Do people expect perfection from their religious leaders?

The answer is yes and I am ashamed to admit that I did for a time. Than again, I was fifteen. To expect perfection from any man but Jesus Christ is a fools game. 

When it comes out that Joseph Smith Jr drank tea, coffee or beer there are two options I've usually seen. The first is disbelief-which is fine, you don't have to believe things that are true, well documented and sourced. But if you don't believe things that people of all stripes generally do-then you will correctly be marginalized. IE-You are free to think that Winston Churchill was the fist president of the United States and that George Washington played center for the 98' Bulls. Just don't expect people to listen to you. Anyway, if you have a problem with Smith Jr and some questionable habits he had-well so what? Do you expect perfection from him? He was a man just like the rest of the church leaders are. If you think his own behavior (sinful or not) caused his prophecies or religion not to be true than you need to seriously re-examine your own faith.

You will never agree 100% with anything. Your church, your religious leaders, your political heroes, music idols or even yourself. If you agree with someone all the time that means you've probably given up thinking for yourself and told them to think for you. I see it often when people blindly obey someone and it really is strange. I'm someone who likes to think he thinks for himself and is influenced by others but hopefully doesn't just vomit out what they think word for word. I have yet to meet someone whom I agree with all the time and I probably wouldn't like them if I did.