today's scripture study

This morning I was reading in Alma, about Alma and Amulek teaching the people of Ammonihah. I was especially struck by Chapter 10, where Amulek begins to speak. The people are particularly annoyed that one of their own is speaking out against them and their actions, and so the lawyers and judges decide to try and trap him. But he, with the help of the Lord, figures out what their up to, and he again condemns their actions. This makes the people even more angry, and they claim that he is reviling their laws. Amulek explains that he did not speak against their law -- rather, he spoke in favor of their law, and that law condemns them. The people's response? "The hypocrite! First he speaks against our law, and now he claims that he didn't speak against our law. He's a liar and a child of the devil." (To read the real version of what happened, as opposed to my personal summary of it, click here.)

Anyway, what struck me with this account, was that it sure sounds a lot like what's been going on in our country lately. I think it's particularly relevant to the fiasco surrounding Terri Schiavo these days, but it's been going on for years. It really brought home to me Mosiah's prophecy that "if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction" (Mosiah 29:27). For several years, that's been one of my favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon. Now, it almost scares me.

And now, to lighten the mood of this rather somber post, I leave you with this light-hearted quote.

"Surely you can't be serious?"
"I am serious. And don't call me Shirley."
(5 points)