Authority Quote by Oliver Cowdery
“I will not be influenced, governed, or controlled, in my temporal interests by any ecclesiastical authority or pretended revelation whatever, contrary to my own judgment.”
About This Quote
Source Letter: 1830, to church leaders
He refuses to let religious authority dictate his personal decisions, trusting his own judgment instead.
In simple terms: He rejects religious control over personal choices.
Key Takeaway
Trust your own judgment over imposed authority.
Themes
individual autonomy
religious freedom
personal integrity
skepticism
authority challenge
Mood
reflective
defiant
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- personal decision making
- religious discourse
- legal rights
- education
- self‑reliance
Key Concepts
secularism
personal sovereignty
critical thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- What personal convictions guide you?
- When should you seek external counsel?
A Different Perspective
Even without external control, personal bias can mislead decisions.
![“...Both Elizabeth [Smart] and Ruby [Jessop] were fourteen when they were kidnapped, raped and "kept captive by polygamous fanatics." The main difference in the girls' respective ordeals...is that "Elizabeth was brainwashed for nine months," while Ruby had been brainwashed by polygamist fanatics…” quote by Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bfa/jon-krakauer-1557_crimes-and-punishmen_both-elizabeth-smart-and-ruby-jessop-wer_300466.jpg)
![“The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the formulas of nations at war, where any heinousness is justified on the grounds that the enemy is either an inferior [part of the] species or…” quote by Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/895/kate-millett-7301_accompany_the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imp_8896.jpg)