NOM

My 5 year old son has a cold. His normally energetic disposition was sapped yesterday. We played video games and watched cartoons to pass the time while his body fought the infection. Occasionally I would ask him if he needed anything, and one time he responded, "Can you heal me?"

A brief wave of sadness washed over me as I thought "I used to be able to heal you." But I know better now and it is bittersweet.

Ug....

And how many of us dreaded that request for a blessing, even as TBMs, knowing nothing miraculous was likely to happen, but hopefully we'd offer some comfort. Better to disappoint up front with "Sorry kid, there's no magic power here." than to set them up for a much bigger disappoint.

I still get asked to give priesthood blessings of healing complete with the anointing step. I decided that I will simply let the recipient run their ongoing experiment in cognitive bias and I hope that someone gathers enough data.

I broke my arm over the weekend in a horse riding accident. I would be game to have some NOM ex-mos give me a blessing (with anointing) to see if the ex-mo healing spirit is any more powerful than the Mormon spirit of healing.

Who wants to stop by? BTW, my wife will stand in the circle as well as my 11 yo DS and 7 YO DD. The 3 year old is too much trouble.

I broke my arm over the weekend in a horse riding accident. I would be game to have some NOM ex-mos give me a blessing (with anointing) to see if the ex-mo healing spirit is any more powerful than the Mormon spirit of healing.

Sorry that happened to you !
I broke my ankle in a horse riding accident one time when the horse suddenly decided to lie down and roll around in the dust with me still in the saddle. It was painful. I hope your arm heals quickly. I think that we can tell others that we are sending positive thoughts to them and will do whatever we can to help them get better, but we don't have any magic sayings or action, contrary to church teaching.

I just sent a remote healing blessing, Linked. Your son should be fine now. In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti.

I always hated the pressure of giving blessings. If beautiful words came to mind and/or the person started getting better it was a miracle despite the imperfect conduit (me). If not it I felt like it was because of the imperfect conduit (me). If I knew a blessing was coming up I would start mentally cramming for it, either consciously or unconsciously, like for an exam so it would sound like I was saying inspired words. I noticed that people like bishops who gave a lot of blessings were much more fluid and eloquent than me. I assumed that was because they were more inspired until I realized that it was because they had more practice.

Mrs. Hagoth had a friend who always wanted blessings from me. She would sit next to me and write the words down and afterward they were treated like scripture. Talk about pressure!

Just This Guy wrote: ↑Mon Jul 01, 2019 4:27 pm I broke my arm over the weekend in a horse riding accident. I would be game to have some NOM ex-mos give me a blessing (with anointing) to see if the ex-mo healing spirit is any more powerful than the Mormon spirit of healing.

Who wants to stop by? BTW, my wife will stand in the circle as well as my 11 yo DS and 7 YO DD. The 3 year old is too much trouble.

Oh that sucks! I could swing by today; just need to know what your anointing oil preference is. Right now I have 10/35, 75/90, 0/20, CBD, Avocado, Grape seed, Sesame, pretty much everything but olive or Essential Oils.

Hagoth wrote: ↑Wed Jul 03, 2019 5:05 am I just sent a remote healing blessing, Linked. Your son should be fine now. In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti.

Well I'll be. It worked! Amazingly, he is feeling much better now. Thank you for the blessing, I'm glad he didn't have to endure that any longer.

I remember giving some weird blessings. In one I almost yelled at a man while I was on my mission. But I really thought I was a conduit for god and that I could harness his power. Apparently I think god is a jerk. Or maybe that's just me... It has been hard to be wrong about it and hard to lose it. With everything else going on when becoming disaffected from mormonism these pains are smaller, but no less real.

Linked wrote: ↑Wed Jul 03, 2019 11:09 am
Well I'll be. It worked! Amazingly, he is feeling much better now. Thank you for the blessing, I'm glad he didn't have to endure that any longer.

Just to be clear, that blessing was though the power of my ordination in the Church of the Latter-Day Dude. I'm glad it worked.

I have a minor and painful, but hopefully short term back injury from city league soccer. While with my parents over the weekend my dad asked if he could give me a blessing. I know it must have hurt when I told him no. We didnt talk about why. I dont believe it would have done anything for me, but maybe it would have for him. He knows my beliefs have changed, despite the fact I am still "active" and card carrying.

Maybe i should have said yes. It certainly wouldn't hurt.

When my wife and I were still in our 20s and new members our 3 children were very small we were in the military in Germany (service mans ward) one of our children was physically and mentally "normal" the other 2 have Cerebral Palsy. We being the good LDS parents we thought we were gave them several blessings and had several blessings given to them in the hope that someday they would be able live a normal life and have a life without restrictions from their disability. We got thee ole if you have enough faith your children will grow up to be normal !!!!! Well guess what ....... they are not normal 33 years later. It makes me sick to my stomach to hear leaders of the church to make promises they cannot keep with their B.S. Blessings !!!!!! If I sound a little bitter well yes I am. They are both adults trying still to make a life for themselves in a very unforgiving world. My wife is still TBM I go along with it because I love her more than the church pisses me off !! God Bless

Whatever it takes to utilize the power of belief (placebo effect)!

Yoga meditation taught me to imagine and feel energy holding my hands close to each other - & to use this to spread awareness and healing to my body. I taught my children this and have given them blessings (I’m a woman). No words - just tapping into both of our beliefs hoping for the best.

I used to be a huge believer in priesthood blessings. I remember a talk I gave on the power of the priesthood. Cringe. Every now and then the conditioning is strong and asking for one will pop up in my mind. I wait and things work out the way they work out (and would have worked out regardless of priesthood involvement) and I’m glad I didn’t ask.