Section 31: The Temple Recommend — The Institutional Gate

Access to the temple requires a current temple recommend — a card issued by the bishop and stake president following interviews in which the member is asked a series of questions. The questions include: Do you have faith in and a testimony of God the Eternal Father, his Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost? Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Christ? Do you sustain the President of the Church as prophet, seer, and revelator? Do you live the law of chastity? Do you obey the Word of Wisdom? Do you pay a full tithe (10% of income)? Do you support or participate in any organization opposed to the church or its leadership?

The recommend is renewed every two years. Loss of the recommend — through failure to tithe, violation of the law of chastity, participation in "apostate" activities, or other infractions — means exclusion from the temple, which means exclusion from celestial marriage, which means exclusion from exaltation.

"Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence."

— Hebrews 4:16

ERROR IDENTIFIED: The temple recommend system institutionalizes exactly what the New Testament declares ended at the cross. The high priest controlled access to the Holy of Holies. Only the properly qualified, ritually pure, institutionally authorized individual could enter. The veil was torn. No institution now controls access to God's presence. Hebrews 4:16: "Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence." Not "Let us approach through the bishop's interview and the stake president's signature." The recommend system is a reconstruction of the Old Covenant barrier that Christ definitively removed.

Section 32: What Is Required of Members

Full participation in LDS religious life requires substantially more than Sunday attendance. The comprehensive expectations include: weekly Sacrament Meeting attendance; fulfillment of a "calling" — a volunteer church position that may require 5–20 hours per week; payment of full tithing (10% of gross income, reported to the bishop); observance of the Word of Wisdom (no coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs); adherence to the law of chastity (sexual relations only within temple marriage); regular scripture study; family home evening (a weekly family devotional on Monday nights); personal prayer; and temple attendance.

For young men, two years of full-time missionary service (at their own family's expense) is a de facto expectation with significant social and family pressure attached. For young women, eighteen months of missionary service is encouraged. Missions involve 12–15 hour days of proselytizing, strict behavioral rules, and deep indoctrination in LDS teaching and missionary methodology.

The financial requirement is significant. Tithing is assessed on gross income in mainstream LDS teaching. Non-payment of tithing — or payment of less than the full 10% — makes a member ineligible for the temple recommend. Temple recommend ineligibility prevents attendance at family members' temple marriages and, theologically, endangers the member's own exaltation.