Yahweh explains why Ammonihah is slated for destruction: It plans to “destroy the liberty of thy people.” This is an interesting warning. What was happening in Ammonihah that threatened Zarahemla? In particular, what is so serious that Yahweh is concerned for the “liberty of thy people?”
The answer lies in Ammonihah’s politico-religious climate. Although it has political ties to Zarahemla, they are somewhat weak—not altogether surprising since more than three days’ journey separates them (three days from Melek to Ammonihah, added to the distance from Zarahemla to Melek). More significantly, even though the Ammonihahites are nominally Nephite, Ammonihah firmly espouses the order of the Nehors: “But as to the people that were in the land of Ammonihah, they yet remained a hard-hearted and a stiffnecked people; and they repented not of their sins, ascribing all the power of Alma and Amulek to the devil; for they were of the profession of Nehor, and did not believe in the repentance of their sins” (Alma 15:15).
In this context, Alma’s condemnation of Nehor is significant: “Behold, this is the first time that priestcraft has been introduced among this people. And behold, thou art not only guilty of priestcraft, but hast endeavored to enforce it by the sword; and were priestcraft to be enforced among this people it would prove their entire destruction” (Alma 1:12).
It is no accident that the “destruction” of the Nephite way of life describes Nehorism and also the danger in Ammonihah. Alma understands that the spread of the order of the Nehors would destroy the Nephite religion. If the Nephite religion crumbled, its influence over the political structure would also be broken. Nephite society would inexorably move to the cultural order espoused by the Nehors. (See “Excursus: Religion of the Nehors,” following Alma 1.)