LDS Church is suing Cody, Wyoming

[~ternal-tummim]

Seems a strange place to build a temple. Not huge population and apparently not many Mormons around.

Oh, they’re around. Aah-rooouund, though. Big sky, Niemand.
Western Wy probs has more than your whole island.
But the scale! Patrons gonna drive hundreds of klicks.
So ten north, twenty west? Won’t no bud give a lick.
North would be a more convenient location,
Chief Joseph Scenic Byway
https://maps.app.goo.gl/PY9UCyCCszTpYB416?g_st=ic
Go west you get into sweet elevation,
Sheep Mountain West
https://maps.app.goo.gl/SsLdcqXpHJ12Yysw7?g_st=ic

[Teancum1]

Site location of the Cody, Wyoming temple

This is why I 100% support the church for suing as it was hate motivated issue with the town. They don't want more church members coming into their town. Of course they won't say this. It's a pretty fast trip from Idaho and northern parts of Utah for people to go to this temple. Plus with a temple, it means members will move there too.

The church agreed to lower the height of the steeple from 101 feet to 85.
https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2023/08 ... l-wyoming/

Is the area this completely desolate 360d? If it were downtown, I could understand... Are the deer and rabbits complaining of lights and tall steeples?

The Church always applies for exemptions and gets them before building contrary to standards. Even after getting them, they usually relent some if the common people are against it (like they did here).

When one drives down Skyline Drive toward the temple(which is basically a dead end in the most desirable neighborhood in Cody), it is unmistakable that the people do not want the temple in their backyard. There is an overwhelming number of yard signs asking the church to relocate. It is a VERY divisive issue and the members have to live there after the muscle leaves town.
But when you’ve got Kirton McKonkie behind you, who cares what your neighbors think.
Lovell would fall all over themselves to have the temple located there- and they would support it without needing Kirton McKonkies help.

[Good & Global]

The church will not be deterred in converting the people of Cody by strong arming them to into what's good for them. You have to realize the church has the final say on how people exercise their agency.

Just ask the First Presidency and Presiding Bishopric. And while you are at it take out that second earring. Oh the policy changed? okay disregard. But Cody needs a temple there! The Lord has made it extremely clear through indirect references and allusions that God wants a temple there by virtue of the church saying it wants a temple there.

How does anyone not step back for a minute and see the humor in all this? How we cannot realize this all bullcrap from start to finish? I guess it comes from taking yourself too seriously. And in that case why not accept real responsibility that the universe needs your saving. Yes you! and why have you failed so miserably at your job? No don't blame other people. Why have you failed so miserably at your job? Or does maybe the universe not really need you? Deep thoughts.

[Niemand]

Seems a strange place to build a temple. Not huge population and apparently not many Mormons around.

Oh, they’re around. Aah-rooouund, though. Big sky, Niemand.
Western Wy probs has more than your whole island.
But the scale! Patrons gonna drive hundreds of klicks.
So ten north, twenty west? Won’t no bud give a lick.
North would be a more convenient location,
Chief Joseph Scenic Byway
https://maps.app.goo.gl/PY9UCyCCszTpYB416?g_st=ic
Go west you get into sweet elevation,
Sheep Mountain West
https://maps.app.goo.gl/SsLdcqXpHJ12Yysw7?g_st=ic

Cody, which I have never heard of before, has 10,000 people. That's a middling sized town in my book. No idea how many surrounding towns and villages there are, but Wyoming doesn't have a reputation for being densely populated, hence the Big Sky thing.

Western Wy probs has more than your whole island.

I'm sure there are some LDS around but I doubt there are more in Wyoming than here.

Official stats (which are inflated of course):
UK: 187 K (275 wards, 44 branches)
Wyoming: 67K (143 wards, 29 branches)

Of course you can whittle that down. What Wyoming probably has that the UK doesn't, is long established "traditional" families, because it's next door to Idaho and there will be some overspill from that region. We have a very long LDS history (the longest outside North America I think), but until the 1950s, not much in the way of roots because converts kept emigrating, and so very little infrastructure.

