Ep149: Update: Lying for the House of the Lord: McKinney Temple Letter Misleads Neighbors

In this update episode of Mormonish Podcast, Rebecca and Landon discuss a letter the LDS church sent to residents in Fairview, TX to announce the proposed McKinney Temple coming to their neighborhood.
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[@JeannetteGrazioli]

I live in Fairview and I can assure you this is creating a lot of friction in our community. A lot of residents are meeting with town officials, starting petitions and discussions on social media are very heated.

[@IAmJustOneMom]

I would like to participate in such a truth based campaign; the deceptions need to be exposed to the community & its officials.

[@onebrowneye1blue]

I offer my sympathies because it is a futile battle. Have they ever backed down?

[@IAmJustOneMom]

@@onebrowneye1blue No, the church/corp doubles down on their costly legal threats, knowing the small communities they handpick, do not have a $256BILLION war chest to fund a Honor the Laws of the Land and Stop the Bullying Pulpit campaign.

[@rebeccabibliotheca]

Where city councils and residents stand firm, there’s a chance!

[@gladtobefreeagain7375]

Find out why Prosper temple was moved. It may reveal a better strategy.

[@SouthernIdaho]

I appreciate Landon passion on his describing the actions of this"high"standard church. The church certainly sets a poor example of how to treat one another. But then again, is anyone really surprised? Thank you Rebecca and Landon for this report.

[@nancyevans3590]

Dear Landon, The church we were taught about in classes and talks never existed. It was a hard pill for me to swallow too.

[@mormonishpodcast1036]

Agreed. It was all a utopian ideal that was based on a lie!

[@truthseeker4286]

Oh, so well said.

[@BrianWaller-qe7gr]

The letter should of read…the lights will be bright and will be the tallest structure around.

[@rebeccabibliotheca]

I would love to see a letter like this!

[@Decision_Justice]

@@rebeccabibliotheca Yes, it would be great to have a website with copies of all the deceptive letters the church sends out. There are plenty of them!

[@jennifermay8710]

I feel the same as Landon. 55 years and I find out they've been lying the whole time. Hypcracy at its best.

[@donnellallan]

The worst kind of bullies are the smooth-talking ones. These temple stories are infuriating. Thank you for highlighting them. 💜

[@boysrus61]

I wonder if these councils are informed that the church has a habit of suing them if they, the church, don't get their way.

[@rebeccabibliotheca]

Cody WY is an example. 4 lawsuits! The church lawyers basically threatened to sue them into oblivion..

[@onebrowneye1blue]

A special day for the neighbors to tour through it and then they replace the carpets and cleanse it to extinguish any contamination by non- believers. That is the reputation the Mormons have with the openings of these Temples.

[@truthseeker4286]

Excellent monologue by Landon describing the dishonesty of the church. Spot on.

[@leniburnham9219]

They simply have adopted the practice of changing the teachings and doctrines and behavior of the leadership to meet their current wants.. You are 100% correct that the pride (arrogance) and actions of the modern-day leaders is the polar opposite of how I was taught coming up.

[@marionmorrison993]

It’s not only the increased traffic, height and size of the building, but more important to me is that the damn thing will be lite up 24/7 and very bright……good luck sleeping well like it’s on the Vegas strip.

[@onebrowneye1blue]

It is time for regulations for night time lighting to be considerate of the neighboring residents. Night time light pollution is a real problem in some areas.

[@user-sb6hk2bd3f]

Landin you are a rockstar Thanks for your honesty And telling it like it is . 😊😊😊

[@onebrowneye1blue]

They should have made a comment about only the faithful who give their 10% of their total income and who are members if this church will be allow to enter on a daily basis. It is a church country club in essence. Members in good standing only. You, our neighbors, will be excluded because you do not fit the qualifications for entrance.

[@truthseeker4286]

"A church county club..." So true. Walk the talk, and pay to play.

[@priscillaastling8707]

Ordinary people fighting a juggernaut with billions in tool chest. Lawyers will push the agenda over the top.

