Patrick Mason, the Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies and associate professor of religion at Claremont Graduate University, knows that Mormons are not pacifists, but he thinks we should be. Writing at Rational Faiths, he contends that â??resort to violenceâ? is incompatible with â??worship of the Prince of Peace.â? Most interestingly, he claims that the Book of Mormonâ??full of warriors heroes like Mormon and Captain Moroniâ??is actually a pacifist text hiding underneath a thin veneer of failed militarism. Is it? Does the Book of Mormon teach that pacifism is always superior to defensive war?
Mason realizes that, given the stature of Captain Moroni in the Book of Mormon and in Mormon culture, arguing for pacifism will be an uphill battle. But he rightly observes that the Book of Mormon is far from simplistic on the topic of violence and war. The same book that contains the stories of Captain Moroniâ??s heroic exploits also describes the incredible depiction of pacifism with the Anti-Nephi-Lehies:
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