Comments on: How do we know when a prophet is speaking as a prophet or giving his opinion?

By: Antony den Dulk

Antony den Dulk — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 06:44:00 +0000

In reply to James.

I totally agree that he had the duty to publicly correct this and he did not. This is one of his failures that hurts all who read and follow this false doctrine. Read the Doctrine and Covenants and you see that Joseph Smith was fallible – he was rebuked of God for it. Joseph Smith’s humanness does not take away from the work that was required of him by God. If you think that Brother Ezra becoming President of the Church means that everything he believed and taught is true then you are just fooling yourself – there is a reason that God requires “Thus sayeth the Lord” revelations that are them sustained by the whole church before it becomes binding on them. While I sustain the Presidents of the Church I also recognise that they are God’s arm of flesh, that they are human and make mistakes. Brother Thomas condemns Brother Brigham through to Brother Spencer for their racist teachings in his Race and the Priesthood essay, what is he going to be condemned for teaching by the President of the Church in a 100 years time?

By: Wesley Dean

Wesley Dean — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 19:16:00 +0000

In reply to Antony den Dulk.

It must not have been to strong a rebuke, because it was published as the First Presidency Message in the June 1981 Liahona magazine, a little over a year after the talk was given at BYU. https://www.lds.org/liahona/1981/06/fourteen-fundamentals-in-following-the-prophet?lang=eng

By: James

James — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 22:26:00 +0000

When I read President Youngs warning I see something very different. I see him warning us not to be lazy and give up the seeking of spiritual confirmation from the spirit of the anointeds counsel. The goal is to strengthen the individuals connection to the spirit and relationahip with God. But that does not actually mean we pick and choose what to obey or not. It means we need the conviction of the spirit that God is behind every bit of counsel or we will not have the drive neccessary to withstand the pressures and burdens that our service and sacrifice require. In none of this is slavishness present. Or as pres packer put it we dont obey because we are sblind but instead choose to obey willingly as Christ did his father because we can see.

By: James

James — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 22:21:00 +0000

In reply to Antony den Dulk. If president kimbal did not make a public refutation or correction then it did not happen. If he thought anything was taught which was incorrect it would have been his duty as the presiding authority to correct it. Nevertheless the talk stands and has oft been repeated in conference under other presidents as well. I know all I needed to know about President Bensons standing with the Lord when he made him prophet. Those who would gossip or besmurch the Lords anointed make their own course.

By: Antony den Dulk

Antony den Dulk — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 22:44:00 +0000

Joseph Smith gave us a key, he taught taught that a revelation is not binding on us unless it claims to be from God – the so called “This says the Lord” mantra. He also taught that new revelation for the Church needs to come from the President and be sustained by the Church – an apostle can thus not be the one to reveal new revelation.

Ezra Taft Benson as an apostle taught a new doctrine in contradiction to Joseph Smith in a BYU talk called “14 Fundamentals of Following the Prophet” in that he taught that the mantra was not necessary. The President of the Church at that time, Spencer W. Kimble, according to his autobiography rebuked Benson for teaching false doctrine in the aforementioned talk.

By: Deborah Crow

Deborah Crow — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 21:45:00 +0000

I was about to say before I read Gramps said it; if we’re walking with the Spirit, you’ll know instantly if the words you hear are of Heavenly Father’s or the person speaking. It will be undeniably clear.