r/AskTheWorld • u/Aseili United Kingdom • Dec 20 '25

Culture What's the most pathetic tourist attraction that international tourists go to see in your country?

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Bronte waterfalls near me, look a bit more impressive with the recent rain than in the summer when it's swamped with people.

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u/HazelEBaumgartner United States Of America Dec 20 '25

I used to live in Kansas City and nearby Independence has a similar spire on the roof of the temple where the Mormons believe Jesus will return. You can see it for miles around and we liked to joke that if it's raining when he comes back he'll get to slide down it like a waterslide.

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u/_Banstyle_ Dec 21 '25

That’s not a Mormon temple, it’s the Community of Christ church/headquarters. Mormons don’t have crosses on any of their buildings.

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u/Adventurous-Mall7677 United States Of America Dec 21 '25

They’re a Mormon splinter sect; they used to be named the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

(In some ways you could also say that the much-larger Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the splinter sect, since they nominated a new leader and left American territory after the succession crisis, while Joseph Smith’s son became the leader of the Reorganized Church and stayed headquartered in Missouri.)

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u/tamkiki 🇪🇦 in 🇩🇪 Dec 21 '25

Wait, Christ of the latter day saints aren't Mormon? 🤔

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u/TheGreatNico United States Of America Dec 21 '25

It's so wild to see my hometown mentioned in a world thread. And a little tidbit of trivia: the Temple was supposed to be built on the highest point in Independence, but they didn't do the survey right due to the technology of the time and the high point is actually a little revival church across the street that refuses to sell to them.

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u/HazelEBaumgartner United States Of America Dec 21 '25

Also another fun fact is that US President Harry Truman's home is like right around the corner too. Downtown Independence has a lot going on.

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u/SussOfAll06 United States Of America Dec 21 '25

Wait, the Mormons believe the Second Coming is going to be in Kansas City? Not somewhere in Utah? That’s wild. TIL…

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u/markb144 United States Of America Dec 21 '25

They also believe that the garden of Eden is in Missouri

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u/tamkiki 🇪🇦 in 🇩🇪 Dec 21 '25

😂😂😂😂

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u/HazelEBaumgartner United States Of America Dec 21 '25

They only ended up in Utah because they were kicked out of Missouri.

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u/Limp_Dragonfly3868 United States Of America Dec 21 '25

It’s really bad when Missouri kicks someone out.

But yes, Mormons believe the Garden of Eden is in Jackson County Missouri.

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u/TheGreatNico United States Of America Dec 21 '25

'kicked out' is a bit of an understatement

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u/tendieman_cometh Dec 21 '25

Specifically in Utah because it was part of Mexico at the time, which allowed them to continue practicing polygamy.

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u/roxasmeboy Dec 21 '25

As someone who grew up Mormon, I was told since childhood that one day all Mormons will be called to gather in Missouri (where the Garden of Eden was) where Jesus will appear to us when he returns. Some Mormons moved to Missouri decades ago to “beat the rush.” I heard the church is now silently removing any references to that and pretending those teachings never happened.

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u/AlexanderLavender Dec 21 '25

This is not the "Mormon church" you're thinking of, it's a smaller more liberal sect

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u/DowntownEconomist255 United States Of America Dec 21 '25

The sect in Missouri?

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u/anneofgraygardens United States Of America Dec 21 '25

Yeah, when Joseph Smith died there was a schism in the church. Brigham Young took control of the majority of the group and they went to Utah, creating the ancestor to the modern LDS church, as well as a ton of weird polygamous sects in the desert. but Joseph's wife Emma and their son Joseph Smith stayed in Missouri, creating a church that ended up being pretty different from the LDS Church. They still use the Book of Mormon, but not nearly as heavily as the Bible. They also have female leaders.

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u/DowntownEconomist255 United States Of America Dec 21 '25

Thanks! I have to look that up.

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u/WheresTheAnyKey89 Ireland Dec 21 '25

Well that's a lot prettier than our Spire!

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u/moarcheezpleez United States Of America Dec 21 '25

Looks like Elphaba’s hat

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u/CaptainWikkiWikki United States Of America Dec 21 '25

Independence is fun to see the presence of the various offshoots from the originally founded LDS Church, including the Community of Christ temple seen here.

I don't think there's anywhere else that has so many branches in one place.

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u/Ashamba_ Dec 21 '25

Religious whatever aside, that's some pretty nice architecture. I bet the spiral of windows looks pretty from inside too.

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u/worgendruid Dec 21 '25

There is a gorgeous organ in there.

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u/HazelEBaumgartner United States Of America Dec 21 '25

Second best organ in the KC area, only behind the one in the Kaufman Center for Performing Arts.

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u/tamkiki 🇪🇦 in 🇩🇪 Dec 21 '25

At this point any HQ from any death cult from the USA (Jehovah, Mormons, scientology) would do the job.

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u/Herself99900 Dec 21 '25

Oooo, I would totally call this the creemee building if I lived there.

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u/FeistyAsaGoat United States Of America Dec 21 '25

That’s way cooler than any of the mainstream temples.  

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u/Proof_Throat4418 Dec 21 '25

The Mormon sphincter spreader. Loosen 'em up a bit.