Why Latter-day Saints Believe Brigham Young is a Prophet

[@larrykirk4508]

I love that prophets, both ancient and modern, are not perfect. It allows me to know that even the best of us fall short, and I can see their struggles are some of the same that I have, and it gives me hope that I can focus on just being the best that I can be, until the opportunity to be perfected eventually comes through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

[@virginiaevans853]

Well said.

[@BarryFisher-s6w]

I am sooo glad to hear your strong testimony. I'm a convert too. My wife and i were baptized in our early 20's and have gone inactive twice in the first ten years because of social presure. We finally came to the conclusion that we truely believed the gospel of Jesus Christ. At first it was hard for me to give talks or accept callings but after time I became more sure about myself, to eventually accept a calling as Teachers Quorum instructor, a second counselor in a Bishopric and then a elders Quorum in the same year that President Nelson became President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Laterday Saints. The Lord Promises strength in the sinuses and in the bones. You'll learn verse upon verse, precept upon precept as you study the scriptures. THIS I promise you as you allow christ Into your life and and continue continue bearing your testimony vebally to others. Brother I will continue praying for you and if you would pray for me to stay strong too. Please Write me back if there are any question I might help you with. Your Brother-in-Christ Barry Fisher. Kerrville, Texas

[@aliceduren6542]

Prayed awhile ago that I’d learn more about Brigham Young and learn to appreciate him as a prophet. Thank you for this video!

[@forthosewitheyestosee8183]

brigham young was NOT a prophet, he, like joseph smith, was a fraud and a con artist. Repent!

[@andymckane7271]

Fabulous discussion. Thanks to both of you for broadcasting this on KZbin. I've only been a member for thirteen months (Aug. 2011 to Aug. 2024). Joined the Church because my late wife had died less than a year earlier. Leah's best friend told me how after Leah's passing I could be sealed to her "for time and all eternity." It was for this reason that decided to join the Church. (In November 2013 my late wife's best friend and I were married. The three of us were sealed together, in the Salt Lake City temple on 26 December 2012.) I question numerous things I've heard and read about the LDS faith, but---and I say this with great respect---the Latter Day Saints I've known over the years, are, as a whole, THE finest human beings I have ever known. I am proud to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This having been said, I'm not comfortable reading religious scripture. Nor am I comfortable in trying to preach religion. I'll be the best person I can be and devote myself to what I believe is my calling, and leave the missionary work to all of your others who have been prepared and educated to serve as active missionaries. Thank you for this lecture. (My wife since November 2011 was a non-traditional student who earned her Masters in Accountancy from BYU Provo's Marriott School of Business in August 2012.) Brigham Young the God inspired manhas long been my favorite Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Andrew "Andy" McKane, 23 August 2024, Maunaloa, Molokai, Hawaii.

[@RichF245]

Thank you for your testimony and story. Very much appreciated.

[@kristinrichmond8185]

Why are you not comfortable reading religious scripture?

[@samuelmoon3051]

Awesome

[@RRW276]

I’m not really a religious person. I’ve known many Mormons throughout my life and I’ve always felt I could pick out a Mormon just by their kind and genuine nature. They just always seem to be a people at peace. My wife’s best friend is Mormon and I always enjoy our talks and the fact that I can speak openly with questions around various aspects of the Mormon faith and the history. Not sure why, but the history has always been quite fascinating to me. Not too long ago some young Mormon men (wearing the short sleeve shirt, black slacks and go out and witness, apologies but I don’t know what they’re referred as - missionaries?). Anyway, they caught me in the parking lot and we had a great conversation around apostles. I know of the Apostle Paul, his conversion, the book of Acts etc. The young boy had posed the question to me that why would we have had apostles back then but not today? It got me thinking and as I said we had a great conversation and they briefly talked about Brigham Young, because I asked some questions about him and Joseph Smith. The guys offered to go to the McDonalds in front of us to continue our discussions but by that point I had to go. They provided me with some materials, and this one card with a beautiful painting on it of Jesus. I still have it and keep it on my changing station in my closet. As I said, I’m not really religious, I don’t subscribe to any religion or church, but I’ve just always been interested in the history of LDS. And out of all faiths I’ve interacted with, the Mormons are always the nicest and most welcoming. Something maybe other religions or faiths could learn from. 🙂