[@BrianWaller-qe7gr]

Let’s see the church try to convince the faa that a temple is only two stories near an airport. That won’t fly pun intended

[@rebeccabibliotheca]

The Heber Temple is in an airport flight plan. They have to put a red blinking light on the top!

[@BrianWaller-qe7gr]

@@rebeccabibliotheca yep they are called aircraft beacons. They are visual aids for the pilots

[@firstLast-gb9kr]

VPMOR

[@joykelsen2698]

Why not make a big local public campaign with this information? Those in the community need to know the temple building controversies in the locales where legal forces are being used against the neighborhood. Empower them. And the Temple Bat Signal is a SUPER way to amass interest in the topic for info dissemination *before* the town meetings.

[@boysrus61]

There just isn't enough money to fight it.

[@marquitaarmstrong399]

Temple Bat Signal?😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@NatalieMeehan-qp5fy]

Believe me! We are trying! The local media is being to cover it now so that will help some, but I know what the church is capable of with there threats! I am from salt lake and live in Fairview now! It’s a beautiful community that is completely unique to the Dallas metroplex! For the most part it has brought our community closer! We won’t give up this fight!

[@lilatueller]

Go Landon! You nailed it!

[@sydneyspangler858]

Great episode. Just more evidence that the church is nothing more than a selfish, lying corporate entity. You guys nailed it on this point. For some it may be a minor issue compared to the mountain of other problems, but to me it perfectly symbolizes the deeper values of this organization.

[@beckyburnett2246]

100% dishonest to the residents. Definitely a sin of omission and setting up to divide yet another community.

[@kiddtuffy]

A lie is any communication given to another with the intent to deceive, we will all do well to seek God’s constant help in understanding and finding the truth. People of integrity will neither foster, nourish, embrace, nor share the lie.

[@SouthernIdaho]

Another steeple for the sheeple... Oh and the lights will be bright and delightsome... This is what a blessing in a community looks like, apparently

[@insearchoftruth7979]

It's all about the visuals. It's always about the visuals. Form over substance. Proud humility. Hypocrisy. The church members will never speak up because they are programed to obey their leadership. But I foresee a huge PR fiasco for the church as their heavy-handed temple tactics become more widely known throughout the country and beyond.

[@emilysnow6757]

Wow! The letter to local residents is very misleading. And in conjuction with the letter to the members, it is outright dishonest.

[@dygz]

And yet, TBMs will tell you that Joseph Smith and the Pioneers were unfairly persecuted merely for trying to follow their faith.

[@sjenson6694]

They never mention he murdered a guy and burned down the newspaper for telling the truth about his personal and financial crimes.

[@LatterDayPup]

Ok victim blamer.

[@dygz]

@@LatterDayPup Yep. Mormons excel at being gaslighting victim blamers.

[@sheliabryant3997]

@dygz. INFERNALLY GALLING. And especially that it is a STANDING EXCUSE for particular "men" behaving particularly badly, OVER and OVER. NEVER taking the opportunity to behave in the manner of Him Whose holy Name they CLAIM and yet so consistently BEFOUL and cruelly, CRIMINALLY employ.

[@firstLast-gb9kr]

​@@sjenson6694no that was Moses. Not JS

[@mr.hermit2433]

Has anyone ever done a 3 day speed video of traffic around a Temple and released it for the Public to see?

[@Thereelshera]

Temple websites used to publish their operating hours. I went to check a few in the Utah area, NM, AZ, ID to see how busy they were. Every temple website I’ve checked has this message: “Scheduled temple appointments are encouraged and appreciated, but patrons without appointments are still welcome. For those without appointments, wait times might be longer.” The hours of operation are no longer published.

[@kiddtuffy]

Stacy Rd is a main artery to Allen Texas. It's already overrun from 3:00pm to 7:00pm.

[@akathecatlady]

Outstanding work, Rebecca and Landon!

[@NatalieMeehan-qp5fy]

Thank you Landon and Rebecca! We need all the help we can get.Fairview won’t give up y’all should come down for the may 2 meeting/open house wouldn’t that be a shock!

