Passionate--formerly Moderate--now Liberal "Mormon": God, Guns, and Prophets (not Profits)

Time for an update. And I'm actually encouraged this time.

President Russell M. Nelson of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) is reported to have said that agency has allowed men to pass laws to allow guns to people who shouldn't have them.

Let me paste in here a recent FaceBook stream that brings up statements of the prophets. I'll take out he personal identifiers and links to friends who commented. In so doing, I also challenge the gun people out there to proof-text me wrong.

Grant L. Vaughn

Yesterday at 5:29amCenterville

For the religious out there, guns don't make us free, God does.

For the non-religious, guns don't make us free, period. (And most of you already figured that out.)

For the religious who think the 2nd Amendment is some God-given guns & guts principle, why is there no pope, prophet, pastor or any religious leader promoting that other free or unfree countries should be armed like the US? And what does the Bible or any holy book say about weapons of war?

Comments

Grant L. Vaughn: And for my co-religionists, don't give me any Captain Moroni crap. The Nephites eventually destroyed themselves through warfare. Modern Prophets are NOT telling us to stockpile guns. "Renounce war, proclaim peace."

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Friend comment:

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Grant L. Vaughn And we may hear more of this:
https://www.lds.org/.../10/blessed-are-the-peacemakers...Manage

“Blessed Are the Peacemakers” - Russell M. Nelson

LDS.OR

Grant L. Vaughn This: https://www.lds.org/.../first-presidency-statement-on...Manage

First Presidency Statement on Basing of MX Missile - ensign

LDS.ORG

Friend comment:
I read this post as more of a proclamation, and less of a promotion for discussion. While the questions posed hold some water, there is absolutely room for context in separate incidents within the scriptural cannon that swings to both sides of the discussion, that can not be discussed given the parameters you've declared (as opposed to opened). Tgat said, I would submit that a mortality vs. Eternity context must be determined in each scriptural instance. Ex. Anti-nephi-lehies laid down weapons of war to avoid eternal consequence. Moroni had them defend themselves for mortal purposes. Nephites did not go on the offensive into lamanite country (while righteous) due to eternal perspective. Sons of Heleman called up defensively for mortality purposes... Manage

Grant L. Vaughn: Yeah. It is a proclamation. I'm 60 years old and done with discussions, and guns

Manage

Same friend:
You're a good man. I believe your heart yearns for millenial peace, and has grown tired of a "terrestrial" state of the world wherein the bad guy has promised to rule with blood and horror. Until that millennial day, mortal minded DEFENSIVE measures are reasonably required to ensure eternal success... at least that's how I rationalize...

Friend comment:
Those who live by the sword . . .

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Friend comment:

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Same friend just above:
The above was taken -- and not out of context, contrary to what some of my coreligionists claim -- from the First Presidency message in the June 1976 Ensign. The entire article is worth a read, and (sadly) relevant still today. https://www.lds.org/.../1976/06/the-false-gods-we-worship...

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