Priesthood Superpower

[hope_for_things]

On Sunday I attended a priesthood and temple prep meeting with my 11 yr old son.  During the meeting the YM president shared a video segment created from an Elder Holland talk he gave back in the year 2000.  Its a story of a little league football practice in Idaho where when one of participants was struck by lightning and was unconscious, a newly ordained 18 yr old Elder gives him a blessing and heals him.  Its very heart felt, and you can watch the roughly 3 minute video production the church made from this talk on the second link.  

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2000/10/sanctify-yourselves?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/youth/video/sanctify-yourselves?lang=eng&_r=1

As I sat there listening to the meeting and to this talk I was trying to understand what lesson this is teaching my young son, and what an 11 yr old might take away from this lesson.   It immediately made me think of superheros and superpowers.  The message this is likely sending to young people is that when you get the priesthood, you get God's superpower to perform miracles.  How cool is that!  You are so special, that God has given you his super healing power.  The secondary message is that you have to be worthy to use this superpower.  Superman loses his powers around kryptonite and you too can lose your superpowers if you're unworthy.  Lastly if God decides that whatever you used these superpowers on was against his will, then no beuno on those superpowers, because you can't do anything that goes against God's will.  

Is there some deeper meaning here that I could try and teach my child?  What exactly is the point of the priesthood, if its just superpowers to channel God and perform miracles?  For me, as someone trying to appreciate the metaphorical meaning in religion and the components of religion that can inspire me to be a better person, I found myself completely lost in trying to articulate in my mind something of metaphorical value about this whole message.  Even the construct of the Priesthood just seems completely vacuous to me the more I've thought about this in subsequent days.  

I'm looking for some help, I do try and find the nuggets of value in the church, but this one really left me wanting and scratching my head.  Any suggestions?  

[Gray]

2 minutes ago, hope_for_things said:

On Sunday I attended a priesthood and temple prep meeting with my 11 yr old son.  During the meeting the YM president shared a video segment created from an Elder Holland talk he gave back in the year 2000.  Its a story of a little league football practice in Idaho where when one of participants was struck by lightning and was unconscious, a newly ordained 18 yr old Elder gives him a blessing and heals him.  Its very heart felt, and you can watch the roughly 3 minute video production the church made from this talk on the second link.  

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2000/10/sanctify-yourselves?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/youth/video/sanctify-yourselves?lang=eng&_r=1

As I sat there listening to the meeting and to this talk I was trying to understand what lesson this is teaching my young son, and what an 11 yr old might take away from this lesson.   It immediately made me think of superheros and superpowers.  The message this is likely sending to young people is that when you get the priesthood, you get God's superpower to perform miracles.  How cool is that!  You are so special, that God has given you his super healing power.  The secondary message is that you have to be worthy to use this superpower.  Superman loses his powers around kryptonite and you too can lose your superpowers if you're unworthy.  Lastly if God decides that whatever you used these superpowers on was against his will, then no beuno on those superpowers, because you can't do anything that goes against God's will.  

Is there some deeper meaning here that I could try and teach my child?  What exactly is the point of the priesthood, if its just superpowers to channel God and perform miracles?  For me, as someone trying to appreciate the metaphorical meaning in religion and the components of religion that can inspire me to be a better person, I found myself completely lost in trying to articulate in my mind something of metaphorical value about this whole message.  Even the construct of the Priesthood just seems completely vacuous to me the more I've thought about this in subsequent days.  

I'm looking for some help, I do try and find the nuggets of value in the church, but this one really left me wanting and scratching my head.  Any suggestions?  

I remember thinking of it much like a kind of superpower when I was 11. That's certainly the way it was messaged to me.

[bluebell]

Maybe you could explain why it's a negative for a child to think of the ability to act in the name of God as a superpower.  I don't think i'm understanding your post exactly.

