December 03, 2021

Mormon Temple ceremonies are NOT unchanging. For example, there used to be nudity. (Yes, nudity. As in people sitting naked in a bathtub levels of nudity)

 


So many people don't realize that nudity was a part of the initiatory, or washing and anointing, part of the endowment.

This is one of ten washing and anointing rooms of the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints circa 1911. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washing_and_anointing#cite_note-ABVW-3

From the Wikipedia page: "As the washings and anointings were practiced in Nauvoo, men and women were taken to separate rooms, where they disrobed and, when called upon, passed through a canvas curtain to enter a tub where they were washed from head to foot while words of blessing were recited. Then oil from a horn was poured over the head of the participant, usually by another officiator, while similar words were repeated. As part of the ceremony, participants were ordained to become kings and queens in eternity. Men performed the ritual for men, and women performed the ritual for women."


I made an Instagram post talking about how people were nude under a shield pre-2005, and so many Mormons don't even believe that!

So many comments from people saying "that's fake" and "nudity has never been a part of the temple".

Sigh...

It's so sad because the other half of the comments are from people who were traumatized by the experience and are now being gas lit.

That's not ok.

It's easy to see how something so weird and secret could be traumatizing.

It needs to stop being swept under the rug.

The temple and all of the weird things that have been changed since it's origins should be talked about way more.

Mel Wells of My Underwear Will Save Me has a great painting of what the shield looked like. You were basically nude under a poncho: https://myunderwearwillsaveme.com/post/140170318337/i-was-21-when-i-went-through-the-mormon-temple