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We live in perilous times. America is under attack from foreign and domestic enemies that want to overthrow the Constitution of the United States. If these enemies had their way they would replace the government with a punitive theocracy and turn back the clock on basic human liberties.

It seems that our military and government are unsure about how to deal with radical Islamic terrorists. May I suggest that we follow the example of Captain Moroni?

Moroni was a Nephite commander who lived around 100 BC. He inspired his troops by telling them that they were fighting for their lands and liberties. Interestingly those are the same things we are fighting for today, but that is where the similarities end.

When it comes to dealing with those who would take away our liberties, the military has adopted an approach very different from the one Moroni adopted.

You see, during a lull in a pivotal battle when Moroni’s forces encircled the insurgents, he told them to put down their weapons and take an oath to never take up arms again. Moroni warned them by saying: “If ye do not this, behold ye are in our hands and I will command my men that they shall fall upon you and inflict the wounds of death in your bodies that ye may become extinct.” He followed it up by saying that when you are dead, “then we will see who shall have power over this people; yea, we will see who shall be brought into bondage.” Kerching!

Did you read that carefully? He did not enroll his troops in sensitivity training so that they could understand the insurgents’ culture. Instead he threatened the insurgents with death if they would not enter into a pact of non-aggression.

A little while later when the leader of the insurgents became angry with Moroni, he rushed forward, sword high in the air, to kill Moroni. One of Moroni’s soldiers stepped forward and swung his sword at the leader’s sword, breaking it off at the hilt. After the leader was disarmed and detained, the Nephite soldier didn’t read him his rights and gently put on handcuffs. No! He scalped the leader, put the scalp on the end of his sword and yelled at the insurgents: “Even as this scalp has fallen to the earth . . . so shall ye fall to the earth except ye will deliver up your weapons of war and depart with a covenant of peace.” By the way, Moroni didn’t court martial the soldier for harming the murderous detainee.

And when an enemy within, a Nephite traitor named Amalickiah, threatened to overthrow the government and liberties of the Nephites, what did Moroni do? He didn’t ask for leniency toward Amalickiah and his followers in the name of cultural diversity. And he didn’t give them a lawyer and a trial. No, Moroni’s men hunted down that traitor and 86’ed him while he was sleeping in his tent. And what happened to the followers of the traitor Amalickiah? Those who “would not enter into a covenant to support the cause of freedom . . . he caused to be put to death.”

If a Moroni-like commander were in charge of the US military today, I wonder if charges would have ever been brought against those 3 navy seals for punching the insurgent who killed and mutilated the bodies of 4 private American contractors in Falluja back in 2004. Probably not.

And if a Moroni-like commander were in charge of the US military today, I wonder if the traitor jihadist who massacred 13 of brave soldiers and wounded several others at Fort Hood would have been given 3 square meals, a lawyer, and the right to an insanity defense. Probably not. I think a Moroni-like commander would have already given him a speedy military trial and sent him to the firing range.

Now I am not suggesting that we should act harshly toward all captured enemy combatants. In many cases compassion and leniency are warranted, but sometimes it is not. It seemed that Moroni knew when to be harsh; it seems that our military commanders do not.

That harsh actions came from a man who was “of perfect understanding,” a man “who did not delight in bloodshed,” and a man who was “firm in the faith of Christ” should cause us to reflect for a moment. Perhaps, under certain circumstances, harshness towards those who would destroy our liberties is warranted.
 
 
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The only thing worse than mass murder at a US military base is mass murder at a US military base followed by unwise comments from the nation’s top general. In my opinion, General Casey’s comments following the tragic events at Fort Hood made the situation worse, not better.

General Casey said: “As horrific as this tragedy was, if our diversity becomes a casualty, I think that’s worse.” In other words, taking action against potentially hostile members of the military because of their radical religious beliefs and extreme ideologies is worse than mass murder at Fort Hood. 

It appears the nation’s top general has jumped aboard the runaway diversity bandwagon. The diversity bandwagon is the belief that we must be tolerant of all races, ideologies, and religions even if it means putting our own nation’s security and morality at risk. Enough already. Has Casey forgotten his history? Desperate times call for desperate measures.

During the early stages of WWII thousands of Japanese Americans were rounded up and put into camps. Sounds extreme, doesn’t it? But for many Americans living back then it wasn’t extreme. Were we living back then? Were we old enough to remember the fear the Japanese nation caused in America? If not, then perhaps we should not pass judgment on the government’s decision. Today we have the benefit of 20/20 hindsight which is that the camps were not needed. Yet we cannot fault the US government for taking what it saw as appropriate action against Japanese Americans during a time of national crisis. 

During the mid 1800’s the US government sent thousands of soldiers to Utah to prevent Mormon uprisings. Johnson’s army settled in a valley southwest of Lehi called Camp Floyd. 20/20 hindsight says that the army was not needed, yet we cannot fault the US government for taking action. The government thought the Mormons presented a national security risk. I’ve visited Camp Floyd several times. When I look at the graves of the soldiers who died there during their stay at the camp, I harbor no resentment as a Mormon. They were doing what they felt was needed given the circumstances. 

