Question for Latter Day Saints on a Baby's Blessing?

Question

I'm still trying to understand why in the LDS church, when a baby gets blessed, that the father brings up several of his chosen men of good repute to pray over the baby that the Spirit of Melchizidek will be imparted onto the child. Meanwhile, the mother has no bearing on this ceremony whatsoever, and simply sits in the pew with the rest of the congregation.

Why is the mother excluded from this ritual?

(My basis for this info is that I witnessed a baby's blessing in one of your churches).

Why is the mother excluded from this ceremony and not even allowed a small part in it?

Answer 1

Simply put, this is but one of many things that only men holding the priesthood of Melchizedec are supposed to do. If a father of the child does not even hold this priesthood, then he cannot do this. I personally saw this happened with some friends of mine where the wife was a member but the father was not. So I saw the child's grandfather do this blessing.

Since the order of the church is for the men to have the priesthood, this ordinance cannot be done lawfully by the mother. The priesthood is something that the men should be aspiring to, so that there is a division of spiritual labor.

It has been said that within the proper exercising of priesthood that men understand Christ at a deeper level. It has also been said that when a woman becomes pregnant and begins to share her own blood to grow and give life to a baby, then she also gains a deeper understanding of how Christ shared his blood to give all eternal life.

With this in mind, the priesthood is then a mechanism for men to try to get to that deeper understanding, and is something they had to work for and earn, from waiting for the Gospel to be restored to the earth, then become a worthy member, then building upon responsibilities, then finally getting that priesthood.

For women, all they have to do is understand the similarites between them giving life and Christ giving eternal life.

So in my opinion, in terms of spiritual gifts, the men have training wheels compared to the women's motorcycles...

Thanks for asking!

Sincerely from a priesthood holder,
Alvin R.

Answer 2

I grew up Mormon although I am not a member or believer now but I will answer to the best of my ability..

Women do not hold the priesthood and are therefore not part of that particular ceremony..

It is believed that only men can hold the priesthood..

The blessing is intended as a naming ceremony before God and the congregation of the church as ..Usually included are blessings for the child's good health, happiness and such.. All done in the name of the Melchizedek Priesthood passed down from God through Melchizedek.. The blessing is also intended to be a formal welcoming of the child to the congregation and an introduction of the child to the congregation..

It is not always the child's father who does the blessing sometimes another man is chosen if the father is unable to preform the blessing because he hasn't received the Melchizedek priesthood or the mother is a single parent or for any other number of reasons... In most cases either a close friend or relative who does hold the Melchizedek priesthood is chosen by the parent(s) to confer the blessing..

Hope this helped.. If not ask your freind or whom ever invited you to the church service to explain they will be glad to help you understand anything that you didn't...

Answer 3

You have misunderstood this important priesthood ordinance. It is not to receive a blessing from the spirit of Melchizedek at the blessing for the infant, but from the Lord Jesus Christ. This is a priesthood blessing given to our infants at eight days old. This blessing is a priesthood ordinance and since women do not hold the holy priesthood, men holding the Melchizedek priesthood perform such ordinances as infant blessings, baptisms, confirmations, and the laying on of hands for blessings of health and recovery.

The men that the father chooses to assist in the ordinance are also ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood and are in good standing.

Incidentally, Melchizedek was an ordained high priest of the highest calling--one whose name identifies that priesthood after the order of the Son of God. He was called a prince of peace and King of Salem (Jerusalem) when Abraham met him after a war and paid him tithes and offerings.