The Restoration vs. Infallibility

8/11/2019 The Restoration vs. Infallibility

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THE RESTORATIONVS. INFALLIBILITY



Infallibility

When a person is called 'infallible', this can mean any of the following:

1. All statements or teachings made by this person can be relied on to betrue.

2. This person always makes good and moral choices, and his actions mabe considered immoral or evil.

3. This person is always right, and never wrong or incorrect.

• This is a core teaching of the Catholic Church: The Church (& the Pope) infallible.



Infallibility: Hard or Easy to Follow?

• How difficult is it to follow an infallible leader?



The Restoration

• Who is the head of our church today?



The Book of Mormon on Fallibility

“Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shalunto the precepts of men, save [=except] their precepts shall be given by tof the Holy Ghost.”

2 Nephi 28:31

Who is “flesh”?



“Is a Prophet Only”

• Joseph Smith (in his journal):• "This morning . . . I visited with a brother and sister from Michigan, who thoug

prophet is always a prophet'; but I told them that a prophet is a prophet onlywas acting as such" (HC 5:265)

• Charles W. Penrose (apostle who would later serve as counselor to President Joseph

• "President Wilford Woodruff is a man of wisdom and experience, and we resp

but we do not believe his personal views or utterances are revelations fromwhen 'Thus saith the Lord', comes from him, the saints investigate it: theyshut their eyes and take it down like a pill." (Millennial Star 54:191)



Our Responsibility

• Joseph Smith:• "President Joseph Smith read the 14th chapter of Ezekiel, said the Lord had d

the Prophet [Ezekiel], that the people should each one stand for himself, and no man or men in that state of corruption of the Jewish church -- that righteoucould only deliver their own souls -- applied it to the present state [1842] of thof Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- said if the people departed from the Lormust fall -- that they were depending on the Prophet, hence were darkened

minds, in consequence of neglecting the duties devolving upon themselves(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith pp. 237-38)



Our Responsibility

• Joseph Smith:

We have heard men who hold the priesthoodremark that they would do any thing they were toldto do by those who presided over them if they knewit was wrong; but such obedience as this is worsethan folly to us; it is slavery in the extreme; andthe man who would thus willingly degrade himselfshould not claim a rank among intelligentbeings, until he turns from his folly. A man ofGod, who seeks for the redemption of his fellows,would despise the idea of seeing another becomehis slave, who had an equal right with himself tothe favour of God; he would rather see him standby his side, a sworn enemy to wrong, so long asthere was place found for it among men.

Others, in the extreme exercise of theauthority, have taught that such obedinecessary, and that no matter what thtold to do by their Presidents, they showithout asking any questions.

When the Elders of Israel will so far indextreme notions of obedience, as to tethe people, it is generally because thetheir hearts to do wrong themselvespave the way to accomplish that wronbecause they have done wrong, and wthe cloak of their authority to cover ishould be discovered by their superiorrequire an atonement at their hands.

• From the Latter-day Saints' Millenn14

http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/MStar/id/37806







Our Responsibility

• Brigham Young:• "What a pity it would be, if we were led by one man to utter destruction! Are y

of this? I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leathey will not inquire for themselves of God whether they are led by Him. I amthey settle down in a state of blind self-security, trusting their eternal destinyhands of their leaders with a reckless confidence that in itself would thwart thof God in their salvation, and weaken the influence they could give to their lea

they know for themselves, by the revelations of Jesus, that they are led in theLet every man and woman know, themselves, whether their leaders are walkipath the Lord dictates, or not. This has been my exhortation continually." (JD cited by Harold B Lee, Conference Report, Oct. 1, 1950)



Our Responsibility

• President Joseph F. Smith• "We talk of obedience, but do we require any man or woman to ignorantly ob

counsels that are given? Do the First Presidency require it?No, never." ( Journal of Discourses (JD) 16:248)



Catholicism vs. Restoration

Leaders Infallible

• Easy for members

• Just need to follow blindly

Leaders Fallible

• More expected ofmembers

• Must seek confirmatiofrom heaven

The Restoration vs. Infallibility

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