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I am confused about what a blessing is, and why it is supposed to be special when a priest does it?
What is a Blessing? What does it confer on the recipient? What benefit is there to being 'blessed' - even by God?
So we all know the bit at the end of a church service which says "The Blessing of God Almighty, The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost" - Is it just to make us go away from church with a good feeling that somehow we have just been blessed by God and his Ghost?
Someone please explain how you see all this Blessing business?
Thanks
It is a wish, maybe more fully expressed as "may god bless you". Yes it's intended for good feels. As is all wishful thinking.
It's a throw-away line for politicians, too -- "God bless America", etc. That also carries with it some sense of "we're all in this together" as Americans and god approves.
It is a wish, maybe more fully expressed as "may god bless you". Yes it's intended for good feels. As is all wishful thinking.
It's a throw-away line for politicians, too -- "God bless America", etc. That also carries with it some sense of "we're all in this together" as Americans and god approves.
OK, but what is a blessing and what does God do when he blesses you? Or..more exactly, what do people think happens when you get blessed? What exactly IS a blessing? Maybe it is just something you say but doesn't really mean anything at all. I mean we all know happiness and when we feel happy, but a feeling of blessingness or feeling blessed - what does that feel like?
OK, but what is a blessing and what does God do when he blesses you? Or..more exactly, what do people think happens when you get blessed? What exactly IS a blessing? Maybe it is just something you say but doesn't really mean anything at all. I mean we all know happiness and when we feel happy, but a feeling of blessingness or feeling blessed - what does that feel like?
I'm sure it depends on the individual. It is probably most often in my experience and observation a general wish for well-being without putting god on the hook for anything specifically. As such it's no more meaningful than "good luck" or "have a nice day". I assume by default it is not dismissive or just a placeholder and represents at some level a genuine well-wishing in most cases.
At our church we used to sing the Doxology, which begins, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow" ... a statement that everything that is positive in life comes from God -- conveniently ignoring that God said he is the author of evil (or as more modern translations try to soften it, "calamity") as well. Theologically it is a desire to give god credit or "glory" for all good things such that man will in no way take any of that for himself. Even though, empirically speaking, most good things that happen are because people worked hard to make it so, with no actual tangible help from Beyond.
To dig deeper on the meaning of "blessing" to the requestor, I'd wager it's usually a desire for things to go the requestor's way, more than some weasel-room-y statement of desiring what's best in the long run or in god's greater plan. Which could be almost anything really.
It is a wish, maybe more fully expressed as "may god bless you". Yes it's intended for good feels. As is all wishful thinking.
It's a throw-away line for politicians, too -- "God bless America", etc. That also carries with it some sense of "we're all in this together" as Americans and god approves.
I sometimes use “blessed” and “blessing” to describe a sense of gratitude for happiness and good fortune, as opposed to the product of any higher power or incantations by any clergyperson in support thereof.
I do quite like the Jewish saying, “May [their] memory be a blessing,” when mentioning a dearly departed friend or loved one. I similarly mean that along the lines of “may we continue to cherish them and the positive contributions they made to our lives.”
I am confused about what a blessing is, and why it is supposed to be special when a priest does it?
What is a Blessing? What does it confer on the recipient? What benefit is there to being 'blessed' - even by God?
There is much to be said concerning blessings and curses, however I will first respond to what you specifically asked and start with the blessing given by the High Priest Melchizedek King of Salem.
After the battle in the Valley of Kings, the High Priest Melchizedek King of Salem being an outside observer came to Abram and blessed God and Abram together. Abram wholeheartedly accepted the blessing as right after that declined the King of Sodom's offering. And then at a later time God confirmed the blessing giving Abram the name Abraham, a name and heritage from God.
It is carried on in the Priestly Blessing, as the Lord said to Moses, tell Aaron and his sons, this is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them; The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace. "So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them."
In the same manner as the blessing the High Priest Melchizedek King of Salem, blessed God and Abram together, the Priestly blessing, blesses God and the recipients together and receiving the name from God is to receive a name that returns to the heritage from which it came.
