Killing Amalickiah / Happy New Year
The Book of Mormon tells the story of a wicked Nephite dissident named Amalickiah who was obsessed with gaining political power over the Nephites by whatever means was necessary. In Alma chapter 46, verse 4 we read: “And Amalickiah was desirous to be a king …”
Those familiar with the Book of Mormon narrative know that numerous wars followed this desire. After failing to achieve his means via the Nephite political system, Amalickiah fled to the Lamanites, took power over their armies and kingdom by murder and other devious means. He then sent the Lamanite armies to fight against the Nephites.
The Book of Mormon sums up Amalickiah’s overall influence by saying:
Yea, and we also see the great wickedness one very wicked man can cause to take place among the children of men. (Alma 46:9)
The Book of Mormon also tells the story of a Nephite general named Teancum who was angry at Amalickiah for causing so much dissension and war. On New Year’s Eve, Teancum slipped into the Lamanite camp, assassinated Amalickiah and then returned to the camp of his army.
We read:
And now, it came to pass in the twenty and sixth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, behold, when the Lamanites awoke on the first morning of the first month, behold, they found Amalickiah was dead in his own tent; and they also saw that Teancum was ready to give them battle on that day. (Alma 52:1)
Every time I read this passage, I think about the timing of this assassination. I don’t think it was a coincidence. On New Year’s Eve, Teancum must have determined that the greatest obstacle to the happiness and liberty of the Nephites was Amalickiah. He then personally took it upon himself to remove that obstacle. It was a decisive and symbolic act that demonstrated Teancum’s determination in his righteous cause. Notice that after achieving this feat, Teancum did not sit on his laurels or waste time celebrating. We read that on New Year’s day he was again prepared and ready to fight against the Nephite’s enemies.
As Teancum witnessed, there were others who were prepared to take up Amalickiah’s wickedness and continue the fight against the Nephites. Amalickiah’s own brother, Ammoron, became the new king of the Lamanites and continued the wars against the Nephites. Fittingly, Teancum assassinated Ammoron as well. Unfortunately, Ammoron’s servants were awakened in the process and Teancum was killed. We later read that Ammoron’s son Tubaloth, caused Lamanite armies to go against the Nephites and caused further chaos and devastation.
I find it appropriate now, at the end of this year and after the execution of Saddam Hussein, to ponder these scriptural passages. The Iraqi people have finally seen the permanent removal of a vicious evil man who for so many decades turned the Iraqi state into an institution of murder, war, theft and rape. His execution was a decisive way to end what has been a very difficult year. Still, there seem to be plenty of people who are eager to continue down Saddam’s ruinous path. We shouldn’t be surprised or overly discouraged. Saddam/Amalickiah is dead. There is still rampant evil in the world. Like Teancum we should stand ready to fight against those who pursue corrupt interests and actively seek to destroy the liberty and happiness of the human race.
On that note, Happy New Year.
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So Zemnarihah wasn’t a good enough comparison….
but even the killing of Amalickiah is not a good comparison. After all, Amalickiah was still leading the battle against the Nephites. Furthermore, Amalickiah attacked the Nephites. Furthermore still Amalickiah was a Nephite….
boy, it just doesn’t work, does it. There’s no bad guy in the Book of Mormon that could fit the current situation so you can tie it to a “righteous” action and thus justify this war of choice…..
Dan,
I see reasons for comparison. If you don’t, you don’t. We’ve known for a long time that we disagree on our views of international politics. We’ve argued many times about the significance of events in Iraq, Iran, etc.
Though I disagree with you strongly, I’m glad that Mormons can hold disparate views on things.
#1, Who are you and what have you done to our friend, Dan? He would never post without mentioning George Bush. Expose yourself! I’m calling the cops.
Daniel, thank you for this post. It just dawned on me that it’s the new year and how the Iraqis must be looking forward with hope. I hope that hope will be born out.
I’m re-reading the Book of Mormon for the nth time and I’m going to look for more parallels this time. Last year it was a matter of spiritual survival.
Gee, ain’t it great that a bunch of American Mormons think it’s their right to declare what Iraqis should think about the killing of Saddam? You have no idea what Iraqis think about this, it has become yet more salt in the open sectarian wound we ripped open in Iraq. The cheers of some are the sectarian cheers of death-squad leaders, the protests of some others are sectarian cheers of counter-death squad leaders, the “good guys” do some bad things, the “bad guys” do some good things, most are both good and bad guys, and the Americans (soldiers, citizens and politicians) sit back utterly clueless opining about that which they know not and simultaneously spouting off statements and bullets whose mortal harm they know nothing about (from the American left and right I might add). Learn Arabic before you declare yourself the judge (jury, and executioner) of Iraq. If you can’t do that and hear what Iraqis and Arabs themselves are saying, then just be quiet, you have no right to be part of the debate, all you do is harm Iraq and the Arab world more. Even Moroni the model righteous warrior of the Book of Mormon never declared a right to decide what was best for the Lamanites, only for his own people.
who told Iraqis what to think? That’s what I think. Bite me.
“It just dawned on me that it’s the new year and how the Iraqis must be looking forward with hope.”
Based on what?
I don’t know, I’m a moron. Forget I said anything, and I’m very sorry for my rude comment. Daniel, I’m sorry.
Well, I guess maybe I started thinking it was significant that they rushed to kill him, maybe it had something to do with the new year. Because in America, he’d be living the high life on death row for the next 25 years and writing his memoirs.
