June 29, 2007 - Original Post
Chiasmus
Below is an excerpt from John W. Welch, "A Masterpiece: Alma 36," in Rediscovering the Book of Mormon, ed. J.L. Sorenson and M.J. Thorne, Deseret Book Comp., Salt Lake City, Utah, 1991.
(a) My son, give ear to my WORDS (1)
(b) KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS of God and ye shall PROSPER IN THE LAND (2)
(c) DO AS I HAVE DONE (2)
(d) in REMEMBERING THE CAPTIVITY of our fathers (2);
(e) for they were in BONDAGE (2)
(f) he surely did DELIVER them (2)
(g) TRUST in God (3)
(h) supported in their TRIALS, and TROUBLES, and AFFLICTIONS (3)
(i) shall be lifted up at the LAST DAY (3)
(j) I KNOW this not of myself but of GOD (4)
(k) BORN OF GOD (5)
(l) I sought to destroy the church of God (6-9)
(m) MY LIMBS were paralyzed (10)
(n) Fear of being in the PRESENCE OF GOD (14-15)
(o) PAINS of a damned soul (16)
(p) HARROWED UP BY THE MEMORY OF SINS (17)
(q) I remembered JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD (17)
(q') I cried, JESUS, SON OF GOD (18)
(p') HARROWED UP BY THE MEMORY OF SINS no more (19)
(o') Joy as exceeding as was the PAIN (20)
(n') Long to be in the PRESENCE OF GOD (22)
(m') My LIMBS received their strength again (23)
(l') I labored to bring souls to repentance (24)
(k') BORN OF GOD (26)
(j') Therefore MY KNOWLEDGE IS OF GOD (26)
(h') Supported under TRIALS, TROUBLES, and AFFLICTIONS (27)
(g') TRUST in him (27)
(f') He will deliver me (27)
(i') and RAISE ME UP AT THE LAST DAY (28)
(e') As God brought our fathers out of BONDAGE and captivity (28-29)
(d') Retain in REMEMBRANCE THEIR CAPTIVITY (28-29)
(c') KNOW AS I DO KNOW (30)
(b') KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS and ye shall PROSPER IN THE LAND (30)
(a') This is according to his WORD (30).
Keep the Commandments and Prosper in the Land
Since the chapter is a chiasmus, the beginning and end of the chapter contains this counsel: keep the commandments and you will prosper in the land. This is a repeating theme throughout the Book of Mormon. Alma and the rest of the people who keep the commandments are proof that this promise is true. As the Nephites kept the commandments, they prospered. As they disobeyed, their riches and quality of lift greatly diminished.
Delivered from Bondage
The rest of the chapter provides examples of people who were in physical or spiritual bondage, who put their trust in God and were consequently delivered. This is another repeating theme in the Book of Mormon. Alma reminds Helaman of the Israelites bondage and how they were delivered. He also reminds Helaman of his own spiritual bondage and his conversion. Lastly Alma reminds Helaman of how Lehi and his family were delivered as well as the bondage of the people of Alma the Senior.
"Whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day." (Alma 36:3)
He later testifies, "I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me." (Alma 36:27)
What types of bondage and troubles and afflictions and trials do we face today? Are we burdened with sin? Do our families suffer from troubles and afflictions and trials? Does it seem that we are fighting an uphill battle? We may struggle on our own to overcome, but whether we succeed or fail, God will always be there to support us and help us if we but put our trust in him and ask for his succor. More than likely, if we try to overcome our own troubles without God's help, we will fail or unnecessarily toil. We should seek God's help and put our trust in him.
One of my favorite scriptures is Proverbs 3:5-6. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
"In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
I have experienced the hand of the Lord in my life. I know that when I put my trust in him, he delivers me.
June 4, 2012 - Addition
Alma 36:22 really stood out to me today ... especially the last seven words of that verse. Alma talks about the torment he experienced until he called on Jesus Christ to save him. Immediately, Christ relieved the pain Alma was in. Then Alma was filled with joy as equally powerful as the pain he felt. Then he saw God sitting on his throne, surrounded by angels who were "in the attitude of singing and praising their God."
And then Alma says this, "my soul did long to be there."
There are 18 years between my older brother and me. He and his wife came to visit us one summer ... I must have been about 9 or 10 years old. It was a wonderful time. I'm sure we had bbqs, played basketball and talked a lot. I honestly don't remember much of that. Rather, what I remember is a very intense pain when they were leaving. I still vividly remember sitting on the porch step in the garage and watching my brother and his wife pull out of the drive way and drive off back to their home. I was extremely sad to see them leave. I bawled as I watched them leave ... I longed to be with them.
Now I'm sure Alma's longing was a bit more intense than mine, but I'm grateful for the bit of perspective that I do have on that feeling of longing.
Showing posts with label Alma. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alma. Show all posts
Monday, June 04, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Alma 1
April 10, 2007 - Original Post
The Gospel Warrior
V1 – “having warred a good warfare, walking uprightly before God.” I remember in the October 2003 General Conference, at the very beginning President Hinckley spoke. After he spoke, he called Elder David Haight to come up and wave at the audience. Elder Haight was the oldest apostle ever to live since the Gospel was restored. As President Hinckley was commenting on this, he mentioned that Elder Haight was a great warrior in the Gospel. Elder Haight died in 2004. He truly was a warrior of the Lord … he fought for the Gospel truth all his life.
I hope that I can war a good warfare all my life. I need to be steadfast in keeping the commandments and in doing good.
On a related note, I was thinking the other day about how much life is like chess. We must live with purpose and we must limit mistakes in order to get to the endgame and have a fighting chance to win the battle. In chess, one of the levels of play a player must reach is being able to play with no tactical mistakes. If he can reach this level, then he prepares himself to move on to greater challenges of strategy. I think life is the same way. If we (I) can simply rid myself of the small mistakes and omissions, then I would be a position to receive greater understanding of the mysteries of God. I would serve with greater conviction. For example, if I could consistently read and study the scriptures every day and consistently pray every day, then I would be getting somewhere. If I could achieve 100% home-teaching every month and have FHE every week, then I would be accomplishing something. To not forget these commandments and to shun sin … this is what I need to work on.
Priest Craft
Nehor introduced priest craft among the Nephites. Priest craft, from what I understand, is teaching the gospel (or purported gospel truths) for the gain of money. I am unsure of some of these “conferences” and seminars that some members go to. In order to listen to the speakers at these conferences and seminars, people must pay money.
Elder Oakes said the following regarding priestcraft:
2 Nephi 26:29 has this to say about priest crafts, "He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion."
Nehor not only preached for riches, but he mixed scripture with the philosophies of men. The lies he taught – that all mankind should be saved, meaning eternal life, regardless of having sinned or not. He taught that we need not repent. The truth he mixed in was that the Lord created all men. This was the one truth amidst all the lies.
Thus a whole church was based on the “vain things of the world” (v. 16). We will see that this church hardened many Nephite hearts against the truth.
The proper attitude for teaching the Gospel is to have "faith, hope, charity and love with an eye single to the glory of God." (D&C 4:5) If the teacher strives for these things, then he will teach the true and pure doctrine of Christ.
Persecution
Persecution … it is a word that is used a lot within the Church. There are a couple of definitions from Webster’s on-line dictionary. The first is, “to harass in a manner designed to injure, grieve, or afflict; specifically: to cause to suffer because of belief.” The second is, “to annoy with persistence or urgent approaches (as attacks, pleas, or importunities).” I think the whole reason for persecuting someone for his or her beliefs is to make that person change or leave. For example, Laman and Lemuel constantly persecuted Nephi. They did not want Nephi to act the way he did because it made them feel uncomfortable … they didn’t want to have to live up to Nephi’s standard of living, so instead of raising their standards, they wanted to lower Nephi’s.
The pioneer Saints were persecuted for various reasons. Some of the persecutors were former members. These former members were usually offended in some manner and wanted to get their revenge on the members of the church. I think most of these members were angry in one-way or another with Joseph Smith. They ultimately killed the Prophet. The martyrdom of Joseph did not stop the persecution. The Saints were driven from Nauvoo across the plains to Utah. For a season they were not persecuted, but once the Civil War ended, the federal government focused on the Mormons again. I don’t know all the reasons why the early Saints were persecuted, but I think a lot of it has to do with former members who were offended in one way or another.
Even today, there are those who will do anything to speak evil of the Church. If you go and look at that person’s history, you will more than likely find that that person did not strive to cultivate a true testimony. They probably had doubts and never resolved to truly address those doubts. I think it was Elder Maxwell who said that there are those who leave the church, but for whatever reason, they can’t leave the church alone.
As for members persecuting others … we are commanded to not persecute anyone. It seems that the members had problems persecuting non-members (if you will) in Book of Mormon times. They were commanded to not persecute anyone … within the church or without the church. President Hinckley gave a similar warning to members in a General Conference.
Steadfast and Immovable
Another verse that I really love from this chapter is v.25, “they were steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God.” My true heart’s desire is to be steadfast and immovable. To me, this means that I am an anchor when it comes to keeping the commandments of God. I need to remain steadfast and constant. This is my hope: that I become a rock in my loyalty to God. I need to be more diligent in reading the scriptures, obeying the commandments and magnifying my callings. I need despise sin in all forms and shun that which is evil. I hope I can become like those few saints described here in Alma 1.
Because the saints were steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments, they prospered. And instead of becoming wicked (and thus beginning the so-called Nephite cycle), these saints "got it." They did not become prideful because of their prosperity. Rather they "did not set their hearts upon riches" and they were "liberal to all." (Alma 1:30). And because they were liberal to all, the Lord prospered them even more and they became "far more wealthy than those who did not belong to their church." (Alma 1:31)
Did Indulge Themselves
I think that Alma 1:32 perfectly sums up the world in which we live today. All those who were not steadfast and immovable "did indulge themselves." In other words, they did not check their natural desires in the least bit. Rather than feast on the word of God, the indulged themselves in the things of the world.
April 10, 2012 - Addition
Another Look at Nehor's Teachings
Alma 1:3-4 are the core of Nehor's teaching. Let's examine them line by line to see if they are philosophies of men or if they are scripture.
First off, Nehor claimed his teachings were "the word of God". How do we know when someone is teaching the word of God as opposed to a philosophy of men? This topic alone can take up an entire post. But to be quick, I would say the burden is on the individual. We must each, on our own, gain a testimony of each General Conference talk; each Ensign article; every Sunday School lesson; every theory proposed by man; every proposed leader. We have the gift of the Holy Ghost to filter out the false and to allow the true.
Next, he "[bore down] against the church" Just to make it clear, "bear down" means "to advance in a threatening manner" or "to apply maximum effort and concentration" Similarly, "to bear down on" means to "effect in a harmful or adverse way" (link). In other words, Nehor was aiming to bring the church down - to bring about its fall. Further reading of the book of Alma shows that Nehor's teachings were widely successful in their intent. How do we prevent from "bearing down" against the Church today? I would say that each of us ought to focus on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If we focus on learning, studying and living the Gospel, we will not go astray.
Nehor's next principle is "every priest and teacher ought to become popular." I think it is fairly safe to say this is a philosophy of men. Bishops, Stake Presidents, Sunday School teachers, seminary teachers, Church-sponsored university professors, General Authorities, Apostles ... all of them should be keenly aware that they should not focus on becoming popular. I think almost all of these people have a clear intent not to become popular - that that is not their main focus. But sometimes, do we, the congregation - the receivers of the word - do we make them popular? Do we idolize them? There is a very subtle slippery slope here. Again, I think the answer to this problem lies in focusing on the message and not the person. If we use our spiritual antennae to detect truth and to detect lies, we will not get caught up in the "favorite apostle" or "favorite general authority" or "favorite teacher" game - and thus begin the false doctrine of popularity in preaching the word of God. Another way to look at this in a succinct matter is to turn Nehor's teaching upside down to get this: "every priest and teacher ought not to become popular."
Nehor next teaches that our priest and teachers "ought not to labor with their hands, but that they ought to be supported by the people." Wow! Let's break this down. What does "labor with their hands" mean? To me, it means to work for a living. In today's terms, it means that our Church leaders should support themselves. Elder Oaks just gave a talk in the April 2012 General Conference. In it he talked about the sacrifice of our local leaders and congregation members. As for our top leaders - the General Authorities - there is a lot of discussion on that - with lots of varied opinions. A search in the LDS Bloggernacle is probably a good starting place. So is this Nehor teaching a philosophy of men or is it scripture or is it mingled? Personally, I think it is a philosophy of men. At the core (strip everything else away that is not needed), what the Church provides that is of utmost importance to me is the Priesthood and sealing power. I was baptized, bestowed the Priesthood, endowed and sealed to my wife and children and I did not have to pay for any of that.
Now we get to the grit of Nehor's message - the part that everyone is quick to point out. He says, "all mankind should be saved at the last day." Let's use the "flip method" and turn that statement upside down. "All mankind should not be saved at the last day." If you take away the need to repent - to change and make better you life - then you change one's perspective on life. If there is no need to be kind, to serve, to be good and we are left with nothing but our base desires, civilization would revert to the jungle - to anarchy. And this is the teaching that was so dangerous in Alma's mind. To be truly sanctified, we have to overcome all our natural desires. That is at the core of Christ's teachings. We each have an instinct to choose the wrong in so many ways. But if we can fight to overcome those instincts, we sanctify ourselves - we purify ourselves - we strip out all that is useless. And what we have left is beautiful. Indeed, this philosophy of men that Nehor taught was and is dangerous. This one thought caused the destruction, both spiritual and temporal, of thousands of Nephites and Lamanites. This one thought deceives millions of people today. This one thought is what makes Nehor an anti-Christ because this teaching stands in violent rebellion of what Christ taught.
He goes on by teaching that people "need not fear nor tremble." This is where the mingling begins. We are not to live our lives in constant fear and trembling. We are to let the realities sink deep within our hearts. In other words, if we truly know what will happen to us if we do not keep the commandments, we ought to fear and tremble unto repentance. But once we've done that and once we are on constant guard, we can focus on the joy and the abundance of the Gospel. Nehor would have us believe that we have to always be in a state of fear and tremble. But if we live and love the Gospel, I just don't think that would be the case. I can't see a sanctified person fearing and trembling all the time - rather, I see them looking forward to eternal bliss.
The mingling continues, "but that they might lift up their heads and rejoice." Again, as I noted above, we ought to let the fear of God work within us to repentance. But once we've entered into the straight and narrow path, we ought to continue in repentance, but we can then begin to look forward to a better life. God wants us to lift up our heads and rejoice - but with the proper base of repentance and faith on Christ and baptism.
Now Nehor inserts pure scripture, "for the Lord had created all men, and had also redeemed all men." All those statements, by themselves, are true.
