Everything You Need to Know about the LDS Temple Dispute in Fairview, TX
In Fairview, Texas, a contentious dispute has arisen over a proposal by The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints to construct a large temple next to an existing church off Stacy Road. The proposed 44,000-square-foot building, featuring a spire reaching nearly 174 feet tall, has sparked controversy due to its size exceeding city code limitations.
At a recent Fairview City Council meeting, hundreds of residents voiced opposition to the temple’s height, arguing it would disrupt the neighborhood’s character and violate zoning regulations aimed at preserving the area’s rural ambiance.
Conversely, the church and its supporters contended that the spire’s height is constitutionally protected as it serves a religious purpose.
Amidst heated debate and public commentary, the council opted not to vote on the permit request but instead decided to extend the public hearing until August.
What Local Fairview Residents Say
Residents of Fairview, Texas, are vehemently opposed to the proposed construction of a large temple whose steeple would be 17 stories tall, a building that simply does not belong in a residential neighborhood.
At a packed meeting, the town’s Planning and Zoning Committee, influenced by residents’ concerns, recommended rejecting the proposal. Mayor Henry Lessner echoed this sentiment, denouncing the temple’s size as “grossly out of proportion.” The city received a significant volume of messages from residents, with 87% expressing opposition to the temple’s design.
For residents of Fairview, the Mormon Church, their giant temple and their out-of-state high-power lawyers represent a modern-day goliath.
LDS Church Response
However, the church, commonly known as the Mormon Church, has defended its plans, citing religious symbolism and its constitutional right to construct religious structures.
The city’s volume of messages from outside Fairview was double the volume of the messages from residents within the affected community. 89% of messages from outside Fairview are in favor of the temple’s construction.
The LDS plans on bringing a lawsuit to the city of Fairview, TX in an attempt to overrule the local citizens on their choice of cityscape.
Architecture and Temple Rituals
As mentioned recently on this site, the LDS Church has begun to use temples as a branding tool. Even though the number of “worthy” individuals that can enter LDS temples is on a decline, the LDS Church continues to build more temples as conspicuous advertisements in small communities such as Fairview, TX.
A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints who has found a loyal following amongst questioning members of the church and ex-mormons alike, “Nemo the Mormon”, made his way to Fairview, TX to explain that steeple size (and temple size for that matter) do not have any bearing on the ordinances and rituals carried out inside the temple:
Nemo: If you believe what Church Leadership has said in the past, you believe the steeple is unnecessary
It’s clear that this fight has nothing to do with religious freedom. There are no religious rights being trampled on. LDS people can use the building to fulfill 100% of their rituals and ordinances. So why would the LDS Church suddenly start fighting petty battles over architecture?
The only conclusion most casual observers will keep coming back to: it’s all about branding and marketing. Because the LDS church lacks a real history beyond the 19th century, big buildings are a symbol of an old established religion.