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Speaking Evil Of The Lord's Annointed

When you hear this expression, what comes to your mind?:

1. Criticizing Church leaders (private life or Church related).

2. Speaking really evil things about those in Authority.

3. Speaking evil only about General Authorities such as the Prophet.

4. Speaking evil of ALL leaders, including locals.

What it means to you the term "speaking evil" and who is referring to?

Annointed Lords The Evil Speaking

Personally, I think it refers to #2. Speaking evil of the Lord's annointed refers to trying to tear them down in a purposeful way. I don't think it is necessary to act like they are perfection personified.

When I was in seminary, I remember my teacher telling me a story of what happened in Pine Valley, UT:

Brigham Young came and told the Bishop, (my teacher's great grandfather) some things he should do. The bishop responded by saying, "I thank the Lord this isn't the church of Brigham Young!" The bishop felt the prophet was wrong, and didn't mind telling him so. The fact that his descendant, a seminary teacher would tell us that story in class, let's us know that it isn't entirely heretical to believe that we may consider the prophet to be a man.

To speak evil of the prophet is to say he isn't one, or something like it, not to suggest that he may not be infallible.

By the same token, we should support our local leaders, but we needn't think they are perfect.

Speaking Evil Of The Lord's Annointed Studies Doctrine Mormon

1. Criticizing is speaking negatively about them or the way they do things. If there is a real problem then the correct way is to go to the person and talk to them about it. Talking to everyone about it doesn't do anything.

2. Wow, maybe planning to remove them from office or making up lies.

3. Most of this I see from Antis who want the GAs to institute something in the church like with gay marriage.

4. Well, probably the member is just apostate or not even a member, just pretending.

Speaking evil is the opposite of speaking good, that is the best way for me to describe it. If it isn't good what you're saying then its evil.

Annointed Lords The Evil Speaking

If Jethro didn't tell Moses how it is he would be still be spinning top in mud. A little criticizm is not bad. Everyone is concerned over the 'evil speaking' against leaders. What about how the leader reacts to it, I think it is a good test to see how good a leader he is.

Annointed Lords The Evil Speaking

I think the expression means many things for many people. Some think it means to talk "evil" things about a Church leader when others think that just a criticism means that. Since personally I don't believe every person in a calling are necessarily "anointed", I would say it is referring to the Prophets and that's basically.

Speaking Evil Of The Lord's Annointed

Great topic!

My few cents...

1) If a leader is truly doing something wrong, then we should tell others about it. Specifically others who can stop it or fix it. For example a bishop that molests children, etc. So expressing real concerns in an effort to correct a problem cannot be forbidden.

2) Because of the context, speaking evil against our leaders would not be something we can do with just anyone. For example, I don't think it is referring to gossip because we shouldn't gossip about anyone. There is no reason to place our leaders in a higher position than others in regard to making it worse to sin against them than an other person in a less visible calling. Also, leaders could be those over us and those under us, or not even in our line of authority.

Anyone in any type of leadership position could fit this criteria. I think that speaking evil against our leaders would be complaining about how they are fulfilling their calling. They are offering their time and talents. They were called to the position. We may do things differently if we were in the position and we may not like the way things are being done by our leaders. But to tear them down for not doing it the way we would is out of line. I don't see any reason we could not tell the leaders what we think, but they are the ones that will be accountable for their calling. If the bishop wants to join the priesthood and relief society meetings, and we don't like it, then when we are bishop, we can do what we want. Complaining to others about the leading that our leaders are doing would be speaking evil of our leaders.

If I were a bishop and the relief society Pres. wanted to follow a revelation and do something different, I would encourage her, even if I disagreed because I was not called to be the relief society Pres. I do not have revelation for her calling, she does. I should also not speak to others about any concerns I have regarding how she is running things. I could discuss my concerns with her, but I would be very careful to not discourage her in doing what she felt was what God wanted her to do.

Speaking Evil The Lord's Annointed

I like what Mckay said and I never thought about it like that before.

Speaking Evil The Lord's Annointed Mormon Doctrine Studies

I think a lot depends upon intent. What is going on in our heart as we are speaking? Do we have evil intent? I think criticizing Church leaders would fall into this category, going with the definition of criticize as to "find fault with" or to "point out the faults of." This is tantamount to judging. "Speaking really evil things" about those in authority - well, speaking evil IS evil. The same goes for the other examples.

Speaking evil to me would be lies and untruths. Libeling and slandering. Being unjustly critical due to pride or jealousy.

I once said something in a visiting teacher interview that I felt the RS President (who was on my VT route) was a bit hypocritical when she stood up on Sunday and admonished everyone to get their Visiting Teaching done and yet she would never even let us in the door to teach her because it was inconvenient. I was told I was murmuring. I did not agree then and do not agree now that it was murmuring, it was a statement of fact. I did not have any malice in my heart toward the RS President, just some frustration as her VT.

As for, who is the Lord's anointed? I believe it is anyone whom the Lord has called. Certainly this would include the Prophet and Apostles. It would also include the full-time missionaries. But I think also, it would include anyone who is in a calling for which they were set apart. Not all callings require being set apart, but those that do are done so through a Priesthood blessing, thus an anointing.