18 And thus he did
preach unto them, leading away the hearts of many, causing them to lift up
their heads in their wickedness, yea, leading away many women, and also men, to
commit whoredoms—telling them that when a man was dead, that was the end thereof.
19 Now this man went
over to the land of Jershon also, to preach these things among the people of
Ammon, who were once the people of the Lamanites.
20 But behold they
were more wise than many of the Nephites; for they took him, and bound him, and
carried him before Ammon, who was a high priest over that people.
21 And it came to pass
that he caused that he should be carried out of the land. And he came over into
the land of Gideon, and began to preach unto them also; and here he did not
have much success, for he was taken and bound and carried before the high
priest, and also the chief judge over the land.
22 And it came to pass
that the high priest said unto him: Why do ye go about perverting the ways of
the Lord? Why do ye teach this people that there shall be no Christ, to
interrupt their rejoicings? Why do ye speak against all the prophecies of the
holy prophets?
23 Now the high
priest’s name was Giddonah. And Korihor said unto him: Because I do not teach
the foolish traditions of your fathers, and because I do not teach this people
to bind themselves down under the foolish ordinances and performances which are
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.
24 Ye say that this
people is a free people. Behold, I say they are in bondage. Ye say that those
ancient prophecies are true. Behold, I say that ye do not know that they are
true.
25 Ye say that this
people is a guilty and a fallen people, because of the transgression of a
parent. Behold, I say that a child is not guilty because of its parents.
26 And ye also say
that Christ shall come. But behold, I say that ye do not know that there shall
be a Christ. And ye say also that he shall be slain for the sins of the world—
27 And thus ye lead
away this people after the foolish traditions of your fathers, and according to
your own desires; and 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.
28 Yea, they durst not
make use of that which is their own lest they should offend their priests, who
do yoke them according to their desires, and have brought them to believe, by
their traditions and their dreams and their whims and their visions and their
pretended mysteries, that they should, if they did not do according to their
words, offend some unknown being, who they say is God—a being who never has
been seen or known, who never was nor ever will be.
29 Now when the high
priest and the chief judge saw the hardness of his heart, yea, when they saw
that he would revile even against God, they would not make any reply to his words;
but they caused that he should be bound; and they delivered him up into the
hands of the officers, and sent him to the land of Zarahemla, that he might be
brought before Alma, and the chief judge who was governor over all the land. (Alma
30:18-29)
Korihor continued to preach his philosophy to the people.
Sadly, many accepted his message, inspired by Satan. They accepted his
teachings that when we died, that was it. We cease to exist.
As we see in today’s society, there are many people who
accept this philosophy. They turned their backs on God’s word. Today’s pleasure
is important to them. Gospel teachings are out-of-date in today’s world. They
claim they have “grown” and “moved” beyond this nonsense.
I have a friend who left the Church. One day we were talking
about it and he told me it’s amazing how much fun he could have when he doesn’t
have to live the way he was supposed to. It was a sad experience.
“Satan has raised a Korihor-like banner in our day with
increasing success. What are some of his tools? Seductive romance novels, TV
soap operas, married women and old boyfriends connecting on social media, and
pornography. We must be so careful … We cannot play with Satan’s fiery darts
and not get burned. I know of nothing that will qualify us for the constant
companionship of the Holy Ghost as much as virtue.”[1]
After preaching to the Nephites, Korihor went to the land of
Jershon to preach his apostate philosophy to the Ammonites. After hearing his
words, the Ammonites “were more wise than many of the Nephites; for they took
him … [and] caused that he should be carried out of the land” (Alma 30:20-21).
He went to the land of Gideon. He was bound and taken before
the high priest, who was also the chief judge over the land of Gideon.
The high priest questioned him. He asked him why he
perverted the Lord’s ways. Why did he attempt to “interrupt their rejoicings”
by teaching them there would be no Christ. Why, he was asked, did he speak
against all the words of all the holy prophets.
Korihor responded by telling him he does not teach the
foolish traditions of their fathers. Their priests “usurp[ed] 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” (Alma 30:23). Korihor also
claimed they are in bondage to the ancient prophets.
He rejects their prophecies of Christ. There is no way they
could know there would be a Christ. They claim He will be slain for our sins,
but this is nothing more than foolish traditions and their desires.
They teach this people this philosophy so they may “glut
[them]selves with the labors of their hands” (Alma 30:27).
“Looking for the path to safety in the counsel of prophets
makes sense to those with strong faith. When a prophet speaks, those with
little faith may think that they hear only a wise man giving good advice. Then
if his counsel seems comfortable and reasonable, squaring with what they want
to do, they take it. If it does not, they consider it either faulty advice or
they see their circumstances as justifying their being an exception to the
counsel. Those without faith may think that they hear only men seeking to exert
influence for some selfish motive. They may mock and deride, as did a man named
Korihor.”[2]
The people will not make use of their possession for fear of
offending the priests. The priests oppress them according to their desires. They
have made the people believe through their traditions, dreams, whims, visions,
and pretended mysteries. If they don’t do this, they would offend some unknown
being they claim is God. They have never seen nor known Him as He never was or
will be.
Nephi could well have been describing Korihor when he wrote,
“[T]hey deny the power of God, the Holy One of Israel; and they say unto the
people: Hearken unto us, and hear ye our precept; for behold there is no God
today, for the Lord and the Redeemer hath done his work, and he hath given his
power unto men” (2 Nephi 28:5).
The high priest and chief judge realized Korihor would not
soften his heart and listen to gospel truth. He even reviled against God.
“Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of naught
and revile against that which is good, and say that it is of no worth! For the
day shall come that the Lord God will speedily visit the inhabitants of the
earth; and in that day that they are fully ripe in iniquity they shall perish”
(2 Nephi 28:16).
He was bound, given to officers, and sent to Zarahemla to be
brought before Alma, the chief judge and governor over all the land.
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