Date: Wed, 08 Mar 2000 08:10:34 -0600
From: Keith D***** 
To: Darwin@Atheists.net
Subject: A little story just for you

Hi there I thought you might find this story quite helpful in determining you course of action.
 there came a man into the land of Zarahemla, and he was Anti-Christ, for he began to
     preach unto the people against the prophecies which had been spoken by the prophets, concerning the coming of Christ.
       7 Now there was no law against a man's belief; for it was strictly contrary to the commands of God that there should be a law which should bring
     men on to unequal grounds.
       8 For thus saith the scripture: Choose ye this day, whom ye will serve.
       9 Now if a man desired to serve God, it was his privilege; or rather, if he believed in God it was his privilege to serve him; but if he did not believe in
     him there was no law to punish him.
       10 But if he murdered he was punished unto death; and if he robbed he was also punished; and if he stole he was also punished; and if he committed
     adultery he was also punished; yea, for all this wickedness they were punished.
       11 For there was a law that men should be judged according to their crimes. Nevertheless, there was no law against a man's belief; therefore, a man
     was punished only for the crimes which he had done; therefore all men were on equal grounds.
       12 And this Anti-Christ, whose name was Korihor, (and the law could have no hold upon him) began to preach unto the people that there should be
     no Christ. And after this manner did he preach, saying:
       13 O ye that are bound down under a foolish and a vain hope, why do ye yoke yourselves with such foolish things? Why do ye look for a Christ?
     For no man can know of anything which is to come.
       14 Behold, these things which ye call prophecies, which ye say are handed down by holy prophets, behold, they are foolish traditions of your
     fathers.
       15 How do ye know of their surety? Behold, ye cannot know of things which ye do not see; therefore ye cannot know that there shall be a Christ.
       16 Ye look forward and say that ye see a remission of your sins. But behold, it is the effect of a frenzied mind; and this derangement of your minds
     comes because of the traditions of your fathers, which lead you away into a belief of things which are not so.
       17 And many more such things did he say unto them, telling them that there could be no atonement made for the sins of men, but every man fared in
     this life according to the management of the creature; therefore every man prospered according to his genius, and that every man conquered
     according to his strength; and whatsoever a man did was no crime.
       18 And thus he did preach unto them, leading away the hearts of many, causing them to lift up their heads in their wickedness, yea, leading away
     many women, and also men, to commit whoredoms÷telling them that when a man was dead, that was the end thereof.
       19 Now this man went over to the land of Jershon also, to preach these things among the people of Ammon, who were once the people of the
     Lamanites.
       20 But behold they were more wise than many of the Nephites; for they took him, and bound him, and carried him before Ammon, who was a high
     priest over that people.
       21 And it came to pass that he caused that he should be carried out of the land. And he came over into the land of Gideon, and began to preach
     unto them also; and here he did not have much success, for he was taken and bound and carried before the high priest, and also the chief judge over
     the land.
       22 And it came to pass that the high priest said unto him: Why do ye go about perverting the ways of the Lord? Why do ye teach this people that
     there shall be no Christ, to interrupt their rejoicings? Why do ye speak against all the prophecies of the holy prophets?
       23 Now the high priest's name was Giddonah. And Korihor said unto him: Because I do not teach the foolish traditions of your fathers, and because
     I do not teach this people to bind themselves down under the foolish ordinances and performances which are laid down by ancient priests, to usurp
     power and authority over them, to keep them in ignorance, that they may not lift up their heads, but be brought down according to thy words.
       24 Ye say that this people is a free people. Behold, I say they are in bondage. Ye say that those ancient prophecies are true. Behold, I say that ye
     do not know that they are true.
       25 Ye say that this people is a guilty and a fallen people, because of the transgression of a parent. Behold, I say that a child is not guilty because of
     its parents.
       26 And ye also say that Christ shall come. But behold, I say that ye do not know that there shall be a Christ. And ye say also that he shall be slain
     for the sins of the world÷
       27 And thus ye lead away this people after the foolish traditions of your fathers, and according to your own desires; and ye keep them down, even
     as it were in bondage, that ye may glut yourselves with the labors of their hands, that they durst not look up with boldness, and that they durst not
     enjoy their rights and privileges.
       28 Yea, they durst not make use of that which is their own lest they should offend their priests, who do yoke them according to their desires, and
     have brought them to believe, by their traditions and their dreams and their whims and their visions and their pretended mysteries, that they should, if
     they did not do according to their words, offend some unknown being, who they say is God÷a being who never has been seen or known, who never
     was nor ever will be.
