Alma 5:53-56

⁵³ And now my beloved brethren, I say unto you, can ye withstand these sayings; yea, can ye lay aside these things, and trample the Holy One under your feet; yea, can ye be puffed up in the pride of your hearts; yea, will ye still persist in the wearing of costly apparel and setting your hearts upon the vain things of the world, upon your riches? ⁵⁴ Yea, will ye persist in supposing that ye are better one than another; yea, will ye persist in the persecution of your brethren, who humble themselves and do walk after the holy order of God, wherewith they have been brought into this church, having been sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and they do bring forth works which are meet for repentance—

⁵⁵ Yea, and will you persist in turning your backs upon the poor, and the needy, and in withholding your substance from them? ⁵⁶ And finally, all ye that will persist in your wickedness, I say unto you that these are they who shall be hewn down and cast into the fire except they speedily repent.

Alma 5:53-56 (Emphasis mine)

By ignoring my words, Alma(2) tells them, you “trample the Holy One under your feet.”  They are so wrapped up in their wealth, pride, and set their “hearts upon the vain things of the world,” the teachings of the church mean nothing to them. 

Nephi told us that they day would when “others set at naught and trample under their feet.  Yea, even the very God of Israel do men trample under their feet; I say, trample under their feet but I would speak in other words—they set him at naught, and hearken not to the voice of his counsels” (1 Nephi 19:7).  We see this happening in Alma(2)’s day.

Preaching to his people, Jacob faced this problem early in Nephite history.  He asks them “will ye reject these words?  Will ye reject the words of the prophets; and will ye reject all the words which have been spoken concerning Christ, after so many have spoken concerning him; and deny the good word of Christ, and the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and quench the Holy Spirit, and make a mock of the great plan of redemption, which hath been laid for you?” (Jacob 6:8).

In His teachings, Christ taught us to “[g]ive not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you” (Matthew 7:6).

They believed they were better than those who “humble themselves and do walk after the holy order of God.”  They mocked and persecuted their brethren.  They do this despite their brethren have “been sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and they do bring forth works which are meet for repentance.”

Alma(2) warns them of the consequences of ignoring the poor.  This is always a result of the people become rich, pride, wearing costly apparel, and setting their “hearts upon the vain things of the world, upon [their] riches.”  Throughout Nephite history, we see this is the inevitable result of setting their hearts upon their riches.  The poor suffer more than any other does.  David taught to “[t]rust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them” (Psalms 62:10).

David warned of the consequences of ignoring the poor.  “Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth. Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart” (Psalms 109:15-16). 

This went against all the teachings of the Nephite religious leaders.  Jacob taught them to “[t]hink of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you” (Jacob 2:17).  We can’t forget the words of King Benjamin.  We’ve read these words before.  

“And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish…

For behold, are we not all beggars?  Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?

“And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins.  And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain?  Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy.

“And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another.”

Mosiah 4:16, 19-21 (Emphasis mine)

When the Gadianton Robbers took over the government, Mormon would write, “thus they did obtain the sole management of the government, insomuch that they did trample under their feet and smite and rend and turn their backs upon the poor and the meek, and the humble followers of God.  And thus we see that they were in an awful state, and ripening for an everlasting destruction” (Helaman 6:39-40).

The Lord warns us “[w]o unto you rich men, that will not give your substance to the poor, for your riches will canker your souls; and this shall be your lamentation in the day of visitation, and of judgment, and of indignation: The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and my soul is not saved!” (D&C 56:16).