But he completely goes astray again by saying, "all men should have eternal life." Instead, he should have said, "all men should have immortality." Maybe he mis-understood this scripture - I don't know. But all men will not live in God's presence for eternity. Many men will receive a lesser degree of glory because they won't be able to abide the presence of God. Men not living in the presence of God is not necessarily an act of punishment, but rather an act of mercy.
The Gospel Warrior
V1 – “having warred a good warfare, walking uprightly before God.” I remember in the October 2003 General Conference, at the very beginning President Hinckley spoke. After he spoke, he called Elder David Haight to come up and wave at the audience. Elder Haight was the oldest apostle ever to live since the Gospel was restored. As President Hinckley was commenting on this, he mentioned that Elder Haight was a great warrior in the Gospel. Elder Haight died in 2004. He truly was a warrior of the Lord … he fought for the Gospel truth all his life.
I hope that I can war a good warfare all my life. I need to be steadfast in keeping the commandments and in doing good.
On a related note, I was thinking the other day about how much life is like chess. We must live with purpose and we must limit mistakes in order to get to the endgame and have a fighting chance to win the battle. In chess, one of the levels of play a player must reach is being able to play with no tactical mistakes. If he can reach this level, then he prepares himself to move on to greater challenges of strategy. I think life is the same way. If we (I) can simply rid myself of the small mistakes and omissions, then I would be a position to receive greater understanding of the mysteries of God. I would serve with greater conviction. For example, if I could consistently read and study the scriptures every day and consistently pray every day, then I would be getting somewhere. If I could achieve 100% home-teaching every month and have FHE every week, then I would be accomplishing something. To not forget these commandments and to shun sin … this is what I need to work on.
Priest Craft
Nehor introduced priest craft among the Nephites. Priest craft, from what I understand, is teaching the gospel (or purported gospel truths) for the gain of money. I am unsure of some of these “conferences” and seminars that some members go to. In order to listen to the speakers at these conferences and seminars, people must pay money.
Elder Oakes said the following regarding priestcraft:
Another illustration of a strength that can become our downfall concerns charismatic teachers. With a trained mind and a skillful manner of presentation, teachers can become unusually popular and effective in teaching. But Satan will try to use that strength to corrupt teachers by encouraging them to gather a following of disciples. A Church teacher, Church Education System instructor, or Latter-day Saint university professor who gathers such a following and does this “for the sake of riches and honor” (Alma 1:16) is guilty of priestcraft. “Priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion” (2 Ne. 26:29).I am a leery of the practice of merchandising the Gospel. I love the fact that the Church has done almost everything in its power to make available the conference talks and past articles from Church publications. Practically every conceivable document in recent history is found on the lds.org website. I love to be able to search on Gospel subjects (such as this one) and find exactly what the Apostles think of the subject. The Church truly “impart[s] the word of God …. without money and without price (v. 20).
Teachers who are most popular, and therefore most effective, have a special susceptibility to priestcraft. If they are not careful, their strength can become their spiritual downfall. They can become like Almon Babbitt, with whom the Lord was not pleased, because “he aspireth to establish his counsel instead of the counsel which I have ordained, even that of the Presidency of my Church; and he setteth up a golden calf for the worship of my people” (D&C 124:84). (Dallin H. Oaks, “Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall,” Ensign, Oct 1994, 11)
2 Nephi 26:29 has this to say about priest crafts, "He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion."
Nehor not only preached for riches, but he mixed scripture with the philosophies of men. The lies he taught – that all mankind should be saved, meaning eternal life, regardless of having sinned or not. He taught that we need not repent. The truth he mixed in was that the Lord created all men. This was the one truth amidst all the lies.
Thus a whole church was based on the “vain things of the world” (v. 16). We will see that this church hardened many Nephite hearts against the truth.
The proper attitude for teaching the Gospel is to have "faith, hope, charity and love with an eye single to the glory of God." (D&C 4:5) If the teacher strives for these things, then he will teach the true and pure doctrine of Christ.
Persecution
Persecution … it is a word that is used a lot within the Church. There are a couple of definitions from Webster’s on-line dictionary. The first is, “to harass in a manner designed to injure, grieve, or afflict; specifically: to cause to suffer because of belief.” The second is, “to annoy with persistence or urgent approaches (as attacks, pleas, or importunities).” I think the whole reason for persecuting someone for his or her beliefs is to make that person change or leave. For example, Laman and Lemuel constantly persecuted Nephi. They did not want Nephi to act the way he did because it made them feel uncomfortable … they didn’t want to have to live up to Nephi’s standard of living, so instead of raising their standards, they wanted to lower Nephi’s.
The pioneer Saints were persecuted for various reasons. Some of the persecutors were former members. These former members were usually offended in some manner and wanted to get their revenge on the members of the church. I think most of these members were angry in one-way or another with Joseph Smith. They ultimately killed the Prophet. The martyrdom of Joseph did not stop the persecution. The Saints were driven from Nauvoo across the plains to Utah. For a season they were not persecuted, but once the Civil War ended, the federal government focused on the Mormons again. I don’t know all the reasons why the early Saints were persecuted, but I think a lot of it has to do with former members who were offended in one way or another.
Even today, there are those who will do anything to speak evil of the Church. If you go and look at that person’s history, you will more than likely find that that person did not strive to cultivate a true testimony. They probably had doubts and never resolved to truly address those doubts. I think it was Elder Maxwell who said that there are those who leave the church, but for whatever reason, they can’t leave the church alone.
As for members persecuting others … we are commanded to not persecute anyone. It seems that the members had problems persecuting non-members (if you will) in Book of Mormon times. They were commanded to not persecute anyone … within the church or without the church. President Hinckley gave a similar warning to members in a General Conference.
A holier-than-thou attitude is not becoming to us. I am in receipt of a letter from a man in our community who is not a member of the Church. In it he says that his little daughter has been ostracized by her schoolmates who are Latter-day Saints. He sets forth another instance of a child who, it is alleged, had a religious medal ripped from his neck by an LDS child. I hope this is not true. If it is, I apologize to those who have been offended.Those who would detract from the Church are always quick to point out mistakes made by members. Persecuting others does no good. It is not Christ-like nor does it advance the work of the Lord.
Let us rise above all such conduct and teach our children to do likewise. Let us be true disciples of the Christ, observing the Golden Rule, doing unto others as we would have them do unto us. Let us strengthen our own faith and that of our children while being gracious to those who are not of our faith. Love and respect will overcome every element of animosity. Our kindness may be the most persuasive argument for that which we believe." (Gordon B. Hinckley, “We Bear Witness of Him,” Ensign, May 1998, 4)
Steadfast and Immovable
Another verse that I really love from this chapter is v.25, “they were steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God.” My true heart’s desire is to be steadfast and immovable. To me, this means that I am an anchor when it comes to keeping the commandments of God. I need to remain steadfast and constant. This is my hope: that I become a rock in my loyalty to God. I need to be more diligent in reading the scriptures, obeying the commandments and magnifying my callings. I need despise sin in all forms and shun that which is evil. I hope I can become like those few saints described here in Alma 1.
Because the saints were steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments, they prospered. And instead of becoming wicked (and thus beginning the so-called Nephite cycle), these saints "got it." They did not become prideful because of their prosperity. Rather they "did not set their hearts upon riches" and they were "liberal to all." (Alma 1:30). And because they were liberal to all, the Lord prospered them even more and they became "far more wealthy than those who did not belong to their church." (Alma 1:31)
Did Indulge Themselves
I think that Alma 1:32 perfectly sums up the world in which we live today. All those who were not steadfast and immovable "did indulge themselves." In other words, they did not check their natural desires in the least bit. Rather than feast on the word of God, the indulged themselves in the things of the world.
April 10, 2012 - Addition
Another Look at Nehor's Teachings
Alma 1:3-4 are the core of Nehor's teaching. Let's examine them line by line to see if they are philosophies of men or if they are scripture.
First off, Nehor claimed his teachings were "the word of God". How do we know when someone is teaching the word of God as opposed to a philosophy of men? This topic alone can take up an entire post. But to be quick, I would say the burden is on the individual. We must each, on our own, gain a testimony of each General Conference talk; each Ensign article; every Sunday School lesson; every theory proposed by man; every proposed leader. We have the gift of the Holy Ghost to filter out the false and to allow the true.
Next, he "[bore down] against the church" Just to make it clear, "bear down" means "to advance in a threatening manner" or "to apply maximum effort and concentration" Similarly, "to bear down on" means to "effect in a harmful or adverse way" (link). In other words, Nehor was aiming to bring the church down - to bring about its fall. Further reading of the book of Alma shows that Nehor's teachings were widely successful in their intent. How do we prevent from "bearing down" against the Church today? I would say that each of us ought to focus on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If we focus on learning, studying and living the Gospel, we will not go astray.
Nehor's next principle is "every priest and teacher ought to become popular." I think it is fairly safe to say this is a philosophy of men. Bishops, Stake Presidents, Sunday School teachers, seminary teachers, Church-sponsored university professors, General Authorities, Apostles ... all of them should be keenly aware that they should not focus on becoming popular. I think almost all of these people have a clear intent not to become popular - that that is not their main focus. But sometimes, do we, the congregation - the receivers of the word - do we make them popular? Do we idolize them? There is a very subtle slippery slope here. Again, I think the answer to this problem lies in focusing on the message and not the person. If we use our spiritual antennae to detect truth and to detect lies, we will not get caught up in the "favorite apostle" or "favorite general authority" or "favorite teacher" game - and thus begin the false doctrine of popularity in preaching the word of God. Another way to look at this in a succinct matter is to turn Nehor's teaching upside down to get this: "every priest and teacher ought not to become popular."
Nehor next teaches that our priest and teachers "ought not to labor with their hands, but that they ought to be supported by the people." Wow! Let's break this down. What does "labor with their hands" mean? To me, it means to work for a living. In today's terms, it means that our Church leaders should support themselves. Elder Oaks just gave a talk in the April 2012 General Conference. In it he talked about the sacrifice of our local leaders and congregation members. As for our top leaders - the General Authorities - there is a lot of discussion on that - with lots of varied opinions. A search in the LDS Bloggernacle is probably a good starting place. So is this Nehor teaching a philosophy of men or is it scripture or is it mingled? Personally, I think it is a philosophy of men. At the core (strip everything else away that is not needed), what the Church provides that is of utmost importance to me is the Priesthood and sealing power. I was baptized, bestowed the Priesthood, endowed and sealed to my wife and children and I did not have to pay for any of that.
Now we get to the grit of Nehor's message - the part that everyone is quick to point out. He says, "all mankind should be saved at the last day." Let's use the "flip method" and turn that statement upside down. "All mankind should not be saved at the last day." If you take away the need to repent - to change and make better you life - then you change one's perspective on life. If there is no need to be kind, to serve, to be good and we are left with nothing but our base desires, civilization would revert to the jungle - to anarchy. And this is the teaching that was so dangerous in Alma's mind. To be truly sanctified, we have to overcome all our natural desires. That is at the core of Christ's teachings. We each have an instinct to choose the wrong in so many ways. But if we can fight to overcome those instincts, we sanctify ourselves - we purify ourselves - we strip out all that is useless. And what we have left is beautiful. Indeed, this philosophy of men that Nehor taught was and is dangerous. This one thought caused the destruction, both spiritual and temporal, of thousands of Nephites and Lamanites. This one thought deceives millions of people today. This one thought is what makes Nehor an anti-Christ because this teaching stands in violent rebellion of what Christ taught.
He goes on by teaching that people "need not fear nor tremble." This is where the mingling begins. We are not to live our lives in constant fear and trembling. We are to let the realities sink deep within our hearts. In other words, if we truly know what will happen to us if we do not keep the commandments, we ought to fear and tremble unto repentance. But once we've done that and once we are on constant guard, we can focus on the joy and the abundance of the Gospel. Nehor would have us believe that we have to always be in a state of fear and tremble. But if we live and love the Gospel, I just don't think that would be the case. I can't see a sanctified person fearing and trembling all the time - rather, I see them looking forward to eternal bliss.
The mingling continues, "but that they might lift up their heads and rejoice." Again, as I noted above, we ought to let the fear of God work within us to repentance. But once we've entered into the straight and narrow path, we ought to continue in repentance, but we can then begin to look forward to a better life. God wants us to lift up our heads and rejoice - but with the proper base of repentance and faith on Christ and baptism.
Now Nehor inserts pure scripture, "for the Lord had created all men, and had also redeemed all men." All those statements, by themselves, are true.
But he completely goes astray again by saying, "all men should have eternal life." Instead, he should have said, "all men should have immortality." Maybe he mis-understood this scripture - I don't know. But all men will not live in God's presence for eternity. Many men will receive a lesser degree of glory because they won't be able to abide the presence of God. Men not living in the presence of God is not necessarily an act of punishment, but rather an act of mercy.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Alma 59-63
Epistle Unanswered
After Moroni received the epistle from Helaman, he sent an epistle to Pahoran asking him to send reinforcements. But they never arrived and the city of Nephihah fell. Moroni and his commanders marveled at this turn of events. It must have been frustrating for them to work so hard only to have their efforts defeated because of lack of concern from Zarahelma.
These events prompted Moroni to write another epistle to Pahoran and was also the cause of Moroni's tongue-lashing.
Action
Moroni reminds Pahoran that he cannot sit idly and watch and expect the Lord to deliver them. (Alma 60:11) They must act … they must do something. So must we act in our callings. Nothing is free in life. We all must pay the price of work and commitment to accomplish our goals.
The Benefit of the Doubt
Moroni used heavy words in his epistle to Pahoran. He even accused Pahoran of being a traitor! But despite all these accusations and assumptions, Pahoran did not strike back. He held his tongue and even rejoiced in "the greatness" of Moroni's heart.
Are we quick to judge and assume the worst in others? I recall a quote I read while I was in the MTC. I copied it down in my notebook and read it often during my mission. The quote is from Marvin J. Ashton.
He said, "Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other." (Marvin J. Ashton, “The Tongue Can Be a Sharp Sword,” Ensign, May 1992, 18)
The End of the War
Once the elitists were rooted out in Zarahemla, Moroni sent provisions and men to Helaman and Lehi and Teancum. Then Moroni and Pahoran successfully regained Nephihah. From there, they went to the Land of Lehi and battled the Lamanites. Lehi and Teancum were also there. Teancum went on his 2nd assassination mission and killed Ammoron. But this time Teancum did not escape. The next day, the Nephites route the Lamanites and the war ended.
End Notes
The last chapter of Alma closes many doors. Moroni retires and gives his command to his son Moronihah. Moronihah successfully defeats the Lamanites.
