Recently there seem to be a few writers and bloggers who think Nephi is not as great a guy as portrayed in Primary class. These people usually point to three things: First, Nephi's supposed self-righteousness ("I will go and do the things which the Lord God commands me"); Second, Nephi's alleged racism because the Lamanite curse; and Third, Nephi killed Laban.
1. You do not get to criticize Nephi, unless you have...
...left all of your friends and possessions, and headed out into the desert in a tent,
went back home twice to get sacred scriptures and find suitable wives,
built a ship using primitive technology,
forgiven your siblings for trying to kill you,
provided food for your family using a bow and a sling,
sailed to another continent,
planted seeds in order to survive instead of eating using a microwave or fast food,
moved again because your siblings are trying to kill anyone who does think they should run the family,
built a temple,
written 2 books describing your family's history and what you think might help fools like us come to truly know CHRIST,
recognized you are a wretched man who is easily beset by sins (this is the only one I have accomplished),
made an extensive commentary on Isaiah,
had a vision of the Tree of Life,
defended your friends and family with just swords,
and finally, seen CHRIST and know that you are redeemed from hell.
2. There are at least two parts of the Lamanite curse. One was a skin of blackness. The other was being cut off from the presence of the LORD. Nephi may be exaggerating here on the skin issue because of his frustrations with Laman and Lemuel. If I had older brothers like those two I would have left them in the desert to die and called it good.
3. Laban deserved to be killed because he violated the law of Moses, which came from JEHOVAH. Robbing someone by force was a crime worthy of capital punishment. Nephi was told by the Spirit to kill him. People want to theorize that maybe it was the spirit of the devil. If that BS is true then how did Nephi have one of the greatest visions on record right after that?
It reminds me of when an elder in the office during my mission accidentally ran over a drunken Bolivian. Afterwards the annoying pre-teen daughter of the mission president asked the elder "But Elder ________, did you have to kill him?!"
Apparently people forget that JEHOVAH wiped out 99.9 percent of the people on this planet when it became clear that no one outside of Noah's family had a chance of living the Gospel.
I am nothing like Nephi, so I do not feel justified in criticizing him.
The LORD has succinctly stated to the brother of Jared,
"Fools mock, but they shall mourn."
(Ether 12:26)
If you are going to going to look at someone with flaws that need fixing, start with yourself.
