Watch the video presentation at: https://youtu.be/o_LWGooosxM
ICEBREAKER
Talk about YouTube “How To” videos. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve needed to repair something, figure something out, or I wanted to learn a new hobby or skill and YouTube came through for me and gave me the help and instruction I needed. Here are some of the top “how to” searches on Google. What do you think some of them might be? Take a guess and see if it makes the list. These are the things people most want to know how to do.
How to tie a tie.
How to lose weight
How to draw
How to make money
How to make pancakes
How to write a cover letter
How to make French Toast
TRANSITION
This week we’re going to do two “how to’s”. One from the adversary’s perspective and one from the Lord's. Korihor is going to speak for Satan and Alma will speak on behalf of the Lord. Their topics? Korihor is going to teach us how to destroy faith in 6 easy steps. Now I can hear you murmuring to yourself, why on earth would I want to study Korihor’s side? Why would I want to learn how to destroy faith? That’s a good question, what do you think? Is there any wisdom in examining the techniques and tools of the devil? I think so! The more we understand how he works, the less likely we are to be deceived by him. It’s good to understand our enemies and how they work. Now from the Lord’s side, Alma is going to teach us how to defend our faith in 6 easy steps. Both “how to’s” are going to provide us with insight and strength. So let’s start with Korihor so that we can end on a more positive note.
BACKGROUND
After a period of peace among the Nephites, one day a man named Korihor comes walking into Zarahemla. The Book of Mormon labels him as an Anti-Christ. Now we discussed that term back in Jacob 7 when we were introduced to a man named Sherem, the first Anti-Christ of the Book of Mormon. The term Anti-Christ isn’t always a very helpful one because it sounds so diabolical, so evil, that most people have trouble relating to it. It conjures up images of cult leaders or devil worship or the criminally insane. I like a different term to describe these people. Faith-shakers. That’s how Jacob described Sherem. He says that Sherem sought to shake him from the faith. If you asked your class how many of them had ever met an Anti-Christ, you probably wouldn’t get many hands up, but if you asked them if they had ever met a faith-shaker, almost every hand will go up. And really, that’s basically what an Anti-Christ is—somebody who seeks to draw your faith away from Christ. Korihor is an expert faith-shaker. But fortunately, Alma is master at dealing with faith-shakers. In the Book of Mormon, he gets the privilege of dealing with three out of the four. This is perhaps somewhat fitting because, at one point in his life, he was a faith-shaker himself.
But let’s examine Korihor first and the tactics he uses to tear down faith. Hopefully, this will better prepare you to recognize these methods when the adversary tries them on you, which he most certainly will. It is possible that you will run up against actual individuals who try these things on you, but more often than not, these tactics will likely be used directly by the adversary within your own minds and hearts.
HOW TO DESTROY FAITH IN 6 EASY STEPS
Step #1
Look at the following phrases that Korihor uses and what pattern do you see.
:13 Foolish and vain hope , Such foolish things
:14 These things which ye call prophecies, Foolish traditions
:16 It is the effect of a frenzied mind, and this derangement of our minds comes because of the traditions of your fathers, which lead you away into a belief of things which are not so.
:23 foolish traditions, foolish ordinances and performances
:27 foolish traditions
:28 their dreams and whims, and their visions and their pretended mysteries.
:31 He rises up in great swelling words before Alma and instead of using the word foolish in this verse he calls them silly traditions.
What’s the tactic here? Step 1 in destroying people’s faith is to mock them. This is one of the most effective and popular means a faith shaker uses to bring down faith. You can make anyone or anything look silly, no matter how sacred or true, just by the way you talk about it. Usually, reasonable, rational, and respectful conversation just won’t cut it when you are seeking to destroy faith. Some of the most popular faith shakers of our day are also really funny people. They are very talented comedians as well as being really smart. The guys who wrote the Book of Mormon musical and Bill Maher come to mind. Strongly anti-faith individuals but very skilled entertainers. Remember the great and spacious building, what was their activity of choice? Mocking the people under the tree. They don’t have anything better to do than point their fingers in scorn at those who believe.
Step #2
There is something that Korihor brings up over and over again in his railings.
He constantly speaks bout the "foolish traditions" of the fathers.
