Cold reading and patriarchal blessings

[_Buffalo]

From the Drastic Measures thread, I posted:

"Of course, God's powers of discernment don't seem to have fared any better with other, more sincere practitioners of the faith. Think of all the patriarchal blessings where people were promised they would see the second coming.

"In my blessing, the one and only part of it that was specific enough to apply to me and not just a sort of generic thing was a part mentioning my specific talents. The patriarch (a nice man) asked me what they were ahead of time so he could include them in the blessing. So the blessing was a combination of cold and hot reading.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_reading
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_reading

"Apparently God is unable to read our thoughts, and must use the same techniques as fortune tellers and other scam artists to give blessings."

Any thoughts on this? Your own experiences?

[_Eric]

From the Drastic Measures thread, I posted:

"Of course, God's powers of discernment don't seem to have fared any better with other, more sincere practitioners of the faith. Think of all the patriarchal blessings where people were promised they would see the second coming.

"In my blessing, the one and only part of it that was specific enough to apply to me and not just a sort of generic thing was a part mentioning my specific talents. The patriarch (a nice man) asked me what they were ahead of time so he could include them in the blessing. So the blessing was a combination of cold and hot reading.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_reading
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_reading

"Apparently God is unable to read our thoughts, and must use the same techniques as fortune tellers and other scam artists to give blessings."

Any thoughts on this? Your own experiences?

I've always been fascinated by this part of the Church, which in my opinion, is not at all discussed enough. You are right, it is usually a hot read, since the Patriarch is someone in the Stake at least a little familiar with you before telling your fortune.

I had mine done while I was at the Utah Boys Ranch, by some guy I had never met in my life, and when I let other people Mormon adults read it many of them cried and said it was the most amazing blessing they had ever read.

Nothing in the blessing was even remotely true, nor did any of the future events foretold come to pass. Pretty ridiculous stuff. Satan knows me personally because of my valiance in the pre-mortal life, the success of my non-existent children will depend upon my faithfulness to the Church, etc. I should actually find it and post it. It's pretty funny.

[_Buffalo]

Mine was done when I was at a student ward, and I was fairly new, so the patriarch didn't know anything about me. I guess that's why he had to ask.

[_cinepro]

I miss the old-school Patriarchal Blessings when people were told they'd serve missions on the moon and stuff.

The oddest thing mine says is that I will find a profession that let's me "work with my hands", which only describes...every profession in the entire world.

Granted, before my PB, I had hopes of becoming one of those psychics from "Minority Report", but since they didn't use their hands, I realized that just wasn't in the cards.

Also, my wife and I grew up in the same stake, and after we were married and she saw my PB, she was surprised at how similar they were. I told her it was just proof that we were meant for each other, but I'm not sure it helped.

[_greentam]

I also would be interested in learning more about these kinds of blessings. More historical/origin stories would be very fascinating. I never received mine while I was part of the church because I had always felt it was too....gimicky. Almost every one I had read said the same basic things. I never really felt like there was anything of real sustenance in these predictions.

[_Buffalo]

I miss the old-school Patriarchal Blessings when people were told they'd serve missions on the moon and stuff.

The oddest thing mine says is that I will find a profession that let's me "work with my hands", which only describes...every profession in the entire world.

Granted, before my PB, I had hopes of becoming one of those psychics from "Minority Report", but since they didn't use their hands, I realized that just wasn't in the cards.

Also, my wife and I grew up in the same stake, and after we were married and she saw my PB, she was surprised at how similar they were. I told her it was just proof that we were meant for each other, but I'm not sure it helped.

I'm sure each patriarch has a few scripts that he more or less sticks to. I wonder, when you're a called to be a patriarch, does the church send you some sample blessings so you have some ready-made templates?

[_zeezrom]

My patriarch interviewed me prior to my blessing. After the interview, he asked some follow up questions, then stood up and laid his hands on my head and proceeded with the blessing.

In it, the blessing said some things that followed along with the interview. In particular, it provided comfort for the issues I brought up in the interview and warned me about some things that I feel he read between the lines about me. But then there were also some very inspired things, such as the revelation of my lineage - coming from Ephraim. I knew that was just for me. yay!

He also said I would spend a lot of time in the temple in my life.

What would have really been interesting would be if he had blessed me with the ability to not worry when a guy in the ward tells me that Joseph married girls behind Emma's back.

[_beefcalf]

My son left on his mission last year, and some months prior received his Patriarchal Blessing.

He expressed delight at the section where it prophesied that he would serve in positions of Priesthood Authority.

I bit my lip and said nothing...

[_Buffalo]

My son left on his mission last year, and some months prior received his Patriarchal Blessing.

He expressed delight at the section where it prophesied that he would serve in positions of Priesthood Authority.

I bit my lip and said nothing...

"I prophesy in the name of the lord that the sun will rise in the morning and set in the evening."