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What is that thing in front of Mormon Churches?

FFH

FFH

Veteran Member
Katzpur said:
My ward has a flagpole. I've never noticed whether the flag is flying or not, but we do have a special sunrise ceremony and pancake breakfast in the parking lot on the Fourth of July, and they raise the flag then for sure.
Click to expand...
One of the duties of the Second Counselor in the Young Men's Presidency, which I was for a few years, was to help the young Aaronic Priesthood holders raise the American flag on Sunday morning before church.
 
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FFH

FFH

Veteran Member
No flag pole (that I can see) or detached steeple in the new designs.
100_0109.JPG
 
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Worshipper

Worshipper

Active Member
I think I can post those links now!

This is the exact kind of thing I'm thinking of:
LDS Pittsburg California Chapel on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

This kind of modern art out in front of the (steepleless) building is very common in California.

Here are some others that are sort of similar and might be what others were thinking about:
03-08-17--001 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Winterthur Switzerland Ward on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
LDS Chapel turned Bishop's Storehouse on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Those look more like real steeples to me, though.
 
Anti-Constantine

Anti-Constantine

Non-Creedal
Worshipper said:
I think I can post those links now!

This is the exact kind of thing I'm thinking of:

This kind of modern art out in front of the (steepleless) building is very common in California.
Click to expand...
Someone somwhere must believe that this is a good and beautiful symbolic representation of devotion to God, but I agree with Katzpur's ugly comment.
 
FFH

FFH

Veteran Member
Worshipper said:
I think I can post those links now!

This is the exact kind of thing I'm thinking of:
LDS Pittsburg California Chapel on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

This kind of modern art out in front of the (steepleless) building is very common in California.

Here are some others that are sort of similar and might be what others were thinking about:
03-08-17--001 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Winterthur Switzerland Ward on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
LDS Chapel turned Bishop's Storehouse on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Those look more like real steeples to me, though.
Click to expand...
Detached steeples.

They probably had to comply with certain zoning laws in those particular areas where you see detached stteples. For instance, structures in those areas where you see detached steeples may be because of the strict height limitations on buildings in those areas. so they go with a detached steeple to comply with the local area's zoning laws (height limitations).

When the LDS church builds temples they have to get special permission to build above that area's building height limitations, if there are any, so I imagine it's the same with churches, and sometimes the local zoning officials refuse to grant permission for the LDS church steeples and temples, so they either try to fight it or give in to local laws.
 
zippythepinhead

zippythepinhead

Your Tax Dollars At Work
FFH said:
Detached steeples.

They probably had to comply with certain zoning laws in those particular areas where you see detached stteples. For instance, structures in those areas where you see detached steeples may be because of the strict height limitations on buildings in those areas. so they go with a detached steeple to comply with the local area's zoning laws (height limitations).

When the LDS church builds temples they have to get special permission to build above that area's building height limitations, if there are any, so I imagine it's the same with churches, and sometimes the local zoning officials refuse to grant permission for the LDS church steeples and temples, so they either try to fight it or give in to local laws.
Click to expand...

Examples of detached steeple temples:
Boise:
Boise Idaho Temple Main

Chicago:
Chicago Illinois Temple Main

Dallas:
Dallas Texas Temple Main

Frankfurt, Germany:
Frankfurt Germany Temple Main

Guatemala City:
Guatemala City Guatemala Temple Main

Johannesburg, SA:
Chicago Illinois Temple Main

Las Vegas (semi detached):
Las Vegas Nevada Temple Main

Portland, OR( (semi detached):
Portland Oregon Temple Main

Stockholm Sweden:
Stockholm Sweden Temple Main

Tapei, Taiwan:
Taipei Taiwan Temple Main

I doubt that all of these were constructed with detached or semi detached steeples to completely satisfy jurisdictional building requirements. This appears to be a family of temples built from a general master plan.
 
FFH

FFH

Veteran Member
zippythepinhead said:
I doubt that all of these were constructed with detached or semi detached steeples to completely satisfy jurisdictional building requirements. This appears to be a family of temples built from a general master plan.
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I remember reading or hearing about the church fighting the local community on height issues with one of their temples. I can't remember which one, oh yeah, I'm pretty sure it was the Boston, Mass temple.

