The carnal man enjoys the opportunity to put down others in order to hide his own insecurities. So the opportunity to preach that all but the Zoramites are sinners was particularly appealing. In this respect, the Zoramites approximated the Pharisees:
’And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
’Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
’The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
’ I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
’And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
’I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.’ (Lu 18:9-14).
If we are to liken the scriptures to ourselves, we must read the story of the Zoramites with an introspective eye. Rather than look down our noses at their hypocrisy and self-righteousness, we should ask ourselves if we are not guilty of self-righteous attitudes in a lesser degree. For example, some members testify of the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth (DC 1:30) with a tone which is reminiscent of the Zoramites. The privilege of being associated with the only organization which has the power to exalt its members should not be translated into a religious superiority complex.
"Joseph Smith clearly identified why self-righteousness is so dangerous: it prevents repentance and keeps a person from developing the love of God. In an 1842 discourse, he said, ’All the religious world is boasting of its righteousness—it is the doctrine of the devil to retard…our progress by filling us with self-righteousness.’ (Richard Lloyd Anderson, Ensign, Feb. 1987, p. 20)
Hugh Nibley
"These lessons have always been hard for the Latter-day Saints to learn, and it is clear from the words of Brigham Young that we still have a long way to go. There are a few absolute and categorical ‘Thou Shalt Nots’ in the scriptures which we are far from taking to heart: we have been told that under no circumstances are we to contend, accuse, coerce, aspire, or flatter. These practices will be readily recognized as standard procedure in getting to the top in our modern competitive society. What all of them have in common is a feeling of self-righteousness.
“Next to covetousness it was self-righteousness against which Joseph and Brigham most urgently warned the Saints. ’Let not any man publish his own righteousness,’ said the Prophet Joseph (not even, one might add, in testimony meeting). ‘Don’t be limited in your views with regard to your neighbor’s virtue, but beware of self-righteousness, and be limited in the estimate of your own virtues… . You must enlarge your souls towards each other… . As you increase in innocence and virtue, as you increase in goodness, let your hearts expand, let them be enlarged towards others… . You must not be contracted, but you must be liberal in your feelings.‘ ’Christ was condemned by the self-righteous Jews because He took sinners into His society.‘ ’All the religious world is boasting of righteousness: it is the doctrine of the devil to retard the human mind, and hinder our progress, by filling us with self-righteousness… . We are full of selfishness; the devil flatters us that we are very righteous, when we are feeding on the faults of others.’” (Brother Brigham Challenges the Saints, pp. 225-6)
Hugh B. Brown
"The gospel of Jesus Christ teaches the universality of God’s concern for men and that obedience is a universal and fundamental law of progress, both temporal and spiritual. The aristocracy of righteousness is the only aristocracy that God recognizes. This leaves no room for self-righteous expressions in words or actions of being ’holier than thou.’ There is a real unity in the human race, and all men have a right to equal consideration as human beings, regardless of their race, creed, or color.
“For any church, country, nation, or other group to believe that it is the only people in whom God is interested or that it has special merit because of color, race, or belief, that they are inherently superior and loved by God without regard to the lives they live, is not only a great and dangerous fallacy but is a continuing barrier to peace. This is demoralizing, whether it is the exploded and presumptuous myth of an Aryan race of supermen or disguised in more subtle forms. Let us steadfastly avoid such demoralizing arrogance.” (Conference Report, Apr. 1966, p. 119)