When the Prophet Speaks… Must We Obey Without Thinking?
🧠 When the Prophet Speaks… Must We Obey Without Thinking?
A hard question with a holy answer
🌾 A STORY FROM OUR HISTORY
Back in June of 1945, the LDS Church published this line in The Improvement Era:
“When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done.”
That one sentence, quietly approved, was sent to homes and hearts across the Church.
But it wasn’t true.
And it wasn’t doctrine.
It just… sounded right.
Six months later, a non-LDS minister, Dr. J. Raymond Cope, wrote to President George Albert Smith:
“This message is doing inestimable harm… I hope this cannot be the position of the true leaders.”
To his credit, President Smith wrote back, personally:
“The statement… does not express the true position of the Church. To even imply that members are not to do their own thinking is grossly to misrepresent the true ideal of the Church.”
(George A. Smith to Dr. Cope, Dec 7, 1945)
But it was never publicly corrected.
So it stood. And it spread.
And later, it was repeated again—this time in General Conference:
“When the Prophet speaks… the debate is over.”
—Elaine Cannon, 1978 Women’s Conference
Even President Kimball pulled her aside afterward and said:
“I don’t think the people like to hear that.”
(Elaine A. Cannon Collection, Box 4, Folder 20)
But again—it was never corrected publicly.
And so… it became accepted.
🧱 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ERROR GOES UNCHALLENGED?
It happens again.
In 1980, Elder Ezra Taft Benson gave a talk titled:
“Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet”
President Kimball was deeply concerned.
He feared it taught the Church to have an “unthinking, follow-the-leader mentality.”
Elder Benson was asked to apologize privately.
But the talk was never disavowed publicly.
So what happened?
• It was quoted in 2010 General Conference
• It entered student manuals
• It became Sunday curriculum
• It became culturally untouchable
And yet…
Truth does not change.
Error repeated is still error.
📖 THE SCRIPTURES WARN US ABOUT THIS
2 Nephi 28:15
“O the wise, and the learned, and the rich, that are puffed up… and all those who preach false doctrines… wo, wo, wo be unto them…”
1 Corinthians 11:19
“For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.”
2 Nephi 28:31
“Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm…”
Mosiah 18:20
“Yea, even he commanded them that they should preach nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people.”
🧔🏽♂️ BRIGHAM YOUNG AND THE NATURE OF GOD
In 1981, Bruce R. McConkie wrote to Eugene England and admitted:
“Brigham Young erred in some of his statements on the nature and kind of being that God is and as to the position of Adam…”
(Letter to Eugene England, 1981)
He continued:
“Wise gospel students do not build their philosophies of life on quotations of individuals… even though those quotations come from presidents of the Church… Truth is eternal and does not vary.”
Joseph Smith agreed:
“A prophet is only a prophet when he is acting as such.”
🧭 THE TRUE FOUNDATION
3 Nephi 11:39–40
“Verily I say unto you, that this is my doctrine… and whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil.”
D&C 1:38
“What I the Lord have spoken… whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.”
But the key is this: Are the servants speaking by His voice?
🔑 WHO IS THE PROPHET WE MUST FOLLOW?
1 Nephi 22:20
“And the Lord will surely prepare a way for his people… and the righteous need not fear… And the prophet who the Lord shall raise up shall be like Moses. Him shall ye hear in all things…”
Nephi explains who that Prophet is:
1 Nephi 22:21
“And the words of the prophet, which he spake unto the house of Israel, are these: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up… even a Messiah; and he shall be like unto Moses.”
🛑 It’s not talking about a man in Salt Lake.
🕊️ It’s Jesus Christ.
And He is the prophet we must follow.
📚 OTHER WITNESSES
Lectures on Faith 2:56
“We have now clearly set forth how it is, and how it was, that God became an object of faith for rational beings… by the testimony of His own word and the word of His servants.”
✍️ Notice: not the word of administrators or traditions—but the word of those God has personally sent.
Joseph Smith Papers, July 1839 Discourse
“A prophet is not always a prophet… unless he is acting as such.”
🌿 NEMENHAH RECORDS
Tsihohnayah Ahkehkthihm 14:7
“The Peacemaker shall walk with them, and shall be in them… and His voice is soft and piercing… and only those who quiet their own souls shall hear Him.”
Mahnti 3:12
“He who speaks truth shall speak in the name of Christ, but he who seeks to command others without the Spirit shall speak in vain.”
Shi-Tugohah 1:4
“Let no man say unto his brother: Follow me. But rather, follow the Lord.”
🕯️ FINAL INVITATION
Acts 17:11
“These were more noble… in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
• You have the Holy Ghost
• You have the Standard Works
• You have access to the Lord directly
He still speaks.
And He will never lead you astray.
But men might.
“If we choose to believe and teach the false portions of [a prophet’s] doctrines, we are making an election that will damn us.”
—Elder McConkie
Let us choose wisely.
✨ FOR THOSE WHO SEEK MORE
🔍 Here are some resources for deeper study:
• Lectures on Faith, esp. Lectures 2 & 5
• Joseph Smith Papers, discourses on prophets and keys
• Tsihohnayah Ahkehkthihm Chapter 14, Nemenhah Records
• Bruce R. McConkie’s 1981 Letter to Eugene England
• 1 Nephi 22 and 2 Nephi 28, Book of Mormon
• Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 19:1 – on prophetic fallibility
• Edward Kimball’s Biography of Spencer W. Kimball – Lengthen Your Stride
• FairMormon Archives — “When the Prophet Speaks, Is the Thinking Done?”
📖 The Lord said:
“Come unto me, and I will show unto you the greater things…”
—Ether 4:13
Let us come to Him.
Not blindly to men.
Let us walk with Jesus, the true Prophet, the only Way.
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