Why Were the War Chapters Included?
Why
did Mormon spend 1/10th of the Book of Mormon describing the wars?
There are principles of war a faithful
Christian must understand.
God’s people have a right and a duty
to defend their homes, families and lands from invasion; they are justified in
repelling those who invade them even to the taking of life, if necessary.
God’s people are never justified in
taking the battle into enemy lands; when they do that, their enemies are justified
in repelling them for invading their homes, families and lands even to the
taking of the lives of “God’s people”.
Mormon saw our day; he has tried to
warn us regarding the difference between being forced to go to war and choosing
to go to war, as the first can be justified but the second is never justified.
A prophetic pattern for the second
coming of Christ.
Showing the importance of a free
government.
The importance of a strong family.
That our circumstances and experiences
do not determine us.
Actual war is symbolic of our on-going
spiritual war with Satan - and we can gain powerful insights from it.
There
are many great wars in the Book of Mormon that are barely mentioned at all (see
Alma 28:2-3; Mormon 2:27); why is the Lamanite War described in so much detail?
This war has certain elements not
found in the others.
The Book of Mormon is not a history
but an inspired book of scripture written to the Remnant and to us by those who
saw our day…so we should pay particular attention to the wars that are detailed
in the book and try to understand what elements are found in those wars and not
the others.
What
are the elements of the Lamanite War that Mormon felt we needed to understand?
The war was brought about by internal
contentions, idolatry, sins and abominations (see Alma 50:21, 25-26; Alma
59:11-12; Alma 60:15-17; Alma 62:40) among the Nephites.
This contention and wickedness led to
dissentions in the Church and in the nation (see Alma 45:23-24; Alma 53:8-9;
Alma 61:3-8).
Dissensions gave opportunities for
evil men to usurp power and seek to overthrow the freedom of the people (see
Alma 2:1-4, 9-14; Alma 43:8, 29; Alma 44:2; Alma 46:1-10; Alma 51:5-8; Alma
60:16; Alma 62:6).
The dissenters finally took sides with
the enemy and betrayed their own people (see Alma 2:24-25; Alma 43:4; Alma
47:1, 36; Alma 51:13; Alma 61:8).
The Lord raised up a lawfully
appointed military commander who was also a man of God, to support the law and
freedom of the land (see Alma 2:16; Alma 43:16-17; Alma 48:11-13, 17-18; Alma
62:43).
This commander’s first duty was to
cleanse the inner vessel and deal with the rebels in their midst (see Alma
2:12, 16; Alma 60:23-24, 27; Alma 61:14-17) by rallying Christians to his cause
(see Alma 46:11-21, 36; Alma 48:10; Alma 62:4-5) through covenant (see Alma
43:9-10, 30, 45-48; Alma 44:5; Alma 46:21-24; Alma 48:7, 10, 14, 23-24; Alma
54:10; Alma 60:30; Alma 61:13, 18).
They put down the internal rebellion
and executed all who refused to defend their liberty (see Alma 2:17-19; Alma
51:15-21; Alma 62:7-10).
They fought the foreign enemies who
had invaded their land (see Alma 2:24, 31-37; Alma 43:4-6; Alma 47:1; Alma
48:1-6; Alma 61:8; Alma 62:6-8; Alma 63:14-15); although overmatched, they
received strength from God (see Alma 2:27, 35; Alma 43:14, 51; Alma 51:11; Alma
58:2, 8; Alma 59:7-8; Alma 61:3), had access to a prophet (see Alma 43:23-24;
Alma 48:16), and used technology and tactics to win their battles, rather than
strength (see Alma 43:19, 30-33; Alma 48:8; Alma 49:2-4, 11-20; Alma 50:1-6,
10-12; Alma 52:21-31; Alma 53:4; Alma 55:4-24; Alma 56:30; Alma 58:16-28; Alma
62:20-26).
After much battle and bloodshed on
both sides they ousted their enemies from the land and restored peace (see Alma
2:31-3:3; Alma 43:37-38; Alma 44:17-20; Alma 46:32-38; Alma 48:20; Alma
49:22-23; Alma 51:31-32; Alma 52:32-39; Alma 56:13, 49-54; Alma 57:23; Alma
58:33; Alma 59:7; Alma 60:5, 7-9, 22; Alma 62:38, 42, 50).
Given the USA’s status as the world’s
preeminent military superpower and the current level of our wickedness, it does
make you wonder who Mormon saw the protagonists and the antagonists of this
story to be.
A Christian’s Justification for War
READ Alma 43:4-11
What
are the motivations for war from the Lamanites or attacker's perspective?
Gain power – political ambitions
(43:8).
Hatred - enmity - pride (43:7,11).
What
are the motivations for war from the Nephites or defender's perspective?
Defend families/loved ones.
Preserve their freedom.
Worship God according to their desires.
READ Alma 50:21
What
caused the war in the first place?
The Nephites’ sins brought the war
upon themselves – idolatry, contention, murder, whoredoms, robbery, and
religious abominations.
The dissention/insurrection and
apostatizing of several Nephite groups, i.e. Zoramites, Amalickites, Morianton,
King-men.
