Did you get to experience the weirdness of performing Temple endowments? Did you notice how many contradictions there were between temple doctrine and scripture? These issues always bothered me in the back of my mind as a Mormon. Stake presidents, mission presidents, bishops, and relatives not only were unable to provide me with satisfactory answers, but many of them had never even noticed the doctrinal contradictions. I was trained and advised to not think too much and just accept it. It took a great tragedy in my life to finally realize it was all bullshit. Let me know if you noticed any other contradictions or issues beyond the ones I've listen here.
-Temple Contradictions-
#1. Creation story conflict-
There are three creation accounts in Mormon scripture (Genesis, Abraham, and Moses), and all three sets of scripture consistently claim that plants came before the sun. The temple video updates this to feel more scientifically consistent be placing the creation of the sun before plants, yet the temple video contradicts both the Bible and Joseph Smith's revelations. If Joseph was inspired, he should have fixed the Bible with JS translations, and fixed the order in the Pearl of Great Price. Joseph did not fix the Bible, he only confirmed it. So, it is quite the conundrum for the temple to betray both the Bible and Joseph Smith's revelations in favor of seeming slightly more scientifically logical.
#2. Spirit/angel doctrine issue -
Per D&C, only *resurrected* angels will shake hands with mortals. Righteous spirits will not shake hands and not deceive. Wicked spirits can be detected via handshakes that are immaterial. Only angels of the earth can visit the earth.
Yet, in the temple, Peter, James, and John are theoretically righteous spirits that *do* shake hands with Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve never notice that their hands are immaterial. Either they are violating D&C doctrine, or they are resurrected time travelers that violate every time travel paradox known to man (since Jesus was the first resurrected).
#3. 1 Nephi 3:7 doctrine issue -
Why did God command Adam and Eve to do two conflicting commandments and didn't prepare a way for them to accomplish both (multiply and don't eat)?
#4. Satan talks to Adam about a "non-existent preexisting society" issue -
"They are being taught the doctrines of men mingled with scripture"
"You can buy anything in this world with money"
If Adam was the first man, then there is no such thing as the "doctrine of men" or "scripture" or "money". If Adam is not the first man, then this violates the Genesis creation account and/or we need an explanation for who the other people are who do the teaching for money.
#5. Snake issue -
Why was Satan cursed to be on his belly if he isn't a serpent? Moses 4:6-7 specifically says that Satan put words in the heart of a serpent and used the mouth of a serpent to talk. Temple violates Joseph's revelations by portraying the tempter as a man with no sign of any snakes nearby.
#6. Satan and Adam supernaturally talk to the audience issue -
Satan and Adam can break the 4th wall? Why? Feels fake. Seems like they are trying to pretend that ancient Adam and Satan can spiritually connect to modern men via the temple and give us modern messages. There is no scriptural precedent for this type of a Deadpool-style space-time-transcending consciousness.
#7. Satan has the priesthoods issue -
There is no scriptural precedent for this, and it conflicts with Joseph's revelations (D&C 121:36 "That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.")
#8. Tokens / Signs / Names issue -
What is the purpose? Avoid deceit? This method is not fool proof since spies will learn the tokens. Why would an all-knowing God need to use this strange method? Don't the scriptures say that hand signs are evil? Why are they important for getting into heaven? I thought God looks inward and cares about the heart not outward signs.
#9. See God's face issue -
The Bible and BOM say that all souls shall see God's face after they die. Why is there a veil in the temple that we need secret Mormon hand signs to get through in order to see his face? The scriptures say that the righteous will dwell with God. Is the temple implying that baptised people without secret handsigns get a lower level of Celestial kingdom and not do not get to be with God?
#10. Purchasing clothes/food in the temple -
I thought Jesus didn't want business inside the temple? Seems rather sacrilegious to handle monetary transactions in God's house. Why not have the transactions in the visitor's center rather than taking the focus off of Jesus and turning it towards Mammon (demon of greed)? Can't serve both God and Mammon.
#11. Temple covenants redundancy issue -
I thought that all of the endowment covenants were already included in the baptismal covenant. Why do we need to duplicate the purpose of baptism? If baptism implies obedience to God, why do we need an additional covenant also about obedience to God?
#12. Temple weirdness and barbarism Issue -
All of the clothing, names, handsigns, and even almost naked rituals are extremely weird and disquieting. What's worse is that the original handsigns were more explicitly rituals for showing different ways of committing suicide via hand motions with invisible knives - implying that violation of temple covenants warrants suicide. Why would God surprise us with secret suicide promises in the Temple without giving us proper warning beforehand? Why would the modern prophets change the ritual to disguise the hand movements as not being suicide related? Is God unchanging, or do his sacred rituals and commandments change every 100 years?