BOOK OF MORMON
Mosiah - Chapter 20 Critique
Setting: Lamanite daughters are abducted by the priests of Noah resulting in a war but the Lamanites are pacified per Mormon dating calculations of 145 to 122 BCE America.
Verses 1-2: NOW there was a place in Shemlon where the daughters of the Lamanites did gather themselves together to sing, and to dance, and to make themselves merry. And it came to pass that there was one day a small number of them gathered together to sing and to dance.
Note: Marrying outside the Mormon church is eternal disaster for Mormon girls!
I pick up the evening newspaper sometimes, and I see pictures of very beautiful girls--they don't put the pictures of the handsome boys in the papers--and I discover that those girls--many of them are daughters of parents who are married in the temple and the children were born under the covenant--marry outside of the temple, maybe outside of the Church…. Smith, Joseph Fielding. Answers to Gospel Questions. vols. 1-4. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1957-1966.
Verses 3-5: And now the priests of king Noah, being ashamed to return to the city of Nephi, yea, and also fearing that the people would slay them, therefore they durst not return to their wives and their children. And having tarried in the wilderness, and having discovered the daughters of the Lamanites, they laid and watched them; And when there were but few of them gathered together to dance, they came forth out of their secret places and took them and carried them into the wilderness; yea, twenty and four of the daughters of the Lamanites they carried into the wilderness.
Note: Marrying outside the Mormon church is eternal disaster for Mormon girls!
But these parents see to it that the picture is put in the paper, with a fine article telling how the daughter is going to be dressed, whom she is marrying, what kind of reception they are going to have, and they seem to be very happy. They should put on sackcloth and sit in ashes. What are they doing? Of course there is such a thing as repentance. They should pray for that repentance. But they should weep, not rejoice; they should be sorry, not pleased, for they are assisting--if they have never taught their children better--they are assisting in sending those children to the deaths eternally. Smith, Joseph Fielding. Answers to Gospel Questions. vols. 1-4. Salt Lake City.
Verses 6-7: And it came to pass that when the Lamanites found that their daughters had been missing, they were angry with the people of Limhi, for they thought it was the people of Limhi. Therefore they sent their armies forth; yea, even the king himself went before his people; and they went up to the land of Nephi to destroy the people of Limhi.
Note: Mormon girls are only to marry worthy Mormon priesthood holders.
Scott W. Cameron - "I believe the purpose of mortality is to try to emulate the perfect example of Jesus Christ. I would tell my son to try to identify selfishness and to try to remove that and become more selfless. Selfishness is the source of almost all problems, and selflessness is the source of all of the solutions. In counseling my daughters on who to date or to marry, I would say look for a man who is really trying to be worthy to hold the priesthood. " 5/16/92 LDS Church News, Deseret News.
Verses 8-9: And now Limhi had discovered them from the tower, even all their preparations for war did he discover; therefore he gathered his people together, and laid wait for them in the fields and in the forests. And it came to pass that when the Lamanites had come up, that the people of Limhi began to fall upon them from their waiting places, and began to slay them.
Note: The citizens of Missouri were waiting for Joseph Smith's Mormon army.
The citizens of Jackson county have a right to arm themselves and parade for military duty in their own county independent of the commander-in-chief; but if citizens march there in arms from other counties without order from the commander-in-chief or some one authorized by him, it would produce a very different state of things. Indeed, the Mormons have no right to march to Jackson county in arms, unless by order or permission of the commander-in-chief; men must not "levy war" in taking possession of their rights, any more than others should in opposing them in taking possession. History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Vol II, Chapter VI.
Verses 10-11: And it came to pass that the battle became exceedingly sore, for they fought like lions for their prey. And it came to pass that the people of Limhi began to drive the Lamanites before them; yet they were not half so numerous as the Lamanites. But they fought for their lives, and for their wives, and for their children; therefore they exerted themselves and like dragons did they fight.
Note: The citizens of Missouri fought like dragons against the Mormon invasion.
And in all good faith, by direct revelation from the Lord, as in days of old, we commenced the glorious work, that a holy city, a new Jerusalem, even Zion, might be built up, and a temple reared in this generation, whereunto, as saith the Lord, all nations shall be invited. First, the rich and the learned, the wise and the noble, were to be invited; and after that cometh the day of His power. But the inhabitants of Jackson county arrayed themselves against us because of our faith and belief, and destroyed our printing establishment to prevent the spread of the work, and drove men, women and children from their lands, houses, and homes, to perish in the approaching winter. Every blast carried the wailing of women and the shrieks of children across the widespread prairie, sufficiently horrible to draw tears from the savage or melt a heart of stone.
History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Vol II, Chapter VIII.
Verses 12-14: And it came to pass that they found the king of the Lamanites among the number of their dead; yet he was not dead, having been wounded and left upon the ground, so speedy was the flight of his people. And they took him and bound up his wounds, and brought him before Limhi, and said: Behold, here is the king of the Lamanites; he having received a wound has fallen among their dead, and they have left him; and behold, we have brought him before you; and now let us slay him. But Limhi said unto them: Ye shall not slay him, but bring him hither that I may see him. And they brought him. And Limhi said unto him: What cause have ye to come up to war against my people? Behold, my people have not broken the oath that I made unto you; therefore, why should ye break the oath which ye made unto my people?