:14, :16, :23, :27, :28, :31
:23 he speaks about performances laid down by ancient priests and in
:24 he talks about ancient prophecies.
Step #2 is to outdate them. Faith shakers love to appear progressive, modern, and new. They deride the past and try to make time-honored truths and foundational principles look old-fashioned, backwater, and obsolete. Maybe they mock church leadership who are typically older individuals. They say things like "How can you let your life be run by a bunch of old men in Salt Lake? They don’t understand you. They don’t understand contemporary issues. They’re old and aren’t with the times. My favorite response to that accusation, Jeffrey R. Holland’s in the October 2006 general conference:
"As the least of those who have been sustained by you to witness the guidance of this Church firsthand, I say with all the fervor of my soul that never in my personal or professional life have I ever associated with any group who are so in touch, who know so profoundly the issues facing us, who look so deeply into the old, stay so open to the new, and weigh so carefully, thoughtfully, and prayerfully everything in between. I testify that the grasp this body of men and women have of moral and societal issues exceeds that of any think tank or brain trust of comparable endeavor of which I know anywhere on the earth. I bear personal witness of how thoroughly good they are, of how hard they work, and how humbly they live. It is no trivial matter for this Church to declare to the world prophecy, seership, and revelation, but we do declare it.”
(CR October 2006)
Step #3
Take a look at these phrases:
:13 Bound down, yoke yourselves
:23 bind themselves down under foolish ordinances and performances
:24 Ye say this people is a free people, behold I say they are in bondage
:27 ye keep them down, even as it were in bondage, that ye may glut yourselves with the labors of their hands, that they durst not look up with boldness and that they durst not enjoy their rights and privileges.
The tactic here. Make their obedience seem like bondage. Plant in their minds the idea that following proven rules of effective behavior is restrictive and limits their freedom rather than magnifying it. Believers have a set of rules they call commandments. Make them feel like they are being controlled rather than guided and blessed by them.
Faith shakers will almost always suggest that commandments, rules, counsels, and standards are a threat to freedom, and therefore, should be rebelled against. And that tactic is pretty easy to employ because commandments do restrict the will and desires of the natural man. That part of us that wants what it wants now without any thought for the future. Live in the moment and do what feels good. So it’s easy to make commandments seem restricting. However, the restriction in the short term produces the greater freedom in the long. The restriction of the appetite now leads to freedom from health problems and addiction. The restriction of lust now leads to the freedom of loving long-term relationships and sexual health. The restriction of anger and temper now leads to freedom from regret and loss of trust. God wants willing obedience so where is the bondage if it’s willing.
Step #4
Korihor tells them that these commandments are
:23 laid down by ancient priests to usurp power and authority over them, to keep them in ignorance, that they may not lift up their heads but be brought down according to thy words.
:27 thus ye lead away this people after the foolish traditions of your fathers, AND ACCORDING TO YOUR OWN DESIRES
:28 they durst not make use of that which is their own let they should offend their priests who do yoke them according to their desires.
:31 did revile against the priests and teachers, accusing them of leading away the people
Notice the tactic here? I call this, Inventing a power struggle. The adversary knows that believers inevitably have leaders, parents, and teachers that endeavor to teach them commandments and encourage them to live and follow them. Satan tries to convince them that these people are motivated by a desire to control rather than to help. As a parent, I have rules and expectations for my children. Is my motivation the desire to control them? Am I drunk with power? Do I get some kind of pleasure in exercising my authority over them? No. I suppose that it’s possible that somebody might, but it really doesn’t take into account all the sacrifices a parent makes for their child. All their efforts to support, and love, and help them. Do parents really give all of that so that they can revel in telling their kids what to do? Same with church leaders. I just don’t see the great motivation for church leaders to try and control us. What benefit does that bring them? Local church leaders sacrifice an incredible amount of time serving in their callings and receive no financial gain from it. Global church leaders are given a living allowance but in return work incredibly hard during the years where most people their age are enjoying rest and retirement. Many of them gave up highly lucrative careers in order to serve in the church. And on top of that, when you hear them speak in conference, do you get the sense that they are trying to control you? That they have some ulterior motive? I guess you have to decide that for yourself and I can only speak for me, but I just don’t see it. Their sincerity, their love, and their commitment to their faith are evident in the way they speak and the spirit they bring.
