Back in 2010 I revealed that the new name given to me was Deborah. I also thoughtlessly revealed Toby's name - NIMROD!!! haha. And then later removed it because he did not want to upset family. I can understand that. I hadn't thought about it at the time of first publishing as I was probably so caught up in my own self that I didn't think of asking permission. But now he is cool with it.
It's just a fucking word. A nonsense name given as part of the 'spectacle'.
Oh, and I have had a few people ask me recently: "HOW is the Mormon church sexist?" The 'new name' nonsense seems like a good example of sexism to me. Women must reveal their 'new name' to their husbands. The men must NOT reveal their 'new name' to their wives. The husband stands behind a veil as a proxy for Jesus, he holds your hand through the veil and asks you rote questions about the previous ceremony and then you reveal your 'new name' to him. Your husband (Jesus) then pulls you through the veil. Fuck me! Now that I write it out it sounds like a birth scene. The white curtains (the veil) being like a vagina that you emerge from into the presence of god. Is this another case of birth envy. Anyway, there you are in the white room. Your husband is now your husband again, not Jesus. Phew! Although I can't help but think of some men getting around feeling all powerful after that one ;)
I am a member of a few facebook groups for ex-Mo's. Lovely secret affairs they are too. Every now and then there will be a thread about our temple names. A recent one revealed comments like these:
"I threatened to have t shirts made up that say hi my temple name is...People could customize their own name. Maybe I will wear it to a family dinner."
"______, GASP, but only your anointed penis is allowed to know and share that."
"Oh, silly little me. I'm justa girl, I don't always remember these things."
"A friend of mine was so upset that her husband wasn't allowed to share his temple name with her that
she cried and prayed, and prayed, and the name was magically "revealed" to her. ( oh brother)"
"Me, I just pretended I didn't give a damn. My man couldn't stand keeping "the secret" from me and eventually told me. :) Way to isolate life partners, Latter Day "Saints.""
And here's what happened when I revealed Toby's 'new name' there:
...and that's what you get when a bunch of ex-Mo women chat openly in a secret facebook group :P
I went through the endowment ceremony when we had to mime throat slitting and disembowelments. It freaks me out now because what wouldn't I have done if everyone else were doing it too?
ReplyDeleteOh, and: Titus.
I also went through with all the disembowelling and was totally freaked out by it. Then when it changed, I wondered how a church that had been restored in its entirety directly from god could or even would change. I mean, did god get the temple ceremony wrong to start with? Or just change his mind? Either way, it was at odds with what I had been taught about the mormon church and the mormon god. And it just became one more step out of the church for me.
ReplyDeleteOh, and you can all call me Emma.
Pretty sure my ex isn't going to be calling me now!
A very scary though Daniel. I remember martyrdom being on the cards.
ReplyDeleteHey Carolyn :) how did you feel about getting that name? did you feel special? did you feel honoured? did you feel ambivalent? Emma seems like 'The' name to get. Just like all the people who got Joseph must have felt pretty chuffed.