[@norts28]

I love Casey, his church history matters podcast is my absolute favorite and I wish they would start doing 2 a week :)

[@ThompsonAtomicRanch]

I think Brigham Young is such an amazing man of God! When he spoke, it was always with confidence. My great great grandfather, Meliton Gonzales Trejo met with Brigham after arriving to Salt Lake. Trejo had left the Spanish military while in the Philippines after having a vision that he should go to the US and seek a peculiar people in the Rocky Mountains. When he spoke with Brigham, Brigham asked Trejo to translate the Book of Mormon for the first time. After this, the Book of Mormon was able to be taken to all of Mexico and South America. I know that Brigham was a true prophet of God!

[@TheYgds]

Thank you for talking about Brigham. Pres. Young gets dragged through the mud so much. He lived a hard life, had to make monumental decisions and lived with tremendous stress and under great trials. If he seemed a bit wigged out sometimes....I'd understand.

[@kuriju88]

@TheYgds how can you wig out so much that all of your doctrine becomes false doctrine by your own church though? Adam god doctrine, polygamy, blacks and the priesthood, blood atonement etc …

[@TheYgds]

@@kuriju88 That isn't what I'm referring to. The fact you didn't pick up on that means you don't know enough to even comment on those subjects.

[@kuriju88]

@TheYgds but that’s what I’m referring to. You see I’m pulling a Joseph Smith in this case. I’m taking something that has nothing to do with the authors original intent and I’m appropriating it and repackaging it for my own purposes. Do you have an answer?

[@TheYgds]

@@kuriju88 You're a joke.

[@kuriju88]

@TheYgds no I’m serious. How can you think that Brigham Young was a prophet when all of his central teachings are disavowed by his own church ?

[@stephenmartin46]

It helps me to remember that unlike many of our current church leaders, Brigham Young didn't have the luxury of being raised in an established church organization with all of the programs and knowledge we have today. He accepted the restored gospel of Jesus Christ as an adult and was thrown in the deep end of the pool with his leadership responsibilities. Thank you for your well-grounded and practical conversation.

[@TheRandomGangsta]

Yeah, it’s actually mind blowing to hear, especially knowing the succession crisis after Joseph Smith’s death. Like, how does one organize and lead a church with the restored gospel, a concept that’s considered a threat to other Protestant groups, in its early stages? It’s wild when you think about it.

[@RonDoty-i7z]

Casey-Cantankerous neighbor that mowed you lawn, made sure you had food, and helped with whatever you needed-Brigham Young was that guy. Beautiful summation.

[@UVJ_Scott]

Brigham was confident, headstrong and strongly opinionated. My GGGrandfather occasionally took issue with Brigham’s decisions and governance but still accepted and respected him as a Prophet of God. Read “Discourses of Brigham Young” or “Brother Brigham Challenges the Saints” by Hugh Nibley and if you allow it the Spirit will testify that indeed Brigham was a Prophet of God

[@maryannstout7600]

I absolutely LOVE 💕 your description of Brigham Young. It’s definitely the best I’ve ever heard. I doubt that anyone else could have done all that Brigham did. The comparison between him and the Apostle Peter has great value. Organizing and leading the Saints from Navoo to the Great Salt Lake Valley was an arduous feat. Yet he didn’t back down. He had faith in the Lord and in the other church leaders who followed him. He did the work that the Lord gave him to do. He was a prophet of God.😊😊

[@beatricesavasta6710]

Love your topic and honest analysis. Thank you.

