May 24: Why do I not take photos of people? This is an academic website, at times controversial in nature. I am not certain a person would to have like his/her photo (s) on this website. I reason, ethically, I should protect the rights of others. There are plenty of wedding photos available from friends and family on Facebook. I had two main purposes in this trip: 1) My nephew's wedding 2) To visit the Salt Lake Temple and study Mormonism. I purposely booked a motel in Salt Lake City (which happened to be away from the family in Cottonwood Heights) in order to provide myself with two potential days to visit the Salt Lake Temple. Thankful to God, I managed to achieve 2) the day I arrived by plane via several hours on foot. This photo is after I left the Motel 6 and was walking toward the Temple.
May 24: Yes, the street on the way to the Temple was listed as West Temple, but I did not see many obvious signs of the religion until quite a bit into the two hour walk (four hour round trip) when I came across this Mormon church. People I talked to in Salt Lake City were non-Latter-day Saints, other than at the Temple.
May 24: Admittedly there was a scarcity of Christian churches and the visible, cross. But, the cross, and the atoning and resurrection of Christ is the key to human salvation from the triune God in Jesus Christ (Ephesians, Romans, Hebrews). Matthew 7 continually came to mind: 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many [a]miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ New American Standard Bible.
May 24: The home of the Triple A farm club of the Los Angeles Angels, the Salt Lake City Bees. If I would have had more time I would liked to have watched a game live.
May 24: This site featured a major traffic accident seconds later. I was typing and only heard it and caught the end. I would be an insufficient witness as far as determining cause. Days later a woman almost drove into me on the crosswalk. She was looking right at me and eventually wised up, seconds before I would need to dive.
May 24: I believe this is downtown. I was surprised that such a conservative, Republican state, had not corrected this...
May 24: Approaching my goal, on foot...
May 24: At Temple Square.
May 24: The Salt Lake Temple. The Sisters (Missionaries) on site provide very good public relations for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sad to state, I reason some North American evangelicals could learn something from this public relations in regard to approaching those with whom there are religious and worldview differences. I am a biblical Christian and Reformed and certainly in agreement with core evangelical doctrines. But my deduction is that in the American, Latter-day Saints-Evangelical battles, the American evangelicals are often the aggressors. The Mormons seem interested in witnessing, but not typically not debating. Frankly, the evangelical position is the far stronger one theologically, but again I am primarily Reformed.
May 24: I took two tours to walk there and witnessed and discussed biblical and Reformed theology for approximately, two hours with the Sisters and one other person taking the tour.
May 24: During the second tour, the Sister stated she was hoping to meet with her Bishop and be considered 'worthy' for more tasks, including in the Temple. I stated that was a form of works righteousness and that (Ephesians 1-2, James) those in Jesus Christ were saved by grace through faith for good works by the applied atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ. She denied that she held to work's righteousness, but did not offer further rebuttal.
May 24: This same Sister on the tour claimed marriage was eternal. But this is clearly countered by Jesus Christ's teaching in Matthew 22, Mark 12, Luke 20. The teaching is not just stating there will be no new marriages, but no marriages. As Jesus Christ was resurrected as glorified man, and glorified male, I do not reason those in Christ (1 Corinthians 15) will be asexual but male and female sexuality will not be marriage, intercourse and procreation based. We shall be like the angels as in not married, but we will not be non-corporeal like the angels. I encouraged diverse reading for these Sisters, as I have done.
May 24: The Smiths
May 24: The Mormon story...
May 24: Again the importance of the Latter-day Saint marriage spin...It is a theological failure to misunderstand that the new creation will be radically different, although still connected to this present realm (Revelation 21-22). The Church is the everlasting family, more so. Of course that can include original family!
May 24: Pathway with Latter-day Saints origin stories...
May 24: The Latter-day Saints story...
May 24: Artistically impressive.
May 24: I find the lack of crosses very theologically telling. In a biblical faith and worldview the cross, the atoning and resurrection work of Christ is imputed and applied to believers for future good works. A works righteousness religious system denies that the cross is sufficient for atonement leading to everlasting life. Also in great heresy is the Latter-day Saints doctrine of henotheism as in the worship of one God and the belief in many. Especially disturbing is a belief that godhood can be obtained if one is worthy...Isaiah 43-45, for example, makes it clear that only one God exists or ever shall exist.
May 24: Hebrews explains that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross makes other forms of atonement invalid. Hebrews 9: 15 states: For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. New American Standard Bible.
May 24: The angel Moroni.
May 25: Cottonwood Heights, for a pre-wedding meal and party. I drove May 25-26.
May 26: Sandy, Utah, La Caille, wedding and reception site.
May 26: World class view. A warmer version of here at home...
May 26: It was very warm in my suit...
May 26: Good walkways...
May 26: Almost wedding time...
May 26: Reception.
May 26: This place was as impressive at night as in day.
May 26: A little Mormon like history?
May 27: I did a two hour round trip walk to South Salt Lake City, which according to the book store employee is making attempts at becoming a second downtown. I like it...
May 27: If I had more time, I would have liked to keep walking in that direction...
May 27: On the way back to my motel...
On the way walking back to my motel, I was hit by a massive hail storm and took cover...