Tactic #5
I would point to two specific verses here.
:27 and :31 Here Korihor suggests that Alma teaches the gospel so that he can glut himself on the labors of the people. He’s accusing Alma of teaching for money. This, of course, is an outright lie. Many of the other things Korihor is teaching we could say are his opinion, but this statement is a little different. It’s a lie. The tactic here that faith-shakers use is to subtly, at the right moment slip in a lie, but to be very careful to also cushion it with half-truths and exaggerations so that it will be less detectable.
My experience with Anti-church literature seems to follow this pattern. Usually, their arguments will begin with a statement of truth, albeit, presented in the worst possible light. I mean, honestly, you can make anything look bad just in the way you talk about it. I can make Disneyland seem like a terrible place just in the words and tone that I use to talk about it. But often, under the half-truths and hyperbole, faith-shakers will slip outright lies. Something that simply is not true. Those less informed in the gospel or whose testimonies are more vulnerable because of inexperience can’t always detect them. Satan is referred to as the Father of lies, and he is an expert in employing them.
Tactic #6
Finally, Take a look at the following verses.
:15 ye cannot know of things which ye do not see
:17 No atonement
:17every man fared in this life according to the management of the creature, etc. Survival of the fittest, Social Darwinism
:17 Whatsoever a man does, it was no crime
:18 when a man is dead, that is the end thereof
:26 There shall be no Christ
:28 God does not exist
What’s the tactic? Undercut their doctrine. Blatantly and directly challenge their beliefs. I call these statements of Korihor’s the Articles of no Faith. Because it’s difficult for the enemies of the gospel to criticize or attack our actions or morals, I mean who can argue against honesty, sacrifice, family, and service. So what do they usually go after? Our doctrine. The things we believe about God and our eternal destiny. So Korihor one by one denies that these things are real. His opening salvo is that you cannot know of things which ye do not see. This continues to be the major criticism people of faith first hear in our post scientific revolution world. Something can only be true if it is observable. What those critics fail to recognize is that that is exactly what faith is. It’s believing things that are not seen. We believe that there is another way of discovering truth. Now we don’t deny the fact that empirical evidence and scientific observation is a way to obtain truth. It is. We can accept that. But we also believe that we can discover truth through revelation from a loving God by the power of his Spirit. This is not observable in the way of the world. So when they attack us for not being able to provide empirical evidence for the existence of God or the Spirit, or heaven, or an afterlife, we say, you're right, we can’t. We make no claim that we can. This is the basis of faith. You’re condemning us for something that we are not claiming. The language of faith is not the same as the language of science and was never intended to be.
He says there is no atonement. Each of the anti-Christs in the Book of Mormon have a little bit of a different approach to salvation. The believer says we are saved by the grace and mercy of Christ. So Sherem says we are saved by our works, in his case, the law of Moses, Nehor says everybody’s saved, no matter what, Korihor says “saved from what”, there’s nothing to be saved from, when we die, that’s it, and Zoram says, we are saved, and you're not. So to Satan, it doesn’t really matter what false doctrine you prescribe to, as long as it is Anti-Christ. If he can’t get you with one false philosophy, another will do just as well as long as it draws you away from the Savior. I can think of examples of every single one of these philosophies in the world today, some secular, some religious and each is effective in their own way with their own specific audiences.
I find his article of no faith in vs 18 interesting as well. He says that “every man fared in this life according to the management of the creature; therefore every man prospered according to his genius, and that every man conquered according to his strength” This philosophy is alive and well today. You could call it the law of survival of the fittest, social Darwinism, the law of the jungle approach to life. Forget service, forget sacrifice, forget fairness and charity, make all your decisions based on how they benefit you. Self-fulfillment through selfishness. The gospel, on the other hand, has us look after our brother, and when we are in the service of our fellow beings, we are only in the service of our God. The anti-doctrine of Korihor is cutthroat. The doctrine of God is giving.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
So, have you ever had any experience with any of these tactics? Has the adversary tried them on you? Have you seen them work? Hopefully, by reading this story, we have exposed some of his diabolical designs. When the faith shakers and Korihors enter your life, I hope you can recognize the tactics. Satan’s methods haven’t changed for millennia. Be aware of them and prepared for them.
