Using the Mormon priesthood in magic?

[TransGothGirl]

So for backstory, I'm an exmormon. I was born and raised in the Mormon church, and being born a male I received the Aaronic Priesthood at the age of 12. I was ordained as far as a Priest, but I stopped attending the church before receiving the Melkezidek Priesthood. Now technically by leaving the church and by transitioning, I've left behind all the "blessings of the church." However, according to church doctrine, the Priesthood itself is something I'll hold all my life. Thus, I'm an exmormon woman who holds the Aaronic Priesthood of the LDS church.

Now, lately I've been thinking a lot about the Priesthood and its implications. The Priesthood gives the power, authority, and keys to perform various spiritual functions which could be useful for Solomonic magic, including the ministering of angels and (for the Melkezidek only) the consecration of olive oil. And the church was built on occult roots, given Joseph Smith's involvement in the occult and the Jupiter talisman he had on him when he died. So the Priesthood could be seen as not only a spiritual authority but a magical one. Then, looking at various grimoires from the Solomonic tradition and related works, I've seen many areas where the practitioner is assumed to be a priest or know a priest who will assist their workings, and the whole system relies on a spiritual and magical authority the practitioner receives from God. This has me wondering if one could use the Aaronic and Melkezidek Priesthoods of the LDS church for magic, especially Solomonic magic. I could see it being used for the consecration of tools, The conjuring of angels, and the binding of demons, which it already is used for in the church itself. I even wonder if an exmormon magician who holds the Priesthood could still pass it on to another magician who has never held it.

So I'm curious. Has anyone else here ever thought about this, or better yet done it? Are there even any other exmormons here? Does anyone have any thoughts or concerns to bring up?

 

[Faria]

So I'm curious. Has anyone else here ever thought about this, or better yet done it? Are there even any other exmormons here? Does anyone have any thoughts or concerns to bring up?

Bit of a long story, but probably necessary.... My parents were not particularly religious but sent me to Catholic school and the school had basically pressured my parents (and me) toward priesthood for nine years. Unfortunately for everyone, I was not enthusiastic about that because I wanted to have a family. I abandoned Catholicism, married a Jewish girl, and had half a dozen children. We lived in a Mormon-saturated area, many of our friends were LDS members. At the time I was working for one of the LDS bigwigs with Scrooge McDuck money, and he made me this offer:

"If you and your family join the LDS, I will make you the Michaelangelo of Mormonism. We will put ads on BYU football with your art. Your imagery will define the physical appearance of Mormon temple art and you will be very wealthy and very famous." He claimed that President Monson specifically requested me.

I was sold, so I joined. My wife became a choir director and I was called to "heal the sick and cast out demons." I gave speeches at stake conferences, handed out checks to people, did all the stuff. I taught Gospel Doctrine for a few years and helped re-write how Gospel Doctrine is taught in branches. But the BYU football ads never appeared, and whatever financial grease the gears of my patron's machine were supposed to get, did not happen either. I ended up with a pile of weird religious art and no buyer, my kids all trapped in the LDS social circuit.

As I did then and still do, I see Joseph Smith as an example of a grimoire magician who made good on his work. The bulk of "odd" LDS canon is drawn from Talmud and similar sources, and it's apparent that JS was into some form of ceremonial magic throughout his life. The temple rituals and other aspects of LDS all look like what would happen if someone decided to make ceremonial magic into a regular religion. It looks like Solomonic magic because it is Solomonic magic.

But I cannot bring myself to think of LDS priesthood as any more valid than other types of priesthood, Christian or otherwise. Apart from any spiritual thing, they place on you an obligation of service, and it's hard to see that as being transferable outside of the church. As far as "power" goes, I think that is entirely an effect of your own self governance, and not really something that can be conferred or acquired through rituals alone.

