I learned in church today

[Moliere]

There's a passage in D&C that says (if I remember right) that Nephi was justified in killing Laban because Laban had previously sought Nephi's life - a kind of delayed self-defense argument.

I've heard the same argument as The Tick but the one that came up in my GD was that the plates either originally belonged to Lehi and were stolen by Laban or that Lehi (through Nephi) was rightful to ask for the plates and should have received them since they contained the genealogy of Lehi's ancestors. As it was explained, in either case Nephi would have been justified in killing Laban according to the law of Moses. I have not the time nor effort to research the validity of these premises.

[smokymountainrain]

I've heard the same argument as The Tick but the one that came up in my GD was that the plates either originally belonged to Lehi and were stolen by Laban or that Lehi (through Nephi) was rightful to ask for the plates and should have received them since they contained the genealogy of Lehi's ancestors. As it was explained, in either case Nephi would have been justified in killing Laban according to the law of Moses. I have not the time nor effort to research the validity of these premises.

What happened to the old mainstay of excuses...better that one man perish than an entire nation perish in unbelief. In fact, isn't that doctrine in the BOM itself?

I'm surprised anybody in our correlated church is teaching any other excuse.

[Jeff Lebowski]

What happened to the old mainstay of excuses...better that one man perish than an entire nation perish in unbelief. In fact, isn't that doctrine in the BOM itself?

I'm surprised anybody in our correlated church is teaching any other excuse.

Yeah, I don't get all this hairsplitting over Jewish law, etc. The text is pretty explicit about the justification.

What I have always wondered, is why was it necessary to kill him? If he was that drunk, just tie him up and take his clothes and get the plates.

[wuapinmon]

Yeah, I don't get all this hairsplitting over Jewish law, etc. The text is pretty explicit about the justification.

What I have always wondered, is why was it necessary to kill him? If he was that drunk, just tie him up and take his clothes and get the plates.

Dead men tell no tales.

[YOUTUBE]OGoJ4UEJs9I[/YOUTUBE]

[smokymountainrain]

Yeah, I don't get all this hairsplitting over Jewish law, etc. The text is pretty explicit about the justification.

What I have always wondered, is why was it necessary to kill him? If he was that drunk, just tie him up and take his clothes and get the plates.

Agreed, seems unnecessarily violent. That said, there are few people whose heads I wouldn't mind cutting off with God's permission.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Dead men tell no tales.

Ah. There you go.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Agreed, seems unnecessarily violent. That said, there are few people whose heads I wouldn't mind cutting off with God's permission.

[Indy Coug]

What happened to the old mainstay of excuses...better that one man perish than an entire nation perish in unbelief. In fact, isn't that doctrine in the BOM itself?

I'm surprised anybody in our correlated church is teaching any other excuse.

So we have completely excluded the possibility that was precisely the reason God gave Nephi?

[Pheidippides]

Yeah, I don't get all this hairsplitting over Jewish law, etc. The text is pretty explicit about the justification.

What I have always wondered, is why was it necessary to kill him? If he was that drunk, just tie him up and take his clothes and get the plates.

Yeah, and wouldn't the clothes have blood all over them? One would think that would have been a dead giveaway. Thoughts like this kept me awake as a kid.

[creekster]

Dead men tell no tales.

They also dont send posses.

[Moliere]

What happened to the old mainstay of excuses...better that one man perish than an entire nation perish in unbelief. In fact, isn't that doctrine in the BOM itself?

I'm surprised anybody in our correlated church is teaching any other excuse.

The comment in my GD wasn't really to excuse Nephi (we know his justification) but more to show that the BoM contains elements of the law of Moses and therefore it is true....or more true....or whatever.

Also, remember that Nephi is writing this account. Of course he's going to justify the slaying and emphasize his hesitation. Nephi tends to put himself into the best light possible while degrading those around him.

[Moliere]

Yeah, and wouldn't the clothes have blood all over them? One would think that would have been a dead giveaway. Thoughts like this kept me awake as a kid.

Maybe he took the clothes off before he cut off the head. Nephi wasn't an idiot

[Tone Loc]

So we have completely excluded the possibility that was precisely the reason God gave Nephi?

Dude, cuffers are too smart for simple answers like that. Get that weak crap out of here.

[smokymountainrain]

So we have completely excluded the possibility that was precisely the reason God gave Nephi?

No. Not completely. But I do wonder if Nephi correctly assessed what the Spirit may wanted to reveal to him. Perhaps, as JL mentioned, God only wanted Nephi to tie him up, take his clothes and give him a wet willie.

[Pheidippides]

The comment in my GD wasn't really to excuse Nephi (we know his justification) but more to show that the BoM contains elements of the law of Moses and therefore it is true....or more true....or whatever.

Also, remember that Nephi is writing this account. Of course he's going to justify the slaying and emphasize his hesitation. Nephi tends to put himself into the best light possible while degrading those around him.

Yeah, Nephi totally comes off as the golden child and laman and lemuel are bitches. Totally reads like somebody revisiting the glory days in print...er...plate.

But try suggesting this in GD and see how far it gets you.