Today there are radical factions of Islam that are hostile toward the US government and the US Constitution. Given current circumstance, I think it appropriate to seek out members of the US military who might be sympathetic toward these radical factions. Those who harbor hostile feelings or actively affiliate with groups that are hostile toward the US should be retained until they are no longer a threat. Let history decided whether such actions were necessary. For now we’ll act in the interest of national security.

Anytime members of a particular race, religion, nationality, and ideology repeatedly demonstrate hostility toward the US government and the Constitution, it has given up freedoms and must subject itself to closer scrutiny. However, rather than take such tough measures, General Casey wants to move forward with the blinders on as if there are no problems. According to Casey’s bandwagon diversity, searching out potentially seditious soldiers is worse than the slaughter of American soldiers at a military base.   
 
 
I had a sports psychologist professor in university who specialized in sports aggression. I wonder what he would say about the BYU ladies’ soccer game against the University of New Mexico on Nov. 5, 2009.

I played a lot of high school sports and college basketball. I’ve seen a lot of aggressive play, but nothing I experienced comes close to what happened during this soccer game.  

BYU’s Carly Payne had a slugfest with NM’s Elizabeth Lambert. During the game Lambert moved in close behind Payne. Payne did not take kindly to Lambert being on her back so she gave Lambert a subtle no-look, reverse Bruce Lee elbow punch. Lambert responded with a Karate blow to the back.  
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During another play while Payne was chasing the ball, Lambert came in from behind with a “You’re going down, sucker!” slide check.
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During another play Lambert delivered a Kung Fu sideways punch to Payne’s face. Nasty.
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And just to prove that Lambert was taking on all comers, she took down BYU’s Cassidy Shumway by yanking on her pony tail.
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I know what my sports psychology professor would say. He would invoke the Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis, which is that people get aggressive when they are frustrated from reaching a goal (BYU was winning during all this). Then he would say, “Where was the referee?!” The ref made no calls during these rough plays. Fortunately the league did not miss the rough play. It suspended Lambert indefinitely. Hopefully she will learn her lesson and return a better player.

Now that you’ve seen the still shots, watch the full video.
 
 
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The great pyramid at Giza is the last wonder of the ancient world left standing. It is a magnificient structure that baffles the mind. Who built it and why? Egyptologists say it was built by Egyptians in 2560 BC for a pharaoh named Khufu (aka “Cheops” in Greek). I think that the Egyptologists are wrong.

It was not built by Egyptians and it was not built for a pharaoh named Khufu. (In case you were wondering, I don’t think it was built by little green men from space, either.) I think it was built by a righteous people as a monument to God.

I agree with one thing the Egyptologists say about the pyramid, that it was constructed around 2560 BC. I have no reason to doubt that the dating technology used on the pyramid is accurate. But I doubt their claims about who built it and why.

If the pyramid was completed around 2560 BC it could not have been built by Egyptians, although they probably helped. An understanding of mathematics was required to build the pyramid, yet the Egyptians lacked an understanding of mathematics prior to 2000 BC. Consider the following:

1. The first century AD historian Josephus Flavius and the Book of Abraham tell us that when Abraham entered Egypt (circa 2000 BC), the Lord instructed him to teach mathematics and astronomy to the Egyptians. 

2. Joseph Smith wrote that “the learning of the Egyptians and their knowledge of astronomy was no doubt taught them by Abraham.”

3. “Clear [Egyptian mathematical] records began to appear by 2000 BC citing approximations for π and square roots. Exact statements of number, written arithmetic tables, algebra problems, and practical applications with weights and measures also began to appear around 2000 BC, with several problems solved by abstract arithmetic methods” (Source: Wikipedia). So ancient Egyptian mathematical texts did not appear until 2000 BC.

If the Egyptians had in fact built the pyramid in 2560 BC, then when Abraham arrived in 2000 BC they would have pointed to the pyramid and said, “You’re too late, buddy. We already know that stuff.” Note also that the emergence of mathematical writings in 2000 BC agrees with the estimated date for Abraham’s arrival (2000 BC).

Egyptologists also claim that the pyramid was built for a great Egyptian king named Khufu (2589 – 2566 BC). The evidence suggests otherwise. If you were to build a pyramid of that magnitude and precision for a king, wouldn’t you put the name and drawings of the king all over the inner walls? And wouldn’t you place a sarcophagus for the final resting place of the king in the largest chamber? Well, none of those things were present in the great pyramid. 

Archeologists did find a lidless empty stone box in the main chamber, but it is not large enough to be a sarcophagus. And the walls are completely devoid of markings, with one exception. In 1837 an English Traveler named Howard Vyse blasted his way into sealed air-space chambers above the main chamber with gun powder. In an obscure air-space he discovered the misspelled name “Khufu” hastily written on a wall. I say that it was written by an illiterate worker who wanted to leave his mark. Others say that because Vyse was under time constraints from the local government and interest from his financial backers was waning, he wrote the inscriptions himself to revitalize interest in his work. 

So if it wasn’t the Egyptians, then who built it and why? My favorite pick is the pre-apostasy Chaldeans/Sumerians who were descendents of Shem. Other theories are that it was Melchizedek, Job, or the pre-flood people.

Finally, if the pyramid was not built for Khufu, then why was it built? A magnificent structure of that magnitude built without markings by a righteous people? Sounds like a bit like a temple, or better yet, a monument to God.
 
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