As I read the Book of Mormon this year, I am seeing Laman and Lemuel with new eyes thanks to the new Book of Mormon videos the Church has put out. What struck me this morning was a subtle change in their violence over the course of 1st Nephi.
Chapter 3 - Laman has had a really bad day. No, a bad week. More like a bad month and a half. He's been wandering in the wilderness, with all the misery and suffering that entails for someone who doesn't want to be there, going off on some fool's errand for dad to get the scriptures from (cousin?) Laban - days and days of heat, stuck with his younger brothers.... He tries to do the right thing, speaks the word of the Lord to Laban in Jerusalem, and what happens? He's called a robber and has to flee for his life! Then when he listens to his younger brother and they try to trade all their gold, silver, and precious things for the plates, they are again branded as robbers, forced to flee for their lives again, they've lost everything, and now there is absolutely no hope of going home again because they are fugitives from justice.
Laman's upset, stressed, afraid, on an adrenaline rush... While I can't excuse him beating his brother, I can understand someone acting badly under that kind of stress. He beats his brother with a stick, to such an extent that God has to send an angel to prevent him from killing his brother. He was in a blind rage. He give way to his anger under extreme circumstances.
Chapter 7 - The extreme circumstances just aren't there - from what I can tell in Nephi's record. They are on their way back, Laman does some complaining, his brother chastens him, and suddenly Laman snaps again. Giving way to a sudden rage, he ties Nephi up and walks off, ready to abandon him to be eaten by wild beasts. When Nephi somehow escapes, the women traveling with him are able to soften his heart. I love how the new church video depicts this scene, as Laman comes to himself and realizes what he was about to do (right). He repents, apologizes, is forgiven, and they journey on.
Chapter 16 - Months or possibly years have passed as they journeyed in the wilderness. Now Laman is ready to commit conspiracy and premeditated murder on his brother and his father. How? Why? Well, part of it is that he has already given himself permission at least twice by giving vent to his anger. How many other times did he just yell and rage, instead of quietly murmur? How often has he made no attempt to control his temper? While we are presented 8 years in the course of a few pages, the thousand small decisions pile up, and the poison grows.
Chapter 3 - Laman has had a really bad day. No, a bad week. More like a bad month and a half. He's been wandering in the wilderness, with all the misery and suffering that entails for someone who doesn't want to be there, going off on some fool's errand for dad to get the scriptures from (cousin?) Laban - days and days of heat, stuck with his younger brothers.... He tries to do the right thing, speaks the word of the Lord to Laban in Jerusalem, and what happens? He's called a robber and has to flee for his life! Then when he listens to his younger brother and they try to trade all their gold, silver, and precious things for the plates, they are again branded as robbers, forced to flee for their lives again, they've lost everything, and now there is absolutely no hope of going home again because they are fugitives from justice.
Laman's upset, stressed, afraid, on an adrenaline rush... While I can't excuse him beating his brother, I can understand someone acting badly under that kind of stress. He beats his brother with a stick, to such an extent that God has to send an angel to prevent him from killing his brother. He was in a blind rage. He give way to his anger under extreme circumstances.
Chapter 7 - The extreme circumstances just aren't there - from what I can tell in Nephi's record. They are on their way back, Laman does some complaining, his brother chastens him, and suddenly Laman snaps again. Giving way to a sudden rage, he ties Nephi up and walks off, ready to abandon him to be eaten by wild beasts. When Nephi somehow escapes, the women traveling with him are able to soften his heart. I love how the new church video depicts this scene, as Laman comes to himself and realizes what he was about to do (right). He repents, apologizes, is forgiven, and they journey on.Chapter 16 - Months or possibly years have passed as they journeyed in the wilderness. Now Laman is ready to commit conspiracy and premeditated murder on his brother and his father. How? Why? Well, part of it is that he has already given himself permission at least twice by giving vent to his anger. How many other times did he just yell and rage, instead of quietly murmur? How often has he made no attempt to control his temper? While we are presented 8 years in the course of a few pages, the thousand small decisions pile up, and the poison grows.
