Musing about Mysteries

When I first started this blog it was titled: "Musings and Mysteries" but then it became much more about my life as a wife and mommy and much less of musings or mysteries. However, today I must muse about some mysteries found in the scriptures.

1. I have often been amused at the thought of Abinadi taking the trouble to disguise himself and then going before wicked Kind Noah only to say, "the Lord commanded me, saying--Abinadi..." doh! I can't believe I just told you who I was! Lesson learned from Mosiah 12 is clearly that if you are going to disguise yourself don't blow it by telling them who you are.
2. The servant of King Lamoni, Abish, had been converted "on account of a remarkable vision of her father" so does that mean that her father had a remarkable vision or that she had a remarkable vision in which her father appeared to her? I don't know, it is a mystery to me! Lesson learned from Alma 19:16 is that English is a vague language.
3. At the end of the book of Ether there is a great battle and the two nations have essentially destroyed one another. Only two men remain: Shiz and Coriantumr. After Coriantumr "leaned upon his sword, that he rested a little, he smote off the head of Shiz." Then we are told that Shiz fell "and after that he had struggled for breath, he died." How is struggling for breath done without a head? Ok, I know this is gross, but seriously, what does that mean? Lesson learned from Ether 15 is war driven by the pride of men is never a good idea and I should have taken anatomy, then maybe I'd know how one struggles for breath without a head.

I'll quit with these three, but there are many other (frivolous) mysteries in the scriptures.

No simple answers

I was recently reading Mormon 8 in The Book of Mormon. Verses 38-39 really stuck out to me. They read:

"Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness than that misery which never dies–because of the praise of the world?
"Why do ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life, and yet suffer the hungry, and the needy, and the naked, and the sick and the afflicted to pass by you, and notice them not?"

These are words for our day (Moroni, who is writing here, says so). It seems that often in The Book of Mormon one of the key signs that a society is ripe in iniquity is when they no longer care for the needy.

I have great appreciation for all the work the LDS church does in humanitarian efforts. I'm happy to contribute because I know that there is very little overhead and the majority of donations actually help the needy. However, it is too easy for me to have an "I gave at the office" kind of mentality (but in this case, "I gave at church"). I know there are things in my own community and neighborhood which could benefit from my efforts and contributions.

So many things to ponder: How to get started? How to keep a balance? How to not feel overwhelmed before I even begin? At what point does "helping" the needy turn into paternalism or enabling people to not be self sufficient. Who can/should judge that fine line? What, if any, role should the government play? Can you legislate charity (in the real sense, not the post-New Deal sense) and compassion? If those in a position to help don't choose to share their wealth should "we the people" vote to force them to share? What does it say about a society if people don't care for those in need? I have some opinions but too often my answers to these questions conflict with one another. There are no simple answers...