Nothing could be more serious for finite man, limited in his grasp of eternal things and thus stilted in his view of things as they really are, than to assume that he knows what is best for himself and to turn a deaf ear to the voice of God.
Joseph F. Smith said: “Among the Latter-day Saints, the preaching of false doctrines disguised as truths of the gospel, may be expected from people of two classes, and practically from these only; they are: First—The hopelessly ignorant, whose lack of intelligence is due to their indolence and sloth, who make but feeble effort, if indeed any at all, to better themselves by reading and study; those who are afflicted with a dread disease that may develop into an incurable malady—laziness. Second—The proud and self-vaunting ones, who read by the lamp of their own conceit; who interpret by rules of their own contriving; who have become a law unto themselves, and so pose as he she judges of their own doings. More dangerously ignorant than the first.” (Gospel Doctrine, p. 373.)
Thus, among the snares of the evil one are the vanity of knowledge and the vanity of ignorance—the intellectually obese, stuffing themselves with spiritual junk food; and the spiritual anorexic, refusing all nourishment.
“Unseemly Behavior”
The events of Nephi’s Story constituted an often enacted type. The sequence is ever the same-unseemly behavior is offended at the sobering warnings of the prophetic voice and seeks to silence it in one manner or another. Having done so, its perpetrators lose all sense of direction and are ripe for destruction, ready to be swallowed in the depths save they humble themselves and repent.