Continuing my approach:
Example #2 - Nehor - In the beginning of Alma we meet Nehor who is a douche, and an anti-Christ, but an atheist? I don't want to spend much time on Nehor, he kills Gideon, one of the heroes from Mosiah. I mean, total douche.
So Nehor 'preached the word of God' in his own views, and started priest-crafts, which basically is Mormon for 'evangelist.' Taught that the people's sins would be removed, everyone would be saved, liked popularity, must I continue? An anti-Christ, kind of, but definitely not an atheist. What a douche though.
Example #3 - Zeezrom - who has a cool name. Alma and Amulek are preaching to the apostate but very believing Zoramites. Alma contends with him and makes him a believer, through reasonable means, and Zeezrom tries to help his friends but is thrown out of the city. Then all the converted people, men, women, and children, are burned alive, yay! This and that douche Nehor killing Gideon are my least favorite stories, er, parts of the BoM.
But I digress. Zeezrom always believed in a god. Pure and simple. All done.
Example #4 - Korihor - the only true atheist? Perhaps, cause his message is not an 'apostate' version of the gospel, or that there is no Christ, but he says that there is no Christ, no Atonement, and not even a god! Wow, an atheist! But wait ....
Korihor is brought before Alma, much like Sherem before Jacob, and they talk. However, before this he talked in front of some priests. And I will quote him:
"Because I do not teach the foolish traditions of your fathers, and because I do not teach this people to bind themselves down under the foolish ordinances and performances which are laid down by ancient priests, to usurp power and authority over them, to keep them in ignorance, that they may not lift up their heads, but be brought down according to thy words. Ye say that this people is a free people, behold, I say they are in bondage."
Wow, sounded so evil back in the day, but now it actually sounds good, like it's Christopher Hitchens in a past life. So Korihor says this and what do the priests do? They don't know what to say, so they bind him up and throw him in prison. So much for due process and people's rights.
Eventually, he is brought before Alma, and Alma asks him to show evidence that there is no god, and rightly so Korihor can't, but I think we have some proofs today. Like Sherem Korihor then asks for a sign, and is struck dumb. Lol, very original. Right before this he had said he doesn't deny the existence of god but doesn't believe there is a god ... hmm. And then right after being struck dumb, Korihor writes this:
"I cannot speak, ...[must be the] power of God ..." and then "I always knew that there was a God."
He what? He always knew? So what was he doing denying God? I'll let you guess, but here's what he says:
"Behold, the devil hath deceived me; for he appeared unto me in the form of an angel." Then the devil proceeded to tell him what to say to bring people back to the 'true' god by saying there is no god. Makes sense, right?
So poor Korihor was tricked by Satan himself. Did he receive mercy? Nope, he got stampeded and stepped on by a bunch of peasants.
Conclusion - With this small study I find no atheists. Even at destruction the Nephites still believed, they just hated god. Some anti-Christs were working right with the devil, others were trying to justify sin.
Does this seem to make sense of how Mormons look at atheists as sinful, god-hating, Satanic people? I think so. I forget if I was going to add more to this, but I think I have done my part.
Good night.
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