[@loisparrish2146]

Well done. Thank you for your scholarship.

[@tammihackley4349]

Very good commentary

[@MsEva9470]

Thank you so much brother Casey for teaching us and that no one is perfect

[@jerihollist450]

Loved Your wonderful comments, Casey about all prophets and about Brigham Young!

[@johnmtconnolly]

Some people think that pointing out the faults of Prophets is some incredible gotcha moment. But none of us are perfect. We would do so much better to focus on our own faults, and becoming more like the Savior in our own lives than constantly pointing out the imperfections of people like Joseph and Brigham. Let's just be grateful that the restoration is happening and Israel is being gathered!

[@sherigraham3873]

No nonsense, frontiersman! He was a man of his time and his mission. Get the saints to safety in a formidable wilderness. His assignment was not for the faint of heart! I love this man who called a spade a spade!

[@istj509]

Thank you so much for this informative video about Brigham Young! I learned a lot!

[@whitneypay515]

With what was going with the church at the time Brigham Young was as the perfect person to keep the church together and get it to Utah.

[@forthosewitheyestosee8183]

brigham young was nothing but a fraud and a con artist exactly the same as joseph smith. Repent of your ignorance!

[@nostoppingit7243]

The need to go to Utah was a lie. The members who remained in Nauvoo weren't persecuted even though they were some of the closest people to Joseph and had been there from the beginning of the church. Apostle William Smith, Joseph's brother, made it very clear that not only was Joseph not the author of polygamy but he also had no intention of taking the Mormons west. In a letter to Orson Hyde he wrote the following, "I am here as an exile driven from my home, and that, too, by the requisition of your leaders in secret council, who deliberated upon the necessity of my murder, and required that the sacrifice of my blood should be made as speedily as possible. Providence aided me in my escape from the armed assassins, who were employed by their leader or President Brigham Young. These statements you will, no doubt, deny; but they are no less true ...in the event of your departure to the wild and cheerless far-WEST. Your tyrant usurpers will there be shielded from civilized law, and ere long you will be made to feel the lash of their power. My life and exertions will be (in order to perpetrate the names of my father's family and with honor to the noble martyred brothers Joseph and Hiram wipe away the disgrace, the stain, the evils that, since their deaths, have crept into the church. And by too frequent use of their names, the twelve are carrying out the most wicked, base and unhallowed purposes that could be devised under the cloak of Joseph and Hiram's names. Brethren! be assured that Joseph or Hiram never would have sanctioned the present wicked plans of the twelve; their corruption, their sink of iniquity, their removal to the wilderness, their doctrine of POLYGAMY, usurpation, etc. exercise for the redemption of the church to its original purity, and the rights of my father's and brother's family." (Nov. 12, 1845)

[@DerekPayne1791]

The Exodus to Utah was fulfillment of Revelation from God to Joseph, recorded in our current Doctrine and Covenants, that the Saints would be moved out of the lands of their inheritance if they continued in their disobedience.

[@andrewdurfee3896]

Nope Joseph told Brigham to head to the west and Isaiah foretold of the rose that would blossom in the desert.

[@RussellFineArt]

Thank you for bringing B. Young and all presidents and prophets, down to earth. Prophets, ancient and modern, do their best to follow God’s will and do, periodically, receive revelation, but allow members and Saints to follow their own free agency, revelation and opinions.

[@averyr3836]

I love all the work Casey and the scripture central team are doing! Thanks for this video.

[@raullimon6582]

Sure, wasn’t perfect…..so? He’s one of my favourite prophets, direct and to the point yet loving and fearless!

[@virginiaevans853]

@@raullimon6582 I’m so glad the prophets weren’t perfect. That gives me hope. Only Jesus Christ was perfect.

[@Imjetta7]

This was great, thank you!

[@jacobbuzan374]

A big reason so much peace was maintained between the Native Americans and LDS members was Jacob Hamblin. Brigham Young often sent him to resolve conflicts and to be a missionary to them.

