A new Title of Liberty
It was a time of social and political upheaval. Some of the population claimed they were born with a certain characteristic that the rest of society either ignored or even disparaged. These individuals chose to let this particular characteristic define their identities and soon insisted that the rest of society acknowledge and even celebrate them for this identity.
Although it started at the fringes, this radical movement was supported by...
Letting God Prevail over Politics
An online forum asked Church members if the Church endorsed Republicans or Democrats. One member's highly-voted answer essentially said:
The Church stays out of politics. But when you look at our faith's teachings about family values, sexual morality, drugs, and self-reliance, it's no surprise that, in my experience, most Church members are Republicans like me.
Another highly voted answer showed a different perspective. Something like:
The Church...
A prison built with our own hands
The battle was fierce, but also short and decisive—despite a huge loss of men and a painful personal wound, Captain Moroni had thrown "one of the greatest of the armies of the Lamanites" into complete disarray. But Moroni "did not delight in bloodshed;" when he saw that his enemies were beaten, he offered them terms of surrender. The Lamanite army accepted his terms, and the prisoners were marched to the...
Think U.S. elections are contentious? Try Nephite elections!
Elections have been on my mind recently, as I'm sure they have been on all of ours. Four years ago, we experienced the most divisive election in my lifetime. But by all available data, it looks like this one is going to make that one look "mostly peaceful" in comparison. Even within the Church, relations between good members with differing political ideologies have been seriously strained. But if you are...
The Lamanite, the lock-down, and our Liberty
This week in Come, Follow Me, we studied the discourse of Samuel the Lamanite on the wall of Zarahemla. Take note of the reaction of the people. In the first few verses of Helaman 16, we read that there were two different and completely opposite reactions to his message: One group believed in his words and sought baptism by those who were authorized to administer in the ordinances of the...
Hello, my name is Gideon
This past week in Come Follow Me, covering Mosiah 29 through Alma 4, we read about the death of one of my favorite Book of Mormon heroes. No, not Alma the Elder. No, not King Mosiah. No, definitely not Nehor. I'm talking about the penitent patriot, Gideon. He doesn't get quite the same name recognition as other heroes, but I still think he's really cool.
The easy way and the hard way
This may come as a surprise to many of you, but sometimes my children don't listen.
Take bedtime, for instance. At the end of the day, my 4-year-old son and I both know how things are going to end. If my son cooperates when it's "that time," his bedtime will be preceded by playtime, two bedtime stories, and a lullaby. If he throws a tantrum, he will simply be placed...
Liberty which binds us
Yet another post about the battle of Captain Moroni v. Zerahemnah and friends. I can't seem to get out of these two chapters. I'm beginning to think I should have called this blog "Power in Alma 44." Anyways, here's the verse that caught my attention:
And now, Zerahemnah, I command you, in the name of that all-powerful God, who has strengthened our arms that we have gained power over...
