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KnoWhy #229 - Why did the Lamanites Sacrifice Women and Children to Idols? (Mormon 4:14)

TitleKnoWhy #229 - Why did the Lamanites Sacrifice Women and Children to Idols? (Mormon 4:14)
Publication TypeKnoWhy
Year of Publication2016
Corporate AuthorsBook of Mormon Central Staff
PublisherBook of Mormon Central
Place PublishedSpringville, UT
KeywordsApostasy; Human Sacrifice; Idol Worship; Idols; Lamanite; Mockery; Mormon (Prophet); Moroni (Son of Mormon); Nephite; Sacrifice; Shedding of Blood; Teancum (Polity)
Abstract

In Mormon 4, the Lamanites took women and children prisoner and sacrificed them to idols. In Ancient America and the Ancient Near East, people were sometimes sacrificed to idols on the death of a ruler so they could serve that person in the afterlife. Evidence from both of these areas also suggest that the Lamanites might have done this in order to get a god to fight for them or to get their crops to grow better during wartime. The fact that a people once chosen of God fell so low reminds the modern reader to avoid influences that can drag down good followers of Christ.

URLhttps://knowhy.bookofmormoncentral.org/content/why-did-the-lamanites-sacrifice-women-and-children-to-idols
Citation Key2524

Scripture Reference

Mormon 4:14