Post by Amulek – Missionary Companion with Alma
The major challenge that not only comes with the reign of judges but comes with any society where people deal with one another, is wages – the exchange of gold and silver. There is nothing inherently wrong with gold or silver. The challenge is people – greed – selfishness – pride – you get it.
Judges and lawyers genuinely deserve to be compensated for their labor. The challenge I see here in Ammonihah and anywhere pride and wickedness are prevalent; is the power and control gained and administered by those with power and control. That typically comes with riches.
Let me illustrate by examining the problem here in Ammonihah. Judges receive a senine of gold for a day’s wages, or a senum of silver. Nothing wrong with that. That’s the law. The fault I wish to point out is the marketing method the lawyers and judges employ to get gain.
Our judges and lawyers here in Ammonihah and in other wicked places, have as their sole purpose to get gain. The more they work, the more they receive wages. There is no fault in this either. I too promote my business so that I may provide well for myself and my family. The difference between me and many others who are in respectable professions, and the lawyers and judges, is that the lawyers and judges stir up people to rioting and disturbances and wickedness so they may get money according to the suits that are brought before them.
Good people profit when there is peace and unity. The judges and lawyers profit when there is distrust, disunity, hate, anger, dishonesty, discord and trouble between neighbors.
It’s not just the money and the wickedness that follows their profession, but the power they hold over the people. They have power to compel a person to pay another (validly or not). If the accused can’t or won’t, these judges have the legal power to strip them of their possessions, or be cast out from us as a thief or a robber.
Alma cautioned me against delving too deeply into the economics of our money, but let me briefly say we had several denominations of silver and gold. Senines, seons, shums, and linmahs of gold. Senums, amnors and ezroms and ontis of silver. Then of course we also have antions, leah’s, shiblums, and shiblons. Regardless of the weights and measures of each of these, the story here is; there’s money a plenty for those judges and lawyers who profit from our wickedness.
With that said, you will more fully understand the challenge Alma and I face with these lawyers and judges. They are stirring up the people against us for money, not some theological understanding.
The first cunning attack came from one of their most expert in the devices of the devil, Zeezrom. He was well known for his unmatched skills. He came right after me. As best as I can I am relating our full debate, if you can call it a debate.
“Amulek, Will you answer me a few questions?”
I answered, “If it’s according to the Spirit of the Lord, which is in me; for I won’t say anything which is contrary to the Spirit of the Lord.”
He said, “Here are six onties of silver, I will give them to you if you will deny the existence of a Supreme Being.”
Regardless of the value of six onties, which is considerable, my first thought was how overrated Zeezrom’s reputation was. That was about the dumbest way to try and trick someone. And if this represented the skill level of these lawyers, my fellow Ammonihahites are pretty foolish to let these lawyers represent them.
I couldn’t resist calling him out. I was blunt. “You child of Hell, how could you think to tempt the righteous with such a temptation? Do you believe there’s no God? Of course you do. You know there is a God. You just love money more than Him.”
I was not just embarrassed for Zeezrom’s foolishness, I saw through his lie. I told him so.
“You’ve now lied before God and me. You said, ‘behold these six onties, which are of great worth, I will give them to you’—when thou had it in your heart you were never going to give them to me. Your only desire was for me to deny the true and living God, so you could destroy me. Believe me on this. Because of this great evil you will have your reward.”
Caught in his lie, he began a bit more noncontentious, “So you say there is a true and living God?
I answered a bit less confrontationally, “Yes, there is a true and living God.”
Zeezrom said, “Is there more than one God?”
Me, “No.”
Zeezrom then asked me, “How do you know these things?”
“An angel made them known to me.”
Zeezrom said again, “Who is he that will come? Is it the Son of God?”
“Yes.” When I answered Zeezrom, I couldn’t but hope maybe he was somewhat sincere in his question. My hope was in vain. Because his next few questions again betrayed him.
He asked, “Will he save his people in their sins?”
I said, “I say to you he will not, for it is impossible for him to deny his word.”
Zeezrom turned to the people trying to set up the trap. He said to them, “See that you remember these things; for Amulek said there is but one God; yet he says that the Son of God shall come, but he won’t save his people—as though he had authority to command God.”
The wicked can certainly twist and turn. I let loose again. “Behold, you lied again. You say that I spoke as though I had authority to command God because I said he shall not save his people in their sins.
I say he cannot save them in their sins; for I cannot deny his word, and he has said that no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven? Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins.”
In typical fashion, that trap failed and Zeezrom tried to set the next one. “Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father?” he asked.
In my next post, I will explore in detail the answer to Zeezrom’s question. For of the many he asked in an effort to confound and condemn Alma and me, this one deserves its own attention.