Two-Sides to Every War and Conflict
The purpose of this blog today is to help us each understand the challenges, wars, and evils of our day, in order to avoid these things at any cost. Of course many things are beyond our control, but we can control ourselves, and assist to manage our family and the affairs of our daily life. When we stay in tune with what the Lord wants we as individuals and families may be blessed even during local or worldwide calamities.
It is never wise to judge other people or nations, but we must try and understand both sides and then do what we can to help in each situation. If we or our country is on the wrong side of truth, may we help through prayer and service on either side of the difficulties.
The conflict in Ukraine has two or three or even four versions of the truth. If Putin invaded Ukraine as an evil tyrant of course that is wrong and he should be punished. If Ukraine had dangerous bio labs and they were promoting evil on Russia’s border, I can understand the people of Russia to be in fear and protect themselves. There may be a third issue as well. If true, why is the United States paying our taxpayer money for bio labs in a foreign country? Only through much prayer and study can we each know the real truth. How about a fourth issue? What if the Government of Ukraine is controlled by evil forces that doesn’t care if Russia or Ukraine win. This evil government could be outsiders who are in this game for power over both countries and wants the money and resources of both sides? Big dilemma and we must not judge. Seek first to understand and then to be understood.
As I have titled this blog, War is a Racket. Who is doing what? Who or what are doing things for the money or power? In most conflicts there is one side who seems to come out better in the end. Watch the Money and Power issue at the end of the conflict and you will know the real reason for wars and rumors of wars. It’s Satan’s way of keeping the world under his control. He wants war and the Lord wants peace. Are we humbling ourselves to learn from these tragedies?
After all the question should not be, why do these things happen?, but what can I learn from these conflicts? How can I be part of the solution and not judge incorrectly? The purpose of this life is not to ask why during trials, but to say “please Lord, help me grow from this experience.”
As the Church has explained, we love all of God’s people and it is hard to take a side. This is not a war between Russia and Ukraine, or a war between the U.S. and Russia, but a war of good vs. evil. Who is on the Lord’s side?
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Wars and Rumors of Wars
“The Lord has said that in the last days there will be “wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men’s hearts shall fail them” (Doctrine and Covenants 45:26). As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are a people of peace. We follow the Savior, who is the Prince of Peace. We look forward to His millennial reign, when wars will end and peace will be restored to the earth (see Isaiah 2:4). However, we recognize that in this world, government leaders sometimes send military troops to war to defend their nations and ideals.
Latter-day Saints in the military do not need to feel torn between their country and their God. In the Church, “we believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law” (Articles of Faith 1:12). Military service shows dedication to this principle.
If Latter-day Saints are called upon to go into battle, they can look to the example of Captain Moroni, the great military leader in the Book of Mormon. Although he was a mighty warrior, he “did not delight in bloodshed” (Alma 48:11). He was “firm in the faith of Christ,” and his only reason for fighting was to “defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion” (Alma 48:13). If Latter-day Saints must go to war, they should go in a spirit of truth and righteousness, with a desire to do good. They should go with love in their hearts for all God’s children, including those on the opposing side. Then, if they are required to shed another’s blood, their action will not be counted as a sin.”
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/war?lang=eng
First Presidency Statement on Armed Conflict
25 February 2022 – Salt Lake City Official Statement
Church leaders plead that “peace will prevail among nations and within our own hearts”
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/first-presidency-statement-armed-conflict
Ezra Taft Benson
“We honor these partners [friends outside the Church] because their devotion to correct principles overshadowed their devotion to popularity, party, or personalities.
We honor our founding fathers of this republic for the same reason. God raised up these patriotic partners to perform their mission, and he called them “wise men.” (see D&C 101:80.) The First Presidency acknowledged that wisdom when they gave us the guideline a few years ago of supporting political candidates “who are truly dedicated to the Constitution in the tradition of our Founding Fathers.” (Deseret News, November 2, 1964.)
Our wise founders seemed to understand, better than most of us, our own scripture, which states that “it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority . . . they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.” (D&C 121:39.)
To help prevent this, the founders knew that our elected leaders should be bound by certain fixed principles. Said Thomas Jefferson: “In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.”
These wise founders, our patriotic partners, seemed to appreciate more than most of us the blessings of the boundaries that the Lord set within the Constitution, for he said, “And as pertaining to law of man, whatsoever is more or less than this, cometh of evil.” (D&C 98:7.)
In God the founders trusted, and in his Constitution — not in the arm of flesh. “O Lord,” said Nephi, “I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; . . . cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.” (2 Nephi 4:34.)” Ezra Taft Benson
https://www.latterdayconservative.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/
( Source: “Civic Standards for the Faithful Saints” 59-60 )
Difficult Days in America
“We, the blessed beneficiaries of the Constitution, face difficult days in America, “a land which is choice above all other lands” (Ether 2:10).