HOW TO DEFEND YOUR FAITH IN 5 EASY STEPS
Now let’s turn to Alma. Let’s flip things around for a bit. We are going to watch a master at work as he dismantles Korihor’s arguments against faith. Let’s label these: How to defend your faith in 6 easy steps.
Step #1
The first step actually doesn’t come from Alma but from the people of Ammon, or the Anti-Nephi-Lehies in :20-21. Look at how they respond to Korihor’s attacks on their faith.
Maybe one of the best ways to deal with a faith shaker is to just walk away. We don’t have to seek out or even put up with blatant attacks on what we believe. Now if somebody has a legitimate question or curiosity or doubt, there is no reason to run away from it and there are times to stand up for what we believe. But when you can tell that their principal motive is to try and tear down what you believe, why entertain it? Why go seeking it out? Maybe it would be more wise for us to cast it out or simply walk away. We don’t need to feel obligated to answer every accusation that is hurled at us. As a full-time missionary, if I ever sensed that somebody was just hoping to argue with me, put down my beliefs, or try to shake my faith, I would simply say that our purpose as missionaries was not to argue about religion, and then hand them an invitation card with the address to the church and invite them to come and worship with us sometime. I found that to be a very effective way of dealing with those hostile to our work.
Step #2 Correct Lies with the Truth
:32-34
What’s Alma doing here? He’s correcting Korihor’s lie with the truth. We should be ready and able to do the same. Don’t let them get away with lies. Of course, in order to correct them with the truth, you need to know the truth yourself first. Hopefully, we’ve prepared ourselves with study, pondering, and prayer in order to be able to do so.
Step 3
:35
I love this one. Korihor is suggesting that the people are miserable. That they are being controlled by these leaders and are bound down and living lives of quiet desperation and drudgery. And Alma’s like, “What are you talking about!? Look around you. These people are happy. Why are you trying to steal their joy? The step here is to not let them manipulate you. Faith shakers will often try to tell you how you feel about something. You can’t do anything. Your church runs your life. I can’t believe your church asks you to pay 10% of your income. On and on and on, they want to dictate how you feel about things. Don’t stand for it. Correct them. Actually, I love my faith, I love my church. My faith brings me joy. I’m grateful to have the restored gospel in my life. I’m grateful for the guidance of commandments and the inspiring words and counsels of living prophets. Don’t let them tell you how you feel. You decide how you feel and express it boldly.
Step 4
:39
The step? Bear testimony. Alma answer with pure testimony. Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. Counteract their unfaith, with real faith. Short, straightforward, sincere statements of belief are powerful tools in fending off attacks. It’s really hard to argue with testimony. There is a point where we may simply have to say. I know that God lives. I know that Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of mankind. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. People can’t deny your faith. They may attack it. They may mock it. They may question it. But they can’t tell you that you don’t have a testimony. That sits comfortably within your power.
Now, the usual counter attack to testimony is. How do you know? They may say something like “what evidence do you have for your so-called belief”. Prove to me that you know. Remember Korihor’s article of no faith. You cannot know of things which ye do not see. It’s all about evidence right?
Step #5
That’s why I love Step 5. Look at what Alma does in verse :40
It’s like he says. Ok, Korihor. Since it’s all about evidence here. What’s your evidence? What evidence do you have that there is no God? Give me your arguments. I would call this step: Put them on the defensive. Don’t let them back you into a corner. You may not have all the answers, but neither do they! Ask them to give you their evidence. In most cases, they will have to admit that they have no proof either, just their own opinion and that will place you back firmly on equal ground. They’re like the political candidate who runs the smear campaign against his opponent, who offers up argument after argument for why the opponent is a bad choice and what they are doing wrong, yet they have no plan themselves and offer no valid alternatives. It’s all about tearing the other down without building something themselves. When I think of the arguments against faith, it’s kind of nice to know that there is no evidence that there is no God. There is no slam dunk, smoking gun proof that Joseph Smith did not have the First Vision, or that the Book of Mormon isn’t true. Many have tried, but their arguments are just opinions. No proof. No evidence.
