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The following story I related a couple years ago on FAIR. This account is interesting to me from a couple of perspectives. First, the circumstances of the this families events are unlikely enough that it almost seems that the whole story was fabricated with the sole purpose in mind of laying a snare against patriarchs. Second, the chain of events offer a view into the reliability of tribal lineage declarations in patriarchal blessings, that may seldom be seen.



Obtaining a patriarchal blessing was an event that I looked forward to. I believed my stake patriarch was inspired. I fasted and prayed in conjunction with receiving my blessing. Many here have shared this experience as a youth.

At this point in time, I have realized that many declarations within these blessings strain at any measure of reasonable belief. There have been many accounts of blessings declaring that the recipient would be alive to witness the second coming. These folks have been good and dead for decades. Many women have been told that they look like their Heavenly Mother. Perhaps this statement is a well intentioned way of helping girls cherish their blessing.

A Polynesian family of 6 in my ward, had all received their patriarchal blessings. The children's blessings each came from different patriarchs. This occurred as the family had moved within different stakes several times during the fathers military career. Three of the children were pronounced by three unique patriarchs, to be from three separate tribes completely unique from one another and their parents.

Do you think if the children had all gone to the same patriarch, that they would have been declared the same lineage or three unique tribes? Is it possible that these patriarchs had not given blessings to Polynesian children before and were giving the lineage of these teens their best guess? All of the kids resembled their parents - Polynesian. It was not as if one child was a redhead, the other with Scandinavian features, and so on. From outward appearances, their family ancestral tree did not look to be the proverbial melting pot!

I'm hoping Charity may chime in here. Is the declared lineage the "Principal" tribe, or can it simply be "Among" one of the twelve tribes? Another item for thought is the odds that would have to be overcome to realize a situation where three siblings, from a Polynesian background, could each carry different dominant DNA to firmly plant them within three unique tribal classifications.

Patriarchal blessings have had their share of less than inspiring outcomes. Have Patriarchs been counseled to tone down blessings and avoid dramatic or fantastic declarations in the past few years?

Maxrep wrote:
A Polynesian family of 6 in my ward, had all received their patriarchal blessings. The children's blessings each came from different patriarchs. This occurred as the family had moved within different stakes several times during the fathers military career. Three of the children were pronounced by three unique patriarchs, to be from three separate tribes completely unique from one another and their parents.

Do you think if the children had all gone to the same patriarch, that they would have been declared the same lineage or three unique tribes? Is it possible that these patriarchs had not given blessings to Polynesian children before and were giving the lineage of these teens their best guess? All of the kids resembled their parents - Polynesian. It was not as if one child was a redhead, the other with Scandinavian features, and so on. From outward appearances, their family ancestral tree did not look to be the proverbial melting pot!

I'm hoping Charity may chime in here. Is the declared lineage the "Principal" tribe, or can it simply be "Among" one of the twelve tribes? Another item for thought is the odds that would have to be overcome to realize a situation where three siblings, from a Polynesian background, could each carry different dominant DNA to firmly plant them within three unique tribal classifications.

Patriarchal blessings have had their share of less than inspiring outcomes. Have Patriarchs been counseled to tone down blessings and avoid dramatic or fantastic declarations in the past few years?

You rang? Here I am. One of my best friends is a patriarch, but we don't talk about his calling or the blessings he gives. The blessings are sacred and personal.

But I will give you my opinion on some of the issues you raised. The lineage that is declared is your covenant and blessing lineage. Each of Abraham's sons were given different blessings which apply to their posterity. You can read the blessing given to each one, and if you have had your lineage declared, then you know which one applies. (Genesis 49) So the declared lineage is of great importance.

We don't know what DNA we carry from which parent. Males carry their father's Y chromosome. Everyone arries their mother's mtDNA. And we simply do not know enough about DNA to say much about the subject as applies to a single individual. It is often forgotten that we have millions of ancestors. And bringing up any one family's lineages through patriarchal blessings doesn't throw much light on the subject. I can tell you of one family I know with 4 children. The parents are mixed ethnicity Americans. One child's lineage is Judah, but the other three are Ehpraim. (And one grandparent is Jewish.) Another family I know with 7 children, 6 Ephraim and one Dan.

