Question about Father's Blessings

[Portland Ute]

This doesn't even make any sense. Joseph Smith did not unworthily exercise the priesthood in restoring the gospel.

If he didn't exercise the priesthood to restore the gospel, what was he exercising and with what authority?

[Goatnapper'96]

My opinion is that there has been a movement in the LDS Church the past few years to allow fathers to give priesthood blessings regardless of their level of worthiness. I think the belief is because the LDS Church places a premium on the relationship between a father/mother and the child. There is even a quote from every leftie's least favorite future Prophet and supreme stake planter of the conservative wing of the LDS Church, Elder Boyd K. Packer, asking a supposedly unworthy father to confirm the Melchezidek Priesthood upon his son. Hence, I don't see your level of worthiness as an impediment. My advice is to give the blessing and let it be a wonderful experience for you and your children. In fact if you value Church membership and affiliation for your kids, I think you performing these culturally expected religious rituals might be more important since you and the mother are divorced. When I hear folks speak whose parents were divorced those in the Church often really pay homage to their fathers for staying religiously/spiritually involved in the kids life when the kid is going to be frequently bombarded with Church sponsered teachings that make it obvious there individual circumstances are not the ideal model. Any efforts you can take to reinforce as close to the ideal as you and their mother can take would be a very good thing, IMO.

If you love your kid enough to do it, I think you should be allowed. It will be good for your kid and I tend to believe God will respect your honest intentions which are to use the priesthood to bless your child's life. IMO, if that is your intent there is nothing more Holy or consistent with revealed scripture as to pure Christlike motivation to use the Priesthood of God.

But I also really like fake boobs and calling whiners dusgusting and revolting terms such as "string pullers," so keep that in perspective when chewing the fat of my longwinded response.

[Goatnapper'96]

If he didn't exercise the priesthood to restore the gospel, what was he exercising and with what authority?

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT HE WAS EXERCISING! THE FULL MEASURE OF HIS CREATION, BABY!

One of his polygamous wives stated:

"If polygamy sprang from God's brain, we failed him. If it sprang from Joseph's brain, he failed us." I think that was one of the wives living in some supposed slum where many polyg wives lived on the outskirts of SLC. I think they called it Magna.

[Sullyute]

No. I don't have citations handy, but I believe the doctrine is that God will still honor the validity of ordinances performed by unworthy persons, predicated on the faith of the recipient. The person performing them, on the other hand ....

I have no problems with this interpretation. Thanks for your point of view.

[cougjunkie]

Tex shut the hell up and go back to CG with MikeWaters.

[mUUser]

Thanks all for your thoughts and support. I guess the part that really throws me is that I can't imagine what possible harm could have been done. Must be a divorce issue.

Thanks for the CHOI reference, and I did find that conference talk:

It was repeated by Dallin H. Oaks in conference April 1987.

And a similar story by President Monson in 2006. An inactive husband who attended a different church entirely, annoints his ill wife. TSM seals the annointment. Different circumstances. Same principal.

http://lds.org/ensign/2006/11/true-t...trust?lang=eng

[TripletDaddy]

And a similar story by President Monson in 2006. An inactive husband who attended a different church entirely, annoints his ill wife. TSM seals the annointment. Different circumstances. Same principal.

http://lds.org/ensign/2006/11/true-t...trust?lang=eng

Is that a priesthood ordinance????

Tex?

[Tex]

If he didn't exercise the priesthood to restore the gospel, what was he exercising and with what authority?

I still don't understand what you're getting at. I'm talking about something pretty specific: the performing of the priesthood ordinance of a father's blessing.

If you're trying to make some larger point about whether God can work through nonbelievers or unworthy people generally, then you're being too broad.

[Portland Ute]

I still don't understand what you're getting at. I'm talking about something pretty specific: the performing of the priesthood ordinance of a father's blessing.

If you're trying to make some larger point about whether God can work through nonbelievers or unworthy people generally, then you're being too broad.