Now, you may already have experienced the most common retort to this step. When you ask them to give you evidence that there is no God they will usually say “Ah, but you don’t prove a negative. The burden of proof lies with the one asserting the existence of something. If you tell me there is a Santa Claus, then you need to prove to me he exists rather than me prove to you that he doesn’t”. They always think they're so clever. Again, let’s go to Alma for help.
Step #6
Alma says. Korihor. I do have evidence. Let me tell you where my faith comes from. My testimony is based on more than just opinion. Look at what he says in :41
:41 But behold, I have all things as a testimony that these things are true; and ye also have all things as a testimony unto you that they are true.
I would call this final step for defending our faith “Know why you know”. Or “Build a Pyramid of Faith”.
Alma knows where his testimony comes from. His faith is solid. I love the analogy my father uses to describe this kind of faith. He calls it having a testimony pyramid. A pyramid is one of the most stable structures you can build. There is a reason the pyramids of Egypt are still standing after 1000’s of years. Sometimes, to help my students understand just how old the pyramids are, I ask them if they know who Abraham was and where his story is found in the scriptures. The Abraham story happens in Genesis, the first book of the Bible and in that story, Abraham visits Egypt. When he did, the pyramids were ancient to him. That’s how old they are. We also find pyramids in Asia and Mesoamerica and they still stand. They are a solid structure. We want a testimony like that.
And so, at the top of our testimony, we put the words “I know”. That’s the tip of our faith. But what is our “I know” founded on? What supports our “I know”? For the longest time, I thought it was feelings and emotions. I know the church is true because I feel it. But, feelings aren’t always the most stable of things. Now I’m not discounting the importance of feelings in testimony. We know that the Spirit does communicate through our hearts and the way we feel. But faith is built on so much more.
DEFINITION OF FAITH
I love to go to Hebrews 11:1 for the answer. It’s my favorite definition of faith anywhere. Paul says :
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. I love those words. Faith is based on substance and evidence and in the footnote, Joseph Smith adds the word “assurance”.
Our testimonies are based on feelings, but also substance, evidence, and assurance.
What is the substance, evidence, and assurance? Alma will give us the bottom level of our pyramid. This verse is phenomenal.
:44
44 But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign,
"when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren,"
This is substance and evidence #1. I would call this the evidence of experience. We believe because we and others have had actual experiences with divine things. I bet you anything that I could poll this audience right now and ask “How many of you have ever had some kind of experience with God, an answer to prayer, a miracle, or an outpouring of the Spirit?” I bet you that every single one of you could share something of that nature, and probably even multiple experiences. Well, we could compile all of those experiences into a book. It would be huge. As large as a set of encyclopedias and slam that down in front of the skeptic and say “substance, evidence”, the collective real-life experiences of so many.
Then he says
"and also all the holy prophets?”
Substance and evidence #2. We’ll call this evidence “authority”. We believe in certain things because others with authority, whom we trust, have told us so. I’ve never seen God or Jesus Christ physically, but I believe in the character and authority of those who say they have. I don’t claim to receive direct revelation from God to lead the global church, but I believe in the authority of those who claim they do. We have to look at their character and observe how they speak and live to determine whether we trust that authority. As far as the first presidency and the quorum of the 12 apostles are concerned. I sense the sincerity and power of these men. I trust their authority. If anybody were to know that the church wasn’t true, that this was all a farce. It would be them. How could you claim that kind of revelation from God in that position and not know if you were really receiving it? Do you get the sense that they are trying to deceive you? That they are putting on airs? I don’t. The fact that they speak the way they do, and live the way they do and lead the way they do, is a great pillar to my testimony. I believe in their authority. And we all, religious or non-religious have to put our trust in some sources of authority. I guess you have to believe in the authority of the scientist, or the engineer, or the politician, or the media personality, and how often do these people turn out to be wrong? We all have to put our trust somewhere. The fact that we have individuals to turn to with authority is substance and evidence of the things we believe.
"The scriptures are laid before thee”
The scriptures are their own kind of substance and evidence. They are tangible and real. You cannot explain their existence away. the Bible exists, the Book of Mormon exists, and you have to account for that existence somehow. And what are the scriptures filled with? Authority and experience. They’re like a combination of the first two. The fact that these books exist and the amazing power and influence they have and have had on millions of people over centuries is evidence and substance for our faith. They have a unique and innate power and spirit that you don’t get in any other kind of book. They stand as powerful witnesses of divinity. And luckily for us as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have four of them.
