What do LDS generally believe about interracial marriage?

[_Daniel Peterson]

If a prophet isn't infallible, how can you determine which of his pronouncements come from God, and which don't? And if you can't make this determination, what reason would anyone have to follow the prophet's pronouncements over their own reasoning?

Latter-day Saints have never claimed their prophets to be infallible, and Latter-day Saint prophets have never claimed to be infallible.

Is there, nonetheless, value in what they say? I find enormous value in what they say.

I have to admit that I honestly can't understand the need that some people -- even, ironically, some atheist and agnostic critics of Mormonism -- seem to have for infallible leaders. I've never felt this need, and don't get it at all.

Does believing in prophets allow me to dispense with the need to think, or with all ambiguity? No. (It sometimes seems to me that critics want to condemn people like me both for being unthinking Morgbots and for not being unthinking Morgbots. The urge to condemn seems to be prior to the grounds for the condemnation.)

I suspect Brigham thought he was speaking as a prophet.

I happily grant your suspicion every bit of the evidentiary weight it deserves.

[_Chap]

Even more problematic for Daniel is that Brigham Young claimed that "this would always be so". Well, here we are in 2009, and nobody's being put to death for black/white intermarriage. The "prophet" was wrong.

Yes, I think he was.

When I affirm either scriptural inerrancy or prophetic infallibility, you'll have abundant rope with which to hang me.

I suspect Brigham thought he was speaking as a prophet. Too bad he didn't have you around to set him straight.

Who would ever want to hang DCP? He seems basically a nice guy so long as he's not teased too much.

But (let's be tactful here) this discussion is not about DCP. For just one brief shining moment, it seems to be about Brigham Young. And I seem to recall that good old Briggy was pretty damn' clear about the degree of seriousness with which he intended his utterances from the pulpit to be taken.

How seriously DCP takes BY is (as they say), beside the point.

[_JohnStuartMill]

If a prophet isn't infallible, how can you determine which of his pronouncements come from God, and which don't?

[_beastie]

You silly people. Of course early church leaders didn't oppose all interracial marriages. We all know Joseph Smith supported white LDS men marrying Indian women. Likely he wanted to help them become white and delightsome.

[_beastie]

If a prophet isn't infallible, how can you determine which of his pronouncements come from God, and which don't?

While the prophet may not be infallible, the gift of discernment through the HG is apparently infallible in the individual members who pray about the prophet's teachings in order to separate the wheat from the chaff.

[_SatanWasSetUp]

LDS Prophets, especiall recent ones, are very vague about when they're speaking as a prophet and when they're speaking as a man. I suppose this is by design. It's a slippery slope once you admit you sometimes speak as a man. The members may start deciding for themselves which utterances from the pulpit are "just his opinion." Then gays will take over the church.

[_Daniel Peterson]

How seriously DCP takes BY is (as they say), beside the point.

For the record, incidentally, I take Brigham Young extremely seriously.

I admire him very much.

[_JohnStuartMill]

If a prophet isn't infallible, how can you determine which of his pronouncements come from God, and which don't?

While the prophet may not be infallible, the gift of discernment through the HG is apparently infallible in the individual members who pray about the prophet's teachings in order to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Apparently not, if the Holy Ghost is telling all these other people that Methodism, or Episcopalianism, or what have you is true.

[_beastie]

Apparently not, if the Holy Ghost is telling all these other people that Methodism, or Episcopalianism, or what have you is true.

It only works for Mormons. Everyone else only thinks they're feeling the HG, or whatever they call god's power. If only they could feel what Mormons feel, they would know their previous feelings were puny in comparison.

[_Daniel Peterson]

It sure is fun to put stupid, indefensible comments in your opponents' mouths when they're not there to speak for themselves.

Another victory for the critics! Triumph!