At first I could see a parallel
between the Lamenites killing the Nephites because of their faith in Christ and
what ISIS and other terror groups are doing in the world now. Except the thing
that is different is that ISIS isn’t just trying to destroy our faith, but make
everyone believe what they believe. Did the Lamenites have any religion? Did
they believe anything? And if not, what about the Nephites believing made them
so angry? Especially when they lived in separate lands, it seems like it
wouldn’t have really affected them. I wonder if the fact that it was their king
that converted and left to the Nephites made them so much angrier. I guess, is it really that different from all
the times we get mad about things just because we think they are stupid. Our
family really does that a lot, where things that seem dumb are worth hating.
The Lamenites thought the Nephite beliefs were stupid, and that made them
angry. It makes me think about Christ talking about the higher law, where anger
is like murder. (Which is really hard for me to hear when I spend so much time
in my life angry, especially at people I would never want to hurt let alone
kill).
I was actually thinking about this
at church yesterday, how attitude affects an experience so much. Why is it so
hard for my family to just not be cynical about things? It is always easy to
find things to criticize and mock, but I know that when I look at a situation
from outside of it, we are missing out on opportunities for joy. Is it a
vulnerability issue? We just don’t “lean in” to the experiences that are
happening, but remain aloof and apart to some extent. And because that is the
culture we have built in our family, it is really difficult to change.
In either The Crucible of Doubt or
The God Who Weeps, the Givens talk about how our agency is full in this life,
and belief is completely a matter of choice. Moroni and Zarahemna could both
look at the situation and find entirely different explanations, Moroni
attributing his army’s success to God and Zarahemna seeing it as only due to
their cunning and armor. They talk in the book about how in this world the
arguments for or against belief are equally persuasive, which is what gives us
the real option to choose, and our choice ends up being based on who we are at
the deepest level. That idea was very freeing to me. My choice to believe doesn’t
have to be based on disproving the arguments for not believing. I get to make a
choice between the options.
It is interesting to me, however,
that Zarahemna didn’t just lie and make the oath he didn’t intend to keep. I
noticed that years ago when reading about Nephi trusting Zoram as soon as he
made an oath to stay with them. Was it just a more honest time? I feel like I
hardy trust anyone now. Is that me, or is this somehow a different time or
culture?
It also took a lot of honor and
courage for Moroni to not back down when Zarahemna rejected his offer. War is
awful now, and I am sure was awful then. I know they had to have been anxious
to end the conflict, but he stuck to what he had said. I have been working on
sticking to my word with kids since I received that impression so strongly a
little while ago. And this section feels like a re-affirmation of how important
that is. Again, I feel like I need to carefully consider my words before I talk
and then stick to them, even though sometimes it is very hard to see them sad
about consequences. I need to give them that structure, but also to be a woman
of honor, who is known to do what she says she will do.
It is interesting that once their
leader fled many of the Lamenites were willing to throw down their weapons and
make the covenant of peace. Isaiah and I were talking about that from the Book
of Mormon this morning, how Mosiah didn’t want the people to have a king
anymore because of the damage a wicked leader can do. It is something to
remember more carefully as a mother, and in other leadership positions. If I am
leading us astray, that is a big responsibility. I need to be more mindful and
deliberate in the decisions and make and the things I say.
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