Korihor presents three ideas in this passage. First, he repeats that they cannot know that the Atoning Messiah will come. Second, he attacks the doctrine that the Messiah will be slain for our sins, a statement that, connected with “and thus,” leads directly to his third idea, an attack on the priests and belief as “foolish traditions” and bondage. He argues that the doctrine of the Messiah’s mission bringing redemption from sin places the people at the mercy of priests who control access to that forgiveness through the rules and regulations they impose but who are actually exploiting the people and “glut[ting]” themselves on the labor of the people. Without using the term, Korihor accuses the Nephite priests of priestcraft, or using their position for gain. This particular accusation is one of hypocrisy, for the Nephite religion should eschew priestcraft. (See commentary accompanying Alma 1:26–27 for a discussion of the Nephite position against priestcraft.)