[CV75]

9 minutes ago, hope_for_things said:

On Sunday I attended a priesthood and temple prep meeting with my 11 yr old son.  During the meeting the YM president shared a video segment created from an Elder Holland talk he gave back in the year 2000.  Its a story of a little league football practice in Idaho where when one of participants was struck by lightning and was unconscious, a newly ordained 18 yr old Elder gives him a blessing and heals him.  Its very heart felt, and you can watch the roughly 3 minute video production the church made from this talk on the second link.  

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2000/10/sanctify-yourselves?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/youth/video/sanctify-yourselves?lang=eng&_r=1

As I sat there listening to the meeting and to this talk I was trying to understand what lesson this is teaching my young son, and what an 11 yr old might take away from this lesson.   It immediately made me think of superheros and superpowers.  The message this is likely sending to young people is that when you get the priesthood, you get God's superpower to perform miracles.  How cool is that!  You are so special, that God has given you his super healing power.  The secondary message is that you have to be worthy to use this superpower.  Superman loses his powers around kryptonite and you too can lose your superpowers if you're unworthy.  Lastly if God decides that whatever you used these superpowers on was against his will, then no beuno on those superpowers, because you can't do anything that goes against God's will.  

Is there some deeper meaning here that I could try and teach my child?  What exactly is the point of the priesthood, if its just superpowers to channel God and perform miracles?  For me, as someone trying to appreciate the metaphorical meaning in religion and the components of religion that can inspire me to be a better person, I found myself completely lost in trying to articulate in my mind something of metaphorical value about this whole message.  Even the construct of the Priesthood just seems completely vacuous to me the more I've thought about this in subsequent days.  

I'm looking for some help, I do try and find the nuggets of value in the church, but this one really left me wanting and scratching my head.  Any suggestions?  

I would find out what your son actually took away from it. He may have a deeper (or shallower) starting point than superheroes and superpowers. Ultimately, you won’t be able to teach him any deeper than you have gone yourself, and he may teach you a thing or two--wouldn't that be nice!

Edited February 1, 2018 by CV75

[hope_for_things]

2 minutes ago, Gray said:

I remember thinking of it much like a kind of superpower when I was 11. That's certainly the way it was messaged to me.

It made me feel so special and like I had a special responsibility which definitely increased my commitment level in those early years.   But, there are certainly some drawbacks to teaching our kids they are so very special and have special powers from God.  I would love some recommendations on how to share a more expansive perspective on this topic.  

[ksfisher]

8 minutes ago, hope_for_things said:

 

Is there some deeper meaning here that I could try and teach my child?  What exactly is the point of the priesthood, if its just superpowers to channel God and perform miracles?  For me, as someone trying to appreciate the metaphorical meaning in religion and the components of religion that can inspire me to be a better person, I found myself completely lost in trying to articulate in my mind something of metaphorical value about this whole message.  Even the construct of the Priesthood just seems completely vacuous to me the more I've thought about this in subsequent days.  

I'm looking for some help, I do try and find the nuggets of value in the church, but this one really left me wanting and scratching my head.  Any suggestions?  

This seems like a pretty good definition:

 

The priesthood is the eternal power and authority of God.

Through the priesthood God created and governs the heav-

ens and the earth. Through this power He redeems and exalts

His children, bringing to pass “the immortality and eternal

life of man” (Moses 1:39).

https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/english/pdf/language-materials/36863_eng.pdf

[hope_for_things]

3 minutes ago, bluebell said:

Maybe you could explain why it's a negative for a child to think of the ability to act in the name of God as a superpower.  I don't think i'm understanding your post exactly.

But how would I explain that without completely undermining the message.  The video presentation essentially characterizes this as a superpower from God, and the church teaches this pretty explicitly that we have the power of God to perform miracles.  I don't think that idea is necessarily a completely bad thing, but I'd like to know how to nuance this idea, so it doesn't have some of the negatives that I perceive go along with it.  

[hope_for_things]

3 minutes ago, CV75 said:

I would find out what your son actually took away from it. He may have a deeper (or shallower) starting point than superheroes and superpowers. Ultimately, you won’t be able to teach him any deeper than you have gone yourself, and he may teach you a thing or two!

