And it was because of the pride of their hearts, because of their exceeding riches, yea, it was because of their oppression to the poor, withholding their food from the hungry, withholding their clothing from the naked, and smiting their humble brethren upon the cheek, making a mock of that which was sacred, denying the spirit of prophecy and of revelation, murdering, plundering, lying, stealing, committing adultery, rising up in great contentions, and deserting away into the land of Nephi, among the Lamanites—And because of this their great wickedness, and their boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper, but were afflicted and smitten, and driven before the Lamanites, until they had lost possession of almost all their lands.
While at least some of our afflictions come upon us because of our pride and disobedience, it is not always a one-to-one relationship. On an individual basis the consequences of sin seem to be more random. Wicked, greedy, selfish people may prosper financially and in other measurable ways, while righteous people seem to suffer in many ways. It must be this way or we could not exercise faith. But on a societal level and over long periods of time, the axiom proves true over and over: if ye (plural) keep God's commandments, ye (plural) shall prosper in the land, but if ye (plural) keep not the commandments, ye (plural) shall be cut off.
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