As I mentioned yesterday, there was no separation between Church and State in mid-classical Mesoamerica. So whenever there were dissenters from the State, they were usually also apostates from the Church. One such group were the Zoramites. The Book of Mormon describes them this way:
Now the Zoramites were dissenters from the Nephites; therefore they had had the word of God preached unto them. But they had fallen into great errors, for they would not observe to keep the commandments of God, and his statutes, according to the law of Moses. (Alma 31: 8-9)
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| This is one man's concept of the lands by the eastern sea. It isn't 100% accurate, but it does give some idea of the relationship of those lands to Zarahemla. Sorensen places Jershon closer to the Mexican State of Veracruz. |
This was a huge problem politically as well as religiously. The lands north of Zarahemla in the Yucatan Peninsula were claimed by the Nephites, but they had heretofore not made an effort to bring them firmly into the Nephite camp. Many Lamanite squatters had been allowed to live there. As tensions grew between the Lamanites under Amaleckiah and the Nephites, the leaders in Zarahemla sought to tighten their defenses in the land they described as being by the "eastern sea." One of the things they did was to settled the converted Lamanites in the land of Jershon. While these saints were pacifists, they did provide food, supplies, and other logistical support for Nephite soldiers who were quartered there.
The Zoramites lived in the Land of Antionum, which was not that far from Jershon. They resented the placement of this righteous Lamanites so near their land. This is not surprising, but the Lamanites were strong in the gospel and worshipped God with prayer and thanksgiving on a daily basis. The Zoramites, on the other hand, were Sunday-go-to-meeting folks who "worshipped" one day a week, then went home and failed to live the gospel in any way the rest of the time. The Book of Mormon says: Now, after the people had all offered up thanks after this manner, they returned to their homes, never speaking of their God again until they had assembled themselves together again to the holy stand, to offer up thanks after their manner (Alma 31:22)
By what manner did they offer up thanks? This is what Alma, the prophet, went out from Zarahemla to ascertain. He was stunned by what he saw. Here again, I'd like to quote from the text:
Yea, in fine, they did pervert the ways of the Lord in very many instances . . . the Zoramites had built synagogues, and that they did gather themselves together on one day of the week, which day they did call the day of the Lord; and they did worship after a manner which Alma and his brethren had never beheld; For they had a place built up in the center of their synagogue, a place for standing, which was high above the head; and the top thereof would only admit one person. 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: . . . 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; . . . But thou art the same yesterday, today, and forever; and thou hast elected us that we shall be saved, whilst all around us are elected to be cast by thy wrath down to hell; for the which holiness, O God, we thank thee; and we also thank thee that thou hast elected us, that we may not be led away after the foolish traditions of our brethren, which doth bind them down to a belief of Christ, which doth lead their hearts . . . to wander far from thee, our God. And again we thank thee, O God, that we are a chosen and a holy people. Amen.
Now it came to pass that after Alma and his brethren and his sons had heard these prayers, they were astonished beyond all measure. For behold, every man did go forth and offer up these same prayers. Now the place was called by them Rameumptom, which, being interpreted, is the holy stand. (Alma 32: 11-21)
Are we ever Christians after the manner of the Zoramites? If we find ourselves standing upon a spiritual Rameumptom, we need to humble ourselves.
Text copyright December 2013, Gebara Education
Pictures from www.lds.org
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