Bott's explanation would make a great object lesson
Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 12:27 am
Too bad the church has shot it down, because there are a lot of opportunities for an object lesson there.
Materials needed:
1) Car keys.
2) A ladder.
Lesson 1:
Invite a primary age child to the front of the classroom. Ask him if he has a driver's license? When he says "no", give him your car keys and tell him that he can drive your car. Now turn to the class and ask them if it is a good idea to allow a child with no driving experience and no license to drive a car. When they say "no", explain to them that this is why the lord does not give certain people the priesthood when they are not ready for the responsibility. Before 1978, Negroes were not ready for the responsibilities of the priesthood, just as a young child is not ready to drive a car. Similarly, women are still not ready for the responsibilities of the priesthood (depending on your audience, you might want to insert a joke about women not being ready for car keys either, ha ha ha.)
Lesson 2:
Setup a large ladder in the front of the classroom. Invite a valiant 11 student and a Sunbeam to the front of the classroom. Ask the 11-year old to climb to the top of the ladder. When he is finished, ask him if he thinks it is a good idea to allow the Sunbeam to climb to the top of the ladder. When he replies "no" explain to the classroom that the 11-year old knows that there are dangers climbing to the top of the ladder. However, a sunbeam doesn't fully understand that they can fall and hurt themselves. The same is true of the priesthood. By withholding the priesthood from certain groups who are not ready for the responsibility, we are protecting them from causing serious injury to their soul if they were to fall. Before 1978, Blacks were not ready to climb the ladder of church leadership without the risk of falling to the lowest rungs of hell. Similarly, the church protects women from the lowest rungs of hell by withholding the responsibilities of the priesthood. (depending on your audience, you might want to insert a joke about women trying to do construction projects, ha ha ha.)
Materials needed:
1) Car keys.
2) A ladder.
Lesson 1:
Invite a primary age child to the front of the classroom. Ask him if he has a driver's license? When he says "no", give him your car keys and tell him that he can drive your car. Now turn to the class and ask them if it is a good idea to allow a child with no driving experience and no license to drive a car. When they say "no", explain to them that this is why the lord does not give certain people the priesthood when they are not ready for the responsibility. Before 1978, Negroes were not ready for the responsibilities of the priesthood, just as a young child is not ready to drive a car. Similarly, women are still not ready for the responsibilities of the priesthood (depending on your audience, you might want to insert a joke about women not being ready for car keys either, ha ha ha.)
Lesson 2:
Setup a large ladder in the front of the classroom. Invite a valiant 11 student and a Sunbeam to the front of the classroom. Ask the 11-year old to climb to the top of the ladder. When he is finished, ask him if he thinks it is a good idea to allow the Sunbeam to climb to the top of the ladder. When he replies "no" explain to the classroom that the 11-year old knows that there are dangers climbing to the top of the ladder. However, a sunbeam doesn't fully understand that they can fall and hurt themselves. The same is true of the priesthood. By withholding the priesthood from certain groups who are not ready for the responsibility, we are protecting them from causing serious injury to their soul if they were to fall. Before 1978, Blacks were not ready to climb the ladder of church leadership without the risk of falling to the lowest rungs of hell. Similarly, the church protects women from the lowest rungs of hell by withholding the responsibilities of the priesthood. (depending on your audience, you might want to insert a joke about women trying to do construction projects, ha ha ha.)