religion, they all three carry ID proving so and are re-examined every 2 years to keep that I.D., without it they cannot enter the sacred temples which are forbidden to regular Mormons.

You just have to be an active member of the church to get inside. You show up they ask you your ward, your Bishop's name, last time & place you attended service, that kind of thing.

Look, I live in Mesa, AZ, there's an LDS church I could walk to in 3 minutes, and my recent ex-wife's family are all LDS. I know how it works

Regular Mormons must attend the regular churches, a major requirement is that you give 10% of your income to the religion, that is part of the focus of the examination every 2 years.

inactive for like 25 years ... but most of the rest of her family is still active. She specifically told me that to, say, attend weddings at the temple, you just have to be an active church member ... and that's pretty much it.

Her sister, her husband, their family ... often went to weddings at the temple and she and her husband were really not 'hard core'. They had their kids baptisms at the Church and went 'most Sundays' but weren't so devout that they like ... didn't let their kids swim on Sundays cause 'the devil owns the water on Sunday' ... unlike her brother's family. They also drank, alcohol AND coffee.

And I seriously doubt they paid 10% of their income to the Church. I also rather doubt that they were being reviewed and having to earn their 'Temple Card' every 2 years. Rather, they 'knew people who would vouch for them', and so they could go to Temple for 'happenings', if they were invited.

Maybe it varies on locale, and just generally 'who you know'. But I think that what you're talking about is a level of privilege that exceeds that of just being able to 'attend festivities at the Temple'.

What you're referring to is maybe the criteria for asking to actually be married ... at the Temple ... as opposed to just attending a wedding there.

examined, and in some cases even investigated Mormons who are approved and show the special I.D., if it is suspected that you are not giving fully 10% of your income to the organization then they can investigate your evidence. The activities inside the temples are secret, for instance that is where you will be baptized into Mormonism after you die and they see your name. Those of the temple must wear their magic underwear day and night, etc.

""To enter the temple, an individual must be baptized, and after one year, may seek a temple recommend. The individual is interviewed by his/her bishop, during which the candidate is asked a series of questions to determine worthiness to enter the temple. The individual is also interviewed by his or her stake president. The bishop and stake president sign the recommend, indicating their approval of that member's worthiness. The individual also signs the recommend, acknowledging the responsibility to remain worthy to hold the recommend. A recommend is valid for two years.""

There are a few very limited temporary exceptions, but if you read closely you see that they are in and out exceptions well controlled and no secrets are revealed, and still involve the temple standards.

""A Limited-use Recommend is available to members who have not yet received their endowment or who have not been a member for one year. These may also be issued to a group for a single visit to the temple. These can be issued to youth 12 and older who will take part in specific temple ordinances, to single members age 8–20 who are preparing to be sealed to their parents, or for individuals, not endowed, who wish to observe specific ordinances. The church member must meet the same worthiness standards as a standard temple recommend in an interview with the member's bishop. Unlike the standard temple recommend, a limited-use recommend does not require a year's membership nor an interview with a stake president. A limited-use recommend is only valid for proxy baptisms and confirmation ordinances.

Emergency access
Those without recommends occasionally need to enter temples after dedication during fires, medical emergencies, or building inspections. They are escorted by temple personnel during such visits. Temples may offer introductory tours to new local firefighters and emergency medical technicians during regularly scheduled maintenance periods.""

""A temple marriage is held inside a temple, so a temple recommend is required to attend the ceremony. ""

by and 'elite' as you're imagining them to be. Those may be 'the rules' but there's a lot of wiggle room in terms of it being about 'who you know' and 'your overall connections'.

By this, I mean my ex-wife's family is HUGE and were all raised LDS (though some have left) and as a whole contribute a TON ... hell her like great great great grandfather worked for Joseph Smith or some shit ... these guys go WAY BACK with Mormonism they're like 'founding family' so that may actually be why my SiL and Hubby had temple rec's when I *know* they were not all that devout, didn't attend every weekend, BiL had NO 'designs' on like becoming a Bishop, I seen both of them drink, and have caffeine, and I seriously doubt they were shelling 10% to the church, though I suppose I never asked directly.

15% of Mormons among this religious elite, which also applies to the quality of the afterlife.

Your thoughts about your ex wife and such are not the reality of the church doctrine and practice.

admittedly warmth lacking style of posting. The article is about Temple marriages and if you read it carefully you can see the line between regular Mormons and Temple Mormons. People don't know that Ann Romney's parents were kept outside of the Temple when she married Mitt Romney.

http://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=51970338&itype=CMSID

There is a good chance he knows what he is talking about but I never been a Mormon Temple or Church but Mesa is a heavily Mormon area. Maybe things are different elsewhere but could be right about Mesa.

Temple card holders.

No, wait -- I take that back. I'd rather Tucker Carlson's Daily Caller would crash and burn first.