The Book of Mormon on Being Ripe in Iniquity by S. Kurt Neumiller Living in the last days, we are naturally interested in issues of an apocalyptic nature. Part of the final events associated with the Second Advent of the Lord is the destruction of the wicked. Being concerned about our own welfare, we naturally are curious exactly what it is that qualifies one for destruction. Fortunately for us, there are a number of scriptures in the Book of Mormon that address the issue with considerable clarity. 1 Nephi 17:35 Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored of God. But behold, this people had rejected every word of God, and they were ripe in iniquity; and the fulness of the wrath of God was upon them; and the Lord did curse the land against them, and bless it unto our fathers; yea, he did curse it against them unto their destruction, and he did bless it unto our fathers unto their obtaining power over it. Here, Nephi is referring to "this people" as the Canaanites who were ejected from the Valley of Canaan so that Israel might take possession of the land. The Canaanite practices are described in Lev. 18 and 20 as being idolatrous (e.g. sacrificing children to Molech) and sexually immoral (e.g. incest, homosexuality, bestiality). 2 Nephi 28:16 Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of naught and revile against that which is good, and say that is of no worth! For the day shall come that the Lord God will speedily visit the inhabitants of the earth; and in that day that they are fully ripe in iniquity they shall perish. In the preceding text, Nephi describes the last days as a scene of pride, persecution, whoredoms, deliberate rebellion, and false teachers who preach popular doctrines which condone sin. Jacob 3:3 But, wo, wo, unto you that are not pure in heart, that are filthy this day before God; for except ye repent the land is cursed for your sakes; and the Lamanites, which are not filthy like unto you, nevertheless they are cursed with a sore cursing, shall scourge you even unto destruction. Jacob, previous to this statement, had been specifically preaching against adultery and the keeping of concubines and against lasciviousness in general. Alma 10:19 19 Yea, well did Mosiah say, who was our last king, when he was about to deliver up the kingdom, having no one to confer it upon, causing that this people should be governed by their own voices--yea, well did he say that if the time should come that the voice of this people should choose iniquity, that is, if the time should come that this people should fall into transgression, they would be ripe for destruction. Amulek addresses corrupt lawyers (and his fellow Ammonihahites in general) who are attempting to entrap him with their sophistry so as to silence him. The lawyers repeatedly twisted their words about and attempted to incite riot making inflammatory accusations. Shortly after this, people opposed to Alma and Amulek's message cast out and killed people sympathetic to their message. Alma 37:31 Yea, and cursed be the land forever and ever unto those workers of darkness and secret combinations, even unto destruction, except they repent before they are fully ripe. The text preceding this verse deals mainly with secret oaths and combinations designed to subvert the rights of the people so the participants may do as they wish. The land has a specific curse associated with it that any who are brought here by the Lord and then fail to heed Him will be destroyed. Alma 45:16 And he said: Thus saith the Lord God--Cursed shall be the land, yea, this land, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, unto destruction, which do wickedly, when they are fully ripe; and as I have said so shall it be; for this is the cursing and the blessing of God upon the land, for the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. Alma Jr. predicts in the preceding text that "works of darkness, and lasciviousness, and all manner of iniquities" will result in the annihilation of the Nephites. Helaman 5:2 For as their laws and their governments were established by the voice of the people, and they who chose evil were more numerous than they who chose good, therefore they were ripening for destruction, for the laws had become corrupted. General moral decay results in wickedness and injustice being more popular than rigteousness and justice. The result is the government reflects this general attitude and further promotes corruption. When wickedness is more popular than righteousness they are ripening for destruction. Helaman 8:26 Yea, even at this time ye are ripening, because of your murders and your fornication and wickedness, for everlasting destruction; yea, and except ye repent it will come unto you soon. The sins of murder and fornication are identified as resulting in their preparation for destruction. Helaman 11:37 And it came to pass in the eighty and fifth year they did wax stronger and stronger in their pride, and in their wickedness; and thus they were ripening again for destruction. Pride, alluded to previously, is directly implicated as a sin that prepares the people for destruction. The pride originates over disputes concerning doctrine and ultimately manifests itself in a divided society where a secret combination forms among the more rebellious persons. Even those not joining the secret combination are described as "forget[ing] the Lord their God" and cursed. Helaman 13:14 But behold, it is for the righteous' sake that it is spared. But behold, the time cometh, saith the Lord, that when ye shall cast out the righteous from among you, then shall ye be ripe for destruction; yea, wo be unto this great city, because of the wickedness and abominations which are in her. In a population of mixed righteous and unrighteous, when the unrighteous eject the righteous they are ready to be destroyed. Ether 2:15 And the brother of Jared repented of the evil which he had done, and did call upon the name of the Lord for his brethren who were with him. And the Lord said unto him: I will forgive thee and thy brethren of their sins; but thou shalt not sin any more, for ye shall remember that my Spirit will not always strive with man; wherefore, if ye will sin until ye are fully ripe ye shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord. And these are my thoughts upon the land which I shall give you for your inheritance; for it shall be a land choice above all other lands. The nature of the covenant surrounding the land is again emphasized. Those who sin will be cut off from the presence of the Lord and if they continue in sin they will be destroyed. Conclusions Those actions associated with being ripe for destruction are murder, idolatry, sexual immorality, subverting justice via secret combinations, and maltreatment of the righteous. The promised land (in this case the Americas, but any promised land has the same covenants associated with it) has a covenant associated with it where the inhabitants who deliberately rebel against the Lord will be annihilated. Therefore, in order to avoid being destroyed in any upcoming apocalyptic destruction we must avoid deliberate rebellion, secret combinations, and persecuting the righteous, and not engage in any murderous, idolatrous, or sexually immoral behavior. A person need not engage in all of them, one is sufficient to qualify for destruction.