[@Neil-from-Oz]

It amazes how many LDS don't bother to find out what the Church history is actually apart from what they hear in Sunday School.

[@n.d.m.515]

@@Neil-from-Oz not surprising at all. Most people don't study history of any kind unless in school. History is complicated and not a lot of people have the time or inclination to do a deep reading.

[@kristinrichmond8185]

@@n.d.m.515yep, that’s me and it’s not surprising at all. Not everyone loves history or has the time.

[@brendenfullmer5573]

WOOOOOO! Avery as a host for a Scripture Central video WOOOOOO!

[@forthosewitheyestosee8183]

Repent of your ignorance!

[@brendenfullmer5573]

@@forthosewitheyestosee8183 no u

[@RonDoty-i7z]

Beautifully done. Speculation about eternal possibilities is essential to weeding out invalid ideas and brings revelation. I’ve had questions and speculated about all sorts of things, many of which have been discarded but a some have brought understanding. The island of knowledge is only as large as the shoreline of wonder.

[@laloifilealofi9628]

Love all your sincere shearing about the Prophet Brigham Young, I love Brigham, truly a Prophet of God,❤prayers🙏

[@ruthjamieson4072]

Very good, thank you!

[@VincentNoot]

Good stuff. I sat next to Brigham young’s statue in St. George at the zions bank and wondered, “what’s your story, dude?” I went online and all I got was him being portrayed as a creepy teenage sex predator with his multiple wives. But that’s not what I learned about him from church manuals and other things. I was raised in the church. I believe he was a prophet, but just like Bruce r mcconkie had a certain way of harshly formulating certain truths with different words that, if misinterpreted or taken out of context, could be seen as racist or too condemning. But I think if you could sit down with these people and ask them, “what did you mean by that?” You would get the right idea. I think it’s sad when people leave the church because they found some quote from Brigham young or someone else that doesn’t add up and then stop their research and just conclude ,” oh the church must not be true then.” Personally, I think you’d get a bigger culture shock if you went back 200 years in your own town or country, than if you were to visit Japan or China in your own time.

[@misfyresalot]

I've always strugglrd with my acceptance of BY. Im good with it however! We are all entitled to our opinions, there's no guilt in my feelings and, I'm confident they'll all get sorted out when we meet😂

[@Divine.Astrology-9]

Brigham Young was an awesome man and prophet. Did he share too much, maybe. But just read some of his teachings and wow. He knew a lot of spiritual ✨️ things that he probably received from Joseph Smith. To me he is just as important as Hyrum Smith who was a co president of the church at one time.. Think about this before he joined the church; he pondered the book of mormon for 2 years.

[@davidchoate512]

It took Prophet Brigham 2 years investigating the church before joining the restored church of Jesus Christ.

[@JHNative]

I love the prophet Brigham Young. He was a powerful and strong prophet whom it took the kind of strength and leadership to accomplish the incredible things he accomplished.

[@livingmombirth4005]

Beautiful thoughts thanks

[@scubed8671]

Never use presentism to look at the past. -Pure Lehite

[@Remarkable-Moose]

Great discussion Brethren! Well done.

[@MarcTheUtahan]

Thank you for this video, it buoyed my soul.

[@DerekPayne1791]

Brigham Young shut down the independent organization of the Relief Society in order to silence Emma and her criticisms of polygamy. Brigham recreated the RS from an independent organization to one under the thumb of men.

[@TheRealDonLayton]

@DerekPayne1791 I don't think you or I really understand his motivations. We can speculate, but going beyond that opens the door to false judgment.

[@мельник754]

Exponent published an article in the last couple years challenging that narrative. You should check it out

[@spencerall]

Bad fruits=False prophet Polygamy, priestcraft (power and riches from church, mansions while grinding the face of the poor), divine racism, Adam/God false teaching, blood atonement, etc.)

