Random Thought #166

Have you ever wondered why the Lamanites that Ammon converted called themselves the Anti-Nephi-Lehies? That seems like such an odd name. After all, these people were converted Lamanites. I don't know the answer but here is a guess. The Lamanites and Lemuelites hated Nephi because even though they were older, it seemed like Nephi was the favored child and wanted to usurp power from them. This tradition carried down over the generations and that's why the Lamanites were always wanting to go to war and kill of the Nephites. So there was a lot of animosity between Laman and Lemuel and Nephi and Lehi and the rest of the family. Well this group of Ammon's converts didn't want to be called Lamanites anymore so that they could distinguish themselves from the Lamanites and they weren't exactly Nephites by virtue of their heritage so they had to come up with something. It could be that they still resented Lehi and Nephi for what happened back then but they had reformed now so they just called themselves The Anti-Nephi-Lehies. I guess its a good descriptive name for a group that isn't Lamanites or Nephites, hated the forefathers but since reformed. Not very catchy though. Perhaps they could have chosen the Reorganized Lamanites or something like that :P