Joseph didn't perform blessings, sealings, ordinances while President of the church?

[Tex]

I have no problems with this interpretation. Thanks for your point of view.

Tex shut the hell up and go back to CG with MikeWaters.

Heh.

[NorthwestUteFan]

And a similar story by President Monson in 2006. An inactive husband who attended a different church entirely, annoints his ill wife. TSM seals the annointment. Different circumstances. Same principal.

FWIW several years ago I went with the second counselor to the stake president to give a blessing to a woman in the ward who was having health problems. (I was probably just the first to answer the phone when he called).

When we got there, the SP counselor actually had the husband, who had been inactive for decades but was on the rolls as a Priest, do the annointing. Then the counselor sealed the blessing. He even invited the man to place his hands on her head during the blessing, so all three of us were in on it. On the ride home the counselor said he felt strongly that the husband should be given the opportunity to serve his wife in this capacity, and that he cleared it with the SP beforehand. He also mentioned the whole blessing experience is based more upon the receiver of the blessing than on the conduit giving the blessing.

So, in this case, a Priest participated in a MP ordinance and annointed the head of his wife, all at the direction of a member of the stake presidency.

[SeattleUte]

Heh.

Tex wins. If he ways Heh you're done. Trust me.

[tooblue]

Father’s Blessings and Blessings of Comfort and Counsel

Fathers and others who hold the Melchizedek Priesthood may give blessings of comfort and counsel. Fathers may give their children blessings on special occasions such as when the children enter military service or leave home to go to school or on missions. A family may record a father’s blessing in family records, but it is not preserved in Church records.

To give a father’s blessing or other blessings of comfort and counsel, one or more worthy Melchizedek Priesthood holders place their hands lightly on the person’s head. Then the priesthood leader who gives the blessing:

1. Calls the person by his or her full name.
2. States that the blessing is performed by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood.
3. Blesses the person as the Spirit directs.
4. Closes in the name of Jesus Christ. Conclusion

As priesthood holders, we should prepare ourselves for times when we need to perform ordinances. Being ready to perform priesthood ordinances means that we are living the commandments to the best of our ability and that we understand how to perform the ordinances. Such preparation will bless ourselves and others.

Duties And Blessings Of The Priesthood, page 47

But while basic worthiness to administer the sacrament or participate in other ordinances must be carefully guarded, we must also remember that perfection is not a requirement for priesthood bearers to be permitted to function in various ordinances and callings. Even though priesthood bearers are imperfect in many ways, the Lord allows them to carry out his work. The Church is a school for those who desire to become like the Lord, not a resting place for those who have already made it.

Ordinances of the priesthood are valid if they are performed by authorized priesthood bearers in the prescribed manner. While local leaders will want to do everything within their power to see that only worthy brethren administer the sacrament, the ordinance does not become invalid if someone involved is unworthy at the time he participates. The sanctity of the ordinance is violated, but not the validity. If the partaker is worthy and sincere, all the possible blessings and benefits will be his.

http://lds.org/new-era/1984/10/qa-qu...ood+unworthily

If the bolded above is true of the sacrament then it is true of all priesthood ordinances. However, it must be understood that the individual responsible for the violation of the sanctity of the ordinance will come under condemnation and will answer to the Lord for doing so. I trust in the mercy of the Lord. IMO, you should bless your children, regardless of what your ex-wife and her Bishop says.

[TripletDaddy]

Tex wins. If he ways Heh you're done. Trust me.

Tex does not support T-Mo, obviously. See the talk referenced above, which Tex conspicuously ignored. I knew eventually Tex would fall away.

[SeattleUte]

Tex does not support T-Mo, obviously. See the talk referenced above, which Tex conspicuously ignored. I knew eventually Tex would fall away.

Here's the irony: progressive Mormons are more self-satisfied, more pious, more cocksure than tex-type Mormons. It's easy to be a self-satisfied fence sitter.