Personally, I have learned to accept both the blessings and the curses in full, always looking to God to see me through it all, just as Noah did when he built the Ark, and also past on the blessing, in blessing God and Shem together, in the same manner that the High Priest Melchizedek King of Salem blessed God and Abram together and in that heritage. Accepting the blessings and curses in full got overlooked when the Satan came with his beguiling lie.
Abraham accepted the blessing and the curse in full when he went up that mountain with Isaac, and God swore by Himself to fulfill all that He had promised Abraham. When the Israelites were brought into Covenant with God they agreed to accept the blessings and curses, and to know what that means in overcoming......Just as the blessing of the name from God "Israel" was given prematurely, as Jacob chose not to face up to Esau and his death threat first and then receive the blessing of a name from God past that threat of death, seeing past it and having it behind him and then after being reunited with his father Isaac and having the whole family together to share in that moment.
Last edited by chief scum; 05-03-2024 at 08:47 AM..
I sometimes use “blessed” and “blessing” to describe a sense of gratitude for happiness and good fortune, as opposed to the product of any higher power or incantations by any clergyperson in support thereof.
Yes and that is an important point; nothing about gratitude is impossible outside of Christianity. Outside of theism more generally, gratitude is more a matter of gratitude FOR things rather than gratitude TO some benefactor. But it's no less powerful for that.
It is a wish, maybe more fully expressed as "may god bless you". Yes it's intended for good feels. As is all wishful thinking.
It's a throw-away line for politicians, too -- "God bless America", etc. That also carries with it some sense of "we're all in this together" as Americans and god approves.
In the South, it can be a veiled slur as in "Well, Bless your heart."
There is much to be said concerning blessings and curses, however I will first respond to what you specifically asked and start with the blessing given by the High Priest Melchizedek King of Salem.
After the battle in the Valley of Kings, the High Priest Melchizedek King of Salem being an outside observer came to Abram and blessed God and Abram together. Abram wholeheartedly accepted the blessing as right after that declined the King of Sodom's offering. And then at a later time God confirmed the blessing giving Abram the name Abraham, a name and heritage from God.
It is carried on in the Priestly Blessing, as the Lord said to Moses, tell Aaron and his sons, this is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them; The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace. "So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them."
In the same manner as the blessing the High Priest Melchizedek King of Salem, blessed God and Abram together, the Priestly blessing, blesses God and the recipients together and receiving the name from God is to receive a name that returns to the heritage from which it came.
Personally, I have learned to accept both the blessings and the curses in full, always looking to God to see me through it all, just as Noah did when he built the Ark, and also past on the blessing, in blessing God and Shem together, in the same manner that the High Priest Melchizedek King of Salem blessed God and Abram together and in that heritage. Accepting the blessings and curses in full got overlooked when the Satan came with his beguiling lie.
Abraham accepted the blessing and the curse in full when he went up that mountain with Isaac, and God swore by Himself to fulfill all that He had promised Abraham. When the Israelites were brought into Covenant with God they agreed to accept the blessings and curses, and to know what that means in overcoming......Just as the blessing of the name from God "Israel" was given prematurely, as Jacob chose not to face up to Esau and his death threat first and then receive the blessing of a name from God past that threat of death, seeing past it and having it behind him and then after being reunited with his father Isaac and having the whole family together to share in that moment.
Y'know, bears of little brain such as myself, tend to lost when things are wrapped up in so much narrative, history and explanation. So, in a few words and in summary...
=====================
From the other posts, I gather that
to bless is to be grateful for.
Blessings are...a wish for good luck for others
to be blessed is a wish by others for you to have a good life, good health, and enough resources.
.
I am confused about what a blessing is, and why it is supposed to be special when a priest does it?
What is a Blessing? What does it confer on the recipient? What benefit is there to being 'blessed' - even by God?
? ? ? ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ocpaul20
Y'know, bears of little brain such as myself, tend to lost when things are wrapped up in so much narrative, history and explanation. So, in a few words and in summary...
=====================
From the other posts, I gather that
to bless is to be grateful for.
Blessings are...a wish for good luck for others
to be blessed is a wish by others for you to have a good life, good health, and enough resources.
.
I fully accept your dismissal.
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