The Hardest Job in the Church...
I believe Alma 14 demonstrates what must be the most difficult job in the church... that of being a prophet of God. We humans are so prone to go contrary to God's will that God appointed prophets and consecrated priests (see Alma 13) to preach the Gospel and repentance through his Son Jesus Christ.
I've always kinda figured it would be great to be a prophet. I guess I just sorta glamorized the position. I mean you're on God's errand, right? I mean that makes you pretty much heaven-bound, right? And what about all those cool spiritual insights you'd know? Yeah, that's cool too... but then there's the ugly side of things...
Sadly, few folks actually listen to true prophets. Samuel the Lamanite (Helaman 13:26-27) pointed this out when he explained that when a prophet comes, you throw stones at them, but when a man comes in and tells you that everything is just peachy and you can do whatever it is you like, then you call that person a prophet and give him your money.
That's exactly what happened in the city of Ammonihah. These Ammonihahites were of the religion founded by Nehor. Essentially it was this: We give you money, you reassure us that we're going to heaven, no matter what we do. It's a pretty sweet deal, if you think about it. Really optimizes out all the bad parts of religion (the need to repent, lake of fire and brimstone, personal responsibility), focusing solely upon all the good parts (heaven, holidays, cool costumes, and feasting on ambrosia)... so where's the harm in that way of thinking?
Alma had the dubious responsibility of being the prophet and needing to call the whole city to repentance.
Sure he makes a lifelong friend, but consider what his preaching really sparks... because Alma preaches to the people, he incites a riot that ends up creating a pogrom, in which women and children are burned. Had Alma left the people alone, perhaps some of those lives would've been spared the destruction that the Lamanites eventually performed upon them.
Okay so it's a stretch, because we have the benefit of a whole bunch of chapter's perspective... we can see how the city is destroyed in the end, but imagine how you'd feel in the moment? You've just taught the people the need to repent, and as a reaction to YOUR WORDS, you get to watch your friend's wives and children burned in a great fire. Imagine yourself in that place? These followers of Nehor are PROVING they are right by doing whatever they darn well please, and no one can stop them. All spurred on in direct reaction to YOUR preaching. Wouldn't you at least be tempted to doubt your means of delivery? "Dang, perhaps I shouldn't've called them children of hell? Okay so sure, they're behaving like them, but perhaps my buddy Amulek's daughter wouldn't be dying if I'd just been a bit more... diplomatic about it?"
I bet that was just a lovely day for Alma and Amulek. You can almost feel the agony in Amulek's heart as he pleads with Alma to intervene, only to be told that God is allowing such attrocities to occur in order to preserve judgment against them. Their acts were their witness.
Anyhow it was something to think about... I just can't help but feel for Alma and Amulek in that moment. I admire Alma's courage to say and do the right things, despite the terrible consequences of their words. He left them no excuse, but in so doing, I believe I see his point, and cherish them... takes some seriously longterm spiritual perspective though, to consider that someone thousands of years later would even take notice.
Then again, that's what prophets do...
--Ray