Is the Book of Mormon Tragic?

The Nephite halcyon eras get short shrift with sparse descriptions. From the more detailed section of history, Mosiah ben Benjamin through A.D. 33, the peaceful eras seem rather short. The meaty historical books, Mosiah, Alma, and Helaman, cover a relatively short section of the 1,000 year Lehite dynasty.

For a few hundred years from Jacob through Mosiah, father of Benjamin, we can’t really tell what the net ratio of Nephite peace versus strife, their goodness versus evil was.

From A.D. 34, through the beginning of Mormon’s time, we get almost as terse a summary as Jacob through Benjamin.

The meat of the stories, and the examples for us (other than the basic gospel principles which appear from beginning to end) seem to center around conflict. But that’s the raison d’etre of our mortal probation, isn’t it?

The Lehite dynasty lasted about a thousand years. That’s a pretty good record for an identifiable people who pretty much maintained their sovereignty. The tribe of Judah beat that record by a long shot for being identifiable, but not for maintaining sovereignty.

I don’t know enough world history to compare it to others. Possible candidates might be Russians, Japanese, and Han Chinese. Those groups had their “houses” and dominant factions, but were still identifiable groups over long periods.

The Jaredites might fit in there too, from the tower of Babel to 600 B.C.

I marvel at what the large plates might contain, covering a thousand years.

Or even the 2/3rds of Mormon’s plates yet to come forth.

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Tragic or triumphant… it depends upon where, when and who you put your focus.

Or, as one of my Vietnam War heroes told me: “We were winning when I left.”

This actually really hopeful. And it reminds me of how much Christ loves us.

I think of the Book of Mormon as a civilizational tragedy interspersed with individual tales of heroic triumph (in warfare and religion).

“… of the people of the Nephites.”

I just now realized: this is “oddly specific.”

“The Nephites” apparently didn’t suffice, but “the people of the Nephites.”

I wonder if this is merely a grammatical artefact, or if it is a distinction indicating the union of the Nephites and the Mulekites, and perhaps other unmentioned populations.

Of course it’s a tragedy, everybody dies. That’s what a tragedy is. Everything people wanted not to happen, happened. It doesn’t end with a wedding, it doesn’t end with a happily ever after, it ends with Moroni going “I will see you at the bar of God” as he is figuratively choking on blood.

No other success can compensate for failure in the civilization, and despite producing a few pearls the Nephite civilization was a failure. It’s not a book about how to save civilizations, it’s a book about how to save yourself from them.

Civilization is not worth saving. I am increasingly of the opinion that it never was. People, however, are worth saving: I look forward to the Millennial and Celestial worlds, when the righteousness of the people will create the civilization known as Zion.

It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare…. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations — these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit — immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. … Next to the blessed sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses.

Link to Mr. Lewis’ quote, from The Weight of Glory:

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/282593-it-is-a-serious-thing-to-live-in-a-society

Civilization is not worth saving. I am increasingly of the opinion that it never was. People, however, are worth saving: I look forward to the Millennial and Celestial worlds, when the righteousness of the people will create the civilization known as Zion.

I think this comment by Robert is understated. In every other dispensation, apostasy and destruction was the final result. But not this dispensation. We will have plenty of both apostasy and destruction, but the kingdom will be victorious.

I am sympathetic to those who wish to defend or preserve the West, as if they were standing on the walls of Gondor, watching armies of orcs approach. And I do wish to preserve my heritage and ancestral inheritance. But as it is, the West is destroying itself. It can not hold together much longer. I feel similarly about those who want to win the Culture War. Nice, but unless it results in repentance and prayer, it isn’t going to have much in terms of long term results.

We will need to build a new civilization. As Elder Bednar said, It is time for us to stop running.

In a way, the Book of Mormon is not finished. Their story is not over.

The descendants of Lehi still have a role to play. Just like the descendants of Judah and even Levi. Millions of them are still around. (And at least three Nephites too, I suppose. ?)

A neglected possibility is that the earth will be destroyed/ become uninhabitable, and everybody will die – there are many possible ways this could happen – some instant, others more gradually – and an end will come to the phase of mortal life on earth.

I am civilization.

You know, I’ve been thinking about this more, and I believe that Paul’s metaphor about the church as the body of Christ is appropriate here. In a wider context, civilization is essentially a body of people, right?

When one of our cells is sick, it’s not a big deal. But what if, like cancer, the rot spreads? Then the whole body is sick, and at a certain point, the body dies.

What I’m saying is, certain ideas, movements, beliefs, etc. (they are different and the same in every age) – are always *there*, like cancer cells. But when they metastasize, and multiply more than the body can handle, *that’s* when civilization dies.

For the Nephites, the rot spread from the Gadianton robbers; for us, it’s woke theory and tribal politics. The question is whether we can intervene in time to avoid totally collapsing our civilization . . . and whether it’s worth saving.

Because the other thought I have is that if civilization is a body, then that body must necessarily have a spirit. In Enoch’s day, the body died, but the spirit was lifted up to dwell with God.

Going even further, someday we’ll have a resurrection moment, when we will have a Zion society and civilization.

To extend the analogy and include another parable, the body is made up of wheat and tares and the cancer is the tares. At some point, and I believe it will be soon, the tares will be separated from the wheat and the wheat will be gathered into the barn. We need to make sure we are wheat, just like the Nephis and the other righteous individuals in the Book of Mormon.

Bookslinger sair:

In a way, the Book of Mormon is not finished. Their story is not over.

The descendants of Lehi still have a role to play. Just like the descendants of Judah and even Levi. Millions of them are still around. (And at least three Nephites too, I suppose. ?)

This video explains how a remnant of the Nephites could have migrated to Europe and become the ancestors of the early Saints in Northern Europe. So yes, their story is not yet over because it is our story…

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YKCGLZB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fab_d9xyFbQR3GGRH