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There are many, MANY things in apologetics that the apologists have decided without council or approval of the 1st presidency.

The LGT and two Cummorah's are examples that comes to mind. Does the 1st presidency/Q12 even know about these theories? Have they approved them? If not, why not?

Do the "professional" apologists have the permission of the 1st Presidency to make these claims?

Why isn't the prophet asking God for clarification on some of these issues? And don't give me the, "if it doesn't affect our salvation, then why bother God with it" line. Joseph Smith was getting revelation from God about bones on the plains. How does Zelph matter ONE BIT to our salvation??

I'm guessing that they do pay attention to apologetics. The "principle ancestors" change proves that.

Where is the leadership for some of the bigger apologetic questions? Why is God so silent?

Maybe because God wants us to seek out answers from him on our own instead of slavishly waiting for someone else (the Prophet) to do it for us.

Also, no one needs permission from the leadership of the Church to speculate. Let the apologists do what they want.

The Nehor wrote:Maybe because God wants us to seek out answers from him on our own instead of slavishly waiting for someone else (the Prophet) to do it for us.

Also, no one needs permission from the leadership of the Church to speculate. Let the apologists do what they want.

That's fine to speculate, but many of them don't claim to speculate. They act as if their apologetics are THE definitive answer.

Why didn't God want the early saints to seek out their own answers?

Scottie wrote:

The Nehor wrote:Maybe because God wants us to seek out answers from him on our own instead of slavishly waiting for someone else (the Prophet) to do it for us.

Also, no one needs permission from the leadership of the Church to speculate. Let the apologists do what they want.

That's fine to speculate, but many of them don't claim to speculate. They act as if their apologetics are THE definitive answer.

Why didn't God want the early saints to seek out their own answers?

In the early days of the Church no one had much experience to fall back on at all. In some ways at 21 I suspect I was more spiritually mature then Joseph was.

As for apologists acting as if they have definitive answer, I think they're crazy to say so.

Scottie wrote:Where is the leadership for some of the bigger apologetic questions? Why is God so silent?

God wants to retain plausible deniability.

DCP tends to let drop that he has mysterious meetings in the COB. I assume they know what is going on. It seems their strategy is to make no definitive statement on anything that can come back to haunt them. The apologists have the effect of talking authoritatively while giving the brethren plausible deniability.

The Nehor wrote:Maybe because God wants us to seek out answers from him on our own instead of slavishly waiting for someone else (the Prophet) to do it for us.

Also, no one needs permission from the leadership of the Church to speculate. Let the apologists do what they want.

Then what, if any utility does the prophet provide?

The Nehor wrote:Maybe because God wants us to seek out answers from him on our own instead of slavishly waiting for someone else (the Prophet) to do it for us.

I think you've made a breakthrough, Nehor. If there is a God out there, I think this is exactly how he operates. Of course, this eliminates the need for organized religion, one-and-only-true churches, and the authority figures who claim to speak with god on our behalf, so I don't think the church wants its members considering this as an option. If you keep thinking like this, you'll be posting on RfM within a few months.