War

[slushyc]

Recently Ive been reading the account of Mormon in his book. He tells of a point when the Nephites begin actively agressing against the Lamanites. He goes on to say this was a pivotal point for their destruction, as they had stopped defending, and began aggressing.
Gidgiddoni also tells his people in 3 Nephi not to go against the robbers, or the Nephites would fall into their hands. Based on this, I started wondering to what extend are our recent conflicts justified. WW1?, WW2?, Iraq?, ISIS?

What are your thoughts?

[marc]

I created a discussion that I think will answer your questions:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=35527" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ezra]

Recently Ive been reading the account of Mormon in his book. He tells of a point when the Nephites begin actively agressing against the Lamanites. He goes on to say this was a pivotal point for their destruction, as they had stopped defending, and began aggressing.
Gidgiddoni also tells his people in 3 Nephi not to go against the robbers, or the Nephites would fall into their hands. Based on this, I started wondering to what extend are our recent conflicts justified. WW1?, WW2?, Iraq?, ISIS?

What are your thoughts?

Revolutionary war. Every war since that has been going down hill.

Civil war the church had no part in it. I don't have the quotes in front of me but every war ww1 ww2 and so on the prophets have not endorsed them but have commented oh how we should be upset at the deception. I will find the quotes and post them when I get a chance.

[worthit]

War is only justified by the Lord if you are defending. Even in the civil war the south was winning as long as they only defended. That changed at Gettysburg--when they attacked.

[KMCopeland]

I don't have any hope that decisions about whether or not to go to war will ever have anything to do with gospel principles or not, but here's my opinion on the wars you asked about:

WWI: Horrific slaughter that we shouldn't have participated in.
WWII: We tried for a long time to stay out of it. It seemed that if we didn't join the fight, that Hitler would achieve, fully, his terrible goals. It's probably the only war we've fought, after the Revolution, that could be justified using the Book of Mormon.
Vietnam: None of our business and a horrific waste of blood and treasure.
Iraq: A revolting, corrupt, ego-driven catastrophe. Unjustifiable on any level.
ISIS: A direct result of the Iraq war. ISIS could easily be wiped out, but it must be done by the people ISIS is actually threatening. People in the immediate neighborhood in other words. They are all twiddling their thumbs waiting for us to handle it. I mean, why should they expend their money, or their personnel, if we're willing to do it for them? The President and the Secretary of State are working day & night to get them to step up to bat. We'll see what develops over the next few weeks.

[slushyc]

I don't have any hope that decisions about whether or not to go to war will ever have anything to do with gospel principles or not, but here's my opinion on the wars you asked about:

WWI: Horrific slaughter that we shouldn't have participated in.
WWII: We tried for a long time to stay out of it. It seemed that if we didn't join the fight, that Hitler would achieve, fully, his terrible goals. It's probably the only war we've fought, after the Revolution, that could be justified using the Book of Mormon.
Vietnam: None of our business and a horrific waste of blood and treasure.
Iraq: A revolting, corrupt, ego-driven catastrophe. Unjustifiable on any level.
ISIS: A direct result of the Iraq war. ISIS could easily be wiped out, but it must be done by the people ISIS is actually threatening. People in the immediate neighborhood in other words. They are all twiddling their thumbs waiting for us to handle it. I mean, why should they expend their money, or their personnel, if we're willing to do it for them? The President and the Secretary of State are working day & night to get them to step up to bat. We'll see what develops over the next few weeks.

This goes along with my line of thinking too. I guess WW2 was my big question. Of course Hitler was a monster that needed to be stopped. I feel confident we were justified, I was trying to reason with myself on what grounds exactly

[buffalo_girl]

I guess WW2 was my big question. Of course Hitler was a monster that needed to be stopped. I feel confident we were justified, I was trying to reason with myself on what grounds exactly.

When you begin to comprehend that 'history' is manipulated by those with an agenda to create absolute tyranny over the Creation, you also realize that what is happening in our time on Earth is the literal, mortal manifestation of the War begun in Heaven.

