Theos-Talk Archives (February 2002 Message tt00444)

Hi Brigitte,

Yes, Mormon ritual tends to be reserved, dignified and solemn.

The reason for two participants is that one annoints with oil and the
other pronounces the actual blessing with both laying one hands.

Of related interest is a report that a Long Island woman, attending one
of those Pentacostal healing services, went uo to the Platform to br
healed, was "overcome by the spirit" as is usual in those services,
swooned and passed out, except no attentdants caught her as she fell
backwards and she fell down the stairs from the platform breaking her
arm. She sued the church and was awarded a healthy sum of money. My
thought was, why didn't she just climb back up and have her arm healed?
Oh ye of little faith! It's just too easy to pick on those people, I
should have more compassion. But it was an interesting story.

Larry

On Wed, 13 Feb 2002 14:30:23 -0000 "bri_mue" <bri_mue@yahoo.com> writes:
> Larry: "In my Mormon days I often took part in " laying on on hands "
> 
> Brigitte: I once went into a Mormon Temple, in fact it was a 
> beautifull one right close to Manly P. Hall's place near LA, where I 
> 
> went to look at the library. And after they showed me around past 
> the 
> frescos on the wall depicting the Mormon story, I asked for this 
> laying on of hands. It was indeed a verry memorable experience, 
> particularly I found because there where two people participating, 
> a 
> bit different from the healings done in spiritualist churches and 
> new 
> age energy-healing methods where there it is usually only a one to 
> one projedure. 
> 
> But then there are things from inside the movement the way you 
> experienced it (I didn't even know they where priests, just two 
> sincere looking gentlemen) that you don't know if you just walk in 
> from the street into such an impressive looking Temple. It's the 
> same 
> with reading the books about Theosophy in the beginning .
> 
> 
> Bri.
> --- In theos-talk@y..., Larry F Kolts <llkingston2@j...> wrote:
> > Hi Jerry and Morten,
> > 
> > I think I understand what Morten is trying to say. If one has a 
> spiritual
> > experience, that experience constitutes a proof to the individual 
> who had
> > the experience, but not to anyone else. This would however prove 
> only the
> > existence of a spiritual realm and say nothing about the 
> truth/falsehood
> > of Theosophy per se.
> > 
> > Let me go a little deeper using a different example.
> > 
> > In my Mormon days I often took part in " laying on on hands for 
> the
> > Healing of the Sick" and other such Mormon ordinances. I had over 
> my 35
> > years some very interesting experiences. Many of these constitute 
> for me
> > a verification of the reality of "faith healing".
> > Others expanded that beyond the reasonable. At the regular first 
> Sunday
> > testimony meetings it was not uncommon for several "Molly Mormons" 
> 
> (as a
> > few of us called the uncompromising, blind faith, female members) 
> to get
> > up and relate a healing experience and then to go on and say that 
> was
> > further proof that "The Church" was "true". I would shake my head 
> and
> > roll my eyes and think, NO NO NO you silly girl, it only confirms 
> the
> > reality of faith healing. But some were even more fundimentalist 
> in 
> their
> > attitude. When I would argue my case they would say something 
> like "you
> > know it's only the Mormon priesthood that can do this!" And I 
> would 
> say
> > "but what of all the other denominations that practice faith 
> healing?"
> > And they would look me in the eye and say" Brother, you know that 
> if they
> > do that they are either lying about it or doing it by the power of 
> 
> Satan.
> > You know that don't you?" And I would bite my tongue and mutter to 
> 
> myself
> > "Yeah, right" Yet in spite of all that nonsense, I still believe 
> in 
> the
> > reality of the power of faith, though I never did but into their
> > exclusivity model.
> > 
> > I think the same basic thing applies here.
> > 
> > Larry
> > 
> > 
> > On Mon, 11 Feb 2002 22:22:07 +0800 "Gerald Schueler"
> > <gschueler@e...> writes:
> > > <<<One just need a spiritual experience - then proff is there. 
> Well 
> > > you have my word for it.>>
> > > 
> > > Dear Morten, thats one of the silliest things I have heard yet, 
> no 
> > > offense intended. If anyone had "proof" of the Theosophical core 
> 
> > > teachings, then everyone would be a Theosophist. If anyone could 
> 
> > > "prove" spirituality, there would be no materialists. Please 
> think 
> > > about what you are saying. Your word, I am afraid, proves 
> nothing 
> to 
> > > anyone, not even to yourself. I spent years "proving" the truth 
> of 
> > > Christian Science, and I have relatives who have "proved" that 
> Jesus 
> > > is alive and well, and their proof is just as good as yours or 
> mine.
> > > 
> > > Jerry S.
> > > 
> > > -- 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to 
> > > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ 
> > > 
> > > 
> > 
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> 
> 
> 
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> http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ 
> 
> 

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