Follow the Prophet

It may surprise modern Mormons to learn that the church used to teach that we should not follow a man or assume what he has to say is true because of his priesthood position.

And none are required to tamely and blindly submit to a man because he has a portion of the priesthood. We have heard men who hold the priesthood remark, that they would do anything they were told to do by those who presided over them, if they knew it was wrong; but such obedience as this is worse than folly to us; it is slavery in the extreme; and the man who would thus willingly degrade himself should not claim a rank among intelligent beings, until he turns from his folly. A man of God...would despise the idea. Others, in the extreme exercise of their almighty authority have taught that such obedience was necessary, and that no matter what the saints were told to do by their presidents, they should do it without asking any questions. When Elders of Israel will so far indulge in these extreme notions of obedience as to teach them to the people, it is generally because they have it in their minds to do wrong themselves. (Millennial Star, 14:38, pp. 593-95.)

Brigham Young taught the same message on multiple occasions. He said that members had to vet everything he said with the Holy Ghost.

As you have been told hundreds of times, how easy it would be for your leaders to lead you to destruction, unless you actually know the mind and will of the Spirit yourselves. (JD 4:368.)

I do not wish any Latter-day Saint in this world, nor in heaven, to be satisfied with anything I do, unless the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, the spirit of revelation, makes them satisfied...Suppose that the people were heedless, that they manifested no concern with regard to the things of the kingdom of God, but threw the whole burden upon the leaders of the people, saying, 'If the brethren who take charge of matters are satisfied, we are,' this is not pleasing in the sight of the Lord. (JD 3:45.)

Since then, church leaders’ teachings on the subject have consistently shifted to trusting leaders no matter what they say or why they say it, a concept called “follow the prophet”:

Those who listen to and follow the counsel of living prophets and apostles will not go astray. (Preach My Gospel, 2004, 75.)

Whatever comes from the voices of those who hold that authority is scripture, no matter of what they may speak. (J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Conference Report, April 1944, 112.)

Follow your leaders who have been duly ordained and have been publicly sustained, and you will not be led astray. (Boyd K. Packer, “To Be Learned Is Good...”, Ensign, November 1992, 73.)

You need the strength that comes from trusting the Lord’s prophets. (Elder Neil A. Anderson, April 2014 General Conference).

Surely one of the crowning blessings of membership in this Church is the blessing of being led by living prophets of God....Trusting in and following the prophets is more than a blessing and a privilege. President Ezra Taft Benson declared that “our [very] salvation hangs on following the prophet....We can choose to follow the prophet, or we can look to the arm of flesh. May we have the wisdom to trust in and follow the counsel of the living prophets and apostles.” (Elder Duncan, October 2010 General Conference.)

You can always trust the living prophets. (True to the Faith, 2004, 129.)

As we look to the prophets for guidance, we can be confident that they will not lead us astray. (L. Aldin Porter, “Search the Prophets,” Ensign, April 2002, 31.)

To modern Mormons, “follow the prophet” is synonymous with “follow God.” To them, the words of the president of the church and other LDS leaders are one and the same with the words of God. This characterization applies to their words no matter the topic,¹ and whether or not the words they speak actually came from God.²

There are significant doctrinal problems with these assertions. Joseph said, “a prophet [is] a prophet only when he [is] acting as such” (History of the Church 5:265).³ God’s word is only God’s word when it is God who said it. Someone who holds the office of prophet does not have license to invent God’s word. Any portion of their words that is not repeated from what they heard from God is no different than anyone else’s word. There is a great difference between: “I say what God says to me” and “what I say is God's word, whether he said it to me or not.” It turns out that we shouldn’t assume church leaders words are true, even in the rare event when they do claim to be speaking God’s word:

President Wilford Woodruff is a man of wisdom and experience, and we respect him, but we do not believe his personal views or utterances are revelations from God; and when ‘Thus saith the Lord,’ comes from him, the saints investigate it: they do not shut their eyes and take it down like a pill. (Apostle Charles W. Penrose, Millennial Star, v. 54, p. 191.)

Some claim that the ordination of leaders elevates their words to equality with God’s words.⁴ If ordination implied correct doctrine, no previous dispensation could have apostatized. Both the ancient Israelites and the Catholic church were founded on legal ordinations. Yet, their leaders were able to lead them astray. Historically, Mormon leaders taught that church leaders—including church presidents—could lead the church astray.

