Mormons, this quote implies that you should not oppose leaders- even when they are wrong and to ignore history

Question

How do you feel about this quote? Do you feel as if you can't think and make individual decisions once a leader has spoken?


Criticism is particularly objectionable when it is directed toward church authorities, general or local…It is quite another thing to criticize or depreciate a person for the performance of an office to which he or she has been called of God. It does not matter that the criticism is true…Our individual, personal testimonies are based on the witness of the spirit, not on any combination or accumulation of historical facts. If we are so grounded, no alteration of historical facts can shake our testimonies." (Dallin H. Oaks, "Elder Decries Criticism of LDS Leaders," quoted in The Salt Lake Tribune, Sunday August 18, 1985, p. 2B)

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 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." ("Ward Teachers Message for June, 1945," Improvement Era, 48 (June, 1945))

Answer 1

Any religion that doesn't allow an individual their right to an opinion is a cult. If you are not allowed to have your own belief that someone is wrong, like the recent news about the guy who married a 14 year old girl to her 1st COUSIN, that is not a religion, it is a cult. If the 'elders' come to you and say "God told me that you should go and kill these people" and you're not allowed to have your own moral base and say NO, it is a cult.

This will more than likely upset some mormons, terribly sorry, but this is MY personal thoughts that this is wrong. God gave us free will. If you're dumb enough to be in a religion that tells you that you have no free will to question whether someone is right or wrong, well thats your choice.

Answer 2

Wow! You really took this one out of context! And is this a question, or an accusation?

There's critism and then there is critism for the sake of critizing. You go to church, you should know that.

You know how in a marriage, they have the lines "If anyone could say why these two should not wed, let them speak now or forever hold their peace." (Something like that. I haven't been to a non Mormon wedding in forever.)

Well, when we call people to a position of leadership, we have something simular to that. If there is something about that person that you honestly think might disqualify them to hold that position worthly, you have your chance to speak up.

If you raise your hand and say "Yes. I believe this person is a worthy indivisual to hold this calling." You've just bore wittness before God that that person is worthy. If you start to critize them after the fact, you're basically a liar. You said they were worthy, and now you're saying they're not. That's really shallow.

Now if they do something while in the calling, that is a completely different matter and has no relation to what Oaks is saying.

As for history. A lot of times history can't be trusted. How many times have you been told the whiteman is the cause of the buffalo going endangered? That's almost completely false. Indians were just about as bad to the population. Probably even worse. They would run herds of three thousand buffalo off a cliff. A tribe of less than a hundred people are not going to use three thousand buffalo. They won't store that much meat either.

So history is often screwed around with to fit someone else's view point.

Answer 3

The short answer to your question is 'Yes'.

However, this philosophy of accepting the the pronouncements of church leaders without question is not restricted to Mormonism. All churches have found that historical research is often at odds with their teachings, and all see that as a danger.

To combat this, most churches define questioning or denying church teachings as blasphemy - and pronounce that blasphemers face dire consequences.

In Christianity, blasphemy is the one unpardonable sin - and assures an afterlife of never ending torture in Hell. And in Islam, the pronounced punishment is death and damnation.

So, by indoctrinating their followers with the idea that to question church tenets or leadership is an unthinkable evil act, they avoid having to answer uncomfortable questions and maintain their grasp on power.

Unfortunately, they also find themselves in the awkward position of having to admit that they are committed to supporting positions without evidence while denying reality and known facts. In essence, faith without question is more important than facts, logic, and reason.

Kind of interesting that groups who say they are so good and beneficial to mankind have to resort to 'enforced ignorance' in order to keep their followers in line.

Answer 4

Every single prophet of our church, from Joseph Smith to Gordon B. HInckley, have said from the pulpit, "Do NOT believe what we say just because we say it. If you have a problem, go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him".

Answer 5

In the LDS religion, each member is asked to sustain a leader when they are put into place as a leader. When we sustain officers, we are given the opportunity of sustaining those whom we believe the Lord has already called. The dictionary tells us that the word sustain means “to bear up, to support, to furnish sustenance for, to aid effectually, to hold valid, to confirm or corroborate.”

The Lord, then, gives us the opportunity to sustain the action of a calling, or to express ourselves if for any reason we may feel otherwise.

To sustain is to make the action binding on ourselves and to commit ourselves to support those people whom we have sustained. When a person goes through the act of sustaining a leader they should remember, with soberness, that which they have done and commence to act in harmony with this sustaining vote both in public and in private.

We put great faith in our leaders to stay in communion with God and to do what is right. Man is fallible, and will make mistakes - but if you are following teachings of a leader, as you promised you would, God is not going to condemn you for their failings.

Answer 6

morons

Answer 7

Are you Mormon?