Nephites

In the circa A.D. 385 .Mormon 6, Ibid.

VARIOUS USAGES

The Book of Mormon uses the term ''Nephite'' in many different ways, usually contrasted with the term ''Lamanite''. These ways are familial (or clan-based), religious, political, and cultural. Although the two groups did merge for a while (4 Nephi 1:17), the Nephites were never a majority in the Book of Mormon. This is because the term ''Lamanite'' after its earliest usage became a word meaning "non-Nephite," much in the way that a Gentile in modern usage means "non-Jew." Because none of the definition-Nephite groups formed a majority, the Lamanites always outnumbered their Nephite counterparts.

Familial

The clan-based usage of the terms ''Nephite'' and ''Lamanite'' originate in 2 Nephi 5:6 in which Nephi (who lived during the Sixth Century BC ) and those who follow him seperate themselves from the Lamanites and form a new settlement in what they christened the Land of Nephi. Later direct descendents of Nephi would use the term in this way.

Religious

The ancient Nephites practiced Judaism before the coming of Christ and Christians on the American continent after his resurrection until the early Fourth Century . Throughout the Book of Mormon the term "Nephite" in the religious sense refers to a believer in Jesus Christ, either before his coming, or after. Such usage is found in Alma 3:11, which states, ". . . that whosoever would not believe in the tradition of the Lamanites, but believed those records which were brought out of the land of Jerusalem, and also in the traditions of their fathers, which were correct, who believed in the commandments of God and kept them, were called the Nephites . . ."

Political

Although the Book of Mormon states explicitly that Nephi was the first king of the Nephites (Jacob 1:11), the word "Nephite" does not seem to be used in a clearly political sense until later. In the first and second centuries BC the Lamanite and Nephite societies created sophisticated kingdoms and the Nephites later created a sort of republic. The political Nephite state existed with clear borders (Alma 22:27) and within it lived people who were religious Nephites and also those who did not practice the Nephite religion (Alma 31:8), due to freedom of religion which was upheld by their laws (Alma 1:17; 30:7).

Cultural

Cultural usages of the word ''Nephite'' are harder to discern in the record, because they usually overlap with religious or political usages. However, the word ''Lamanite'' is used in a much more cultural context, and since it is usually an antonymn of ''Nephite'', we can usually deduce from its usage characteristics of the Nephites. According to the Book of Mormon, Lamanites are "a lazy and idolatrous people" (Mosiah 9:12), and "wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirty people . . . dwelling in tents, and wandering about the wilderness . . ." (Enos 1:20). The Nephites are, in turn, industrious (2 Nephi 5:17), civilized (Moroni 9:12), and god-fearing. Also, many Nephites were outside of the political influence of the Nephite state, yet still presumably carried with them Nephite culture (Alma 63:10)

ARCHEOLOGICAL DISPUTES

Most members of the Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints believe that the Nephites were a historic people. However, most mainstream archeologists argue that there is currently no compelling evidence that this group existed. The Foundation For Ancient Research And Mormon Studies (FARMS), recently absorbed by Brigham Young University , performs extensive archeological research in this area, and publications on this subject and other historical topics are issued regularly by the FARMS organization.

Most LDS scholars, however, claim that interpreting findings in a way that might seem favorable to the Book of Mormon is cautiously avoided by mainstream archaeologists, creating an inherent bias against it. Evidence such as the similarity to the second coming of Quetzalcoatl and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ , and images of the Pochteca , a merchant group often depicted with beards, having the face structure of Caucasians , and other archaeological/ethnological data which frequently appear are interpreted as anomalies rather than as part of a comprehensive trend.

FOOTNOTES

SEE ALSO

Information About

Nephites