Defending Korihor: A review of Alma Chapter 30

 Korihor has become my favorite Book of Mormon character. The story comprises most of Alma chapter 30.

All is well in the land of the Nephites, until a guy called Korihor starts going around around publically denouncing God and telling everyone that they have no reason to believe in Christ.  (v. 12 - 19)

Now, the law permits freedom of religion (v. 7, 12).  Despite this, he is "wisely" (v. 20) tied up by a mob and brought to the high priest Ammon, who promptly kicks him out of the city.  Korihor moves on to another city where he is again bound and brought to another high priest, Giddonah.  Korihor rants about the injustices of religion until Giddonah sends him off to the chief judge, Alma.  (v. 21 - 29)

It's noteworthy that one of Korihor's complaints about religion is the inherent injustice of Original Sin.  In v. 25 he says:  "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."

I agree with Korihor.  Oddly, so does the LDS church.  The 2nd Article of Faith states:  "We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression."

I'm not sure what to make of this.  Perhaps the Nephites were not practicing the same theology that modern Mormons practice?  This seems to make some sense.  The theology in the Book of Mormon is somewhat different from the theology described in the Doctrine and Covenants.  Temple work, the three degrees of Glory, Celestial Marriage, baptism for the dead, and other key elements of LDS theology are never mentioned or described in the Book of Mormon.  And at least one Baptist minister believes the theology practiced in the Book of Mormon most closely resembles Protestantism.  Which would make more sense if Korihor is "blaspheming" by suggesting Original Sin doesn't exist.  But this is all besides the point.

At any rate, Korihor and Alma have a short debate (v. 30 - 48) that is quickly settled when Alma calls upon the powers of God to curse Korihor. (v. 49 - 50)

Now struck dumb and deaf, Korihor admits in writing that he was wrong and that there is a God, and that he was deceived by the devil. He asks for the curse to be removed, but Alma refuses.  Alma tells him that he's dangerous, and that he will lure people away from God with his deceitful words.  (v. 52 - 55)

In fact, the people of the land are told that if they had believed anything Korihor said, the same curse will befall them unless they repent.  (v. 57)

So Korihor is left to go door to door begging for food until he's trampled to death by a mob.  (v. 52 - 59) And the chapter ends with the moral lesson that those who "perverteth the ways of the Lord" will be going straight to Hell. (v. 60)

Korihor makes several reasonable points, most of which revolve around the idea that nobody "knows" God exists or that Christ will come.  People seem to believe it, mostly because they've been born and raised into it.  It's a tradition passed down from their fathers.  But he doubts anyone could claim to "know" it.

However, Korihor also seems to fit the typical cartoonish characature of atheists that many believers seem to have.  He insists that if there's no God, then people can just do whatever they want because nothing will matter.  It's absurd to think that "anything goes" unless there is divine judgement at the end.  Mortal judgement and earthly consequences are more than enough to maintain a peaceful, cooperative society.

At the end of the story, Korihor admits that he knew God was real all along, but that Satan deceived him by appearing as an angel, and told him what to preach.  Again, there is this characature of atheists that we all "really know," we've just been deceived or have been influenced by Satan, or we're actively denying God simply so that we can feel better about sinning.

This is a great way to get believers to refuse to consider anything a non-believer would have to say.  They can just dismiss anything a non-believer says because it's all devilish lies.  It's circular reasoning:  "If someone suggests there is no God, they're being inspired by Satan."  It's right up there with "The Bible is the word of God because it says right in there that God wrote it."

Alma merely asserts that God is real, that everyone else believes it, that there are prophets who speak to God, and that this should be good enough for Korihor to believe too.  When Korihor says that he needs more than that to believe, he's simply censored.

It's interesting that this is Alma's response to an unbeliever.  According to the Book of Mormon, In his own youth, Alma fought against the church and it took an angel and a coma before he gained knowledge of God's will.  I would have thought Alma might be more sympathetic.

Alma and God come across as bullies in this story.  Those who question are silenced or threatened.  It is a story of might-makes-right.  Repent and believe, or be struck deaf and dumb. (v. 57)

In the end, Alma says that it's better for one soul to be lost than to risk him drawing others down to Hell with him.  But by censoring Korihor, everyone elses will and choice is compromised.  If people are led away by Korihor's teachings, then that is a result of their own will.  How can people fully gain faith and choose God when there is no opposition?  When someone who expresses doubt is illegally bound, hauled away, struck mute, and cast into the street to die as a beggar?  What good is faith if everyone has been strong-armed into it?

Email Jonathan: slcfreethinking@gmail.com