Finally, Alma says:
"yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.”
I love this one. Let’s call this the substance and evidence of reason. Alma is appealing to Korihor’s sense of reason here. Look around you, look at the earth and everything on it, and the planets and the solar system as you look into the night sky. Can you really believe that you can have all that order and structure and matter and it be the result of some accident, some chance creation? Our reason dictates against that. It just doesn’t seem to make any sense. There must be purpose, there must be design, there must be intelligence behind all of that beauty and order. My sense of reason tells me that. It makes sense in my mind, not just my heart and feelings. This applies to other areas as well. The Book of Mormon. There are only two explanations for its existence. Either it was translated by the power and gift of God from ancient records, or Joseph Smith made it up and wrote it. Those are the options. My reason tells me that a backwoods farm boy from upstate New York with a third-grade education couldn’t have written that book. It just doesn’t compute. With all its literary and historical and religious significance and power. My reason doesn’t allow me to believe Joseph made it up. That is not a valid explanation even for my scientific logical mind. My reason tells me there is a God. My reason tells me that the Book of Mormon is true. My sense of reason tells me that if there is a loving God out there, that he would provide a means for his children to discover the truth, a church to act as a source for that truth. My reason tells me that he would have a plan, that he would call prophets, that he would have a system of authority and order to operate under. This is all from the logical part of my brain. This is substance, this is evidence.
And so you see, as people of faith, we do have a sturdy leg to stand on, and it is far stronger and deeper than feelings alone. That’s why I feel that it’s important for all of us when we say that we know, that we can also express and testify of how we know.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Well, to liken the scriptures, consider the following questions:
What has helped you to fend off the faith-shakers of your life?
What experiences have you had that have helped you to form your testimony?
What evidence and substance forms the foundation of your faith?
Are you willing to look for opportunities to bear that testimony to others?
CONCLUSION
Now, the rest of the story of Alma 30 is pretty straightforward. Korihor continues to demand a sign and interestingly, God gives him one. But it’s not a good one. You know, be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it. He strikes him dumb and eventually he is trampled underfoot by the Zoramites. And I find Alma’s conclusion compelling. He says in verse 60:
60 And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell. Satan does not support his children. He cares nothing for those that follow him. He’s a deadbeat dad. Why would we choose him then? It makes no sense. Let’s choose a better father. He’s a little more strict, and he expects a lot out of us, but he loves us and will more than support us at the last day. He’ll lift us up, and purify us, and exalt us.
And until that day, ignore the mocking of the faith shakers, trust in the wise traditions of our fathers, recognize that obedience isn’t bondage, trust the authority of the experienced, don’t fall for the lies of the adversary, and know and believe your doctrine. Build your pyramid of faith and know why you know. Then the Korihors of our lives can come and we will be able to stand firm, like the pyramids against the sands of time, against them.
ALMA 31-THE ZORAMITES
ICEBREAKER
As an icebreaker, I might begin with this little activity. Display the following prayer and ask your class to identify what might be inappropriate about it.
My Dear Savior,
I am thankful that I am so popular and good looking.
I am thankful that I’m not like all those wicked non-members.
Please bless me that I will not have any problems or trials in my life.
Please help me to win the lottery.
Please forgive me for the things I am going to do this weekend.
In the name of the Holy Ghost. Amen
TRANSITION
Today we’ll look at another prayer that Alma identified as having some problems. The Zoramite prayer. The Zoramites were a group of apostate Nephites who identified themselves as “religious” people. And I think an effective way of approaching this lesson is to compare the Zoramite prayer and the way it was performed with Alma’s prayer, noting the differences between the two and determining which we feel is the better and more effective way of communicating with our father in heaven.
