When Does "All Dead" Not Mean "All Dead?" – Part I

It is amazing that despite the clear and concise language of the scriptural record to the contrary, numerus theorists hold to the erroneous belief that there were large numbers of surviving Nephites after the final battle at Cumorah in 385 AD.

Moroni says “After the final battle the Lamanites have hunted my people down from city to city and from place to place, even until they are no more; and great has been their fall” (Moroni 8:7). He added for clearer understanding, “and I even remain alone to write the sad tale of the destruction of my people. But behold, they are gone, and I fulfil the commandment of my father….for I am alone” (Mormon 8:3, 5).

Moroni, a first-hand eye-witness to the final wars and demise of the Nephite nation, wrote down what he saw

 

It is hard to read these entries by Moroni and think that Nephites survived as Nephites after Cumorah. Yet, John L. Sorenson is adamant about such a belief and makes every attempt to have his readers agree with him. His viewpoint that large numbers of Nephites survived is seen in his comment: “Were there Nephites left after that battle? Some, yes.” While Mormon noted that "a few...had escaped into the south countries” (Mormon 6:15). He also said, “He also told Moroni, "many of our brethren have dissented over unto the Lamanites" (Mormon 9:24).”

We need to consider the references Sorenson cites before going further. Mormon writes that a few escaped into the south and a few dissented. But what happened to these escapees and dissenters? First of all, Mormon did not know the fate of those who had escaped into the south countries when he wrote this. However, a few years later, Moroni fills in this blank when he wrote: “After the great and tremendous battle at Cumorah, behold, the Nephites who had escaped into the country southward were hunted by the Lamanites, until they were all destroyed” (Mormon 8:2 emphasis added). "Until they were all destroyed" seems pretty clear and needs no further explanation by us or Sorenson.

In addition, Mormon 2:7-8 does not say that Nephites had refused to leave their lands as he infers—it describes the widespread revolution between Nephites, Lamanites and the Gaddianton robbers. Moroni 1:2 does not say "large numbers switched their allegiance rather than move out" as he claims. The scripture says, speaking of the Lamanites that "that whatsoever lands we had passed by, and the inhabitants thereof were not gathered in, were destroyed by the Lamanites, and their towns, and villages, and cities were burned with fire" (Mormon 5:5).

Mormon 9:24—this is an incorrect reference—he means Moroni 9:24, who is repeating the words of his father from a letter Mormon wrote him much earlier than Cumorah, which does state that many Nephites had and would dissent over to the Lamanites.  But nowhere does it say "large numbers" as Sorenson claims. Actually, some, if not all of these were killed in that final battle (Mormon 6:15) or were hunted down and killed (Mormon 8:2).  Moroni makes this perfectly clear when he writes: “I say no more concerning them, for there are none save it be the Lamanites and robbers that do exist upon the face of the land” (Mormon 8:9). That is, there were none anywhere on the face of the land of the Land of Promise other than himself, Lamanites and Robbers—the Nephites had all been destroyed and no longer existed.

Yet, despite the clarity of Mormon and Morioni’s comments, numerous theorists have written that they believe large numbers of Nephites survived the final battle with the Lamanites, no doubt to validate their beliefs and Land of Promise models. Mesoamerican theorists have to claim this because of the belief that there were many different cultures that lived in Mesoamerica when and where they claim Lehi landed.

In addition, Mesoamerican theorists like to alter the meaning of, or the clear-cut messages of, the scriptural record Take, as an example, the final battle between the Nephites and Lamanites, which ended the Nephite nation and exterminated every single Nephite except for Moroni. 

Mormon wrote about the devastating wars with the Lamanites as they fought throughout the Land of Promise

 

Again, Mormon, writing prior to the final battle, outlines that many Nephites had dissented over to the Lamanites (Moroni 9:24). However, since Moroni shows that all those who dissented in the time of these final battles were killed outright or hunted down and killed, any Nephite dissenters who survived the purge would have been those who dissented much earlier in Nephite history (Alma 47:35; 63:14) becoming more vicious than the Lamanites (Alma 47:36), and also in (12 BC) and were thereafter called Lamanites (Helaman 11:24; 4:3-4) or robbers (Helaman 11:26; 3 Nephi 1:28). Obviously, there were those who did not go with Mosiah to Zarahemla around 200 BC, whose fate we know nothing about, and there were Amlicites, Zoramites, and others that made this switch, for Mormon speaks in the past tense of those who had gone over to the Lamanites (Moroni 9:24). 

They were, in fact, called Lamanites from that point on (Alma 3:4; compare Alma 3:13-13-17), though they carried the Nephite blood within their veins, allowing Mormon to know that in the last days, both Nephites and Lamanites would be the future readers of the Book of Mormon record. As to those that Mormon said would dissent, Moroni closes the book on these some twenty years later by saying they were hunted down and killed.

Thus, it cannot be said, as Sorenson insists, and several other Theorists agree, that various Nephites survived the last battle and their descendants remained in the Land of Promise. However, Moroni assures us that he was alone, and “whether they will slay me, I know not” (Mormon 8:3). One would think that if any Nephites reained that Moroni would seek them out in order to mount a defense against the Lamanites. But alas, they were all gone, and Moroni remained alone. In fact, Moroni makes it clear that there are no more Nephites—only himself! Not only the Nephite Nation was annihilated, but every Nephite was killed in the final 63 years of wars with the Lamanites that ended at Cumorah. Some Nephites escaped from that battle and fled into the south countries, but as Moroni tells us, they were all tracked down by the Lamanites and killed.
    Yet Sorenson would have us believe that not all the Nephites were killed. In fact, he claims that large numbers of Nephites did not agree to flee with Mormon and his armies at all as they retreated ever northward. Sorenson states: “Naturally, large numbers of people of Nephite descent had never consented to flee their lands in the first place (Mormon 2:7-8), but had switched their allegiance rather than move out (Moroni 1:2). But Mormon, who was there, tells this quite differently for in 380 A.D.

In the process, we see that in the three hundred and eightieth year the Lamanites did come again against us to battle, and we did stand against them boldly; but it was all in vain, for so great were their numbers that they did tread the people of the Nephites under their feet. And it came to pass that we did again take to flight, and those whose flight was swifter than the Lamanites' did escape, and those whose flight did not exceed the Lamanites' were swept down and destroyed” (Mormon 5:6-7 emphasis mine). This seems quite clear.

What exactly is meant by the Nephite Nation being destroyed?

(See the next post, “When Does "All Dead" Not Meant "All Dead?" – Part II,” regarding the claims of theorists and scholars that many Nephites survived the final battle between the Newphites and Lamanites)