This nonsense of justifying large scale, global conflict has been going on for at least a couple of centuries. Tyrants like Hitler, Mao, Stalin, plug in a name are allowed/chosen to enact a part in the scheme.

You may not have the time or inclination, but reading anything by Anthony Sutton regarding Wall St's. role in funding various United States' enemies is good background on WWI & II.

http://www.antonysutton.com/suttonbibliography.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

interviews on youtube:

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=An ... on&tbm=vid" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You might begin by reading Major General Smedley D. Butler's (USMC, Retired) book WAR IS A RACKET found here:

http://www.warisaracket.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

scroll down for the text...

[KMCopeland]

This goes along with my line of thinking too. I guess WW2 was my big question. Of course Hitler was a monster that needed to be stopped. I feel confident we were justified, I was trying to reason with myself on what grounds exactly

My thoughts would be that it was not only clear in WWII who the bad guy was, but we also knew exactly how to defeat him, and we also knew that defeating him would save millions of people from being murdered. Certainties, in other words. Clear bad guy/good guy. Clear path to victory, meaning it ends at a discernible point. Some of those factors were present in the other wars this country has been involved in since the revolution, but WWII is the only one where all of them were.

[buffalo_girl]

This goes along with my line of thinking too. I guess WW2 was my big question. Of course Hitler was a monster that needed to be stopped. I feel confident we were justified, I was trying to reason with myself on what grounds exactly

My thoughts would be that it was not only clear in WWII who the bad guy was, but we also knew exactly how to defeat him, and we also knew that defeating him would save millions of people from being murdered. Certainties, in other words. Clear bad guy/good guy. Clear path to victory, meaning it ends at a discernible point. Some of those factors were present in the other wars this country has been involved in since the revolution, but WWII is the only one where all of them were.

Actually, I didn't mean to 'thank you' on the above post, but rather to express an opposing view. I used to think that, too.

There are a few realities we will each have to face about our mortal experiences at various points along our eternal progression. I'm glad the LORD is the one to judge it all.

WARS are a form of BAAL worship 'gotten up' by very cleaver persons who generate wealth and power by means of their machinations. They love the work they do.

They view ordinary people as inferiors so ignorant of what is being done as to stupidly sacrifice their pitiful lives and the lives of their loved ones for 'trumped up' conflicts.

Granted, ordinary people often behave nobly for what they understand to be noble causes. No doubt, the LORD judges accordingly.

At some juncture, however, we will each need to face REALITY and decide if we are allied with Jesus Christ or with lucifer.

SAME issue begun in the Pre-existence.

[JohnnyL]

http://bookofmormonnotes.wordpress.com/ ... -by-grego/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[KMCopeland]

Actually, I didn't mean to 'thank you' on the above post, but rather to express an opposing view. I used to think that, too.

You can undo that if you feel you should.

There are a few realities we will each have to face about our mortal experiences at various points along our eternal progression. I'm glad the LORD is the one to judge it all.

Hear, hear.

WARS are a form of BAAL worship 'gotten up' by very clever persons who generate wealth and power by means of their machinations. They love the work they do.

They view ordinary people as inferiors so ignorant of what is being done as to stupidly sacrifice their pitiful lives and the lives of their loved ones for 'trumped up' conflicts.

You make good points. Hitler's march across Europe though, leaving millions of corpses in his wake, alongside the inability of the valiant efforts of European countries to successfully defend themselves against him, wasn't trumped up.


It's also true that the clever people you mention took advantage of that conflict to line their pockets. They didn't care who they had to get in bed with to do it.

The tension between those two groups, noble and evil, may be the point you're making, when you say that "ordinary people often behave nobly for what they understand to be noble causes."

Granted, ordinary people often behave nobly for what they understand to be noble causes. No doubt, the LORD judges accordingly. At some juncture, however, we will each need to face REALITY and decide if we are allied with Jesus Christ or with lucifer. SAME issue begun in the Pre-existence.