American LDS fertility is also way higher than here. So there's that too. I know of several Scottish families who have produced a lot of children but it's not common. We certainly have some third generation members around, but fourth and fifth not really. (I'm sure they exist.)

[tmac]

I agree. For me, Cody Wyoming has always seemed like a strange choice. There must be more to the equation than meets the eye. Like someone suggested, a GA Emeritus with a cabin and/or summer home nearby, coupled with a donated plot of land that church engineers have gotten excited about — because the temple would be visible from long distances, and surrounded by a profitable upscale housing development?

[Ymarsakar]

"How does anyone not step back for a minute and see the humor in all this? How we cannot realize this all bullcrap from start to finish? I guess it comes from taking yourself too seriously. And in that case why not accept real responsibility that the universe needs your saving. Yes you! and why have you failed so miserably at your job? No don't blame other people. Why have you failed so miserably at your job? Or does maybe the universe not really need you? Deep thoughts."

Haha. It's a mirror.

[captainfearnot]

I can't say I really feel bad for anyone. Wealthy Mormon family cedes land to the wealthy church for a temple, as something of a legacy project for their dearly departed patriarch. Wealthy neighbors of wealthy Mormons object. Rich people fighting with rich people. Yawn.

I did find it interesting that some of the wealthy neighbors objecting to this project live on Olive Glenn Dr. The street is named after the parents of this wealthy Mormon benefactor. Clearly he has some pull in the town.

[JK4Woods]

I’ve been working in NW Wyoming last nine months.
There are three temples within 2 hours of here. One is only an hour south in Afton, WY

Cody Wy in 189 miles away, and four hours driving.

Local wards have 350-400 members on the rolls, yet only have 14% sacrament attendance.

So lots of LDS “on the books” but few actually are active.

[tmac]

That’s okay. All you need for a temple in a place like that is a “worthy” piece of donated land, designated for that purpose, and an influential GA Emeritus nearby.

[Ado]

blessed are the peacemakers, and also the corporate mormons suing for the right to build their rameumptom.

[Dusty Wanderer]

I agree. For me, Cody Wyoming has always seemed like a strange choice. There must be more to the equation than meets the eye. Like someone suggested, a GA Emeritus with a cabin and/or summer home nearby, coupled with a donated plot of land that church engineers have gotten excited about — because the temple would be visible from long distances, and surrounded by a profitable upscale housing development?

This is exactly what I was thinking, too.

[Silver Pie]

I can't say I really feel bad for anyone. Wealthy Mormon family cedes land to the wealthy church for a temple, as something of a legacy project for their dearly departed patriarch. Wealthy neighbors of wealthy Mormons object. Rich people fighting with rich people. Yawn.

I did find it interesting that some of the wealthy neighbors objecting to this project live on Olive Glenn Dr. The street is named after the parents of this wealthy Mormon benefactor. Clearly he has some pull in the town.

The per capita income in Cody in 2018 was $34,127, which is upper middle income relative to Wyoming and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $136,508 for a family of four. However, Cody contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.
https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/wy/cody

I thought most of Wyoming wasn't wealthy, but looking at this list makes me rethink (to me, anyone who gets $3k/month or more is wealthy, maybe $4k if you have kids - that's $36,000-$48,000/year. Most of these numbers are a lot higher than that).

