I was reflecting on the many people who were one time fellowshipping and meeting with me and then departed for their own undertaking. I could count 20 before I stopped. Most have taken strange religious routes that seem self-destructive to me.
One of the things I’ve observed is that when a person accepts the idea of continuing revelation and the possibility of access to God, there are those who are so overcome with the idea that they assume any “inspiration” can be trusted. They model the error described by Joseph Smith: “Try the spirits, but what by? Are we to try them by the creeds of men? What preposterous folly — what sheer ignorance — what madness! Try the motions and actions of an eternal being (for I contend that all spirits are such) by a thing that was conceived in ignorance and brought forth in folly — a cobweb of yesterday. Angels would hide their faces, and devils would be ashamed and insulted, and would say, Paul we know, and Jesus we know, but who are you? Let each man of society make a creed and try evil spirits by it, and the Devil would shake his sides; it is all that he would ask — all that he would desire. Yet many of them do this, and hence many spirits are abroad in the world. One great evil is that men are ignorant of the nature of spirits: their power, laws, government, intelligence, etc., and imagine that when there is anything like power, revelation, or vision manifested, that it must be of God. Hence, the Methodists, Presbyterians, and others frequently possess a spirit that will cause them to lie down, and during its operation, animation is frequently entirely suspended; they consider it to be the power of God and a glorious manifestation from God — a manifestation of what? Is there any intelligence communicated? Are the curtains of Heaven withdrawn or the purposes of God developed? Have they seen and conversed with an angel — or have the glories of futurity burst upon their view? No!” That is excerpted from T&C 147. That entire section should be studied.
I’ve given counsel to many people, and had some reject that counsel. I take no offense when they decide to ignore my advice, but let them go in peace and no longer make any effort to convince or condemn them. But their course has almost always been downhill.
I reject polygamy, immorality, adultery and sexual deviancy in any form. Anyone who claims I have not been clear on that is deceiving themselves and misleading others.
I do not believe there is any other way or means for salvation than through Jesus Christ. There is none greater, now that He has risen from the dead and had all power in heaven and on earth conveyed to Him. He and His Father are one, and I worship them as the Father and Son. There is no other spirit that can be relied upon for salvation and continuing progress in this world and the worlds to come.
I do not believe I am a great man, nor am I mighty and strong, nor someone worth elevating above the common man that I am. It is wrong for any man to think of himself as better than another. Even if asked by the Lord to accomplish an assignment, it does not make the laborer better than another. I cannot save another, and cannot save myself. I and you are dependent upon a Savior, and that role was filled by Jesus Christ.
I plan to write more about the false spirits that influence people, but may instead address that in a talk. But for now, I wanted to make a statement to again affirm what I believe and teach. I try to be public about everything important, and not to hide my position from public view. A private conversation that addresses an issue between someone with a specific need, issue or concern is just that: a private conversation. They get whatever they get out of the conversation, and whatever they repeat second-hand is never trustworthy.
I have no spokesman. I speak for myself. I try to be clear and if there is resulting confusion then I try to clear it up in due course.