Prophetic Fallability
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led by prophets, apostles, and presidencies. They are instruments in the Lord's hands, but in no way does that imply that they're anything less than human. They may have an uncommon responsibility, but they're still just as human as anyone else in the Church.
The way they approach things is not always the way Christ would do it, even when they're speaking in his name, or bearing the message he told them to give. They make mistakes, are subject to bias, and can even fall into apostasy. (See D&C 118)
This doesn't bother me because I worship the Lord Jesus Christ, not the servants he has sent. "No influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood." This applies to everyone in the Church, no matter who you are. The offices they hold do not make them superior to anyone else.
How many times have the scriptures taught that cursed is man who puts his trust in the arm of flesh? That doesn't just apply to people outside of the Church. It applies to putting trust in any person, no matter who they are, above God. You cannot show me any scriptural mandate to put that kind of trust in mortal, fallible people. I know you won't find it because it doesn't exist.
I love my leaders. I sustain them in their callings, knowing that the path they walk is not any easy one. I try to give them the benefit of the doubt. But this cannot mean treating them better or worse than anyone else. I do not believe they are superior to me in any way. They are superior to no one. I am their equal, and they are mine. They give me correction as my equals, and I expect to be able to do the same. I do this as much out of a love for the Lord, and a concern for their souls, as they do. I also hold them to the same moral standards I would hold for anyone else. I expect them to teach difficult topics in a spirit of love. I don't make exceptions for their mistakes because of who they are.
When it comes to faith, we all reap what we sow. And I have never planted blind deference and had it bear good fruit. So I'm not going to do it, no matter what anyone says. That expectation in evangelical Christianity was the reason I left it. The questioning, independent spirit of Mormonism is why I joined. The unflinching ability to question, experiment, and examine for myself every inch of my religion, and the fact that this is encouraged, is why I belong here. It's the only thing like it I've ever found.
That is the spirit in which all converts are baptized. That ability to ask of God, without fear of repercussions from members of the Church, is what we expect. Not just when we're investigators, but always. Ask of God, because the first half of the promise in James 1:5 is that he gives to men and women liberally. The second half is that he upbraideth not.
God promises to sincere seekers of truth that he does not scold or chastise them for having to ask questions, for seeking witnesses and instruction independent of the mortal leaders he has sent. God has never broken that promise to me, or sent anyone else to do so.
So if you ever find yourself chastising someone because they hold a more critical position of something a church leader has done than you do, ask yourself a few questions:
- What would loyalty to Christ and what he taught look like in this situation? Does it match what church leadership is saying and doing?
- Does it match what I'm saying and doing?
- Is it the time or place for me to be suggesting deference to prophetic authority?
- Is it my place to offer this chastisement?
