Alma 54<\/a>, \u00a0offers significant evidence for the authenticity of the Book of Mormon.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Why? \u00a0Because it\u2019s so humanly plausible.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
In his Republic<\/em>, Plato famously divides the \u03c8\u03c5\u03c7\u03ae\u00a0(psyche<\/i>) into\u00a0three parts \u2014 the \u03bb\u03bf\u03b3\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03b9\u03ba\u03ccv\u00a0(logistikon<\/i>, or \u201clogical\u201d), the \u03b8\u03c5\u03bc\u03bf\u03b5\u03b9\u03b4\u03ad\u03c2 (thymoeides<\/i>, or \u201cspirited\u201d) and the \u1f10\u03c0\u03b9\u03b8\u03c5\u03bc\u03b7\u03c4\u03b9\u03ba\u03cc\u03bd (epithymetikon<\/i>, or \u201cappetitive\u201d). These three parts of the \u03c8\u03c5\u03c7\u03ae or soul also correspond to the three classes of a society\u00a0and, thus, of his\u00a0ideal<\/em> society. \u00a0It contains three classes of people: \u00a0producers (craftsmen, farmers, artisans, etc.), \u201cauxiliaries\u201d (warriors), and what he calls \u201cguardians\u201d (rulers).<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Above all else, the producers seek material well-being and material goods, the goods of appetite (desire and emotion) such as safety, comfort, food, drink, and sex. \u00a0They love the fruits of their labor and, with their labor, they provide society\u2019s (or the state\u2019s) basic needs.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The \u201cguardians,\u201d whose passion is for knowledge, truth, and wisdom, are devoted to reason. \u00a0In Plato\u2019s ideal polity, they govern<\/em> society or\u00a0the state.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019m particularly interested here, though, in Plato\u2019s \u201cauxiliaries.\u201d \u00a0These are the people whose passion is for courage and honor and, even more, for the love of their homeland. \u00a0Plato describes them as the \u201cspirited\u201d element within the state or the society. \u00a0They defend<\/em> the state.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Moroni, in these chapters, is a perfect exemplar of the ideal virtues (and also, perhaps, of the defects) of the \u201cauxiliary\u201d or warrior class. \u00a0The word spirited<\/em> describes him perfectly.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Notice that, at the beginning of Alma 54, Moroni is delighted at Ammoron\u2019s proposal of a prisoner exchange. \u00a0But his indignation at the unjust and murderous actions of Amalickiah and Ammoron, and of the Lamanites whom they have provoked into aggression, is absolutely palpable in the letter that he sends to Ammoron. \u00a0(His explanation that \u201cI am in my anger\u201d is scarcely needed.) \u00a0Ammoron, too, responds angrily, and the exchange that both had wanted<\/em> collapses.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
The virtues of the ancient warrior aren\u2019t necessarily those that we would seek in a diplomat.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
For yet another example of a case where Moroni\u2019s passion for justice \u2014 and his temper \u2014 get the upper hand, and for an example of a politician\u2019s contrastingly diplomatic response, see Alma 59-61.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
To me, Moroni comes across as a real, flesh and blood person, not a figure from a stained-glass window or an idealized stereotype.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Posted from Newport Beach, California<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 \u00a0 In my judgment, today\u2019s reading, Alma 54, \u00a0offers significant evidence for the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. \u00a0 Why? \u00a0Because it\u2019s so humanly plausible. \u00a0 In his Republic, Plato famously divides the \u03c8\u03c5\u03c7\u03ae\u00a0(psyche) into\u00a0three parts \u2014 the \u03bb\u03bf\u03b3\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03b9\u03ba\u03ccv\u00a0(logistikon, or \u201clogical\u201d), the \u03b8\u03c5\u03bc\u03bf\u03b5\u03b9\u03b4\u03ad\u03c2 (thymoeides, or \u201cspirited\u201d) and the \u1f10\u03c0\u03b9\u03b8\u03c5\u03bc\u03b7\u03c4\u03b9\u03ba\u03cc\u03bd (epithymetikon, or \u201cappetitive\u201d). These […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35419","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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![\"Plato](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/186\/2016\/07\/Plato_and_Aristotle_in_The_School_of_Athens_by_italian_Rafael.jpg\")
<\/a>