Do God's people eschew violence? - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

MikeWaters · 08-22-2007, 04:05 PM

with the exception of MMM, I think you can look at the history of Mormonism as being more pacifist than not.

What are we to make of that?

I think it teaches us to be deeply skeptical if a leader of the church urges us to violence in the future.

You hear all this stuff about Captain Moroni on CB. But if you look at Mormon history, there is no activity like Captain Moroni.

Sure there was some self-defense, some retribution, but never an organized attack against enemies.

I find this interesting.

SeattleUte · 08-22-2007, 04:16 PM

The entire arc of the world's history that created the conditions for Mormonism to be conceived, take root, survive and even thrive suggests to me that God is not a hater of war. Much blood was spilt (certainly over thousands, and one could even say milllions, not hundreds of years) refining the creeds and philosophies upon which Mormonism was founded and leading ultimately to the physical security and prosperity that enabled Mormonism to be thought up and grow relatively free of violence (compared with times past). God is either a lover of conflict, or, as a good Gnostic would say, conflict is a universal law to which God himself must yield and ingenieously deploy to his own mysterious ends.

BYU71 · 08-22-2007, 04:20 PM

Have you guys ever considered some things don't have easy answers.

If you want easy answers how about this one. God likes wars when they are justified and dislikes them when they aren't.

SeattleUte · 08-22-2007, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BYU71

God likes wars when they are justified and dislikes them when they aren't.

I see you have been reading Augustine. I too am a fan of his.

MikeWaters · 08-22-2007, 04:23 PM

what wars has God liked?

SeattleUte · 08-22-2007, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

what wars has God liked?

I am simply assuming that if there was ever a war God didn't like he would have halted it forthwith.

BYU71 · 08-22-2007, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

I am simply assuming that if there was ever a war God didn't like he would have halted it forthwith.

Since God didn't halt the war in heaven, I assume that set the precedent. I guess he lets the principle of free agency even work when it comes to war.

MikeWaters · 08-22-2007, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

I am simply assuming that if there was ever a war God didn't like he would have halted it forthwith.

Ah yes, the ol' "God should prevent all evil in the world" line of thinking. Therefore because evil occurs, there is no God, or God does exist but loves evil.

Thanks.

BYU71 · 08-22-2007, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

what wars has God liked?

Since I don't know the mind of God, this is a guess. The revolutionary war and the war against Hitler.

Again that is a guess though, much like you naming any wars he didn't like would be a guess.

SeattleUte · 08-22-2007, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Ah yes, the ol' "God should prevent all evil in the world" line of thinking. Therefore because evil occurs, there is no God, or God does exist but loves evil.

Thanks.

Congratulations. You have been able to blithely dismiss the the problem of evil which has not been so easy for all of the worlds greatest philosophers. You deserve a Nobel Prize.

08-22-2007, 04:05 PM	#1
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,368	Do God's people eschew violence? with the exception of MMM, I think you can look at the history of Mormonism as being more pacifist than not. What are we to make of that? I think it teaches us to be deeply skeptical if a leader of the church urges us to violence in the future. You hear all this stuff about Captain Moroni on CB. But if you look at Mormon history, there is no activity like Captain Moroni. Sure there was some self-defense, some retribution, but never an organized attack against enemies. I find this interesting.

08-22-2007, 04:16 PM	#2
SeattleUte fairlds.org Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 10,665	The entire arc of the world's history that created the conditions for Mormonism to be conceived, take root, survive and even thrive suggests to me that God is not a hater of war. Much blood was spilt (certainly over thousands, and one could even say milllions, not hundreds of years) refining the creeds and philosophies upon which Mormonism was founded and leading ultimately to the physical security and prosperity that enabled Mormonism to be thought up and grow relatively free of violence (compared with times past). God is either a lover of conflict, or, as a good Gnostic would say, conflict is a universal law to which God himself must yield and ingenieously deploy to his own mysterious ends. __________________ Interrupt all you like. We're involved in a complicated story here, and not everything is quite what it seems to be. —Paul Auster

08-22-2007, 04:20 PM	#3
BYU71 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 5,084	Have you guys ever considered some things don't have easy answers. If you want easy answers how about this one. God likes wars when they are justified and dislikes them when they aren't.

08-22-2007, 04:23 PM	#5
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,368	what wars has God liked?