Prophets
This section discusses the doctrines and policies taught and revealed by past prophets which were taught to be false by later prophets. Doctrines such as the Adam-God Theory, Blood Atonement, Polygamy, and the Priesthood & Temple Ban on black members. These were all taught as having come from God and we are taught that the prophet will never lead us astray. So then why were they all later disavowed? Why were members who disagreed with these things at the time considered to be in the wrong? Why are people criticized now when they disagree with the prophet when we know that sometimes they get stuff wrong? What is the point of having a prophet if you can never actually tell when he is speaking as a man and when he is speaking for God?
This section also discusses the lack of spiritual discernment exhibited by the prophets and apostles in the 1980s when a conman and murderer duped them into buying from him a faked historical church document that he created.
If prophets are speaking for God, and God does not change, then why have there been so many changes and reversals in church doctrine and policies? Why was the church so far behind in Civil Rights (they didn’t remove the priesthood ban on blacks until 1978!)? Shouldn’t God have given them a clue a little sooner? Wouldn’t God have not been racist in the first place?
Mom Note: People often say that we shouldn’t expect prophets to be perfect when asked about awful things past prophets have said or done. I want to be clear that I absolutely do not expect perfection from anyone, including prophets. I understand that people are mixed bags, everyone makes mistakes, and all people have moments where they don’t behave their best. We can be generous and forgiving with one another. But I do think it’s reasonable to expect that the ONE man on Earth that God Himself chooses to speak for Him and lead His one true church be at least as good as I would be. And I would never say or do some of the atrocious and harmful things that past prophets have said and done. They set that high standard of claiming to be the Lord’s mouthpiece and representation and I think it’s reasonable to expect them to meet that standard.
Want more detail? See https://read.cesletter.org/prophets/ and http://www.mormonthink.com/prophetsweb.htm