Over five thousand men with their families, depart to the land northward. Perhaps this was a strategic move on the Nephites part. Just as Moroni had people settle the east wilderness after he cleared it of Lamanites, the Nephites saw a need to establish cities and lands to the north.
Hagoth builds ships and sails west. It is commonly believed, in the Church, that the Polynesians are descended from Hagoth and those who went with him. There is an interesting article in the March 1975 Ensign that refers to this belief. Click the link to read more.
Alma gave the records to his son Helaman. Helaman gave the records and sacred things to his brother Shiblon. Shiblon gave the records and sacred things to Helaman's son named Helaman.
After Moroni received the epistle from Helaman, he sent an epistle to Pahoran asking him to send reinforcements. But they never arrived and the city of Nephihah fell. Moroni and his commanders marveled at this turn of events. It must have been frustrating for them to work so hard only to have their efforts defeated because of lack of concern from Zarahelma.
These events prompted Moroni to write another epistle to Pahoran and was also the cause of Moroni's tongue-lashing.
Action
Moroni reminds Pahoran that he cannot sit idly and watch and expect the Lord to deliver them. (Alma 60:11) They must act … they must do something. So must we act in our callings. Nothing is free in life. We all must pay the price of work and commitment to accomplish our goals.
The Benefit of the Doubt
Moroni used heavy words in his epistle to Pahoran. He even accused Pahoran of being a traitor! But despite all these accusations and assumptions, Pahoran did not strike back. He held his tongue and even rejoiced in "the greatness" of Moroni's heart.
Are we quick to judge and assume the worst in others? I recall a quote I read while I was in the MTC. I copied it down in my notebook and read it often during my mission. The quote is from Marvin J. Ashton.
He said, "Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other." (Marvin J. Ashton, “The Tongue Can Be a Sharp Sword,” Ensign, May 1992, 18)
The End of the War
Once the elitists were rooted out in Zarahemla, Moroni sent provisions and men to Helaman and Lehi and Teancum. Then Moroni and Pahoran successfully regained Nephihah. From there, they went to the Land of Lehi and battled the Lamanites. Lehi and Teancum were also there. Teancum went on his 2nd assassination mission and killed Ammoron. But this time Teancum did not escape. The next day, the Nephites route the Lamanites and the war ended.
End Notes
The last chapter of Alma closes many doors. Moroni retires and gives his command to his son Moronihah. Moronihah successfully defeats the Lamanites.
Over five thousand men with their families, depart to the land northward. Perhaps this was a strategic move on the Nephites part. Just as Moroni had people settle the east wilderness after he cleared it of Lamanites, the Nephites saw a need to establish cities and lands to the north.
Hagoth builds ships and sails west. It is commonly believed, in the Church, that the Polynesians are descended from Hagoth and those who went with him. There is an interesting article in the March 1975 Ensign that refers to this belief. Click the link to read more.
Alma gave the records to his son Helaman. Helaman gave the records and sacred things to his brother Shiblon. Shiblon gave the records and sacred things to Helaman's son named Helaman.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Alma 56, 57 & 58
Battle One: The Strongest Lamanite Army and Antiparah
The Stripling Warriors were prepared to fight. I'm sure they had physical preparation, but what really mattered was their spiritual preparation. This preparation took years and came at the hand of their mothers. "They had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them." (Alma 56:47)
And when it came time to battle, these young men were prepared. They had tricked the Lamanites into following them. Following the Lamanite army was Antipus. When the Stripling Warriors realized that the Lamanites had stopped following them, they had a decision to make: should they battle or not. The young men recited to Helaman, "Father, behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should
fall; then let us go forth,; we would not slay our brethren if they would leave us alone; therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the army of Antipus." (Alma 56:46) Up to this point, they had not fought, but they were prepared.
They retrieved and joined the on-going battle in the nick of time. When the battle was over, not one soul of them had fallen. Even still, not only had they survived, but they fought with miraculous strength and mighty power, so much so that they frightened "the strongest army of the Lamanites" (Alma 56:34) This god-like power must have been legend because when they began to make preparations to take the city of Antiparah, the citizens there fled without a fight (Alma 57:4)
Battle Two: Cumeni
The next city Helaman and the Stripling Warriors conquered was Cumeni. At first they laid siege to the city and after several days it fell into their hands. They took on so many prisonsers, that they had to create a special force team to take these captives to Zarahelma.
In their journy to Zarahemla, some Nephite spies cried out to them that a Lamanite army was approaching Cumeni and was going to destroy it. The Lamanite prisoners heard this and started a rebellion. Most of them were killed, but a few escaped. The special force then returned to Cumeni and helped to save the city and the Stripling Warriors. The Stripling Warriors again fought valiantly and "they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness." (Alma 57:21) They won the battle and saved the city.
After the battle was over, a count of the Stripling Warriors was taken and again, not one of them had perished. Their minds were firm and they put their trust in God continually (Alma 57:27) They were an amazing group of young men!
Facing Death, Manti
During this next phase in the history of this band of brothers, they faced death by starvation. Where the Lamanites had failed to accomplish, the lack of concern by the Nephites almost succeeded. The Stripling Warriors found themselves in a desparate situation with no food or provisions. During this time, they kept their faith in God and they "did pour out [their] souls in prayer to God" that he would strengthen and deliver them. (Alma 58:10) God heard their prayers and spoke peace to their souls and gave them hope. They took courage and finally received provisions guarded by an army of two thousand.
Once they received their strength, they continued their plan to take Manti. Again, as in the first battle, the seemingly weak Stripling Warriors were used as bait to get the Lamanites out of their strong holds. Gid and Teomner hid their armies in the wilderness. Once the Stripling Warriors passed between Gid's and Teomner's armies, Gid and Teomner cut off the Lamanite spites and then took Manti with little resistence. The Stripling Warriors continued to flee as if they were heading to Zarahemla. Once the Lamanites realized this and thinking it was another trap, they stopped following the Stripling Warriors and began to return to Manti. Helaman then caused that his men should not sleep, but retreat back to Manti via another way. By sunrise the next day, they were safe in the city of Manti. When the Lamanites approached the city, to their surprise, it was possesed by the Nephites. The Lamanites were astonished and fled into they wilderness.
The Legend of the Stripling Warriors
Their legend still lives on the the minds of millions. They were the small band of brothers who defied the odds and survived a war. More importantly, what we can learn from their legend is how they prepared. They were always strict in remembering God. They kept the commandments continually and they never doubted that God would deliver them. Their faith was exceptional.
The Stripling Warriors were prepared to fight. I'm sure they had physical preparation, but what really mattered was their spiritual preparation. This preparation took years and came at the hand of their mothers. "They had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them." (Alma 56:47)
And when it came time to battle, these young men were prepared. They had tricked the Lamanites into following them. Following the Lamanite army was Antipus. When the Stripling Warriors realized that the Lamanites had stopped following them, they had a decision to make: should they battle or not. The young men recited to Helaman, "Father, behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should
fall; then let us go forth,; we would not slay our brethren if they would leave us alone; therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the army of Antipus." (Alma 56:46) Up to this point, they had not fought, but they were prepared.They retrieved and joined the on-going battle in the nick of time. When the battle was over, not one soul of them had fallen. Even still, not only had they survived, but they fought with miraculous strength and mighty power, so much so that they frightened "the strongest army of the Lamanites" (Alma 56:34) This god-like power must have been legend because when they began to make preparations to take the city of Antiparah, the citizens there fled without a fight (Alma 57:4)
Battle Two: Cumeni
The next city Helaman and the Stripling Warriors conquered was Cumeni. At first they laid siege to the city and after several days it fell into their hands. They took on so many prisonsers, that they had to create a special force team to take these captives to Zarahelma.
In their journy to Zarahemla, some Nephite spies cried out to them that a Lamanite army was approaching Cumeni and was going to destroy it. The Lamanite prisoners heard this and started a rebellion. Most of them were killed, but a few escaped. The special force then returned to Cumeni and helped to save the city and the Stripling Warriors. The Stripling Warriors again fought valiantly and "they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness." (Alma 57:21) They won the battle and saved the city.
After the battle was over, a count of the Stripling Warriors was taken and again, not one of them had perished. Their minds were firm and they put their trust in God continually (Alma 57:27) They were an amazing group of young men!
Facing Death, Manti
During this next phase in the history of this band of brothers, they faced death by starvation. Where the Lamanites had failed to accomplish, the lack of concern by the Nephites almost succeeded. The Stripling Warriors found themselves in a desparate situation with no food or provisions. During this time, they kept their faith in God and they "did pour out [their] souls in prayer to God" that he would strengthen and deliver them. (Alma 58:10) God heard their prayers and spoke peace to their souls and gave them hope. They took courage and finally received provisions guarded by an army of two thousand.
Once they received their strength, they continued their plan to take Manti. Again, as in the first battle, the seemingly weak Stripling Warriors were used as bait to get the Lamanites out of their strong holds. Gid and Teomner hid their armies in the wilderness. Once the Stripling Warriors passed between Gid's and Teomner's armies, Gid and Teomner cut off the Lamanite spites and then took Manti with little resistence. The Stripling Warriors continued to flee as if they were heading to Zarahemla. Once the Lamanites realized this and thinking it was another trap, they stopped following the Stripling Warriors and began to return to Manti. Helaman then caused that his men should not sleep, but retreat back to Manti via another way. By sunrise the next day, they were safe in the city of Manti. When the Lamanites approached the city, to their surprise, it was possesed by the Nephites. The Lamanites were astonished and fled into they wilderness.
The Legend of the Stripling Warriors
Their legend still lives on the the minds of millions. They were the small band of brothers who defied the odds and survived a war. More importantly, what we can learn from their legend is how they prepared. They were always strict in remembering God. They kept the commandments continually and they never doubted that God would deliver them. Their faith was exceptional.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Alma 54 & 55
The Prisoner Exchange
There doesn't seem to be a whole lot to say on these two chapters. The epistle exchanges between Ammoron and Moroni are full of rhetoric. After Ammoron agrees to exchange one Nephite family for one Lamanite soldier, Moroni seems to renege on his offer and decides to liberate the Nephite prisoners without an exchange.
He finds a Lamanite who gets the guards drunk and then Moroni and his army arm the prisoners. They not only free the prisoners, but they gain a city without a single loss of life.
This whole episode regarding the prisoner exchange reminds me of one of the lines in the book The Art of War by Sun Tzu. He said, "the skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field."
Moroni seemed to have this insight as demonstrated in the prisoner exchange that never happened.
Perhaps the next time I read the war chapters, I'll compare Moroni's strategies with those outlined in the Art of War … it might be a learning experience.
There doesn't seem to be a whole lot to say on these two chapters. The epistle exchanges between Ammoron and Moroni are full of rhetoric. After Ammoron agrees to exchange one Nephite family for one Lamanite soldier, Moroni seems to renege on his offer and decides to liberate the Nephite prisoners without an exchange.
He finds a Lamanite who gets the guards drunk and then Moroni and his army arm the prisoners. They not only free the prisoners, but they gain a city without a single loss of life.
This whole episode regarding the prisoner exchange reminds me of one of the lines in the book The Art of War by Sun Tzu. He said, "the skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field."
Moroni seemed to have this insight as demonstrated in the prisoner exchange that never happened.
Perhaps the next time I read the war chapters, I'll compare Moroni's strategies with those outlined in the Art of War … it might be a learning experience.
Alma 53
The Stripling Warriors Described
In Alma 53, the 2000 stripling soldiers are introduced. I’ve never known exactly what ‘stripling’ meant. I’ve always thought that it meant strong, but the on-line dictionary says that it is a Middle English word from the 14th century mean youth and more particularly someone between puberty and maturity. So according to this definition, these young men were probably between the ages of 11 and 21.
I think the most important part of this chapter is the description of these young men. They were exceedingly valiant for courage and strength.
Courage
Once again, the idea of fear and courage comes up in the Book of Mormon. Courage is a very noble and needed characteristic. Courage and strength are not only “physical” attributes, but also spiritual attributes. When temptation comes, we need to be strong and courageous. We are children of God. Why should we ever fear? God is the most courageous and strongest of all. Why wouldn’t we have his attributes planted in us, ready to blossom?
Soberness
There is a difference between happiness and loud laughter and light-mindedness. One can be congenial and happy with a cheerful countenance and not be light-minded. This is how I imagine soberness.
True
Truth can mean so many things. They were true to their covenants they made. They spoke the truth. They sought after and loved the truth. They were men of truth. They kept God’s commandments and walked uprightly before him. I believe this is an extension of being true. They were true to God and always kept his commandments.
In Alma 53, the 2000 stripling soldiers are introduced. I’ve never known exactly what ‘stripling’ meant. I’ve always thought that it meant strong, but the on-line dictionary says that it is a Middle English word from the 14th century mean youth and more particularly someone between puberty and maturity. So according to this definition, these young men were probably between the ages of 11 and 21.
I think the most important part of this chapter is the description of these young men. They were exceedingly valiant for courage and strength.
Courage
Once again, the idea of fear and courage comes up in the Book of Mormon. Courage is a very noble and needed characteristic. Courage and strength are not only “physical” attributes, but also spiritual attributes. When temptation comes, we need to be strong and courageous. We are children of God. Why should we ever fear? God is the most courageous and strongest of all. Why wouldn’t we have his attributes planted in us, ready to blossom?
Soberness
There is a difference between happiness and loud laughter and light-mindedness. One can be congenial and happy with a cheerful countenance and not be light-minded. This is how I imagine soberness.
True
Truth can mean so many things. They were true to their covenants they made. They spoke the truth. They sought after and loved the truth. They were men of truth. They kept God’s commandments and walked uprightly before him. I believe this is an extension of being true. They were true to God and always kept his commandments.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Alma 51 & 52
King-men and Freemen
Ezra Taft Benson said the following:
"The only real peace—the one most of us think about when we use the term—is a peace with freedom. A nation that is not willing, if necessary, to face the rigors of war to defend its real peace-in-freedom is doomed to lose both its freedom and its peace! These are the hard facts of life. We may not like them, but until we live in a far better world than exists today, we must face up to them squarely and courageously.” (An Enemy Hath Done this, pp. 161-2 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 355)
The king-men did not want to take up arms. They wanted the power of the government, but not the responsibility to defend the people. The freemen, on the other hand, did not desire power, but they wanted their freedom and were willing to die for it.
Teancum
In Alma 51, Teancum went over to the camp of the Lamanites in the middle of the night to kill Amalickiah. This happened after the Lamanites commenced their attack.
It is interesting to note the time, relative to the year, of the battle. In modern terms, it was New Year’s Eve when Teancum assassinated Amalickiah.
