Conch Shell Temple

A surprisingly little known U.S. fact (especially among us geographically ignorant Californians) is that Kansas City is not, in fact, located in Kansas. While there *is* a place by that name in the eponymous state, it is in fact little more than a suburb for the densely urban Kansas City of Missouri.

Once can't help but wonder why the city has mantained use of this confusing name, as it can't possibly be good for tourism. K.C. is actually a very likable place, famed for a variety of elaborate fountains and an important place in music history - however, most coast-dwellers hear the word "Kansas" and are immediately struck by images of the black-and-white farming wasteland from the early scenes of "The Wizard of Oz," hardly an ideal vacation spot.



Due to some strange turn of events that I can't quite recall, I have found myself in the K.C. suburb of Independence, investigating a strange conch-shell shaped building which I spotted from the road and could not ignore. The sign in front reads "Community of Christ Temple and Headquarters," which right away confirms that I must indeed go inside. I know nothing about this particular sect of Christianity, but any religion which asks its members to meet inside of a giant seashell is one that I would certainly like to know about. I tuck in my shirt and enter.

"Well! I didn't think we'd see you again, after all that fuss this morning!" says one of the small old ladies at the front desk.

"Uhm, I'm sorry?" I do my best to make my confusion at this statement obvious, in the hopes that she will clarify. "This is my first time here..."

One of her little old lady cohorts leans over to her and, whispering in her ear, corrects her. "I don't think that this is the same one, dear." She swivels back towards my direction and politely explains. "There was a gentleman who came by this morning, who I guess was angry at the church... or maybe just angry, I don't know."

"He was being rather... loud. And unsavory, in front of the the building," adds the first. Then she explains her mistake. "He did look an awful lot like you. And since you were both wearing black shirts, I though, maybe, he had come back to get the last word."

So, apparently I have a doppleganger, who gets his kicks from cursing at buildings full of little old women. Probably an interesting character, but not the kind of guy I would prefer to be associated with. I silently regret choosing black today.



It is a third little old lady who offers to take me on a tour of the temple, and give me a brief rundown of the organization's history. Honestly, I'd much rather hear about the history of the building itself, but I don't tell her this, as the church's story and doctrine are presumably quite important to her.

So, I play along. "So, how would you sum up your theology?"

"Well, do you know what a Latter Day Saint is?" she asks in return.

"Yeah... it's what most people know as Mormonism."

She makes a sour face, as if I have just said a dirty word. "Well... there are a lot of Latter Day Saint groups. The Mormons are one of them, yes... but not one who is very much aligned with the... true teachings of Joseph Smith ."



Apparently, the Community of Christ (who before 2001 went by the overly verbose name "The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints") is a Mormon splinter group, one which is eager to break any association with their cousins in Utah. One of Joseph Smith's earliest attempts to establish an official home base for his radical new religion was right here in Independence - although, as with the other attempts, there was friction with other local religious groups, and the L.D.S. got the boot.

After Smith's death, there were many disagreements as to what direction the church should take, with certain factions having problems with new leader Brigham Young's polygamist views and practices. One of these factions evolved into the R.C.O.J.C.O.L.D.S., who eventually were able to return to Missouri and set up camp.

The modern R.C.O.J.C.O.L.D.S. has only a few differences from modern Mormonism (which has long since renounced, and even become adamantly opposed to, polygamy) - however, my guide makes it very clear that Community of Christ members in general consider any L.D.S. groups which recognize Young as a prophet to be gangs of sinners and Lamanites, perverts and worse.

I can't help but silently laugh at this. Where I am from (and in most of the country, in fact) Mormonism is usually inaccurately stereotyped as the essential puritan religion - an old-fashioned circle of conservatism so reserved that they refuse to even drink soda. But to these people, Mormons will always be reckless party animals, throwing their lives away sinfully to a perversion of the one true path. To these people, there is little distinction between a house of Mormons and a house of Strippers. To these people, a single, outdated disagreement from almost 200 years ago is as good a reason as any to bear a lasting grudge.

I look up at the spiraling, circular ceiling and I'm reminded. These people live in a giant seashell.