Rolling along in the war chapters can seem like reading a good novel, but in the past I've wondered why it's scripture. There are certainly gems in here too though. As I was rolling through I noticed verses 8 and 9. "...while in teh absence of Moroni on account of some intrigue amonst the Nephites, which caused dissensions among them... and 9 "...because of iniquity amonst themselves, yea, because of dissensions and intrigue among themselves they were placed in the most dangerous circumstances".
So in the big picture, the Nephites were winning big, but where there was dissension, they were losing their soul and their lives, and the lives of their wives and children, and their neighbors, their friends, and so on. One might ask if their theories were worth the cost.
The next thought for me is "well, they're dumb. A modern society of faithful followers wouldn't do such a thing".
Not so. And this may be why this chapter is scripture. I was recently introduced to one variety of "intrigue" while on facebook. There's a group that is called "heartlanders" who believe that much of the book of Mormon happened near New York and Ohio. While that seems quite unlikely to me and against everything I was taught and assumed while young, the reality is that it doesn't matter. The events of the book of Mormon happened somewhere, and where that was is irrelevant compared to what we learn from those events. Yet some of these facebook heartlanders, and those who argue so passionately with and against them, seem to get caught up in the details to the point that they despise and reject the person behind the argument. It gets heated, and it gets angry, and I think it's deplorable.
Even though I'd never heard of it until just recently, apparently there are a good number on both sides. But this heartlander issue is just one of them. From my point of view, there are intellectual clubs that espouse various theories, none of which really matter, They get very passionate about defending a viewpoint that can neither be proven true nor false, and which wouldn't matter if it could be proven either way.
To me, it's pharisiacal - like the pharisees - that we pour ourselves into the meaningless. It reminds me of a discussion I had while on a mission - I was explaining the Lord's inspiration to the prophets - the word of the Lord - to someone when he interjected with "well, do you know how many books there are in the bible?"
Such a person is not interested in raising his soul, just about appearing to be more knowledgeable than whoever he's talking to. Having more data is very different than having your soul fulfilled, knowing your mission and purpose, and being ready to embrace your father in heaven in full love and confidence.
Imagine judgment day. You can embrace the one you love and have served, or you can unload on the great judge your knowledge of the number of books in the bible, and your encyclopedic knowledge on theories relating to the placement of events in the book of Mormon.
And as described above, it doesn't just affect us. It affects our families and those we love. In place of personal spiritual greatness, we choose to superficially appear greater than. This drives others that we love, and those that we should love, away from us and away from the gospel we profess to love. It kills them spiritually. It damages their souls, and may push them toward lifestyles that cause eternal damage to who they are eternally.
And I guess it's not just spiritual things we can apply this to. If someone is too focused on their job to raise their family with love, or if their hobby or passion takes them away from what's important, or if pride requires them to regularly "prove" they're better/smarter/faster/stronger/richer/more toys than those around them, then the world loses. And they personally lose. And I believe they will cower when they meet their Savior.
I can't stop people from abandoning what's important in favor of pursuing the meaningless, but I can refocus myself on doing what's important. This is my reminder to do just that.
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