Richest Cities in Wyoming
https://namecensus.com/demographics/wyo ... st-cities/
Rank ...City.....................County...................Mean Income
1 Pinedale ..............Sublette County..........$122,576.00
2 Jackson ..............Teton County...............$115,634.00
3 Star Valley Ranch.....Lincoln County.......$110,257.00
4 Rolling Hills.........Converse County.........$108,167.00
5 Dayton ................Sheridan County..........$106,968.00
6 Bar Nunn ............Natrona County...........$102,510.00
7 Green River.........Sweetwater County.....$100,081.00
8 Lyman.................Uinta County...................$93,528.00
9 Gillette ...............Campbell County............$93,365.00
10 Rock Springs.....Sweetwater County.........$91,506.00
11 Bear River..........Uinta County....................$90,995.00
12 Alpine................Lincoln County.................$90,297.00
13 Cheyenne..........Laramie County................$90,096.00
14 Douglas ...........Converse County...............$88,825.00
15 Wright..............Campbell County...............$88,066.00
16 Saratoga .........Carbon County...................$84,629.00
17 Casper.............Natrona County..................$83,549.00
18 Pine Haven......Crook County.....................$82,630.00
19 Cowley.............Big Horn County.................$82,215.00
20 Newcastle ......Weston County...................$80,351.00
21 Guernsey.........Platte County......................$79,856.00
22 Rawlins ..........Carbon County....................$79,160.00
23 Evansville.......Natrona County...................$78,327.00
24 Lander............Fremont County...................$77,991.00
25 Byron .............Big Horn County..................$77,483.00
26 Glenrock........Converse County.................$77,275.00
27 Mountain View......Uinta County................$77,241.00
28 Ranchester............Sheridan County .........$77,224.00
29 Cody...................Park County.................$77,169.00
30 Afton.............Lincoln County....................$76,635.00
31 Sheridan.......Sheridan County..................$76,330.00
32 Kemmerer.....Lincoln County....................$75,761.00
33 Wheatland.....Platte County......................$74,988.00
34 Cokeville.......Lincoln County....................$74,690.00
35 Powell...........Park County.........................$72,699.00
36 Thermopolis .....Hot Springs County.......$71,539.00
37 Diamondville.....Lincoln County...............$71,374.00
38 Evanston.......Uinta County.......................$69,852.00
39 Lovell.............Big Horn County.................$69,766.00
40 Torrington.....Goshen County ..................$69,710.00
41 Sundance......Crook County......................$67,689.00
42 Upton ............Weston County...................$66,840.00
43 Moorcroft .....Crook County......................$66,838.00
44 Pine Bluffs.....Laramie County..................$66,638.00
45 Worland ........Washakie County................$66,098.00
46 Marbleton.....Sublette County...................$65,975.00
47 Laramie........Albany County......................$65,745.00
48 Hanna..........Carbon County......................$63,668.00
49 Dubois.........Fremont County....................$61,995.00
50 Greybull.......Big Horn County....................$61,279.00
51 Buffalo........Johnson County....................$61,222.00
52 Lusk............Niobrara County.....................$61,085.00
53 Mills............Natrona County......................$60,825.00
54 Riverton......Fremont County.....................$60,612.00
55 Saline..........Drew County..........................$58,513.00
56 Basin...........Big Horn County....................$55,749.00
57 Meeteetse.....Park County........................$52,394.00
58 Shoshoni.......Fremont County..................$49,573.00

[Niemand]

No idea whether this is true but I have heard having a temple in your area boosts local tithing rates but lowers local temple attendance.

Maybe another thing would be that they believe it would up the activity rate in the area.

Has the church got some tourism notion going on about temples? I know some people go round the world visiting them.

[Good & Global]

No idea whether this is true but I have heard having a temple in your area boosts local tithing rates but lowers local temple attendance.

Maybe another thing would be that they believe it would up the activity rate in the area.

Has the church got some tourism notion going on about temples? I know some people go round the world visiting them.

The church has a lot of members in Rome probably the second largest of mormons outside of the UK (joke)

No they are just about buying up tourist attraction properties and real estate speculation for potential increases in the future. There is history to this as early church leaders sold the freshly arrived European immigrants terribly overpriced land contracts but of course there was nothing they could do as that is where the saints were commanded to gather.

[Fred]

I can't say I really feel bad for anyone. Wealthy Mormon family cedes land to the wealthy church for a temple, as something of a legacy project for their dearly departed patriarch. Wealthy neighbors of wealthy Mormons object. Rich people fighting with rich people. Yawn.

