I know some men in the church are on a power trip by having the priesthood and it makes them feel superior; however, I hated having the priesthood.

The worst part was giving blessings. As one of the few "worthy" men around, my family members were constantly asking for blessings. I had to put lube, er, oil on their heads and pretend I was getting some inspiration. Of course, I was just making it all up. Then they would get all emotional and I would pretend to get emotional. I kept thinking if God answers prayers, why the hell (I thought "heck" at the time) are blessings necessary?

I guess some men may feel important by being asked, but I just found it really annoying after a while. I think I told my mom no once and told her to go pray. It was getting absurd with at least a few blessings per week.

Add in home teaching, passing/blessing the sacrament, leadership roles, and having the priesthood is like a shitty job without the pay.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/19/2017 02:09PM by Atari.

I felt the same way. So glad it's over.

Me too!

I've always thought the abuse in mormonism went both ways. I would have HATED having the priesthood. I used to sit in church and feel sorry for the deacons or I'd feel sorry for those who collected fast offerings. My brothers certainly didn't like it.

My dad wasn't much into having the priesthood. We didn't have blessings in our family. I was raised pretty much to believe that my prayers were as important as any blessing someone could give me. Callings and doing blessings was something my dad tried to avoid. I don't remember him having to do it very often.

I fell into the trap of trying to believe in blessings when I found out my boyfriend/future husband was gay. I asked for blessings from the bishop a few times. I was afraid to ask too often. I didn't want to bother him. Thing is, I'd fast and fast and fast, and every time, I got nothing, nothing but a stupor of thought. Less than I had before I got the blessing. It was rather shocking to me. I must not have been righteous enough--I'm being sarcastic. That's just what mormons would have told me. I didn't share that with mormons.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/19/2017 07:25PM by cl2.

I fell into a huge trap that blessings could cure everything wrong with me. I still have resentment for it all.

I felt the same way, i only got the priesthood to get people off of my back. I gave like five blessings and it felt wrong every time. The last blessing i gave i couldnt think of anything to say it was so embarrassing. It might have traumatized me further. That whole religion is a mindf#ck trauma.

All that priesthood power ...

As mormons, it probably never occurred to us to take seriously ill people to get blessings from GAs. Here you've got these Special Witnesses to (not of) Jesus Christ, and no one clamors for Special Blessings from them. It seems logical that if an elder has X 'power', then a GA has X-squared, if not X-cubed, power. After all, how could ghawd ignore his Special Witnesses?

But there are ZERO stories of the GAs healing the sick.

"But there are ZERO stories of the GAs healing the sick."

I'm sure there are plenty of faith promoting stories, but, they're too sacred (not secret) to share with the heathen public.

Plus... PLUS!..., it would start a stampede! Those needing blessing would be pulling on the cuffs of their suit pants if word got out about their power!!!

You're on to something old dog you are on to something. They always have a counter.

And when their magical powers were found to be non-existent there would be a PR nightmare!

Eyring or one of the other old farts told a story once about doing a blessing and a "miracle healing" occurred with a girl who was given only something like a 3% chance of recovery, and *if* she survived, only something like a 3% chance she'd ever walk again; naturally she strolled out of the hospital after surgery to the amazement of her doctors.


Or some some shit like that.

You would think that that is how it worked but i wouldnt go to them to heal for anything except get my money back of course.

with cancer. She was 3 days older than I am. She had 6 children, ages 16 and under.

Guess who fasted and prayed for her (supposedly), the GAs.

Guess what? She died.

I've written about a couple of my loathsome experiences with the priesthood here:

http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,30251,30251#msg-30251

And here:
http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,63331,63331#msg-63331

And here:
http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,105216,105216#msg-105216

And most personally, here:
http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,757388,757388#msg-757388

You could say my entire life before leaving TSCC was subjugation to and trauma resulting from "having" the priesthood.

Yes, the expectations of having 'the power & authority of god' are just a bit intimidating!

Yea just a bit, god talking through me is not cool.

What amazing posts,resipsaloquitur.

It is very interesting, to get a Mormon male perspective. I wonder if perhaps the GA's feel the way you did--knowing they are making everything up, and that people are believing their pretenses.

How tragic, about your wife. You did need to mourn. It was your right to mourn, and it still is. People adapt to the loss of a loved one, and go on to live very happy lives, but they never truly "get over" the death. It it's too late to officially "mourn" you wife, and you don't believe in God or an afterlife, you can honor her existence. You can remember her. Tell your child nice things about her mother, and share photographs together. It might help to act out some kind of ritual, but not exactly a funeral.

--By the way, your description of a Mormon funeral in a few sentences, tells it all!!!!!

For example, hang a picture of her in your home, in a lovely frame, or give your child a gift with her mother's photo on it (like a jewelry box or book). Take flowers to her grave, so it looks nice. Some small, but significant gesture will honor her--right now, today.

(((hugs)))

Thank you, Breeze. I have done all of those things over the last 17+ years. I'm far more concerned about honoring my daughter who lives than my wife who does not.

This whole blessing and raise-the-dead thing is one of the things about mormonism which makes me think of scientology, with its "superpower rundowns" and such like. The term is probably wrong, because although I studied scientology (from afar) due to a personal connection in the UK, I've thankfully forgotten quite a lot of their admittedly forgettable mumbo-jumbo, but in the upper levels, they are taught that they have "superpowers", including the power to raise the dead.

Personally, I always thought that assertion was a dead giveaway that it was a load of codswallop and a cult.

I admit also that, as a nevermo, I'd never thought of the BURDEN of the "priesthood"if life throws up something that forces you to pit your beliefs, as you've been taught to believe, against reality. What a horrible situation..

Resipsaloquitur, your posts are excellent and the last one is very sad and moving.

Best wishes to you.

Tom in Paris

Thank you. I haven't been very active on this site in recent years because I'm feeling more or less recovered.

The mandatory priesthood is one of my chief objections. Boys are forced to enter a binding covenant. Once in they beat you up with your covenanted duty. You never have a choice.

I never for one second thought I had any actual power or authority over fuckall. I was asked to baptize a neighborhood girl who's father was inactive and I refused thinking WTF would I wanna do that?

When you realize that you never actually had anything, and that it was all a male-ego-powertrip, you start to feel better.

After that realization, I had to go around and make amends for the times (fortunately they were relatively few, since I got out fairly young) that I let me pretend "priesthood power" influence me into being an ass to people. So stupid, but there were indeed times I fell for it. :(