Audio October 19, 2010 1 Nephi 12-15 by Nancy Baird
Scriptures
“I have been carefully reviewing the state of things throughout the Christian land. I have looked with feelings of the most painful anxiety. Upon one hand, I behold the manifest withdrawal of God’s spirit and a veil of stupidity.”
Joseph Smith, in 1833. (Quoted by Hugh Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon, p.108.)
“A predominant characteristic, however, of the behavior of those I call evil is scapegoating. Because in their hearts they consider themselves above reproach, they must lash out at anyone who does reproach them. They sacrifice others to preserve their self-image of perfection.”
M. Scott Peck, People of the Lie, p. 73.
“Our capacity to choose changes constantly with our practice of life. The longer we continue to make the wrong decisions, the more our heart hardens; the more often we make the right decision, the more our heart softens – or better perhaps, comes alive…Most people fail in the art of living not because they are inherently bad…they fail because they do not wake up and see when they stand at a fork in the road and have to decide.”
Eric Fromm, The Heart of Man: Its Genius for Good and Evil, pp. 173-178.
“There is no neutral ground in the universe: every square inch, every split second is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan.”
C. S. Lewis, Christian Reflections, p. 33.
Information about the worship of Asherah in ancient Israel found in:
“Nephi and His Asherah,” by Daniel Peterson. Cited on www.maxwellinstitute.byu.edu, vol.9, issue-2, 2000.