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by SundayDreamer on September 8th, 2004

SundayDreamer

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What is an Elder in the Mormon religion? How do you become one and what does it signify?

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  • by Anonymous on November 28th, 2005

    Anonymous

    Any holder of the Melchizidek (higher) priesthood may be addressed as "Elder." There are three offices of the Melchizidek priesthood, filling many different callings and duties.

    While one calling may have authority superior to another, the three offices are equal; the newest Elder in the world has the same priesthood as the oldest member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

    Alatea suggests that it is double-talk to suggest that someone can be equal to another yet still superior, so I will explain it a bit.

    Imagine that a man grows up and becomes an adult. He has all of the rights brought by adulthood. His father, also an adult, has those rights, thus they are equal in that way. The father, however, will always be superior in that he is the father. Let's say that the son goes to the Naval Academy and comes back as a Marine Corps lieutenant. Dad is a Gunnery Sergeant. The son is now superior to dad in some ways (grade), equal in others (adulthood), and less in still others (family order). Both are called "Marine."

    In the Aaronic (lower) priesthood, each office is greater in responsibility and authority to the one before. A Priest has more of these than do Teachers and Deacons.

    In the Melchizidek Priesthood, however, all three offices (Elder, Seventy, High Priest) have the same level of priesthood. They have different duties and responsibilities, but because they are on the same level, all are called "Elder."

    Comments

    • Pure double talk, one is superior to the other but equal you say. Blah Blah Blah

      Alatea

      by Alatea on December 13th, 2005

    • Alatea has a problem with this answer as double talk, but she doesn't have a problem with the double talk that is inherent in the trinity doctrine.

      Glenn Blaylock

      by Glenn Blaylock on October 1st, 2006

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