Dumbstruck! ~ Be Careful What You Ask For

When Korihor was brought before Alma, he continued to lash out against God; against the coming of Messiah/Christ; and against the leadership of the Church.  The Book of Mormon said: [Korihor]did go on in the same manner as he did in the land of Gideon; yea, he went on to blaspheme.  And he did rise up in great swelling words before Alma, and did revile against the priests and teachers, accusing them of leading away the people after the silly traditions of their fathers, for the sake of glutting on the labors of the people. (Alma 30: 30-31)

Alma pointed out that he and all the leadership of the Church receive no payment for their service in the Church; that all labor with their own hands to provide their living and take care of there families.

Korihor asked Alma for proof that there was a God.  And Alma asked: What proof do you have that there is not a God?  Alma challenged him by saying that he knew Korihor believed in God, but had a lying spirit.

Then Korihor made a HUGE mistake.  This is how the Mormon recorded it:

And now Korihor said unto Alma: If thou wilt show me a sign, that I may be convinced that there is a God, yea, show unto me that he hath power, and then will I be convinced of the truth of thy words.  But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.  And yet do ye go about, leading away the hearts of this people, testifying unto them there is no God? And yet will ye deny against all these witnesses? And he said: Yea, I will deny, except ye shall show me a sign.

And now it came to pass that Alma said unto him: Behold, I am grieved because of the hardness of your heart, yea, that ye will still resist the spirit of the truth, that thy soul may be destroyed.  But behold, it is better that thy soul should be lost than that thou shouldst be the means of bringing many souls down to destruction, by thy lying and by thy flattering words; therefore if thou shalt deny again, behold God shall smite thee, that thou shalt become dumb, that thou shalt never open thy mouth any more, that thou shalt not deceive this people any more. [Remember: this is what the angel told Alma when he was in rebellion!]

Now Korihor said unto him: I do not deny the existence of a God, but I do not believe that there is a God; and I say also, that ye do not know that there is a God; and except ye show me a sign, I will not believe.

Now Alma said unto him: This will I give unto thee for a sign, that thou shalt be struck dumb, according to my words; and I say, that in the name of God, ye shall be struck dumb, that ye shall no more have utterance.

Now when Alma had said these words, Korihor was struck dumb, that he could not have utterance, according to the words of Alma. (Alma 30: 43-51)

Be careful what you ask for.  God will not be mocked!

Text copyright September 2013, Gebara Education

 

Picture www.lds.org