Monday, June 15, 2020

Internal Consistency in Alma's commandments to Shiblon

In his commandments to his son Shiblon, Alma-2 says:



13 Do not pray as the Zoramites do, for ye have seen that they pray to be heard of men, and to be praised for their wisdom.
14 Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are better than our brethren; but rather say: O Lord, forgive my unworthiness, and remember my brethren in mercy—yea, acknowledge your unworthiness before God at all times. (Alma 38)

This is consistent with the earlier account of the prayers of the Zoramites:


14 Therefore, whosoever desired to worship must go forth and stand upon the top thereof, and stretch forth his hands towards heaven, and cry with a loud voice, saying...
16 Holy God, we believe that thou hast separated us from our brethren; and we do not believe in the tradition of our brethren, which was handed down to them by the childishness of their fathers; but we believe that thou hast elected us to be thy holy children; and also thou hast made it known unto us that there shall be no Christ. (Alma 31)

We know from Alma 31:7 that Shiblon was among the missionaries Alma-2 took with him, so the statement "ye have seen" in Alma 38:13 is confirmed as accurate from the previous account. Had he said the same thing to Helaman we'd have a problem.