A few weeks ago, as we discussed as a family the account of Alma’s mission to the Zoramites, I was struck by how far they had really separated from the Nephites—not only physically but also spiritually.

We don’t really know much about when or why they separated from the Nephites (the first mention of them is when Korihor is trampled by them in Alma 30:58-59). We do know that they were dissenters of some sort (I’m assuming they were political dissenters, because it was after Alma received a message that they were “perverting the ways of the Lord” that he sets out on a mission to preach to them which I take to mean that they weren’t doing that before. Further, It mentions that Alma considered them his people–maybe his people from the time he held the judgement seat?).

After they left the Nephites, they set up synagogues and worshipped, but the way they worshipped had become corrupted. The center of this corruption in worship was a “holy stand” that they would ascend to pray to God. Their prayers were arrogant and vain in both attitude and repetition. They called this stand the Rameumptom.

The Rameumptom reminds me of Babel. The people of Babel thought the way to get to God was to build a tower. That didn’t turn out so well.

As is taught in the immediately succeeding chapter (Alma 32), humility has always been the way to get closer to God—not by building towers or stands that put us above others. Towers and stands fall to the ground…which is where we should already be. The question becomes whether we are compelled to be grounded or we choose to be grounded.

A great lyricists of our time has put it succinctly: “If you want to kiss the sky, Better learn how to kneel (on your knees boy!)” (Mysterious Ways, U2).

We get closest to God as we approach him in humble worship. Kneeling. Prostrate. Abased. Reverent. Meek. Lowly.

In Latter-day Saint culture, “the term ‘Rameumptom’ has a metaphoric meaning, signifying self aggrandizement or hubris” (see Wikipedia, Rameumptom).

We need to be attentive that we do not have any Rameumptoms in our homes, congregations, or communities. We need to raze our Towers of Babel. We need to raze our Rameumptoms.

As we ground ourselves in the basics of the gospel and remember our roots; as we demonstrate humility through prayer; as we establish firm and solid foundations—then we approach God; then he is more proximate to us; then we can reach to heaven in the sky above.

These thoughts were poignant enough to have caused me to rename my blog. And hopefully I can be effective at sharing things that ground me enough to get closer to God by razing the Rameumptom.