Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the News

[Donuthole]

Fairview mayor announces campaign on Fairview Texas Temple height

Fairview, out of all other options, is now launching a PR campaign to get the church to change the height of the temple steeple. This isn't just the people of Fairview starting the campaign, it's quite literally the city, which is using city funds, that is doing the campaign. The city knows it lost and has now decided to burn every ounce of goodwill on the way out the door. Absolutely amazing but not unpredictable given the type of people that live in Fairview.

This is really fascinating. Pulling out all the stops, now trying to guilt the Church into reducing the temple size in an attempt to prevent the temple from being the visibile landmark in Fairview. But they won't come out and just way what they really want to say: "We want your temple smaller because ya'll ain't Christians, and we don't want the biggest visible landmark in town to be a Mormon temple"

[Jeff Lebowski]

Yeah, the church should just ignore that. Good grief.

[BigFatMeanie]

I love the “you’re supposed to be kind and good people so you should do what we want out of kindness and goodness” logic.

[Donuthole]

I wish the stake president or a local GA would send a letter to the city basically saying "hey, it sounds like you are not happy with the deal we struck at mediation and you're considering steps that would void the agreement. Please let us know what you intend to do. If we don't hear from you, we'll assume you intend to honor the agreement as signed. You may recall that, as part of that agreement, we reduced our steeple from 196 to 120 feet, muted the lighting, reduced the parking lot size, and [insert all the other concessions made] because we wanted to be a good neighbor. Let us know."

Then, if they respond with any equivocation at all, boom, file suit and litigate them to death. Like a good neighbor.

[wally]

Ute fans who insist BYU Sports does nothing for missionary work are furious!

LOL! I AM SO PISSED OFF RIGHT NOW.

[wally]

I wish the stake president or a local GA would send a letter to the city basically saying "hey, it sounds like you are not happy with the deal we struck at mediation and you're considering steps that would void the agreement. Please let us know what you intend to do. If we don't hear from you, we'll assume you intend to honor the agreement as signed. You may recall that, as part of that agreement, we reduced our steeple from 196 to 120 feet, muted the lighting, reduced the parking lot size, and [insert all the other concessions made] because we wanted to be a good neighbor. Let us know."

Then, if they respond with any equivocation at all, boom, file suit and litigate them to death. Like a good neighbor.

Nah, this is all solvable with good engineering: First ever temple with extendable steeple. Build the Temple with the Steeple at 1-foot shorter than the very important 'historic water tower' (104') then the steeple is extended upward by an internal mechanism by one foot each week until it reaches the full agreed upon height of 120.' That is how you properly gaslight the haters, and cheaper and more ethical than paying attorneys.

[Donuthole]

Nah, this is all solvable with good engineering: First ever temple with extendable steeple.

There’s a “my body is a temple” joke in there somewhere.

[Maximus]

This is really fascinating. Pulling out all the stops, now trying to guilt the Church into reducing the temple size in an attempt to prevent the temple from being the visibile landmark in Fairview. But they won't come out and just way what they really want to say: "We want your temple smaller because ya'll ain't Christians, and we don't want the biggest visible landmark in town to be a Mormon temple"

is there a need to make it high at all? seems like a battle the church couldve not fought for no reason

[BlueK]

is there a need to make it high at all? seems like a battle the church couldve not fought for no reason

the town of Fairview was never negotiating in good faith, nor in compliance with state law which would have allowed the church to build according to the original plans and the town couldn't have done anything about it. But instead the church tried to compromise and were able to come to an agreement which the town now is trying to pressure them into changing. It seems now the truth is if the church had agreed to any height it would have been too tall for them. I kind of think personally it's not a good location anyway and I would have preferred they'd chosen another, but legally they're in the right and the town will find out eventually it won't be that terrible. None of this happens if it's a Baptist church with the exact same dimensions. I'm pretty sure at one point when it appeared this was going to court that the ACLU even said something in the church's favor. Sometimes it's nice when bigotry gets what it deserves.

[Moliere]

is there a need to make it high at all? seems like a battle the church couldve not fought for no reason

Yes the height makes it prettier, which is part of the point of the outside of the temple. Otherwise we’d put temples in strip malls with no facade or steeple.

[falafel]

is there a need to make it high at all? seems like a battle the church couldve not fought for no reason

Is there a (legitimate) reason to reduce the height (beyond the reduction the Church has already made)? Probably not, other than to try to be the type of Christian the state of Texas prefers, which is NO MORMON.

I would love to litigate this issue against the municipality of FAIRveiw, TX. I wonder what churches the city has approved in the past that might mitigate against their current position?

The recent battle between Las Vegas residents and the Lone Mountain Temple has colored my response to this kind of thing. I guess the Freedom of Religion has bounds, and its whether the surrounding residents like your religion or not. Litigate this shit to the ends of the earth. These temples are not for the entire residency anyway, they are for different faiths. Can you imagine a Southern Baptist church being attacked by the State of Texas for being too obviously a church?

Texas just SUCKS. Sorry Molieddie, GM, and JL. Texas may be the worst. Exhibit A: Ted Cruz, who is apparently real hot to be President again.

[Shaka]

The local Methodist church was approved for a 154ft bell tower than was never built.

[falafel]

The local Methodist church was approved for a 154ft bell tower than was never built.

Exactly, and thank you for the additional info.

[Green Monstah]

The phoenix temple experienced similar backlash about steeple height.

[wally]

People just don't like the idea of Mormons having big dicks. It just "is what it is."