[@Decision_Justice]

Even as a True Believer Mormon I didn't enjoy going to the Temple! And I really tried.

[@dl1130]

The first deception was calling it a Christian buiding.

[@firstLast-gb9kr]

Maybe, it not just a Christian building, it is The Christian building. To be more correct and precise, the Temple is The House of the LORD. Holiness to the Lord, the House of the Lord. The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints. Follow Jesus.

[@makesen]

Is this treatment by the church not exactly the kind of behavior that resulted in expulsion from Missouri? Yeah, I think it is.

[@frankblasky1296]

Exterior lighting, building height, exterior signage, parking space, handicap accessibility, and traffic issues are all matters for the Planning Board to consider whilst undertaking its review. I do believe that the location of houses of worship are not prohibited in any zoning area. ie. multi family, single family, mixed use type zoning.

[@alyciak8076]

Thank you for talking about this dishonest letter that was just sent to every Fairview resident with an invitation to their open house on May 2nd. This letter has so many inaccuracies that our HOA refused to email it to our residents. Every resident that we’ve spoken to is very against the height and light of this temple. No one believes that our town would allow it to be built as proposed. But due to the threat of lawsuits they absolutely were going to approve it. Our town attorney advised them to approve it! We realized this is gonna be won in the public square, the church doesn’t like negative attention. We just had CBS and WFAA in our neighborhood, interviewing neighbors, they have said they’ll be back for May 2 open house and May 9 p&z meeting. Thank you both for drawing attention to this temple issue, we are sharing with council members, who I believe are mostly on our side.

[@PatriotMomma]

One thing that I wanted to add as a Fairview resident: McKinney HATES Fairview and they are not a good neighbor in just about every way possible. So for the LDS to bully their way into our beautiful quiet town and violate all our ordinances of why we moved to Fairview in the first place (yes, I moved here because of McKinney) is a BIG FAT POKE in the eye! If they want to name it McKinney Temple, they should move it 5 miles up the highway or tollway (where several other churches already exist). I have nothing against any kind of religion, but EVERYTHING against bullies!

[@Chris-bd2se]

Can't they use " light polution" as an argument? The lights will be on 24 hours.

[@davidtaylor5189]

I believe that all temple visits are now by appointment. My brother-in-law, in Provo for the weekend (April 2024), tried to get an appointment at any of the local temples. Because he wanted to go on Saturday, there was no availability at Provo City Center or Orem. I think since COVID, the new protocol is appointments even in Zion. I thank God I don't have to attend anymore.

[@Decision_Justice]

I hope your brother-in-law comes to his senses and stops wanting to waste his time at these ridiculous places.

[@sjenson6694]

They are by appointment because they can't get enough people to staff them more than once a week.. they're empty 6 days a week just like the scientology buildings.

[@badasspeacemaker]

Great coverage. Thanks for exposing this.

[@onebrowneye1blue]

In California communities, a prospective building site needs to place stakes representing the height and layout of said building so the neighbors get the idea of the magnitude of the impact of the building. That would be a helpful visual for the neighbors

[@rebeccabibliotheca]

How fascinating! The Lone Mountain temple neighbors in Vegas just launched a helium balloon to 213 ft to show the height!

[@onebrowneye1blue]

The Mormon church emphasizes stewardship but why does this not apply to the building of all of these Temples. Why can they not use the churches to do these special ordinances? What are they doing with their churches during the week? Can't they use them as multipurpose buildings instead of building more?

[@annwood6812]

There's a steep admission fee. At least the view of the steeple is free whether you want to see it or not. The leaders are humiliating the members with their dishonest ways.

[@tomgraham7755]

A new temple is in finishing touches in layton utah. When I moved to utah fifty years ago there were four temples. Now there are temples everywhere.

[@rebeccabibliotheca]

We are hoping to go tour the Layton and Taylorsville temples soon!