I'll have to find a link and post it.

Okay, here it is, read this...

This is an article about the local community fighting the church's 139 foot steeple proposed on the Boston LDS temple. If I remember right I think the church and local community compromised and they shortened the steeple or maybe the church won this one. I never followed up on this.

Suspicions About Faith Underlie Town's Fight Over Steeple - Los Angeles Times

My wife is from Mass and joined the church while living there, so I took note of this particular story, but never read it in any detail.

boston-temple.gif
 
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zippythepinhead

zippythepinhead

Your Tax Dollars At Work
FFH said:
I remember reading or hearing about the church fighting the local community on height issues with one of their temples. I can't remember which one, oh yeah, I'm pretty sure it was the Boston, Mass temple.

I'll have to find a link and post it.

Okay, here it is, read this...

This is an article about the local community fighting the church's 139 foot steeple proposed on the Boston LDS temple. If I remember right I think the church and local community compromised and they shortened the steeple or maybe the church won this one. I never followed up on this.

Suspicions About Faith Underlie Town's Fight Over Steeple - Los Angeles Times

My wife is from Mass and joined the church while living there, so I took note of this particular story, but never read it in any detail.

boston-temple.gif
Click to expand...
I remember that. The Temple began operation without a steeple. Eventually it was completed with some legal wrangling. Thank heaven literally. BTW nice pic:clap
 
Worshipper

Worshipper

Active Member
zippythepinhead said:
Examples of detached steeple temples:
Boise:
Chicago:
http://www.lds.org/temples/main/0,11204,1912-1-71-0,00.htmlDallas:
http://www.lds.org/temples/main/0,11204,1912-1-66-0,00.htmlFrankfurt, Germany:
http://www.lds.org/temples/main/0,11204,1912-1-77-0,00.htmlGuatemala City:
http://www.lds.org/temples/main/0,11204,1912-1-68-0,00.htmlJohannesburg, SA:
http://www.lds.org/temples/main/0,11204,1912-1-71-0,00.htmlLas Vegas (semi detached):
http://www.lds.org/temples/main/0,11204,1912-1-79-0,00.htmlPortland, OR( (semi detached):
http://www.lds.org/temples/main/0,11204,1912-1-78-0,00.htmlStockholm Sweden:
http://www.lds.org/temples/main/0,11204,1912-1-70-0,00.htmlTapei, Taiwan:
http://www.lds.org/temples/main/0,11204,1912-1-67-0,00.html
I doubt that all of these were constructed with detached or semi detached steeples to completely satisfy jurisdictional building requirements. This appears to be a family of temples built from a general master plan.
Click to expand...
Here are the dedication dates for those temples:
Boise: May 1984
Chicago: August 1985
Dallas: October 1984
Frankfurt: August 1987
Guatemala City: December 1984
Johannesburg: August 1985
Las Vegas: December 1989
Portland: August 1989
Stockholm: July 1985
Taipei: November 1984

In fact, I just went to this chronological list of temples and found that of the 17 temples dedicated between 1984 and 1989 (inclusive), only 2 (Freiberg and Denver) seem to deviate from the design.

So detached steeples seem to have been a pretty hot fad in our church during the mid to late '80s (or rather the late '70s to early '80s when the architects were likely designing all this).

That's still no excuse for the monstrosity I posted earlier.
 
Watchmen

Watchmen

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Zippy (or others), what does "semi-detached" mean? Portland was my home temple and the steeples are most definately attached.
 
zippythepinhead

zippythepinhead

Your Tax Dollars At Work
DisneyMan said:
Zippy (or others), what does "semi-detached" mean? Portland was my home temple and the steeples are most definately attached.
Click to expand...
Semi detached means partially attached. That is all. If they are fully incorporated into the structure, my photo apologies:cool:
 
Watchmen

Watchmen

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Here's another picture from a different angle of Portland. What do we think? Attached, semi, or not?

 
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