Does the priesthood work on incurable diseases?

[_Inconceivable]

The other option could be that healing of that kind shown to someone who does not believe will tend to attract those interested in power and people requesting blessings from people who have had success in the past.

I've heard what you've mentioned many times, Nehor. I've attempted to "excercise my faith" that my HT, bishop and even SP had the gift to heal (spiritually or physically) or even be inspired for that matter - this did not necessarilly qualify them.

But bottom line, I learned I should never just "send for (any of) the elders" when I needed a blessing, I learned to send for the ones that I beleived had a connection with ?? Jesus/God. I have been instantly healed several times in my life. I have participated and witnessed the healing of others as well.

I don't know how it works, but it is an ability/gift that some people have and that others have less of in varying degrees. And some, no gift at all.

You know, Jesus was pretty random when it came to blessing and healing people. Though there are a few instances, he didn't always prequalify the intended recipient. Some were healed because of their faith. Some only with His faith. Some asked him to heal them, others asked him to heal their friends (without permission of their friends - Lazarus, the man with the devil etc). He even noted that some didn't even thank him. It didn't seem to bother him. Some were healed without his permission - like the lady with the "issue of blood" that touched his garment. He healed (the pearls) right in front of his enemies (the swine). He healed his enemy in the very act of being wrongfully arrested. I don't recall were he ever rejected anyone. He told his disciples to simply do likewise.

I don't think he did it to show off or prove anything to anyone. He did it because that's what people do if they have a deep and abiding unconditional love for all - and they have the gift. Besides, it is the effects of the miracle - not the miracle itself that turns the heart.

My mind and spirit are pretty messed up right now, but I've witnessed a lot of this stuff over my lifetime.

The rest of my rant:

If what Jesus did happened, then what's the big deal? If we have the faith of a child, then why not? If He can create a planet, move a mountain, forgive a sin, or set about a system whereby life can be created and later become resurrected, what is so difficult about exercising faith in his promises and bringing about "miracles" ourselves? All things are possible to them that believe - it doesn't just say "some things".

I guess I just got so used to all of this happening around me that it just seemed so natural. It was understood that sometimes we would not be inspired to heal, so we didn't. I only screwed up once where something was supposed to occur and it didn't. Honestly, this effected me deeply because I never received an explanation. But all the rest were what they were.

[Guest]

If what Jesus did happened, then what's the big deal? If we have the faith of a child, then why not? If He can create a planet, move a mountain, forgive a sin, or set about a system whereby life can be created and later become resurrected, what is so difficult about exercising faith in his promises and bringing about "miracles" ourselves? All things are possible to them that believe - it doesn't just say "some things".

You forgot a part...all things are possible if it be the will of the Lord. This is a handy little out if the blessing doesn't work.

[_Sethbag]

Your last sentence reminded me of a personal experience. I once gave a blessing in which I was prompted to tell the women to go to the hospital. I didn't mention that prompting in the prayer, but told the women and her husband about the prompting after the prayer. They did as I suggested, and none to soon since it helped avoid a potentially fatal consequence, and in the end all went well.

However, both members expressed some confusion about being told to go to the hospital, thinking there was little point in calling on the Elders if secular doctors were ultimately the solution. I understood that thinking, but believed the members had missed the point. It is unlikely that the couple would have gone to the hospital when they did were it not for the prompting I had conveyed to them, and absent that intervention, there is the chance the woman might have died.

So in other words, it took the eternal power and authority of God to give the couple the commonsense advice to go to the hospital.

Color me underwhelmed. Just what does it mean that the Priesthood is the power and authority to act in God's name, and have our words, and our commands, be as though God were speaking, or exercising them?

As was mentioned by other posters, in the Bible, it says Jesus healed people instantly, on the spot, with his God power and authority. We're told that we're given the right to exercise that very same power, too, in His name, by virtue of this priesthood. How is the common LDS understanding of priesthood blessings anything like this? How is telling a couple they ought to go to the hospital anything like Jesus touching a guy's eyes and, whereas he was blind, now he sees? How is this anything like taking a guy's ear that just got cut off and putting it back on his head and it's reattached with no bloody wound?

Why is it that we have a sick child and our wife asks us to bless him or her, and we do so, and then give it a day or so to work? Did it take the blind man a day or so to start seeing after Jesus touched his eyes? Did it take that guy a day or two, or three, to have that ear stay stuck back on his head, and another few weeks for the wound to disappear, after Jesus healed him?

[_Inconceivable]

If what Jesus did happened, then what's the big deal? If we have the faith of a child, then why not? If He can create a planet, move a mountain, forgive a sin, or set about a system whereby life can be created and later become resurrected, what is so difficult about exercising faith in his promises and bringing about "miracles" ourselves? All things are possible to them that believe - it doesn't just say "some things".

You forgot a part...all things are possible if it be the will of the Lord. This is a handy little out if the blessing doesn't work.

Nope:

23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

(New Testament | Mark 9:23 - 24)

But I think you are right. I think it was always His will.

