Quote Originally Posted by Erundur View Post
No, but see below.


Actually, you showed me where a GA (but not a president of the Church) taught "When the Prophet speaks the debate is over." However, I confused this with another statement that was rejected by President George Albert Smith, so I take back my previous statement. In context, N. Eldon Tanner and Elaine Cannon, whom Tanner was quoting, were referring to the revelation of eternal principles and God's will through his prophet. It certainly did not mean that we "don't have the right to question anything."
I needed to add this: "If the prophet can be wrong about important issues, even doctrinal issues, then can we as members of the kingdom challenge the prophet on controversial topics? Often critics cite the following couple of quotes from Church magazines provide the answer:
"When the Prophet speaks the debate is over".
N. Eldon Tanner, August Ensign 1979, pages 2-3
"When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done. When they propose a plan-it is God's plan. When they point the way, there is no discussion, it should mark the end of controversy," stated a part of the ward teaching message printed in the Improvement Era, June 1945, p. 345. Written by Lee A. Palmer under the supervision of the Presiding Bishopric. This was to teach Ward members how to sustain the leaders of the church. When members sustain by the raising of one's hand, they are promising to follow their leadership and abide by their council as the "Living oracles of God." Is this NOT then telling ALL members that they are not allowed to do their own thinking? If having sustained this men and then begin doing your own thinking, you're opening yourself up to Satan and being lead toward apostasy.
However, some members also cite other talks that church leaders have given that states that the prophets are not always inspired such as this quote from Harold B. Lee:
It is not to be thought that every word spoken by the General Authorities is inspired, or that they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost in everything they write. I don’t care what his position is, if he writes something or speaks something that goes beyond anything that you can find in the standard church works, unless that one be the prophet, seer, and reve-lator -- please note that one exception -- you may immediately say, “Well, that is his own idea.” And if he says something that contradicts what is found in the standard church works, you may know by that same token that it is false, regardless of the position of the man who says it.
“Sustaining the General Authorities of the Church,” Improvement Era, June 1945, pg. 354.
Further reading: Mormon Liberals: Friends or Foes?, David Bailey
A Final testimony, Hugh B. Brown
Editor comment: It's kind of hard to answer this question with just a few quotes from various church leaders. However, we can say with some surety that if you publicly disagree with the church leadership over certain issues, you will be subject to church discipline."

Also, ""...learn to do as you are told,...if you are told by your leader to do a thing, do it, none of your business whether it is right or wrong." - Herber C. Kimball, 1st Counselor to Brigham Young. Journal of Discourses, v.2, p.106

As I've said, if you question your prophet, and it is done where someone will hear, don't think you won't be in your Bishop's office before you know it. Your church does not take kindly to anyone questioning anything, that is how they control the members.