The average man is not looking for a reason to believe. Rather, he is looking for a reason to disbelieve. Therefore, any bad example can do more harm in a second than can be overcome by many good examples. Many investigators have had a hard time reconciling the differences between the gospel teachings and the members’ actions. Although we often excuse members’ hypocrisy by telling investigators not to judge the church by its members, the humbling truth is that the Lord has instructed us that the members should be able to withstand scrutiny, for by their fruits ye shall know them (Matt 7:20).
"Nothing speaks louder to our youth than the bad example of a leader. Such hypocrisy also leads youth to believe that sexual and other misconduct is not serious or will not interfere with the eternally important goals of missionary service, temple covenants and full Church participation, and that repentance is swift and easy.
“Such damning rationalization is Satan’s most effective lie and must never be accepted.” (Church News, 12/14/91)
Gordon B. Hinckley
“Whenever you step over the line in an immoral act or in doing any other evil thing, the Church is that much weaker…When you stand true and faithful, it is that much stronger. Each one of you counts.” (Ensign, May 1996, p. 94 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 332)
Joseph Fielding Smith
"I think the greatest crime in all this world is to lead men and women, the children of God, away from the true principles. We see in the world today philosophies of various kinds, tending to destroy faith, faith in God, faith in the principles of the gospel. What a dreadful thing that is.
"The Lord says if we labor all our days and save but one soul, how great will be our joy with him; on the other hand how great will be our sorrow and our condemnation if through our acts we have led one soul away from this truth.
“He who blinds one soul, he who spreads error, he who destroys, through his teachings, divine truth, truth that would lead a man to the kingdom of God and to its fulness, how great shall be his condemnation and his punishment in eternity. For the destruction of a soul is the destruction of the greatest thing that has ever been created.” (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, p. 314)
Sterling W. Sill
"Recently a man came to see me who felt that he needed to talk to someone about his problems. He was very sorry about his dishonesties, his cheating, and his immoralities. He bitterly regretted the unkindnesses that had caused his wife to die of a broken heart.
“But although he had repented a thousand times, yet he was powerless to undo his evil. He was unemployed because his past weaknesses had made future confidence impossible. His children were still suffering the disgrace of his bad example, and after having set all of these evils in motion, he could only say, ’I wish I could live my life over again.’ But how ridiculous can we be. No one can live his life over again. There are no rehearsals in life. We can’t rehearse birth or life or death. To feel sorry for our sins does not erase the injuries or heal up the wounds. And how can one repent of a bad example or a damaged soul?” (Conference Report, Oct. 1964, p. 113)