I can imagine Teancum resting and thinking after a long day of battle. He must have been thinking how he could somehow resolve the conflict. The thought of killing the source had to have crossed his mind. As Thoreau in Walden points out, that one swipe of the axe at the roots is equal to a thousand swipes at the branches – or something to that nature. Teancum then resolved to do something. He must have been so angry that he got up that night and went directly to the tent of Amalickiah and killed him. Later on, Teancum does the same thing to Ammoron, only the second time he did not return to his camp.
How do I liken this to my life? Every New Year’s eve, many make resolutions to change and be better, but how may keep those resolutions? Action is the difference between those who resolve and those who accomplish.
Seasonal Wars
Here is a bit of information that I learned about the Nephites' and Lamanites' ebb and flow of war.
"With remarkable consistency, the Nephite record reports a pattern of seasonality in Nephite warfare. Since wars in pretechnical societies are usually launched at opportune times of the year, the Nephite pattern of warfare tells us something about the seasons and their calendar.
“The beginning and ending of the Nephite year frequently falls around the time of major battles. For example, Alma 44 ends with the defeat of a Lamanite army and the return of Moroni's forces to their houses and their lands: ‘Thus ended the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges’ (Alma 44:24). When all such dates are tabulated, the distinct pattern emerges that most wars were fought in the eleventh through second months of the year…But virtually no battling took place in months six through ten. Instead, that period was when the mass of part-time soldiers were required to till the ground, ‘delivering their women and their children from famine and affliction, and providing food for their armies’ (Alma 53:7).
“When the seasons for cultivation and warring in Mesoamerica before the time of Columbus are studied, an equally sharp division is seen. (The schedule is essentially the same anywhere in tropical America, in fact.) The preparation and cultivation of farmlands and other domestic chores went on from about March through October, which constituted the rainy season. Wars began after the harvest and mainly went on during the hot, dry months, November through February. Of course, camping in the field was sensible at this time, and movement was least hampered by the swollen streams or boggy ground common in the other part of the year.
“Putting these two sets of information together, we see that the fighting season referred to in the annals of the wars in the books of Mosiah through Helaman—their months eleven through two—likely coincided approximately with November through February in our calendar. Moreover their new year's day is likely to have fallen near winter solstice (December 21/22), as with many other peoples of the ancient world.
“Interestingly, December was a hot season both in Mesoamerica and in the Book of Mormon, as we read in Alma 51:32-37 and 52:1. Recall that Teancum slew Amalickiah on the Nephite/Lamanite new year's eve as he slept deeply from fatigue ‘caused by the labors and heat of the day’ (Alma 51:33). In Joseph Smith's New England, of course, New Year's Eve would have been icy.
“If our equation is correct, the Nephite [calendar]…began near our December 22…” (John W. Welch, Reexploring The Book of Mormon, pp. 173-5)
Ezra Taft Benson said the following:
"The only real peace—the one most of us think about when we use the term—is a peace with freedom. A nation that is not willing, if necessary, to face the rigors of war to defend its real peace-in-freedom is doomed to lose both its freedom and its peace! These are the hard facts of life. We may not like them, but until we live in a far better world than exists today, we must face up to them squarely and courageously.” (An Enemy Hath Done this, pp. 161-2 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 355)
The king-men did not want to take up arms. They wanted the power of the government, but not the responsibility to defend the people. The freemen, on the other hand, did not desire power, but they wanted their freedom and were willing to die for it.
Teancum
In Alma 51, Teancum went over to the camp of the Lamanites in the middle of the night to kill Amalickiah. This happened after the Lamanites commenced their attack.
It is interesting to note the time, relative to the year, of the battle. In modern terms, it was New Year’s Eve when Teancum assassinated Amalickiah.
I can imagine Teancum resting and thinking after a long day of battle. He must have been thinking how he could somehow resolve the conflict. The thought of killing the source had to have crossed his mind. As Thoreau in Walden points out, that one swipe of the axe at the roots is equal to a thousand swipes at the branches – or something to that nature. Teancum then resolved to do something. He must have been so angry that he got up that night and went directly to the tent of Amalickiah and killed him. Later on, Teancum does the same thing to Ammoron, only the second time he did not return to his camp.
How do I liken this to my life? Every New Year’s eve, many make resolutions to change and be better, but how may keep those resolutions? Action is the difference between those who resolve and those who accomplish.
Seasonal Wars
Here is a bit of information that I learned about the Nephites' and Lamanites' ebb and flow of war.
"With remarkable consistency, the Nephite record reports a pattern of seasonality in Nephite warfare. Since wars in pretechnical societies are usually launched at opportune times of the year, the Nephite pattern of warfare tells us something about the seasons and their calendar.
“The beginning and ending of the Nephite year frequently falls around the time of major battles. For example, Alma 44 ends with the defeat of a Lamanite army and the return of Moroni's forces to their houses and their lands: ‘Thus ended the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges’ (Alma 44:24). When all such dates are tabulated, the distinct pattern emerges that most wars were fought in the eleventh through second months of the year…But virtually no battling took place in months six through ten. Instead, that period was when the mass of part-time soldiers were required to till the ground, ‘delivering their women and their children from famine and affliction, and providing food for their armies’ (Alma 53:7).
“When the seasons for cultivation and warring in Mesoamerica before the time of Columbus are studied, an equally sharp division is seen. (The schedule is essentially the same anywhere in tropical America, in fact.) The preparation and cultivation of farmlands and other domestic chores went on from about March through October, which constituted the rainy season. Wars began after the harvest and mainly went on during the hot, dry months, November through February. Of course, camping in the field was sensible at this time, and movement was least hampered by the swollen streams or boggy ground common in the other part of the year.
“Putting these two sets of information together, we see that the fighting season referred to in the annals of the wars in the books of Mosiah through Helaman—their months eleven through two—likely coincided approximately with November through February in our calendar. Moreover their new year's day is likely to have fallen near winter solstice (December 21/22), as with many other peoples of the ancient world.
“Interestingly, December was a hot season both in Mesoamerica and in the Book of Mormon, as we read in Alma 51:32-37 and 52:1. Recall that Teancum slew Amalickiah on the Nephite/Lamanite new year's eve as he slept deeply from fatigue ‘caused by the labors and heat of the day’ (Alma 51:33). In Joseph Smith's New England, of course, New Year's Eve would have been icy.
“If our equation is correct, the Nephite [calendar]…began near our December 22…” (John W. Welch, Reexploring The Book of Mormon, pp. 173-5)
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Alma 49 & 50
Chapter 49 continues with more battles from the war.
Two verses stand out to me in this chapter.
Alma 49:27-28 contrasts Amalickiah’s blood-thirsty swearing and the Nephites’ gratitude. Guess who won the war?
Alma 49:30 makes a passing mention that Corianton was out declaring the word along with Helaman, Shiblon and Ammon and his brethren. We can assume that Corianton repented and made his way back to the straight and narrow.
While reading chapter 50 this morning (July 8, 2007), another reason as to why Mormon wrote so much on War Chapters came to my mind. To have abridged so much and provide details such as the tactics Moroni used, Mormon would have had to spend a lot of time reading about Moroni and his preparations. Mormon probably not only had a spiritual interest, but he must have also had a military interest in Moroni. Perhaps he was reading every little bit of Moroni in search of learning something new that would help him (Mormon) in his position as a military captain.
There are just a couple more verses that really hit me. In the very first verse, I read how Moroni didn’t stop making preparations for the battle. Once the prior victories were secure, he continued to prepare. He did not let up in the least bit.
Throughout the rest of the chapter, Moroni had an agenda of protecting the people and keeping the peace among them.
Alma 50:20 refers to the Book of Mormon promise. No other promise is repeated in the Book of Mormon as much as this one. If the people who possess this land keep the commandments, they will prosper in the land. If they don’t keep the commandments, they will be cut off from the Lord’s spirit. And this is not just an idle promise. Mormon backs it up by showing us how the Nephites prospered when they were righteous and how they dwindled when they did not keep the commandments.
Another little tid-bit that I found interesting … Alma’s first choice in conferring the records was Nephihah the chief judge. When Nephihah refused, only then did Alma confer the records to Helaman. (Alma 50:38)
Two verses stand out to me in this chapter.
Alma 49:27-28 contrasts Amalickiah’s blood-thirsty swearing and the Nephites’ gratitude. Guess who won the war?
Alma 49:30 makes a passing mention that Corianton was out declaring the word along with Helaman, Shiblon and Ammon and his brethren. We can assume that Corianton repented and made his way back to the straight and narrow.
While reading chapter 50 this morning (July 8, 2007), another reason as to why Mormon wrote so much on War Chapters came to my mind. To have abridged so much and provide details such as the tactics Moroni used, Mormon would have had to spend a lot of time reading about Moroni and his preparations. Mormon probably not only had a spiritual interest, but he must have also had a military interest in Moroni. Perhaps he was reading every little bit of Moroni in search of learning something new that would help him (Mormon) in his position as a military captain.
There are just a couple more verses that really hit me. In the very first verse, I read how Moroni didn’t stop making preparations for the battle. Once the prior victories were secure, he continued to prepare. He did not let up in the least bit.
Throughout the rest of the chapter, Moroni had an agenda of protecting the people and keeping the peace among them.
Alma 50:20 refers to the Book of Mormon promise. No other promise is repeated in the Book of Mormon as much as this one. If the people who possess this land keep the commandments, they will prosper in the land. If they don’t keep the commandments, they will be cut off from the Lord’s spirit. And this is not just an idle promise. Mormon backs it up by showing us how the Nephites prospered when they were righteous and how they dwindled when they did not keep the commandments.
Another little tid-bit that I found interesting … Alma’s first choice in conferring the records was Nephihah the chief judge. When Nephihah refused, only then did Alma confer the records to Helaman. (Alma 50:38)
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Alma 47 & 48
Amalickiah
As I continue reading the war chapters in Alma, I ask myself “what is Mormon’s motive for writing this?” Was it so intriguing how Amalickiah deceived the entire Lamanite nation? Why would we need to know the workings of a wicked man?
I think Mormon sums up his reason for doing so in the last verse. He talks about how dissenters become more hard-hearted than the Lamanites. They “entirely [forgot] the Lord their God.” I think some people are ashamed to take Christ’s name upon them and they fear; they are afraid of persecutions, mocking and so forth – they don’t believe. They lack faith and they give in to the natural man.
The opposite of fear is courage and courage is synonymous with faith and believing.
Alma 47 is a chapter about a man who gave into the natural man and succumbed to the temptations of the devil. Alma 47 shows how we can get caught up in the world and Satan’s lie. Amalickiah believed Satan’s lies. We see how twisted, evil and wicked Amalickiah becomes. He turns into an agent of wickedness and sin. He is a man who was once enticed to be good, but having also been enticed to be evil gave in to the “dark side.”
Contrast Amalickiah in chapter 47 to Moroni in chapter 48. The two stories are like night and day to each other. One goes about doing evil and the other lives to serve his nation. One has no worth and seeks his worth be destroying the lives of others. The other knows his worth and seeks to build up his nation and defend justice.
Moroni
The difference between Amalickiah and Moroni is highly evident. While Amalickiah went about seeking power and using any means to gain it, Moroni was diligently keeping his covenants and building up and preparing the Nephites. He was “firm in the faith of Christ.” He did not fear.
Moroni did not give into the natural man. He grew in faith and works. He became a man so worthy and strong in faith that Mormon wrote that if all men were like Moroni, Satan would have no power over anyone! What a compliment!
We learn from Alma 47 and 48 about two paths a man may take. The one path is wickedness and the other path is righteousness.
What will be seen later on is a small version of how the history of man will play out. Even though evil will be strong and powerful, the righteous will eventually win – guaranteed.
Whose side we choose is the test. Given the choice of which team to play for and knowing who will win, I would choose to play for the winning team. That is what I have chosen to do; now I need to do my part and contribute to the winning cause.
Defensive Preparations
Hugh Nibley said, "Moroni's defenses were based on a series of strong points, being a defense in depth, as modern defense-lines are; beside specially placed ‘small forts, or places of resort,’ towns and cities on the line were also converted into strong points (Alma 48:8). Such an arrangement can take the momentum out of any military steamroller and slow down or stop any attacking force, no matter how formidable, by forcing it to reduce one strong place after another or else bypass the fortifications and thereby leave dangerous enemy forces in its rear to disrupt communications and launch harassing counter-attacks on invading units. With this strictly defensive program (the preparation being to fight if at all only on their own grounds), an early-warning system was all-important. And it was Moroni's idea that God himself would provide such a system if the people were only faithful: ‘If they were faithful in keeping the commandments of God that he would . . . warn them to flee, or to prepare for war, according to their danger; and also, that God would make it known unto them whither they should go to defend themselves’ (Alma 48:15-16). In short, God was their ‘Dew-line,’ their radar, and warning system, and that saved them the need of constant and costly vigilance on all fronts, to say nothing of expensive and wasteful war-plans and war-games. This was Moroni's policy of preparedness, ‘this was the faith of Moroni and his heart did glory in it; not in the shedding of blood but in doing good’ (Alma 48:16).” (Since Cumorah, p. 307)
We can apply this concept of preparation to our spiritual preparation. Just as Moroni established a network of defensive points, so can we establish and strengthen various areas in our spiritual lives. We can be more attentive to prayer; more dedicated in our scripture study; more diligent in serving and so forth. As we take an inventory of our spiritual strengths and weaknesses, we can identify what needs improvement. Then when the trials and temptations come, we can defend ourselves sufficiently.
Six Billion Moronis
"If all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men." (Alma 48:17)
The author of gospeldoctrine.com (Bryan Richards) made the following point, "Maybe one of the other reasons why Mormon spent so much time discussing these Nephite wars was because he wanted us to be acquainted with the power and personality of this man, for if we were all like him, we would quickly win our war against evil."
Indeed these war chapters would be much blander if we did not truly know the leader of the Nephite armies. He seems to be the main focus and driving force that helps defeat Amalickiah and the Lamanites. Without Moroni, this extended war could have been just another verse according to Mormon's interpretation.
Additional Thoughts on Generals and War (added June 23, 2010)
I just started reading The Father of Us All by Victor Davis Hanson - I've been on quite a military history kick lately - and in this book, VDH discusses why we should study war. Essentially he argues that war is as common and as old as birth, ageing, dying and politics; and as such, it is worth studying so as to learn to prevent it and shorten it when it happens. More on that later.
On the same day I received this book in the mail, news broke of an article about General Stanley McChrystal talking poorly of Obama administration officials (as I write this, Obama has accepted McChrystal's resignation). The article that started this chain of events was a very fascinating read. It sparked my interest in reading more about Gen. McChrystal. Learning a bit about him was highly entertaining. So this morning on the bus ride into work, I was reading Alma 48 about Moroni with the thoughts of General McChrystal and war in general simmering in the back of my head.
