When Personal Conscience Clashes with LDS Church Doctrine (Nathan Oman 4 of 5)

What do you do when your personal conscience clashes with official LDS Church positions? Why did the LDS Church transition from the fiery, anti-communist speeches of Ezra Taft Benson in the 1960s to the strict political neutrality we see today?

https://youtu.be/cDExXX00Y0o

Oman is the author of 2 volumes of Law and the Restoration Volume 1 and Volume 2, from Greg Kofford Books.

In this episode of Gospel Tangents, I sat down with Nathan Oman, law professor and author of Law and the Restoration, to explore the fascinating evolution of Mormon political theology and the realities of modern Church discipline.

We dive into the Church’s shift toward “quietism”—a strategy of withdrawing from global political conflict to focus on personal righteousness and international missionary work. Discover why praise for the U.S. Constitution has largely vanished from General Conference, replaced by an emphasis on the 12th Article of Faith and being an unthreatening, law-abiding citizen in international environments.

Personal Conscience

The conversation also tackles the complex tension between personal conscience and institutional authority. Oman explains the “epistemic advantage” of church doctrine and shares practical, ethical advice on how faithful members can navigate deep personal disagreements with the Church without undermining its global mission.
Finally, we pull back the curtain on LDS Church discipline. While liberal intellectuals and internet critics dominate the media headlines, Oman reveals a surprising historical truth: the modern concept of apostasy was primarily developed for, and is overwhelmingly used against, polygamist fundamentalists.

In this video, we cover:
The legacy of Ezra Taft Benson’s Cold War apocalypticism.
Why the Church avoids taking stances on hot-button political issues like immigration.
The “epistemic advantage” of obedience and trusting Church doctrine.
How to ethically handle personal disagreements with Church leaders without being insubordinate.
The truth about who actually gets excommunicated for apostasy.
📚 Guest: Nathan Oman, law professor at William & Mary and author of Law and the Restoration.
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CHAPTERS

0:00 Taking on Hugh Nibley
9:13 Civil Disobedience (Hubener)