Patriarchal Blessings

[silverfox]

I want to dig out my patriarchal blessing and look at it more closely now that I know it's all hogwash.

I never understood the part where "the blood of xxxxx flows through your veins" (or something like that) When I asked my stake prez about that, how did the patriarch know, he said he didn't necessarily know but that once the blessing was given it can CHANGE however the blodd was flowing before.

All these kinds of comments have added up over the years.

I also remember in my blessing it said I came from a family full of love and understanding. Boy was he off base. And how others tried to justify that statement was just amazing. "Oh, he is talking about your heavenly mother and father" or "Maybe at one time when you were a baby your home was filled with love and understanding".

As a TBM I justified a lot, too, but some things ALWAYS gnawed at me and this blessing is one of them. So many members put a lot of importance on them (my hubby sure does).

I will dig mine out and post it. To show it means nothing. It is nothing.

[dogzilla]

I, for one, would like to see it, along with your commentary. I never got mine. I got the recommend, but went off to college and apostasized before I could get the P. Blessing. I should have gone through with it, for kicks and giggles. I might have found it extremely entertaining.

'Cept for the part where they drop a little olive oil in your hair. That stuff's a nightmare to get out again... :p

[miss taken]

I want to dig out my patriarchal blessing and look at it more closely now that I know it's all hogwash.

I never understood the part where "the blood of xxxxx flows through your veins" (or something like that) When I asked my stake prez about that, how did the patriarch know, he said he didn't necessarily know but that once the blessing was given it can CHANGE however the blodd was flowing before.

All these kinds of comments have added up over the years.

I also remember in my blessing it said I came from a family full of love and understanding. Boy was he off base. And how others tried to justify that statement was just amazing. "Oh, he is talking about your heavenly mother and father" or "Maybe at one time when you were a baby your home was filled with love and understanding".

As a TBM I justified a lot, too, but some things ALWAYS gnawed at me and this blessing is one of them. So many members put a lot of importance on them (my hubby sure does).

I will dig mine out and post it. To show it means nothing. It is nothing.

I actually found mine in a journal the other day. I loved the Stake Patriarch, who was such a good man. But never understood the PB.

Mine says that Satan will be 'next' to me at all times, and will strive his hardest to take me away from the church. Apparantly that was gonna be changed, but a decision was made to keep it in. (Grief I was only 15/16, and that gave me so many nightmares..)
It also said all the usual stuff about marrying a priesthood holder and having lots of children, and did say that I would travel the world meeting influential people. Well I love to travel, and teachers are influential. So maybe some of it was accurate...

It told me what tribe I was in, but to be honest, I never took it as reliable genealogy!!!! (Cynic that I am!!)
Mary

[silverfox]

Mine says that Satan will be 'next' to me at all times, and will strive his hardest to take me away from the church. Apparantly that was gonna be changed, but a decision was made to keep it in. (Grief I was only 15/16, and that gave me so many nightmares..)
Mary

WHAT?????? Good grief!!!!! As a teen in the chruch this would have been horrific! I would have felt like, "why me? What am I doing wrong to have Satan by me all the time"

Of course, looking at it now it appears it may have been a scare tactic? Maybe he was impressed with you that he wanted to "scare" you into staying in line. I dunno.

I just find these so very interesting. Mine says the typical stuff but I need to get it out for the hell of it and post it for those who have never seen one.

Hubby's is quite a "spiritual" one and always caused him much stress to do this or that or this, that the other wouldn't happen.

[miss taken]

WHAT?????? Good grief!!!!! As a teen in the chruch this would have been horrific! I would have felt like, "why me? What am I doing wrong to have Satan by me all the time"

Of course, looking at it now it appears it may have been a scare tactic? Maybe he was impressed with you that he wanted to "scare" you into staying in line. I dunno.

I just find these so very interesting. Mine says the typical stuff but I need to get it out for the hell of it and post it for those who have never seen one.

Hubby's is quite a "spiritual" one and always caused him much stress to do this or that or this, that the other wouldn't happen.