Yes, I'm planning to talk with him tonight when I pick him from his martial arts class.  You may be right that his views about it might be more complex than I'm assuming.  I'll try and return and report.  

[hope_for_things]

4 minutes ago, ksfisher said:

This seems like a pretty good definition:

 

The priesthood is the eternal power and authority of God.

Through the priesthood God created and governs the heav-

ens and the earth. Through this power He redeems and exalts

His children, bringing to pass “the immortality and eternal

life of man” (Moses 1:39).

https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/english/pdf/language-materials/36863_eng.pdf

It still sounds a lot like superpowers to me.  Superpowers to create life and the universe, superpower to change mortals into immortals.  The power to govern, which I understand more in terms of authority, rather than power.  Is there some metaphorical ideal here that I'm missing?  

[Bobbieaware]

9 minutes ago, hope_for_things said:

On Sunday I attended a priesthood and temple prep meeting with my 11 yr old son.  During the meeting the YM president shared a video segment created from an Elder Holland talk he gave back in the year 2000.  Its a story of a little league football practice in Idaho where when one of participants was struck by lightning and was unconscious, a newly ordained 18 yr old Elder gives him a blessing and heals him.  Its very heart felt, and you can watch the roughly 3 minute video production the church made from this talk on the second link.  

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2000/10/sanctify-yourselves?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/youth/video/sanctify-yourselves?lang=eng&_r=1

As I sat there listening to the meeting and to this talk I was trying to understand what lesson this is teaching my young son, and what an 11 yr old might take away from this lesson.   It immediately made me think of superheros and superpowers.  The message this is likely sending to young people is that when you get the priesthood, you get God's superpower to perform miracles.  How cool is that!  You are so special, that God has given you his super healing power.  The secondary message is that you have to be worthy to use this superpower.  Superman loses his powers around kryptonite and you too can lose your superpowers if you're unworthy.  Lastly if God decides that whatever you used these superpowers on was against his will, then no beuno on those superpowers, because you can't do anything that goes against God's will.  

Is there some deeper meaning here that I could try and teach my child?  What exactly is the point of the priesthood, if its just superpowers to channel God and perform miracles?  For me, as someone trying to appreciate the metaphorical meaning in religion and the components of religion that can inspire me to be a better person, I found myself completely lost in trying to articulate in my mind something of metaphorical value about this whole message.  Even the construct of the Priesthood just seems completely vacuous to me the more I've thought about this in subsequent days.  

I'm looking for some help, I do try and find the nuggets of value in the church, but this one really left me wanting and scratching my head.  Any suggestions?  

I guess when the progressives take over the Church one of the first items of business will be to remove all the scriptural accounts of miraculous healings and  to expunge any references to other kinds of miracles as well. Also up for elimination will be the testimonies of the prophets that God is a God of mighty miracles and that those with great faith, nothing doubting, can see miracles come to pass. Come to think of it, any verses in the standard works that assert there will be a universal physical resurrection of the dead will also have to be removed. After all, we can’t give false hope to the impressionable minds of our young by telling them people who lived at the dawn of man, whose bodies are now nothing more than dust, can actually be raised from the dead into immortality. Realism, realism, realism...

[Amulek]

15 minutes ago, hope_for_things said:

It still sounds a lot like superpowers to me.  Superpowers to create life and the universe, superpower to change mortals into immortals.  [...]

Rather than a superpower, I tend to think of the priesthood more like a power of attorney. That seems like a much better analogy to me. 

[JAHS]

I have never thought of it as super powers; but rather the right and responsibility to serve others by bringing the gospel to them; helping them with whatever physical or spiritual needs they may have; and providing leadership and performing priesthood ordinances for them. Giving priesthood blessing to heal them is one of the ways we serve, but it does not involve super powers; it is through faith that it happens.