READ Alma 43:45-47 and Alma 48:14
D&C
98:16 says we are to renounce war and proclaim peace, so are Christians
justified in going to war?
Yes, but only if they are not
guilty of the first or second offense (and the D&C adds a third offense – see D&C 98:23-27),
they can defend their families, even unto bloodshed IF the Lord commands them to (see D&C 98:33) but they must warn
the attackers first of the eternal danger they have put themselves in through
their violent actions and give them an offering of peace which the attacker
must reject (see D&C 98:28-32, 34-36).
But even then, it is the Lord who will
fight the defenders’ battles for them (see D&C 98:37).
READ Alma 48:14
Are Christians justified in
retaliating or exacting revenge – an “eye for an eye” – on those who perpetrate
war or violence against them?
No.
Christ said to love those who despitefully use you and persecute
you (see Matthew 5:44-55).
If an unrepentant attacker “trespasses” against you four times,
you are to bring your case before the Lord for relief and if the attacker
repents, you are to forgive them will all your heart (see D&C 98:41-44).
If anyone will exact revenge, it will be the Lord on His terms
(see D&C 98:37, 44-45); it never says that the Christian is justified in
exacting the revenge themselves even if the attacker never repents and
trespasses more than four times against you.
Are Christians justified in importuning
the Lord to avenge the blood of the saints and prophets?
No.
Christ said we must forgive everyone; only He has the discretion
and wisdom to judge righteously (see D&C 64:10; D&C 98:38-48).
The blood of the Saints “call” not because the slain Saints are
calling; it says their blood calls – in other words, the act of shedding their
blood is what condemns the killer – the Saints must forgive them.
READ Alma 43:27-30
Are Christians justified in using
“stratagem” if their intention is only to defend themselves and their liberty;
and what is allowed?
Stratagem = a plan or scheme for deceiving an enemy; an artifice
or trick by which some advantage can be obtained (see 1828 Webster’s
Dictionary).
Captain Moroni (and Alma, who wrote the record that Mormon is
summarizing from) seemed to think that the ends justified the means, in this
regard.
Trickery or stratagem applies in the Book of Mormon to passive
spying and tactical sleight of hand (see also Alma 56:30; Alma 58:16-29).
READ Alma 43:52-54
Are Christians justified in using
torture, secret combinations, and terror tactics to defend themselves and their
liberty?
No.
You cannot get good fruit from a bad tree (see Matthew 7:17-18);
this principle makes it clear why certain “stratagem” is allowed and supported
by God while others are not…
READ Alma 44:1-2, 6-7, 10, 19-20
Are
Christians justified in conducting pre-emptive strikes or preventative war?
No.
“Defensive attack” or pre-emptive
strikes or preventative war are not permitted (see 3 Nephi 3:20-21; Mormon
3:10-15).
Defensive struggle or fighting is
limited to the time in which the aggressor is actively aggressive; once the
aggressor is willing to end the violence, the violence should end.
The fighting is also limited only to
the defense of one’s country and its border; pursuing an attacker back into his
country is not allowed.
So the idea of crippling an enemy
preemptively to save the lives of innocent people later is not a Christian
principle of war; the same goes for using extreme force to cripple an enemy
after he has agreed to end the violence – even if doing so would save innocent
lives later because you have every reason to believe that the aggressor will
continue their aggressive actions at a later date.
The Christian allows the agency of
others to play out in the future and depends upon God (again) to keep their
people safe or to see that His will is done, regardless of the outcome
(including the death of innocents if that be His will), at that future
time.
Are Christians justified in
exterminating a possible threat if those individuals promise to retreat and not
declare war again?
No.
Otherwise you are “men of blood” (see Alma 44:15).
This even extends to giving the attackers back their weapons if
they refuse to covenant, so that they can defend themselves and possibly even
win the upcoming “end the conflict” battle (see Alma 44:10).
Extermination is the end-game of the “holy war” or jihad; it
portrays the “good guys” against the “bad guys” and teaches that the only way
the good guys can be safe is to totally destroy the bad guys; ironically, this
“holy war” doctrine lacks faith in God to fight the battles or protect the
righteous, in the same way that the preemptive strike does.
If Christians are not justified
in using these traditional war strategies for “righteous” purposes, how can
they defend themselves against enemies that will use these methods?
They must exercise true faith in Christ to defend and save them.
God has promised to either prevent enemies from attacking the
righteous (see 2 Nephi 1:7; 1 Nephi 2:23) or to fight their battles for them
(see Exodus 14:14; D&C 98:38; Matthew 26:53; 2 Chronicles 20; 2 Kings
6:16-17; Moses 7:13).
If Christians are not true to the principles of God, they will
offend the Spirit and be filled with the spirit of the devil instead – they
must “take the high road” in the face of evil, not use the tools of evil to
defeat evil (see D&C 64:24).
Who does God employ to punish and
destroy the wicked?
The wicked punish or kill the wicked, even though they are
carrying out the judgments of God; this is because the wicked stir up their own
hearts and the hearts of their wicked enemies unto bloodshed (see Mormon 4:5).