[@carlosrobertocamargoscamar4797]

*_Dn. _**_2:44_*

[@onebrowneye1blue]

Don't they put these Temples in high income areas to remind these neighborhoods of their obligations to support it? It is also less likely that vagrants would hang out in those areas.

[@CamHart73]

The Town of Fairview approved a 154' bell tower back in 2006 for a Methodist church 1.2 miles down the road from the proposed temple building site. When they requested the zoning exception for the bell tower, not a single person voiced any concern. 5 people from the public stood in favor of the church and bell tower. The town council voted unanimously in favor of the church design, including the bell tower. Now, when the LDS temple is proposed, there's outrage, the entire town council, P&Z committee, and town mayor are opposed. I'm sorry, but this is illegal discrimination, and you are encouraging it (and profiting from it).

[@jonjahr3403]

I screenshot pictures of the letter sent to church members in the McKinney area and sent it along with a brief message about what the church is up to to the newspaper in McKinney. Haven't heard back though.

[@CamHart73]

Most Churches in Fairview are built on RE-1 areas, via zoning exemptions called CUPs. It's the precedent that's been set. There are two churches on the west of the build site, with a third planned to go in on the right. Everyone of them built via these exemptions.

[@kiddtuffy]

How do they incorporate Chick-fil-A into the architecture? 'Cause thats all the local culture in Fairview Tx. It will literally be across the street from the Sonic.

[@user-sb6hk2bd3f]

Great show 😊

[@warrenprince5115]

We Texans actually support religious freedom ! We are also Patriotic ! We are also conservative ! We are also used to outsiders trying to tell us how to handle OUR BUSINESS ! We may loose a battle here and there but we will win the war ! Remember the ALAMO!!!!!!

[@rebeccabibliotheca]

Don’t mess with Texas!❤

[@carlosrobertocamargoscamar4797]

​@@rebeccabibliotheca *_o Senhor Jesus Cristo mexe onde bem lhe aprouver_* 💚💛

[@PaUpPi]

I suggest the residents allow the steeple but make them camouflage it with tree limbs kind of like they do with cell phone towers. It takes away their large steeple is key to worship defense.

[@Wander2WildBlueYonder]

Thanks!

[@kiddtuffy]

A lie is any communication given to another with the intent to deceive, we will all do well to seek God’s constant help in understanding and finding the truth. People of integrity will neither foster, nourish, embrace, nor share the lie.

[@amanda-lynn]

I went through the open house for Payson, Utah and the way my shelf cracked felt audible. When they said local architecture I was thinking id see some local artists or wood work. I was not expecting wood imported from Africa and murals imported from who knows where.. i think thst was the first time i wondered why they wouldnt actually suppoet the local members in these ways.

[@kiddtuffy]

It's on the border of Fairview and Allen. These people are so boned.

[@celestestedham2454]

Wow. Bright lights. Traffic. I’m guessing that it blocks the sunlight too

[@maureenjamieson9730]

In other words "The ends, justify the means."

[@rebeccabibliotheca]

That’s it exactly!!

[@janetroberts6441]

Have your Texas friends make your previous videos available to their city counsel. Forewarned is fore armed!

[@carolynpassey624]

The Tooele temple was thwarted by the residents. What did they do? I think it would be good to hilight that incident by Ha

[@user-eu8nm2dc1y]

Very misleading letter

[@codyironworks307]

Oh you know there's going to be giant tower

[@jamesmorphe8003]

they should have added an addendum to the letter saying the following. ; THO you will find this buiding beautifully done, if you have any thoughts of going in to worship, FORGET IT. To gain entrance you must join our cult, pay ten percent of your income nfor life, cheerfully work for free for the church, which we blessfully call taking a calling, and if you have any teenagers we will expect them to give up 2 yrs of their lives on missions designed to hoodwink even more ttithe payers.

