“Sacred, not Secret”—Meaningful Secrecy in Mormon Temple Ritual
Disclaimer: This post in no way discloses contents of the temple endowment, or related rituals, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a member of the LDS Church, I value my participation in the temple, and remain faithful to my promise to not disclose particular (though not all) contents of the rituals conducted therein. Latter-day Saint readers may proceed with confidence.
“No matter what outsiders believe — even if they scoff at us — our temple rite is a sacred secret that affirms that the gods desire company, that the family reunion is for all, that ‘we’ without ‘them’ — even the scoffers — cannot be a completely joyful family. …
“[W]e [can] tell others by word and action, ‘I hold a secret that is sacred to me, but I assure you it is good news for all, and it only enhances my respect and love for you here and now.’”
— Charles Randall Paul, “The Sacred Secret Open to All: Ye Are Gods,” Sunstone (May 2009), 18
Ritual is performance art, in a manner of speaking, attempting to point your attention to something about life that you’re overlooking or didn’t realize. Thus when ritual does anything, it is to point away from itself, toward a meaning embedded in your life. Like a word points to a reality, ritual points to something, and we’ll really…