I did find it interesting that some of the wealthy neighbors objecting to this project live on Olive Glenn Dr. The street is named after the parents of this wealthy Mormon benefactor. Clearly he has some pull in the town.

The per capita income in Cody in 2018 was $34,127, which is upper middle income relative to Wyoming and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $136,508 for a family of four. However, Cody contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.
https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/wy/cody

I thought most of Wyoming wasn't wealthy, but looking at this list makes me rethink (to me, anyone who gets $3k/month or more is wealthy, maybe $4k if you have kids - that's $36,000-$48,000/year. Most of these numbers are a lot higher than that).

Richest Cities in Wyoming
https://namecensus.com/demographics/wyo ... st-cities/
Rank ...City.....................County...................Mean Income
1 Pinedale ..............Sublette County..........$122,576.00
2 Jackson ..............Teton County...............$115,634.00
3 Star Valley Ranch.....Lincoln County.......$110,257.00
4 Rolling Hills.........Converse County.........$108,167.00
5 Dayton ................Sheridan County..........$106,968.00
6 Bar Nunn ............Natrona County...........$102,510.00
7 Green River.........Sweetwater County.....$100,081.00
8 Lyman.................Uinta County...................$93,528.00
9 Gillette ...............Campbell County............$93,365.00
10 Rock Springs.....Sweetwater County.........$91,506.00
11 Bear River..........Uinta County....................$90,995.00
12 Alpine................Lincoln County.................$90,297.00
13 Cheyenne..........Laramie County................$90,096.00
14 Douglas ...........Converse County...............$88,825.00
15 Wright..............Campbell County...............$88,066.00
16 Saratoga .........Carbon County...................$84,629.00
17 Casper.............Natrona County..................$83,549.00
18 Pine Haven......Crook County.....................$82,630.00
19 Cowley.............Big Horn County.................$82,215.00
20 Newcastle ......Weston County...................$80,351.00
21 Guernsey.........Platte County......................$79,856.00
22 Rawlins ..........Carbon County....................$79,160.00
23 Evansville.......Natrona County...................$78,327.00
24 Lander............Fremont County...................$77,991.00
25 Byron .............Big Horn County..................$77,483.00
26 Glenrock........Converse County.................$77,275.00
27 Mountain View......Uinta County................$77,241.00
28 Ranchester............Sheridan County .........$77,224.00
29 Cody...................Park County.................$77,169.00
30 Afton.............Lincoln County....................$76,635.00
31 Sheridan.......Sheridan County..................$76,330.00
32 Kemmerer.....Lincoln County....................$75,761.00
33 Wheatland.....Platte County......................$74,988.00
34 Cokeville.......Lincoln County....................$74,690.00
35 Powell...........Park County.........................$72,699.00
36 Thermopolis .....Hot Springs County.......$71,539.00
37 Diamondville.....Lincoln County...............$71,374.00
38 Evanston.......Uinta County.......................$69,852.00
39 Lovell.............Big Horn County.................$69,766.00
40 Torrington.....Goshen County ..................$69,710.00
41 Sundance......Crook County......................$67,689.00
42 Upton ............Weston County...................$66,840.00
43 Moorcroft .....Crook County......................$66,838.00
44 Pine Bluffs.....Laramie County..................$66,638.00
45 Worland ........Washakie County................$66,098.00
46 Marbleton.....Sublette County...................$65,975.00
47 Laramie........Albany County......................$65,745.00
48 Hanna..........Carbon County......................$63,668.00
49 Dubois.........Fremont County....................$61,995.00
50 Greybull.......Big Horn County....................$61,279.00
51 Buffalo........Johnson County....................$61,222.00
52 Lusk............Niobrara County.....................$61,085.00
53 Mills............Natrona County......................$60,825.00
54 Riverton......Fremont County.....................$60,612.00
55 Saline..........Drew County..........................$58,513.00
56 Basin...........Big Horn County....................$55,749.00
57 Meeteetse.....Park County........................$52,394.00
58 Shoshoni.......Fremont County..................$49,573.00

You might take another look at $4k a month being wealthy. In my mind, $5k a month is barely above poverty.