[@NateBurnham]

This guy’s math is hilarious. He bumbles through figures like Biden. f-f-f-f forty thousand ft high…tw-tw-twenty thousand people a day.. more than the wet hairs on my leg…

[@cashmeoutsideadams258]

I’ve lived in that area before. I have an idea of why they would choose that area to build another temple when one isn’t that far away. $$

[@whitesalamander]

Mormon Temple = Sticky Icky Mickey Mouse

[@bambie1830]

I always did think that the steeple was important though

[@orisonorchards4251]

Why? Many of the temples don't have a steeple at all.

[@orisonorchards4251]

Nope. Many of the temple don't have a steeple at all.

[@marquitaarmstrong399]

It's Satan's own

[@Wander2WildBlueYonder]

Corporate Real Estate Robber Barrons.😢😢😢

[@jenniferanderson4201]

They lie so effortlessly! The arrogance is astounding.

[@rmandbd2]

They are bullies and bad neighbors, but still expect people to want to join their cult

[@tawnyachristensen7310]

Disheartening.

[@brendaklomp7470]

Be 70

[@user-sb6hk2bd3f]

Mormonism is not christanity . Although they want to appear as though they are . Gray show guys ♥️

[@user-sb6hk2bd3f]

Residents should just say hell no 😮

[@joannaprevost426]

They want to ! But the church is just too powerful and they are loaded with $$$$. My sister is trying to fight the one in Las Vegas , NV . The Lone Mountain Temple. Super shady to the surrounding neighborhood, not to mention it will ruin the aesthetic of the Mountain and surrounding area.

[@DeborahCastlemain]

As a weekly Temple worker in Dallas currently. None of your petty discussion is actually relevant. The Dallas Temple is right in the middle of a very calm, peaceful small neighborhood. This will be the same!

[@mormonishpodcast1036]

The Dallas Temple meets the local building codes. It is not 173 feet tall. Its roof line also is in line with residential limits. The Dallas Temple is no where near as tall as the proposed Fairview Temple.

[@user-eu8nm2dc1y]

So disappointing to see how sneaky and outright deceptive the church has become

[@Net1085]

Also a false is a Christian building. Mormons aren’t Christians. 3:10

[@user-ri7xo7uv1q]

My first I would say shock about church dishonesty happened with the prop 8 situation. They claimed publicly that they weren't funding the anti prop 8 activism and members I knew were telling me the inside view of the church organizing it holdings meetings at the church buildings and really running the show of the anti prop 8 activities. Until this I thought of the church as the example of goodness I should follow.

[@rktul123]

Come on, you guys are being intentional in your misrepresentation

[@NatalieMeehan-qp5fy]

Who is? the church? Or the podcast? Cause believe me this is happening! I finally got my letter this week! It was dated- 4/18/24. But the church had there members write our P&Z - long before they announced it to us the residents!

[@clarestucki5151]

These guys have elevated nit-picking to a whole new level.

[@Decision_Justice]

nit-picking? Would you want one of these monstrosities across the street from your house? Huge monstrosity that will soon become a white elephant, Lit up all night?

[@onebrowneye1blue]

Does zoning laws allow for it to go up right there amongst private residences? Resale value of these homes will go down.

[@rebeccabibliotheca]

This is not nit picking. Imagine being told that a two story building was being built in your backyard and then learning from other sources that it has a 173 ft spire and will be lit at night.. The letter intentionally deceived residents..

[@orisonorchards4251]

Says the not picker.

[@Decision_Justice]

​@@rebeccabibliotheca I certainly would dislike strongly such a huge building being put in my neighborhood that isn't even zoned for it. And the lights all night would be very annoying. Why does the Mormon Church demand to have its huge building lit up all night? Waste of electricity.

[@PatriotMomma]

One thing that I wanted to add as a Fairview resident: McKinney HATES Fairview and they are not a good neighbor in just about every way possible. So for the LDS to bully their way into our beautiful quiet town and violate all our ordinances of why we moved to Fairview in the first place (yes, I moved here because of McKinney) is a BIG FAT POKE in the eye! If they want to name it McKinney Temple, they should move it 5 miles up the highway or tollway (where several other churches already exist). I have nothing against any kind of religion, but EVERYTHING against bullies!