Alma 60 | |
1 And it came to pass that he wrote again to the governor of the land, who was Pahoran, and these are the words which he wrote, saying: Behold, I direct mine epistle to Pahoran, in the city of Zarahemla, who is the chief judge and the governor over the land, and also to all those who have been chosen by this people to govern and manage the affairs of this war. | 1 |
2 For behold, I have somewhat to say unto them by the way of condemnation; for behold, ye yourselves know that ye have been appointed to gather together men, and arm them with swords, and with cimeters, and all manner of weapons of war of every kind, and send forth against the Lamanites, in whatsoever parts they should come into our land. | AnachronismAnachronism - Sword 21 The only pre-Columbian weapon I can find that was similar to a sword was the macuahuitl which was made with a plank of wood similar in shape to a cricket bat with obsidian blades mounted on the edges. It is similar enough to a sword that it is often referred to as the Aztec sword. However, the macuahuitl does not seem to fit the Book of Mormon time frame. “Some groups of Central Mexico, principally in the transition between the Early and the Late Post-Classic, probably developed this weapon” (emphasis added, Dr. Marco Antonio Cervera Obregón, “The macuahuitl: an innovative weapon of the Late Post-Classic in Mesoamerica”, Arms & Armour, Vol.3, Nov. 2, 2006, p. 146, article from a research journal). The Post-Classic period is between 900 CE and the Spanish conquest. “Sword” or “swords” are mentioned 11 times in this chapter. |
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5 1 Moroni, an allegedly great leader, just assumes his boss, the Governor Pahoran, is negligent and “in a state of thoughtless stupor,” and addresses the Governor thusly. The rest of the chapter goes on like this. What would cause these negative assumptions and reaction by Moroni? Doesn’t this seem like an immature and dangerous reaction to a very serious situation for which he is completely ignorant of the causes? Yet he reacts brazenly toward Pahoran, on the verge of insurrection (verse 27), without considering that it might not be Pahoran’s fault. Can you imagine if Pahoran’s response had been lost or intercepted and Moroni marched against Pahoran in insurrection and found him? Besides, doesn’t the slaughter of Moroni’s people contradict Alma 48:14-16 and Alma 56:46-48 where the Nephites and the stripling warriors respectively are said to be protected and saved from their enemies by God because of their faith? | |
6 1 Alma 60:5-7
Moroni, an allegedly great leader, just assumes his boss, the Governor Pahoran, is negligent and “in a state of thoughtless stupor,” and addresses the Governor thusly. The rest of the chapter goes on like this.
What would cause these negative assumptions and reaction by Moroni? Doesn’t this seem like an immature and dangerous reaction to a very serious situation for which he is completely ignorant of the causes? Yet he reacts brazenly toward Pahoran, on the verge of insurrection (verse 27), without considering that it might not be Pahoran’s fault. Can you imagine if Pahoran’s response had been lost or intercepted and Moroni marched against Pahoran in insurrection and found him?
Besides, doesn’t the slaughter of Moroni’s people contradict Alma 48:14-16 and Alma 56:46-48 where the Nephites and the stripling warriors respectively are said to be protected and saved from their enemies by God because of their faith? | |
7 1 Alma 60:5-7
Moroni, an allegedly great leader, just assumes his boss, the Governor Pahoran, is negligent and “in a state of thoughtless stupor,” and addresses the Governor thusly. The rest of the chapter goes on like this.
What would cause these negative assumptions and reaction by Moroni? Doesn’t this seem like an immature and dangerous reaction to a very serious situation for which he is completely ignorant of the causes? Yet he reacts brazenly toward Pahoran, on the verge of insurrection (verse 27), without considering that it might not be Pahoran’s fault. Can you imagine if Pahoran’s response had been lost or intercepted and Moroni marched against Pahoran in insurrection and found him?
Besides, doesn’t the slaughter of Moroni’s people contradict Alma 48:14-16 and Alma 56:46-48 where the Nephites and the stripling warriors respectively are said to be protected and saved from their enemies by God because of their faith? | |
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9 But behold, this is not all--ye have withheld your provisions from them, insomuch that many have fought and bled out their lives because of their great desires which they had for the welfare of this people; yea, and this they have done when they were about to perish with hunger, because of your exceedingly great neglect towards them. | 9 |
10 And now, my beloved brethren--for ye ought to be beloved; yea, and ye ought to have stirred yourselves more diligently for the welfare and the freedom of this people; but behold, ye have neglected them insomuch that the blood of thousands shall come upon your heads for vengeance; yea, for known unto God were all their cries, and all their sufferings-- | 10 |
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12 2 And yet look at all the other references in the Book of Mormon that indicate the faithful are spared physical destruction. It seems that if a faithful person is spared death, God wins, yet if a faithful person dies, God wins. Among the contradictory references is Alma 44:3-4, or Alma 48:14-16 | |
13 2 Alma 60:12-13
And yet look at all the other references in the Book of Mormon that indicate the faithful are spared physical destruction. It seems that if a faithful person is spared death, God wins, yet if a faithful person dies, God wins.
Among the contradictory references is Alma 44:3-4, or Alma 48:14-16 | |
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16 Yea, had it not been for the war which broke out among ourselves; yea, were it not for these king-men, who caused so much bloodshed among ourselves; yea, at the time we were contending among ourselves, if we had united our strength as we hitherto have done; yea, had it not been for the desire of power and authority which those king-men had over us; had they been true to the cause of our freedom, and united with us, and gone forth against our enemies, instead of taking up their swords against us, which was the cause of so much bloodshed among ourselves; yea, if we had gone forth against them in the strength of the Lord, we should have dispersed our enemies, for it would have been done, according to the fulfilling of his word. | 16 |
17 But behold, now the Lamanites are coming upon us, taking possession of our lands, and they are murdering our people with the sword, yea, our women and our children, and also carrying them away captive, causing them that they should suffer all manner of afflictions, and this because of the great wickedness of those who are seeking for power and authority, yea, even those king-men. | 17 |
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24 And now, except ye do repent of that which ye have done, and begin to be up and doing, and send forth food and men unto us, and also unto Helaman, that he may support those parts of our country which he has regained, and that we may also recover the remainder of our possessions in these parts, behold it will be expedient that we contend no more with the Lamanites until we have first cleansed our inward vessel, yea, even the great head of our government. | 24 |
25 And except ye grant mine epistle, and come out and show unto me a true spirit of freedom, and strive to strengthen and fortify our armies, and grant unto them food for their support, behold I will leave a part of my freemen to maintain this part of our land, and I will leave the strength and the blessings of God upon them, that none other power can operate against them-- | 25 |
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32 Behold, can you suppose that the Lord will spare you and come out in judgment against the Lamanites, when it is the tradition of their fathers that has caused their hatred, yea, and it has been redoubled by those who have dissented from us, while your iniquity is for the cause of your love of glory and the vain things of the world? | 32 |
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