The Government Mosiah Set Up

In ancient times, man was governed by a Patriarchal Order, where there were no kings, just a patriarchal line that God set up for the purpose of continuing the priesthood lineage and the ruling order. From Adam to Seth and on down to Noah, then to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, the Patriarchal Line ruled—however, over the centuries from Adam onward, there were those who did not choose to be ruled by the patriarchs and set up their own kingdoms under the rule of a king. This should be well understood by members of the Church.

When Mosiah, the last Nephite king, told the Nephites that they should not be governed by a king, he outlined all the types of iniquity such rulers cause (Mosiah 29:21-24). Mosiah was also concerned about his son being king and returning to his prideful ways (Mosiah 29:9), and suggested the people learn to govern themselves by appointing judges (Mosiah 29:11). Higher judges were to judge lower judges, and lower judges were to judge higher judges, according to the voice of the people (Mosiah 29:29).

The purpose of self-government is illustrated in the statement: “And I command you to do these things and that ye have no king, that if these people commit sins and iniquities they shall be answered upon their own heads” (Mosiah 29:30). And also told them, that with a king people gripe and blame the king and “that these things ought not to be; but that the burden should come upon all the people, that every man might bear his part” (Mosiah 29:34).

In several instances in these verses, Mosiah says, “choose ye by the voice of the people,” “do your business by the voice of the people,” “it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right,” (Mosiah 29:25-27). Clearly, Mosiah was setting up the system whereby judges at all levels could be appointed by the people and still be judged by the people.

However, Michael M. Hobby, in his book “The Mulekite Connection,” completely misses the mark by stating on page 33:

“The opportunity to change the law was in Mosiah’s hand. To preserve Nephite freedom it was necessary to preserve Nephite control. Mosiah’s charisma was at a maximum, and he was successful in persuading the people to adopt a system of judges, with the lower judges elected by the people, most of whom were Mulekites. However, to ensure Nephite control, the first Chief Judge, and apparently the higher judges as well, were appointed.”

The truth of the matter is simply this. We do not know what roll the Mulekites played, if any, in the Nephite society once they were joined with the Nephites. It is disingenuous for Hobby, Nibley, Sorenson, and others to claim the Nephite problems were because of the Mulekites, or that any particular person was a Mulekite because of his name when no such indication is given anywhere in the scriptures. Like the clan of Sam, the Mulekites are never separately mentioned once this joining took place. And though the Josephites and Jacobites and others who the prophets identified as Nephites are occasionally mentioned to have been separate, it is never given as a particular event or circumstances, only that they existed and were included in the overall term. However, it should be noted, the Mulekites, like Sam’s posterity, are never separately mentioned. Yet Hobby has chosen to write an entire book on all the problems the Mulekites caused. Perhaps Hobby and others should limit their remarks to what the Book of Mormon says, and not make up stories, histories, attitudes, and problems that are not indicated, or attribute them to a particular group where no suggestion in scripture is mentioned.