It was Horrific. I look back now, and think of all the nightmares. ALL the nightmares, and think that that statement deeply disturbed me, but also manacled me to the church through fear. Because it goes on about the broad road leading to damnation later on. (saying I had to hold to the iron rod etc etc (the church))... Sigh...

[noodle]

I just have to laugh everytime I see or hear the term "patriarchal blessing." One of my inlaws is a patriarch, and he calls it a "patri-article" blessing. And he's serious! :Crazy:

[Born Free]

I want to dig out my patriarchal blessing and look at it more closely now that I know it's all hogwash.

I never understood the part where "the blood of xxxxx flows through your veins" (or something like that) When I asked my stake prez about that, how did the patriarch know, he said he didn't necessarily know but that once the blessing was given it can CHANGE however the blodd was flowing before.

All these kinds of comments have added up over the years.

I also remember in my blessing it said I came from a family full of love and understanding. Boy was he off base. And how others tried to justify that statement was just amazing. "Oh, he is talking about your heavenly mother and father" or "Maybe at one time when you were a baby your home was filled with love and understanding".

As a TBM I justified a lot, too, but some things ALWAYS gnawed at me and this blessing is one of them. So many members put a lot of importance on them (my hubby sure does).

I will dig mine out and post it. To show it means nothing. It is nothing.

I can't locate my copy at present, but I remember how angry I got when I last reviewed it. It was part of the controlling fear structure used to create and maintain subservience and a fear of departure.

I am particularly mindful of the "Honour & Obey Thy Father and Thy Mother" crap. Sell out your integrity and surrender your own authenticy to your parent's issues and beliefs, is how I now read that.

Of course I was warned that Satan would always be trying to lead me astray using sexuality, so I was warned on that score. I also recall the Ways of Conspiring Men got a mention, meaning be suspicious/fearful of studying outside the Church and using your own brain, so suspend your critical faculties and hand your life over to us, was how I now read that.

Evil is how I now describe it. Years later someone used the term "spiritual rape", which I think is an excellent description of any process that sets out to damn a persons development of their own knowing, their own learning (including by making mistakes), the continuing development of their intuition.

So PatBlessings are part of Moisms abusive process IMO, part of getting in the heads of young people, and trying to maintain hold over their headspace forever. It is also part of their Superiour/Inferiour process I have mentioned elsewhere that has the same objective.

Evil shits!

Daryl Who me angry?

PS: It would be interesting to come PatBless styles. There seems to be a certain PatBStyle. It is probably a 2nd cousin to JS speak - authoritive, directive, but ultimately liberal touches of BS. I wonder if Pats have to sit for PatSpeak exams before they can graduate. It would not do to have one who did not speak with that Heavenly Authority; would demean the whole process, rob it of that Other-Worldy quality.

[peter_mary]

When I got my patri-article :D blessing, the patriarch (who was attached to an oxygen machine) interviewed me for 15 minutes, and then simply responded to the interview questions in the blessing. It was short, about 2/3 of a page. He kept running out of air.

BUT...since I was the ONLY Mormon in my entire family, he told me I would be "as a Savior on Mount Zion." So put THAT in your pipe and smoke it!

So here's my question: Am I currently fulfilling that blessing by my participation on the Board of PostMormon.org, or did I not live worthily, and am in essence in the "outer darkness of Mount Zion?" :p

Oh, and like you, I am of the tribe of Ephraim. That is SUCH a useful bit of information there.... :confused:

Paul

[miss taken]

When I got my patri-article :D blessing, the patriarch (who was attached to an oxygen machine) interviewed me for 15 minutes, and then simply responded to the interview questions in the blessing. It was short, about 2/3 of a page. He kept running out of air.

BUT...since I was the ONLY Mormon in my entire family, he told me I would be "as a Savior on Mount Zion." So put THAT in your pipe and smoke it!

