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Mormons & Torture

Mormons & Torture

There is a lot of talk about the US torture methods these days and I wanted to know what the LDS take is on this? What do you think, would Captain Moroni have used Torture as a means to protect the Nephites from an unknown attack? How about Joseph? Would he have tortured the enemy in order to prevent the Saints from being mobbed, raped and killed? In the Old Testament did we see any evidence of torturing the enemy in order to stop an impending attack? Should torture be used on the enemy in order to prevent future 9/11 attacks from happening?

Torture and Mormons

Are we talking about real torture (beheadings, burning, removal of limbs ie Ammon, castration, boiling oil in the openings of the victim,rape) or just harsh interrogation techniques (sleep deprivation, threats, water boarding, standing against a wall for many hours,). Calling something torture does not make it so.

Moroni, in my opinion was a right wing extremist (a term I use fondly), more so then any of the politicians that we have today. In Alma 51 he caused 4000 King men to be put to death because they rebelled against his ideals of freedom and he compelled (by threat of death or suffering) the kingmen if they did not post the title of Liberty on their cities. Is that not torture? Threatening death if you do not give up a socially suicidal idea sounds like a form of torture. '

We see in the Story of King Solomon. He threatened to slice a baby in half to find the baby's true mother. That is pretty severe even if he really would not have followed through.

This is not justification for torture, but we do see that the Lord may not look at this as black or white as some of us would like. He was willing to allow Nephi to kill a man by decapitation to save future generations. If he advocated the separation of ones head from his body to save a nation , would a little "harsh interrogation techniques" really bother God to save a nation from a terrorist who wanted to destroy a city? Would God blink an eye if loud noises and sleep deprivation or even non lethal water boarding was used to save a platoon from an IED.

So yes, I believe Captain Moroni might have used torture (though he probably would have threatened death if one did not comply and then done so without prolonging the event). The Book of Mormon hints at such. The Bible, especially the Old Testament is full of torture (stoning for adultery, killing the children of unrighteous nations). If being stoned is not a torture and having to kill children in front of their parents, then I do not know what is.

As to Joseph Smith I am not sure what he would have done.

Mormons & Torture Studies Doctrine Mormon

Better they bleed before my grandchildren do. That's a fact of life.

Torture and Mormons

I would not torture a person to get information out of him. I find that to be incompatible with the teachings of the restored Gospel, and with the character of our exemplar-Christ. I'd rather stand on the moral high ground and lose my life than stoop to the methods of man and lose my soul. That's just me, of course.

Torture and Mormons

Then you and the ones you love will become slaves to Islam and terrorists. Your beliefs will be taken from you and your country removed from your feet, but you know what. You keep your moral high ground.

Mormons & Torture

Nah. I'll fight for my country's and my family's freedoms, just like the Nephites. And if God sees fit that I should fall into the hands of my enemies, he will be God just the same, and I'll endure whatever I'm called upon to endure, to the best of my ability. God will not protect a man because he tortures another. The man who does so will be left to his own strength and his own cunning. I'd rather have God on my side, thank you. I still choose the moral high ground. Throw me and my family into the fires of the Ammonihahites if you so choose. The flames that were good enough for them are certainly good enough for us.

Message Edited... Persephone: It is not necessary to quote the entire post of the user above you. See Constructive Posting Policy.

Mormons & Torture

Here is an interesting article that shows two Mormons with opposite views on the issue of "harsh interrogation techniques" or Torture, depending on your view

Source 1

I really did not care for the article, because it uses the death of a soldier to prove torture is wrong. It's in fact a shameless article, but I do think there is room for people to disagree on this issue in the Church. It seems like a very gray issue to me as I do not relish the fact that pain has to be inflicted on anyone.

I hate torture or extreme interrogation, or what ever it is called. But I hate the option that TheQuitMan has put forth worse. I am not willing to watch my wife and children thrown in to a fiery pit, beheaded, or threatened by a small group of people. If I could get some information to save them by pouring water into someones mouth (the most extreme example that anti torture advocates can come up with), or making them stay up all night, or scaring them with insects I would do it personally, if it saved the lives of my Family or my fellow soldiers.

From the cited article by Ann Wright

Oh my goodness, if these are the worst things that people can come up with, then we have become a weak and useless nation. These things are not torture, they are child's play against the documented actions of Saddam Hussein and some of the Islamists (beheadings, burning flesh, electric drills in the skull, putting the legs of victims in a wood chipper.)

What our country has authorized is not torture, but I am sure some may disagree with me. There may have been some individual soldiers who went too far, and they should be punished. I do not believe however that a Member of the Church's standing should be threatened if he takes part in any of the techniques approved by the United States Government.

Its too bad we could not have followed Moroni's example and killed any terrorist who does not give up his Jihad against The United States or the "evil" Jews. If we are strictly following the Book of Mormon or the Old Testament then this would have been the way to go.

Rather off topic, but... Here is a description of some of the "torture" techniques the United States Uses. Source 2 Oh we are so mean.

Mormons & Torture Mormon Doctrine Studies

You sound so naive and somewhat like those flower power liberals that care more about comforting terrorists than stopping evil. I pity the unnecessary tears you may cause the loved ones around you from your lack of involvement in important issues.