Alma The Younger And Sin Next To Murder

[Duncan]

So there I was at Church earlier and we had the annual chastity talk in EQ. Someone mentioned that adultery was the sin next to murder. I am NOT pro-adultery by any means whatsoever but I wonder if what Corianton was doing was adultery. I don't know if he was married or if Isabel was married. I wonder though if his terrible example was impeding the progress of the Church and that was the sin next to murder because they won't receive the Gospel. If anyone thinks that I think adultery is a good thing or not as bad you are wrong and I won't respond to that but I do wonder if in this case adultery was being commited, some shenanigans was going on of which we aren't told, and that sin next to murder was stealing eternal life? any thoughts?

Edited August 1, 2011 by Duncan

[torquate]

. . .but I wonder if what Alma the Younger (A phrase that doesn't exist) was doing was adultery. I don't know if he was married or if Isabel was married.

I'm not sure what Alma did before his conversion but the incident with Isabel happened with Alma's son Corianton.

[Duncan]

I'm not sure what Alma did before his conversion but the incident with Isabel happened with Alma's son Corianton.

I changed it! thanks!

[Paddy]

Primarily I think Alma was talking about the evil of restricting others a chance of salvation. Jesus was also pretty upset by this when when he said that it was better that a millstone be hang around the neck (of the offender) and drowned in the depths of the sea. I think that the sexual sin was secondary to it.

Another clues to this is that in a few chapters previous to this Alma talks about how he "murdered" people by preaching against the church.

I am not sure that sexual sin is next to murder. I think this is a misinterpretation.

Paddy

Edited August 1, 2011 by Paddy

[Mark Beesley]

Primarily I think Alma was talking about the evil of restricting others a chance of salvation. Jesus was also pretty upset by this when when he said that it was better that a millstone be hang around the neck (of the offender) and drowned in the depths of the sea. I think that the sexual sin was secondary to it.

Another clues to this is that in a few chapters previous to this Alma talks about how he "murdered" people by preaching against the church.

I am not sure that sexual sin is next to murder. I think this is a misinterpretation.

Paddy

I agree.

[CV75]

So there I was at Church earlier and we had the annual chastity talk in EQ. Someone mentioned that adultery was the sin next to murder. I am NOT pro-adultery by any means whatsoever but I wonder if what Corianton was doing was adultery. I don't know if he was married or if Isabel was married. I wonder though if his terrible example was impeding the progress of the Church and that was the sin next to murder because they won't receive the Gospel. If anyone thinks that I think adultery is a good thing or not as bad you are wrong and I won't respond to that but I do wonder if in this case adultery was being commited, some shenanigans was going on of which we aren't told, and that sin next to murder was stealing eternal life? any thoughts?

This is a long-shot but maybe he was performing abortions and preaching about it.

[cinepro]

I am not sure that sexual sin is next to murder. I think this is a misinterpretation.

Paddy

If that is the case, the Church has totally missed the boat on that one!

[Kevin Christensen]

So there I was at Church earlier and we had the annual chastity talk in EQ. Someone mentioned that adultery was the sin next to murder. I am NOT pro-adultery by any means whatsoever but I wonder if what Corianton was doing was adultery. I don't know if he was married or if Isabel was married. I wonder though if his terrible example was impeding the progress of the Church and that was the sin next to murder because they won't receive the Gospel. If anyone thinks that I think adultery is a good thing or not as bad you are wrong and I won't respond to that but I do wonder if in this case adultery was being commited, some shenanigans was going on of which we aren't told, and that sin next to murder was stealing eternal life? any thoughts?

Mike Ash published a thoughtful essay on the topic:

https://www.sunstonemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/143-34-43.pdf

Nibley's talk, "The Book of Mormon: Forty Years After" also discusses some implications of the name Isabel.

http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/transcripts/?id=4

6. One of the aspects of ancient American religion that archaeology is bringing increasingly to the fore is the dominance of the familiar Great Mother in religion: Where is she in the Book of Mormon? The Book of Mormon brands all non—Nephite cults as idolatry and does not go on to describe them—Nephi says he does not want to run the risk of conveying the details of such enticing abominations to posterity. But there is one broad hint. When Alma's youngest son wanted to misbehave with the harlot Isabel, he had to go into another country to do it (Alma 39:3). Parenthetically, Isabel was the name of the Patroness of Harlots in the religion of the Phoenicians.10 Remembering that this took place in a Mulekite setting, we have more than immoral behavior here—Corianton could have misbehaved anywhere. But we are also told that the lady Isabel had a large following. Others went over to join in the rites which Alma declared to be "most abominable above all sins" (Alma 39:5). In such a guarded manner Alma also refers to other hierodules (Alma 30:18).

FWIW,

Kevin Christensen

Pittsburgh, PA

[Paddy]

If that is the case, the Church has totally missed the boat on that one!

Like I said, I think that this is a misinterpretation. It is not the first time well meaning persons have taken an extreme view. Another misinterpretation that comes to mind is the interpretation about the birthday of Christ.

This focus on sexual sin seems to be more localized to Utah I think. Who knows? Although I have heard of this interpretation it was not something that we focused on here in Australia. Personally I don't think it matters that it is interpretated this way as long as it is not overly emphasized or used to overly guilt people. Either way the focus should be on redemption which is what Alma was trying to teach his son anyway

Paddy