1 Nephi

I finished reading 1 Nephi tonight so I am now 53 pages (10%) through the Book of Mormon (BOM). Over the last four days, that's an average of 13.25 pages per day. At that rate, I'd finish the BOM in 40 days (December 5). Now, obviously the point here isn't to go for speed and forego comprehension. So, if it takes 60 or 80 or 100 days to get through the BOM, so be it. The important thing is to get something out of the experience and also judge for myself whether I believe in the book (or not). My wife, however, will appreciate the math above because I tend to do that with other books and she finds it amusing (and likely a bit ridiculous).

In terms of the content itself, I had two posts along the way (here and here). Regarding the tree of life, there is greater explanation regarding the meaning behind the tree of life in 11:22-27, 11:35-36, 12:16-18, 15:23-24, and 15:26-30. In short, the tree of life is the love of God, the rod of iron is the word of God, and the great and spacious building is the pride of the world.

At chapter 4 of 1 Nephi, there is a puzzling story of God (via the Spirit) directing Nephi to kill someone:

11 And the Spirit said unto me again: Behold the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands. Yea, and I also knew that he had sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he would not hearken unto the commandments of the Lord; and he also had taken away our property.
12 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;
13 Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.
14 And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise.
15 Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law.
16 And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass.
17 And again, I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my hands for this cause—that I might obtain the records according to his commandments.
18 Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Laban by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own sword.

Laban had been after Nephi's family and was also withholding plates of brass that had important information on them about Nephi's family and other direction from God. So, this is somewhat self-defense in the sense that if Nephi didn't kill Laban, Laban would have killed Nephi and his family at some point. But it's also not really self-defense in the sense that Laban is drunk on the ground, posing no immediate threat to Nephi, and yet Nephi chops off his head in cold blood. And that wouldn't be that hard to accept other than the fact that he does it at the specific direction of the Spirit. With respect to the plates of brass, you could also argue the ends justify the means ("It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief") and I get that. But it seems like there was probably a better way to accomplish this goal - especially if God's going to get directly involved. It's one thing if it's man making due with a bad situation but you'd assume God has more tools at his disposal and/or a better solution available to him that getting someone drunk and then having someone else behead him with his own sword. Asked the missionaries about this and they didn't have a great answer. Asked HG about this as well and she didn't have a great answer either. You can argue that this took place in Old Testament times (eye for an eye, etc) excerpt for the fact that if God is "the same yesterday, to-day, and forever" (1 Nephi 10:18) then the same God that's involved here (in roughly 600 BC) is the same God that operates today. Anyway, if others have good explanations, would love to hear them. I wouldn't say this passage diminishes my faith but it did take me a bit by surprise.

There are multiple references to the abominable church of the devil (see, for example, 13:3-9, 13:26-28, 13:32, 14:1-17, and 22:23). At first I thought this was a literal reference to a particular faith or church (which would have been troubling), but my sister-in-law HG informed me that Church officials have gone on the record saying that these passages are metaphorical and refer to anything worldly that takes one's attention away from God or otherwise corrupts His teachings.

In 15:11, it says "If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you". That's a comforting thought.

In 17:45, it says "Ye are swift to do iniquity but slow to remember the Lord your God". So true.

And, in 19:6, it says "Nevertheless, I do not write anything upon plates save it be that I think it be sacred. And now, if I do err, even did they err of old; not that I would excuse myself because of other men, but because of the weakness which is in me, according to the flesh, I would excuse myself". This admission that errors may exist in the record given weakness "according to the flesh" is good to hear (at least for me personally) relative to other concerns I've raised on this topic in the past (see this post, for example).

On a whole, I think it's too early to really say what I think of the BOM and whether reading it will lead me to be baptized or not. I'll just need to continue this process and see how it goes with the remaining 90% of the book (ignoring D&C and the Pearl of Great Price which are another whole set of reading). Reactions or thoughts very welcome in the meantime.