The place might have had a fitting
location if it was situated in an ornate tour gallery of marble coliseums in
Rome. It is mysteriously established on the fringe of Fort Collins and framed by
ordinary suburban houses and several acres of horse farm.
Encircled by red, pink, and yellow
flowers, manicured lawns, and bordered by two layered eight-foot-tall fences, the
Fort Collins Mormon Temple faces the Rocky Mountains on a hill. It stands
taller (112-feet-high) and more arrogant than any other building in the area,
due to its height and lavish appearance. It is unreal. Not to mention that it
is coincidentally the only building in the neighborhood located on “Majestic
Drive.”
This being the second temple in
Colorado (the first is in Denver), it took nearly three years to construct. A cream-colored
palace paying homage to the Latter-Day Saints. Topped with an 8-foot tall gold-gilded
statue of the Angel Moroni at its highest point, it seems to look over the city
like the spectacles of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg.
A building that demands attention
and denies entrance. The Mormon Temple in Fort Collins tells us that we denied
entrance after September 10, 2016 if we are merely a member of the common
public. Elder Wilford Anderson, who oversees 153 temples worldwide, says, “those
who don’t share our beliefs won’t share the feeling of sacredness.” In fact,
the temple hauls out all the old carpet, tile, rugs, and flooring as soon as it
has been closed to the public. When it reopens to the exclusive Mormon community,
the floor has not been touched by unholy feet. Unworthy feet.
As a point of reference, the religion of
the Latter-Day Saints account for about 3 percent of the population in Colorado.
Though built for a select group of followers of the Mormon religion, the
temple yearns to be regarded by
every person in the southeast corner of Fort Collins. A giant baptism hot tub,
drop ceilings, carved wood
detailing, crown molding, plush seats, elaborate rug designs, gold-encrusted
mirrors, and fresh flower arrangements peek through the crystal stained-glass
windows to provide a glimpse of extravagance to the outside world.
Though adorned with murals that are supposed
to reflect Northern Colorado’s foothills, the temple is also decorated with limestone imported from Turkey and Iran, Sepele wood from
Africa, and Swarovski crystal chandeliers. Take it from the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-Day Saints website: “The more our hearts and minds are turned to
assisting others less fortunate than we, the more we will avoid the spiritually
cankering effects that result from greed, selfishness, and overindulgence.”
A house of worship is supposed to offer
a sense of peace and tranquility, but this one does not. It seems to elicit uneasiness
from those looking in from the outside. It is not welcoming. It is cold. The new
temple in Fort Collins is not only the epitome of overindulgence, but it is
also a shrine honoring elitism and material wealth.
Great detail. Great Great Gatsby reference. Over all, really engaging piece. When I started, I was curious how you were going to spin it into a story of discomfort, but the turn was well implemented. Then your reflection about its hypocrisy wrapped it all together. This was a cohesive story, and very good emulation of Joan Didion's style in "The Getty." I also appreciate how you pulled in a little bit of research and quotes -- that's something commonly found in creative nonfiction.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that I was unaware of this event despite being a native Coloradan (though perhaps its not state news worthy).
As for what to improve upon for next time... I don't have much to suggest. One thing that comes to mind is how you could add more sensory details, involving our other senses beyond sight. What does the place smell like? What can one hear from the outside? Little details like that to pepper in amongst the rest. Creative nonfiction also really benefits from dialogue when people are involved with the story, but I wouldn't have tied it into this piece given the focus on the building.
Nice hook with your first paragraph! I found your post interesting to read, I've never heard of this temple or its exclusivity. I enjoyed reading your description of the temple and that you were able to convey your thoughts about it without ever using the word "I". And I'd agree with those thoughts; it is a little sketch to be so exclusive (not to mention insulting to change the tile and carpet after the public is denied entrance). What kind of "secrets" could they be hiding? It sounds like a setup for a Stephen King novel!
ReplyDeleteFor the next post... I'm not sure what you could work on to be honest. I can tell that you have a pretty firm grasp on the prompts, and it's clear to me now that your subject is Colorado. For this one, your conclusion could be more "punchy", and maybe you could include some quotes from someone (probably someone who has never been in the temple but knows about it) but other than that, it's great!