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Latter-Day Liberty | A Gospel Approach to Government and Politics

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The Abinadi Effect

Posted by on October 24th, 2006
Abinadi

Abinadi is one of my favorite prophets in the Book of Mormon. This morning I was reading in Mosiah where he’s standing in King Noah’s court, rebuking them for not teaching the true meaning of and reason for the Law of Moses.

One thing I’ve thought about many times is what I call the “Abinadi Effect”. As best as we can tell from the account we have, Abinadi was ignorant of any success. I mean, they burned him at the stake immediately after he delivered his message! (As a side note, I love the “karma” that King Noah got turned back on his evil keister.)

But Abinadi did have success. As a result of his teachings, Alma believed, started the Church, gained thousands of followers, became High Priest (and his son after him), converted many more as a missionary, and on and on.

It’s the pyramid effect, but applied to Abinadi’s situation. Abinadi didn’t live to see the effect. He wasn’t aware of his success. He simply obeyed God’s commandment to open his mouth and deliver the message, come what may.

The effect can be applied to us as well. We don’t know what effect our words and actions will have on others. I think we can all agree that others are observing us as we observe them, and the example we set and life we lead can and does have an effect on others. Like Abinadi, we aren’t aware of the influence we have on others. For all we know, we have been the means of helping convert many without our knowledge.

For this reason it is imperative that we “let [our] light so shine before this people, that they may see [our] good works and glorify [our] Father who is in heaven.” (3 Nephi 12:!6)

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4 comments so far. Care to chime in?

I sometimes wish I always got the references in your blog, Connor. I will now have to go and read the story of this king from the Book of Mormon. I know some of the stories, and some of the more famous quotes, but oftentimes I am clueless. The Doctrine & Covenants always has been impossible for me to read through, and I’ve never attempted the Pearl of Great Price. My favorite quote of all time, from the Book of Mormon is “wickedness was never happiness”.

And this reminds me of the time I was confronted as a teenager for having read any of the Book of Mormon. My rector asked, “why do you read stories of people who never existed?”

I replied, “Father, do we believe in Adam and Eve,or Noah and the Great Flood”?

“No”, he stated emphatically. “Those are inspiried fables that teach a moral lesson, and apply to our lives today”.

“So I’m not the only one who reads stories about people who never existed?” I replied.

#1 Robert | October 24th, 2006 8:19 PM

Interesting point, Robert.

I see three possible categories for scriptural characters:
1) Almost certainly didn’t exist
2) May have existed, though elements of their lives may have been allegorised or invented
3) Existed basically as represented in scripture

I think you could measure a Latter-day Saints degree of liberal-ness or orthodoxy by asking them to categorise the following people as 1, 2, or 3:
Job, Adam and Eve, Noah, Moses, Isaiah, Jesus, Paul, Nephi

How about it? Anyone want to take the scriptural orthodoxy test?

My scores: 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 1
Total: 13

#2 fontor | October 24th, 2006 9:36 PM

2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

Woohoo, 23! Did I win a prize?

#3 Connor | October 24th, 2006 10:00 PM

Wow, I was expecting a 24 from you. You’re more liberal than I thought.

Job, eh?

#4 fontor | October 24th, 2006 10:16 PM

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