Astonished Beyond All Measure

After Alma et al had seen the new form of worship among these former members of the Church:

19 Now it came to pass that after Alma and his brethren and his sons had heard these prayers, they were astonished beyond all measure (Alma 31).

I think it is important to remember that these people participating in this bizarre and blasphemous mode of worship were, only a short time ago, converted to Christ and members of the Church of which Alma was the high priest. As the prophet Mormon aptly observes later in the Book of Mormon, it does not take long for a once righteous people to go far afield of the Gospel way. Indeed, the moment we let go of the iron rod we become lost, and are subject to be led away into strange paths. This truly was a strange, no, an astonishing path the Zoramites had been led down.