 

[TransGothGirl]

Bit of a long story, but probably necessary.... My parents were not particularly religious but sent me to Catholic school and the school had basically pressured my parents (and me) toward priesthood for nine years. Unfortunately for everyone, I was not enthusiastic about that because I wanted to have a family. I abandoned Catholicism, married a Jewish girl, and had half a dozen children. We lived in a Mormon-saturated area, many of our friends were LDS members. At the time I was working for one of the LDS bigwigs with Scrooge McDuck money, and he made me this offer:

"If you and your family join the LDS, I will make you the Michaelangelo of Mormonism. We will put ads on BYU football with your art. Your imagery will define the physical appearance of Mormon temple art and you will be very wealthy and very famous." He claimed that President Monson specifically requested me.

I was sold, so I joined. My wife became a choir director and I was called to "heal the sick and cast out demons." I gave speeches at stake conferences, handed out checks to people, did all the stuff. I taught Gospel Doctrine for a few years and helped re-write how Gospel Doctrine is taught in branches. But the BYU football ads never appeared, and whatever financial grease the gears of my patron's machine were supposed to get, did not happen either. I ended up with a pile of weird religious art and no buyer, my kids all trapped in the LDS social circuit.

As I did then and still do, I see Joseph Smith as an example of a grimoire magician who made good on his work. The bulk of "odd" LDS canon is drawn from Talmud and similar sources, and it's apparent that JS was into some form of ceremonial magic throughout his life. The temple rituals and other aspects of LDS all look like what would happen if someone decided to make ceremonial magic into a regular religion. It looks like Solomonic magic because it is Solomonic magic.

But I cannot bring myself to think of LDS priesthood as any more valid than other types of priesthood, Christian or otherwise. Apart from any spiritual thing, they place on you an obligation of service, and it's hard to see that as being transferable outside of the church. As far as "power" goes, I think that is entirely an effect of your own self governance, and not really something that can be conferred or acquired through rituals alone.

So I definitely agree with you about it not being any more valid than other priesthoods. I have a lot of issues with the Mormon church and with its underlying beliefs. This line of questioning stems not from a respect for the Mormon church or its priesthood, but from the simple fact that it's the church I was born and raised in and the priesthood that I hold and have held and used during my time in the church.

 

[Nembra]

So for backstory, I'm an exmormon. I was born and raised in the Mormon church, and being born a male I received the Aaronic Priesthood at the age of 12. I was ordained as far as a Priest, but I stopped attending the church before receiving the Melkezidek Priesthood. Now technically by leaving the church and by transitioning, I've left behind all the "blessings of the church." However, according to church doctrine, the Priesthood itself is something I'll hold all my life. Thus, I'm an exmormon woman who holds the Aaronic Priesthood of the LDS church.

Now, lately I've been thinking a lot about the Priesthood and its implications. The Priesthood gives the power, authority, and keys to perform various spiritual functions which could be useful for Solomonic magic, including the ministering of angels and (for the Melkezidek only) the consecration of olive oil. And the church was built on occult roots, given Joseph Smith's involvement in the occult and the Jupiter talisman he had on him when he died. So the Priesthood could be seen as not only a spiritual authority but a magical one. Then, looking at various grimoires from the Solomonic tradition and related works, I've seen many areas where the practitioner is assumed to be a priest or know a priest who will assist their workings, and the whole system relies on a spiritual and magical authority the practitioner receives from God. This has me wondering if one could use the Aaronic and Melkezidek Priesthoods of the LDS church for magic, especially Solomonic magic. I could see it being used for the consecration of tools, The conjuring of angels, and the binding of demons, which it already is used for in the church itself. I even wonder if an exmormon magician who holds the Priesthood could still pass it on to another magician who has never held it.

So I'm curious. Has anyone else here ever thought about this, or better yet done it? Are there even any other exmormons here? Does anyone have any thoughts or concerns to bring up?

I don't think I can be convinced that there's much usable, "elemental" power in the mormonic stream, it's rather a particularly fetid pond of very dubiously dubiously angelic influence. All the memetic potential it undeniably has is basically tied in a knot with a head up its ass. Might have some strings to pull locally on the US ground.