So here's my question: Am I currently fulfilling that blessing by my participation on the Board of PostMormon.org, or did I not live worthily, and am in essence in the "outer darkness of Mount Zion?" :p

Oh, and like you, I am of the tribe of Ephraim. That is SUCH a useful bit of information there.... :confused:

Paul

Why do they tell you what tribe you are from. I don't understand that. Why is it of any significance???
Mary

[silverfox]

Why do they tell you what tribe you are from. I don't understand that. Why is it of any significance???
Mary

Yeah good question....and what about family members? I would assume not every family member is told they are from the same tribe...so what does that mean? You can marry each other in the celestial kingdom? (enter sarcasm here)

[ifitmakesuhappy]

I can't locate my copy at present, but I remember how angry I got when I last reviewed it. It was part of the controlling fear structure used to create and maintain subservience and a fear of departure.

I am particularly mindful of the "Honour & Obey Thy Father and Thy Mother" crap. Sell out your integrity and surrender your own authenticy to your parent's issues and beliefs, is how I now read that.

Of course I was warned that Satan would always be trying to lead me astray using sexuality, so I was warned on that score. I also recall the Ways of Conspiring Men got a mention, meaning be suspicious/fearful of studying outside the Church and using your own brain, so suspend your critical faculties and hand your life over to us, was how I now read that.

Evil is how I now describe it. Years later someone used the term "spiritual rape", which I think is an excellent description of any process that sets out to damn a persons development of their own knowing, their own learning (including by making mistakes), the continuing development of their intuition.

So PatBlessings are part of Moisms abusive process IMO, part of getting in the heads of young people, and trying to maintain hold over their headspace forever. It is also part of their Superiour/Inferiour process I have mentioned elsewhere that has the same objective.

Evil shits!

Daryl Who me angry?

PS: It would be interesting to come PatBless styles. There seems to be a certain PatBStyle. It is probably a 2nd cousin to JS speak - authoritive, directive, but ultimately liberal touches of BS. I wonder if Pats have to sit for PatSpeak exams before they can graduate. It would not do to have one who did not speak with that Heavenly Authority; would demean the whole process, rob it of that Other-Worldy quality.


i havent had a copy of mine for years but some things stick in your head forever (well thats the whole point eh!?) and it has suceeded in scaring me over the years. I was very young when i had mine and can admit now that i was very disappointed with it. It said all the usual stuff...some that scared me and some that gave me comfort at times...but nothing amazing. The one thing i do remember it saying was warning me against breaking the law of chastity and against the people who would tempt me...people "who only seek to destroy". That quote has caused me much reflection over the years as ive thought about partners and lovers past and present ( not that there have been that many!) I never understood why they were being described as 'only seeking to destroy'. They were just normal people like me who wanted to physically express their feelings with me, and yet somewhere in the back of my mind i was thinking that they were in cahoots with satan himself and wanted to bring me down and take me to hell!!! Of course thats crazy and i can see that now. That line will always stay with me though...

[trustno1]

Haven't looked at mine in many years. But I do remember being told that it was personal, sacred etc. and not to be shared with others....hmmm perhaps because the membership might realize that they really weren't so personal after all? Too bad we can't do a comparison of blessings from a single patricarch over a years time.

[firelight]

My "blessing" told me to "guard your virtue with your very life, for nothing in this life will be as important to you as remaining chaste and clean before our father in heaven."

Yes, that is word for word and I don't need to find it to make sure. That was burned in my brain and I must have read it thousands of times. That was back in the early 70s when TSCC still told the young women that if you were ever raped you should fight to the death for your virtue and if you submitted, God would consider it the same as if you had willingly fornicated.

I could never come up with any other reason for why that statement was so important to me that it had to be in my PB other than the fact that it must be a warning. I figured I was going to be raped and the Lard was telling me to fight to the death. I dreamed about it, had tons of nightmares, took self-defense courses, read everything I could about self protection, etc. Who knows. Maybe it actually did keep me from being raped because I was certainly overly cautious/paranoid.

I was so glad when I finally was engaged and close to getting married, because I figured after I was married I would have given up my "virtue" and no one could take it from me. I quit worrying after that. Now I look back on it (and all other things mormon) as if I were just watching an old horror picture. It's hard to believe that was ever me and I get mad that that poor, innocent, brainwashed little girl had to go through all that fear for all those years.

