The
Latter Day Saints have built themselves a new
temple in the
Boston area, and are currently giving
tours to
the general public.
I went for a tour this evening with some friends, and was sort of disappointed by the interior. The exterior of the building is a fairly striking example of the Cecil B. de Mille school of Faux Egyptian, but the inside looks at lot like your average Marriott conference center. There were lots of lobbies and small rooms with tables and chairs arranged in conversational groupings, and an abundance of artificial flower arrangements and trees.
The coolest thing was the baptismal font supported by twelve life-sized cattle. The uncoolest thing was the "Celestial Room," which was decorated to give the faithful a foretaste the Mormon concept of heaven and looked like an unsophisticated poor person's notion of a rich person's living room.
It was rather touching to have the tour guides assure us that only the finest materials and workmanship were used to build this sacred space.