I think many use the "IF" word as an out. But if they knew what they were doing and had what I refer to as a connection, we wouldn't hear many if's.

Let me explain:

There were times where I was inspired to heal, and other times not to heal. I knew when I was not alone when I spoke during a blessing. I pretty much knew when the one giving the blessing was not alone as well. Some things you know, this I have little doubt. When this occured, the blessing was generally dead on. I never willed it myself or spoke out of anxiety or desperation. I always thought the situation was in God's hands anyway. I would not have expected such things to go as well otherwise. I waited for impressions to come. By the time you heard or said "amen" you knew the outcome. I wasn't always comfortable about what I said - possitive and negative. There were times when what I was impressed to say was difficult for me to believe and/or I feared what others might say. If I said them anyway, it all worked out (except once). Unless impressed, it wasn't a "wait and see" or an "IF". You pretty much knew. If you said what you were impressed to say, it was a done deal.

I recall that I always needed to square myself with God and others first before participating in order to feel a connection.

If you want to be healed or get any other type of blessing, this is the type of person you should seek out.

I feel very much out of the loop now, but this has been my experience.

[_Inconceivable]

Does the priesthood work on incurable diseases?

I meant to give you a straight answer: Sure.

If it can cure everything else, why not? If it is true, why limit God?

[_asbestosman]

Does the priesthood work on incurable diseases?

I meant to give you a straight answer: Sure.

If it can cure everything else, why not? If it is true, why limit God?

Wait a minute here. Isn't that like asking if God can lift an immovable rock? Cure an incurabel disease? If the priesthood could cure it then it wouldn't be incurable, would it? ;)

[_Scottie]

Does the priesthood work on incurable diseases?

I meant to give you a straight answer: Sure.

If it can cure everything else, why not? If it is true, why limit God?

Ok, have YOU ever healed an incurable disease? Have you ever heard of anyone doing it? Is there a documented case where this was done?

[_Runtu]

It's a well known fact that God does not love amputees as much as cancer patients.

Dude, you're skating on thin ice when you're asking to see someone cut off an arm or some other member of the body and restore it so that we may see that they come in power.

[_wenglund]

It is unlikely that the couple would have gone to the hospital when they did were it not for the prompting I had conveyed to them, and absent that intervention, there is the chance the woman might have died.

lol. Had they not believed in 'priesthood healings', they probably would have gone to the hospital in the first place.

That is a reasonable, though incorrect assumption.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[Gadianton]

Your last sentence reminded me of a personal experience. I once gave a blessing in which I was prompted to tell the women to go to the hospital. I didn't mention that prompting in the prayer, but told the women and her husband about the prompting after the prayer. They did as I suggested, and none to soon since it helped avoid a potentially fatal consequence, and in the end all went well.

However, both members expressed some confusion about being told to go to the hospital, thinking there was little point in calling on the Elders if secular doctors were ultimately the solution. I understood that thinking, but believed the members had missed the point. It is unlikely that the couple would have gone to the hospital when they did were it not for the prompting I had conveyed to them, and absent that intervention, there is the chance the woman might have died.

So in other words, it took the eternal power and authority of God to give the couple the commonsense advice to go to the hospital.

Color me underwhelmed. Just what does it mean that the Priesthood is the power and authority to act in God's name, and have our words, and our commands, be as though God were speaking, or exercising them?

As was mentioned by other posters, in the Bible, it says Jesus healed people instantly, on the spot, with his God power and authority. We're told that we're given the right to exercise that very same power, too, in His name, by virtue of this priesthood. How is the common LDS understanding of priesthood blessings anything like this? How is telling a couple they ought to go to the hospital anything like Jesus touching a guy's eyes and, whereas he was blind, now he sees? How is this anything like taking a guy's ear that just got cut off and putting it back on his head and it's reattached with no bloody wound?

Why is it that we have a sick child and our wife asks us to bless him or her, and we do so, and then give it a day or so to work? Did it take the blind man a day or so to start seeing after Jesus touched his eyes? Did it take that guy a day or two, or three, to have that ear stay stuck back on his head, and another few weeks for the wound to disappear, after Jesus healed him?

I see. For you, unless there are some immediate and jaw-dropping aspects to the healing, you don't believe God is involved (not that you would believe God was involved anyway). That is not unreasonable.

However, my understanding of divine intervention may be a wee bit more sophisticated and nuanced, and may include, but is not restricted to, guiding the hand and mind of a human surgeon, or helping a patient heal over time, as well as the immediate and miraculous recoveries.

As I see things, if it turns out in the end that I was mistaken in believing that God intervenes to heal the sick via prayers of faith and priesthood blessings, then I am fine with that. I have seen no harm come to the sick when prayed for and given blessings, and much good presumably resulting therefrom--even if allegedly psychosamatic. So I figure: why not give it a try?...there isn't anything to lose, and much to gain. But, were I not mistaken, and had failed to avail myself of divine intervention, then I would think that unfortunate.

You, of course, are free to see it differently.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-