Characteristics of Moroni
Strong - Obviously we don't know what Moroni looked like. I think many of us have the Arnold Friberg painting in our minds in which Moroni looks like a very buff gladiator. Regardless how he looked or what we think he looked like, Mormon thought it important enough to note that he was strong. Living in those ancient times had to be tough (compared to our lifestyles today). With that said, he was still considered tough by their standards. Also, he survived that long war and many, many battles - enough said.
Mighty - Perhaps in this context it is synonymous with strong. One on-line dictionary defines 'mighty' as "having or showing great power, skill, strength or force." I tend to think in this case it means he was highly skillful in battle.
Perfect understanding - This is an interesting characteristic. I can only guess at what Mormon meant by describing Moroni as having a perfect understanding. I think it means that Moroni had the perfect understanding of what freedom meant. He wasn't a dictator, yet he wasn't a pushover. He understood what it meant to defend freedom - he didn't let the kingmen do whatever they wanted; rather he applied the appropriate amount of force on them in order to protect the freedom of the nation. He could have wiped out thousands of Lamanites, but used restraint - he understood the war was about maintaining Nephite freedom, not annihilation of the Lamanites.
Joy in liberty, freedom from bondage and slavery - The reason tyrants and dictators don't want the free countries of the world to 'influence' them is because once the people under the tyrant taste freedom, they'd never go back to the former government. Consider this quote from Culture and Carnage: "When asked why the Greeks did not come to terms with Persia at the outset, the Spartan envoys tell Hydarnes, the military commander of the Western provinces, that the reason is freedom: 'Hydarnes, the advice you give us does not arise from a full knowledge of our situation. You are knowledgeable about only one half of what is involved; the other half is blank to you. The reason is that you understand well enough what slavery is, but freedom you have never experienced, so you do not know if it tastes sweet or not. If you ever did come to experience it, you would advise us to fight for it not with spears only, but with axes too.'" (p. 47).
Gratitude to God - Moroni truly appreciated the blessings of his nation. In our modern day with all our electronics and luxury living, I feel, generally speaking, that we aren't grateful for what we have. If we are, then perhaps we don't count our blessings as often as we should. If we but think of the blessings we have, our troubles and trials can be put in perspective. We are so much happier when we are thankful.
Service - Serving others determines much of our worth. Moroni was worth much to his people.
Firm faith in Christ - The Nephites' faith in Christ was on the other end of the timeline - they had to believe in a Christ that would come. Our faith in Christ is based on the life Jesus has already lived. Moroni's faith was indeed firm.
Obedient - To be a great leader, you must first be a great follower.
Resists iniquity - To maintain our freedom and our faith in Christ, we must always resist iniquity. In other words, we must resist the temptations and fiery darts of the devil.
As I continue reading the war chapters in Alma, I ask myself “what is Mormon’s motive for writing this?” Was it so intriguing how Amalickiah deceived the entire Lamanite nation? Why would we need to know the workings of a wicked man?
I think Mormon sums up his reason for doing so in the last verse. He talks about how dissenters become more hard-hearted than the Lamanites. They “entirely [forgot] the Lord their God.” I think some people are ashamed to take Christ’s name upon them and they fear; they are afraid of persecutions, mocking and so forth – they don’t believe. They lack faith and they give in to the natural man.
The opposite of fear is courage and courage is synonymous with faith and believing.
Alma 47 is a chapter about a man who gave into the natural man and succumbed to the temptations of the devil. Alma 47 shows how we can get caught up in the world and Satan’s lie. Amalickiah believed Satan’s lies. We see how twisted, evil and wicked Amalickiah becomes. He turns into an agent of wickedness and sin. He is a man who was once enticed to be good, but having also been enticed to be evil gave in to the “dark side.”
Contrast Amalickiah in chapter 47 to Moroni in chapter 48. The two stories are like night and day to each other. One goes about doing evil and the other lives to serve his nation. One has no worth and seeks his worth be destroying the lives of others. The other knows his worth and seeks to build up his nation and defend justice.
Moroni
The difference between Amalickiah and Moroni is highly evident. While Amalickiah went about seeking power and using any means to gain it, Moroni was diligently keeping his covenants and building up and preparing the Nephites. He was “firm in the faith of Christ.” He did not fear.
Moroni did not give into the natural man. He grew in faith and works. He became a man so worthy and strong in faith that Mormon wrote that if all men were like Moroni, Satan would have no power over anyone! What a compliment!
We learn from Alma 47 and 48 about two paths a man may take. The one path is wickedness and the other path is righteousness.
What will be seen later on is a small version of how the history of man will play out. Even though evil will be strong and powerful, the righteous will eventually win – guaranteed.
Whose side we choose is the test. Given the choice of which team to play for and knowing who will win, I would choose to play for the winning team. That is what I have chosen to do; now I need to do my part and contribute to the winning cause.
Defensive Preparations
Hugh Nibley said, "Moroni's defenses were based on a series of strong points, being a defense in depth, as modern defense-lines are; beside specially placed ‘small forts, or places of resort,’ towns and cities on the line were also converted into strong points (Alma 48:8). Such an arrangement can take the momentum out of any military steamroller and slow down or stop any attacking force, no matter how formidable, by forcing it to reduce one strong place after another or else bypass the fortifications and thereby leave dangerous enemy forces in its rear to disrupt communications and launch harassing counter-attacks on invading units. With this strictly defensive program (the preparation being to fight if at all only on their own grounds), an early-warning system was all-important. And it was Moroni's idea that God himself would provide such a system if the people were only faithful: ‘If they were faithful in keeping the commandments of God that he would . . . warn them to flee, or to prepare for war, according to their danger; and also, that God would make it known unto them whither they should go to defend themselves’ (Alma 48:15-16). In short, God was their ‘Dew-line,’ their radar, and warning system, and that saved them the need of constant and costly vigilance on all fronts, to say nothing of expensive and wasteful war-plans and war-games. This was Moroni's policy of preparedness, ‘this was the faith of Moroni and his heart did glory in it; not in the shedding of blood but in doing good’ (Alma 48:16).” (Since Cumorah, p. 307)
We can apply this concept of preparation to our spiritual preparation. Just as Moroni established a network of defensive points, so can we establish and strengthen various areas in our spiritual lives. We can be more attentive to prayer; more dedicated in our scripture study; more diligent in serving and so forth. As we take an inventory of our spiritual strengths and weaknesses, we can identify what needs improvement. Then when the trials and temptations come, we can defend ourselves sufficiently.
Six Billion Moronis
"If all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men." (Alma 48:17)
The author of gospeldoctrine.com (Bryan Richards) made the following point, "Maybe one of the other reasons why Mormon spent so much time discussing these Nephite wars was because he wanted us to be acquainted with the power and personality of this man, for if we were all like him, we would quickly win our war against evil."
Indeed these war chapters would be much blander if we did not truly know the leader of the Nephite armies. He seems to be the main focus and driving force that helps defeat Amalickiah and the Lamanites. Without Moroni, this extended war could have been just another verse according to Mormon's interpretation.
Additional Thoughts on Generals and War (added June 23, 2010)
I just started reading The Father of Us All by Victor Davis Hanson - I've been on quite a military history kick lately - and in this book, VDH discusses why we should study war. Essentially he argues that war is as common and as old as birth, ageing, dying and politics; and as such, it is worth studying so as to learn to prevent it and shorten it when it happens. More on that later.
On the same day I received this book in the mail, news broke of an article about General Stanley McChrystal talking poorly of Obama administration officials (as I write this, Obama has accepted McChrystal's resignation). The article that started this chain of events was a very fascinating read. It sparked my interest in reading more about Gen. McChrystal. Learning a bit about him was highly entertaining. So this morning on the bus ride into work, I was reading Alma 48 about Moroni with the thoughts of General McChrystal and war in general simmering in the back of my head.
Characteristics of Moroni
Mighty - Perhaps in this context it is synonymous with strong. One on-line dictionary defines 'mighty' as "having or showing great power, skill, strength or force." I tend to think in this case it means he was highly skillful in battle.
Perfect understanding - This is an interesting characteristic. I can only guess at what Mormon meant by describing Moroni as having a perfect understanding. I think it means that Moroni had the perfect understanding of what freedom meant. He wasn't a dictator, yet he wasn't a pushover. He understood what it meant to defend freedom - he didn't let the kingmen do whatever they wanted; rather he applied the appropriate amount of force on them in order to protect the freedom of the nation. He could have wiped out thousands of Lamanites, but used restraint - he understood the war was about maintaining Nephite freedom, not annihilation of the Lamanites.
Joy in liberty, freedom from bondage and slavery - The reason tyrants and dictators don't want the free countries of the world to 'influence' them is because once the people under the tyrant taste freedom, they'd never go back to the former government. Consider this quote from Culture and Carnage: "When asked why the Greeks did not come to terms with Persia at the outset, the Spartan envoys tell Hydarnes, the military commander of the Western provinces, that the reason is freedom: 'Hydarnes, the advice you give us does not arise from a full knowledge of our situation. You are knowledgeable about only one half of what is involved; the other half is blank to you. The reason is that you understand well enough what slavery is, but freedom you have never experienced, so you do not know if it tastes sweet or not. If you ever did come to experience it, you would advise us to fight for it not with spears only, but with axes too.'" (p. 47).
Gratitude to God - Moroni truly appreciated the blessings of his nation. In our modern day with all our electronics and luxury living, I feel, generally speaking, that we aren't grateful for what we have. If we are, then perhaps we don't count our blessings as often as we should. If we but think of the blessings we have, our troubles and trials can be put in perspective. We are so much happier when we are thankful.
Service - Serving others determines much of our worth. Moroni was worth much to his people.
Firm faith in Christ - The Nephites' faith in Christ was on the other end of the timeline - they had to believe in a Christ that would come. Our faith in Christ is based on the life Jesus has already lived. Moroni's faith was indeed firm.
Obedient - To be a great leader, you must first be a great follower.
Resists iniquity - To maintain our freedom and our faith in Christ, we must always resist iniquity. In other words, we must resist the temptations and fiery darts of the devil.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Alma 46
Each section was written on various dates. The dates are noted below each section
When I was a boy, as I read the war chapters in Alma, I thought how glorious it would have been to battle the Lamanites along side Moroni. I loved to read about all the strategies they used – it was exciting! But as I have grown older, the war chapters seem to never end as I try to endure getting through the rest of the book of Alma. I’ve been able to liken the battles they had to the spiritual battles we fight today. When I look for similarities, the chapters come to life again.
One question I’ve always had in the back of my mind is why all the writings about the wars? Nephi wanted his plates to be spiritual, not temporal. So why did Mormon write about all the wars?
As I was reading Alma 46, I noticed in the first verse that all those who rejected Helaman’s words went against Helaman and his brethren. Later on in the chapter, it seems that the battles begin between those who are ashamed to take on the name of Christ and those who aren’t ashamed to take on Christ’s name. How different is that from our day?
We all have the temptation to not stand up for Christ. I don’t know where I heard this, but the idea is so true – we may all be willing to die for Christ, but are we truly willing to live for Christ? Are we really prepared to withstand the mocking, jeering and persecutions? Are we willing to be the nerd or spiritual geek around those who think less of the LDS? I think everyone will have to prove his or her loyalty to Christ sooner or later. And I doubt that the test will be one brief instance. We will have to prove ourselves over and over again, from personal situations when no one is looking to public scenes where everyone will know what you stand for. I feel that the quiet battles that I fight in the chambers of our soul are the toughest for me. If I can conquer my own dominion, I can conquer any dominion.
To me, taking on Christ’s name means being like Christ in everything I do from thinking clean thoughts to playing basketball. I could try to go on, but I would spend all day listing the things I could be better at. But for now, the most important thing I need to do is believe in Christ and watch my thoughts and not doubt that I can become like Christ. The more I believe I can become like Christ, the closer I will be to becoming like him. I must not doubt but be believing.
Written November 29, 1999
Today I read part of a speech by Rudy Giuliani who is running for president in 2008. I tend to lean toward the conservative side of the political spectrum and Rudy leans to that side too. When I read part of his speech, the first thing I thought of was the Title of Liberty.
Alma 46:12 says this of Captain Moroni, "And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole."
Here is what Rudy said regarding the War on Terror on April 25, 2007,
In my personal opinion, one must remember that the free countries of the world have endured terrorism for decades and we have generally remained on the defensive … not really attacking back at the countries who harbor and support terrorist organizations. The attacks on our country on September 11, 2001 changed that mindset. It was the straw the broke the camel's back. Since then, President Bush and many members of Congress have pursued an agenda of ending terrorism as we know it. The great debate today involves the US invading Iraq, finishing the war that was started there almost 20 years ago and trying to spread democracy in the Middle East … thinking that if the people fundamentally change their views, then perhaps the terrorists will cease attacking us. But the key issue in the debate is whether the war we are waging is succeeding in this quest (spreading democracy) or creating more terrorists which in turn breathes life into terrorism. It is a complex issue. But at the heart of the matter (in my opinion) is the matter of religion. I do not think all followers of Islam want to impose their religion on us, but I think the leadership in many of these Islamic countries lean toward extremism and consequently terrorism. In turn, they would love to see America and the free nations of the world conquered and brought under Islamic rule.
And here is the quote by Rudy that reminded me of the Title of Liberty,
(http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0407/3684.html)
Written April 26, 2007
I’ve always wanted to naturally have my study of Alma 46 to intersect with the 4th of July. This is why I’ve doubled up a few chapters this week so that I could post my “inspection” of Alma 46 on the 4th of July.
I am grateful for the liberties which I enjoy. Those liberties do not come freely. We must defend them and preserve them. More than anything, these last few days of studying the Book of Mormon, I’ve come to greatly realize how strongly our spirituality and our liberties are connected. The great promise and curse of this land is still in effect. If we serve God we will prosper. If we turn to wickedness, then when we are ripe, we will be destroyed.
I hope everyone turns to God so that we will be preserved and not rent into pieces and destroyed like Joseph’s garment. This reminds me of the political cartoon Benjamin Franklin wrote that stated “Join, or Die” in referring to the thirteen colonies’ quest for independence from Britain. So too must we be united in the cause to keep the commandments or else we will be destroyed as the Jaredites and Nephites of old.
Written July 4, 2007
When I was a boy, as I read the war chapters in Alma, I thought how glorious it would have been to battle the Lamanites along side Moroni. I loved to read about all the strategies they used – it was exciting! But as I have grown older, the war chapters seem to never end as I try to endure getting through the rest of the book of Alma. I’ve been able to liken the battles they had to the spiritual battles we fight today. When I look for similarities, the chapters come to life again.
