It is interesting to consider the many ways over many years that the priests of Noah caused trouble for the rest of their Nephite brethren. All of the different ways stem from their pride and their conviction that normal rules didn’t apply to them. In chronological order:
- They taught and modeled iniquity while living on the taxes extracted from the people by Noah.
- Their attitudes encouraged the people to invite the displeasure of God and to reject the message of Abinadi.
- They kidnapped the daughters of the Lamanites (because they didn’t dare return to their families among the Nephites).
- This caused the Lamanites to attack the people of Limhi because they were ignorant of that rogue group of Nephites.
- They snuck in and stole desperately needed grain and supplies from the people of Limhi who were already under heavy tribute to the Lamanites.
- They directly persecuted the people of Alma in the land of Helam.
- Their descendants encouraged hatred toward the Lamanite converts who were eventually called the people of Ammon.
- When killing the heroically pacifist Anti-Nephi-Lehis proved unsatisfying the hatred they stoked led to attacks on the Nephites who were then unified under the leadership in the land of Zerahemla.
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