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The word “blessings” can mean many things. I believe in the context of the OP it was referring to promises made on behalf of God, by a priesthood holder to a person in need while the priesthood holder has his hands upon their head. Can those blessings (meaning the realization of those promises) be withheld based on the “priesthood power” of the priesthood holder?
I think if we expand the definition of “blessings” to refer to good deeds that people can perform for each other then the discussion changes dramatically.
Roy wrote:
The word “blessings” can mean many things.
This is so true, and I have stated on the forums before that as I look around me I don’t see that I’m any more blessed than any of my neighbors, some of who are church goers/believers and some not. But that is from a temporal/physical point of view and blessings aren’t necessarily temporal/physical (and may not be at all). And of course my Deist point of view influences what I think of as a blessing.
I think this little incident I recently experienced is relevant to this discussion: Stake conference Saturday my wife wanted to go visit her mother in the nursing home in the afternoon prior to the session (the session was 4-6 on Zoom). Prior to the visit she stopped at Walmart and coming out had a flat tire. She called me, who was running errands in the other direction and I was 20 miles away but went to be her knight in shining armor. I put on the donut, which needed air (I know they tell you to check your spare, but who does?). She did go to her mother’s and I went home and fixed the tire (keep your lecture about plugging radials, I’ve done it many times). By the time this was done and she returned home and the tire was pot back on her car the session was nearly over.
There could be multiple points of view about what happened (this list is not exhaustive):
1. Satan punctured the tire to prevent us from attending the session and possible gaining something of value.
2. God punctured the tire to save me from struggling through a session I didn’t want to attend anyway (I did struggle through the Sunday session with only a couple of irritable talks).
3. A flat is just a flat, many people all over the world get them every day.
I think it was 3, although it would be great to think God loved and cared about me enough that it could have been 2 (a blessing). An alternative view of 1 could be that God allowed Satan to puncture the tire to see what I would do or possibly as a curse.
Rhetorical question: Was the flat tire a blessing, a curse, or neither?
DarkJedi wrote:
Rhetorical question: Was the flat tire a blessing, a curse, or neither?
I know it was rhetorical, but it’s in the eye of the beholder.
If you’re the type that’s chomping at the bit to do more church it’s a curse.
If you’re the type that’s looking to get out of a church meeting it’s a blessing.
A flat tire doesn’t happen every day. When it does, it’s so much easier when there’s someone there to help you.
There will always be another stake conference to attend where by and large the same things will be said. Incidentally, that’s another scenario where it would be easier if someone was there to help me. Mostly in the form of being an ear to whispered irreverent comments.
nibbler wrote:
A flat tire doesn’t happen every day. When it does, it’s so much easier when there’s someone there to help you.There will always be another stake conference to attend where by and large the same things will be said. Incidentally, that’s another scenario where it would be easier if someone was there to help me. Mostly in the form of being an ear to whispered irreverent comments.
There was a day in the last few years when I needed to cut up some garments. It was a weird situation because I felt that I needed to do so, but it wasn’t something I wanted to do (or felt comfortable doing) on my own. I attribute this situation to it having personal meaning of being a “moving on” ritual as well as a standard practice. I could not imagine being on the phone with my mom for this – but I wanted to be on the phone talking to someone while I was completing this ritual. Thankfully, I have a friend from my mission days who I am close enough that it while it was unusual, it wasn’t an uncomfortable burden (for either of us – I checked) to ask her to be there and she also understood. She respectfully supported me in “saying goodbye” on some level to a connection to the church.
Minyan Man wrote:
Under this topic, wouldn’t forgiveness & empathy & compassion be blessings contingent upon others?Or, am I missing the point?
It wouldn’t be the first time.
I don’t think you’re missing the point. I think I’m leaning towards the only way god bless us is through others, not that he can’t, but that’s just how it is.
It’s been a difficult couple of months. After my sister’s funeral I prepared some thank you cards for some of those that volunteered during the service, a good sister in the ward spent the entire time preparing and serving food, she went above and beyond. In the past I my have thanked her, said a prayer asking for blessings for her service. I think now that is a cheap way if not actually doing something for someone. I wrote the cards, got some items and dropped them off on their doorsteps. I guess I’m saying rather than just hoping they are blessed for their service I tried my best to bless them with action as well. I don’t want to equate my efforts in comparison to the creator. My attempts seem feeble as I felt my efforts paled in comparison to their sacrifice.
I’m still evolving my thoughts on this.
Roy wrote:
The word “blessings” can mean many things.I believe in the context of the OP it was referring to promises made on behalf of God, by a priesthood holder to a person in need while the priesthood holder has his hands upon their head. Can those blessings (meaning the realization of those promises) be withheld based on the “priesthood power” of the priesthood holder?
I think if we expand the definition of “blessings” to refer to good deeds that people can perform for each other then the discussion changes dramatically.
Yes, my original thoughts were specifically in giving priesthood blessings. I think it’s expanded since then to include every blessing. I’m not sure where the god who is concerned with every little thing in our lives is, and whether he will come back into my psyche or not.
DarkJedi wrote:3. A flat is just a flat, many people all over the world get them every day.
I also lean towards 3, but hope that if there was something major, god would intervene.
If I lose my keys, will he intervene and tell me where they are? Or when a flash comes into my mind where they might be is it because he created me and give me a subconscious that will guide me and remind me. And if so he created me unorganized enough to lose my keys in the first place
AmyJ wrote:
…Thankfully, I have a friend from my mission days who I am close enough that it while it was unusual, it wasn’t an uncomfortable burden (for either of us – I checked) to ask her to be there and she also understood. She respectfully supported me in “saying goodbye” on some level to a connection to the church.
I’ve had a few things I’ve separated with the church over the years, for me there is a bittersweet feeling of longing for the way some things used to be and the realization that those things can never be the same even if I tried. It’s good you have a friend who will support you. Peace to you.
LDS_Scoutmaster wrote:
there is a bittersweet feeling of longing for the way some things used to be and the realization that those things can never be the same even if I tried.
My 14 year old DS and I read the book Hatchet. In the epilogue, it describes how the changes that Brian underwent during his 2 month experience in the wilderness were permanent and changed his manner and the way that he interacted with the world. My son asked me if such changes are always permanent. I told him that I think that they are. Most experiences contribute small and incremental changes, sometimes there is a large, impactful and transformative experience – but regardless of whether the experience is big or small, there is the person that we were before and the person that we are after.one of my children read hatchet, it was one of her favorite books. It’s hard to say whether I believe those changes are permanent, or that some just have a very long lasting effect. One of my sisters passed away when I was a teenager, another just recently. The first changed me in a profound way, I ended up joining the church shortly after. This time it has affected me profoundly in other ways, I feel that God is less concerned about the small things and I worried too much about the small things.
I don’t think this transition will take me out of the church, I see no need to abandon it. But I also feel that my need for the church regarding my salvation is much more determined by myself than the church organization and even ordinances.
I think I am different than I was last year.
.. And all those things that seemed so important, well mister they vanish right into the air…” Bruce Springsteen
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