Pride and class division

Alma chapter 31 introduces us to the Zoramites. The Zoramites were divided into 2 societies. There was a strict class division based upon wealth. In particular, Alma notes that the upper class had strict dress standards. And the poor people were not allowed into the synagogues that they had built.

Latter-day Saints all know the story of the Rameumptom stand in the Zoramites’ synagogue and the prideful, self-congratulatory prayer that the upper-class people recited there (Alma 31:12-23). Alma considered this “religious” ceremony to be “gross wickedness.” He was shocked and upset and sorrowful (Alma 31:24-31).

Now when Alma saw this his heart was grieved; for he saw that they were a wicked and a perverse people; yea, he saw that their hearts were set upon gold, and upon silver, and upon all manner of fine goods.
Yea, and he also saw that their hearts were lifted up unto great boasting, in their pride.
And he lifted up his voice to heaven, and cried, saying: O, how long, O Lord, wilt thou suffer that thy servants shall dwell here below in the flesh, to behold such gross wickedness among the children of men?

–Alma 31:24-26

In chapter 32 Alma and his group of missionaries go to work in the land, but they only have success among “the poor class of people.” In fact, the humility of this group, and their willingness to listen, led to Alma’s well-known sermon on faith (Alma 32:21).

Which group are WE most like?

Here is the uncomfortable question. Are we, the Latter-day Saints in modern Utah, more like the prideful, well-dressed, upper-class Zoramites? Or the humble, teachable, poor Zoramites? Of course, we LIKE TO THINK we are more like the humble, teachable, Zoramites. But then, we don’t really want to be poor…. So, can we maybe be humble, teachable, and still be well-dressed?

I will leave the question of how humble and teachable you are open for you to think about. I encourage you to evaluate yourself (and perhaps repent). But I do need to point out one thing. Many of the non-LDS citizens of Utah consider us to be exactly like the upper-class Zoramites.

Remember the Rameumptom prayer? “We thank thee, O God, that we are a chosen and a holy people” (Alma 31:18). That’s how we sound to many of our non-LDS neighbors.

When I said this to my Sunday School class, one person said, “But we ARE!” He meant, of course, that we Latter-day Saints ARE a chosen and holy people. That person missed the point of the lesson. Just because Latter-day Saints are called to be a chosen and holy people, does not mean that we are there yet.

Pride is not holiness

Alma pointed out that the difference between the rich and the poor Zoramites was the difference between pride and humility. Bragging that you were “chosen and holy” proved that you were neither. The true “Saints” are those who repent. And repentance requires humility.

The preaching of Alma and Amulek converted a large number of the poor Zoramites to the Church. The wealthy Zoramites grew angry at this and cast all who believed Alma and his missionaries out of the land. This eventually led to a terrible, destructive, 14 years of war.

Why were these Zoramites so angry at Alma?

And it came to pass that after the more popular part of the Zoramites had consulted together concerning the words which had been preached unto them, they were angry because of the word, for it did destroy their craft; therefore they would not hearken unto the words.

–Alma 35:3

The wealthy Zoramites were angry because the word of God destroyed their “craft.” The “craft” referred to here is priestcraft. Priestcraft is when someone lies and builds up a church, or some other organization, for the sole purpose of personal power and gain. Priestcraft is all around us today in our media, our economy, our politics, and even in our churches.

The warnings in the Book of Mormon are becoming more and more relevant each day.