Comments about ‘Linda & Richard Eyre: Helping others understand how temples are sacred, not secret’

They are secret...because they're considered sacred.

One of the reasons that Latter-Day Saints make the distinction between Sacred and Secret in regards to the temple ordinances is simply this: we are not only willing but anxious to share them with anybody and everybody in the world! These are not esoteric secrets to be limited to a select few and kept from the curious, but sacred rites open to everybody who is properly prepared. For the purpose of preparing people to receive these ordinances missionaries are sent out to teach people, missions, branches, wards and stakes are organized throughout the world and temples are made available as close to the people as is feasible so that when they are ready they can receive the ordinances for themselves and prepare other people to receive them as well.

Elder Golden in October 2007 quoted Joseph Fielding Smith, "In my judgment the sacrament meeting is the most sacred, the most holy, of all the meetings of the Church." All the world is invited each week to the most holy meeting in the church. And Wilford Woodruff said that the Holy Ghost is the greatest gift we receive from God. So the most sacred and precious gifts of God are available to all. I only mention this in case we ever put so much emphasis on the temple, that we neglect the chapel. I think it was Elder B R McConkie that said, "We don't have to be purer than pure."

RE: Helping others understand how temples are sacred, not secret.
(Jesus)I have spoken openly to the world," Jesus replied. "I always taught in synagogues or at the Temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in Secret.(John 18:20 NIV)
Jesus answered them, âDestroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.â They replied, âIt has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?â But the temple he had spoken of was his body. John 2:19-21 (NIV) Jesus is The Christians Temple
Masonic Temple have many secrets in common with Mormon temples

A high councilman gave an announcement in our ward about a stake temple night and ended it by saying there would be a meeting in the temple chapel where the stake president would "speak about things that can only be talked about in the temple."

As much as I'd like to say it was sacred things they were going to talk about it sounded like it would be something secret.

The reality of it all is if you pay your tithing you can go to the temple and listen to sacred things but there really isn't any place in the temple where you can discuss anything. There may be discussions in the temple for some leaders but for the average member, they are not part of any discussions so as I see it, discussions are secret.

The fact is most members don't pay tithing so they don't go to the temple so they don't know anything about the sacred nature of the temple and only experience the secrets of not knowing. God's sacred message should not be secret.

@Instereo

You said - "The fact is most members don't pay tithing so they don't go to the temple so they don't know anything about the sacred nature of the temple..."

What percentage exactly is "most?" And if "most" members don't know about the sacred nature of the temple, then I would say a lot of people outside the LDS Church do know about it, which is why articles like this are written.

Here's the simplest way to explain how temples are sacred, not secret -

A secret shared with another can be fully discussed at anytime and in any place where only those in on the secret are found (or anywhere the person from whom the secret is kept [and their allies] is not). We who have gone through the temple are "in on the secret", but we don't discuss it outside of the temple, even amongst those who have been through the temple. The fact that we don't discuss it amongst ourselves testifies to the sacredness to which we hold it, rather than it just being a secret.

lds4gaymarriage: Here's the simplest way to explain how temples are sacred, not secret .
Jesus warns to not trust in sacred places:
In John (4:20-24), Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

And that from a child thou hast known the holy(hieros,2413,sacred) scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus (2 Tim3:15) . The Bible is referred the sacred scriptures but a secret for some.

Seriously, that's your article? That was disappointingly devoid of substance, especially to members of the Church who are being asked now more than ever to offer some explanation of our practices to our friends and neighbors. You guys can do much better than this.

Hmmm, I thought Christ told some of those whom he healed not to tell others how they were healed. That sounds like a secret to me. You also didn't address my point about those who have been through the temple not talking about it outside of the temple, even when there are no others there. This shows that the issue is sacredness, not secrecy.

"To facilitate this linking and connecting to ancestors and extended family, it is important to know the names and a bit of the history of our forbears." Why not just say "baptism for the dead," rather than the inocuous "linking and connecting to our ancestors and extended family" (the latter term including nearly anyone you might wish to name)? Are you ashamed of the phrase, or worried about the inevitable follow-up questions?

Also, every comment here that favors a distinction between "secret" and "sacred" supports the idea that the two concepts overlap, at least in key respects, in thinking of the faithful. If only certain folks are "in on the secret," then the "sacred" is necessarily "secret." How can it be plainer? Mormons who use this kind of double-talking faith-speak are either deliberately obfuscatory, or (perhaps worse) unable to see the obvious rational problems with such patent semantics.