Alma 47 - 50

When it came to protecting their freedoms, the Nephites did -

"...that which they felt was the duty which they owed to their God..." (Book of Mormon Alma 43:46)

For the Lord had specifically told them that -

"...Inasmuch as ye are not guilty of the first offense, neither the second, ye shall not suffer yourselves to be slain by the hands of your enemies." (Book of Mormon Alma 43:46)

And if necessary -

"...Ye shall defend your families even unto bloodshed." (Book of Mormon Alma 43:47)


And with that they were -

"..to defend themselves, and their families, and their lands, their country, and their rights, and their religion." (Book of Mormon Alma 43:47)

There are some that take "Thou shalt not kill" as a all encompassing commandment. But Throught out scripture there many examples where killing became necessary. Killing is not necessarily murder for the Nephites -

"...were taught to defend themselves against their enemies, even to the shedding of blood if it were necessary; yea, and they were also taught never to give an offense, yea, and never to raise the sword except it were against an enemy, except it were to preserve their lives." (Book of Mormon Alma 48:14)

And -

"..this was their faith, that by so doing God would prosper them in the land, or in other words, if they were faithful in keeping the commandments of God that he would prosper them in the land; yea, warn them to flee, or to prepare for war, according to their danger;
16 And also, that God would make it known unto them whither they should go to defend themselves against their enemies, and by so doing, the Lord would deliver them..." (Book of Mormon Alma 48:15 - 16)

And their leader Moroni, Mormon said -

"...and this was the faith of Moroni, and his heart did glory in it; not in the shedding of blood but in doing good, in preserving his people, yea, in keeping the commandments of God, yea, and resisting iniquity." (Book of Mormon Alma 48:16)

You can sense in Mormon's writing a sincere personal respect for Moroni. Moroni must have come to be an idol of Mormon so to speak in that many generations later, Mormon was also a defender of liberty and righteousness. Mormon even gave his son the same name. Honoring Moroni, he said -

"...verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.
18 Behold, he was a man like unto Ammon, the son of Mosiah, yea, and even the other sons of Mosiah, yea, and also Alma and his sons, for they were all men of God." (Book of Mormon Alma 48:17 - 18)

I too have come to know men that I could make the same statement of.