The Salt Lake Temple and Temple Square lit up for the Olympics. (ML)
Mormons
You can’t talk about Utah without talking about Mormons. Since they built the modern state of Utah, it’s no surprise their influence is pervasive. And, what better place to experience it than in the heart of Mormon country: Salt Lake City and Provo. To be honest, the experience was a little bit toned down. The President of the Mormon Church, Gordon Hinckley, had told the Mormon faithful not to engage in proselytizing to the Olympic crowds. Still, even though our experiences with Mormons may have been somewhat distorted because of the Olympics, there were still some impressions that were apparent regardless of the distraction provided by the Games.
That Utah is Mormon country is continually reinforced as you drive up I-15 through the state. We got our first taste of it when we crossed the border from Arizona into Utah. The first city one enters after crossing the border is St. George. There, shining brightly on a bluff over the town was the oldest Mormon temple in Utah. The fact that it is the most distinguishing feature of town is a clear indication that one is in Mormon country. That indication was reinforced by all the names of places (like Nebo and Nephi) that come out of the Book of Mormon. We also noticed the vast number of Mormon churches, most of which are situated in very scenic spots, as well as the number of Mormon historical sites which dot the landscape.
My strongest impression occurred at none other than Temple Square. I had seen many pictures of the Salt Lake City Temple. But, standing in its shadow, I concluded that the pictures had not done the Temple justice. Those pictures had certainly never conveyed was the nighttime beauty of Temple Square. The beauty was created by the careful addition of light to the otherwise darkened features in the square. The whole area was illuminated with small “Christmas” lights in the trees. About 50 feet from the entrance to the Temple was a large wading pond with globes of light floating on the surface. The Temple itself was illuminated with spotlights, as most Mormon temples are. The whole scene just radiated warmth and beauty.
The Temple grounds themselves were quite impressive as well, being as illuminated as Temple Square. In addition to the grounds, several other buildings on the complex were also illuminated. We only went into one; but, it was the next most famous building other than the Temple: the Tabernacle. I thought I would be somewhat overwhelmed by the Tabernacle, having seen too many Mormon Tabernacle Choir specials. Yet, the actual building was a little underwhelming. While the interior was beautiful, it seemed to me to be little more than a large meeting hall. Even though I found the building to be less than impressive, I was surprised by one point: the missionaries didn’t approach us. The Tabernacle did have several missionaries milling about, but they were only talking to people who approached them. At no time did anyone come up to us and start preaching. I was grateful for the missionaries’ tameness.
Given all the beauty and peacefulness that the grounds around the Temple conveyed, one might think that I really enjoyed my time at Temple Square. That impression would be only partially correct. While parts of it were beautiful, other parts of it felt a little…oppressive. Just behind the wading pond and running the length of the square were several skyscrapers which constitute the administrative offices of the Mormon Church. The buildings had such a 1950’s military-industrial complex appearance to them that it was hard to imagine them as being associated with a church. I suppose that my impressions are colored by pictures of the administrative buildings which surround St. Peter’s at the Vatican. While I don’t believe I’m shallow enough to think that slapping some Bernini sculptures and a tile roof on an office building makes it any more religious than a skyscraper, I still found the Mormon offices lacked any sense of spirituality at all. Instead, they projected oppression. These feelings were compounded by the large map of the world carved into the side of one of the buildings, and the luminaria around the grounds inscribed in different languages. I realize that the intent was to show that Mormonism is a global religion. However, what came across to me was “Our intent is global domination.”
The foot soldiers for this “global domination” are trained in Provo. We didn’t go to the Missionary Training Center, but we did go to the campus of Brigham Young University. As was the case with the Temple, our experience there was diluted. All BYU students, along with all other students throughout Utah, were on vacation during the Olympic Games (as all were encouraged to serve as Olympic volunteers). While the campus was generally vacant, we could still see some signs that distinguished BYU from most other universities. The changes could best be seen in the Student Union. After passing by the food booths with their non-caffinated beverages, we arrived at the bookstore. Just inside the door was a whole assortment of formal gowns available for purchase. While my wife was surprised by the gowns, I explained to her that Mormons typically have organized dances which serve as great meeting venues for Mormon singles. These gowns were meant for the women to wear to these functions, along with other formal functions that the Church or school might have. Still, it was an odd clothing option to find in a college bookstore.
The one building that really stood out was the campus’ art museum. While not spectacular, it had a solid collection of American works from the 1800’s through today. There was only a hint of Mormonism in the collection, which made it all the more enjoyable. I would definitely recommend visiting the museum if one is looking for a diversion in Provo.
The rest of the campus was pretty nondescript. In fact, it was hard to tell from the exterior of the campus’ buildings that the university had anything to do with Mormonism. I’m pretty sure I’d have a different impression if the campus were filled with students. But, as it was, it was a fairly uneventful visit.
Our last experience with Utah Mormonism occurred in St. George on our way back to California. We decided to stop at the Temple just to take a few pictures of the oldest temple in Utah (I knew better than to go into the Visitor’s Center). Here, far away from the Olympic-induced hustle of Salt Lake City, was the Mormonism that I knew. Young women in knee length dresses were walking out of the Visitor's Center with their copies of the Book of Mormon. Young men with nametags, white shirts, and ties were walking around the temple’s grounds. A large family with that quintessential Mormon appearance filed out of their station wagon and went into the Visitor’s Center. Above it all stood the Temple; resplendent in white, imposing in appearance. To me, it was the perfect Mormon scene.
I’ve been fascinated with Mormonism for some time. My interest was not so much theological (because I find Mormon theology to be somewhat shaky), but instead cultural. I’ve always thought that the Mormons had done a great job of setting up a new culture. The chance to experience that culture first hand was something to which I was definitely looking forward. While I admit that I just dabbled in this culture, I still experienced enough of it to confirm some of my impressions. The strong sense of organization, the uniformity of the society, and the bent toward taking the teaching on a global scale (whether it is wanted or not) were evident enough to reinforce my opinion that Mormonism is more of a cultural movement than a religious movement. That cultural movement might not be appreciated by someone who is trying to get a persistent missionary out of their front door. But, it is definitely interesting to observe and experience. I’m glad I got the opportunity to do so.
Pictures (L to R):
Salt Lake City Temple (DL)
Salt Lake City Temple at Night (ML)
St. George Temple (ML)
2002 Olympic Trip Home Page
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