So, I thought I'd do something a little different. Each Sunday I'm going to do a blog post outlining some of the lessons I've learned from the war chapters in the Book of Mormon.
For those who are less familiar with the Book of Mormon, it is the scriptural record of a Christian people who migrated from Jerusalem to the Americas around 600 BC. Shortly after arriving, this people split into two groups, the more righteous Nephites and the generally barbaric Lamanites. Over the course of the 1000 year history of the Nephites, there are many wars referenced in the Book of Mormon, but particular attention is given to one specific period of war, approximately 73 BC to 60 BC, and occupies 20 chapters (Alma 43 - 62).
There are some who prefer to kind of skim through these chapters, as it can sometimes seem counterintuitive that a book written "to the convincing of Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations" (Book of Mormon title page) would give focus to the operational and tactical conduct of a major war. However, I believe that when Mormon abridged the records of the Nephites into what we know as the Book of Mormon, he did so with precision, and that he included the account of this war for a purpose - because he knew that in our day of constant warfare, we would need a scriptural example of how to righteously prosecute wars.
In the beginning of this war, two groups called the Zoramites and Amalekites, dissenters from the Nephite nation, joined forces with the Lamanites and convinced them to go to war with the Nephites. The leader of the Lamanite army, Zerahemnah, intended to defeat the Nephites and subject them to Lamanite rule. The military leader of the Nephites, named Moroni, discovered the Lamanite preparations for war and in turn began preparing his own armies for war.
However, Moroni was what we would call today a "disruptive thinker" and instead of simply arming his troops, he armored them with "breastplates and with arm-shields, yea, and also shields to defend their heads, and also they were dressed with thick clothing" (Alma 43:19). The Lamanites were less than prepared for this, being armed only with their weapons and "they were naked, save it were a skin which was girded about their loins" (Alma 43:20).
So, the Lamanites reevaluated their plans and decided to try attacking another spot, but Moroni was a good commander and he sent spies after them to figure out where they were going. In addition, he sent representatives to their prophet at the time, named Alma, to ask what the Nephites should do to defend themselves. Both the spies and Alma's revelation give Moroni the information he needed to set up a three-way ambush of the Lamanite army in a river valley, with forces on the East, West and South parts of the valley. When the Lamanites marched into the valley, the forces on the West closed the loop behind them and completely encircled the Lamanites, and began attacking. Since the Lamanites were armored by hope and a loincloth, they soon began to retrograde, and the other Nephite armies initiated their attack, and "the work of death commenced on both sides" (Alma 43:37).
Now, in this situation, and knowing that the entire purpose of the Lamanites was domination, and the purpose of the Nephites was defense, Moroni could have easily seen this as an opportunity to completely wipe out the Lamanite armies. However, when the Moroni saw that the Lamanites were "struck with terror" at the realization that they were surrounded and facing likely destruction, Moroni did not use that fear to guarantee the destruction of the Lamanite army.
Instead, he called a cease fire.
The Nephite armies pulled back "a pace" from the Lamanites, and Moroni said, "Behold, Zarahemna, we do not desire to be men of blood. Ye know that ye are in our hands, yet we do not desire to slay you," I can only imagine at this point the Lamanites were very well aware, though, of the Nephites' ABILITY to kill them... Moroni outlines the reasons why the Nephites are fighting, and states that it is the Lord's power and support which gave them power. But then he offers the Lamanites an out, he says "I command you by all the desires which ye have for your life, that ye deliver up your weapons of war unto us, and we will not seek your blood, but we will spare your lives, if ye will go your way and come not again to war against us. And now, if ye do not this, behold, ye are in our hands, and I will command my men that they shall fall upon you and inflict the wounds of death in your bodies, that ye may become extinct, and then we shall see who shall have power over this people."
Zerahemnah agrees to hand over his weapons, and does so directly to Moroni, but refuses to make the demanded oath, knowing full well that it would be broken. Here, Moroni had the opportunity to compromise and accept the immediate tactical victory, and allow the Lamanite army to leave. But he did not. Instead, he says "Behold, we will end this conflict. Now I cannot recall the words which I have spoken, therefore, as the Lord liveth, ye shall not depart except ye depart with an oath that ye will not return again against us to war. Now as ye are in our hands, we will spill your blood upon the ground, or ye shall submit to the conditions which I have proposed."
Zerahemnah takes his sword and tries to kill Moroni, but is stopped by a Nephite soldier, who not only breaks Zerahemnah's sword, but partially scalps him as well, and then uses the scalp piece as an object lesson for the rest of the Lamanites. Some of the Lamanites took the opportunity, made their oath and left, but the rest instead tried to psych themselves up for what they must have known was their final battle.
Seeing that there was no other way to deal with the Lamanites, Moroni gave the order, and the Nephites attacked, routing the Lamanites.
This time, Zerahemnah, realizing his mistake, "cried mightily unto Moroni, promising that he would covenant and also his people with them, if they would spare the remainder of their lives, that they never would come to war against them."
Moroni could very easily have said, "Sorry, Zerahemnah, you had your chance and now you have to live with your decision." Instead, Moroni called cease fire again and let the Lamanites take their oaths and leave.
On Thursday in class we were having a discussion on ethics and
American prosecution of war and the discussion turned focused on two
factors: first, war is inherently violent and should be prosecuted in
the most violent and destructive manner possible in the shortest amount
of time, and second, that the US military has a duty to maintain the
moral high-ground wherever possible and restrict that violence to
matters of military necessity. Essentially, when the US goes to war, we
should do so with full purpose and visit violence and destruction on
our enemies, but when said violence and destruction are no longer
necessary, that we should cease and instead turn away from violence
I immediately thought of this example, where Moroni was willing to use full-scale violence to destroy his enemy, but was able to quickly transition to allowing peace when the opportunity presented itself. Moroni did not glory in the killing and destruction, but in the defense of his nation and his religion. Still, when necessary, Moroni did not shy away from visiting death on his enemies. In the same way, we should not delight in the death and destruction that are inherent in war, yet we should understand that there is a time for everything, including war, and that when necessary, we cannot shy away from visiting our enemies with violence. We just cannot lose ourselves in the destruction and crave the violence.
I know this was a bit long, but I felt the context was important. Here is the seminary video on this topic.
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