Keywords

Alma, Conrianton, Zoramites

Document Type

Article

Abstract

While Alma’s youngest son, Corianton, is on his mission among the apostate Zoramites, he falls into serious transgression and falls into complex doctrinal errors at the same time the Zoramites are “perverting the ways of the Lord” (Alma 31:11). As we learn in Alma 39–42, Corianton’s mind is greatly worried about many subjects relative to his soul. Apparently his confusion and doubts were aggravated because of his hostile religious environment: not only were there many contentions among the Nephites (35:15), but the Zoramites, Nephite separatists, were increasingly “angry because of the word, for it did destroy their craft” (35:3). Ultimately, it is in this environment that Corianton seeks to excuse himself (42:30), misconstruing certain “points of doctrine” in such a way that made God appear unjust for punishing sinners (41:9). In the meantime, the Zoramites have departed from “the commandments of God,” neglecting their daily prayers and other “performances of the church” (31:9–10). Thus they have “enter[ed] into temptation” and may have invented or inherited local pagan practices (31:10). Under Zoram, their “very wicked” leader (35:8), some Zoramites in Antionum begin “to bow down to dumb idols,” while others worship God in a way “Alma and his brethren [have] never beheld” (31:1, 12). The Zoramites’ manner of worship is theatrical, elitist, and scripted. Along with Korihor himself, and the many other anti-Christs before him, the Zoramites have rejected the coming of Christ as a “childish tradition” (31:16).