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What Does Sacred Mean to You?
Where can you connect to the divine?
I grew up in a religion obsessed with sacred spaces. I was a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (often referred to as the Mormon Church) until one day I wasn’t. I’m no longer religious, but I am spiritual. Sacred spaces are still important to me.
Mormons build temples. That’s what we’ve always done. Mormon temples tend to be big, beautiful, expensive, and exclusive. To Mormons, temples are the most sacred spaces on the Earth, a place where Jesus might literally walk the halls, and where Satan and his demonic followers cannot penetrate. Non-members cannot enter a dedicated temple — and even members must first obtain a recommend from local leaders that certifies their worthiness.
But the Mormon obsession with sacred spaces doesn’t end there. Regular chapels or meetinghouses are sacred too, sometimes being called the Lord’s house, although these belong to a lower level of sacredness. Our bodies and homes are also commanded to be temples — although presumably allegorical temples as Satan can still find you there and you don’t have to pass an interview with a local leader to go home.
Our family no longer goes to church, and we haven’t for many years. This essay isn’t about that. My wife and I have different views on god (or God?)…
