A Note on Envy

What Does the Book of Mormon Say About Inequality? Series 

The Book of Mormon contains some surprising insights concerning economic inequality.  This series explores several topics addressed by the LDS scripture and its insights for today.


The dark emotion of 'envy' is mention several times in the Book of Mormon associated with intense periods of inequality, or pride cycles.  In the second article on pride I mentioned that envy is difficult to understand in the Book of Mormon because there are few details associated with the word.  Furthermore, I suggested that if we use modern nuances to the word 'envy' we could misunderstand the Book of Mormon message.  Let's take a look at what clues are offered for this word.

What is Envy?  And What Does it Have to do With Inequality?

It is easy to use the logic of today and conclude that the 'envy' or 'envyings' referred to during periods of inequality is describing the envy of the poor for the material wealth of the rich.   However, there is no evidence to suggest that this is the case.  For example, the poor are never described as the ones who are envious.  In fact, there is only one time when a specific example of envy is given in the Book of Mormon.

In 2 Nephi 26 and 28, Nephi prophesies that our day will be full of many churches which will "grind upon the face of the poor" (26:20), will "cause envyings, strifes, and malice" (26:21), and will "rob the poor" (28:13).  These prophesies are referring to organizations in our time that will promote priestcrafts - or religiously-based ideologies which justify inequality and vilify the poor, and thus "grind upon" their faces, and "rob" them of resources which should be given to them.

At the end of the Book of Mormon, a prophet named Mormon is reflecting on these earlier prophesies predicting a day of wealthy church leaders persecuting the poor, and then offers his own insights about churches and priestcraft in our day:

Mormon 8:28 Yea, it shall come in a day when the power of God shall be denied, and churches become defiled and be lifted up in the pride of their hearts; yea, even in a day when leaders of churches and teachers shall rise in the pride of their hearts, even to the envying of them who belong to their churches.

This is not an envying of poor to the rich - it is quite the opposite.  This is describing wealthy practitioners of priestcraft who rob the poor, and "grind" their faces, even those who belong to their churches, only to then envy them.

Why would people do that?  Why would someone envy people who have nothing, particularly if they have nothing because of your own craft?  It is an illogical emotion - but one that has modern examples.

Have you ever seen someone, who has had their school tuition paid for by their wealthy parents, then complain about the scholarships and grants given to students of poor and/or minority families?

Have you ever seen a wealthy individual - who has been privileged to never be poor their entire life - complaining about the meager aid given by governments and charities to the poor?  And then demand that such aid be accompanied with work and merit, or else be rescinded?

Have you heard people who have paid their way through school when it was easier to do so express outrage that other people could receive free tuition in the future?

Have you ever felt annoyance at the thought of any advantage another person has received which you haven't, even though you are doing fine yourself?

This is envy.

In each of these examples, the advantaged individuals perceive an injustice being done to them because they have not received the same treatment, when in reality the aid granted to the disadvantaged are designed to make things just.   Justice and equity are not brought about by equal treatment, because everyone's conditions are not equal. 

For the Nephites, a society which administered relief to the poor according not only to needs but also wants, it may have been very tempting for the advantaged to feel envious at the aid which others received, even if that aid was simply designed to facilitate life, righteousness, justice, and equity.  This envy may have led the people to quickly believe and support priestcrafts, which justified inequality and vilified the poor, because it is easier to believe that your wealth is warranted over others, and to believe that the poor have caused their own torment, then to watch others receive benefits which you have not received.

Again, there are few details in the Book of Mormon about what 'envyings, strifes, and malice' means, but considering how the rich are almost always the audience of such lectures then this is the type of envying that I imagine.