Latter-day Satyagraha

From a latter day satyagraha perspective, what is interesting in the book of mormon – in addition to its anti-war message – are the 3 very different strategies employed in the Book of Mormon in the face of conflict. We have mentioned these three ways before in the article what shall we do? – mormon change theories. The three ways are embodied in the three different responses to conflict and violence adopted by heroes in the book of Alma: Alma the younger and his teachings, the title of liberty of Captain Moroni and the nonviolence of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies (see links for scriptural references):

1. Alma the younger - the conversionist appraoch

2. Captain Moroni - the liberationist approach

3. the Anti-Nephi-Lehies - the spiritualist approach

A latter day satyagraha requires of us to be all three: a Captain Moroni, eager to preach the word as Alma did, and a keeper of a covenant of nonviolence as the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. It would rightly reflect Gandhi’s satyagraha of nonviolent resistant love.