       29 Now when the high priest and the chief judge saw the hardness of his heart, yea, when they saw that he would revile even against God, they
     would not make any reply to his words; but they caused that he should be bound; and they delivered him up into the hands of the officers, and sent
     him to the land of Zarahemla, that he might be brought before Alma, and the chief judge who was governor over all the land.
       30 And it came to pass that when he was brought before Alma and the chief judge, he did go on in the same manner as he did in the land of Gideon;
     yea, he went on to blaspheme.
       31 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.
       32 Now Alma said unto him: Thou knowest that we do not glut ourselves upon the labors of this people; for behold I have labored even from the
     commencement of the reign of the judges until now, with mine own hands for my support, notwithstanding my many travels round about the land to
     declare the word of God unto my people.
       33 And notwithstanding the many labors which I have performed in the church, I have never received so much as even one senine for my labor;
     neither has any of my brethren, save it were in the judgment-seat; and then we have received only according to law for our time.
       34 And now, if we do not receive anything for our labors in the church, what doth it profit us to labor in the church save it were to declare the truth,
     that we may have rejoicings in the joy of our brethren?
       35 Then why sayest thou that we preach unto this people to get gain, when thou, of thyself, knowest that we receive no gain? And now, believest
     thou that we deceive this people, that causes such joy in their hearts?
       36 And Korihor answered him, Yea.
       37 And then Alma said unto him: Believest thou that there is a God?
       38 And he answered, Nay.
       39 Now Alma said unto him: Will ye deny again that there is a God, and also deny the Christ? For behold, I say unto you, I know there is a God,
     and also that Christ shall come.
       40 And now what evidence have ye that there is no God, or that Christ cometh not? I say unto you that ye have none, save it be your word only.
       41 But, behold, I have all things as a testimony that these things are true; and ye also have all things as a testimony unto you that they are true; and
     will ye deny them? Believest thou that these things are true?
       42 Behold, I know that thou believest, but thou art possessed with a lying spirit, and ye have put off the Spirit of God that it may have no place in
     you; but the devil has power over you, and he doth carry you about, working devices that he may destroy the children of God.
       43 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.
       44 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.
       45 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.
       46 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.
       47 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.
       48 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.
       49 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.
       50 Now when Alma had said these words, Korihor was struck dumb, that he could not have utterance, according to the words of Alma.
       51 And now when the chief judge saw this, he put forth his hand and wrote unto Korihor, saying: Art thou convinced of the power of God? In
     whom did ye desire that Alma should show forth his sign? Would ye that he should afflict others, to show unto thee a sign? Behold, he has showed
     unto you a sign; and now will ye dispute more?
       52 And Korihor put forth his hand and wrote, saying: I know that I am dumb, for I cannot speak; and I know that nothing save it were the power of
     God could bring this upon me; yea, and I always knew that there was a God.
       53 But behold, the devil hath deceived me; for he appeared unto me in the form of an angel, and said unto me: Go and reclaim this people, for they
     have all gone astray after an unknown God. And he said unto me: There is no God; yea, and he taught me that which I should say. And I have taught
     his words; and I taught them because they were pleasing unto the carnal mind; and I taught them, even until I had much success, insomuch that I verily
     believed that they were true; and for this cause I withstood the truth, even until I have brought this great curse upon me.
       54 Now when he had said this, he besought that Alma should pray unto God, that the curse might be taken from him.
       55 But Alma said unto him: If this curse should be taken from thee thou wouldst again lead away the hearts of this people; therefore, it shall be unto
     thee even as the Lord will.
       56 And it came to pass that the curse was not taken off of Korihor; but he was cast out, and went about from house to house begging for his food.
       57 Now the knowledge of what had happened unto Korihor was immediately published throughout all the land; yea, the proclamation was sent forth
     by the chief judge to all the people in the land, declaring unto those who had believed in the words of Korihor that they must speedily repent, lest the
     same judgments would come unto them.
       58 And it came to pass that they were all convinced of the wickedness of Korihor; therefore they were all converted again unto the Lord; and this
     put an end to the iniquity after the manner of Korihor. And Korihor did go about from house to house, begging food for his support.
       59 And it came to pass that as he went forth among the people, yea, among a people who had separated themselves from the Nephites and called
     themselves Zoramites, being led by a man whose name was Zoram÷and as he went forth amongst them, behold, he was run upon and trodden down,
     even until he was dead.
       60 And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at the last day,
     but doth speedily drag them down to hell.