The Zoramites were a group of Nephite dissenters who, under the leadership of a man named Zoram, separated themselves from the Nephites and developed distinct religious practices and beliefs. Around 74 B.C., they were identified as having perverted the ways of the Lord, including the forsaking of prayers and the observance of the law of Moses, and instead embracing idol worship (Alma 31:1). Their worship centered on a distinctive structure known as the Rameumptom, from which they offered a rote prayer that declared their chosen status and denied the coming of Christ (Alma 31:13-23).
The Zoramites’ beliefs and practices stood in stark contrast to the principles and ordinances of the church established by the Nephites, and their society was marked by a divide between the wealthy, prideful class and the poor, whom they persecuted and expelled from their synagogues. The very poverty of the latter group rendered them humble and receptive to the teachings that Alma and his missionary companions brought to them while in the land of Antionum (Alma 32:2-6; Alma 35:3-7).
As Alma and his followers endeavored to reclaim the Zoramites to the Nephite faith, they taught extensively on the nature of faith, the reality of Christ, and the need for sincere prayer and reliance on the scriptures—central tenets of the gospel that stood in opposition to the false doctrines of the Zoramites (Alma 32-34). Despite having some success with the poor, the Zoramites who rejected these teachings eventually aligned themselves with the Lamanites and were key figures in the subsequent conflicts between the Lamanites and the Nephites (Alma 43:4 ff.).
The narrative of the Zoramites serves as a cautionary tale within the Book of Mormon, illustrating the consequences of pride, materialism, and the corruption of true religious principles. It underscores the necessity of sincere worship, the acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as the Savior, obedience to God’s commandments, and the cultivation of humility and charity. Ultimately, the fate of the Zoramites warns against allowing the heart to be led astray by the flatteries of false leaders and doctrines, as some Zoramite descendants became partakers with the Gadianton robbers, further contributing to the cycle of warfare and moral decay (3 Nephi 1:29).