[hope_for_things]

8 minutes ago, Bobbieaware said:

I guess when the progressives take over the Church one of the first items of business will be to remove all the scriptural accounts of miraculous healings and  to expunge any references to other kinds of miracles as well. Also up for elimination will be the testimonies of the prophets that God is a God of mighty miracles and that those with great faith, nothing doubting, can see miracles come to pass. Come to think of it, any verses in the standard works that assert there will be a universal physical resurrection of the dead will also have to be removed. After all, we can’t give false hope to the impressionable minds of our young by telling them people who lived at the dawn of man, whose bodies are now nothing more than dust, can actually be raised from the dead into immortality. Realism, realism, realism...

You don't need to feel threatened by the likes of me.  I'm not calling for any such thing.  I'm looking for value that I can apply to my life through a different lens than how you see the world.  We all have ways of looking at things that are different.  

[hope_for_things]

5 minutes ago, Amulek said:

Rather than a superpower, I tend to think of the priesthood more like a power of attorney. That seems like a much better analogy to me. 

If through the power of attorney a person holding the priesthood is still performing some supernatural ability to heal someone, I guess I'm not seeing how this is that different of a way of thinking of things.  

[hope_for_things]

6 minutes ago, JAHS said:

I have never thought of it as super powers; but rather the right and responsibility to serve others by bringing the gospel to them; helping them with whatever physical or spiritual needs they may have; and providing leadership and performing priesthood ordinances for them. Giving priesthood blessing to heal them is one of the ways we serve, but it does not involve super powers; it is through faith that it happens.

I like the idea of service and that is how I've tried to look at the priesthood as a responsibility to serve, and thats probably the best way for me to portray it.  Its not necessarily a metaphorical message that drives home some deep meaning, but thats how I would have chosen to present the priesthood if I were in charge of the lesson.  Rather than to focus on the power of the priesthood to perform miraculous healings.  

[Bobbieaware]

10 minutes ago, hope_for_things said:

You don't need to feel threatened by the likes of me.  I'm not calling for any such thing.  I'm looking for value that I can apply to my life through a different lens than how you see the world.  We all have ways of looking at things that are different.  

Don’t you agree that it would be a good thing for the Church if all the changes I suggested in my post could be brought to pass? 

[bluebell]

55 minutes ago, hope_for_things said:

But how would I explain that without completely undermining the message.  The video presentation essentially characterizes this as a superpower from God, and the church teaches this pretty explicitly that we have the power of God to perform miracles.  I don't think that idea is necessarily a completely bad thing, but I'd like to know how to nuance this idea, so it doesn't have some of the negatives that I perceive go along with it.  

Could you explain what the "negatives that you perceive go along with it" are?  It's hard to know how to offer any ideas when I'm not sure where you are coming from.  

[stemelbow]

1 hour ago, bluebell said:

Maybe you could explain why it's a negative for a child to think of the ability to act in the name of God as a superpower.  I don't think i'm understanding your post exactly.

Teaching 12 year old boys that they have superpowers?  yeah...no...nothing could be wrong with that.  

The story is interesting because it's told as if the priesthood blessing had an impact on whether the boy lived or not.  But perhaps it did not.  Perhaps he lived without the blessing.  I suppose it's possible someone out there has been struck by lightning and lived without a Mormon priesthood blessing, no?  

And to add a little more snark to this, perhaps the boy didn't have enough faith not to be healed?  A 12 year old ought to be told that the better faith is in those who die, and thus superpowers given boys aren't really for bringing people back to life.

 

Edited February 1, 2018 by stemelbow

[Amulek]

21 minutes ago, hope_for_things said:

If through the power of attorney a person holding the priesthood is still performing some supernatural ability to heal someone, I guess I'm not seeing how this is that different of a way of thinking of things.  

Sorry. I guess I'm having a hard time understanding what you are looking for.

You are trying to come up with a way to explain the priesthood, which we believe entails the ability to act in the name of God, in a way that excludes the ability to act in the name of God, at least insofar as it pertains to anything 'supernatural,' and you simultaneously want this explanation to be deeper / more meaningful than our current understanding? Good luck with that.

