Criticizing the Prophet will get your horse killed by God.

Sylvester Smith’s Horse Dies because he criticizes the Prophet

Lesson # 28 Link

Lesson Story Summary:

The Zion’s Camp expedition was struggling. Food and water were short or contaminated. The weather was extreme. The men were fighting each other and many were blaming Joseph Smith for their suffering. A man named Sylvester Smith was very angry with The Prophet. Joseph rebuked Sylvester and the other men. Almost every horse got sick. The men repented of their complaining. Every horse got better, except Sylvester Smith’s horse, which died.

Why it is wrong:

The purpose of the lesson appears to be:
                      Argue against authority at your own peril.

If you disagree with the Prophet or other church leadership, your horse might die or something terrible might happen. What a terrible message to give children. Church leaders make mistakes all the time. Don’t give the message that if you disagree you will be cursed.

The fact is that the expedition was horribly planned. Even though Joseph Smith had months to prepare. They didn’t take nearly enough provisions or money and their equipment was poor. The horses were suffering more than the men and often went days without adequate or clean water. It isn’t surprising that the men complained and that a horse died.

The lesson oversimplifies that if you disagree, your horse will died. When there are so many other factors to consider. This also creates a modern church culture that even if the criticism of a leader is justified, you should still not complain.

Further Reading
Signature Books - Journal Entry

BYU - Studies Article

Wikipedia Arti

More Primary Manual Craziness !!