If I was a Mormon in the early 1800’s I would feel like my religion was legitimized by The Book of Mormon. The Third Book of Nephi indicates that the Mormon people are the chosen people of God. Jesus visits them in America and says to Nephi and eleven others, “I have chosen [you] to minister unto this people” (491). This book portrays their founding father, Nephi, to be hand selected by God to lead this group of people. This entire book gives their religion the legitimacy searched for by all religions.
This book gives all power to the Mormons. It also justifies mistreatment of the Native Americans around 1830. The Native Americans were seen as savage people who were not civilized or organized. Persecution of Native Americans was in full swing right before Joseph Smith Jr.’s edition of The Book of Mormon was published. It does not necessarily condone the persecution, but the early chapters of the book may have contributed to ill feelings towards the Native Americans.
Jesus’ choosing of the Mormon followers as his chosen people allows them to think they are better than those who are not God’s chosen people. The Lamanites would have been seen as inferior because Jesus did not appear to them, but instead to the Nephites. This event can be seen as a contributing factor in the feelings that led to the mistreatment of a misunderstood group of people.
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