George Q. Cannon, Counselor to three Church Presidents, expressed it thus: "Do not, brethren, put your trust in man though he be a bishop, an apostle, or a president. If you do, they will fail you at some time or place; they will do wrong or seem to, and your support be gone;" ( Millennial Star 53:658-59, quoted in Gospel Truth , 1:319)

Because any man, no matter his calling, is capable of preaching false doctrine, we should not assume that the words of any man, no matter his calling, are God’s words. Doing so is putting our trust in the arm of flesh.

...cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm. (2 Nephi 4:34.)

Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm... (Jeremiah 17:5.)

Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost. (2 Nephi 28:31.)

Nephi said it is only when “their precepts [are] given by the power of the Holy Ghost” that we should “hearken unto the precepts of men.” We are under no obligation to accept something said by a church leader as true,⁵ until and unless the Holy Spirit testifies it is true. We have to ask God if it is true every time:

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. 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. (Brigham Young, JD 9:150.)

When faced with the contradiction of “follow the prophet” and “do not trust in the arm of flesh,” modern Mormons unfortunately side with the modern tradition instead of the commandment of God. In order to reconcile the two, they conclude that somehow church leaders are excluded from the arm of flesh, perhaps because they suppose that everything a church leader says is what God himself would say if he were present.

Church leaders are not infallible. They “often” speak without inspiration,⁶ and are capable of teaching damningly false doctrine. It turns out that exclusion of church leaders from “the arm of the flesh” is a modern construct. Early church leaders taught members to avoid trusting in leaders, and said that to do so was to trust in the arm of the flesh.

Do not, brethren, put your trust in man though he be a Bishop, an apostle or a president; if you do, they will fail you at some time or place; they will do wrong or seem to, and your support will be gone; but if we lean on God, He will never fail us. When men and women depend upon God alone and trust in him alone, their faith will not be shaken if the highest in the Church should step aside. (George Q. Cannon, DW 43:322 [Mar 7, 1891]).

Our testimony does not depend upon Joseph Smith; it does not depend upon Brigham Young; it does not depend upon John Taylor, or upon the council of the Twelve Apostles, which is now the presiding quorum in the Church. I pin my faith to no man’s sleeve; I am a believer in the Scripture which says, 'Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm.' (Charles Penrose, August 17, 1879. Journal of Discourses 20:295.)

Those that heed every word of church leaders—whether they are from the Holy Ghost or not—are described in D&C 76 as telestial spirits.

And the glory of the telestial is one...For these are they who are of Paul, and of Apollos, and of Cephas. These are they who say they are some of one and some of another—some of Christ and some of John, and some of Moses, and some of Elias, and some of Esaias, and some of Isaiah, and some of Enoch; But received not the gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus, neither the prophets, neither the everlasting covenant. Last of all, these all are they who will not be gathered with the saints, to be caught up unto the church of the Firstborn, and received into the cloud. These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie. These are they who suffer the wrath of God on earth. These are they who suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. These are they who are cast down to hell and suffer the wrath of Almighty God, until the fulness of times, when Christ shall have subdued all enemies under his feet, and shall have perfected his work; (D&C 76:98-106.)

Those who follow a leader instead of the Holy Ghost are accounted no better than liars, adulterers, and whoremongers. There is a difference between being “of” a messenger and receiving the gospel, the testimony of Jesus, the prophets, and the everlasting covenant. The former just means you listened to and trust a person. The latter means that you’ve taken the Spirit to be your guide. If one idolizes the messenger—no matter who the messenger is—or follows them instead of seeking God's word, they will not realize whether he is a true or false prophet, because they will not ask whether or not each of his messages contain God's word. Following God's word leads to eternal life. On the other hand, if a person focuses on a man instead of searching for God's word, they will be damned to the telestial kingdom. This doctrine was understood in the past.

Now those men, or those women, who know no more about the power of God, and the influences of the Holy Spirit, than to be led entirely by another person, suspending their own understanding, and pinning their faith upon another’s sleeve, will never be capable of entering into the celestial glory, to be crowned as they anticipate; they will never be capable of becoming Gods...They never can become Gods, nor be crowned as rulers with glory, immortality, and eternal lives. They never can hold scepters of glory, majesty, and power in the celestial kingdom. Who will? Those who are valiant and inspired with the true independence of heaven, who will go forth boldly in the service of their God, leaving others to do as they please, determined to do right, though all mankind besides should take the opposite course. (Brigham Young, JD 1:312.)

We are charged by God to validate the truthfulness of what church leaders say. The Holy Ghost is the only source of truth that will never lead us astray.⁷

And I said unto them that it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction. (1 Nephi 15:24.)

If we deny the Holy Ghost and instead trust in the arm of the flesh in the face of a multitude of examples of false doctrine taught by leaders throughout history, we make a tremendous mistake.