One question I’ve always had in the back of my mind is why all the writings about the wars? Nephi wanted his plates to be spiritual, not temporal. So why did Mormon write about all the wars?
As I was reading Alma 46, I noticed in the first verse that all those who rejected Helaman’s words went against Helaman and his brethren. Later on in the chapter, it seems that the battles begin between those who are ashamed to take on the name of Christ and those who aren’t ashamed to take on Christ’s name. How different is that from our day?
We all have the temptation to not stand up for Christ. I don’t know where I heard this, but the idea is so true – we may all be willing to die for Christ, but are we truly willing to live for Christ? Are we really prepared to withstand the mocking, jeering and persecutions? Are we willing to be the nerd or spiritual geek around those who think less of the LDS? I think everyone will have to prove his or her loyalty to Christ sooner or later. And I doubt that the test will be one brief instance. We will have to prove ourselves over and over again, from personal situations when no one is looking to public scenes where everyone will know what you stand for. I feel that the quiet battles that I fight in the chambers of our soul are the toughest for me. If I can conquer my own dominion, I can conquer any dominion.
To me, taking on Christ’s name means being like Christ in everything I do from thinking clean thoughts to playing basketball. I could try to go on, but I would spend all day listing the things I could be better at. But for now, the most important thing I need to do is believe in Christ and watch my thoughts and not doubt that I can become like Christ. The more I believe I can become like Christ, the closer I will be to becoming like him. I must not doubt but be believing.
Written November 29, 1999
Today I read part of a speech by Rudy Giuliani who is running for president in 2008. I tend to lean toward the conservative side of the political spectrum and Rudy leans to that side too. When I read part of his speech, the first thing I thought of was the Title of Liberty.
Alma 46:12 says this of Captain Moroni, "And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole."
Here is what Rudy said regarding the War on Terror on April 25, 2007,
"This war ends when they stop planning to come here and kill us, but until then, if I have anything to say about it, the lesson that I learned coming out of September 11, 2001, is: never, ever again will this country be on defense waiting for them to attack us. The United States of America will be on offense and make no mistake about it, the Democrats want to put us back on defense."
In my personal opinion, one must remember that the free countries of the world have endured terrorism for decades and we have generally remained on the defensive … not really attacking back at the countries who harbor and support terrorist organizations. The attacks on our country on September 11, 2001 changed that mindset. It was the straw the broke the camel's back. Since then, President Bush and many members of Congress have pursued an agenda of ending terrorism as we know it. The great debate today involves the US invading Iraq, finishing the war that was started there almost 20 years ago and trying to spread democracy in the Middle East … thinking that if the people fundamentally change their views, then perhaps the terrorists will cease attacking us. But the key issue in the debate is whether the war we are waging is succeeding in this quest (spreading democracy) or creating more terrorists which in turn breathes life into terrorism. It is a complex issue. But at the heart of the matter (in my opinion) is the matter of religion. I do not think all followers of Islam want to impose their religion on us, but I think the leadership in many of these Islamic countries lean toward extremism and consequently terrorism. In turn, they would love to see America and the free nations of the world conquered and brought under Islamic rule.
And here is the quote by Rudy that reminded me of the Title of Liberty,
They hate us, not because of anything bad we've done. This has nothing to do with any aggression on the part of the United States of America. It has nothing to do with anything America is taking from anyone. It has nothing to do with Israel and Palestine. They hate us for the freedoms that we have and the freedoms that we want to share with the world, because the freedoms that we have and the freedoms that we want to share with the world are in conflict with their perverted interpretation of their religion, their maniacal, violent, and perverted interpretation of their religion in which they train their young people to be suicide bombers, and they train them to hate you and despise you, and they train them to hate your religion, and to not allow you to have religion of your own, or anyone else. They hate us for the reasons that are the best about us, because we have freedom of religion, because we have freedom for women, because women are allowed to participate in society, because we have elections, because we have a free economy. Well, we're not giving that up, and you're not going to come and take it from us."
(http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0407/3684.html)
Written April 26, 2007
I’ve always wanted to naturally have my study of Alma 46 to intersect with the 4th of July. This is why I’ve doubled up a few chapters this week so that I could post my “inspection” of Alma 46 on the 4th of July.
I am grateful for the liberties which I enjoy. Those liberties do not come freely. We must defend them and preserve them. More than anything, these last few days of studying the Book of Mormon, I’ve come to greatly realize how strongly our spirituality and our liberties are connected. The great promise and curse of this land is still in effect. If we serve God we will prosper. If we turn to wickedness, then when we are ripe, we will be destroyed.
I hope everyone turns to God so that we will be preserved and not rent into pieces and destroyed like Joseph’s garment. This reminds me of the political cartoon Benjamin Franklin wrote that stated “Join, or Die” in referring to the thirteen colonies’ quest for independence from Britain. So too must we be united in the cause to keep the commandments or else we will be destroyed as the Jaredites and Nephites of old.
Written July 4, 2007
Alma 45
The Prophecy
Nephi saw it (1 Nephi 12:12-23). Alma saw it too. They both foresaw the entire destruction of the people of Nephi … an entire nation extinct. First came the pride and then they did not believe in Jesus Christ and then came the wars and pestilences and famines and bloodshed until they were finally wiped out.
“Thus saith the Lord God – Cursed shall be the land, yea, this land, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, unto destruction, which do wickedly, when they are fully ripe; and as I have said so shall it be; for this is the cursing and the blessing of God upon the land, for the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.” (Alma 45:16)
Alma the Younger
Alma’s influence on the Nephites and Lamanites would be felt for years and years to come. His unwavering efforts brought thousands to repentance and to their God. Just as Nephi of old, he saw the destruction of the Nephites. Knowing as they knew, they still persisted in delaying that complete destruction for as long as possible. They did all they could to keep the flame of the Gospel alive in their posterity for as long as they could.
Nephites Ripening
Sadly, Alma 45 ends with these words, “they grew proud, being lifted up in their hearts, because of their exceedingly great riches; therefore they grew rich in their own eyes, and would not give heed to their (Helaman and his brethren) words, to walk uprightly before God.”
It is no coincidence that Moroni put Alma’s prophecy and the words to the cursing and blessing on the land in the same chapter. I think he did that to drive home the point that they were true. As the Nephites grew in pride and riches, they forgot God and then came the famines and wars which would comprise of the war chapters.
Nephi saw it (1 Nephi 12:12-23). Alma saw it too. They both foresaw the entire destruction of the people of Nephi … an entire nation extinct. First came the pride and then they did not believe in Jesus Christ and then came the wars and pestilences and famines and bloodshed until they were finally wiped out.
“Thus saith the Lord God – Cursed shall be the land, yea, this land, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, unto destruction, which do wickedly, when they are fully ripe; and as I have said so shall it be; for this is the cursing and the blessing of God upon the land, for the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.” (Alma 45:16)
Alma the Younger
Alma’s influence on the Nephites and Lamanites would be felt for years and years to come. His unwavering efforts brought thousands to repentance and to their God. Just as Nephi of old, he saw the destruction of the Nephites. Knowing as they knew, they still persisted in delaying that complete destruction for as long as possible. They did all they could to keep the flame of the Gospel alive in their posterity for as long as they could.
Nephites Ripening
Sadly, Alma 45 ends with these words, “they grew proud, being lifted up in their hearts, because of their exceedingly great riches; therefore they grew rich in their own eyes, and would not give heed to their (Helaman and his brethren) words, to walk uprightly before God.”
It is no coincidence that Moroni put Alma’s prophecy and the words to the cursing and blessing on the land in the same chapter. I think he did that to drive home the point that they were true. As the Nephites grew in pride and riches, they forgot God and then came the famines and wars which would comprise of the war chapters.
Alma 44
My Views
There is not much to this chapter doctrinally (nor the rest of the war chapters for that matter), and so all I am left with is to either simply read the chapters and move on or I can try to scrounge up some similarities between these war chapters and the world in which we live. In the previous chapter, I was able to make some comparisons between marriage and the battle. Hopefully I can glean something from the remaining war chapters.
Why They Fought and Why We Fight
Indeed the Nephites fought to defend their religion and the Lamanites were fighting to conquer, but at the root of these two reasons is religion. The war between the Nephites and Lamanites has been and would always be about religion. Despite being outnumbered in many battles, the Nephites always seem to chalk up a win (when they are righteous). The Lamanites are frustrated by this fact and they think it is not because of their religion that the Nephites win, but because of their cunning. Of course the Nephites could respond by saying it was their God who gave them their cunning. But the main point I wanted to make was that even though the Nephites and Lamanites said they were defending nation and family and that the Lamanites said they wanted to conquer, the root of it all was religion.
Several years ago, I read Stephen Oates’ With Malice Toward None which is a biography on Lincoln. I remember reading that on the surface, the Civil War begun because the Southern states seceded from the Union and that that is what Lincoln was fighting for … to keep the Union together. It seemed that the war went back and forth for quite some time and that during this time Lincoln was constantly being pressured “strike at the institution” meaning slavery. But Lincoln feared if he emancipated the slaves “it would cause half the officers to throw down their arms and three more states to rebel.” (p. 307) Therefore, the North kept fighting for the purpose of restoring the Union and not to free the slaves. But gradually Lincoln warmed to the idea of freeing the slaves and decided to put the matter in God’s hands. Both sides felt that God was on their side. Lincoln knew this and so he wanted to know God’s will … to free the slaves or not. Before Antietam, Lincoln “made a vow, a covenant. If the general (McClellan) won a victory, Lincoln would consider it ‘an indication of Divine Will’ that God had ‘decided the question in favor of the slaves’ and that it was Lincoln’s duty to ‘move forward in the cause of emancipation’” (p. 317). Of course McClellan won, but not to Lincoln’s liking. Nevertheless, Lincoln kept his vow and issues the Emancipation Proclamation. Now the war was not about keeping the Union together, but about freeing the slaves … the real heart of the matter of the war. The impression I got while reading the book was that once this was established … that the Union was not only fighting to keep the Union together but also to free the slaves … then at least Lincoln had a clear vision about what needed to be done to win. He finally felt that the cause was just.
Now my next point may be somewhat controversial, but I think it falls into the category of “know what you’re fighting for.” For years, it seems that the world has been dealing with terrorists on a case by case basis. It wasn’t until after the September 11, 2001 attacks on our country that all-out war was declared on terrorism. I feel that what we are fighting is still too broadly defined. We are not simply trying to defeat these radical Islamic jihadists. I feel and think that the issue of terrorism will continue for years and years until there truly is an all-out war to stamp it out completely. For that to happen, either Islam as a whole religion needs to denounce the terrorists and work with us to eradicate them or we need to soundly defeat all those who sympathize with the Islamic terrorists to the point that it would take decades for them to return to any amount of power. Else, this issue will drag on until either the Judeo-Christian religion is destroyed or the Islamic religion is wiped out completely.
Here's an interesting article that somewhat pertains to the subject.
Moroni’s Offer
Moroni seemed know exactly what to do. He gave Zarahemnah two choices: 1 – give up your weapons and leave us alone or 2 – suffer complete destruction. There was not “middle ground.”
When Zarahemnah refused make an oath never to fight again, Moroni returned the sword and weapons and said, “we will end the conflict.” Zarahemnah then tried to kill Moroni, but one of Moroni’s men scalped him and persuaded many of the Lamanites to enter into an oath.
Zarahemnah stirred up the remainder to fight, which left Moroni no other option other than to wipe them out. Yet he was still merciful when Zarahemnah begged for mercy. He was finally convinced and entered into an oath.
There is not much to this chapter doctrinally (nor the rest of the war chapters for that matter), and so all I am left with is to either simply read the chapters and move on or I can try to scrounge up some similarities between these war chapters and the world in which we live. In the previous chapter, I was able to make some comparisons between marriage and the battle. Hopefully I can glean something from the remaining war chapters.
Why They Fought and Why We Fight
Indeed the Nephites fought to defend their religion and the Lamanites were fighting to conquer, but at the root of these two reasons is religion. The war between the Nephites and Lamanites has been and would always be about religion. Despite being outnumbered in many battles, the Nephites always seem to chalk up a win (when they are righteous). The Lamanites are frustrated by this fact and they think it is not because of their religion that the Nephites win, but because of their cunning. Of course the Nephites could respond by saying it was their God who gave them their cunning. But the main point I wanted to make was that even though the Nephites and Lamanites said they were defending nation and family and that the Lamanites said they wanted to conquer, the root of it all was religion.
Several years ago, I read Stephen Oates’ With Malice Toward None which is a biography on Lincoln. I remember reading that on the surface, the Civil War begun because the Southern states seceded from the Union and that that is what Lincoln was fighting for … to keep the Union together. It seemed that the war went back and forth for quite some time and that during this time Lincoln was constantly being pressured “strike at the institution” meaning slavery. But Lincoln feared if he emancipated the slaves “it would cause half the officers to throw down their arms and three more states to rebel.” (p. 307) Therefore, the North kept fighting for the purpose of restoring the Union and not to free the slaves. But gradually Lincoln warmed to the idea of freeing the slaves and decided to put the matter in God’s hands. Both sides felt that God was on their side. Lincoln knew this and so he wanted to know God’s will … to free the slaves or not. Before Antietam, Lincoln “made a vow, a covenant. If the general (McClellan) won a victory, Lincoln would consider it ‘an indication of Divine Will’ that God had ‘decided the question in favor of the slaves’ and that it was Lincoln’s duty to ‘move forward in the cause of emancipation’” (p. 317). Of course McClellan won, but not to Lincoln’s liking. Nevertheless, Lincoln kept his vow and issues the Emancipation Proclamation. Now the war was not about keeping the Union together, but about freeing the slaves … the real heart of the matter of the war. The impression I got while reading the book was that once this was established … that the Union was not only fighting to keep the Union together but also to free the slaves … then at least Lincoln had a clear vision about what needed to be done to win. He finally felt that the cause was just.
Now my next point may be somewhat controversial, but I think it falls into the category of “know what you’re fighting for.” For years, it seems that the world has been dealing with terrorists on a case by case basis. It wasn’t until after the September 11, 2001 attacks on our country that all-out war was declared on terrorism. I feel that what we are fighting is still too broadly defined. We are not simply trying to defeat these radical Islamic jihadists. I feel and think that the issue of terrorism will continue for years and years until there truly is an all-out war to stamp it out completely. For that to happen, either Islam as a whole religion needs to denounce the terrorists and work with us to eradicate them or we need to soundly defeat all those who sympathize with the Islamic terrorists to the point that it would take decades for them to return to any amount of power. Else, this issue will drag on until either the Judeo-Christian religion is destroyed or the Islamic religion is wiped out completely.
