Culture: Assuming that the actions of the people of Gideon were legal, we may deduce something of Nephite law. The judge must discern the legal grounds on which Korihor should be judged. He does not ask Korihor why he does not believe or ask him to defend his ideas, although Korihor takes advantage of the situation to expound his ideas. The judge does not apparently concern himself with what Korihor believes, thus obeying the law that allows Korihor to believe as he will.
What the judge does ask is why Korihor is preaching these things. Korihor ignores this question and instead explains what he believes. The judge’s question focused, not on the belief, but on Korihor’s actions to persuade others to adopt that belief. Nephite law protected belief but not preaching dissident ideas with the purpose of fomenting social contention and division. In the ancient world religion, politics and science were firmly enmeshed, even though Nephite society had a greater division between politics and religion than most communities. Nevertheless, religious ideas had political consequences. In the past, religious change had led to new political alliances, with many Nephites defecting to the Lamanites. The story that unfolds from this point until the Messiah’s arrival in the New World is one of increasing internal schism over this combination of politics and religion.
This Book of Mormon division between belief and overt attempts to prompt division is echoed in the modern LDS Church’s typical position on members’ differences of opinion. It is no crime to hold beliefs that differ from those of the main body of the Church. Many active and fully contributing members of wards and stakes may have differing views of such fundamental concepts as faith. Not allowed, however, is the effort of people with different ideas to attempt to convert others to their own ideas with the purpose of creating division among the Saints. Divisiveness is the crime, not the idea.