I believe you're talking about individual choices. And in a perfect world that's all we need to worry about, because ALL individuals, including people who make decisions about whether or not their countries will go to war, will have made righteous individual choices, which will naturally add up to nobody ever going to war again. I really do get that principle. It's the premise behind the great anti-war song, 'Universal Soldier.'

[buffalo_girl]

I believe you're talking about individual choices. And in a perfect world that's all we need to worry about, because ALL individuals, including people who make decisions about whether or not their countries will go to war, will have made righteous individual choices, which will naturally add up to nobody ever going to war again. I really do get that principle. It's the premise behind the great anti-war song, 'Universal Soldier.'

I don't want to 'undo' the thumbs up dealio. It's good. I meant to hit the 'quote' button & hit the other button. No problem with a different perspective!

I do agree with your statement above, insofar as it goes. However, I do NOT hold to the idea that historical events - including WAR - occur as an 'accidental' consequence of selfish decisions made by random individual or conspiring groups of sociopaths and/or megalomaniacs.

I believe that those who engineer history do so from a conscious decision making process they KNOW will disrupt the lives of millions; and they have been doing this throughout the millennia. It is their religion.

They share an organized form of religious observance and worship of their god. They view their bloodlines as 'elite'. The rest of us serve one purpose or another in their schemes, but we are disposable according to their assumed 'official' whim.

Here is a link to one of Anthony Sutton's books with an excellent introduction by Gary North. I haven't read The Best Enemy Money Can Buy, but I have read other books by Sutton which are thoroughly researched and documented regarding intentional 20th Century manipulation of historical events.

http://sandiego.indymedia.org/media/2007/02/125033.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You might also want to look at America's Secret Establishment - An Introduction to the Order of Skull & Bones. Surely, you believe in the concept of Secret Combinations?!

http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/socio ... ones11.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[KMCopeland]

I will read those books. And yes, I believe in secret combinations. Now just which ones we know about, and/or should be afraid of -- that I'm less sure about.

[Ezra]

D&c 98

11 And I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, that ye shall live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God.

12 For he will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept; and I will try you and prove you herewith.

13 And whoso layeth down his life in my cause, for my name’s sake, shall find it again, even life eternal.

14 Therefore, be not afraid of your enemies, for I have decreed in my heart, saith the Lord, that I will prove you in all things, whether you will abide in my covenant, even unto death, that you may be found worthy.

15 For if ye will not abide in my covenant ye are not worthy of me.

16 Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children;


20 For they do not forsake their sins, and their wicked ways, the pride of their hearts, and their covetousness, and all their detestable things, and observe the words of wisdom and eternal life which I have given unto them.

21 Verily I say unto you, that I, the Lord, will chasten them and will do whatsoever I list, if they do not repent and observe all things whatsoever I have said unto them.


Take heed to verse 21. The Lord will chasten us if we don't observe his commandments to forsake war.


22 And again I say unto you, if ye observe to do whatsoever I command you, I, the Lord, will turn away all wrath and indignation from you, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against you.

Vs22 shouldn't we be more concerned about doing what right to receive this protection by doing what commanded us.

23 Now, I speak unto you concerning your families—if men will smite you, or your families, once, and ye bear it patiently and revile not against them, neither seek revenge, ye shall be rewarded;

24 But if ye bear it not patiently, it shall be accounted unto you as being meted out as a just measure unto you.

25 And again, if your enemy shall smite you the second time, and you revile not against your enemy, and bear it patiently, your reward shall be an hundred-fold.

26 And again, if he shall smite you the third time, and ye bear it patiently, your reward shall be doubled unto you four-fold;

27 And these three testimonies shall stand against your enemy if he repent not, and shall not be blotted out.

28 And now, verily I say unto you, if that enemy shall escape my vengeance, that he be not brought into judgment before me, then ye shall see to it that ye warn him in my name, that he come no more upon you, neither upon your family, even your children’s children unto the third and fourth generation.

