[pelagius]

Originally Posted by Adam

Alma 30:18 could have listed pride or drunkeness or breaking the sabbath or a whole host of other sins, but doesn't. Korihor convinces the women and some men to have sex freely. This is his sin. He then turns around and demands signs.

Well, verse 18 is certainly not the only place that the "sins" of Korihor are mentioned. So it seems too strong to list leading people into whoredoms as his only sin. Its fine to emphasize that sin but it is clearly not "the sin" and I think elevating it to the only sin does damage to the narrative.

Second, it is possible the whoredoms are not about sexual sin. The 1828 webster dictionary lists two definitions for whoredom:

1. Lewdness; fornication; practice of unlawful commerce with the other sex. It is applied to either sex, and to any kind of illicit commerce.

2. In Scripture, idolatry; the desertion of the worship of the true God, for the worship of idols.

Certainly, the first definition could be what Mormon via Joseph has in mind but the second is also possible. However, I suspect "sexual sin" is actually what is meant here since woman are mentioned as well. If it was about only idolatry then I suspect woman wouldn't have been mentioned. Still, the leading away into whoredoms aspect of the text is a small but important part of the overall narrative (it only becomes dominant be relying on some fairly heavy eisegesis). Note, I am note arguing that it is not important to the narrative. The narrative is clearly worried about the idea that a universalitist theology leads to break down in societies morals.

Originally Posted by Adam

I have found it true in practice too. When I taught people as WML in NYC and they would say they just hadn't been hit over the head yet to know it was true, that they were waiting for some powerful witness--a sign--I would recite to them Matt 12:39 and tell TPJS 287 and ask them about breaking the law of chastity. Without fail, they were.

Certainly you can use the Joseph Smith quote to justify such a notion. Even uncannonized statements by Joseph Smith carry a great deal of weight for most Mormons. But it really is an awful reading of Matt 12:39:

Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Aldulterous is being used here to describe the relationship of a sign seeking people with God. Jesus is clearly using a common OT metaphor often applied to covenant breaking Israel. Its not literally about a whole generation fornicating like they were at woodstock.