Here's an interesting article that somewhat pertains to the subject.
Moroni’s Offer
Moroni seemed know exactly what to do. He gave Zarahemnah two choices: 1 – give up your weapons and leave us alone or 2 – suffer complete destruction. There was not “middle ground.”
When Zarahemnah refused make an oath never to fight again, Moroni returned the sword and weapons and said, “we will end the conflict.” Zarahemnah then tried to kill Moroni, but one of Moroni’s men scalped him and persuaded many of the Lamanites to enter into an oath.
Zarahemnah stirred up the remainder to fight, which left Moroni no other option other than to wipe them out. Yet he was still merciful when Zarahemnah begged for mercy. He was finally convinced and entered into an oath.
Alma 43
Love and War
I read Alma 43 a few days ago. I wasn’t too excited to get into the war chapters again, but this time I was reminded of a talk Jill had read in the Ensign entitled “How Captain Moroni Saved my Marriage.” I didn’t read it, but the title alone gave me an idea.
I began to make comparisons of marriage and fighting for justice as I read.
Verse 9 – The desires of the Nephites were just. They wanted to preserve their families from their enemies. Today our enemies are divorce, pride, selfishness and anything else which strives to tear a marriage apart. These enemies would tear us down if we let them. We must fight for our cause because our cause is just.
Verse 13 – The people of Ammon had made a covenant not to fight, but instead they “gave unto the Nephites a large portion of their substance to support their armies; and thus the Nephites were compelled, alone, to withstand against the Lamanites.” This is kind of a stretch, but just as the Ammonites supported the Nephites, so too does the ward and stake and church in general support us in our marriages and families. However, we alone are responsible for the actual fighting … we make our own choices just as the Nephites were alone in the actual battles.
Verse 19 – Special preparation was devoted to the people. Today, as we prepare to fight our enemies, we read the scriptures, pray, love and serve. They used thick clothing for protection. We use special clothing to protect us. We frequent the temple in connection with the clothing we use.
Verse 20 – Zerahemna and his armies weren’t prepared like the Nephites. Unlike Zerahemna, the enemies of marriage and family today are highly prepared and thus makes our preparation all the more vital.
Verse 23 – Moroni sent men to Alma the prophet to ask him to “inquire of the Lord whither the armies of the Nephites should go” to find the Lamanites. Today we listen to prophets through General Conference and Ensign articles to know the Lord’s will.
Verse 43 – Today the forces of evil are more powerful than ever before.
Verse 44 – “thus the Lamanites did smite in their fierce anger.” The enemies of marriage and family have an extreme hatred for those that support and defend marriage. They will do anything to win because of their extreme hatred.
Verse 45 - But the Nephites fought for a better cause, just as we are fighting for a much better cause – our families.
Verse 48 – Sometimes we become fearful and we want to give in our give up. But we must be inspired by thoughts of a better world.
Verse 51 – Even though we are outnumbered, if we do what is right, the Lord will bless us to overcome.
I read Alma 43 a few days ago. I wasn’t too excited to get into the war chapters again, but this time I was reminded of a talk Jill had read in the Ensign entitled “How Captain Moroni Saved my Marriage.” I didn’t read it, but the title alone gave me an idea.
I began to make comparisons of marriage and fighting for justice as I read.
Verse 9 – The desires of the Nephites were just. They wanted to preserve their families from their enemies. Today our enemies are divorce, pride, selfishness and anything else which strives to tear a marriage apart. These enemies would tear us down if we let them. We must fight for our cause because our cause is just.
Verse 13 – The people of Ammon had made a covenant not to fight, but instead they “gave unto the Nephites a large portion of their substance to support their armies; and thus the Nephites were compelled, alone, to withstand against the Lamanites.” This is kind of a stretch, but just as the Ammonites supported the Nephites, so too does the ward and stake and church in general support us in our marriages and families. However, we alone are responsible for the actual fighting … we make our own choices just as the Nephites were alone in the actual battles.
Verse 19 – Special preparation was devoted to the people. Today, as we prepare to fight our enemies, we read the scriptures, pray, love and serve. They used thick clothing for protection. We use special clothing to protect us. We frequent the temple in connection with the clothing we use.
Verse 20 – Zerahemna and his armies weren’t prepared like the Nephites. Unlike Zerahemna, the enemies of marriage and family today are highly prepared and thus makes our preparation all the more vital.
Verse 23 – Moroni sent men to Alma the prophet to ask him to “inquire of the Lord whither the armies of the Nephites should go” to find the Lamanites. Today we listen to prophets through General Conference and Ensign articles to know the Lord’s will.
Verse 43 – Today the forces of evil are more powerful than ever before.
Verse 44 – “thus the Lamanites did smite in their fierce anger.” The enemies of marriage and family have an extreme hatred for those that support and defend marriage. They will do anything to win because of their extreme hatred.
Verse 45 - But the Nephites fought for a better cause, just as we are fighting for a much better cause – our families.
Verse 48 – Sometimes we become fearful and we want to give in our give up. But we must be inspired by thoughts of a better world.
Verse 51 – Even though we are outnumbered, if we do what is right, the Lord will bless us to overcome.
Alma 42
This post contains multiple 'commentaries' from various dates. The dates are noted under each section.
Knowledge and Experience
I actually read this chapter a while ago and now I am just barely getting around to it. Some interesting events have coincided with me reading this chapter.
In humanities, we were studying Goethe’s Faust. Faust is a story about a man who makes a bet with Satan. The bet is if Satan can make Faust be completely satisfied about something, then Satan will take possession of Faust’s soul forever. To understand Faust we must know that he is a man who has been studying his entire life – striving to know everything – to become like God. However, Faust has not experienced life itself. So Satan makes him experience it
The theme of the store is to constantly strive. Faust strives to become like God in both knowledge and deed.
Well, about the time I read Faust, I was contemplating my reasons for getting an education. Was it for money or knowledge or to become like God. I found that I was fixed on “getting the grade” so I could get a job. I wasn’t necessarily learning for knowledge’s sake. That is when I came across Faust and Alma 42:3 and 16. In verse 3, Adam and Eve are said to have come to know good and evil. They had become like Gods. They took the fruit to be like God. I think we have a divine seed in us that want to grow to be like God. We strive to know what God knows.
Someday we will know all that God knows. In verse 16, Alma makes mention how the soul is eternal. The verse mentions the phrase two times. We have eternity to know all that God knows. In this life, we must learn and apply that knowledge.
Written March 24, 1999
Today during the intermission of conference sessions, the TV station showed a documentary of the saints in Spain, as part of the commemoration of the Madrid temple dedication. As I was watching, I thought of all the experience of the leaders of the saints there. Many of them spoke English and seemed to be very intelligent.
The purpose of knowledge is to be more capacitated to serve. Elder Haight spoke of the need of more couples in missionary service. All their experience and knowledge can be used to build up the kingdom. As we learn in college and as we experience life, we gain valuable mental and spiritual assets which will enable us to better serve the Lord and his kingdom.
I have long felt the need to gain as much education as possible. I need to gain it for the right purpose.
Written April 4, 1999
The Problem and the Solution
At least in my mind, I see our Father in Heaven, standing at the beginning of time, willing to give us all that he has if we are worthy of it. In order to prove our worthiness, we are sent to this mortal life to prove to Heavenly Father that we "will do all things whatsoever" he commands us. (Abraham 3:25)
Adam and Eve are sent to earth, partake of the forbidden fruit, fall and are kept from partaking of the tree of life, which would have left them living forever in their sins. (Alma 42:2) Now they are found in a probationary time … "a time to repent, and serve God." (Alma 42:4) Adam and Eve (and we as their children) are "cut off both temporally and spiritually from the presence of the Lord" and we are subject to follow after our own wills … we have complete agency. (Alma 42:7)
The first problem is how to deal with the predicament of redeeming us from spiritual death. If we were not to be redeemed, as soon as we die our souls would suffer endless misery from being separated from the presence of the Lord. (Alma 42:11) In effect, justice would run its course.
The answer to this problem is to send a redeemer to atone for our sins so that we might be brought back into God's presence. Alma calls this the plan of mercy. As Christ would atone for our sins, the demands of justice would be appeased, thus allowing God to be both just and merciful. (Alma 42:15) The problem is solved.
Now "mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice. For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved." (Alma 42:23-24)
"Let your sins trouble you"
Alma counsels Corianton not to let these doctrinal issue trouble him, but to "only let [his] sins trouble [him]" which would bring him down to repentance. (Alma 42:29) This goes back to a point I mentioned earlier that our conscious is one of the greatest gifts we have. Much like our nerves, our conscious lets us know when we are in danger. If we did not have nerves, we would not retract our hand when we touch a hot stove and our bodies would burn and eventually become useless to us. But we do have nerves and a conscious to tell us when we are in danger. Let us be thankful for a conscious and not suppress our guilt when we have it. Rather than suppress it, we ought to confront it and clear our conscious through repentance.
Written July 3, 2007
Knowledge and Experience
I actually read this chapter a while ago and now I am just barely getting around to it. Some interesting events have coincided with me reading this chapter.
In humanities, we were studying Goethe’s Faust. Faust is a story about a man who makes a bet with Satan. The bet is if Satan can make Faust be completely satisfied about something, then Satan will take possession of Faust’s soul forever. To understand Faust we must know that he is a man who has been studying his entire life – striving to know everything – to become like God. However, Faust has not experienced life itself. So Satan makes him experience it
The theme of the store is to constantly strive. Faust strives to become like God in both knowledge and deed.
Well, about the time I read Faust, I was contemplating my reasons for getting an education. Was it for money or knowledge or to become like God. I found that I was fixed on “getting the grade” so I could get a job. I wasn’t necessarily learning for knowledge’s sake. That is when I came across Faust and Alma 42:3 and 16. In verse 3, Adam and Eve are said to have come to know good and evil. They had become like Gods. They took the fruit to be like God. I think we have a divine seed in us that want to grow to be like God. We strive to know what God knows.
Someday we will know all that God knows. In verse 16, Alma makes mention how the soul is eternal. The verse mentions the phrase two times. We have eternity to know all that God knows. In this life, we must learn and apply that knowledge.
Written March 24, 1999
Today during the intermission of conference sessions, the TV station showed a documentary of the saints in Spain, as part of the commemoration of the Madrid temple dedication. As I was watching, I thought of all the experience of the leaders of the saints there. Many of them spoke English and seemed to be very intelligent.
The purpose of knowledge is to be more capacitated to serve. Elder Haight spoke of the need of more couples in missionary service. All their experience and knowledge can be used to build up the kingdom. As we learn in college and as we experience life, we gain valuable mental and spiritual assets which will enable us to better serve the Lord and his kingdom.
I have long felt the need to gain as much education as possible. I need to gain it for the right purpose.
Written April 4, 1999
The Problem and the Solution
At least in my mind, I see our Father in Heaven, standing at the beginning of time, willing to give us all that he has if we are worthy of it. In order to prove our worthiness, we are sent to this mortal life to prove to Heavenly Father that we "will do all things whatsoever" he commands us. (Abraham 3:25)
Adam and Eve are sent to earth, partake of the forbidden fruit, fall and are kept from partaking of the tree of life, which would have left them living forever in their sins. (Alma 42:2) Now they are found in a probationary time … "a time to repent, and serve God." (Alma 42:4) Adam and Eve (and we as their children) are "cut off both temporally and spiritually from the presence of the Lord" and we are subject to follow after our own wills … we have complete agency. (Alma 42:7)
The first problem is how to deal with the predicament of redeeming us from spiritual death. If we were not to be redeemed, as soon as we die our souls would suffer endless misery from being separated from the presence of the Lord. (Alma 42:11) In effect, justice would run its course.
The answer to this problem is to send a redeemer to atone for our sins so that we might be brought back into God's presence. Alma calls this the plan of mercy. As Christ would atone for our sins, the demands of justice would be appeased, thus allowing God to be both just and merciful. (Alma 42:15) The problem is solved.
Now "mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice. For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved." (Alma 42:23-24)
"Let your sins trouble you"
Alma counsels Corianton not to let these doctrinal issue trouble him, but to "only let [his] sins trouble [him]" which would bring him down to repentance. (Alma 42:29) This goes back to a point I mentioned earlier that our conscious is one of the greatest gifts we have. Much like our nerves, our conscious lets us know when we are in danger. If we did not have nerves, we would not retract our hand when we touch a hot stove and our bodies would burn and eventually become useless to us. But we do have nerves and a conscious to tell us when we are in danger. Let us be thankful for a conscious and not suppress our guilt when we have it. Rather than suppress it, we ought to confront it and clear our conscious through repentance.
Written July 3, 2007
Alma 41
Judged According to Works and Desires
One of the great things about the "test" of life is that we are told what we will be tested on. It's as if the Teacher were giving us the answers right before the test or even throughout the test.
If we want to pass this test, then we need to show forth good works and have righteous desires in our hearts. As Alma 41:3 explains, men will be judged according to their works and the desires of their hearts.
Boomerang
Tying this information back to the resurrection, we will, therefore, be resurrected to a glory equal to the works and desires of our heart in this life. If we desired to do good and we did good in this life, then we will be resurrected to righteousness. If we were wicked and had wicked desires, then our reward will be a "reward of evil." (Alma 41:4)
Alma succinctly sums this principal up at the end of the chapter when he said, "that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored."
This reminds of me of the talk my brother gave at my mission farewell. He related a parable that demonstrated this principal.
In summary, a king invited everyone to a feast. The entrance fee was the each person must bring water. Each container of water was taken as they entered the feast. Some brought thimble while others brought barrels. At the end of the feast, the king told the people to retrieve their containers when they left. To their surprise, their thimbles and buckets were filled with gold. So those who brought little received little, while those who brought much received much.
Our Own Judges
Since we are taught the commandments and we know right from wrong, we will be our own judges. (Alma 41:7) Before we even face God at the judgment seat, we will already know in our hearts what our reward will be.
"Wickedness never was happiness"
In verses 10 and 11, a couple of profound truths explain to us what this life is about. In 10, we read the immortal words “wickedness never was happiness.” The plan of salvation is often called the great plan of happiness. All of us want to be happy, but today we are in the age of mass communication and information where we want everything right now. We don’t want to wait. I believe that the modern view of happiness is much the same. We want instant gratification. It is hard to wait and work at happiness. So we cheat ourselves out of happiness and we go for the instant gratification. To strive for instant gratification is our natural inclination. In verse 11 Alma talks about how all those in a natural or carnal state are in iniquity and how they are in a nature contrary to God and happiness. To be happy we must do God’s will. We must keep his commandment and in turn we will be happy.
