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I am glad some of you have had experiences with this. This still leaves me quite puzzled why I have never, why I have never felt anything positive about the temple (other than “nice decorations”), never felt an indication that a calling was for someone. It is nice to quote the scripture “for some it is to know …”. But if God does not give me some basic guidance when I try for half a century, it just doesn’t make sense. LookingHard wrote:
I am glad some of you have had experiences with this. This still leaves me quite puzzled why I have never, why I have never felt anything positive about the temple (other than “nice decorations”), never felt an indication that a calling was for someone. It is nice to quote the scripture “for some it is to know …”. But if God does not give me some basic guidance when I try for half a century, it just doesn’t make sense.
It sounds like bad luck, LH!
But I’m in the same boat. I’ve heard many people claim miraculous healing, both in and outside of the Church. I’ve seen explicit priesthood blessings by exemplary men, which did not come to pass. And I can explain both healing (including miraculous healing) and comfort, through a combination of confirmation bias and the placebo effect.
I also think it’s kind of funny, and also kind of sad, we live in a world where, if 1 in 10,000 people recover from an “incurable” disease, it’s lauded as a miracle from God. But what of the faithful among the 9,999? Or how we pray to a God for help getting a promotion, or to get over a cold, when there are children kidnapped daily and sold as sex slaves. It’s why I have a hard time holding onto a literal belief of a God I can understand, let alone feel is “good” and has our best interests at heart. But on the other hand, I see the immense value and peace that comes from believing in a good and just God, a God of miracles, healing, and lost car keys… even if He doesn’t really exist (or at least, not in that way). I’m glad we have priesthood blessings.
That is the conundrum, dande48. It works for me only if I believe in a generally non-interventionist God – but I can’t explain the times I feel like God has intervened in some way in a very few of my own experiences. I can explain it, perhaps, if I posit that there is some kind of essence that some people can tap into (regularly or occasionally) that points toward a degree of fate or unchanging future – but I don’t believe in that idea anywhere close to fully, so I am left with uncertainty and the choice simply to believe what I want to believe within the constraints of my own experiences.
That’s how I reconcile a whole lot of things – by accepting that privilege for myself and everyone else (while retaining the right to view some people’s choices as horrible, misguided, incorrect, etc. and allowing them the same privilege as they view mine). That isn’t completely relativistic, since I do believe Truth exists, but I believe it is charitable toward the people, even in cases where I can’t be charitable toward the beliefs (and, in some cases, can be highly critical of the people). It’s another one of those pesky paradoxes I have had to accept.
As far as biblical precedent for anointing with oil, there was a tv show called “the Bible”, narrated by the woman from Touched by an Angel. Anyway, the episode when Samuel anointed Saul, he poured oil all over his face. It was definitely not what LDS do, but it demonstrated anointing with oil from a biblical precedent. We teach that there’s two halves of the priesthood: Authority and Power. The authority part is the automatic part. It is given to anyone that is ordained by the laying on of hands. Or we also teach that doing some things in the name of Jesus Christ is sufficient authority (think temple video). However, this is not what heals people.
The power part is not automatic. In fact, the power isn’t even ours. It’s God’s power and is the source of what we call miracles. He doesn’t let mere mortals wield it to do their will. Thank goodness! It can only be used to do His will. Oft times a blessing is given and the mouthpiece has not prepared himself to know the Lord’s will. He then states whatever pops into his head, or whatever he thinks the person wants to hear, and gets it wrong. Certain outcomes are declared that end up not occurring. This happens a lot.
So why do we have blessings if the Lord is going to do His will anyway? Well that’s a question that also calls into question the purpose of all prayers. I have had a hard time understanding this myself, but I am slowly understanding it more and more as I get older.
Side note: Did you ever wonder why the word “priesthood” is not used at the beginning of the sacrament prayer or the baptism prayer? All other ordinances require declaration of priesthood authority by name (Aaronic or Melchizedek). It has something to do with the fact that the word “priesthood” was not used very much in Joseph Smith’s time like it is today. I read a book on it once, but forgot the name.
My opinion: What we consider a “Priesthood” blessing, in reality is just a blessing. A priesthood ordination was not always a requirement for a blessing of the sick, and shouldn’t be today. It is a shame that my wife can’t, or rather won’t, help me bless my kids when they are sick. I hope this changes in the church in the near future.
I think whether or not someone has the priesthood helps some people have a little more faith or confidence than they otherwise would. The person giving the blessing may feel more confident because they have the priesthood.
The person receiving the blessing may feel more confident because the person giving them the blessing has the priesthood.
I think the positive energy that can be derived from confidence can be calming, even healing, and that people can develop that level of confidence outside the labels, rules, and formality of the PH.
nibbler wrote:
I think whether or not someone has the priesthood helps some people have a little more faith or confidence than they otherwise would.The person giving the blessing may feel more confident because they have the priesthood.
The person receiving the blessing may feel more confident because the person giving them the blessing has the priesthood.
I think the positive energy that can be derived from confidence can be calming, even healing, and that people can develop that level of confidence outside the labels, rules, and formality of the PH.
I had this discussion recently with DW over a missionary coming home. They are told to report to the SP and follow all mission rules until they do so. The SP does not do any kid of ritual to release you as a missionary. He basically says “thank you for your service” and asks you to remove the badge. Wearing the badge or not does not in itself contain any special properties. What might happen if the returning missionary just took off the badge upon arriving home and neglected to visit the SP?
All of this was a moot point because the family of the returning missionary was very keen on following established tradition to the letter in order to avoid anything inappropriate. Sometimes we, as humans, ask for rules, standards, and norms and then we receive them.
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