Are temple vows another forbidden fruit?
Are some temple vows another forbidden fruit? Can violating temple covenants be transgression, rather than sin?
When I received the temple endowment one of the covenants was no sexual intercourse outside of legal marriage. In today’s “simplified endowment” this is changed to no sexual relations outside of legal marriage, a significantly tougher challenge, unless Bill Clinton is the one defining “sexual relations”. In any case, both the old and new versions are a stiff (no pun intended) challenge to a young single with high libido who on the spot went with the flow and made the covenant which is presented w/o advanced warning and no three day attorney review clause.
Personally, as someone who fell off the LofC wagon post mission, I know how hard it is to stay on that wagon, particularly when you’re not feeling good about how your mission ended and a voluptuous young BYU coed is begging you to please and enjoy her. I threw in the LofC towel, as have many others. What followed was a string of superficial relationships and a son I only learned about a few years ago. In my mind back then there was no place in the church for a person like me, so I ex’ed myself so to speak.
But eventually that sorry path lead to a relationship with my active LDS wife-to-be who replaced a live-in gf, reentry into the church, marriage to my soulmate of 27 years and five great kids. We’ve been blessed.
Eve and Adam made a choice to defy G-d and partake of the forbidden fruit which in turn brings on the human race on earth, growth through earthly struggles and the need for a redeemer who can make us right again with G-d, something we can’t do for ourselves. It is said that Adam and Eve transgressed for a greater good, not sinned. Does G-d set up forbidden fruit for each of us, knowing and expecting we will do the opposite for possibly a greater good?
Steve EM
