The reading this week was very fun. I like the story of Nephi and how he predicts the murder of the chief judge, how people think he was an accomplice because he knew about it, and how they ultimately catch the murderer who confirms that there was no way that Nephi could have known the things he did. It’s an entertaining story. However, I spent most of my time thinking about the people who stopped to listen to Nephi when he was praying on the tower in his garden.
Nephi had previously taught the people about morality and the teachings of Jesus Christ. He’d prophesied about what would happen if they didn’t change, and “they did reject all his words.” He’s disappointed. He’s devastated because he sees his people “in a state of such awful wickedness, and those Gadianton robbers filling the judgment-seats—having usurped the power and authority of the land; laying aside the commandments of God, and not in the least aright before him; doing no justice unto the children of men; Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness; letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their money; and moreover to be held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills, that they might get gain and glory of the world, and, moreover, that they might the more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and do according to their own wills—”
It says that this great iniquity came upon their people in a short amount of time, and he was really anguished about it. He did “exclaim in the agony of his soul” that he wished he could have lived and been joyful in the days of his ancestors, when the people were more willing to do good, and slower to be so corruptible, when they were “quick to hearken unto the words of the Lord—Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my soul have had joy in the righteousness of my brethren. But behold, I am consigned that these are my days, and that my soul shall be filled with sorrow because of this the wickedness of my brethren.”
This part is timeless and can apply to us now. It reminds me of a quote from the Lord of the Rings:
“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
None of us wants to experience the hardships of our day. We might look on the past and long to live in a different place or time because we lament the evilness of our time, but Gandalf tells us that everyone who goes through hard times feels that way too, but it isn’t up for us to decide anything different. The best that we can do is choose what we’ll do with the time given to us in the place that we are.
As Nephi was praying, lamenting about the state of his society and the unwillingness of the people around him to live moral lives, he was on a tower in his yard near a busy road. It says that “there were certain men passing by and saw Nephi as he was pouring out his soul unto God upon the tower; and they ran and told the people what they had seen, and the people came together in multitudes that they might know the cause of so great mourning for the wickedness of the people.”
I can imagine this taking place now, some people overhear a guy praying somewhere isolated on campus or on the roof of their apartment building, and they text all their friends or tweet something out about how they’ve got to come see this guy crying and freaking out about how wicked society is. Did they gather together to make fun of him? To mock how mournful he was? Maybe. Others came out of genuine curiosity. Some might have come out of compassion and wanted to comfort him. Whatever their motivations were for coming, Nephi managed to draw a crowd.
When Nephi finishes his prayer, he stands up and sees “multitudes of people who had gathered together.” His reaction is interesting. I imagine he was angry and embarrassed. He sounds pretty mad. He basically says, Why the heck did you guys come? So I could tell you about all of the immoral things you’re doing? I came here to pray privately because I’m mournful because of all the horrible things around me. And now you’ve all gathered here and you’re all curious.
If the devil didn’t have such a strong hold on your hearts, you wouldn’t wonder so much. How could you give in to everything that corrodes your souls and makes you miserable? Why won’t you change? Turn to the Lord your God. “O, how could you have forgotten your God in the very day that he has delivered you? But behold, it is to get gain, to be praised of men, yea, and that ye might get gold and silver. And ye have set your hearts upon the riches and the vain things of this world, for the which ye do murder, and plunder, and steal, and bear false witness against your neighbor, and do all manner of iniquity.”
Our convictions and morals should run deep. We shouldn’t be swayed to forget God or our morals if it is fashionable and people will praise us for it. We shouldn’t abandon our principles for riches or wealth. That’s what it means to have integrity. You live according to your beliefs and you live according to what is moral and right because you believe it, not because of praise, or shame, or coercion, or whatever. We do what is right because it is right. Not because we might get caught. We don’t do whatever we can get away with. We have principles and we live according to them.
Not only did Nephi manage to draw a crowd, they stuck around for quite a while to hear what he had to say. They were genuinely interested in his perspective, despite the fact that he chews them out quite a bit. I’ve wondered about that. Why would these immoral, wicked people (according to Nephi) listen to him? Why would they want to know why he was upset? Why would they care?
I’ve thought about this a lot. And the best I’ve been able to come up with is that they were moved by his authenticity. His sorrow was real. His mourning was real. His pain was real. In a world filled with people whose morals change according to what is fashionable and what might make them money, being real and genuine is powerful. I hope that this is true. I hope that authenticity lends weight and power to what we say. I hope more truly inspiring and good people will continue to stand up and lead by example, countering the trends we see around us today.
Like Nephi, I lament the society in which we live. I lament that we tear down the foundations of civilized society like morality and the nuclear family, and then act surprised when the whole thing is in danger of collapsing. Why are we surprised that people are foul mouthed when we fill songs, shows, movies, and video games with unnecessary foul language? Why are we surprised when high school kids, celebrities, and politicians all use horrible language?
Why are we surprised and horrified that the United States is the biggest producer and consumer of pornography when we encourage women and girls to take pictures of themselves wearing less and less clothing on social media then praise and reward them with followers and likes? When we sexualize women and now little girls? When nothing is sacred and sex is just a tool to sell products and movies? How can we be surprised that people lack empathy and kill without remorse when we lack any reverence for the sanctity of life and kill potential humans/babies for convenience and praise ourselves for our progress in “women’s reproductive rights?”
How can we be surprised that people act without dignity or refinement when we praise filth and debasement? A stripper turned singer just released a popular song with explicit lyrics that people described as “deliciously filthy.” How can we expect society to be better than filthy, foul-mouthed, and vulgar when singers, celebrities, politicians, and sports stars act this way and are embraced and praised for it? If we want better we must be better. If we want a less corrupt society, we have to be less corrupt individuals. This has to be a grassroots effort.
It reminds me of the verses in 2 Timothy that say, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. . . Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” If Ever there was an accurate description written of the world we’re living in, this is that description.
Chapter 12 of the reading concludes this mini-story with Nephi regarding his society and the murder of the chief judge. It paints an unflattering and even scathing picture of human nature stating, “1 And thus we can behold how false, and also the unsteadiness of the hearts of the children of men; yea, we can see that the Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him. 2 Yea, and we may see at the very time when he doth prosper his people, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks and their herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner of precious things of every kind and art; sparing their lives, and delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; softening the hearts of their enemies that they should not declare wars against them; yea, and in fine, doing all things for the welfare and happiness of his people; yea, then is the time that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God, and do trample under their feet the Holy One—yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity.”
When we prosper, we struggle to remember the God. We struggle with humility. We struggle to remember to pray. It’s true that when we’re scared and lost or in danger we’re more likely to pray and seek guidance and help from God. “And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with death and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not remember him.
4 O how foolish, and how vain, and how evil, and devilish, and how quick to do iniquity, and how slow to do good, are the children of men; yea, how quick to hearken unto the words of the evil one, and to set their hearts upon the vain things of the world!
5 Yea, how quick to be lifted up in pride; yea, how quick to boast, and do all manner of that which is iniquity; and how slow are they to remember the Lord their God, and to give ear unto his counsels, yea, how slow to walk in wisdom’s paths!
6 Behold, they do not desire that the Lord their God, who hath created them, should rule and reign over them; notwithstanding his great goodness and his mercy towards them, they do set at naught his counsels, and they will not that he should be their guide.”
This reminds me of Mosiah 3:19 that says, “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” I hope that we can yield to the enticings that urge us to be better, that we can seek to do good, and strive for more uplifting, virtuous, and lovely qualities in our own lives. I hope that when we know better, we will choose better (repentance).
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