Yeah, sorry, substance of the thing aside, I came out swinging too much too.
“NonArab-Arab” - what is that moniker supposed to convey? Are you Arab or not?
I have studied Arabic quite a bit. However, I don’t think that study of Arabic has to be an absolute requirement for someone to have an informed opinion on contemporary events and politics.
Also, I have to differ with you on your point about Moroni. I think in fact Moroni had quite a bit to say about “what was best for the Lamanites.”
Danithew: Interesting take. I can’t at all agree, however, with the comparisons you raise from the Book of Mormon to what is happening in Iraq.
One thing in your post, though, made me think:
Had George Bush, or anyone else for that matter, come up with a plan to assassinate Saddam, I think it would have been a more moral course of action than what has evolved. After all, it is better that one man perish, than an entire nation dwindle in unbelief.
That said, I think we are probably missing the primary focus and point of the Book of Mormon. It is not a war planning manual, or a geography book, or a science book, or necessarily a detailed history book. Rather, its primary purpose and focus, taken from its own title page:
I can appreciate we likely have differing political views on Iraq–but really–I think they are just that: political. I just think it too far a stretch to be able to justify what is going on, or see comparisons in what is going on in Iraq today based on some portions of the Book of Mormon.
I’m not trying to suggest there may not be some similarities. There was evil in the Book of Mormon. There exists evil today. There was war, killing, death and destruction in the Book of Mormon. There are the same things today.
The crowning event of the Book of Mormon is Christ’s appearance as a resurrected Being to preach His gospel to the Nephites. As a result of His appearance and teachings of the Gospel of Peace–the Nephites nearly reached Zion like status–but for their own eventual pride and worldliness. Things with which I think we are too obsessed today.
Just my opinion.
Cool insight. I had never noticed the date of the assassination before.
Bradley,
Even the date is not a good comparison. Amalickiah was assassinated on the night before the first day of the first month. Saddam was executed on the 30th day of the 12th month…..Happy New Year’s Eve?
Dan, nothing indicates that Bradley was referring to the comparison … from what I read in his comment, he was referring merely to the time of year that Amalickiah’s assassination took place.
You need to chill out. This thread really isn’t all about you.
Guy, I think you are right that the Book of Mormon has a broad general purpose … but I also like to dig into the details and see what I can come up with. I don’t know if the Nephite wars should be used at all as a strategy guide - but I do think there are true principles we can learn from.
Every time I read this passage, I think about the timing of this assassination. I don’t think it was a coincidence.
FDR once said:
non-Arab Arab, I’m curious, also, about what that means.
The more I think about it, the more I think the date has significance. I’m also intrigued by the contention between the Iraqis and the Americans about how to handle Sadaam’s body.
At the risk of offending NAA (:) it looks to me like Americans took this more seriously and respectfully than the Iraqis did. Their hatred (those who do hate him) must be fierce indeed.
But if somebody had murdered, tortured and raped members of my family, I would have no respect either, I guess.
Hi, Dan! Interesting observation about the timing of Teancum’s assassination of Amalickiah, and an interesting comparison with Saddam’s execution. Our family just got to Alma 47 (my kids are dismayed that we didn’t finish the Book of Mormon by the end of the year this time, tho’ we’ve tried to explain that we take it a little slower without a prophetic imperative to pace us) and last night we were all feeling sorry for the poor wife of the King of the Lamanites who ended up married to Amalickiah — not an auspicious betrothal for her, we all felt.
(BTW I’m trying to think of an adjective for my reaction to your commenters’ assertions that a) Saddam and Amalickiah aren’t identical in every particular, so no similarities between the two have any significance, and b) the only purpose of the Book of Mormon is to show that Jesus is the Christ, and that any other “likening of the scriptures unto ourselves” is frivolous, and c) only those who understand Arabic may form an opinion about whether or not it’s a good thing that Saddam Hussein is gone. I think I’ll go with the adjective “amused.”)
Hey there Zina … glad you stopped by. Just for the record, I think you’re the reason I took the moniker danithew. At least I don’t recall anyone else ever calling me that.
Yes, I think that the wife of Amalickiah was in a pretty lousy place. Become a widow, then marry your husband’s murderer. I don’t even think Shakespeare could think of something like that (ehehehehe).
Can we stop comparing the book of mormon to american foreign policy? In the BOM the goverent was run largely by the church. It is painfully clear that today, such is not the case. These speculations are false attempts to make lds members feel good about living in dark times, with dark leaders in power all over the world, even in the US.
I fear all a post like this does confuse honest people into beleving that the us government is somehow controlled by gospel principal.
Scott, I’m not comparing Nephite government with the U.S. government. The main comparison here is of Amalickiah and Saddam. Yes, I discuss Teancum’s role in ending Amalickiah’s life and note that Saddam has been executed. But I’m not really comparing Teancum to anyone specific.
danithew, fair enough.
I couldn’t help but notice this week the likeness of Vladimir Putin to Amalickiah. He has taken over the free press of Russia (Alma 48:1) and waged a relentless propaganda attack against his political opponents, other world leaders, and his tiny neighbors. And with what purpose? To bring them into bondage (Alma 48:2-5). He has murdered countless members of the press (estimates of 1-2 monthly for the past 6 years) and his critics, using poison (remember the guy in UK poisoned by polonium and the President of Ukraine?) and murder.
The spirit and character of Amalickiah are alive in our own day. Vladimir Putin is his reincarnation!