29 And then, if he shall come upon you or your children, or your children’s children unto the third and fourth generation, I have delivered thine enemy into thine hands;

30 And then if thou wilt spare him, thou shalt be rewarded for thy righteousness; and also thy children and thy children’s children unto the third and fourth generation.

31 Nevertheless, thine enemy is in thine hands; and if thou rewardest him according to his works thou art justified; if he has sought thy life, and thy life is endangered by him, thine enemy is in thine hands and thou art justified.

32 Behold, this is the law I gave unto my servant Nephi, and thy fathers, Joseph, and Jacob, and Isaac, and Abraham, and all mine ancient prophets and apostles.

33 And again, this is the law that I gave unto mine ancients, that they should not go out unto battle against any nation, kindred, tongue, or people, save I, the Lord, commanded them.

The Lord will command us to go to war. This has not happens since the lds church the lords church was established.


34 And if any nation, tongue, or people should proclaim war against them, they should first lift a standard of peace unto that people, nation, or tongue;

35 And if that people did not accept the offering of peace, neither the second nor the third time, they should bring these testimonies before the Lord;

36 Then I, the Lord, would give unto them a commandment, and justify them in going out to battle against that nation, tongue, or people.

The Lord promises he will give the commandment if the peace banner is lifted and not taken 3 times.


37 And I, the Lord, would fight their battles, and their children’s battles, and their children’s children’s, until they had avenged themselves on all their enemies, to the third and fourth generation.

38 Behold, this is an ensample unto all people, saith the Lord your God, for justification before me.

39 And again, verily I say unto you, if after thine enemy has come upon thee the first time, he repent and come unto thee praying thy forgiveness, thou shalt forgive him, and shalt hold it no more as a testimony against thine enemy—

40 And so on unto the second and third time; and as oft as thine enemy repenteth of the trespass wherewith he has trespassed against thee, thou shalt forgive him, until seventy times seven.

41 And if he trespass against thee and repent not the first time, nevertheless thou shalt forgive him.

42 And if he trespass against thee the second time, and repent not, nevertheless thou shalt forgive him.

43 And if he trespass against thee the third time, and repent not, thou shalt also forgive him.

44 But if he trespass against thee the fourth time thou shalt not forgive him, but shalt bring these testimonies before the Lord; and they shall not be blotted out until he repent and reward thee four-fold in all things wherewith he has trespassed against thee.

45 And if he do this, thou shalt forgive him with all thine heart; and if he do not this, I, the Lord, will avenge thee of thine enemy an hundred-fold;

46 And upon his children, and upon his children’s children of all them that hate me, unto the third and fourth generation.

47 But if the children shall repent, or the children’s children, and turn to the Lord their God, with all their hearts and with all their might, mind, and strength, and restore four-fold for all their trespasses wherewith they have trespassed, or wherewith their fathers have trespassed, or their fathers’ fathers, then thine indignation shall be turned away;

48 And vengeance shall no more come upon them, saith the Lord thy God, and their trespasses shall never be brought any more as a testimony before the Lord against them. Amen.

[SamFisher]

This goes along with my line of thinking too. I guess WW2 was my big question. Of course Hitler was a monster that needed to be stopped. I feel confident we were justified, I was trying to reason with myself on what grounds exactly

My thoughts would be that it was not only clear in WWII who the bad guy was, but we also knew exactly how to defeat him, and we also knew that defeating him would save millions of people from being murdered. Certainties, in other words. Clear bad guy/good guy. Clear path to victory, meaning it ends at a discernible point. Some of those factors were present in the other wars this country has been involved in since the revolution, but WWII is the only one where all of them were.

Amazing how you can say this while voting for progressive politicians who refuse to identify our current enemies, and who sympathized with Hitler's treatment of the Jews and his tactics of eugenics--which he learned from the American Progressives. More evidence that you don't understand your own movement.

[KMCopeland]

This goes along with my line of thinking too. I guess WW2 was my big question. Of course Hitler was a monster that needed to be stopped. I feel confident we were justified, I was trying to reason with myself on what grounds exactly

My thoughts would be that it was not only clear in WWII who the bad guy was, but we also knew exactly how to defeat him, and we also knew that defeating him would save millions of people from being murdered. Certainties, in other words. Clear bad guy/good guy. Clear path to victory, meaning it ends at a discernible point. Some of those factors were present in the other wars this country has been involved in since the revolution, but WWII is the only one where all of them were.

Amazing how you can say this while voting for progressive politicians who refuse to identify our current enemies, and who sympathized with Hitler's treatment of the Jews and his tactics of eugenics--which he learned from the American Progressives. More evidence that you don't understand your own movement.

Actually it's evidence that you don't understand my own movement. Since I've never voted for any politicians who did any of that. Nor did any Democrat/Liberal/Progressive that I've ever known.

[buffalo_girl]

Amazing how you can say this while voting for progressive politicians who refuse to identify our current enemies, and who sympathized with Hitler's treatment of the Jews and his tactics of eugenics--which he learned from the American Progressives. More evidence that you don't understand your own movement.

Perhaps your education has been more enlightened than most of the rest of us. The biggest challenge for one 'awakening to our awful situation' is that it must be done outside the matrix. The first problem is to get out of the matrix.

Some of the 'realities' we MUST face are bitter, bitter pills and need to be taken in small bites, at first. We need to be patient with each other in the process of 'awakening'. Too much is too much, sometimes. Patience is a good virtue.

[Reggie]

I copied this from a very long article. I would have put a link in; but, I don't know how. It shows that WWII was a planned mess as well. X( :ymdevil:


In 1932 Hitler was offered to join a coalition, but refused, as his demands to be in overall power, was turned down. By November 1932 unemployment had come down to 5 million. The Nazis lost 2.7 million votes and 34 seats in the Reichstag. Then, In January 1933, for no logical reason other than that the international bankers, and the international war machine, wanted Hitler in power, Hindenburg offered Hitler the chance to be Chancellor in a new coalition. He was eventually made Chancellor by Papen and Hindenburg, the government's two leading politicians.

The story most historians will offer is that they thought they could control Hitler with him under their control, and that the Nazis would give them the extra strength needed to run parliament properly. A weak excuse at best. Hitler and the Nazi's power was on the decline, and there was no reason to put him in power, other than that the hidden international power brokers wanted him in power, because they knew he would start WWII, and help create enormous wealth for the international elite, and the globalist war machine. After Hitler had been made Chancellor a new election was planned. This was bad news for the Nazis as they were losing votes due to the decline in unemployment. Once again, Hitler needed to rely on something big, to get people believing in him. On February 27th 1933, the Reichstag in Berlin was burned down. Hitler blamed the Communists. That same night Hitler ordered the arrest of all leading Communist functionaries. Politicians were imprisoned as well as all other Communist supporters. Most were beaten up, others worse.


As with 911 and Pearl Harbor, the Reichstag fire enabled the the government to inflame the masses, to justify taking away their freedoms, and to justify war. From then on, the Communists were blamed for just about anything that went on. Still to this day it is not known exactly who started the Reichstag fire. But one thing is known, Hitler knew that the fire would work to his advantage. After word had got out that all Communists had been captured, Communism practically ceased to exist in Germany. The public now feared the Communists and entrusted themselves in Hitler. They thought that the country was under attack by dangerous extremists. In such an emergency situation they would be more likely to support the government, and at the time, the Nazis were the government. Hitler now had the nation exactly where he wanted it.
Thanks to the fire, the Nazis won the 1933 election with 17 million votes and 288 seats. As soon as Hitler became Chancellor, he appointed Herman Goering, another Nazi, as Minister of the Interior. Goering was now in charge of the police and the prisons. This way Hitler could use the police to round up his opponents once the fire had given him an excuse. So the end result was that by being chancellor he could take full advantage of the Reichstag Fire and the Nazis were able to win the election. This was a short-term cause for Hitler's rise to power. Obviously it was a stepping stone into his overall rise. At that moment though, Hitler was still insignificant, as he had no overall power.

Without the great depression, which was created by Wall street insiders and the international bankers, and the Reichstag Fire, which was most likely done by Hitler, Hitler wouldn't have got anywhere near to achieving the role of chancellor, and WWII never would have happened. When the depression came along, he told the German people he would get them out of it and he did. It is possible to say that if he hadn't plagued and brainwashed the German people with his racist and destructive views, he would be one of the most memorable politicians in Germany's history. Then he had to deal with the Reichstag Fire. The answer he found was obvious. Blame the Communists, Hitler's opponents to the forthcoming election. That was all that was needed to win the election. As soon as Hitler told the German people that the Communists had started the fire, they fell for it. Hook, line and sinker. Germany and its people, were now Hitler's properties. He had total control. He was now the leader or Fuhrer of what was to be known as Nazi Germany.

[KMCopeland]

I copied this from a very long article. I would have put a link in; but, I don't know how. It shows that WWII was a planned mess as well.

I guess I wonder why it matters at this point. Or maybe I wonder what anyone could have done about it then, and what anybody can do about it now, if it's still going on.

[buffalo_girl]

I guess I wonder why it matters at this point. Or maybe I wonder what anyone could have done about it then, and what anybody can do about it now, if it's still going on.

We are that generation in mortality who have ALL the knowledge, privileges, and authority necessary to give others Hope and a reason to Repent (Change).

what anybody can do about it now, if it's still going on?

We more fully commit ourselves to the LORD's Kingdom on Earth. We become increasingly dedicated to searching the LORD's Word for guidance in our individual lives. We become living examples of CHRIST's Work in ever increasing contrast to the work of lucifer. We are truly temple worthy and DO the work for those who have been victims of imposed darkness throughout the centuries. We bring Christ's KINGDOM into our mortal sphere.

I have never heard the last few verses of Malachi 3 mentioned in our gospel studies, but these also speak to me about the responsibility we have for the Salvation of those on both sides of the Veil. (There is additional insight into this principle in D&C101. Follow the footnote from 'discern' in verse 18.

16 ¶Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.

17 And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

What is it we do that creates the spiritual characteristics which clearly divide the righteous from the wicked?

Malachi 4
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

2 ¶But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.

4 ¶Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

5 ¶Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Our privilege is to be numbered with Christ in serving His purposes in these Last Days.

Isaiah 58:12
12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

[buffalo_girl]

Before the sun sets, I need to acknowledge that September 17 is the day the U.S. Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution in 1787 in Philadelphia.

Happy Constitution Day!

[Stacy Oliver]

Although the BoM can be interpreted as an endorsement of isolationism, I don't think you can interpret the OT that way. The Lord encouraged or allowed numerous offensive wars.

[ajax]

We've been in the War Business for a long time, beginning with violent westward expansion and Lincoln's aggressive war in the South, all pretty much for economic reasons.

Major General Smedley Butler:

“War is just a racket. 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, a gangster. I helped make Mexico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefits of Wall Street. Looking back on it, I feel that I could have given Al Capone a few hints.”

Here's a fun site:
http://academic.evergreen.edu/g/grossma ... tions.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here is a good read on J Reuben Clark's position:
http://www.dialoguejournal.com/wp-conte ... N01_39.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ezra]

Although the BoM can be interpreted as an endorsement of isolationism, I don't think you can interpret the OT that way. The Lord encouraged or allowed numerous offensive wars.

As long as it's translated correctly. Much is lost from its pages. If The Lord gave the commandment you go to war. To me it's a really plain message. Ask god for permission after raising the peace banner.

[Reggie]

I think it's a whole 'nuther ball game when you have a theocracy going on and the God of the Universerse has judged the people of the place you're attacking as had their chance and they failed.Then HE orders His people to go in and possess that land and kill every man, woman, child, animal etc. so that the only thing His people are profitting from is the taking of the land (no slaves, no plunder). That doesn't even come close to what the Shadows are doing in our day. :-$