Does anyone know verses from the Book of Mormon concerning evil/suffering?

January 12, 2012 12:57 PM

Does anyone know verses from the book of Mormon concerning the problem of evil/suffering?

Someone once showed me a passage from the book of Mormon (I don't remember which book) that told about the problem of evil and suffering and explained in from a Mormon perspective. I've tried searching it online to no avail. If anyone is familiar with the passage or a similar one I'd appreciate you sharing it. Have a great day.

posted by gibbsjd77 to religion & philosophy (9 answers total)

Here's a search result from lds.org. Perhaps it's one of these? Evil and Suffering.
posted by Sassyfras at 1:02 PM on January 12, 2012

The term you're looking for is "Theodicy." I don't know the verse you are looking for but if you search for 'mormon theodicy' (no quotes), you'll get a lot of hits. There are some verses cited here which look promising.
posted by muddgirl at 1:02 PM on January 12, 2012

2 Nephi, chapter 2 deals with this.

here's verse 11:
For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

my favorite verse from that chapter has always been the promise near the end, verse 25:
Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

before i left the church and my faith behind, it brought me great comfort.
posted by nadawi at 2:17 PM on January 12, 2012 [2 favorites]

More Mormon theodicy.
posted by nanojath at 2:44 PM on January 12, 2012

The first one that came to mind was the Book of Alma, chapter 42. Alma addresses his son's concern that it is injustice that sinners should end up in a state of misery. Alma goes on to explain that the state of misery would have been a permanent condition if Christ had not offered to redeem mankind from their sins. Verses 14 and 15 talk about the needs of both justice and mercy being met.

Chapters 40 and 41 also touch on the subject.
posted by circular at 4:51 PM on January 12, 2012

Alma 14:10-11 is another passage that addresses the issue.
posted by Bruce H. at 5:36 PM on January 12, 2012

Would this free ebook concordance too the BoM be helpful?
posted by BlueHorse at 10:09 PM on January 12, 2012

TO not too or two
posted by BlueHorse at 10:09 PM on January 12, 2012

Thanks for sharing. I believe the passage from 2 Nephi is the one.
posted by gibbsjd77 at 7:37 PM on January 13, 2012