'Priesthood' - an illusory concept?

[_Harold Lee]

I only played Baldur's Gate 2 but priests were pretty worthless. Whenever I logged on they must have just finished looking at porn.

[_zeezrom]

As a TBM, I believed the priesthood pre-dated God. I believed that God was bound (like a ginnie) to bless if a worthy priesthood holder acted in his name using the priesthood.

[_zeezrom]

Regarding your "passing the baton" comment:

Priesthood needs more than just a priesthood holder to pass the baton. It also REQUIRES approval of the leadership. For example, if I ordained my wife with the Aaronic priesthood, it would not stick because it didn't get a bishop's approval. Same goes for Jesus. His priestood is worthless without his bishop's approval.

[_Racer]

I only played Baldur's Gate 2 but priests were pretty worthless. Whenever I logged on they must have just finished looking at porn.

Never played Baldur's gate. I used to play World of Warcraft and one of my characters was a Priest. Priests were pretty bad ass in that game. Especially shadow priests.

But I digress. I am getting all geeked up. I don't mean to derail the thread by talking about fictional powers in games dealing with fictional characters. Oh... Wait a second...

[_Harold Lee]

But I digress. I am getting all geeked up. I don't mean to derail the thread by talking about fictional powers in games dealing with fictional characters. Oh... Wait a second...

Yep. :) The title is "Mormon Discussions". Exactly.

I've always been a LOTR, Game of Thrones, fantasy/RPG kind of guy so maybe that's what attracted me to the lunacy of Mormonism. Get your new name and magic underwear, become a high priest named Joselandothros, and reach level 99 exaltation with omnipotence and hot women forever.

[_RockSlider]

I do believe there are many in the Mormon Corridor that would trade their priesthood for Harry Potter's wand in a heartbeat. Yes Mormonism love mystical magical concepts. I was always surprised at how popular the white witch craft of the Potter series was eaten up by a large majority of Mormons that I know.

[_Drifting]

So, 27 folks have taken a peek and no one can explain how priesthood means anything, at all, given that god is supposed to be no respecter of persons and superior to men, even those with 'the priesthood'?

Sorry sock, I just got here.

Many years back I proposed a thought experiment on the FAIR/MADD board (whatever you call it now). My angle was inspired by the Turing test - look it up if you don't know it.

Basically the question was "If you had before you two men who both claimed to have the true priesthood, what evidence could you look for to determine which one had the "real" priesthood and which one had a "false" priesthood?"

Check their underwear...

[_Tobin]

I think there is confusion around the concept of priesthood. There is temporal priesthood and priesthood from God. The temporal priesthood is nothing more than people presuming to act in the name of God. You'll find this in any Church including the Mormon Church. It is simply for officiating ordinance, administrative duties and so on. There is nothing magical or mystical about it at all and this is the priesthood that many Mormons seem to attach more significance to than they should. The other priesthood, the authority of God, can only come from and be granted by God to a person. This is rare and if you encounter someone with this kind of priesthood, it will be manifest - no question. This is the kind of priesthood that the scriptures talk about and that Deborah, Elijah, Christ, Moses and others had.

[_Drifting]

I think there is confusion around the concept of priesthood. There is temporal priesthood and priesthood from God. The temporal priesthood is nothing more than people presuming to act in the name of God. You'll find this in any Church including the Mormon Church. It is simply for officiating ordinance, administrative duties and so on. There is nothing magical or mystical about it at all and this is the priesthood that many Mormons seem to attach more significance to than they should. The other priesthood, the authority of God, can only come from and be granted by God to a person. This is rare and if you encounter someone with this kind of priesthood, it will be manifest - no question. This is the kind of priesthood that the scriptures talk about and that Deborah, Elijah, Christ, Moses and others had.

Did God give you the Priesthood when he visited you in person?

[_Hades]

I think there is confusion around the concept of priesthood. There is temporal priesthood and priesthood from God. The temporal priesthood is nothing more than people presuming to act in the name of God. You'll find this in any Church including the Mormon Church. It is simply for officiating ordinance, administrative duties and so on. There is nothing magical or mystical about it at all and this is the priesthood that many Mormons seem to attach more significance to than they should. The other priesthood, the authority of God, can only come from and be granted by God to a person. This is rare and if you encounter someone with this kind of priesthood, it will be manifest - no question. This is the kind of priesthood that the scriptures talk about and that Deborah, Elijah, Christ, Moses and others had.

Can you name any of the others? I am most interested in anyone this side of the ancient world. As you get closer to now, the more interested I become.

It seems that these people disappear when the human race becomes skeptical and prone to check stories out.