Racer wrote:
Well, to be a believing member of the church we are essentially asked to take Nephi's word on this story. How is that any different than someone in modern times beheading someone and saying the spirit of God moved upon them to do it? If Monson beheaded a drunk guy in Salt Lake City and said God told him to do it would you get behind him and tolerate it? If not, why tolerate Nehphi's scenerio? What is the difference? If your answer is "yes", what brought you to that conclusion? The fact that Monson claims to be a prophet, or the warm fuzzy you received that validates him as a prophet, so if he ever did behead someone, there would be a good reason for it?
The mantel or righteousness has for a first layer the love of God. Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart might mind and strength. That is the entire cloak with just a thin lining of love thy neighbor as thyself.
You damn atheists ONLY consider the value of the thin layer of brotherly love. Brother's don't want you to kill brothers. Bad, bad bad.
The reality of the Nephi killing Laban scenario is that God commanded
1. Get the brass plates. A. To teach the children of Lehi. B. To preserve them for all future time as the looting of Jerusalem was at hand and these fine brass plates will be destroyed by Babylon.....
C. God is very serious about the commandment to get those plates out of Jerusalem.
The love of God above all else sanctifies whatever you must do.
Carp all you want whining about how unrighteous it is and how evil of God to kill anyone. Shut up and take your medicine. Either stand up to the first commandment and bring the love of God to the fray or lose all credibility in the argument.
Notice you you left God out of your story IF Monson were to kill anyone and just happen to say that God told him to do it. You left Monson hanging without justification. There was no equal scenario where it mattered to God. If it did matter as much to God today that anyone be killed for his purposes then so be it. Atheist think they Trump all God stuff with denial. BS. If you want to live without God stop confronting Him.
You say, well if God wanted Laban dead why did he not do it himself. Spare Nephi from being a murderer in the slander of his enemies. Well, let's think about it a second. Laman and Lemuel are going to eventually kill the children of Nephi. Nephi is a saint of the Most High God. He is not likely to want to battle his brothers. Nephi is forced to lose his loathsomeness of killing. A wise and purposeful reason to put Nephi in a corner to man up and do it in obedience to the Lord. God is all about thinking ahead.
You remove God and everything logical and ethical is in your sand box.
Stay away from religion or face no logic, ethics, or reason, as the love of God rules supreme in all and all.