WAR

It wasn’t long after I started this task of using the teachings in The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ, the first week in January of 2018, that I first started thinking about what I would write when I got to that part of the book where the verses about war seem to be endless.

Had I been capable of expressing my feelings on the subject during my being the young cowboy who continuously went about saving everyone one from the bad guys with his six shooter, my ideas would have been much different.

During my teen years some of my thoughts about war were; wondering about what my draft number would be, would the Korean conflict still be going when I graduated from High School, should we really be involved in the Vietnam war, were those friends who went to Canada disloyal or smart. None of these thoughts occupied a major portion of my teen years, but they did invade my consciousness periodically.

One of the better decisions I made upon graduating high school was to enlist in the military as an Army reservist. I have to admit I was more of a patriot during the time I was serving in the Army than any other time of my life, but I also remember that there never was a time when I was more convinced about the stupidity, evil, ineffectiveness and inhumanity of war.

Almost all of my post teen years have been spent 24/7 being immersed in one stewardship or another in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. My marriage, family, career, hobbies and social life have been centered in and around this organization. However, I have often found myself pondering upon why my views on how war can or cannot be justified were and are in conflict with many by whom I am surrounded.

As the conflicts between the Lamanites and the Nephites begin to pile one upon another we encounter a few verses which begin to define where I am in these experienced year of my life.

And now, as the Amalekites were of a more wicked and murderous disposition than the Lamanites were, in and of themselves, therefore, Zerahemnah appointed chief captains over the Lamanites, and they were all Amalekites and Zoramites.

Now this he did that he might preserve their hatred towards the Nephites, that he might bring them into subjection to the accomplishment of his designs.

For behold, his designs were to stir up the Lamanites to anger against the Nephites; this he did that he might usurp great power over them, and also that he might gain power over the Nephites by bringing them into bondage.

And now the design of the Nephites was to support their lands, and their houses, and their wives, and their children, that they might preserve them from the hands of their enemies; and also that they might preserve their rights and their privileges, yea, and also their liberty, that they might worship God according to their desires. (Alma 43: 6 - 9)

There is no doubt that by reading these verses we will be led to the conclusion that there are reasons and times when going to war is justified and sanctioned by God. However, it shouldn’t take but a moment or two to realize the conflict that war for any reason is contrary to the teachings of the gospel of peace, mercy, forgiveness and love taught by Jesus the Christ.

The following verses in this same chapter of the Book of Alma add an interesting insight.

And they were inspired by the Zoramites and the Amalekites, who were their chief captains and leaders, and by Zerahemnah, who was their chief captain, or their chief leader and commander; yea, they did fight like dragons, and many of the Nephites were slain by their hands, yea, for they did smite in two many of their head-plates, and they did pierce many of their breastplates, and they did smite off many of their arms; and thus the Lamanites did smite in their fierce anger.

Nevertheless, the Nephites were inspired by a better cause, for they were not fighting for monarchy nor power but they were fighting for their homes and their liberties, their wives and their children, and their all, yea, for their rites of worship and their church.

And they were doing that which they felt was the duty which they owed to their God; for the Lord had said unto them, and also unto their fathers, that: Inasmuch as ye are not guilty of the first offense, neither the second, ye shall not suffer yourselves to be slain by the hands of your enemies.

And again, the Lord has said that: Ye shall defend your families even unto bloodshed. Therefore for this cause were the Nephites contending with the Lamanites, to defend themselves, and their families, and their lands, their country, and their rights, and their religion. (Alma 43: 44 – 47)

As I read these verses memory of the Anti Nephi Lehies who buried their weapons deep in the earth and prostrated themselves before the Lamanite hordes comes to mind and cause me to wonder if there is possibly a better way of thinking about war beyond the formula outlined by Alma.

At this time of life when my dreams are filled with visions of better worlds I have come to the conclusion that the formula of Alma found in chapter 43 of his writings are being taught to a sometimes righteous people living in a telestial world of carnality, sensuality and devilishness where wicked men’s hearts are set upon putting others under their control.

If I understand the purpose of the gospel correctly it is meant to change the minds and nature of mankind so that they become good and honorable and strive to begin the journey towards becoming perfect like God the Eternal Father.

It seems that if we are the Latter Day Generation commissioned with the task of helping mankind to be prepared for the second coming of the Lord when the lion will lay down in peace with the lamb and peace for all will enjoy its millennial era, then it is important that we begin to look at war not only from the telestial viewpoint as the Nephites did in these passages, but more like the Anti Nephi Lehies did when they buried their weapons deep in the earth.

Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children… (Doctrine and Covenants 98:16)


THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY

❣️THINK + PLAN + PREPARE + DO ➡️ GENTLENESS + KINDNESS + CARING + GENEROSITY ➡️ HUGS + PEACE + JOY + LOVE ➡️ INTEGRITY + FAITH + HOPE + CHARITY❣️ = 💞THE GOOD LIFE💞