Maxrep wrote: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?
I don't know why you would ask me for my opinion, then say you will disregard it.
I have highlighted the questions you asked in your OP and will deal with them one at a time.
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?
I think they would have been declared to be of three different tribes. The declaration of lineage is not dependent on the patriarch. I do not accept the presumptions in the question that the patriarch simply make up the blessings. I believe, of course, that the blessings are inspired by God. I said in a post that I have known of instances where the same patriarch has delcared different lineages for children in the same family, the family well known to the patriarch.
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?
No, I don't believe that to be true. Any patriarch is a mature individual in the Church. He has had many different callings in the Church, and would be expected to be knowledgeable. As such, he would probably have some acquaintance with the idea (not doctrinal but nevertheless popular) that the Polynesians are descendants of Lehi, through Hagoth and his people who left in ships and were never heard of again. That means, that if he were just using his own best guess, a patriarch would declare the lineage to be of Manasseh. Any declaration of lineage other than this should be evidence to you that the patriarch is not just guessing.
Have Patriarchs been counseled to tone down blessings and avoid dramatic or fantastic declarations in the past few years.
I asked my friend who is a patriarch. There is a handbook given to patriarchs. They are told to go by the guidance of the Spirit. He has not been told to "tone" down.
Now are your questions answered? I haven't sidestepped anything.
P.S. The patriarchal blessing is not just for this life. Anyone who is told they will witness the Second Coming, still will. Just from the other side.