about the piece of paper the church sends you that reaches in and removes the priesthood from you?
2007-07-12 17:47:33 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Do you have to actually have the "Laying on the hands" to get the priesthood.. so it only makes sense that you'd have to have the "Laying on the hands" to remove it. Piece of paper doesn't do anything.
2007-07-12 18:06:40 · update #1
I think the process most mormons prefer is to administer (or laying on of) a series of backhanded slaps across the face, especially the mouth, to officially remove the blessings and ordinances of the penishood.
While preferred, it has fallen into dis-use (after several decades of over- and mis-use) due to the extreme backup of Folk "LOR" (Lemme Out Requests).
This is all in the Church Handbook of Instructions, Ask your Bishop if you can see his. I had to steal mine.
2007-07-13 03:22:41 · answer #1 · answered by Dances with Poultry 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The church doesn't send you a piece of paper that reaches in and removes the priesthood from you. The principles predicating the validity and power of the priesthood are independent, though it is true that the only authorized channel by which a man can receive an ordination to the priesthood will always be found within the true church of God.
If a man is ordained with the priesthood, then that priesthood remains with him according to the oath and covenant of that priesthood. If that oath and covenant are not fulfilled, then that priesthood will not be with that man, regardless of his status in any organization.
The power and principles of the priesthood are not tied to the status of a man's membership in the church, short of excommunication. It naturally follows that if a man is true to his oath and covenant of the priesthood, he will be in favorable standing with the church. And if he is not in favorable standing with the church, there is no reason to think that his ordination of priesthood would do him any good.
I am aware that it appears that I am not consistent in my explanation, but that is more likely to be because whoever reads this does not entirely understand what I'm saying.
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I beg to differ with the gentleman just above me. I believe there is an ordinance performed on a man that is going to be excommunicated, where the priesthood is taken from him.
This happened to a man I know, who later was restored in full faith after his repentance process. He now serves in the temple weekly.
2007-07-13 10:36:33 · answer #2 · answered by Atom 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Good question, according to D&C 121:37 the priesthood can be withdrawn through misuse. There is no ordinance of removal of the priesthood. It's kinda like when you get set apart for a calling in the church there is the laying on of hands. When you get released, there isn't.
2007-07-13 06:05:18 · answer #3 · answered by Senator John McClain 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I thought that if a man's priesthood was removed that meant he was excommunicated from the church. I suppose that piece of paper lets him know that it is official. Just because you leave the church your priesthood isn't automatically removed. You can always go back and restore yourself. Excommunication is much different than "leaving" the church.
2007-07-12 18:45:45 · answer #4 · answered by noonecanne 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've wondered if you had the Melchezidic priesthood. Did you? did you ever baptize someone?
Hmm... and to your question, when you leave the church you don't have it anymore I guess, you will not believe in it anymore because if someone leaves the church is because he does not believes in the church no more, so why would he have/use something that he does not believe in, no matter how sacred it is? You will not have the authority to give a blessing, have a calling or baptize someone no more when you leave the church.
2007-07-12 17:54:28 · answer #5 · answered by Love Yahoo!!! wannabe a princess 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, from the point of view of the one leaving, no matter what happens, you dont believe that you EVER ACTUALLY HAD that authority anyways, so you dont need to take anything away since it was never there to begin with.
From the point of view of someone still in the church though, i completely agree with you. If the priesthood is such a huge deal, what's a little sliver of dead tree with some ink splattered on it going to do?
2007-07-12 18:32:29 · answer #6 · answered by 17*mezzo*17 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Like the others stated, it's just a formal notification. There is nothing magic or mystical about that piece of paper.
2007-07-12 19:14:40 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The church has authority from God to grant authority to people on earth to act in his name. It also has the authority to take it away. We as humans need physical manifestations to help us comprehend spiritual things. You don't just say you're baptized, you have to actually do it. The "paper" is just a physical representation of a spiritual matter.
2007-07-12 17:59:01 · answer #8 · answered by Rebelbandman 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Do they send you a piece of paper?
The Melchezdic priesthood is a lie, a farce, and a crock of crap. So it honestly doesn't matter. You never had any kind of "magic" anyway.
2007-07-12 17:59:06 · answer #9 · answered by Amy 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