Necromancing for the Lord

[2bizE]

An age ago while living in middle earth, I first heard my friends Gandalf the Grey and Radagast mention the Necromancer, Sauron. You probably remember this from the starring role I played in the movie The Hobbit. Sauron was called the Necromancer because of the work he did for the dead.
As a youth in this, my second life, I attended the temple to do work for the dead. This continued into adulthood where I continued to attend the temple regularly to do Necromancing for the Lord, or more specifically for my dead relatives as well as for dead people I was not related to.
I’ve never heard this work in the temples referred to as necromancing. I’m wondering if this is a good word to describe the work in the temple. What say ye?

[Palerider]

I'm thinking "necromancy" is more of an actual attempt at communication with the dead for purposes of divination or whatever.

The so-called work for the dead in Mormonism is more accurately described as necro-inssurance that is sold to the living in a form where the policy holder will never find out if it is effective in this life.

What a deal for the insurance company, eh?

[2bizE]

I’ve heard many stories over the years where dead people visit the temple goer in a dream or vision and ask them to do their temple work or thank them. What stories have you heard? Is this type of communication with the dead necromancing?

[Palerider]

I’ve heard many stories over the years where dead people visit the temple goer in a dream or vision and ask them to do their temple work or thank them. What stories have you heard? Is this type of communication with the dead necromancing?

Necromancing is when the living take the initiative to contact the dead. Not the reverse.

Necro=dead
Romancing=courting or pursuing

Well, I've heard of people having "impressions" that someone was thanking them for doing their temple work.
And then there's that story of the U.S. Founding Fathers asking, was it Joseph F. Smith? Why he hadn't done their temple work. I'm of the opinion that Mormons in particular are highly susceptible to suggestion and imagination. It's very close to hypnosis.

I would consider dreams or "visions" to be kind of subjective to the receiver. But if someone actually or truly began communicating directly with a spirit and that spirit with them, I would say that was necromancy.
The problem there, is whether the necromancer is communicating with someone who has actually passed on or has conjured a deceitful spirit who is just jerking his chain. I think the latter. (Yeah, that's right. I do believe in spirits but I think their influence on us is overrated by Mormons in particular.)

I think the dead may come at certain critical times but it is not at the invitation of the living.

For example, a day before my grandfather passed away from cancer, he was in the hospital, loaded on morphine for pain control and barely even conscious. His son, who was basically doing a bedside vigil, related that to his amazement my grandfather woke up and sat up in bed and turned to the window and said, "Well Bob, what are you doing here? (Bob was his brother who had died about 15 years earlier).

My uncle said grandfather looked as if he was listening to someone for a few minutes and then he said, "Well, if it's as nice as you say it is, I guess I'll come." And then he laid back down and was unconscious again. He died the next day.

But the magician Houdini spent bucket loads of money on "Spiritualists" trying to make contact with his deceased mother to no avail. He found them all to be frauds.

When I was a TBM attending my brother's temple wedding, things were progressing normally until the temple sealer made the statement that there were people in attendance who had passed on.

I immediately "knew" that my dead grandmother was there and could have even told you where she was standing in the room. Years later, as I thought this particular incident over it occurred to me that I had had no impression whatsoever about my grandmother until the temple sealer made his declaration/suggestion. You can draw your own conclusions. How many times do temple workers tell members that the people they're doing work for are watching and waiting?

So if any individual from any religion tells me they've had some sort of spiritual experience or connection, I just think, "Good for you".

[crossmyheart]

I have a relative who is otherwise normal. However, anytime we have a family situation of attending the temple together she goes into this frenzy listing all of the dead relatives that were there in the room with us. My family eats this up by the shovel full. They love to hear what she has to say and wish that they had the same gift of "sight". Everyone agrees with her afterward that they felt the same thing and cluck their tongues at who wasn't there- either physically or spiritually.

I am sure it is comforting to all of them to think that our loved ones are looking on approvingly- but all I can picture is the scene in star wars/return of the jedi when darth vader appearing as a happy, reformed, and penitent soul next to obi wan and yoda.

And now that I no longer attend- I know that is what they think will happen to me. I am currently bad darth- but someday after I am gone I will return to the light...not a chance!

[moksha]

The exact incantation for LDS Necromancing

In brightest day, in blackest night,
Resting spirits shall serve me right,
Rise from graves, be in my sight
Heed my power... Melchizedek Priesthood might!

Hope this is not giving away too much advanced Temple ceremony stuff.

[1smartdodog]

I have a relative who is otherwise normal. However, anytime we have a family situation of attending the temple together she goes into this frenzy listing all of the dead relatives that were there in the room with us. My family eats this up by the shovel full. They love to hear what she has to say and wish that they had the same gift of "sight". Everyone agrees with her afterward that they felt the same thing and cluck their tongues at who wasn't there- either physically or spiritually.

I am sure it is comforting to all of them to think that our loved ones are looking on approvingly- but all I can picture is the scene in star wars/return of the jedi when darth vader appearing as a happy, reformed, and penitent soul next to obi wan and yoda.

And now that I no longer attend- I know that is what they think will happen to me. I am currently bad darth- but someday after I am gone I will return to the light...not a chance!

My mother use to make semi regular claims that she would see dead family members of friends. It rather creeped me out as a kid. Of course she made all sorts of outrageous claims that I realized in later years were a plea for attention.

[Brent]

Does this mean the temple ceremony is part of the necronomicon?

And if the PofGP is based on the Egyptian Book of the Dead...

Does that mean that Joseph didn't die at Carthage and lived to become H.P. Lovecraft?

[Hagoth]

I am sure it is comforting to all of them to think that our loved ones are looking on approvingly- but all I can picture is the scene in star wars/return of the jedi when darth vader appearing as a happy, reformed, and penitent soul next to obi wan and yoda.

You should arrange for a family holiday movie outing. Go see the new Star Wars movie. Afterward give an enthusiastic recounting of all of the dead relatives who were in the theater too.

[Hagoth]

Does this mean the temple ceremony is part of the necronomicon?

And, while lowering your hands, repeating aloud the words "Ia ia Cthulhu fhtagn."

[Brent]

Does this mean the temple ceremony is part of the necronomicon?

And, while lowering your hands, repeating aloud the words "Ia ia Cthulhu fhtagn."

Nicely played!