Difference Between Priesthood and Priestcraft

An atheist in a reply to a post of mine chose the following from one of his atheist grab bag collection of quotes :

"Morality is doing what is right, no matter what you're told. Religion is doing what you're told, no matter what is right." - Jerry Sturdivant

The Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God (known as the Melchizedek Priesthood) is different from religious sectarianism. Many people believe the Founding Fathers were anti Christianity but they believed in Christ not sectarianism (Catholicism and Protestantism).
Watch this flash presentation to learn more about the Priesthood and how it was lost through the Catholic Church.

http://www.artbulla.com/zion/priesthood2.html

5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard din that he feared;
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

Hebrews 5:5-6



5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Ephesians 4:5-7,11-13

29 He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.

(2 Nephi 26:29)

16 Nevertheless, this did not put an end to the spreading of priestcraft through the land; for there were many who loved the vain things of the world, and they went forth preaching false doctrines; and this they did for the sake of riches and honor.

(Alma 1:16)


21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;

Doctrine and Covenants 84:21

"I am like a huge rough stone rolling down from a high mountain; and the only polishing I get is when some corner gets rubbed off by coming in contact with something else, striking with accelerated force against religious bigotry, priestcraft, lawyer-craft, doctor-craft, lying editors, suborned judges and jurors, and the authority of perjured executives, backed by mobs, blasphemers, licentious and corrupt men and womenall hell knocking off a corner here and a corner there. Thus will I become a smooth and polished shaft in the quiver of the Almighty." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 304.)

"Then came Martin Luther, that great soul, who had the courage to stand against priestcraft and kingcraft, and declare that his conscience was a captive to God's word. That was his declaration when he stood before the Diet at Worms. "There I take my stand; I can do no otherwise. So help me God." That was his answer to hie accusers."

(President Anthony W. Ivins, Conference Report, April 1928, Third Day Morning Meeting, p.119)

"God bless you, my brethren and sisters, keep us all from the sins of the world, keep us clean and unspotted. make us more devoted if possible to his word and more loyal and patriotic to the government of which we form a part. For without this government the Church of Christ could not exist, unless God should manifest his power in an unusual manner in our behalf. He has raised up this government and the men who direct its affairs for our protection and benefit, for the protection and benefit of the people of the world in righteousness. But whenever people depart from the way of righteousness, whenever priestcraft shall take the place of Priesthood, God's mercy will be withdrawn. (Distinguish between the words-priestcraft is that system by which men pretend to speak and act in the name of the Lord without authority and without power; Priesthood is the keys and authority to properly act and speak in the name of the Lord, and the power of the Priesthood will be manifest in the works of those who exercise it. And that characterizes the lives of these men, these apostles who are before you, these presiding seventies, and presidents of missions. They exercise the Priesthood of the Lord our God through proper authority, and they exercise it in a proper way.) When priestcraft shall assume that which does not belong to it, then God's mercy and protection will be withdrawn. Go on and read the remainder of this eighty-eighth section of the D&C, (I do not like to read it here) because it tells us what is going to happen to priestcraft, and it is coming with those other manifestations of the power of the Lord which are so prevalent."

(President Anthony W. Ivins, Conference Report, October 1926, First Day Morning Session, p.20-21)