“The
condemnation of the Nephites in their days of wickedness is ever that 'they
have set their hearts upon their riches.' ... [Nephi's brother Jacob] declares,
'But wo unto the rich who are rich as to the things of the world. For because
they are rich they despise the poor... and their hearts are upon their treasures;
wherefore, their treasure is their god' (2 Nephi 9:30). Another Nephi at the
time of Christ repeats the refrain: 'O, how could you have forgotten your God? ...
Ye have set your hearts upon the riches and the vain things of this world' (Helaman 7:2021).
“Why
should we labor this unpleasant point? Because the Book of Mormon labors it, for
our special benefit.... Above all, [when wicked] the Nephites saw in [wealth] a
mark of superiority.... Even the people of the church when they 'began to wax
proud because of their exceeding riches' (Alma 4:6) became fiercely competitive
(Alma 4:9). 'Ye do always remember your riches,' cried Samuel, 'unto great
swellings, envyings, strifes, malice ... iniquities' (Helaman 13:22)....
“The
most calamitous effect of [the quest for] wealth, according to the Book of Mormon,
is the inequality it begets in any society. ... Jacob sounds
the warning: ' ... because some of you have obtained more abundantly than your
brethren, ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts ...' (Jacob 2:13).
“....
But who would be such a churl as to speak of robbing the poor? .... Nobody in
our time
goes out of his way to oppress the poor as Mormon [8:39] puts it, we simply
suffer the poor 'to pass by... and notice them not.'” (See Hugh Nibley, Since Cumorah, pp. 356-359.)
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