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 the 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, themselves, whether their leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not. This has been my exhortation continually. (Brigham Young, JD 9:150.)

Members of the church hear a constant stream of claims that the Lord will not allow church leaders to lead the church astray.⁸ This claim has been applied to the church President, the First Presidency, and the Quorum of the Twelve.⁹ The claim seems to have originated with Wilford Woodruff.¹⁰

When a principle states that something can never happen, showing that it happened just once is sufficient to prove the principle false. Though the modern discussion on the topic has been one sided, history provides for many contrary examples.

A modern example is found in Adam God doctrine. Brigham Young taught that Adam is Heavenly Father.⁵⁰³ Adam God was taught at the veil in the endowment ceremony previous to the 1920s changes.¹¹ In October 1976 General Conference, Spencer W. Kimball said that the Adam God doctrine was an example of “false doctrine.” Bruce R. McConkie used this as an example of how the Lord permits false doctrine to be taught in the church:

Yes, President Young did teach that Adam was the father of our spirits....[Brigham Young] expressed views that are out of harmony with the gospel....I do not know all of the providences of the Lord, but I do know that he permits false doctrine to be taught in and out of the Church... (Bruce R. McConkie, Eugene England Letter, p. 6.)

He went on:

If we believe false doctrine, we will be condemned. If that belief is on basic and fundamental things, it will lead us astray and we will lose our souls. (Bruce R. McConkie, Eugene England Letter, p. 6.)

The foregoing quote makes two interesting points. First, like President Kimball, Elder McConkie believed both that it was possible for a church president to teach false doctrine and that Brigham Young’s Adam God doctrine was one such example. Second, Elder McConkie taught that one can be condemned for believing church-taught false doctrine. He said that it can lead a member astray and cause them to lose their soul.

God not only allows false doctrine to be taught by church leaders, he allows them to teach doctrines that are so false that they will prevent those who believe them from obtaining salvation. This should not be shocking, as it is a pattern present in every previous dispensation. Jesus taught that some of the doctrine taught by leaders in his day would prevent those who believed it from entering the kingdom of heaven:

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in....Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. (Matthew 23:13,15.)

The Pharisees, according to Jesus, had reached a critical mass of apostasy: the false doctrines they taught were so poisonous that they overwhelmed any good the true doctrines they taught might cause.¹² Their “traditions”—or those commandments they taught which were actually from men but passed off as if from God—were sufficient to cut off those who obeyed them from a connection from God. The commandments of men caused them to break the commandments of God, which repelled the Holy Ghost and any chance they had to return to God’s presence.

Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? (Matthew 15:2-3.)

It was not just ancient church leaders who were capable of leading people astray. Ancient prophets were also known to do so. For instance, the LDS heading of 1 Kings 13 reads, “Jeroboam is smitten and then healed by a prophet from Judah—The prophet delivers his message, is led astray by a prophet from Bethel, and is slain by a lion for his disobedience...” It should be no surprise that a modern prophet, just like an ancient one, can say things that are incorrect. After all, in many instances, they speak according to their own “opinions and prejudices”:

With all their inspiration and greatness, prophets are yet mortal men with imperfections common to mankind in general. They have their opinions and prejudices and are left to work out their own problems without inspiration in many instances. (Bruce R. McConkie quoted in Dallin H. Oaks, “Teaching and Learning by the Spirit,” Ensign, March 1997.)

In addition to being taught to trust in church leaders’ teachings whether or not they actually come from God, leaders have also taught that we should follow their teachings whether or not they are right. Marion G. Romney told the following story, which has been repeated on several occasions, including in the June 1981 First Presidency Message and in a recent Priesthood/Relief Society manual:

I remember years ago when I was a Bishop I had President [Heber J.] Grant talk to our ward. After the meeting I drove him home...Standing by me, he put his arm over my shoulder and said: 'My boy, you always keep your eye on the President of the Church, and if he ever tells you to do anything, and it is wrong, and you do it, the Lord will bless you for it.' Then with a twinkle in his eye, he said, 'But you don't need to worry. The Lord will never let his mouthpiece lead the people astray.' (Conference Report, October 1960, p. 78.)

This passage is most certainly false doctrine. How can one hide behind the excuse of “following the prophet” when God has amply told them explicitly not to trust in men, and instead only heed what is taught by the Holy Ghost? The Holy Ghost will never lead you astray, but church leaders have taught, are teaching, and will teach false doctrine. Joseph Smith publicly preached against this pernicious doctrine, which apparently was already taught in his time:

We have heard men who hold the priesthood remark that they would do anything they were told to do by those who preside over them (even) if they knew it was wrong; but such obedience as this is worse than folly to us; it is slavery in the extreme; and the man who would thus willingly degrade himself, should not claim a rank among intelligent beings, until he turns from his folly. A man of God would despise the idea. Others, in the extreme exercise of their almighty authority have taught that such obedience was necessary, and that no matter what the saints were told to do by their presidents, they should do it without any questions. When the Elders of Israel will so far indulge in these extreme notions of obedience as to teach them to the people, it is generally because they have it in their hearts to do wrong themselves. (Joseph Smith, Millennial Star, 14:38, pp.593-595.)

