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Continue ShoppingBook of Mormon Villains - and What We Can Learn From Them. (The B.O.M. Series 5 of 7)
When you hear, (or read in this case,) the names Laman & Lemuel, King Noah, Nehor, Coriantumr, Zeezrom, and Korihor what comes to mind?
Dissenters? Murderers? Fornicators? Adulterers? Preachers of false doctrines? Anti-Christs? Megalomaniacs? Warmongerers? Etc., etc., etc.
If you thought any of these things, you’d be right—these men collectively, amongst others, were all these things. But we want to dive into things they did that are lesser-known or at least less talked about so we can learn from them, because sometimes the worst example is the best example.
Laman & Lemuel
Who are they?
They are the sons of the prophet Lehi and the brother of Nephi. Their stories can be found in 1 & 2 Nephi.
What’s their crime?
While these brothers are well known for murmuring, they also rebelled against their father, beat their brothers (Nephi more than once that we read about), tied up their brother Nephi with the intention of killing him (more than once that we read about,) mutinied against their brother Nephi after their father’s death, and then, eventually, abandon the gospel.
Whew. That’s a lot.
Keep in mind that they had a visit from an angel telling them that Nephi, whom they had just beaten with a rod, would eventually lead the family, and yet, they still did all these things.
Lesser-known misdeed?
In 1 Nephi 14: 7-9 we read “And they [Laman & Lemuel] said: Behold, we cannot understand the words which our father hath spoken concerning the Gentiles. And I [Nephi] said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord? And they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us.”
What can we learn from them?
Laman and Lemuel limited God’s power and influence in their life. They didn’t learn because they didn’t want to. When we compare this to Nephi’s “I will go and do” attitude, you see where the problem lies.
In 1 Nephi 15: 10-11 Nephi says, “[...] How is it that ye do not keep the commandments of the Lord? How is it that you will perish, because of the hardness of your hearts? Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.”
Nephi believed that the Lord could do all things. He believed that he could do all things through the Lord and because of this belief he did many great things, including, but not limited to, getting the plates of brass from Laban, leading his family through the wilderness for years to the land of Bountiful, building a ship that could carry his family from the old world to the new one (not a small feat, I assure you), where he became a leader over his people and built a prosperous and faithful community.
The takeaway?
Don’t limit the Lord in your life.
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Nehor
Who is he?
“[...] a man who was large, and was noted for his much strength,” Alma 1:2, who founded an apostate sect. You can read his story in Alma 1:1-15.
What’s his crime?
He taught that salvation would come to all and that there was therefore no reason to repent, and told the religious leaders in his community that they should be paid for their preachings and hold privileged statuses. Priestcraft.
“And he’d gone about the people, preaching to them that which he termed to be the word of God, bearing down against the church,” Alma 1:3.
“And he began to be lifted up in the pride of his heart, and to wear very costly apparel, yea, and even began to establish a church after the manner of his preaching,” Alma 1:6
He came upon a member of the church named Gideon who rebuked him. He became “wroth” with Gideon, drew his sword, and killed him, becoming a murderer also.
Lesser-known misdeed?
Teaching false doctrines.
What can we learn from him?
There’s a lot of emphasis on the false doctrines he taught, but what about the simple teaching of scripture mixed with the philosophies of men?
In Alma 1:4 we read “And he also testified unto the people that all mankind should be saved at the last day, and that they need not fear nor tremble, but that they might lift up their heads and rejoice; for the Lord had created all men, and had also redeemed all men; and, in the end, all men should have eternal life.”
Why did these lies so easily lead away so many? Because they’re mixed with truths. Look at the scripture above again. Go ahead, we’ll wait.
God wants to save us. Truth. So is it so difficult to believe that we’ll automatically be saved without repentance?
God loves us. Truth. So, is it so hard to believe that he doesn’t want us to be afraid?
Heavenly Father prepared a way, through our Savior Jesus Christ, for us to be redeemed. Truth. So is it so hard to believe that means we’ll all have eternal life?
The takeaway?
Don’t stray from the scriptures.
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