Temple Prep

My first attempt to join the discussion on My Life After Mormonism was in response to this post about the temple. Asks Jason S.:

Why can't they tell you what you will agree to before you enter the ceremony? ...For those of you who have not gone through the temple, there is a part [at the beginning of] the ceremony where you must agree to everything that will be told to you... Where is the honesty in making them decide before they understand what they are agreeing to?

Someone immediately gives the right answer:

...the promises made in the temple are essentially the same promises made outside the temple... so you're basically promising to do things that you should have already committed yourself to do in the first place.

Jason S. responds:

If all the promises were made before the temple, then the temple would be redundant. Basically, you're lying.

Charming, eh? I tried to answer, in essence:

But he's right. All of the covenants are the same. Not only that, you can find descriptions of the covenants outside of the temple:"The ordinances of the endowment embody certain obligations on the part of the individual, such as covenant and promise to observe the law of strict virtue and chastity, to be charitable, benevolent, tolerant and pure; to devote both talent and material means to the spread of truth and the uplifting of the race; to maintain devotion to the cause of truth; and to seek in every way to contribute to the great preparation that the earth may be made ready to receive her King,-the Lord Jesus Christ." (Elder Talmage, The House of the Lord, p.100.)

But that comment has yet to see the light of day. I'm not holding my breath, either.