Comments on Alma 54 This chapter recounts an exchange of letters between the military leaders of the warring Nephites and Lamanites. The interesting (dare I say "entertaining") thing in these letters is the complete lack of decorum in trading insults. Moroni insults the Lamanites as being squatters in what was originally Nephite land (v. 6, 12), and then threatens them with taking it back from them (v. 13). He also insults Ammoron personally by labeling him an apostate (v. 8) a child of hell (v. 11), and a murderer (v. 13). Ammoron responds in kind by calling Moroni a murderer (v. 16, 22), accuses the Nephites of not following the traditional norms of patriarchal government (v. 17), mocks Moroni for what he considers feeble threats (v. 19), and insults the Nephites for being kidnappers (v. 23). To top it all off, Moroni gets angry at Ammoron's response (cf. 55:1). Well, Moroni, what do you expect when you call someone an apostate murdering child of hell? Even if Ammoron was an apostate murdering child of hell, and it certainly looks like he was, you don't get very far in negotiations with people like that when you point out to them that is what they are. And even still, Ammoron agreed to Moroni's condition to turn over the whole family, but Moroni refused because he was angry about Ammoron's lies and false justification. Well, what do you expect from an apostate murdering child of hell, an apology? Overall, not an effective attempt at diplomacy. v1-3 Moroni gets word from Ammoron via one of his servants (cf. v. 4) that he is interested in exchanging prisoners (v. 1). Moroni is pleased about the opportunity to exchange as then he can use available provisions for his own men and strengthen his army (v. 2). But, as the Lamanites had taken many women and children hostage in addition to the men Moroni decides he wants them back too as part of the exchange (v. 3). v1 "Ammoron sent unto Moroni", there is no explicit reference to a letter being written by Ammoron. It is plain from v. 4 that Ammoron sent one of his servants to Moroni, so its entirely possible the message was transmitted by the servant and wasn't written. This would explain the lack of an documentation of Ammoron's first message when Mormon quotes the two subsequent letters apparently verbatim. v2 If Moroni was so eager to do the exchange then his approach in the letter was certainly counterproductive. While Moroni was obviously a great military leader he certainly was no diplomat. v3 "the Lamanites had taken many women and children", it is only natural to assume the worst when you read about women and children being taken captive during war. However, the text indicates the men and women and children were all held captive together, cf. 55:6-7. As the Lamanites were invading the Nephites there wouldn't have been any opportunity for the Nephites to capture Lamanite women and children as they were left at home. And, when the Lamanites captured a Nephite city, then all the women and children went along with the men. There is nothing in the text to suggest any despicable goings on with respect to the women and children. What little there is suggests quite the opposite. v4-14 Moroni writes a letter to Ammoron and sends it back with the servant who delivered the first message (v. 4). The letter threatens Ammoron with death if he does not withdraw the invasion (v. 5-10). He offers to exchange prisoners if Ammoron delivers up entire families (v. 11). Moroni then goes on to threaten Ammoron with a counter-invasion if he doesn't withdraw (v. 12- 13), and then concludes (v. 14). v12-13 This threat by Moroni is rather out of character for him, nonetheless he seems serious about it as is evidenced by his statement in 55:3. He is the one who never sheds blood needlessly (cf. 43:54, 44:20, 55:19). However, from 44:17 it is plain that when Moroni is sufficiently angered he will go all out for blood. The threat never comes to pass though. v15-24 Ammoron replies back with a letter full of anger (v. 15). Ammoron returns slap for slap by saying it is Moroni who is the murderer, and he is avenging the blood of his brother in attacking the Nephites (v. 16). He then gives the standard Lamanite position on why they hate the Nephites (cp. 20:13, Mosiah 10:12-18) and uses that as justification for the current invasion (v. 17-18). He reiterates he finds Moroni's threats to be unimpressive (v. 19), but regardless, Ammoron agrees to Moroni's conditions of exchange so he can save his provisions for his own men so they can wage war against the Nephites (v. 20). Ammoron then responds to the personal attacks by saying God will punish Moroni for murdering his brother just as much as He is going to punish himself (v. 21-22). Ammoron then takes a final shot at Moroni by saying his ancestor Zoram was kidnaped by Nephi (v. 23). He then closes the letter by reiterating the justification for the war (v. 24). v17, 23 The interesting thing here is Ammoron accepts the secular history of their ancestors yet rejects the religious history in v. 21-22. His use of such historical details as arguments undercuts his own position. v19 Given Moroni's track record on sparing the Lamanites whenever they are losing and willing to surrender, its not hard to see why Ammoron doesn't find his threats convincing. v23 Ammoron apparently uses this as an additional indicator of Nephi's faulty character to bolster the accusation in v. 17. He is probably also intending to use it to foil Moroni's accusation of apostasy in v. 8. Thus, Ammoron would be saying he is truly a Lamanite, and not a dissident Nephite, fighting for his rights because his ancestral father was kidnaped from Jerusalem by Nephi. Copyright © 2001 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form or by any means for commercial gain without the express written consent of the author. Digital or printed copies may be freely made and distributed for personal and public non-commercial use.