Alma 13

(March 25, 2015)

                Once again we have evidence here of an apostate priesthood set up in opposition to the Nephite order.  After all, Alma didn’t pick the subject of his discourse at random, nor does it immediately follow from the previous chapter.  The only reason this makes sense is if Alma is preaching against an established order of Nehorites.

                In view of that (and it seems likely to me that the religion of Nehor is the religion of the Mulekites), everything that Alma is writing here suddenly makes sense.  He is demonstrating how the shared beliefs that they have speak against the actions of a self-assuming priesthood and the importance of ordination.  He speaks of the calling of those in the true Priesthood and their responsibilities.  All of this makes sense in light of this subtextual conflict – a conflict that it appears for all the world Joseph Smith never recognized.

able to avoid their fate.