The 3 Lamanites?

One thing (out of hundreds) I have learned from Grant Hardy's Oxford Annotated Book of Mormon, is that  the phrase "3 Nephites" is not scriptural. It is another example of our inability as a group of people to actually read and understand what the text states. The BOM describes the 3 New World hand-picked leaders by CHRIST, as the "three disciples". Nowhere does it designate their ethnic background. For all we know these 3 exemplary men were all Lamanites. 

It would make sense, since the Lamanites are described in the book as being more righteous immediately prior to JESUS's visit than their brethren the Nephites. Why do we keep calling them the 3 Nephites? Because we like to think of think of the Nephites as the good guys, and the Lamanites as the bad guys. Interesting, when GOD preserved the Lamanites and destroyed the Nephites. 

The most CHRIST-like group in the entire text are the people of Ammon, the Anti-Nephi-Lehis. You may recall those people were converted Lamanites. Only GOD can truly tell who the good guys are at any moment in time. 

My personal preference would be if the three disciples were made up of one Nephite, one Lamanite, and one Indigenous person. Whatever their ethinic background, those three disciples are still alive today. We might even meet one, or two, or all of them if had the faith that the people of 4th Nephi had. I know I do not have the kind of faith (yet) so I am going to have to most likely wait until the next life to find out what who and what the 3 Disciples were. 

If I do see them before that, I will let you know.