Mormons may object to the citation of works such as Journal of Discourses and Mormon Doctrine when discussing LDS doctrine. LDS doctrine, they argue should be derived only from the 'Standard Works'. However, there are several problems with this objection:

1. Very little Mormon doctrine is, in fact, derived from the Book of Mormon; rather, most comes from 'revelations' given to Joseph Smith in Doctrine & Covenants. In each section of my material, and to substantiate every major doctrine discussed, I have directly quoted many official LDS sources including the 'Standard Works'.
2. Joseph Smith and Brigham Young claimed to speak authoritatively from God. The Journal of Discourses gives a quite accurate account of sermons delivered by early leaders, particularly Brigham Young. The sermons were transcribed and recorded by official church transcribers and checked by the speakers for accuracy. Many of Smith's sermons were included in the original 'Standard Works' but were later removed by LDS officials. In almost all cases, independent verification of the statements can be found in other official church publications, particularly periodicals.

Mormons try to make a distinction between times when their leaders speak in an official, prophetic capacity (on behalf of God) and when they speak in a non-prophetic capacity. The latter, they argue, is where anti-Mormon writers take non-official doctrine out of context. However, this line of reasoning ignores some very bold and unique claims made by LDS founders and leaders about the authority with which they speak.

• Joseph Smith stated: "God made Aaron to be the mouthpiece for the children of Israel, and He will make me be god to you in His stead" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.363).
• Brigham Young said: "I have never yet preached a sermon and sent it out to the children of men, that they may not call Scripture (Journal of Discourses, vol. 13, p.95).
• F.D. Richards confirms this: "the prophet and Apostle Brigham has declared it [the Adam-God doctrine], and that is the word of the Lord" (Millenial Star, August 26, 1854, vol.16, p.534).
• "if the President makes a statement it is not our prerogative to dispute it" (Minutes of the School of Prophets, Provo, UT, 1868-1871, p.38-39).
• Official LDS teaching documents state: "When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done. When they point the way, there is no other which is safe. When they give direction, it should mark the end of controversy" (Ward teachers message, June 1945).
• A letter from the First Presidency (Presidents Benson, Hinckley, and Monson) to all members of the Church states: "The most reliable way to measure the accuracy of any biblical passage is not by comparing different texts [in the Bible], but by comparison with the Book of Mormon and modern-day revelations [through them]". (Church News, June 20, 1992, page 3, letter dated May 22, 1992).
• Ezra Taft Benson stated: "the Living Prophet...is more vital to us than the Standard Works [Bible, Book of Mormon, etc.]...The living Prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet [an Old Testament Prophet]"..."Keep your eye on the President of the Church. If he ever tells you to do anything, and it is wrong, and you do it, the Lord will bless you for it" (Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophets, BYU Devotional, Feb 26, 1980, p.3,6).
• Joseph Fielding Smith declared that at every General Conference of the church, the speakers are giving forth scripture that is equal to anything in the Bible or Book of Mormon.

To Mormons, the Living Prophet is the first line of authority. This becomes even more important when one considers that the official LDS position on the Bible (contained in their Articles of Faith) diminishes the Bible's authority. The current LDS prophet can overturn any prior teaching of a past prophet. Brigham Young said that, when compared to the Living Prophet, the Bible, the Book of Mormon and the 'Standard Works' of the Church were nothing to him..."they do not convey the word of God as does the prophet".

The founders and leaders of the LDS church obviously believed the doctrines they declared, so how would we know which of those doctrines are now truthful and which are not? Mormon leaders incorrectly assume that it is a small thing to change or add to a previous revelation from God. Throughout its text, the Bible warns about this:

• "You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it" (Deut. 4:2).
• "Do not add to His words Or He [God] will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar" (Prov. 30:6).
• "I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life..." (Rev. 22:18-19).

The Bible warns of listening to false prophets:

• "do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John. 4:1).
• "If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing" (1 Tim. 6:3-4).

And the Bible makes it very clear how to test whether a prophet is speaking from God or not because many false prophets will try to speak for God:

• "When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously" (Deut 18:22).
• "But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.' (Deut 18:20).
• "If a prophet... arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, "Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them [thereby contradicting the ten commandments],' you shall not listen to the words of that prophet ...but that prophet ... shall be put to death" (Deut 13:1-5).
• "Even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, let him be accursed!" (Gal. 1:6-8).
• "if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted... (2 Cor. 11:4).

In summary, the Bible states that a false prophet can be recognized if: 1) if his prophecies do not come true 100% of the time, 2) if his prophecy contradicts a previous revelation or command given by God. In either case, the prophet is to be put to death. It should be very clear to the careful student of Mormonism that LDS prophets, Joseph Smith and Brigham Young in particular, do not meet either these criteria: 1) the Doctrine & Covenants contain verifiably false prophecies by Joseph Smith¹⁵, 2) their doctrines and teachings clearly contradict the Bible.