Despite our natural state, God has planted in us divinity. There is still something in us that makes us strive to rise. We soon realize what makes us happy – truly happy, and we begin to rise.
One of the great things about the "test" of life is that we are told what we will be tested on. It's as if the Teacher were giving us the answers right before the test or even throughout the test.
If we want to pass this test, then we need to show forth good works and have righteous desires in our hearts. As Alma 41:3 explains, men will be judged according to their works and the desires of their hearts.
Boomerang
Tying this information back to the resurrection, we will, therefore, be resurrected to a glory equal to the works and desires of our heart in this life. If we desired to do good and we did good in this life, then we will be resurrected to righteousness. If we were wicked and had wicked desires, then our reward will be a "reward of evil." (Alma 41:4)
Alma succinctly sums this principal up at the end of the chapter when he said, "that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored."
This reminds of me of the talk my brother gave at my mission farewell. He related a parable that demonstrated this principal.
In summary, a king invited everyone to a feast. The entrance fee was the each person must bring water. Each container of water was taken as they entered the feast. Some brought thimble while others brought barrels. At the end of the feast, the king told the people to retrieve their containers when they left. To their surprise, their thimbles and buckets were filled with gold. So those who brought little received little, while those who brought much received much.
Our Own Judges
Since we are taught the commandments and we know right from wrong, we will be our own judges. (Alma 41:7) Before we even face God at the judgment seat, we will already know in our hearts what our reward will be.
"Wickedness never was happiness"
In verses 10 and 11, a couple of profound truths explain to us what this life is about. In 10, we read the immortal words “wickedness never was happiness.” The plan of salvation is often called the great plan of happiness. All of us want to be happy, but today we are in the age of mass communication and information where we want everything right now. We don’t want to wait. I believe that the modern view of happiness is much the same. We want instant gratification. It is hard to wait and work at happiness. So we cheat ourselves out of happiness and we go for the instant gratification. To strive for instant gratification is our natural inclination. In verse 11 Alma talks about how all those in a natural or carnal state are in iniquity and how they are in a nature contrary to God and happiness. To be happy we must do God’s will. We must keep his commandment and in turn we will be happy.
Despite our natural state, God has planted in us divinity. There is still something in us that makes us strive to rise. We soon realize what makes us happy – truly happy, and we begin to rise.
Alma 40
The Resurrection
Alma 40 is a purely doctrinal chapter on the afterlife.
Part of Christ's atonement was to be resurrected thus ensuring the resurrection of every person born. As Alma states in verse 4, "all shall come forth from the dead."
Paradise and Hell
But before we are resurrected, we must wait a period of time … "there must needs be a space betwixt the time of death and the time of resurrection." (Alma 40:6) It is this period of time about which Alma had questions.
He taught his son that upon death, "the spirits of all men … are taken hime to that God who gave them life." (Alma 40:11) Depending on how we have lived our lives, we are either received into a state of happiness and paradise or into a state of outer darkness and weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. Those who have obeyed the commandments and who are righteous go to paradise while the wicked are held captive by the devil. All souls remain in one of these states until the time of their resurrection. (Alma 40:14)
Graves Opened
In Alma 40:20, Alma gives his opinion that the righteous from the time of Adam to the time of Christ would be resurrected at the time of Christ's resurrection. (Alma 40:18, 20) We read in Matthew 27:52-53 that "the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose."
Definition
"The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body, yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame." (Alma 40:23)
For a complete list of scripture references and explanation on the resurrection, see the Guide to the Scriptures: Resurrection.
Personal Commentary
I am grateful for the resurrection. I can only imagine the peace this knowledge would bring to those who have lost limbs or whose bodies are ravaged with disease. I am thankful for the good health that my family and I have enjoyed thus far. Despite a record of good health, my body is not getting younger and each time I play basketball, I realize that I am aging. How wonderful it will be to have a perfect body that will never grow old again and will never tire! The resurrection will be wonderful!
Alma 40 is a purely doctrinal chapter on the afterlife.
Part of Christ's atonement was to be resurrected thus ensuring the resurrection of every person born. As Alma states in verse 4, "all shall come forth from the dead."
Paradise and Hell
But before we are resurrected, we must wait a period of time … "there must needs be a space betwixt the time of death and the time of resurrection." (Alma 40:6) It is this period of time about which Alma had questions.
He taught his son that upon death, "the spirits of all men … are taken hime to that God who gave them life." (Alma 40:11) Depending on how we have lived our lives, we are either received into a state of happiness and paradise or into a state of outer darkness and weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. Those who have obeyed the commandments and who are righteous go to paradise while the wicked are held captive by the devil. All souls remain in one of these states until the time of their resurrection. (Alma 40:14)
Graves Opened
In Alma 40:20, Alma gives his opinion that the righteous from the time of Adam to the time of Christ would be resurrected at the time of Christ's resurrection. (Alma 40:18, 20) We read in Matthew 27:52-53 that "the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose."
Definition
"The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body, yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame." (Alma 40:23)
For a complete list of scripture references and explanation on the resurrection, see the Guide to the Scriptures: Resurrection.
Personal Commentary
I am grateful for the resurrection. I can only imagine the peace this knowledge would bring to those who have lost limbs or whose bodies are ravaged with disease. I am thankful for the good health that my family and I have enjoyed thus far. Despite a record of good health, my body is not getting younger and each time I play basketball, I realize that I am aging. How wonderful it will be to have a perfect body that will never grow old again and will never tire! The resurrection will be wonderful!
Monday, July 02, 2007
Alma 39
In this chapter, Alma talks to his son Corianton about Corianton's sin. I think there are some key points to note that a lot of times we tend to overlook.
Boasting
Before Corianton even committed the sin with the harlot, he was already setting himself up to fall. In verse 2, it talks about how Corianton was boasting about his strength and wisdom. I don't know if it meant physical strength, but if it meant spiritual strength, then this verse is significant. Could he have actually have been boasting about how strong he was in the gospel? Could he have thought he was better than the Zoramites because he had always been a member of the church? If so, this is clearly pride. His grounds for boasting would have been on being "more righteous" than the less active members of the church. I know from personal experience that when I begin to think that I don't need to pray or study the scriptures, that is when I am in a sense, boasting. I am setting myself up to fall.
Most Abominable
Alma 39:5-6 explicitly teaches that the three most offensive sins are denying the Holy Ghost, shedding of innocent blood and sexual transgression.
"If it were not for your good"
In verse 7, Alma teaches Corianton why he (Alma) is counseling him or making him feel guilty. Corianton musts have not been so callous to the spirit. His soul was pricked because of his transgressions and Alma was trying to use the guilt for his benefit. Do we as friends care enough for each other to call one another to repentance? Do we really love our family member and try to persuade them to repent? Guilt is really not a bad thing. If it were not for our guilt, we would never change for the better. An example of this could be our nervous system. If we did not have a nervous system to tell us that a stove was hot and if we touched it, it would damage our body, we would never know the danger and we would die sooner than later. Our conscious works much the same way. The Holy Ghost works with us to tell us of dangers and to produce that guilt which will move us to repentance and will teach us all things (Moroni 10:5).
Cross yourself
Alma counsels Corianton to repent and forsake his sins and "go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross yourself in these things." (Alma 39:9) What does cross mean in this context? Synonyms for cross in this context can be thwart, frustrate, impede, oppose, obstruct, resist and annoy. The Spanish version translates "but cross yourself" as "que te refrenaras" as if saying, "refrain from these things." The footnote next to "cross" mentions the subject of self-mastery in the topical guide.
In today's sexually-charged and worldly society, we need to watch our thoughts and words and actions to be sure they are pure.
Our stake produces a scripture card on which the stake presidency places gospel subjects and scriptures. Each ward talk is based on the subject for the month. Along with these subjects and scriptures is a short message from the presidency along with quotes from general authorities. In church yesterday, I was handed the new cards for the 2nd half of 2007. One of the quotes was from James E. Talmage's Articles of Faith that talked about true religion. He said, "Religion without morality, professions of godliness without charity, church-membership without adequate responsibility as to individual conduct in daily life, are but as sounding brass and tinkling cymbals—noise without music, the words without the spirit of prayer. "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27 emphasis added) Honesty of purpose, integrity of soul, individual purity, freedom of conscience, willingness to do good to all men even enemies, pure benevolence—these are some of the fruits by which the religion of Christ may be known, far exceeding in importance and value the promulgation of dogmas and the enunciation of theories. Yet a knowledge of things more than temporal, doctrines of spiritual matters, founded on revelation and not resting on the sands of man's frail hypotheses, are likewise characteristic of the true Church."
The point I got out of reading that quote was that a true Christian not only serves others and fulfills his duty, but he also strives to be pure. There are some who would have us believe that we can serve and serve and still have our pet sins. This is false. I am reminded of another scripture in Ether 10:11, referring to King Morianton, which says, "And he did do justice unto the people, but not unto himself because of his many whoredoms; wherefore he was cut off from the presence of the Lord."
Many times our mission president counseled us to not only perform our work, but to perform our work with clean hands.
Vain or foolish thing
Alma counsels his son not to be "led away by any vain or foolish thing" and that in so doing when the Zoramites saw his conduct, they would not believe Alma's words. This counsel can be applied to all members, especially missionaries. Often, elders and sisters, while they are on missions, do not realize the impact of their conduct on others. Many times I have heard stories of missionaries' conduct being less than what a representative of Christ's should be. Investigator's hearts are hardened and people are offended and they fall away from the Gospel.
Counsel for Corianton
Alma gives some specific counsel to Corianton. He teaches him to "turn to the Lord with all your mind, might, and strength; that ye lead away the hearts of no more to do wickedly; but rather return unto them, and acknowledge your faults and that wrong which ye have done." (Alma 39:13)
We read that Alma is urging Corianton to fully repent of his sins. Part of that process is to acknowledge guilt and fix wrongs when possible. We do not know if he returned, but we do know Corianton continued to preach with his brothers (Alma 49:30) later on.
Alma continues with his counsel, "Seek not after riches nor the vain things of this world; for behold, you cannot carry them with you." (Alma 39:14) What we can carry with us to the next life is experience, our testimony and knowledge. No amount of money will ever permit us to enter the kingdom of God.
Boasting
Before Corianton even committed the sin with the harlot, he was already setting himself up to fall. In verse 2, it talks about how Corianton was boasting about his strength and wisdom. I don't know if it meant physical strength, but if it meant spiritual strength, then this verse is significant. Could he have actually have been boasting about how strong he was in the gospel? Could he have thought he was better than the Zoramites because he had always been a member of the church? If so, this is clearly pride. His grounds for boasting would have been on being "more righteous" than the less active members of the church. I know from personal experience that when I begin to think that I don't need to pray or study the scriptures, that is when I am in a sense, boasting. I am setting myself up to fall.
Most Abominable
Alma 39:5-6 explicitly teaches that the three most offensive sins are denying the Holy Ghost, shedding of innocent blood and sexual transgression.
"If it were not for your good"
In verse 7, Alma teaches Corianton why he (Alma) is counseling him or making him feel guilty. Corianton musts have not been so callous to the spirit. His soul was pricked because of his transgressions and Alma was trying to use the guilt for his benefit. Do we as friends care enough for each other to call one another to repentance? Do we really love our family member and try to persuade them to repent? Guilt is really not a bad thing. If it were not for our guilt, we would never change for the better. An example of this could be our nervous system. If we did not have a nervous system to tell us that a stove was hot and if we touched it, it would damage our body, we would never know the danger and we would die sooner than later. Our conscious works much the same way. The Holy Ghost works with us to tell us of dangers and to produce that guilt which will move us to repentance and will teach us all things (Moroni 10:5).
Cross yourself
Alma counsels Corianton to repent and forsake his sins and "go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross yourself in these things." (Alma 39:9) What does cross mean in this context? Synonyms for cross in this context can be thwart, frustrate, impede, oppose, obstruct, resist and annoy. The Spanish version translates "but cross yourself" as "que te refrenaras" as if saying, "refrain from these things." The footnote next to "cross" mentions the subject of self-mastery in the topical guide.
In today's sexually-charged and worldly society, we need to watch our thoughts and words and actions to be sure they are pure.
Our stake produces a scripture card on which the stake presidency places gospel subjects and scriptures. Each ward talk is based on the subject for the month. Along with these subjects and scriptures is a short message from the presidency along with quotes from general authorities. In church yesterday, I was handed the new cards for the 2nd half of 2007. One of the quotes was from James E. Talmage's Articles of Faith that talked about true religion. He said, "Religion without morality, professions of godliness without charity, church-membership without adequate responsibility as to individual conduct in daily life, are but as sounding brass and tinkling cymbals—noise without music, the words without the spirit of prayer. "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27 emphasis added) Honesty of purpose, integrity of soul, individual purity, freedom of conscience, willingness to do good to all men even enemies, pure benevolence—these are some of the fruits by which the religion of Christ may be known, far exceeding in importance and value the promulgation of dogmas and the enunciation of theories. Yet a knowledge of things more than temporal, doctrines of spiritual matters, founded on revelation and not resting on the sands of man's frail hypotheses, are likewise characteristic of the true Church."
The point I got out of reading that quote was that a true Christian not only serves others and fulfills his duty, but he also strives to be pure. There are some who would have us believe that we can serve and serve and still have our pet sins. This is false. I am reminded of another scripture in Ether 10:11, referring to King Morianton, which says, "And he did do justice unto the people, but not unto himself because of his many whoredoms; wherefore he was cut off from the presence of the Lord."
Many times our mission president counseled us to not only perform our work, but to perform our work with clean hands.
Vain or foolish thing
Alma counsels his son not to be "led away by any vain or foolish thing" and that in so doing when the Zoramites saw his conduct, they would not believe Alma's words. This counsel can be applied to all members, especially missionaries. Often, elders and sisters, while they are on missions, do not realize the impact of their conduct on others. Many times I have heard stories of missionaries' conduct being less than what a representative of Christ's should be. Investigator's hearts are hardened and people are offended and they fall away from the Gospel.
Counsel for Corianton
Alma gives some specific counsel to Corianton. He teaches him to "turn to the Lord with all your mind, might, and strength; that ye lead away the hearts of no more to do wickedly; but rather return unto them, and acknowledge your faults and that wrong which ye have done." (Alma 39:13)
We read that Alma is urging Corianton to fully repent of his sins. Part of that process is to acknowledge guilt and fix wrongs when possible. We do not know if he returned, but we do know Corianton continued to preach with his brothers (Alma 49:30) later on.
Alma continues with his counsel, "Seek not after riches nor the vain things of this world; for behold, you cannot carry them with you." (Alma 39:14) What we can carry with us to the next life is experience, our testimony and knowledge. No amount of money will ever permit us to enter the kingdom of God.
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