When I was a child I thought you went to the temple to have your real heavenly name revealed to you. How magical! I couldn't wait to find out who I really was! I eventually found out, of course, that it was only an assigned name given in symbolism just like Abraham, etc. Bummer, no magic powers divining my celestial moniker. Of course, I was really bummed out to realize that everyone got assigned the same name that day. It seemed so uninspired and (gasp) corporate! And the worst part is that it was the same name as my deadbeat bio-dad's ex-wife who is only 8 years older than me. It was awkward.

Thankfully, I can laugh about it now, but I've been thinking lately about words and their power. I no longer recognize the power of the words of the temple ceremony, and am no longer bound by them. Therefore, drumroll please......

My temple name is Claudia.

I know its been done before, but this is a first for me. Feel free to join in the fun :)

You're obviously better at this than I am, lol.

Judith, which is my mother's name.

Yay?

Librarykim2

Amulek...bleh

Claudia, just like my ex. We should get together sometime so you can control freak me to death.

Wait, are you a guy Claudia, or was it your ex? I command you to explain yourself. (Was that control-freaky enough for you?)

I thought the same thing. Adam's real name is Michael, Noah's real name is Gabriel, my real name is Naomi. I was lucky enough to get a nice name, too, so I might as well use it, at least here on RfM.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/18/2013 11:13AM by Naomi.

Wow, shows how much I know! I was a member for almost 50 years and always thought the temple name came from either the scriptures or church history. But Claudia??

Want to know my temple name?
Yeah.
Noah.

Lucy

I didn't get a name and feel left out--on the board and with my family. Will someone give me a name?

Either Dan or Daniel. Can't really remember. Really was hoping I would get something cool, like Agnar the Destroyer.

Makurosu is my temple new name!

Just kidding. Everybody knows that God speaks English as his primary language. Ho ho ho ho...

My real new name is the grand eternal name of AMOS (hyuk!)

The power behind the words in the temple is within the ritual with it's threats, etc.

It's very common in religious teachings to find commandments, etc. to bring blessings and what happens if those are not followed - the damnation of some sort.

Religion can be said, in general to be a method of pleasing their deity/savior and what happens (both in this life and in their after life) when the deity/savior is not pleased. The deity/savior will "getcha" one way or another!

It's very clever, actually, in my view. It promotes compliance by fear, mainly.

Everyone gets the same temple name for males and females on the same day in the same temple. No big mystery there.

It's all part of the symbolism which stresses the importance of compliance -- obedience (the first law of heaven and earth, according to Mormonism).

My temple name was Rachel.