A man is not saved through his allegiance to imperfect men, but through his seeking and following the Holy Ghost. True messengers will always act in ways to increase the connection between an individual and God, not in ways that inflate their role or make them a middleman in the process. True messengers do not seek for men to worship them, but for men to worship God. They do not consider themselves more holy than those they are called to serve and do not ask for special treatment.¹³

One way false prophets encourage idolatry is by calling themselves “prophets” absent of any transmission of God’s word. This causes men to venerate the leader instead of God himself, because they are supplanting God’s word with man’s word. A recent conference featured a perfect example of this, when Elder William Walker encouraged us all to try to be more like President Monson so that we could be more like Jesus. “As we follow President Monson and try to be more like him, we will inevitably succeed in being more faithful disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.” (William R. Walker, “Follow the Prophet,” April 2014.) Why not just encourage people to be more like Jesus directly? Are we to believe that somehow being like President Monson is a necessary waypoint in our journey to become like Christ? Contrast this with the following:

I know of but One in all the world who can be taken as the first and only perfect standard for us to follow, and he is the Only Begotten Son of God. I would feel sorry indeed, if I had a friend or an associate in this life who would turn away from the plan of life and salvation because I might stumble or make a failure of my life. I want no man to lean upon me nor to follow me, only so far as I am a consistent follower in the footsteps of the Master. (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, Pg.4. See also the Juvenile Instructor, 1915, Vol. 50, pp. 738, 739.)

We are told that as we adore the president of the church, we are experiencing the adoration the Lord has for him:

That is far more than hero worship or the feelings we sometimes have of admiring heroic figures. It is a gift from God. With it you will receive more easily the gift of confirming revelation when he speaks in his office as the Lord’s prophet. The love you feel is the love the Lord has for whoever is His spokesman. (President Henry B. Eyring, “Continuing Revelation,” October 2014 General Conference.)

There isn’t a single scripture advocating admiration, love, or reverence for church leaders. Idolotry means extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone other than God. When we admire, love, or reverence the president of the church or any other of the brethren, we are idolozing them. Modern Mormons throw lavish birthday celebrations for their idols. They stand when their idols enter the room.¹⁴ They call their idols “beloved.” They give “oath like indication[s] that [they] recognize” the words of leaders to be “legitimate and binding upon [them].”¹⁵ We care more about the man occupying an office than we do the presence or absence of God's word in what they say.

In modern Mormonism, pointing out the errors of leaders is an offense that can result in the revocation of temple access, release from callings, and even excommunication. For example, Elder Oaks has said, “It’s wrong to criticize leaders of the church, even if the criticism is true.” Some fear that questioning teachings of church leaders is risking losing their connection to salvation. To such, the word of God provides reassurance in the face of fearful false claims that one’s salvation depends on unquestioning acceptance of the precepts of men:

O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name. (2 Nephi 9:41.)

Without evaluating the doctrines leaders espouse, you cannot truly search for truth because questioning anything that leaders say or do causes an emotionally charged mental block. Vacuous refusal to think is equivalent to blindly following whatever they say, and is equivalent to trusting in the arm of the flesh.

Those who believe that questioning leaders is a sinful offense sometimes cite Joseph Smith as the source of the principle. They quote him as saying:

I will give you one of the Keys of the mysteries of the Kingdom. It is an eternal principle, that has existed with God from all eternity: That man who rises up to condemn others, finding fault with the Church, saying that they are out of the way, while he himself is righteous, then know assuredly, that that man is in the high road to apostasy; and if he does not repent, will apostatize, as God lives. (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 3:385)16

What is lost in the removal of context is that this sermon was not directed to members—it was directed to the apostles in light of those from that quorum who had recently left the church. In the original account, Joseph continues:

...do not betray heaven, that you do not betray Jesus Christ, that you do not betray your Brethren, & that you do not betray the revelations of God whether in the bible, Book of Mormon, or Doctrine & Covenants or any of the word of God. Yea in all your kicking, & floundering see to it that you do not this thing lest innocent blood be found in your skirts & you go down to hell. We may ever know by this sign that there is danger of our being led to a fall & aposticy. (Wilford Woodruff's Diary, July 2, 1839.)

