Holding to the Iron Rod

(Note: this is crossed over from S.P.A.M.'s current incarnation to make life easier for readers who do not wish to go through the signup. A large part of this was my response to discussions I'd seen elsewhere on the Net.)

As I've mentioned in comments or forums or both (else-site), I was not blessed with knowledge of the Gospel until I was 24, having grown up in a family whose attitude on religious faith ranged from apathy to rage. At least not in mortality.

While I was researching the Church on my own, then taking the discussions, I had an experience that I understand is not all that uncommon: the information I was receiving during my investigation was not new to me. I had the very strong feeling that I had once known and managed to forget what was being presented to me now in my second estate. This is, of course, explained by the teaching that a veil is drawn over our memories of our first estate, or pre-mortal existence, when we come to the second estate of mortality. This is done so that we will act on faith.

I entered the waters of baptism, and later the holy Temple, knowing that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God's true church on the earth and is led by His chosen prophets, from Joseph Smith forward to Thomas Monson (as of this writing). This will be the Lord's Kingdom on earth, when He returns to bring in the Millennium. Even in my very non-religious childhood, I had an instinctive awareness of God, but could not have explained that awareness in any useful terms, even to myself. I know I am blessed to have had the opportunity to learn the Gospel and to join the Church, and to have found many friends who share my faith and can help me learn more of the Gospel (especially the very knowledgeable people here).

So my reader understands me better in the future, I should make myself very plain on my position on doctrinal or Church policy issues: I am very orthodox, clinging tightly to the Iron Rod. It is my conviction that the leaders of the Church are prophets of God and are guided and led by Him in running His church. I do recognize that they are human, don't mistake my meaning. I do not consider any individual member of the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve, etc., to be perfect and infallible. I suspect if they were, they'd have been translated. :-)

However, I am firmly convinced that as a body, the General Authorities run the Church as the Lord wishes it to be run, and that if He deems a policy change necessary, He will make that known in His due time, when we, the Saints, are ready for that change, and through His ordained spokesmen. When I read discussions along the lines of "the Church needs to let women have the priesthood and be equal to men" (I do not consider those equivalent, BTW) or "the Temple garment needs to be altered to fit our tastes better, such as no cap sleeves on womens' tops or more choice of color", I see apostasy in the making. When we claim that our "wisdom" (such as our taste in clothing or the social views our society pushes on us) exceeds the Lord's and that we know better than His anointed servants who lead us do just how His church is to be run, that feels like very dangerous ground to me, and I don't want to be on such a shaky foundation. I prefer to stand on the Rock of faithful adherence to what we have. When we're given more, through proper channels, I will of course embrace that greater light and knowledge, and if I disagree with new revelation given to the Church, then it's up to me to conform my thinking to the Lord's, not the other way around. I do not have the knowledge, wisdom, experience, or eternal view needed to be able to second-guess God, and don't care to try.

Is It Really THAT Awful?

It's probably just as well for me I wasn't participating much in LDS online communities back in 1994 and 1995, before I went to the Temple. Especially over on LDS.net, I keep seeing threads crying and moaning about how horrible it is to have to wear the Temple garment. Frankly, if I'd read some of this stuff before I was endowed, that make garments sound like deliberate torture devices, I very likely would not have gone to the Temple, since I would have been scared away by the prospect of a lifetime of misery.

Let's review some of the common gripes:
"Waaah, I just can't handle that extra layer in summer!" - Gee, I wonder how pioneer women endured hiking across the plains in summer, dragging all their worldly goods, in corsets, petticoats, long sleeves, high necks, multiple long skirts, etc., frequently bearing (and sadly, not uncommonly burying) babies along the way. They certainly didn't have light modern synthetics or air conditioning, not to mention modern laundry equipment, and womens' underclothing in that time was much more awkward than anything we wear in this century. I'm just not seeing where we pampered modern types really have so much more to complain about than our faithful forebears who rejoiced in the privilege and blessing that we're crying about being inconvenienced by.

"Waaah, I can't wear the latest fashions!" - Considering that current fashion is to reveal as much flesh as possible, that would seem to be the point! If you have enough respect for God to follow His standards of dress, no, you won't be wearing stuff that prostitutes used to find a bit tacky, that presents you as an object for nothing more than physical lust. You'll be wearing stuff that makes you look more dignified and presents you as having the self-respect you should have as the offspring and heir of God. Is worldly fashion really more important than honoring your Divine heritage?

"Waaah, the waistband hits my ribs uncomfortably!/Waaah, the elastic binds me up!" - Try buying your correct size and wear them as designed! If you buy too small so the legs will be shorter and you can wear shorter skirts/shorts, then yeah, the elastic that's meant to go around someone smaller IS going to be uncomfortable! If you're hiking the bottom up as far as it'll go, again to be able to wear shorter skirts/shorts, then yeah, the elastic that's meant to be AT your waist WILL be annoying your ribs. The staff at the Distribution Center are trained to help you find the size that will be comfortable when worn correctly, so make use of that resource instead of looking for excuses to get out of wearing garments. Again, is looking "hot" really the most important thing in your world, or do God's standards get in there somewhere?

"Waaah, I wanna be naked all night!" - Sorry, but when you took on yourself that sacred obligation, you covenanted to wear the garment night and day to cover your nakedness. Is physical sensation really more important than honoring your covenants and obeying God? Do you plan to lie on future recommend interviews and claim that you're wearing your garments correctly if you're not, and bring on yourself God's judgment for mocking him?

All things considered, I just don't see how wearing garments is such an unreasonable demand on us. We do, after all, as Church members, make covenants of obedience to God and sacrifice. When you look at all those who gave up homes, lives, and loved ones for the Gospel, and especially when you look at the infinite suffering Christ endured to atone for our sins, how can something so minor as clothing really be too much to ask of us, as so many I see seem to claim by finding excuses to not do something so simple as wearing the garment properly?