When we look around, we see violence celebrated (or apathetically discussed) all about in our media: in film, in television, in books, in music, and in video games.  But for most of us, this has almost no reflection on reality.  Violence is so often glamorized and glorified, distorting its true nature and tragic effects.

Alma chapter 28 sets us doctrinally straight on violence.  It is an inspired record and commentary regarding “A tremendous battle (Alma 28:2).”  The Nephite general Mormon explains what he means by “tremendous”: “Yea, even such an one as never had been known among all the people in the land from the time Lehi left Jerusalem; yea, and tens of thousands of Lamanites were slain and scattered abroad.”

This battle started when, as near as we can tell, the Lamanites tried to chase the converted people of Ammon when they were fleeing to Nephites for protection.  The people of Ammon were safe.  The Nephites protectors and Lamanite aggressors were not.

Mormon goes on: “There was a tremendous slaughter among the people of Nephi; nevertheless, the Lamanites were driven and scattered, and the people of Nephi returned again to their land (Alma 28:3).”

Awesome, right?  Must have been great.  All that destruction and death.

But Mormon, one of the great Nephite military leaders, says otherwise: “There was a great mourning and lamentation heard throughout all the land, among all the people of Nephi–yea, the cry of widows mourning for their husbands, and also of fathers mourning for their sons, and the daughter for the brother, yea, the brother for the father; and thus the cry of mourning was heard among all of them, mourning for their kindred who had surely been slain.  And now surely this was a sorrowful day; yea, a time of solemnity, and a time of much fasting and prayer (Alma 28:4-6).”

Notice the widespread effect: Mormon says the lamentation was heard throughout all the land, among all the people.  No exception was noted.  And yet today, do we lament and mourn for the dead lost in war, for the costs of war itself, and for the tragic nature of it all?  Or are these confrontations met with a shoulder shrug?  Do we find ourselves lamenting the effects of violence, or do we find ourself cheering on the next cinematic gunfight, the next “entertaining” explosion, remembering with fondness hours of computerized decapitation?

Violence is tragic, and such a lesson we should learn from Mormon in Alma chapter 28.

Chris Reeve is an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He currently resides with his wife and two children in northern Ohio. Visit Chris' website Mormon Paleo Thought.

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JC said:

Chris, Certainly, all death, especially mass death should be mourned. That said, I should point out that the situation in the scriptures and the one taking place via those who call themselves "government" in this country are two different things. The Nephites experienced a full-out invasion by an armed host. I'm sure that it was a huge sacrifice for many who defended their families and liberties from extinction. I assume that the mourning was for the loss of family members and friends. From the sound of it, everyone living must have had someone close to them die. Contrast that with what's going on now and you get a very different picture. The "war" is far away. The casualties (at least American ones) are and not anything that the Nephites experienced. The people who go to fight in these foreign countries are not going because they face possible extinction if they don't, but are often lured by nice government-paid benefits. I'll further add that our western society has attached some sort of glory to war. There's no glory in war

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August 31, 2008
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