May God give us the faith and the courage exhibited by those patriots who pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. May we be equally as valiant and as free.” ( Source: “Our Divine Constitution” 6-7 Ezra Taft Benson
Quarter of a Million Nephite Soldiers Killed
“Moroni’s father was commander of the armies of this ancient people, known as Nephites. His name was Mormon. The war of which we speak took place here in America some four hundred years after Christ. (See Mormon 6.) As the fighting neared its end, Mormon gathered the remnant of his forces about a hill which they called Cumorah, located in what is now the western part of the state of New York. Their enemies, known as Lamanites, came against them on this hill…
He accounted for about a quarter of a million Nephite soldiers killed in that final encounter at Cumorah….
When finished with the record, Moroni was to hide it up in that same Hill Cumorah which was their battlefield. It would come forth in modern times as the Book of Mormon…
Had not the Lord said to them, as he says to us now, that America is a choice land and that those who live here must obey God or be swept off? And had he not kept his word to those rebellious Nephites, now totally wiped out? So it is that today’s archaeologists find the ruins which are silent witnesses to the greatness that once was theirs….
He made it clear that advance warning is given to us who live today through the very book which he and his father had written and which he was now about to bury in Cumorah. It would be published in our day to give us that warning….
It should be remembered that these men wrote to us out of the desperation of the event they were passing through as the Nephites were being wiped off the face of the earth. They knew that we live here now under the same conditions that were given to them….
His people were Americans, too. His words constituted a people-to-people message, ancient Americans speaking to modern Americans. Theirs was the voice of bitter experience seeking to persuade us to avoid the dreadful conditions which engulfed them….
The last words of Moroni! Dare we forget them? God grant that we never will, I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.” The Last Words of Moroni Mark E. Petersen Oct 1978
Mormon’s Sad and Gloomy Picture
“It was likewise stated to me by David Whitmer in the year 1877 that Oliver Cowdery told him that the Prophet Joseph and himself had seen this room and that it was filled with treasures, and on the table therein were the breastplate and the sword of Laban, as well as the portion of gold plates not yet translated, and that these plates were bound by three small gold rings, and would also be translated, as was the first portion in the days of Joseph. When they were translated much useful information will be brought to light. But till that day arrives, no Rochester adventurers shall ever see them or the treasures, although science and mineral rods testify that they are there. At the proper time when greed, selfishness and corruption shall cease to reign in the hearts of the people, these vast hoards of hidden treasure shall be brought forth to be used for the cause of the kingdom of Christ.
Before leaving the prophet Mormon standing on the hill in his lamentation, let us still extend the vision over the great battlefield . . . Only for a moment imagine that we see the camp just before the great battle: twenty-three camps each of 10,000 with a general at their head, would be required for the 230,000 soldiers. While I was standing upon this spot of ground [the New York Hill Cumorah] about three years ago, my mind contrasted the various changes of the present with the past and I fancied that I could review, as did Mormon, the sad and gloomy picture of his time, 1472 years ago. The fathers of those who fell around this historic hill came from Jerusalem 600 years B.C.” Edward Stevenson Reminiscences of Joseph the Prophet and the Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon (S. L. C.: Edward Stevenson, 1893), pp. 14-15.
U.S. Under Secy. Of State Nuland Confirms
Bioweapons Labs In Ukraine
State Department Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria J. Nuland speaks during a briefing at the State Department in Washington, Jan. 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, Pool)
One America News Newsroom
UPDATED 1:41 PM PT – Thursday, March 10, 2022
The Biden administration has continued to deny that the U.S. had any involvement with chemical weapons labs in Ukraine, yet the U.S. Under Secretary of State confirmed their existence.
This comes as China claims it’s concerned about an alleged biological weapons development program in Ukraine. On Thursday, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian echoed Russian allegations of a U.S.-run chemical and biological warfare laboratory in Ukraine. He called for its immediate inspection.
“We urge the U.S., once again, to fulfill its international obligations, make comprehensive clarifications on its domestic and foreign biological military activities, accept multilateral verification, and complete the destruction of its stockpile of chemical weapons as soon as possible,” Lijian stated.
While the Pentagon has rejected those allegations, Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland confirmed the existence during a hearing on Capitol Hill just days ago while referring to them as biological research facilities. https://www.oann.com/u-s-under-secy-of-state-nuland-confirms-bioweapons-labs-in-ukraine/
One of four things could be happening and it is not for us to judge. Read more.