[@stingray4real]

There were blacks like Elijah Abel who were given the priesthood. Elijah Abel was ordained a Seventy. He served a mission. It was Brigham Young who denied blacks entry to the Temple .He allowed slavery when he was Governor of the Territory of Utah.

[@icecreamladydriver1606]

He restarted the RS but let's be clear here, he is the one who ended it for 20 years.

[@oshemer5066]

I think he had other things on his plate at the time, like getting thousands of people over thousands of miles of wilderness, for one.

[@icecreamladydriver1606]

@@oshemer5066 That wasn't the reason he gave for ending it and not restarting it.

[@nostoppingit7243]

@@oshemer5066 Joseph instituted the RS in part to protect the women. Brigham shut it down right after Joseph's death to cut the women, and especially Emma, off so he could grow his harem, which he did.

[@oshemer5066]

@@nostoppingit7243 If Brigham was so opposed to the RS, why in the world did he start it back up again? Brigham is not the bogey man you make him out to be. In actuality he was the most successful man of his time in carrying out Joseph’s vision.

[@oshemer5066]

@@icecreamladydriver1606he did tarter it. He did restart it under Eliza R Snow.

[@bumpercoach]

It's helpful to remember that we now live in a time of worse abomination than slavery and frequently hear unfounded presumption from the pulpit

[@aw2971]

WHOA… brother griffiths?! Were you my seminary teacher at Alta 20ish years ago?!

[@spikeonatrike4490]

Ask Casey where I can find the Alexander Neibaur quote about the two speeches given at the 10th Pioneer picnic July 24 1857.

[@fightingfortruth9806]

For those who say Young (and Joseph Smith) made a mistake on the racial Priesthood restriction, don't forget that the next 9 LDS Presidents kept the ban intact and ALL of the prophets up until Nelson bore their testimony that the ban was from God. So if I'm going to point my finger at a prophet making a mistake, I'm going to stand with the body of the prophets who stood by it ("by the voice of two or three witnesses").

[@ladybugmom10]

As much as I really like this video. I didn’t realize the lds church no longer teach the Adam God doctrine.

[@Antwuan-v8l]

I recommend a church called heritage Baptist church anywhere that's a good start

[@Freddy78909]

I believe Joseph Smith over Brigham Young

[@cas4611]

The mantle vs the man. More proof to me in the validity of the Gosple of Christ and His atonement

[@douglasnielson8250]

Brigham Young was able to move some of the church members into a very isolated

[@douglasnielson8250]

area and grow it from there under difficult circumstances. All my ancestors were people who immigrated to Utah because of Brigham Young’s missionary organization. If there was no Brigham Young what would be left of what Joseph Smith started would be a small number of small church’s. Brigham was able to grow a successful church that continued to grow and fill the world.

[@robertlong9029]

He made a very huge mistake with race. It is a huge stumbling block for me and many others. I am only able to move past it because the fruit of the scripture (book of Mormon) is a very good fruit. I have made peace with it, am ashamed of it as well.

[@CMZIEBARTH]

@@robertlong9029 Understanding can increase.

[@surewave8202]

The Spirit bears witness strongly that Brigham Young was a prophet of God.

[@nostoppingit7243]

Don't the scriptures teach that those who teach false doctrines and lead the people astray are False Prophets? Adam/ God theory, Blood atonement, priesthood ban have all since been denounced by the church.

[@DerekPayne1791]

BY pulled men off the handcart rescue effort, to salvage staples from a train wreck.

[@markcollard9841]

To say BY racism was far outweighed by his good teachings on the poor is laughable. He was a bigot plain and simple. Whatever “good” teachings will always be overshadowed by this.

