How can Laman and Lemuel slip back into their old ways again and again after having such powerful witnesses (plural!) of God’s power? After being convinced, as it seems they genuinely were, what causes them to then lose faith?
And the obvious follow-up: What causes anyone to lose their faith?
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OK, you're making me want to do this. How many days behind am I? I better read my BOM instead of several chapters of Northanger Abbey tonight. Mr. Tilney... please try to understand!!!
Hooray, I got all the way to page 11 so I'm catching up!
OK, back to your question. I think Lamen and Lemual lose faith partly on laziness and partly out of fear. Laziness because it's easier to not change their life and give up their "stuff" and have to go wandering about the wilderness. Fear because they've been asked to do some pretty scary things and sometimes your instinct of self-preservation can override your faith that the Lord can see you through some pretty trying stuff. I can kind of see their point.
As to why we can lose our faith, I think a lot of times it can be attributed to either Laziness or Fear. An attitude that makes you unwilling to do what it takes, or being afraid to change or go out on a limb. Those are my thoughts.
I finally started reading last night and made it to page 11 as well. My impression of Laman and Lemuel is that they never really had faith. Initially we are told that they were among those who wanted to kill Lehi for his prophecies, indicating that they are already very hard-hearted by the time we are introduced to them. They continually have dramatic experiences that require no faith on their part that scare them into doing what they should, like seeing angels.
What I take from this is that it is much more difficult to soften your heart or be sensitive to spiritual things once you allow yourself to be so hardened. Also, you have to have the desire to be open to spiritual things, which is another thing that Laman and Lemuel never seem to have.
You ladies are insightful! I never thought about L&L never really having faith to begin with, that's interesting. And that's true, once you've hardened your heart, it's difficult to go back. Never impossible, though, but I wonder what it would take if blatant proof doesn't work. I guess both a desire to change, a reason to change (love of family?) and then just exercising faith for awhile. I think even spiritual things are strengthened by habit, like physical things are.
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