Year:1953
Alma
43 through Alma 63 is called the war chapters (Alma
43:3) in the Book of Mormon. This covers a period of time from
74 BC (1952) (Alma 43:3)
through 53 BC (1973) (Alma
63:10). The missionary effort of the church after the Second
World War was countered by Satan’s effort to spread communism
throughout the land. This conflict between good and evil is typified
by the cold war between Russia who was spreading communism and the
United States of America who was spreading freedom. It is also
typified by the hot wars which were fought during this time by the
same forces of good and evil such as the Korean War and the Vietnam
War.
Alma
45:23-24
23
And now it came to pass that after Helaman and his brethren had
appointed priests and teachers over the churches that there arose a
dissension among them, and they would not give heed to the words of
Helaman and his brethren;
24
But they grew proud, being lifted up in their hearts, because of
their exceedingly great riches; therefore they grew rich in their own
eyes, and would not give heed to their words, to walk uprightly
before God.
The
missionary effort brought many people into the church. But there
began to be dissensions among them and they would not obey God’s
commandments. Many also became rich which caused them to become
proud. In this background of general unrest, one of Satan’s Nephite
followers sought for power.
Alma
46:3-4
3
Now the leader of those who were wroth against their brethren was a
large and a strong man; and his name was Amalickiah.
4
And Amalickiah was desirous to be a king; and those people who were
wroth were also desirous that he should be their king; and they were
the greater part of them the lower judges of the land, and they were
seeking for power.
Amalickiah
taught the doctrine of Satan in opposition to the doctrine of Christ
which was taught by the missionaries.
Alma
46:7-10
7
And there were many in the church who believed in the flattering
words of Amalickiah, therefore they dissented even from the church;
and thus were the affairs of the people of Nephi exceedingly
precarious and dangerous, notwithstanding their great victory which
they had had over the Lamanites, and their great rejoicings which
they had had because of their deliverance by the hand of the Lord.
8
Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord their
God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by the evil
one.
9
Yea, and we also see the great wickedness one very wicked man can
cause to take place among the children of men.
10
Yea, we see that Amalickiah, because he was a man of cunning device
and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the hearts of
many people to do wickedly; yea, and to seek to destroy the church of
God, and to destroy the foundation of liberty which God had granted
unto them, or which blessing God had sent upon the face of the land
for the righteous' sake.
The
purpose of Amalickiah teaching this satanic doctrine was to destroy
the church and the foundation of Liberty. However, Moroni a righteous
man warned the people of this wickedness.
Alma
46:11-13
11
And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the chief commander
of the armies of the Nephites, had heard of these dissensions, he was
angry with Amalickiah.
12
And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece
thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and
freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened
it upon the end of a pole.
13
And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his
shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the
pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it
the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he
prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest
upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians
remain to possess the land—
Moroni’s
warning went throughout the whole land. Satan’s plan is to destroy
our agency which causes the world to lose their freedom and become
wicked. God’s plan, which was defended by Moroni, maintains our
agency which gives us the blessings of liberty and freedom which are
necessary to become
a righteous people.
This
pattern of events given in Alma is similar to what has happened in
the latter days. The whole world was involved in the Second World War
from 1939 until 1945 which was a conflict between good and evil.
Before this war, Russia was the only Communist country in the world.
After the war, the missionary
effort of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints expanded,
teaching the doctrines of Christ to the world. At the same time,
Satan’s followers began to spread in a cold war and eventually hot
wars, a doctrine of the devil known as Communism. In 2009 there were
5 countries that were ruled by
Communists. However, before the fall of the Iron Curtain there were
47 countries that were ruled or under the control of Communism.
In
the 1950’s there were many efforts to warn the United States of the
evils of Communism. During this time Ezra Taft Benson gave many talks
and wrote several books warning of this threat to our freedom. From
1950 to 1954 Senator Joseph McCarthy held congressional hearings
exposing Communist members and sympathizers within the U.S.
government. In 1958 Cleon Skousen, a member of the church wrote the
book “The Naked Communist” which exposed the operations and long
term goals of communism. Also in 1958 the John Birch Society was
formed. The purpose of this organization is to insure our personal
freedom and determine the proper role of government. They warned the
world how Communism fights against both of these goals.
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