 

[JLHPROF]

I have never thought of it as superpowers.  Because the power doesn't reside in the mortal man.
It is authority to act in the name of God.  It functions only according to the faith of the priesthood bearer and the recipient of the blessing.
And it functions based on correct principle, not any kind of magic.

Priesthood allows those called to serve as God's representatives to pronounce God's blessings according to God's spirit, which blessings are filled by God's power.
Because God respects those he gives authority to that are living up to it.

A wise man once reminded me that when giving a priesthood blessing you do it "in the name of Jesus Christ" and by authority of the "holy Melchizedek Priesthood" (priesthood after the order of the son of God/Jesus Christ).
It has nothing to do with our power at all.  It's Christ's authority, Christ's name, and Christ's blessing.  But not everyone has the legal authority to act in God's name.  That is why priesthood still matters. We want God and Christ to recognize the act as authorized.  Otherwise they have no obligation to deem it valid.

[Robert F. Smith]

1 hour ago, hope_for_things said:

It still sounds a lot like superpowers to me.  Superpowers to create life and the universe, superpower to change mortals into immortals.  The power to govern, which I understand more in terms of authority, rather than power.  Is there some metaphorical ideal here that I'm missing?  

Yes.  The description and expectation expressed here seems to have more to do with the powers of a mighty warlock or magician than they do with priesthood.  The power of the priesthood has more to do with blessing and performing ordinances within the household of faith than in the P. T. Barnum circus stuff some have been suggesting.  The exercise of priesthood power needs to be dignified and held within proper bounds, not become outlandish and superheroic.  God needs calm and abiding strength of character in his priesthood, not spectacular Hollywood action scenes.  God needs to have his men providing a firm handshake and the exercise of responsibility, rather than loud cries of Shazzam!

How to tell the difference?  By the whisperings of the the Holy Spirit.

[RevTestament]

1 hour ago, hope_for_things said:

On Sunday I attended a priesthood and temple prep meeting with my 11 yr old son.  During the meeting the YM president shared a video segment created from an Elder Holland talk he gave back in the year 2000.  Its a story of a little league football practice in Idaho where when one of participants was struck by lightning and was unconscious, a newly ordained 18 yr old Elder gives him a blessing and heals him.  Its very heart felt, and you can watch the roughly 3 minute video production the church made from this talk on the second link.  

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2000/10/sanctify-yourselves?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/youth/video/sanctify-yourselves?lang=eng&_r=1

As I sat there listening to the meeting and to this talk I was trying to understand what lesson this is teaching my young son, and what an 11 yr old might take away from this lesson.   It immediately made me think of superheros and superpowers.  The message this is likely sending to young people is that when you get the priesthood, you get God's superpower to perform miracles.  How cool is that!  You are so special, that God has given you his super healing power.  The secondary message is that you have to be worthy to use this superpower.  Superman loses his powers around kryptonite and you too can lose your superpowers if you're unworthy.  Lastly if God decides that whatever you used these superpowers on was against his will, then no beuno on those superpowers, because you can't do anything that goes against God's will.  

Is there some deeper meaning here that I could try and teach my child?  What exactly is the point of the priesthood, if its just superpowers to channel God and perform miracles?  For me, as someone trying to appreciate the metaphorical meaning in religion and the components of religion that can inspire me to be a better person, I found myself completely lost in trying to articulate in my mind something of metaphorical value about this whole message.  Even the construct of the Priesthood just seems completely vacuous to me the more I've thought about this in subsequent days.  

I'm looking for some help, I do try and find the nuggets of value in the church, but this one really left me wanting and scratching my head.  Any suggestions?  

You are not a high priest are you? 

Hebrews 5:1 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.

That is a fairly sobering responsibility - To be worthy to offer a gift such as healing. Thinking of performing ordinances should not be thought of as wielding one's superpower like Superman - for if one does it this way, and thinks of the power as his own doing, it will not be given him. One needs to recognize that any gift of healing given them is done so only as a gift from God. We are only acting on His behalf to His glory - not our own. To be worthy of representing God, we must humble ourselves even as little children - then may God act through us.