THE COMPARISON
Here are a few things that stand out to me:
I like to compare :14 with :26. The Zoramites prayed towards heaven, while Alma prayed to heaven. Interesting choice of words there. Perhaps this suggests that the Zoramite prayer was merely offered in the direction of heaven, but lacked an actual destination. It was only prayed towards heaven. And that seems to make sense considering the fact that I don’t feel the Zoramites really intended their prayer to be heard by deity anyway. They really seem to be worshipping themselves rather than God. They are praying to be heard of men. On the other hand, Alma’s prayer actually obtains its destination. It proceeded “to” heaven as opposed to just towards. And we know that it reaches its intended objective because his prayer is answered. Verse 36 tells us that they were filled with the Spirit and 38 tells us that the Lord provided for them.
Another difference. You see pride all over the Zoramite prayer.
We believe thou hast separated us from our brethren,
We believe that thou hast elected us to be thy holy children
Thou hast elected us that we shall be saved, whilst all around us are elected to be cast by thy wrath down to hell
We thank thee O god that we are a chosen and a holy people
On the other hand, look at Alma’s attitude. True, he does point out what he feels they are doing wrong in his prayer, but this is not done out of a spirit of condemnation or pride. In verse 35 he says:
35 Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.
Alma recognizes the worth of the Zoramite’s souls, as misguided as they are, and prays that he will have an ability to turn them from their self-worship to real worship.
In verse 20 we learn that the Zoramites said this exact same prayer each week. Their prayer gives new meaning to the phrase “Vain repetitions”. The Zoramites were truly vain in their repeated prayers.
But in Alma’s prayer, you sense the sincerity. This is not a memorized script. It’s a conversation with God, dealing specifically with the matter at hand. Prayer is not intended to be rote, but real. We are speaking with an actual being with immeasurable power.
In vs. 23 we find that they never spoke again of their God except for this one time a week performance. Alma on the other hand, “continues in prayer and supplication to God daily” as verse 10 suggests.
There are more differences, but that will suffice.
FORMALIZING RELIGION
I think the bigger issue at stake here is what the Zoramite prayers reveal about their character. Their prayers are an indicator of a deeper, more fundamental problem. A symptom of a more deep-seated disease. They are a perfect illustration of a tactic I feel the adversary uses to bring down religious people. Where Korihor mounts a secular assault on truth, the Zoramites exemplify a religious one. They are a quote-unquote “religious” people. They have synagogues, they say prayers, they gather together once a week, they worship. So what’s the problem? The problem is that they are hyper-focused on the ceremonial or outer performances of religion. All churches have ritual or ceremonial type practices, including ours. But Satan has a way of taking everything good and twisting them for his purposes. How could Satan take something like church worship, prayer, scripture study, or even temple attendance and make them work for him? He tempts us to treat these things as ends in and of themselves rather than a means to an end. Of course, they are all good things, but if they’re not turning us into beings more like God, then we’ve missed the point. Religion is more about becoming than it is about believing or even doing. The adversary wants us to over formalize the religious practices and use them as a measuring stick with which to compare ourselves to and then condemn others. That’s what’s happened with the Zoramites. They’ve used their worship as a means to lift themselves up (literally on the Rameumpton) above their brethren. We need to be careful not to fall into the same trap. We need to be careful not to get to the point where reading a certain amount of the scriptures a day becomes more important than applying their lessons into our daily actions. Where going to church becomes more important than serving and developing charity. Where saying our prayers become more important than connecting personally with deity. Granted, it’s easier to follow the formal elements of religion than it is to actually forgive people, or selflessly serve others, or develop faith or live our religion. The Zoramites simply perform a weekly ritual but find themselves no closer to God in the practice.
CONCLUSION
I hope that we can heed the warning of the Zoramite trap here. Rather than judge others, we can view their souls as precious, rather than check off the boxes of religious practice, we can perform these things with meaning and intention, rather than just doing “churchy” stuff, we can become beings like God and Christ. Alma shows us the heart and soul of worship. I like the origin of the word “religion”. To religar something means to reconnect. Religion is about reconnecting with God, with the divine, and our fellowman. Where the Zoramites are separating themselves from their brethren and are only praying towards heaven, Alma truly connects with heaven. It’s my prayer that our religious practices will reconnect us with heaven and each other rather than drive us apart.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
A few questions to consider here:
How sincere are your prayers?
What could you do to pray more like Alma?
Are there any areas of your worship where you feel you could “connect” on a deeper level with God?
How could you do that?
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