And DNA does not have to "dominant." If it is there, the person can be declared of that lineage.

My children are a motley crew. 3 w/blue eyes, 2 w/hazel and 1 w/brown. 1 redhead, 3 brunettes and 2 blonds. 3 left handed 3 right handed. And we trace the genetics for each one. But why did the genes sort themselves out like that? You can't ask that question.

Maybe you are overthinking it, Charity.

Maybe the correct answer to Maxrep's story is that tribal declarations have no correlation to a person's DNA. DNA is something you directly inherit from your parents, while tribal declarations are declared on the spot, as theological constructs, and could be changed at a second patriarch's (inspired) whim.

It seems that this approach would save you a lot of tapdancing.

The whole lineage thing just always felt really archaic to me.

Who cares what ancient tribe one is from?

Seriously... does it matter in the least? Does one do anything differently depending on a particular lineage? Get more specific blessings? Does it impact one's behavior in any way whatsoever?

And, why would God even care at all?

As if some specific unknown gene declaring one's relationship to Abraham makes a difference in one's life?

I just always found this idea very odd.

~dancer~

After looking at a few sources, I should probably concede that the tribal lineage may not have to be interpreted as a direct and dominant DNA factor.

Thanks for commenting after my request, Charity.

The Dude wrote:.

It seems that this approach would save you a lot of tapdancing.

No tapdancing.

So be honest, tell me what you would have said if all three Polynesian appearing children had been told that they were from the tribe of Manasseh? It probalby would have been something like, "of course the patriarch could see the Polynesian features so he said they were from the tribe of Manasseh."

truth dancer wrote:
The whole lineage thing just always felt really archaic to me. Who cares what ancient tribe one is from?

Seriously... does it matter in the least? Does one do anything differently depending on a particular lineage? Get more specific blessings? Does it impact one's behavior in any way whatsoever?

And, why would God even care at all?
As if some specific unknown gene declaring one's relationship to Abraham makes a difference in one's life?

I just always found this idea very odd.

Evidently God care which tribe you are from, because the blessings are different. But I don't know why. You will have to ask him.

And it does matter. I think the better question would be not "does it impact one's behavior in any way?" but shouldn't it?

That unknown gene makes a big difference, not just in this life but forever.

I always thought that the linage is more to do with your lifes purpose and your spiritual and mental caractoristics rather than the physical. Like ephraim ar the missionaries of the latter days. I could be wrong though.

Evidently God care which tribe you are from, because the blessings are different.

It does not follow that just because blessings are different God cares. And IF God did care, he would already know.... he doesn't need a man to tell him. ;-)

Just because something is done in the LDS church doesn't by any stretch of the imagination mean God cares, God instituted it, or it has anything whatsoever to do with God.

Infallible men, and all that. ;-)

But I don't know why. You will have to ask him.

Don't care... don't think God cares.

And it does matter.

So you say... I have yet to see any reason, and evidence, any anything that would indicate it is of some importance to those on earth let alone to God.

I think the better question would be not "does it impact one's behavior in any way?" but shouldn't it?

Not saying it should or shouldn't. It just seems odd that it is given as this big important thing but means virtually nothing whatsoever to anyone. It doesn't seem to make a difference in one's life, the information doesn't seem valuable in any way whatsoever, and anyone can be from any lineage so it seems completely useless information.

That unknown gene makes a big difference, not just in this life but forever.

Really Charity? In what way? Why is it important for anyone to "know" what tribe they are from, in this life or in the next. (Looking for something more than opinion here.... any real reason)? I'm pretty sure that in reality DNA would not be traced from everyone on the planet to one of the twelve tribes, and we hear of folks being adopted into the lineage of Abraham, which would mean there is no particular DNA at all.

It seems completely worthless information....

~dancer~

charity wrote:So be honest, tell me what you would have said if all three Polynesian appearing children had been told that they were from the tribe of Manasseh? It probalby would have been something like, "of course the patriarch could see the Polynesian features so he said they were from the tribe of Manasseh."

Oh charity, I've seen you poison a well better than that.

Though this could never be proven, I'd be willing to bet the farm, that if the children all received their blessings from the same patriarch, well...I don't even have to finish the thought. We all get it, whether or not an admission is made.