[@Heartsinmelody]

This really misses the mark if the intent is to address the many current concerns with BY. It correlated milktoast

[@DerekPayne1791]

Mosiah 11 is a Type of Brigham

[@andrewdurfee3896]

Doctrine and Covenants 90: 2 Therefore, thou art blessed from henceforth that bear the keys of the kingdom given unto you; which kingdom is coming forth for the last time. 3 Verily I say unto you, the keys of this kingdom shall never be taken from you, while thou art in the world, neither in the world to come; 4 Nevertheless, through you shall the oracles be given to another, yea, even unto the church. 5 And all they who receive the oracles of God, let them beware how they hold them lest they are accounted as a light thing, and are brought under condemnation thereby, and stumble and fall when the storms descend, and the winds blow, and the rains descend, and beat upon their house.

[@marshaatkin6198]

C

[@McGuyveracity]

I'm really turned off that you start the episode by emphasizing BY as a flawed human, rather than focusing on his role as a prophet. I stopped watching a few minutes in for this reason, and may not return. There's already enough BY haters on KZbin. I don't need to waste my time on yet MORE criticism of the man.

[@scripturecentralofficial]

This video is not a criticism of Brigham Young. It is meant to show how amazing he was and is a response to some very direct attacks on him from many detractors. By mentioning that he was a flawed human (we all are) is to help those who might feel that way realize that there might be something of value in the video and perhaps view him in a more positive light. We are trying to reach those who are doubting as well as those who are more believing. Hopefully this explanation helps you to understand. :)

[@icecreamladydriver1606]

I go with the first name for Brigham. He was indeed evil. A certain amount of humanity is one thing but being evil are two different things. He made himself rich on the backs of the impoverished members. He built mansions and lived like a king while many of the members were starving to death. Of course Brigham would be gracious to the man taking his place and to those who were important to him. You shouldn't believe what the church teaches us about church history because it is like Joseph F. Smith said when he said that he would lie for the church any time. He was a chronic liar as he stated himself. I did read some of his stories and that is how I decided he was as bad as and even worse than I had thought.

[@carterbrown9695]

That’s not been my experience reading the historical records, but I’m open minded. Do you have a source?

[@icecreamladydriver1606]

@@carterbrown9695 Journal of Discourses vol. 4. Read the blood atonement. He taught that Jesus atonement wasn't enough for some sins and the sinner had to spill his own blood in order to be forgiven. Look up Danites and Brigham's Avenging Angels. Dang scary. That is enough to get you started then just do google search. Go on youtube and look up Gardo House to give you an idea of how he lived. He owed the church 1,000.000.00 at the time of his death. He misused tithing and was a tyrant about making sure the people were paying their tithing while he was using some of it to make himself rich. Michelle Stone has a video on his mansions he built and the expensive furnishings.

[@davidtalbot434]

@@icecreamladydriver1606 feel free to provide any sources to back up your hyperbolic “evil” claim. I’m always interested in understanding the lens through which others see the world.

[@MaryBethMarvil]

Then who will you believe?

[@icecreamladydriver1606]

@@MaryBethMarvil Jesus and the the scriptures.

[@kuriju88]

Is it because he worshiped Adam as god?

[@davidtalbot434]

Is it because you didn’t actually watch the video?

[@kuriju88]

@davidtalbot434 No I didn’t watch. But you’re ok with one of your prophets teaching a false nature about god? He taught the doctrine for 20 years

[@disciplesofjesuschrist2026]

How do you go about worshipping someone thousands of years before you were born? Is there an idol. Puzzled by this post

[@kuriju88]

@disciplesofjesuschrist2026 Brigham Young taught that Adam was god and the physical and spiritual father of Jesus. At this time in the theology Jehovah and Jesus were not the same person. There was a hierarchy of gods, starting with Elohim the grand council, then Jehovah then Michael or Adam and Jesus was and all of us were children of Adam.

[@Dandeeman26]

@@kuriju88 to be fair we all descended from Adam so........there's that.

[@LeaSaSuEntertainment]

Do you have to use those Marxist tropes?