The True Power of Priesthood Blessings
A woman I knew recently passed away. She wasn't that old and she didn't have any serious health problems to speak of, so her death was a complete surprise.
While at her viewing (held, strangely enough, in the Relief Society room of a local LDS ward), I overheard an older gentlemen telling about how he was one of the last people to see her alive.
He told of how just the night before her death, he had gone to visit her and she had complained about not feeling very well - a headache or something - and that he had given her a priesthood blessing to help her feel better.
I was appalled at how this guy didn't seem to realize the utter irony of the situation. I'm sure that he completely believes that he has some kind of magic healing ability bestowed upon him as an extension of "the lord's" holy priesthood and that he fully expected her to be A-Okay after his little laying-on-of-hands fiasco. Sadly, it was not to be.
From listening to his story, it didn't appear that he even considered the possibility that his magnificent "priesthood authority" wasn't any more real than a Disney fairytale.
I feel sorry for him and people like him.
I can relate, of course, having been raised in that school of thought myself. I remember being taught that if I had but the faith comparable to the size of a mere mustard seed that I could move mountains (Matthew 17:19-20). As a child, I took such a lesson to heart and I tested the promise many times. I mean, how awesome would that have been? I pictured myself as Luke Skywalker in the swamps of Dagobah, levitating stones with my mind.
Nothing ever happened.
Couldn't move even a rock without having to step forward and kick it.
So I convinced myself that the problem then was with me. I simply didn't have enough faith. So I would try harder to do everything I was told I needed to do to please this invisible "god" that never really seemed to much of anything at all.
It's a pity that these kinds of foolish lies and fantasies are perpetuated from one generation to the next. I mean, seriously, how f@cked up is it to instill a belief system in a child that creates feelings of self-doubt, self-pity, and sometimes even self-hatred? To coerce an otherwise healthy individual into thinking that there's something wrong with them?
When I was a True Believing Mormon, I was NEVER comfortable with who I was, because I never felt like I was good enough or that I deserved any "blessings" from Mr. Elohim or his sidekick Jehovah. It messed with my head something fierce.
Thankfully, all that has changed. I'm still trying to de-program my thought processes from all those years of youthful indoctrination, but I think I'm making some serious progress.
To any and all of you who might be taking a similar journey, I wish you well.
Just don't expect me to lay my hands upon your head in a futile attempt to tap into some spiritual powers - I doubt it would do much good.
While at her viewing (held, strangely enough, in the Relief Society room of a local LDS ward), I overheard an older gentlemen telling about how he was one of the last people to see her alive.
He told of how just the night before her death, he had gone to visit her and she had complained about not feeling very well - a headache or something - and that he had given her a priesthood blessing to help her feel better.
I was appalled at how this guy didn't seem to realize the utter irony of the situation. I'm sure that he completely believes that he has some kind of magic healing ability bestowed upon him as an extension of "the lord's" holy priesthood and that he fully expected her to be A-Okay after his little laying-on-of-hands fiasco. Sadly, it was not to be.
From listening to his story, it didn't appear that he even considered the possibility that his magnificent "priesthood authority" wasn't any more real than a Disney fairytale.
I feel sorry for him and people like him.
I can relate, of course, having been raised in that school of thought myself. I remember being taught that if I had but the faith comparable to the size of a mere mustard seed that I could move mountains (Matthew 17:19-20). As a child, I took such a lesson to heart and I tested the promise many times. I mean, how awesome would that have been? I pictured myself as Luke Skywalker in the swamps of Dagobah, levitating stones with my mind.
Nothing ever happened.
Couldn't move even a rock without having to step forward and kick it.
So I convinced myself that the problem then was with me. I simply didn't have enough faith. So I would try harder to do everything I was told I needed to do to please this invisible "god" that never really seemed to much of anything at all.
It's a pity that these kinds of foolish lies and fantasies are perpetuated from one generation to the next. I mean, seriously, how f@cked up is it to instill a belief system in a child that creates feelings of self-doubt, self-pity, and sometimes even self-hatred? To coerce an otherwise healthy individual into thinking that there's something wrong with them?
When I was a True Believing Mormon, I was NEVER comfortable with who I was, because I never felt like I was good enough or that I deserved any "blessings" from Mr. Elohim or his sidekick Jehovah. It messed with my head something fierce.
Thankfully, all that has changed. I'm still trying to de-program my thought processes from all those years of youthful indoctrination, but I think I'm making some serious progress.
To any and all of you who might be taking a similar journey, I wish you well.
Just don't expect me to lay my hands upon your head in a futile attempt to tap into some spiritual powers - I doubt it would do much good.
posted by Al Jordan | 10:32 AM
3 Comments:
"I mean, seriously, how f@cked up is it to instill a belief system in a child that creates feelings of self-doubt, self-pity, and sometimes even self-hatred? To coerce an otherwise healthy individual into thinking that there's something wrong with them?"
That is my major problem with the LDS church. Kids who grow up with the self-hatred and doubt, miss out on the beauty of growing up. I was teen and I made mistakes. As an adult I watched my children make mistakes and never once told them that they were screwed up because they didn't believe enough. However, I have granddaughters now who are totally screwed up because of the pressure placed on them by my converted mormon daughter. Why do the kid always get the brunt of adult screw-ups? Sorry but it makes me so mad every time I hear another "be faithful and prosper" speech.
I just stumbled upon your blog while browsing around other ex-mo blogs. Are you going to be writing more? If so, do you mind if I add you to my blogroll? Check me out sometime - we've had similar experiences before/after mormonism.
You have tested it and writing form your personal experience or you find some information online?
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