If that patriarch were still alive, I'd write to him and tell him exactly what I think about his arrogant belief in his prophetic abilities and tell him to go screw himself.

[silverfox]

My "blessing" told me to "guard your virtue with your very life, for nothing in this life will be as important to you as remaining chaste and clean before our father in heaven."

Yes, that is word for word and I don't need to find it to make sure. That was burned in my brain and I must have read it thousands of times. That was back in the early 70s when TSCC still told the young women that if you were ever raped you should fight to the death for your virtue and if you submitted, God would consider it the same as if you had willingly fornicated.

I could never come up with any other reason for why that statement was so important to me that it had to be in my PB other than the fact that it must be a warning. I figured I was going to be raped and the Lard was telling me to fight to the death. I dreamed about it, had tons of nightmares, took self-defense courses, read everything I could about self protection, etc. Who knows. Maybe it actually did keep me from being raped because I was certainly overly cautious/paranoid.

I was so glad when I finally was engaged and close to getting married, because I figured after I was married I would have given up my "virtue" and no one could take it from me. I quit worrying after that. Now I look back on it (and all other things mormon) as if I were just watching an old horror picture. It's hard to believe that was ever me and I get mad that that poor, innocent, brainwashed little girl had to go through all that fear for all those years.

If that patriarch were still alive, I'd write to him and tell him exactly what I think about his arrogant belief in his prophetic abilities and tell him to go screw himself.

I remember well being taught that as women it was OUR responsibility to lose our life before allowing our virture to be taken from us. When my older daughters were younger I remember telling them no matter what you SURVIVE. I dont' care what any leader has told you. Do what you can to survive.

There are so many messed up concepts in the church. sigh

[Born Free]

I remember well being taught that as women it was OUR responsibility to lose our life before allowing our virture to be taken from us. When my older daughters were younger I remember telling them no matter what you SURVIVE. I dont' care what any leader has told you. Do what you can to survive.

There are so many messed up concepts in the church. sigh

I see this as the Old Mormon Two Card Trick!

While a young women is paranoid about her hymen, they:
rape her head,
violate her spirituality,
take over control of her life, and
turn her into a 2nd class citizen.

See this for what it is! The Old Mo Mind F#ck!

I compare this with an Australian Buddhist female Monk - Venerable Robina Courtin, who now lives in the US and does a lot of work with men on death row - this is one gutsy, far-from-fragile gal. Her journey to Buddhism included feminism, being lesbian, and teh whole hippy 70s trip!!

On one occasion, after she became a Buddhist, she accepted a lift in an emergency with two men, who decided they would rape her. She had had sex, plenty of it, before becoming a Buddhist, so was not phased by the threat, but while they raped her, she was far from the "victim" talking to them the whole time, asking what their mother would think of them and generally screwing with their heads.

I would guess they suffered from limp noodle for years after, while she was undented.

How disparate from Mormonism, which while claiming to value feminity so highly; actually devalues it, and tries to crush and control it.

Daryl

[free thinker]

Women are a threat to the church leaders! They are, deep inside, afraid of women!! I think they are afraid of how powerful sex is also. This is one thing they will never be able to control!! These powerful men love control!!

Free Thinker

[miss taken]

Women are a threat to the church leaders! They are, deep inside, afraid of women!! I think they are afraid of how powerful sex is also. This is one thing they will never be able to control!! These powerful men love control!!

Free Thinker


I read somewhere that some GA had said the main threat to the church were feminists, intellectuals, and homosexuals. Don't know who said it???

Where does that put a feminist, intellectual homosexual!!!! Damned on 3 fronts...!!!! :Puking (First time I've used the puke sign, but think it is appropriate!)

[peter_mary]

I read somewhere that some GA had said the main threat to the church were feminists, intellectuals, and homosexuals. Don't know who said it???

Where does that put a feminist, intellectual homosexual!!!! Damned on 3 fronts...!!!! :Puking (First time I've used the puke sign, but think it is appropriate!)