Note: Joseph Smith was captured and questioned about the prophecies of Daniel.
The judge, who by the by was a Methodist, asked much concerning our views of the prophecy of Daniel: "In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall break in pieces all other kingdoms, and stand forever," "and the kingdom and the greatness of the kingdom, under the whole heaven, shall be given to the Saints of the Most High." As if it were treason to believe the Bible. History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Vol III, Chapter XIV.
Verse 15: And now the king said: I have broken the oath because thy people did carry away the daughters of my people; therefore, in my anger I did cause my people to come up to war against thy people.
Note: Joseph Smith appealed to the Missouri Legislature during his imprisonment.
We believe that the foundation of the feeling against us, which we have reason to think Judge King entertains, may be traced to the unfortunate troubles which occurred in Jackson county some few years ago; in a battle between the "Mormons" and a portion of the citizens of that county, Mr. Brazeale, the brother-in-law of Judge King, was killed. It is natural that the judge should have some feelings against us, whether we were right or wrong in that controversy.
History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Vol III, Chapter XVII.
Verses 16-17: And now Limhi had heard nothing concerning this matter; therefore he said: I will search among my people and whosoever has done this thing shall perish. Therefore he caused a search to be made among his people. Now when Gideon had heard these things, he being the king's captain, he went forth and said unto the king: I pray thee forbear, and do not search this people, and lay not this thing to their charge.
Note: The Governor of Missouri ordered all weapons returned to the Mormons.
SIR:-YOU will take the measures as soon as practicable, to cause the arms surrendered by the Mormons, to be delivered to the proper owners upon their producing satisfactory evidence of their claims. If in any case you think an improper use would be made of them, you can retain such, using a sound discretion in the matter. You will call upon Captain Pollard or any other person who may have arms in possession, and take charge of them; and this will be your authority for so doing. I am respectfully, Your obedient servant, LILBURN W. BOGGS.
History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Vol III, Chapter XVIII.
Verses 18-22: For do ye not remember the priests of thy father, whom this people sought to destroy? And are they not in the wilderness? And are not they the ones who have stolen the daughters of the Lamanites? And now, behold, and tell the king of these things, that he may tell his people that they may be pacified towards us; for behold they are already preparing to come against us; and behold also there are but few of us. And behold, they come with their numerous hosts; and except the king doth pacify them towards us we must perish. For are not the words of Abinadi fulfilled, which he prophesied against us--and all this because we would not hearken unto the words of the Lord, and turn from our iniquities? And now let us pacify the king, and we fulfil the oath which we have made unto him; for it is better that we should be in bondage than that we should lose our lives; therefore, let us put a stop to the shedding of so much blood.
Note: Mormon elders tried to pacify the judge on behalf of Joseph Smith.
About this time, Elders Heber C. Kimball and Alanson Ripley were at Liberty, where they had been almost weekly importuning at the feet of the judges; and while performing this duty on a certain occasion, Judge Hughes stared them full in the face, and observed to one of his associates, that 'by the look of these men's eyes, they are whipped, but not conquered; and let us beware how we treat these men; for their looks bespeak innocence;" and at that time he entreated his associates to admit of bail for all the prisoners; but the hardness of their hearts would not admit of so charitable a deed. History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Vol III, Chapter XVIII.
Verses 23-24: And now Limhi told the king all the things concerning his father, and the priests that had fled into the wilderness, and attributed the carrying away of their daughters to them. And it came to pass that the king was pacified towards his people; and he said unto them: Let us go forth to meet my people, without arms; and I swear unto you with an oath that my people shall not slay thy people.
Note: The Mormons were saved by the citizens of Quincy, Illinois.
"Resolved, That the strangers recently arrived here from the state of Missouri, known by the name of the 'Latter-day Saints,' are entitled to our sympathy and kindest regard, and that we recommend to the citizens of Quincy to extend all the kindness in their power to bestow on the persons who are in affliction." History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Vol III, Chapter XVIII.
Verse 25: And it came to pass that they followed the king, and went forth without arms to meet the Lamanites. And it came to pass that they did meet the Lamanites; and the king of the Lamanites did bow himself down before them, and did plead in behalf of the people of Limhi.
Note: Joseph Smith had little respect for any government outside of the church.
Your humble servant, Joseph Smith, Jun., prisoner for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the Saints, taken and held by the power of mobocracy, under the exterminating reign of his excellency, the governor, Lilburn W. Boggs, in company with his fellow prisoners and beloved brethren, Caleb Baldwin, Lyman Wight, Hyrum Smith, and Alexander McRae, send unto you all greeting. History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Vol III, Chapter XX.
Verse 26: And when the Lamanites saw the people of Limhi, that they were without arms, they had compassion on them and were pacified towards them, and returned with their king in peace to their own land.
Note: Joseph Smith never had peace due to his numerous false prophecies.
We see that everything is being fulfilled; and that the time shall soon come when the Son of Man shall descend in the clouds of heaven. Our hearts do not shrink, neither are our spirits altogether broken by the grievous yoke which is put upon us. We know that God will have our oppressors in derision; that He will laugh at their calamity, and mock when their fear cometh. History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Vol III, Chapter XX.