The Lesson was Helaman 6-12 about the Pride Cycle. Getting through the first part, the teacher asked, "What groups are there today that are like the Gadianton Robbers?"
"Ah-oh," I thought. This was heading for trouble fast.
After the teacher listed Al Qaeda (of course) and Tongan gangs (!) in the Salt Lake Valley (Davis County does not consider itself within the same vale of iniquity), I thought I would throw in the Republican and Democratic Parties just to keep things interesting and appropriately politically neutral. But just as I thought someone might then think me a Libertarian, a woman shouted, "Communists!" Unable to restrain myself, I blurted, "Capitalists!" The teacher's response was, "Okaaaaay . . ." And there was a distinct gasp from the Precinct Chairperson of our local Republican Caucus as I said, "Well, they do most of those things." The lesson went on from there without me, but it was just fine and all in good spirit without any contention.
The "things" I was referencing were from the scripture:
For behold, the Lord had blessed them so long with the riches of the world that they had not been stirred up to anger, to wars, nor to bloodshed; therefore they began to set their hearts upon their riches; yea, they began to seek to get gain that they might be lifted up one above another; therefore they began to commit secret murders, and to rob and to plunder, that they might get gain.
Helaman 6:17Sure sounds like Capitalists to me. Except ours also tend to stir up wars.
The point was brought home, in part through a comment of my wife, that the only solution to combat these "groups" was the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, the chapter ends with the amazing success of the righteous Lamanites:
. . . the Lamanites did hunt the band of robbers of Gadianton; and they did preach the word of God among the more wicked part of them, insomuch that this band of robbers was utterly destroyed from among the Lamanites.
Helaman 6:37"Destroyed" by preaching the word of God! Sounds like a good policy to me whether it's solving the problem of Communists-- or Capitalists.
Amen. Warning, you may end up on a future installment of My New Favorite Blogs. :-)
ReplyDeleteThis week was international blogs, but sane political voices are coming soon. (I included a couple of your blog posts on a Main Street Plaza post about political posts that were civil.)
Thanks, Julia. Very kind of you.
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