Why did Lamoni ask Ammon if he wanted to live among the Lamanites? Alma 17:22
This is my favorite story in the entire Book of Mormon. Ammon, a Nephite prince, is converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ and decides to go on a mission. He goes to the land of Ishmael to preach to the descendants of Ishmael who had become Lamanites. His father is really worried about him leaving, but the Lord promises his father, Mosiah, that they will be safe.
As soon as Ammon gets to the land of Ishmael, the Lamanites bind him (like they do all Nephites) and took him before the king. It was up to the king to decide what to do with him.
So Ammon is bound and at the mercy of King Lamoni, a descendant of Ishmael. He could easily choose to kill him, so why does he instead ask if Ammon wants to live among the Lamanites.
Maybe Lamoni was asking it in a scoffing way. Something like, "Haha, what's this? A Nephite? Does the poor wittol Nephite want to wiv wiff Lamanites?"
Or maybe Lamoni was confused, "What were you thinking? Did you really want to live with the Lamanites?"
Answer:
I don't know why he asked this, but it offered Ammon the perfect opportunity to respond:
"Yes! I want to live with this people for a while, and maybe even until the day I die."
Something about Ammon's response pleased Lamoni, who promptly loosed his bands and offers that tropey, predictable and utterly dehumanizing gift - the highest symbol of his pleasure and acceptance of Ammon, one of his daughters' hand in marriage. Seems likely she had no say in the matter, which disgusts me.
Ammon says, "Actually, I would like to be your servant."
And that's how it all begins.
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Why not? Helaman 3:14
Why not? Helaman 3:14
Mormon bemoans the fact that "a hundredth part of the proceedings of [the Nephites]... cannot be contained in this work."
He's a historian. He would deeply care about that not being achievable!
Answer:
It had to be short enough to be printable by Joseph Smith in the 1830's in a printing press in Palmyra. It had to be portable enough to carry as books across the world by missionaries from the 1830's to today. It had to be short enough that people would be able to think, "Hey, that's not too bad. I can read that." 531 pages in English is not too bad, especially considering that 20-30% of every page is footnotes.
Mormon bemoans the fact that "a hundredth part of the proceedings of [the Nephites]... cannot be contained in this work."
He's a historian. He would deeply care about that not being achievable!
Answer:
It had to be short enough to be printable by Joseph Smith in the 1830's in a printing press in Palmyra. It had to be portable enough to carry as books across the world by missionaries from the 1830's to today. It had to be short enough that people would be able to think, "Hey, that's not too bad. I can read that." 531 pages in English is not too bad, especially considering that 20-30% of every page is footnotes.
How do you "cleave unto the Lord [your] God"? Helaman 4:25
How do you "cleave unto the Lord [your] God"? Helaman 4:25
The Nephites start to lose to the Lamanites and realize that the only way to win this war is to "cleave unto the Lord their God." Basically, they realized that the only being mighty enough to save them was God. They had to give up their pride and "yoke" themselves with him.
Answer:
This is a personal question that people of faith (and all Christians, in my opinion) everywhere have to answer for themselves. The answer might look different from the outside at different points in one's life, but on the inside it's basically the same: you have a desire to do God's will. This means you have to try to pay attention and seek what that actually is, but also that when you figure out what it is, you have to trust that it will be the right thing to do. It is really hard. But the word cleave also suggests a deeply personal connection. It evokes an image of personal, tender, intimate closeness. I think we are supposed to try to develop this kind of a relationship with God.
It takes a lifetime.
The Nephites start to lose to the Lamanites and realize that the only way to win this war is to "cleave unto the Lord their God." Basically, they realized that the only being mighty enough to save them was God. They had to give up their pride and "yoke" themselves with him.
Answer:
This is a personal question that people of faith (and all Christians, in my opinion) everywhere have to answer for themselves. The answer might look different from the outside at different points in one's life, but on the inside it's basically the same: you have a desire to do God's will. This means you have to try to pay attention and seek what that actually is, but also that when you figure out what it is, you have to trust that it will be the right thing to do. It is really hard. But the word cleave also suggests a deeply personal connection. It evokes an image of personal, tender, intimate closeness. I think we are supposed to try to develop this kind of a relationship with God.
It takes a lifetime.
Why was Samuel the Lamanite able to prophecy this way? Helaman 13:3
Why was Samuel the Lamanite able to prophecy this way? Helaman 13:3
Samuel the Lamanite was given this amazing spiritual gift that allowed him to prophesy whatever was in his heart, because it would be the voice of the Lord.
Samuel had a really amazing spiritual gift that involved honing a uniquely special communication channel between himself and God. He was able to hear the voice of the Lord and convey it to the people. This spiritual gift is really impressive, and I wish I had it.
I'm sure that one reason Samuel was able to prophesy what was in his heart is because he was really good at keeping the bad stuff out of his heart, and listening to what God wanted him to say. His will was aligned with God's will.
