The Body is a Temple of God

CHARGE:  There should be no temple because our bodies are the real temples of God.

LDS RESPONSE:  Latter-day Saints also believe that our bodies are temples of God. That is why LDS people are taught to abstain from harmful substances and keep their bodies undefiled.

REALITY:  The emphasis of the CHARGE is more about the fact that there is no need for temples now (which the LDS RESPONSE does not address) than it is about the body being a temple of God.

The term “Temples of God” is different among Christians than it is for Mormons. The average Christian believes God can dwell in your heart. Latter-day Saints believe God the Father and Jesus Christ are exalted, glorified, and perfected beings of flesh and bone. It is not physically possible for them to dwell within our temple. They believe this is the primary job of the Holy Ghost.

As the last sentence in the LDS RESPONSE indicates, Mormons use the term “Temples of God” to push the healthy eating/drinking agenda more than the dwelling place of God. They maintain that he will not dwell in unholy temples while the average Christian sees this as more of a spiritual idea than a physical one.

Although Jesus Christ mentions his “Church” in the New Testament, there is no reference to him wanting temples built. In fact, he never really makes it clear that he requires churches to be built, but rather that the Church itself consists of the faithful. Temples were built during the Mosaic Law and they incorporated sacrifices. Per Christians, sacrifices were done away with because of Jesus – the final sacrifice.