Why Nephi Killed Laban: Part 1

To say I have struggles with the question of why Nephi killed Laban is not entirely accurate. I would not categorize my relation with this question a struggle, but rather a constant area of intrigue. For some time now I have considered this question, hoping to find some solace in why Nephi felt, or was prompted to kill Laban, however, regrettably, the questions is harder to answer than I had originally thought.

Suffering, Empathy, and Living Among Others

Many of my beliefs stem from a fascination with empathy. In my opinion I feel as though it is through empathy towards one another that brings us closer to God. In recent years many Mormon authors have used idea's of empathy (while maybe not addressing it directly) to show a more complete view of what the gospel can do for us.

Job, Vonnegut, and Lot's Wife

Kurt Vonnegut wrote, in my opinion, one of the most honest lines ever written in his book, Slaughterhouse-five. In the first chapter he wrote of Lot's wife turning back to look back at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah,

"And Lot's wife, of course, was told not to look back where all those people and their homes had been. But she did look back, and I love her for that, because it was so human. So she was turned into a pillar of salt."