First off, my BIL the bishop gave us a copy of The Book of Mormon for Latter-day Saint Families for our wedding almost two years ago. We've been re-reading the BofM since we've been married, and we decided to read from this particular book this time because it had interesting quotes and footnotes. Today we read 23 Alma, and there was a note about verse 17 where the converted Lamanites changed their name to the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. Now, growing up, I had always heard the term "anti" and was told that it was something that was against something else. Imagine my surprise when I read the footnote at the bottom of the page:
The Book of Mormon does not tell us why these converted Lamanites chose the name Anti-Nephi-Lehies. One meaning of the word anti at the time of Joseph Smith was "mirror image of." Perhaps these new believers wanted to be just like Lehi and Nephi, their righteous ancestors (see Joseph Fielding McConkie and others, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon 3:165)(p 333).
So could the anti-Christ be a mirror image of Christ, but not? You know what I mean? Like in the musical Cats. Near the end, the evil cat Macavity kidnaps the leader of the cats, Old Deuteronomy. Later, it appears that Old Deuteronomy has returned, but one of the female cats jumps on him, and it turns out to be Macavity in disguise.
Anyway, it's something to think about.
1 comment:
Interesting thought, T.
I never gave the name much thought, but "anti" does have different meanings and an interesting etymology (from the Latin ante, meaning prior, earlier, forward, earlier than, in front of, etc.).
Yes, I believe that an effective anti-Christ would necessarily be something similiar, but opposite. It's interesting, that when you look in a mirror at yourself, you see yourself, but you see the exact opposite of yourself. Sure looks like you, though, doesn't it?
If Christ's purpose is to lead us home to heaven, then the anti-Christ's purpose is the exact opposite. In order to fool a great number of people, he'll have to put on some kind of act/show and make people believe he's something that he's not.
That adds perspective to what President Ezra Taft Benson once said, "I bless you with increased discernment to judge between Christ and anti-Christ."
Okay, back to work...
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