The Authority Question: A Latter-day Saint Perspective

We’ve all encountered it: the well-intentioned skeptic, the seemingly enlightened individual who professes belief in a higher power but vehemently rejects organized religion and its attendant authorities. They see religion as a man-made system designed to control, a cage for the spirit. While the sentiment might initially seem reasonable – a rejection of hypocrisy and a longing for genuine connection – it reveals a profound misunderstanding of the very nature of the divine and the inherent need for direction in a fallen world. The “devil’s advocate” position presented in the recent *Thoughtful Faith* podcast episode with Jacob Hansen and Hayden cuts to the heart of this issue, and it’s one that demands careful consideration for any Latter-day Saint committed to a deep understanding of the Restoration.

The conversation rightly highlights that this rejection isn’t merely a disagreement about dogma; it's a fundamental difference in epistemology – how we know what we know. As Latter-day Saints, we embrace the principle of prophetic guidance, recognizing that God speaks to His children through living prophets and apostles, supplementing and clarifying the scriptures. To dismiss this as a mere human construct is to fundamentally misunderstand the very nature of revelation and the ongoing unfolding of God's plan.

The podcast explores the challenging question: what function does a higher power play with creation? The response – that a higher power necessitates a function, a directive – is crucial. A deistic view, where God creates and then steps away, leaves humanity adrift in a sea of moral relativism. The agnostic, while claiming uncertainty, often behaves as if the question itself is irrelevant, effectively embracing a moral code determined by societal consensus rather than divine mandate. As Jordan Peterson observes, our actions betray what we truly believe, regardless of our conscious assertions.

Consider the ancient pagan world, where multiple deities were acknowledged, and their influence was intertwined with daily life. The eventual synthesis of these beliefs into polytheistic systems demonstrates a natural human inclination toward structure and order, a recognition that even in a chaotic world, patterns and principles govern existence. The same principle applies to morality and spirituality. To reject divine authority is not to liberate oneself; it is to relinquish the anchor that keeps us from drifting into the abyss of subjective interpretation.

This isn’t a condemnation of questioning or critical thinking. True discipleship requires diligent study and earnest seeking. But questioning must be tempered with humility and a willingness to submit to the truth, even when it challenges our preconceived notions. As Moroni taught, “And it is by the spirit of prophecy that the prophets have always spoken…and the spirit of prophecy will be given to all the children of men, even as it has been given to me, by the power of the Holy Ghost” (D&C 130:22). The Spirit is the ultimate guide, but it speaks *through* established channels of authority – the prophets, the apostles, and the scriptures.

We must be vigilant against the insidious whispers of cynicism that erode faith and undermine the foundation of our testimony. The rejection of authority, however subtly presented, is a dangerous precipice. It is a rejection of the very covenant we have entered into, a severing of the lifeline that connects us to the source of all truth and knowledge. The iron rod, as described in the Book of Mormon, is not a rigid instrument of control but a pathway of guidance, illuminated by the light of the Holy Ghost. To wander from it is to stumble in darkness.

Listen to the full episode:

Let us all examine our own hearts and ask ourselves: are we truly seeking the divine, or are we merely constructing a comfortable narrative that allows us to avoid the discomfort of submission and accountability?