Are There Nazis in Ukraine? A Visit to Lviv
(Photo: Joshua Tartakovsky)
The conflict in Ukraine has been to a large degree about history and how to interpret it. The marches held in honor of World War II Ukrainian leader Stepan Bandera this past Thursday, January 1, 2015, in Kiev marking 106 years to his birth, confirm that understanding the past is essential for making sense of the future. While some have argued there are no fascists in Ukraine and that protesters in Maidan came from a wide gamut of Ukraine’s civil society, in the US Congress, difficult questions were asked about US support for the neo-Nazi Right Sector and in Russia, alarm was raised when pictures of protesters wearing Nazi insignia, and later Ukrainian army soldiers with fascist beliefs, were revealed.
(Photo: Joshua Tartakovsky)The questions of what to make of modern-day Nazis and of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), Organization for Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and Stepan Bandera, suddenly became relevant and highlighted again the importance of understanding history in understanding the present. As one who lost people on both sides of my family to German and Ukrainian fascists, I was very interested in making sense of past as well as present events. To this end, I visited Lviv, Ukraine in December 2014 and read historical articles seeking to understand to what degree Ukrainain fascists were involved in World War II atrocities. This article is a culmination of these efforts.
We can read and research, but until the Spirit truly helps us understand we may have a hard time figuring this whole war out. The story below shows an incredible man who I knew nothing about until hearing about him from some Patriot Soldiers on the radio. His story shows the challenge of knowing what is going on. Whose side should we choose, or how can we help?
Major General Smedley Butler
Major General US Marine Corps, Antiwar Activist : 1881-1940
I served in all commissioned ranks from second lieutenant to Major General. And during that period I spent most of my time being a high-class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer for capitalism. I suspected I was just part of the racket all the time. Now I am sure of it.
- Received 16 military medals, 5 for valor. Is one of 19 men to receive the Medal of Honor twice.
- Wrote the 1935 exposé that linked business and the military titled “War Is A Racket.”
- Ran for Senate as a Republican in 1932.
Biography
At the time of his death, Major General Smedley Darlington Butler, also known as “The Fighting Quaker”, was the most decorated Marine in US history; he was the only person to be awarded a Marine Corps Brevet Medal and a Medal of Honor for two separate military actions. He had also become an unrelenting voice against the business of war.
Raised by prominent Quaker parents, Smedley Butler defied his pacifist lineage by joining the Marines just before his 17th birthday. He served in Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico and Haiti (earning his Medals of Honor in Mexico and Haiti). Butler was known for his leadership and commitment to the welfare of the men under his command. He rose quickly through the ranks to become, at age 48, one of the youngest major generals.
Prior to World War II, Butler spoke out against what he saw as admiration for Fascism and for Italy´s leader Benito Mussolini. He was punished for telling an unfavorable story about Mussolini, avoided court-martial by accepting a reprimand. Because of his rank, he was able to write his own reprimand and never apologized to Mussolini.
Butler retired from the military in 1931. By then, he was beginning to question US involvement in foreign conflicts. He had come to believe that war–in particular WWI–was really a profitable business for the few and at the expense of thousands of lives. He thought of himself as a cog in the imperialist war machine.
In a booklet titled War is a Racket, Butler wrote, “In the World War [I] a mere handful garnered the profits of the conflict. At least 21,000 new millionaires and billionaires were made in the United States during the World War….How many of these war millionaires shouldered a rifle?….The general public shoulders the bill. And what is this bill? …Newly placed gravestones. Mangled bodies. Shattered minds…For a great many years, as a soldier, I had a suspicion that war was a racket; not until I retired to civil life did I fully realize it. Now that I see the international war clouds gathering, as they are today, I must face it and speak out.”
War is a Racket grew out of a series of speeches Butler gave to whatever group wanted to hear his views. Though he faced criticism, Butler was steadfast in his beliefs about war, US imperialism, and a growing Pro-Fascist movement. He spoke frankly and honestly about his experiences and opinions, and was very popular with the American public.
In 1934, Butler went before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) to expose a conspiracy against the government. He had been recruited by a group of wealthy Pro-Fascists who had hoped to use him in a coup against President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He went along, gathering intelligence about the plot, and took it to Congress. Butler’s assertions were not aggressively pursued, and the matter was largely dismi4ssed. However, an internal report to Congress from HUAC confirmed the veracity of the plot.
Smedley Butler died in 1940, but his presence is still very much alive. The Boston, Massachusetts chapter of Veterans For Peace is named the “Smedley D. Butler Brigade”, and he is featured in the documentary The Corporation. https://www.americanswhotellthetruth.org/portraits/major-general-smedley-butler
Great Additional Information
https://www.democracynow.org/2022/1/26/jonathan_katz_book_gangsters_of_capitalism
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has issued the following statement: