3 Nephi - Chapter 3

Giddianhi was quite the spin doctor.  I doubt if he believed the things he wrote to Lachoneus.  If he did he was also stupid.  Thankfully, Lachoneus wasn't conned by his opponent's malarkey.  I wonder who Giddianhi thought they'd plunder and rob from if everybody united themselves with the Gadianton Robbers?  Its a lot like today.  Who will pay the taxes if everybody gets on welfare?

I love Lachoneus' inspired strategy.  It is tempting to do the same thing today.  Imagine what would happen if the United States completely withdrew from the rest of the world.  Imagine if all the money and lives we spend abroad were brought back home and we simply defended our borders and lived here, isolated in our own land.  Surely, our enemies would we caught in a wilderness of their own making and find themselves in a world of hurt.

Now I'm not advocating that we do that.  Not yet at least.  There is much good that is being done abroad that helps innocent, deserving people.  People whose lives would be devastated by the departure of our presence and influence.  Are there negative consequences to our present policy?  Of course.  But I think the good far outweighs the bad.

I know of families who are presently using Lachoneus' tactics.  They've withdrawn from the world and from the influence of their enemies by home schooling their children.  I have two very fine, very good friends who did this and who now, publicly lament their choice.  They both have come to believe that we are to "be in the world, but not of it."  They both believe now, that they cheated their children by withdrawing them from the world.  I think they also cheated the world.  Now, I suppose there a ways to home school without withdrawing from the world, but these two brethren, didn't find such a way.

I believe there may come a time when we, like the Nephites, are called upon, even forced to collectively withdraw from the world for our safety.  But that time is not yet.  We must mix with the rest in order to be the leaven of the loaf.  If and when we withdraw, it will most certainly mean the destruction of those not invited to join us.  We Latter-day Saints are the children of Abraham and it is ordained that through us and our influence and our presence, that the balance of God's children may be blessed.  If we, for our own safety and selfish concerns, choose to withdraw from the world, it will be to our condemnation.  We are called to bring light into dark places.  If we do, the light will dispel the darkness.

Let us follow the prophet.  He has invited us to go into ALL the world and share the light of the gospel.  If the time ever comes that we must do otherwise; we'll also have a prophet then.  One who will, like Lachoneus, give us appropriate counsel for our time.