Maybe Samuel had other challenges. Maybe, for example, he was a quiet, peaceful guy who didn't want to endure the conflict and shame that would be required of him by public preaching and prophesying.
Answer:
Because that's how God needed him to, both for the sake of the people being called to repentance, and also for Samuel's sake himself. God gives us special spiritual gifts for our own benefit, and also to benefit those around us. Oddly, or perhaps not so oddly, our weaknesses often turn out to be our greatest strengths when we turn to God for help. Maybe this was the case for Samuel, too.
Samuel the Lamanite was given this amazing spiritual gift that allowed him to prophesy whatever was in his heart, because it would be the voice of the Lord.
Samuel had a really amazing spiritual gift that involved honing a uniquely special communication channel between himself and God. He was able to hear the voice of the Lord and convey it to the people. This spiritual gift is really impressive, and I wish I had it.
I'm sure that one reason Samuel was able to prophesy what was in his heart is because he was really good at keeping the bad stuff out of his heart, and listening to what God wanted him to say. His will was aligned with God's will.
Maybe Samuel had other challenges. Maybe, for example, he was a quiet, peaceful guy who didn't want to endure the conflict and shame that would be required of him by public preaching and prophesying.
Answer:
Because that's how God needed him to, both for the sake of the people being called to repentance, and also for Samuel's sake himself. God gives us special spiritual gifts for our own benefit, and also to benefit those around us. Oddly, or perhaps not so oddly, our weaknesses often turn out to be our greatest strengths when we turn to God for help. Maybe this was the case for Samuel, too.
Why are we these things? Helaman 12:4
Why are we these things? Helaman 12:4
Why are we humans foolish, evil, devilish, quick to do iniquity, slow to do good, quick to listen and obey the devil, and quick to care about things that don't matter and don't last?
Why are we lifted up in pride, boastful, quick to sin, slow to remember the Lord, slow to listen and obey the Lord, and slow to walk in wisdom's paths?
Why don't we want the Lord, our Creator, to rule over us? Why do we set aside his counsels, and not allow him to guide us?
Why are we less than the dust of the earth - even the dust obeys! - why is obedience so hard?
I think that our physical limitations have something to do with it: we're in these carnal bodies that experience physical pain and physical lust and all kinds of other highly natural, but highly unspiritual, desires.
But I think there's more to it than just hating and shaming our physical bodies.
In short, the question is really a lot deeper. Something like, "Where does my desire to sin come from?" That is a theme throughout all the scriptures and the number one topic in Philosophy of Religion courses.
Answer:
I don't know.
Why are we humans foolish, evil, devilish, quick to do iniquity, slow to do good, quick to listen and obey the devil, and quick to care about things that don't matter and don't last?
Why are we lifted up in pride, boastful, quick to sin, slow to remember the Lord, slow to listen and obey the Lord, and slow to walk in wisdom's paths?
Why don't we want the Lord, our Creator, to rule over us? Why do we set aside his counsels, and not allow him to guide us?
Why are we less than the dust of the earth - even the dust obeys! - why is obedience so hard?
I think that our physical limitations have something to do with it: we're in these carnal bodies that experience physical pain and physical lust and all kinds of other highly natural, but highly unspiritual, desires.
But I think there's more to it than just hating and shaming our physical bodies.
In short, the question is really a lot deeper. Something like, "Where does my desire to sin come from?" That is a theme throughout all the scriptures and the number one topic in Philosophy of Religion courses.
Answer:
I don't know.
Were some of them previously baptized? Helaman 16:1
Were some of them previously baptized? Helaman 16:1
Samuel the Lamanite preaches to the wicked Nephites and gets a lot of converts wanting to be baptized. They look for Nephi II, confess their sins, and ask to be baptized.
It's highly possible and perhaps even likely that some of those people who repented had become so wicked that they would have been "cut off" from the church and needed to be rebaptized.
Answer:
Maybe.
Samuel the Lamanite preaches to the wicked Nephites and gets a lot of converts wanting to be baptized. They look for Nephi II, confess their sins, and ask to be baptized.
It's highly possible and perhaps even likely that some of those people who repented had become so wicked that they would have been "cut off" from the church and needed to be rebaptized.
Answer:
Maybe.
Why are pregnant and nursing women invoked? Helaman 15:2
Why are pregnant and nursing women invoked? Helaman 15:2
Again, I really think this is more of a symbol. A rhetorical device. It's not that pregnant and nursing women are being specifically cursed, but more that this is displaying the sheer importance of repentance to even these groups of people who can sometimes be considered "exempt" from normal activities.
Just, not repentance. Repentance is for all.
Again, I really think this is more of a symbol. A rhetorical device. It's not that pregnant and nursing women are being specifically cursed, but more that this is displaying the sheer importance of repentance to even these groups of people who can sometimes be considered "exempt" from normal activities.
Just, not repentance. Repentance is for all.
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