Listen to your leaders

Last week in Institute we had a forum called " On the Highroad to Apostasy." The teacher started talking about his father-in-law who became really dedicated to studying the scriptures and learning all of the doctrine that he possibly could. He started bringing people into their home to teach them the new truths that he was learning. When his local Priesthood leaders heard about it, they put an end to it. The teacher went on to say that even though he was teaching truth he wasn't authorized to do so in his home.

The teacher said his father-in-law was prideful because he felt that he knew more doctrine than his leader who held keys.  "The glory of god is intelligence" D&C 93:36, now it seems in our church that the glory of god is obedience. I can't find anywhere in the scriptures that talks about someone not being allowed to teach certain things because he isn't authorized. The teacher went on to explain that we should humble ourselves and listen to the counsel our leaders give us. He told us of a Stake President who had given a devotional that morning. The Stake President talked of a General Authority above him that came and spent the weekend with him and at the end said " Aren't you glad that god loves you enough to send me here to rebuke you." The message of the devotional was that if we are truly humble we will follow the advice that our leaders give us.

We're told that we're prideful if we don't submit to what our leaders say. It goes back to my last post " Called of God." There's the question, is it possible that some leaders are called by men instead of god, and if that's true then their authority is that of men and not of god. I have a hard time believing that it pleases god the way that we put men above one another in this church. Brigham Young taught that when we gain knowledge " there will be no disposition in any man to place himself above another; for such a feeling meets no countenance in the order of heaven." - Journal of Discourse Volume 9 pg. 150 It's gotten to the point where if you disagree with a leader, you are now disagreeing with god, even when your point is clearly backed up by logic and scripture.

The teacher asked us about examples of people having a hard time with pride when they were being rebuked. I raised my hand and gave the example of King Noah and his priests. I said " Even though they were looked to as the religious leaders of that time, and Abinadi had no religious authority. Abinadi was called by an angel to speak the truth, and they didn't respond well to his message." The teacher's smile turned into a frown and he changed the subject. I looked around the room and saw some who looked confused, and some who looked like they were giving thought to what I said.
 I don't think the teacher liked it, because later in the lesson he talked about how when others claim revelation, we should be wary of it because the prophet is the one who receives it for the church. 

If I'm going to follow a leader, there had better be some strong indications that he is being led by god. " there is no calling of God to man on earth but what brings with it the evidences of its authenticity." - Brigham Young Journal of Discourses volume 9 discourse 27

The teacher talked of the Old Ship Zion and how those who leave the church are drowned, just like the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church Book says. The teacher talked of how Brigham Young claims it all starts with finding fault in our leaders. It seems like they pick and choose which quotes to use, and some of the quotes are heresay. If they're going to quote Brigham Young why don't they throw in the quote where he says " if you have leaders who do not teach you words of life and salvation- who do not give you the words of the lord, why not have the faith sufficient to remove them out of the way and have better men?” – Brigham Young journals of discourses volume 6 discourse 26 
 Or the time when he said "What a pity it would be if we were led by one man to utter destruction! Are you afraid of this? I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they will not inquire for themselves of God whether they are led by Him. I am fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security, trusting their eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a reckless confidence that in itself would thwart the purposes of God in their salvation, and weaken that influence they could give to their leaders, did they know for themselves, by the revelations of Jesus, that they are led in the right way. Let every man and woman know, by the whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not. This has been my exhortation continually." - Brigham Young journals of discourses volume 9 discourse 27


If they're going to quote the former presidents of church, why do they ignore these kinds of quotes? Do they do that because it's forming the way we as a people think? I've learned in my history classes the way that religion has been used as a tool to direct the way that people think. But the quicker you learn, the quicker the truth really will set you free.  - John 8:32  The overall theme of the lesson was to not question your priesthood leaders. Intelligent people are intelligent because they study things out, and analyze them. Intelligent people constantly question, because it's foolish to not question. What would have happened if Christ, Joseph Smith, Abinadi, Samuel the Lamanite and others would have never questioned their religious leaders? Never stop questioning.