War is awful. It involves the intentional infliction of harm and destruction of property. Its agenda is demolition, and we all know it’s far easier to destroy than to build.
Why, then, is so much of the Book of Mormon dedicated to the description of wars, particularly one massive war between the Nephites and the Lamanites? Perhaps one reason is so that we can think about how to handle conflicts in our lives.
The Anti-Nephi-Lehies were pacifists. They buried their weapons as a symbol of a covenant “that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man’s blood” (Alma 24:18). The Nephites honored that covenant and agreed to defend the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, even at the risk of their own lives. (See Alma 27:23-24.)
Moroni, the captain of the Nephite armies, believed that his people had a duty to defend their families and their freedom, including the right to worship as they saw fit. He remembered a scripture in which the Lord said, “Ye shall defend your families even unto bloodshed” (Alma 43:47), and he rallied his people to ward off a brutal invasion by their enemies.
But Moroni “did not delight in bloodshed” (Alma 48:11). When he had the opportunity to take the lives of enemy soldiers, he looked for the solution that accomplished the objective with a minimum of casualties. (See Alma 55:18-19.) He managed to inspire his armies to fight fiercely while retaining a respect for all human beings, even his opponents.
On April 6, 2003, about two weeks after the beginning of the Iraq War, President Gordon B. Hinckley delivered a sermon in which he laid out the obligations of disciples of Jesus Christ when faced with conflict which they cannot entirely control. He outlined several key principles which should jointly govern our decisions during these times:
- “We are to ‘renounce war and proclaim peace’ (D&C 98:16).” Disciples of Jesus Christ are peacemakers, first and foremost. Our goal is to eliminate contention and promote harmony and unity among all people.
- “As citizens we are all under the direction of our respective national leaders.” We recognize that some decisions about conflict are out of our hands. We hope and pray that our leaders will make wise decisions, recognizing that those decisions may pull us into conflicts we would not have otherwise chosen.
- “There are times and circumstances when nations are justified, in fact have an obligation, to fight for family, for liberty, and against tyranny, threat, and oppression.” Some things are worth fighting for.
- “We can do all in our power to comfort and bless those who lose loved ones.” Our duty to “mourn with those that mourn” (Mosiah 18:8) is constant, in times of war and of peace.
(See Gordon B. Hinckley, “War and Peace,” General Conference, April 2003.)
I think these same principles can govern our actions on a smaller scale in our day-to-day lives. Our first goal is to promote peace. Sometimes we are drawn into conflict through the decisions of others. We may at times need to defend the vulnerable. But we should always do so in a measured way, recognizing that everyone involved is a child of God.
Today, I will remember the courageous example of Moroni, who understood the importance of protecting his people but who refused to allow war to harden him. I will speak up and defend others as needed, but I will do so with compassion and respect for everyone involved.