# Mormon Sexual Symbology **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 14, 2011, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618 "2011-03-14T03:36:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Slc84103](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@Slc84103](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slc84103)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/1 "2011-03-14T03:36:09Z")
The standard joke of the phallic nature of sky scrappers applies to the LDS Church headquarters in SLC. In fact, this building is as it were, a rather complete representation of the male reproductive parts. [![](https://farm1.static.flickr.com/26/63045299_10ea756973_b.jpg) ](https://farm1.static.flickr.com/26/63045299_10ea756973_b.jpg) Mormons are known for their reproductive prowess, is the design of this building an overt brag? ---
**Author:** ![Rhodes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhodes/32/273_2.png) [@Rhodes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhodes)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/2 "2011-03-14T03:40:54Z")
Well, your zip code is downtown SLC, so maybe you can tell us. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/3 "2011-03-14T03:46:24Z")
Looks like any one of thousands and thousands of apartment buildings or office buildings here in South Korea. You noted already that there’s a standard joke about skyscrapers being phallic in appearance. That would lead me to conclude that you could take any skyscraper on the planet and attach a phallic significance to the building. As far as “being known for reproductive prowess,” I’d think you’d have a hard time making that case as the majority of Mormons live outside the United States and it might be difficult to determine which religious demographic corresponds to the most fertile demographic worldwide. And they’re called [_skyscrapers_](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/skyscraper). (I add this because this is the third time I’ve seen that misspelling today and it’s the Dope just happened to be the third message board I’ve checked today.) ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/4 "2011-03-14T03:49:48Z")
> [@Slc84103](#): > > In fact, this building is as it were, a rather complete representation of the male reproductive parts. I’m not seeing it. I’m seeing a building, not very different from many other buildings, looking like it was properly engineered, and standing according to whatever plans it was built by. Am I missing something? ---
**Author:** ![Slc84103](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@Slc84103](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slc84103)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/5 "2011-03-14T04:13:49Z")
It may be because I’m repressed, but doesn’t this building have testicles? ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/6 "2011-03-14T04:21:42Z")
I think the relief maps on the facade are supposed to look like testicles according to this theory. You need to be looking for it before you can see it. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/7 "2011-03-14T04:21:57Z")
> [@Slc84103](#): > > It may be because I’m repressed, but doesn’t this building have testicles? How do you know they’re not genital warts? ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/8 "2011-03-14T04:36:31Z")
My first impression, largely based on the angle at which the picture was taken, was a grain elevator. Which also has connotations of fertility, but it’s a much farther reach. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/9 "2011-03-14T04:46:31Z")
The Nebraskans can do it better; take a look at [THIS](http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&biw=1024&bih=653&q=nebraska+state+capitol&gbv=2&aq=4&aqi=g10&aql=f&oq=Nebraska+Sta) building; see that sculpture all the way up top? That’s the [SOWER](http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&biw=1024&bih=653&gbv=2&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=nebraska+state+capitol+sower&aq=f&aqi=g1&aql=&oq=), a Man Tossing His Seed From on High. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/10 "2011-03-14T12:36:44Z")
Sometimes a building is just a building. ---
**Author:** ![SeldomSeen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@SeldomSeen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeldomSeen)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/11 "2011-03-14T14:24:41Z")
> [@Slc84103](#): > > In fact, this building is as it were, a rather complete representation of the male reproductive parts. Errr…_my_ male reproductive parts don’t look like that. Not at all. Maybe yours are different? ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/12 "2011-03-14T14:32:00Z")
Unless Mormons are made of Lego, I’m not sure how that’s supposed to look like their reproductive bits. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/13 "2011-03-14T14:34:50Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > I think the relief maps on the facade are supposed to look like testicles according to this theory. > > You need to be looking for it before you can see it. Huh. I’m looking for it and I _still_ don’t see it. I’ve seen some semi-phallic skyscrapers before (consider The Gherkin: [The Gherkin - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_St_Mary_Axe)), but this ain’t one. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/14 "2011-03-14T14:51:07Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Huh. I’m looking for it and I _still_ don’t see it. > > I’ve seen some semi-phallic skyscrapers before (consider The Gherkin: [The Gherkin - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_St_Mary_Axe)), but this ain’t one. Ah, yes, the Giant Glass Turd Building. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/15 "2011-03-14T14:57:57Z")
Anything more than twice as long as wide is phallic. Or in some cases, thrice. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/16 "2011-03-14T14:59:07Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > As far as “being known for reproductive prowess,” I’d think you’d have a hard time making that case as the majority of Mormons live outside the United States and it might be difficult to determine which religious demographic corresponds to the most fertile demographic worldwide However, there will be the question of the active members. It looks like the inactively rate of the non-USA members really sucks. If we look at Japan, we get a really interesting insight: > [@](#): > > Official LDS Statistics > LDS Members: 122442 > Missions: 7 > Temples: 2 > Stakes: 30 > Districts: 16 > Wards: 165 > Branches: 129 > Total Congregations: 294 > > Derived LDS Statistics > Approx. Active Members: 24488 > Percentage of Members Attending Church Weekly: 20% > Average members per congregation: 416 > Average active members per congregation: 83 > LDS, as percent of population: 0.0961% > Active LDS, as percent of population: 0.0192% > LDS, as percentage of churchgoers: 0.641% > National population per LDS congregation: 433105 The numbers are worse than when I was a missionary here in Japan 30 years ago, when there were 11 missions. Anyway, this has absolutely nothing to do with the OP, but neither does your response. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/17 "2011-03-14T15:02:05Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Huh. I’m looking for it and I _still_ don’t see it. > > I’ve seen some semi-phallic skyscrapers before (consider The Gherkin: [The Gherkin - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_St_Mary_Axe)), but this ain’t one. Penis, hell. That there’s a girl’s best (battery operated) friend! ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/18 "2011-03-14T15:29:15Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Penis, hell. That there’s a girl’s best (battery operated) friend! I would think that the sharp edges would scrape rather horribly. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/19 "2011-03-14T16:25:31Z")
Have you seen the [capitol of Florida](http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/events/phallic/mostvotes.php)? Phallic shaped capitol building for a phallic-shaped state. It was even built with testicles! None of which has fuck all to do with mormonism. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618/20 "2011-03-14T16:28:57Z")
I think it’s Christian Americans in general, rather than Mormons, specifically. After all, there’s this one-time [“World’s Largest Phallic Symbol”](http://www.christsambassadors.com/assets/images/wmonument_pool_1_.jpg), dedicated to the “Father of Our Country”, as found on a Christian website. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormon-sexual-symbology/574618.md?page=2)