[Silver Pie]

You might take another look at $4k a month being wealthy. In my mind, $5k a month is barely above poverty.

I would feel incredibly blessed if I got 5k a month (and feel quite wealthy). I'd move out of this place and into one that isn't falling apart.

[Niemand]

No idea whether this is true but I have heard having a temple in your area boosts local tithing rates but lowers local temple attendance.

Maybe another thing would be that they believe it would up the activity rate in the area.

Has the church got some tourism notion going on about temples? I know some people go round the world visiting them.

The church has a lot of members in Rome probably the second largest of mormons outside of the UK (joke)

No they are just about buying up tourist attraction properties and real estate speculation for potential increases in the future. There is history to this as early church leaders sold the freshly arrived European immigrants terribly overpriced land contracts but of course there was nothing they could do as that is where the saints were commanded to gather.

From what I've seen, Wyoming does have some beautiful hills/mountains etc, but I'm not convinced it's prime tourist country. (Someone may prove me wrong.)

Yes, the Rome thing is strange. RMN has this demented idea it is the capital of Christendom. That's news to the Protestants and Orthodox.

[Silver Pie]

No idea whether this is true but I have heard having a temple in your area boosts local tithing rates but lowers local temple attendance.

Maybe another thing would be that they believe it would up the activity rate in the area.

Has the church got some tourism notion going on about temples? I know some people go round the world visiting them.

The church has a lot of members in Rome probably the second largest of mormons outside of the UK (joke)

No they are just about buying up tourist attraction properties and real estate speculation for potential increases in the future. There is history to this as early church leaders sold the freshly arrived European immigrants terribly overpriced land contracts but of course there was nothing they could do as that is where the saints were commanded to gather.

From what I've seen, Wyoming does have some beautiful hills/mountains etc, but I'm not convinced it's prime tourist country. (Someone may prove me wrong.)

Yes, the Rome thing is strange. RMN has this demented idea it is the capital of Christendom. That's news to the Protestants and Orthodox.

I think part of Yellowstone Park is in Wyoming - and there are some other touristy places, but what I've seen of Wyoming is pretty desolate.

[Good & Global]

Wyoming is desolate which means land is cheap. Now if you develop that land and you carry the zeroes to the right given to us by the little people of the surrounding area well it just is where God wants to build it!

[Lizzy60]

The Mayor of Cody has put a stop to the issuing of the building permit for the temple. He said it cannot be issued as long as the tower (steeple) height has not been resolved.

[PressingForward]

Wyoming is desolate which means land is cheap. Now if you develop that land and you carry the zeroes to the right given to us by the little people of the surrounding area well it just is where God wants to build it!

Land in Wyoming and Montana is no longer cheap.

[tmac]

Cody is the eastern entrance to Yellowstone, with quite a bit of tourist traffic. That’s has got to have something to do with the pick — unless, of course, the Lord Himself chose both Cody, the location, and the design, in which case it’s all on track.

[Silver Pie]

Wyoming is desolate which means land is cheap. Now if you develop that land and you carry the zeroes to the right given to us by the little people of the surrounding area well it just is where God wants to build it!

Land in Wyoming and Montana is no longer cheap.

I can verify. I've looked.

[Good & Global]

The good citizens of Cody Wyoming are about to get a good lesson in how the church operates.

You can leave the lawsuit but the lawsuit won't leave you alone.

[Ebenezer]

Wyoming isn't desolate. It has some of the most scenic areas in the mountain west. In addition to Yellowstone and Grand Teton NPs there is the Wyoming Range, the Wind River, Medicine Bow, and Laramie mountains, Devil's Tower, Fossil Butte, and a whole bunch of world class trout fishing, and big game hunting. It's prime cattle country, and is probably the most free state in the US.