Someone asked why their parents had to take the blood oath in the temple but they didn't, and the answer....

"Short and sweet answer? People (members of the Church included!) often confuse the endowment with the presentation of the endowment. The endowment itself never changes, and has not changed, but the presentation of the endowment can be changed as often and wherever, as needed and as circumstances require.

The Endowment is comprised of the signs, tokens, and keywords. President Brigham Young stated of the Endowment:

"Let me give you a definition in brief. Your endowment is, to receive all those ordinances in the house of the Lord, which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, to enable you to walk back to the presence of the Father, passing the angels who stand as sentinels, being enabled to give them the key words, the signs and tokens, pertaining to the holy Priesthood, and gain your eternal exaltation in spite of earth and hell."

Everything else is presentation. I envision a day when the presentation of the endowment will need to be shortened to the bare essentials during the Millennium. If only the Endowment alone were given, it would take around 20 minutes or less.

As to the supposed “blood oaths,” that isn't what they were. They were symbolic penalties expressive of ways you rather would die than to divulge what you learned. They were part of the presentation of the endowment prior to April 1990. Those were the most favorite parts of filmographers who liked to reenact the temple ceremonies for public audiences. But it was felt that they were unnecessary for more modern temple attendees so they were removed so as to boost temple attendance. I miss them and wish they still were there in the ceremony but their presence or lack thereof does not affect my or anyone else’s exaltation one way or the other.


Did God get it wrong the first time? No. Nor is he wrong now."


Once again, while reading this answer, I have to ask: Why would Jesus want anything hidden? Why hide "your light under a bushel"? Are we supposed to believe that these "sentinel angels" are so stupid that they could be fooled by a frikkin' secret handshake!?

You read the words of an apologist. Very tricky, and lying, bastards!

I don't know if you went pre-1990, but I did, and I know for a fact that it was me, telling ghawd that if I divulged the secrets I was learning, that I would suffer my life to be taken. I did it once and did the hari kari stomach thrust, and then against, slicing from ear to ear, being sure to have the thumb positioned properly to mimic the blade.

The writer whom you quoted is feeling very, very proud of himself, for being so adept at cleaning up heavenly father's messes.

Not only would I "suffer my life to be taken," but I rehearsed how to do it myself.



How many killed themselves because they promised to?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/2017 09:07PM by kathleen.

...I keep putting it off... I have to get cat food tomorrow, and I'm low on eggs...

Maybe next week?

Remember your psyllium fiber capsules, too! You’ll be less cranky after a good shit. Love you, Dawg!!!

The wisdom of Mormon Jesus: restore the endowment in a 5 hr+ ceremony, then over the next 175 years pare it down to 30 minutes. Such a wise sage.

And all the while, assuring the patrons that every bit of it is necessary, even for the dead. Sure does keep the members busy tho...

The endowment is different for those with a speeth impediment.

"Wather than do so, I would suffer my wife to be taken."