Rhetorical: Alma is attempting to give the people a chance to separate themselves from the teachings they have learned at the feet of the lawyers such as Zeezrom. Alma tells the people that just as Zeezrom attempted to ensnare Amulek, he (and others like him) have already ensnared the people. He hopes that by using the now clear plan of Zeezrom as a model, the crowd might see that they had also been captivated by a similar line of argument.