1 hour ago, hope_for_things said:

It made me feel so special and like I had a special responsibility which definitely increased my commitment level in those early years.   But, there are certainly some drawbacks to teaching our kids they are so very special and have special powers from God.  I would love some recommendations on how to share a more expansive perspective on this topic.  

Being set apart by God is special, but not in the way thought of by man. It is not for our sake that we are given gifts such as the gift of healing, but so that we may perform His work - not our own. Not all have every gift of God. All high priests are authorized to wield them, but not all are given them. Simply being ordained an Elder or an High Priest does not give one the gift of healing - contrary to popular belief. We are authorized to impart that gift from God, should He so choose. Thus, it is really nothing like a superpower or being superman. It is more like being humble enough to receive any gift should God so choose, and so honoring God in the process. Any honor you try to receive of yourself, will come to naught, but lead to the condemnation of God.

 

[hope_for_things]

1 hour ago, Bobbieaware said:

Don’t you agree that it would be a good thing for the Church if all the changes I suggested in my post could be brought to pass? 

It might be a good thing for some of us, depends on where people are with respect to their personal faith paradigm.   As society continues to gain greater understanding about how natural processes work, people everywhere just naturally believe less and less in supernatural phenomena.  Just look at the difference in early Mormon beliefs and beliefs today.  People really don't believe in seer stones, divining rods, handkerchiefs staffs, curses and talismans. 

Honestly I'm not sure how many people really believe that the Priesthood can actually heal people today from physical ailments.  In the 19th century many Mormons believed that they didn't need to see doctors because the Priesthood was that effective at healing people.  Today, you can't find a church leader that would tell you to forgo a doctor in preference of using the Priesthood.  I think all of this progress is just natural and I don't think it needs to be promoted as policy changes as its just naturally happening over time.  

[hope_for_things]

1 hour ago, bluebell said:

Could you explain what the "negatives that you perceive go along with it" are?  It's hard to know how to offer any ideas when I'm not sure where you are coming from.  

I'm having a hard time thinking of any positives from teaching my son that he's going to have a special superpower to heal people and that he's a chosen special person that is favored by God.  I think those are all pretty negative ideas to teach a child.  I think teaching a child they are loved by family and friends.  That they have great potential to do good in the world and opportunities within an amazingly free society with all the wonderful modern advances that they can do great things.  Focusing on potential is a value I like to instill, and hard work and effort and the sense of feeling we get from serving others and defining success internally by measuring the efforts we put into things and the progress we make, rather than external measures of success.  

There are many values I can find useful in promoting, they just don't tie back to this idea that God is omniscient and powerful deity that heals individuals through the priesthood, and that he will have access to this power now, I can't find a lot of positive in that idea.  

[hope_for_things]

1 hour ago, stemelbow said:

Teaching 12 year old boys that they have superpowers?  yeah...no...nothing could be wrong with that.  

The story is interesting because it's told as if the priesthood blessing had an impact on whether the boy lived or not.  But perhaps it did not.  Perhaps he lived without the blessing.  I suppose it's possible someone out there has been struck by lightning and lived without a Mormon priesthood blessing, no?  

And to add a little more snark to this, perhaps the boy didn't have enough faith not to be healed?  A 12 year old ought to be told that the better faith is in those who die, and thus superpowers given boys aren't really for bringing people back to life.

Agreed, thinking a little deeper about that story creates all kinds of problems.  Should we really believe that an all powerful deity is going to pick and choose to heal this young boy, just because a Mormon Elder happened to be present at that time and place, and that this same God will let another child in a different location die because there wasn't a Priesthood holder present.  Where is the fairness in this message?  

I personally have a very hard time believing in a God that intervenes in these arbitrary ways in the lives of humans.  I haven't been able to find a reasonable argument that sits well with me that describes that kind of a God.  Yet, I still find myself saying intercessory prayers in my life, especially when the going gets rough.  At the least, it gives me some comfort, and if that is all I can get from those prayers, then at some level they are worth my effort.