The righteous do not participate, as they are not filled with a
Spirit that would condone or participate in such behavior; they seek to resolve
conflict without killing others.
So the idea of a “just war” (i.e. of the justified use of attacking
military force under certain conditions) is wrong; ultimately one is saying “a
little violence is a small price to pay for the possibility of fulfilling God’s
law and establishing His kingdom on earth”; the fighters of a “just war” do not
think they are abandoning their principles through violence but are being even
more true to them by using violence.
What does this imply about the
word “defend”?
As soon as the attacker relents, you practice mercy – even in the
heat of the battle (see Alma 44:6; D&C 98:39-40).
It takes faith in God not to “neutralize the attacker” to the
point that they are crippled and cannot come back against you to war,
regardless of whether they want to or not; it is the arm of the flesh that
would like to guarantee that the attacker cannot attack again.
It takes faith in God to take the attacker at their word, if they
promise to lay down their arms and not come against you again.
It takes faith in God to realize that you have as your defender a
being who has the power to completely annihilate the attacker physically and
damn them spiritually; we, as the ones being defended by God, should be very aware
of that and have the attitude of pleading with the Lord on behalf of the
attacker to have mercy and not let His righteous indignation prevail with
disastrous (although perhaps just) consequences for the attacker – “Father,
forgive them for they know not what they do” is the attitude we should have.
It takes faith in God to believe that, as long as one is
worshipping the Lord, whatever the attacker does to you is permitted by the
Lord as a legitimate use of their agency which, for God’s purposes, He is not
going to prevent and should to be suffered with humility and without hate by
the innocent victim.
While you might find contradictory war
practices in other scriptures, it is important to think about who the Book of
Mormon was written for (us and the Remnant), which war was documented in detail
(the Great Lamanite War and to a lesser extent the exterminating wars of the
Jaredites and the Nephites) and which were not (the hundreds of other wars they
fought), and what principles of a “Christian war” are taught in these many
chapters of Alma that took Mormon so long to etch onto metal plates. The Book of Mormon contains the correct
principles that the Lord would have us understand and practice with regards to
war in the latter days.
The Curse and Blessing Upon America
READ Alma 45:16 and Alma 48:25
There
is a promise and a curse laid upon America, what is it?
Promise: Worship the God of this Land
and keep His commandments and you will prosper in the land (see Ether 2:12).
Curse: If you don't keep the promise,
when you reach the fullness of iniquity, you will be swept off the land (see
Ether 2:11).
READ Alma 46:18, 20-22
Captain
Moroni knew of the promise/curse that is laid on America, so what covenant did
he inspire his people to make?
It was not to fight for their freedom
and families - that was the rallying "Title of Liberty" motto but not
the covenant they made (see Alma 46:12-13).
It was to not forsake the Christ
(abide in covenant) and to worship the God of the land by keeping His commandments
or be swept off - they are recommitting to the covenant they have already made
at baptism.
He wants them to keep the covenant
associated with the American promised land.
So
what does that imply about the safety of the Nephites?
Their survival was always in their own
hands - all of the Lamanites in the world could not destroy them, but they
could destroy themselves through sin.
It is the same with the people and
government of the United States of America today.
READ Alma 46:7-16
So
what was the Title of Liberty meant to do?
Not to rally the people to war or even
to defend themselves.
It was meant to remind the people of
the covenant that they had made with God, who would defend them if they abided
by it.
And its creation was followed
immediately by mighty prayer and worship, not by a political rally or military
parade – Captain Moroni was invoking the covenant by asking God to defend the
land as long as a “band of Christians” or genuine worshipers of Christ were
living in it, as per the terms.
The War Chapters as a Symbol of the
War with Satan
The war chapters are symbolic of the
spiritual war that Satan is waging with us every day (read 1 Nephi 14:12-14).
READ Alma 48:7-8, 14-16
How
does Captain Moroni prepare his people for war?
First, he prepares them spiritually in
line with their covenant (48:7).
Second, he prepares them physically -
strengthening their defenses (48:8,14).
Third, he installs an early warning
system - the Lord (48:15-16).
His plans are completely defensive =
"homeland security" without the doctrine of the pre-emptive strike.
READ Alma 49:3-8 and Alma 50:20
What
do the Lamanites’ tactics teach us about Satan's tactics with us?
He targets the weakest point in our
defenses - our specific propensities toward sin (49:3).
How
do we thwart his attacks?
Be proactive in building effective,
prophetically inspired defenses (49:8).
Prepare places of security - the home,
the church, the temple, and most importantly the holy person who has become a
temple of God themselves, wherein God can dwell (49:5).
Live the Gospel Covenant - come unto
Christ and abide with Him on earth (50:20).
READ Alma 49:12-14
What
happens next?
Satan may disengage to find a softer
target (49:12).
These must be strengthened, too
(49:14).
READ Alma 50:22-23
Why
was this time of war the "happiest" in Nephite history since Lehi
left Jerusalem? (50:23)
They were united in covenant to serve
God and defend their country.
They were faithful in keeping that
covenant and were delivered (50:22).
They were humbled and were actively
driven to their knees as the "wolf was at the door".
