Would god allow a prophet to lead his people astray? This has be brought up in other threads. I find the fact that some (I'm talking about member exclusively) have such a distrust prophets teachings not corroborated in scripture disturbing. What do you think? Is the word of the prophet the word of god?
I find it rather sad that we today view the saying of the past prophets as pure speculation. :-[ When the Saints of their time heard their prophet speak I know they didn't say:"Oh well, that's his opinion, it's just pure speculation" What would of happen to the children of Israel if they viewed the saying of Moses as such?
So why is that we can look back at what those Saints felt was testimony from God on certain doctrines; and in our hearts say:"Oh well, that was then, and we don't believe that any more, plus it was probably pure speculation"? What gives us the right to judge the testimonies of others? When we say things like that, not only are we undermining the faith of those who went before, but we are also undermining our own faith.
Those who speak such folly are also those who cry 'Follow the prophet', yet they themselves deny the power of the testimony which allows us to do so. How about we obey the commandments, and worry about purifying ourselves. Which will in time make us worthy of the Spirit and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Then maybe we will view things spiritually and not carnally.
Name: Brother Fort
Comments: Possibly because some of it IS their opinion and they weren't speaking as a prophet but just as any of us at the time.
Sorry, I should of clarified that I was talking about things mentioned in General Conference. What about Brigham Young's Adam-God doctrine? Many say it was his own opinion, but he clearly states numerously that it was revelation. There are also many other doctrines spoken of in general conference that many buck at, and say: "Well it wasn't sustained by a vote". Well, did we not all sustain the prophet, do we not all claim testimony of the Doctrine and Covenants, in which it states that when ever a prophet is speaking under the direction of the Spirit, that we should take it as though God had spoken it Himself.