Once again, someone is looking for one of the really hurtfull things that has marked Boyd K. Packer's career. Here's his talk to the All Church Coordinating Council of May 18, 1993 in which he outlines that the three enemies of the Church are gays/lesbians (and anyone supporting their cause), feminists and "so-called" intellectuals.

This is one of those multi-puke links. Stand back, cause I'm gonna go for the record...

:Puking

(Man, the system wouldn't let me do more than one :Puking at a time...now I'll never reach Free Thinker's record of a quad-puke :( )

http://www.lds-mormon.com/face.shtml

Enjoy...

Paul

[Born Free]

I read somewhere that some GA had said the main threat to the church were feminists, intellectuals, and homosexuals. Don't know who said it???

Where does that put a feminist, intellectual homosexual!!!! Damned on 3 fronts...!!!! :Puking (First time I've used the puke sign, but think it is appropriate!)

Who'd you rather spend your evening with???

A few "feminist, intellectual homosexual exMos" or a few Mo GAs? (Hint: which one would you need a puke bag for?) :cool:

Wow, I have to really think about that hard!!!

Daryl

[free thinker]

Once again, someone is looking for one of the really hurtfull things that has marked Boyd K. Packer's career. Here's his talk to the All Church Coordinating Council of May 18, 1993 in which he outlines that the three enemies of the Church are gays/lesbians (and anyone supporting their cause), feminists and "so-called" intellectuals.

This is one of those multi-puke links. Stand back, cause I'm gonna go for the record...

:Puking

(Man, the system wouldn't let me do more than one :Puking at a time...now I'll never reach Free Thinker's record of a quad-puke ( )

http://www.lds-mormon.com/face.shtml

Enjoy...

Paul

Thanks Paul

The article was interesting. I have to admit though that I could only get as far as Packer offering this quote from Joseph Smith. " There is a need for decisions of character aside from sympathy" Oh Ya! Right Joe. Hmmm would this include the kind of character necessary say, to not hit on your neighbors wife? Or perhaps it is the kind of character needed to maintain enough integrity to respect the property of others. You know, like printing presses etc. Oh, maybe this is the kind of character one would need when addressing the general body of the church. You know, like, not lying to them!!

I just could not read farther than that! Now that I know the truth about Joseph Smith I just can't stand to read that garbage anymore!

PS Paul I am very proud of my quadruple puking record! I hope to hold it for some time!! :D

Free Thinker

[miss taken]

Once again, someone is looking for one of the really hurtfull things that has marked Boyd K. Packer's career. Here's his talk to the All Church Coordinating Council of May 18, 1993 in which he outlines that the three enemies of the Church are gays/lesbians (and anyone supporting their cause), feminists and "so-called" intellectuals.

This is one of those multi-puke links. Stand back, cause I'm gonna go for the record...

:Puking

(Man, the system wouldn't let me do more than one :Puking at a time...now I'll never reach Free Thinker's record of a quad-puke :( )

http://www.lds-mormon.com/face.shtml

Enjoy...

Paul

I just read it. Thanks. I think his point about (if I interpret him correctly) not generalising, but taking each situation specifically is a reasonably good one.

Why is he anti-feminist? What does being a feminist mean to him?

He rants on women who leave the home to work, what about the busy, busy men in the church, many of whom use it like a pub (bar) and omit their home responsibilities. The number of depressed women I know, who barely cope because the husband has the idea that his first responsibility is to serve the church, the poor wife and her children come a poor second. And if she complains then she is going against God and his prophets. Yet the kids do not know their father, and he has abrogated? his responsibility to them...

Packer goes on about gender being assigned in the pre-existence. That's a big sweeping statement. I dunno. In all my years in the church. I never heard that being taught. And I don't know if it is true, and if it is, it still doesn't answer a lot of the greyer questions.

As for his opinion over academics and teachers. Grief..
I have always said that spiritual truth should not contradict historical truth. Full stop. I know truth is only a perception, but if the spiritual truth is way off base, as it was many times in the history of the holy catholic church, then somewhere someone is going to have to admit that 'man' (not God) screwed up, and got it wrong.

Mary