Comments on: Did the Hoffman papers prove a prophet can be led astray?

By: Liz Perrott

Liz Perrott — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 18:50:00 +0000

Infallibility is not the gift of any human person. That surely applies to the prophet in the same way as it has been applied to the Pope. It is usually others who want to see their leaders as infallible, because it save us from needing to think for ourselves and use our own God given abilities to discern through our own prayer.

By: OtterWithKids

OtterWithKids — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 19:27:00 +0000

The other thing to remember is that God knows the details of stuff like this a LOT better than we do. What would have happened if the Church hadn’t bought the Hoffman papers? Who *would* have purchased them, and would the fraud ever have been discovered by those people who didn’t have a vested interest in learning the truth—or worse, who had a vested interest in suppressing it?

By purchasing the Hoffman papers, President Hinckley assured that the Church would forever be in control of the press surrounding them. Perhaps it didn’t matter if they were true or not, only what the world would otherwise do with them, and the long-lasting effect that would have on the Church.

Prophets can definitely make mistakes and even be tricked, but I see no reason to believe that that’s what happened in this particular instance. God could very easily have instructed His prophets to purchase the Hoffman papers because He knew how things would turn out—even if His prophets didn’t—and the alternative was much, MUCH worse.

By: T McKnight

T McKnight — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 06:56:00 +0000

The Lord came right out and told Joseph Smith, But as you cannot always judge the righteous, or as you cannot always tell the wicked from the righteous, therefore I say unto you, hold your peace…” (D&C 10:37) Now, think about this. Joseph Smith was one of the greatest seers this world has ever known and, yet, even he had human limitations placed upon him. There was no pretense otherwise. The Lord didn’t give him omniscience, although he often inspired him to the point that some may have thought that to be the case. Joseph and the rest of us do the best we can, but are still subject to limitations on discernment – as spoken by the Lord above. A man can be limited and yet still be a true Prophet of God. Joseph and his successors in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are just that.

By: DEJESUS

DEJESUS — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 02:04:00 +0000

In reply to Telavian. Well said Telavian.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 22 Sep 2014 22:07:00 +0000

I also believe that sometimes the Lord allows some people, who are determined to be wicked, “just enough rope to tie themselves up'” so to speak. This allows them to exercise their free agency, and allows them the opportunity to change their mind and not follow through with their wickedness, or to repent of it. If the Lord always intervened (through inspiring the prophet to “know” Hoffman was lying, for example), then Hoffman’s own free will would have been usurped. Sometimes the Lord lets people follow through on their own wickedness until they have “ripened in iniquity.” Ultimately, however, consequences may be avoidable for a period of time (sometimes for a long time) but not forever. Hoffman was ultimately caught up in his evil choices and they came back to haunt him: he accidentally blew himself up, which let to his being eventually convicted and jailed. He’s supposedly lost the use of one hand. He’s lost all that was of real value. There’s an old saying that applies here: “Evil will eventually turn in on itself.”

By: DEJESUS

DEJESUS — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 23:33:00 +0000

Prophets are humans and they can be tricked. In The Old Testament Joshua was tricked in Joshua chapter 9. “Joshua 9:3 The inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai.” The Gibeons knew they were next to be destroyed so they went to Joshua and scammed him. They told him they were a people from a far off land not the Gibeons. So in Joshua 9:15 “Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live.” Later Joshua found out he was fooled but could not destroy them because he made a covenant to let them live. Joshua should have “Counseled with the Lord” v14 which he did not. I wonder if the our leaders went to the Lord for counsel when the Hoffman letters were presented to them. By the way, I heard Mark Hoffman lost the use of his writing hand and arm. Apparently he slept on it wrong like we all do from time to time but his arm never recovered and it’s now useless. Interesting.

By: Telavian

Telavian — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 20:39:00 +0000

People expect the Prophet to be super human in abilities. While it is true that God can give these abilities to the Prophet at times, these individuals are largely left to lead and direct based on their individual thoughts and desires.

It is the same at the local level. While serving with Bishops I have seen clear times where God has intervened and other times where we are simply doing what we thought was best.

Why would God want to lead and direct in all things? This leadership style results in people who truly cannot govern themselves and are simply thinking what would X do. When they really should be thinking what is the best thing to do. God want us to be like him and as a result we need to step out into the dark and walk for ourselves. I am so thankful that God is like that.