Editing First Nephi (section)

=== Killing Laban ===
{{main|Killing of Laban}}
Many scholars have commented on the theological implications of Nephi reporting that the Holy Ghost told him to slay Laban. Latter-day Saint critic [[Eugene England]] analyzed Laban as a scapegoat figure common in ancient times, but saw this as a flawed argument.<ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last=England |first=Eugene |date=1989 |title=Why Nephi Killed Laban: Reflections on Truth in the Book of Mormon |journal=Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought |volume=22 |issue=3 |page=43|doi=10.2307/45225787 |jstor=45225787 }}</ref> For BYU religion professor Charles Swift, Nephi acted out of necessity; but acknowledges that there were many other ways God could have provided the brass plates to Nephi. Jeffrey R. Holland and Swift argue that Nephi had to slay Laban in order to obey God, and that is the most important thing.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Swift |first=Charles |date=2019 |title="The Lord slayeth the wicked": Coming to Terms with Nephi Killing Laban |url=https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms/vol28/iss1/6/ |journal=Journal of Book of Mormon Studies |volume=29 |issue=1 |page=138}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Holland |first=Jeffrey |date=September 1976 |title=How can I explain Nephi's killing Laban to my nonmember friends? |url=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1976/09/i-have-a-question/how-can-i-explain-nephis-killing-laban-to-my-nonmember-friends?lang=eng |archive-date= |access-date=November 19, 2023 |website=The Ensign}}</ref>