I don't remember reading about this on RfM. I'm not sure how long ago it happened, maybe in 2020. I apologize for it being old news, but it made me chuckle.

A Catholic witch doctor, er, I mean priest, used the wrong magic word to baptize people for decades. Apparently the baptisms were invalid and he resigned.

Am I a jerk for laughing? (I already know your answer.)
Honestly, you can't make this stuff up.

I thought Mormons were weird enough for needing the exact words in their magical blessing of the sacrament.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/14/us/pastor-invalid-baptisms-resignation/index.html

I'm sure God will be very angry because the word "we" was used instead of "I." God's magic doesn't work if you don't get the rituals EXACTLY right.

It's worse than when you forget your temple name.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SFcpFjOmioQ

I heard an apocryphal story in the mission field...

A family converted.  A ten-year-old daughter in the family had a phobia regarding water in sufficient quantity to cause death by drowning.

The capacity of the baptismal font surpassed the amount of water necessary to trigger the phobia.

Attempts to do it ghawd's way, meaning the guided backward-leaning plunge, resulted in wild, cataclysmic thrashing by the baptee, beyond any ability to control on the part of the baptor.  The daughter always managed to thrash around and keep a leg, knee, foot, hand, elbow...whatever...out of the water.

The apocryphal priesthood figure in charge finally said, and I quote, "F--- it!  They can figure out what to do about this in the millennium!"

LOL! Let God fix it later!

Your description sounds like me trying to bathe my dog.

Let go and let God. :P

Words matter. :)

Somebody said that. Somewhere. Sometime.

Nightingale Wrote:
-----------------------
> Words matter. :)
>
> Somebody said that.
>
> Somewhere. Sometime.


YES!!!

I remember reading that, too!!

It took me a while, but I found it...  Page 402:


"Now that we've made sweet, sweet love, we don't have to worry about whether or not words matter."

                    --Gone With the Wind-up Dolls

I always found it ironic that Mormons were so proud of the fact that they didn't have set prayers, like those other apostate churches.

Except for the set prayers they do have, which are rigorously enforced. The mojo doesn't work if you flub a word.

And some of the non-set prayers are so boiler-plate that they might as well be set. "Please take us to our homes in peace and safety."

Exactly. They want it both ways.

I guess God can only figure out the intent of certain prayers. The others have to be just right.

No Problemo!!!

Many of the (Latter-Day) Saints were re-dunked, I think on the way to Great Salt Lake City in the 1800's;

Only this was part of the 'retrenchment', not because of any clerical or PH error, TG!

Note to Catholics: If something is worth doing, Do It Right the first time!!! (attributed to my dear parents, I'm not sure which...)

A few thoughts.

1. When I lived in Star Valley and would have dinner with a LDS family, the prayer before eating was always something made up on the moment. I was told that all prayers were from the heart and not something memorized.

2. GF and I went to a LDS Sunday morning service and when it came time to bless the sacrament, the prayer was repeated a couple of times. I asked afterward if that was normal. Was told the blessing was repeated until it was done right.

Didn't get a straight answer when I asked about prayers from the heart and the blessing.

3. When growing up in Catholic school, the topic about baptism was discussed. A matter came up about an emergency and a priest wasn't available, and/or if the words weren't just "right". The answer was, "the good Lord knows what's in your heart and it'll all be good."

We or I, the Lord knows what is meant.

I remember that story. It's weird. According to the article, it means that other sacramental ordinances will also have to be done over again, including confirmation and marriage.

Such silliness.

Just think how many Catholics are living in sin because someone got a word wrong.

There are several problems with the Mormon insistence that the words must be exactly right:

- There are THREE versions of supposedly valid baptismal words in Mormon scriptures:
1. D&C 20:73 has "Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ..." This is the only version sanctioned now by the church.
2. 3 Nephi 11:25 (Christ's instructions to the Nephites) is "Having authority given me of Jesus Christ..."
3. Mosiah 18:13 is a completely different wording of a baptism, presumably valid.

Apparently if the baptizer says "commissioned BY Jesus Christ..." God will not count it, even though it means the same thing. Then why would God accept any baptism in a foreign language that is not in the exact English D&C form?

When JC and Cowdrey baptized each other, how did they know the right words?

Were John the Baptist's baptisms all invalid?

What words did John use when baptizing Jesus?

When Jesus gave the correct words to the Nephites he must have been speaking in their language. So if we could speak Nephite we could use those words?

It's just like black magic - the words have to be exactly right.