil of the Jewish temple was torn from top to bottom. A sign that the time of Holy Temples was over, and God was doing a new thing. The Apostle Paul wrote, “do you not know your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)
I get it. All that doesn’t matter, they can build temples if they want.
However, you’d think the mega wealthy Mormon church would have been willing to shorten the steeple to appease the citizens of Cody.
After all, a shorter steeple would not violate doctrine or the purpose of the temple. But instead, they threatened a lawsuit and their Christ like, I mean bully tactic worked and they can now build their towering steeple.
Not realizing though, that many will only see it as a California howdy jutting into the skies over Cody.
Douglas B Cox
Evanston, Wyoming
