Who’s the Boss?
Improvement Era, June 1945; “When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done. When they propose a plan—it is God’s plan. When they point the way, there is no other which is safe. When they give direction, it should mark the end of controversy. God works in no other way. To think otherwise, without immediate repentance, may cost one his faith, may destroy his testimony, and leave him a stranger to the kingdom of God.”
D&C 28:13; “For all things must be done in order, and by common consent in the church, by the prayer of faith.”
Deut. 13:1-4; “If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, 2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; 3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.”
Our concern over these two teachings is the inconsistency they present to the Mormon people.
Are the leader’s words the final authority or is it through a vote of the membership? And what about God, does He get a vote?
You people need to do a little more understanding before you criticize. First, it is on very rare occasions that the authorities of the Church make a declaration that would fall within the statements that you have quoted. One example is the Proclamation on the Family. Before that is the both Official Declarations would be other examples. There is no inconsistency in this doctrine of common consent. And when they authorities of the Church jointly make this kind of declaration, it is from God and is by God’s approval, as the 2nd Official Declaration shows. Or do you find someting wrong with the Proclamation on the Family?
Is there any chance that you people will make an effort to understand before you attempt to criticize? Walk a mile in our shoes, so to speakj?
Marvin
Marvin – How about I have walked over 24,000 miles in your shoes (and Michelle has as well. Take the average miles walked by a person per year “1,200”. Multiply that by 20 years (+/-) in the LDS religion = 24,000 miles)… So there is plenty of understanding here….
Telling some one to follow blindly without prayer, without studying what scripture says, is a scare tactic to keep people from seeking God’s will on their own. World history will show that type of allegiance is tragic. Man’s words should always be tested against God’s Word, the Bible.
Exactly Kirk… be “Bereans” in all things…