Ironically, this quote used to teach unfailing and unquestioning support of the brethren was given by Joseph not to teach members to trust the brethren, but to warn the brethren of their tendency to rebel against God and the gospel as provided in the standard works. It was a fitting warning. As time would tell, the majority of apostles called during Joseph’s lifetime were excommunicated for apostasy.

Joseph’s teachings, in combination with the standard works, provide a unified argument that no leader is above reproach, that all members are subject to be called to repentance, and that the standard of measurement is God’s word found in the scriptures.

In his own life, Joseph actually invited criticism and rebuke. He was always willing to be taught. After being falsely accused publicly by his brother William, Joseph wrote,

I desire, Brother William, that you will humble yourself. I freely forgive you, and you know my unshaken and unchangeable disposition; I know in whom I trust; I stand upon the rock; the floods cannot, no, they shall not, overthrow me. You know the doctrine I teach is true; you know that God has blessed me. I brought salvation to my father's house, as an instrument in the hands of God when they were in a miserable situation. You know that it is my duty to admonish you, when you do wrong. This liberty I shall always take, and you shall have the same privilege. I take the liberty to admonish you, because of my birthright; and I grant you the privilege, because it is my duty to be humble, and receive rebuke and instruction from a brother, or a friend. (Joseph Smith in letter to his brother, DHC 2:343.)

We should feel humbled to know that the prophet of the restoration—a man who knew God better than any of his contemporaries or successors—would openly invite rebuke. Given his willingness to be censured despite his accolades, what should we make of anyone who commands unquestioning servility?

Joseph was not alone. Brigham Young taught that regular members had every right to correct errors in their leaders:

Now when I was an Elder I was as willing to correct an error in the Brethren as I am now. But the people do not see it so. Now if you should be with the Twelve or anybody, you would have right to correct an error as well as with a member... (Brigham Young quoted in Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, p. 56.)

The pattern extends backwards in time. Paul exercised his right to correct error in Peter, who was his senior in the apostleship:

And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? (Galatians 2:9-14.)

We do not have to rely on Joseph, Brigham, or Paul for this principle. The Lord himself taught it plainly. He said that the inhabitants of Zion will judge the apostles and prophets to see who are liars and hypocrites:

For it shall come to pass that the inhabitants of Zion shall judge all things pertaining to Zion. And liars and hypocrites shall be proved by them, and they who are not apostles and prophets shall be known. And even the bishop, who is a judge, and his counselors, if they are not faithful in their stewardships shall be condemned, and others shall be planted in their stead. (D&C 64:38-40.)

How will the inhabitants of Zion judge apostles and prophets if apostles and prophets are above reproach? Clearly, the Lord intends for members of the church to watch over the conduct of leaders. “The inhabitants of Zion” does not imply that this task is to be conducted only by members with special callings. That this responsibility is borne by normal members¹⁷ is underscored by the instructions the Lord provided for trying the president of the church for transgression:

And inasmuch as a President of the High Priesthood shall transgress, he shall be had in remembrance before the common council of the church, who shall be assisted by twelve counselors of the High Priesthood; And their decision upon his head shall be an end of controversy concerning him. Thus, none shall be exempted from the justice and the laws of God, that all things may be done in order and in solemnity before him, according to truth and righteousness. (D&C 107:82-84.)

The Lord put into the hands of normal members the ability to discipline the leadership of the church, a responsibility that necessarily requires the membership of the church to watch over the leaders and evaluate their conduct to ascertain whether it is in line with God’s will. Why would God give instructions on how normal members could remove a sitting church president for transgression if a) the president of the church cannot lead members astray and b) members are not meant to judge his execution of his office? Empowerment of normal members provides a both a check on the power of church leaders to stray from God’s will as well as an undeniable witness that they can stray from God’s will.

Though this concept is very far from the modern traditions that leaders are above reproach, it fits quite well into the seamless scriptural theme of the need for individuals to seek after and follow the Holy Ghost instead of relying upon men. For example,

And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins. For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day. (D&C 45:56-57.)

Common non-scriptural innovations in modern Mormonism such as “don’t criticize leaders, even if it is true” and “follow the prophet” are mutually exclusive from the revealed principle of “judge your leaders and their teachings.” In this light, which should be retained?

While there is nothing wrong with treasuring any revelation from God vindicated by the Holy Ghost that might come through a church leader, this is a far cry from hero worship or idolatry. “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.” (Luke 16:13.) Those who “follow the prophet” do not take the Holy Spirit to be their guide and will not surpass the telestial kingdom (see D&C 45:57, quoted above).