The Zoramites, Corianton, and Total Depravity

In Alma, chapter 42, in the Book of Mormon, the prophet Alma teaches his wayward son Corianton about mercy, justice and the Atonement. Evidently Corianton, who had sex with the harlot Isabel while on a mission, felt that punishment for (his) sins was unjust. Corianton’s misunderstanding about the justice of God has always left me a bit puzzled. How can you believe in a God, but deny that there would be any negative repercussions for disobeying Him?

It’s possible that Corianton’s unique perspective was influenced by the doctrine of the apostate group he went to reclaim: the Zoramites. They were an apostate group of Nephites who believed that (1) the laws, statutes, and ordinances of the Law of Moses were childish (2) worship had to be a public affair, and wasn’t done in private (3) God existed as a Spirit (4) God had selected their group to be saved, while everyone else would be sent to hell (5) there would be no Christ.

Assuming that Corianton adopted some of the Zoramite’s tenets, it’s easier to see how he could believe God exists but that laws and sin don’t apply to him. Let’s look more closely at the Zoramite’s doctrine. They assembled once a week to worship, and each person who desired to worship climbed onto a platform and gave the same prayer (Alma 31: 15-18). There are a few interesting things about this prayer. For one, the prayer repeats the word “holy” many times; “Holy, holy God”; “we believe that thou are holy”; “thou hast elected us to be thy holy children.” Why the emphasis on being holy? Is there anything wrong with that? It’s a little overdone, admittedly, but doesn’t seem like a doctrine that would excuse you from punishment for sin. Just the opposite.

Well, later in the prayer we hear, “Thou hast elected us that we shall be saved, whilst all around us are elected to be cast by thy wrath down to hell.” OK, so here the Zoramite’s angle becomes clear. God is super holy, and we have been chosen for salvation. But why do they think they’re chosen, and how do these two ideas lead one to deny the existence of laws, sin and punishment? In order for them to fit, we have to add a third, implicit idea, borrowed from Calvinism: the concept of total depravity. The Calvinists (and Augustinians) believed that the fall of Adam sunk man to such a degraded, sinful level that he both would not want and was utterly unable to turn back to God. Therefore, God had to predestine or elect certain individuals to salvation or no one would ever be saved.

The Zoramite’s emphasis on God being holy makes me think they held a belief similar to total depravity; use the blade of God’s holiness to cut off everyone and then hand pick the ones lucky enough to be restored and saved. And how did you know if you had been picked? Why, you climbed onto the platform and said the magic prayer. Pretty convenient way to be saved, huh? Only trick was to get access to the stairs; my guess is they were heavily guarded to keep off any undesirables (see Alma 32: 2-3).

If Corianton did indeed adopt the Zoramite’s creed, then he would have believed that once you are elected to salvation, you are finished. You have no need to worry about sin, commandments, or punishment. Why should you feel misery for disobedience if there is no law? Why does there need to be a law if God has already decided who will be saved? Next, I want to examine how Alma refutes these beliefs.