Most of us will readily admit that the world we live in today is not the same world that our parents grew up in—much less the same world our grandparents grew up in.  In fact, we recognize that it is not even the same world that we lived in just three years ago. While most of us realize that life in America and throughout the world has dramatically changed, many of us wonder what is happening to our once-prosperous, free, and peaceful land and why these changes are occurring.

We addressed some of these issues in my previous article posted in Meridian Magazine, wherein I provided an example of the parallels between Nephite society leading up to the first coming of Jesus Christ to the ancient Americans and the societal conditions occurring in our own day. As you will recall, President Ezra Taft Benson taught, “The record of the Nephite history [The Book of Mormon] just prior to the Savior’s visit reveals many parallels to our own day as we anticipate the Savior’s second coming.” In this follow-up article, I will provide another compelling example of the numerous parallels that are featured in my book, The Coming of Christ: Ancient & Latter-day Parallels.

The Nephites Support the Gadianton Robbers

Chapter 38 of my book, entitled The Nephites Support the Gadianton Robbers, delves into the machinations of the ancient American secret combination that grew in power as Nephite society increased in wickedness.  While the Nephites increased in unbelief and wickedness, the Lamanites grew in righteousness and their knowledge of God (Helaman 6:34).  After losing their faith and the Spirit of God, the Nephites began to more fully support and sustain the Gadianton robbers, while the Lamanites were wise enough to eradicate this evil influence from among their people, whether it was by preaching the gospel to them or removing them by force.

The Nephites not only supported the Gadianton robbers, but they embraced their false teachings and their evil ways, shared in their ill-gotten spoils, and ultimately joined their secret combinations.  Apparently they also placed the Gadiantons in positions of leadership and public office, as these plotters were able to take complete control of the Nephite government. The robbers did not need to overthrow the government by force, since the Nephites were willing to grant them complete control without resistance. In other words, the Gadiantons did not need to hijack the car; the Nephites willfully put them in the driver’s seat and handed them the car keys. The Lamanite approach to the secret combination problem among them—eradication—as opposed to the Nephite approach—accommodation—could be one reason why the Lamanites ultimately survived and the Nephites were annihilated in the end.

Helaman 6:37-40

37 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did hunt the band of robbers of Gadianton; and they did preach the word of God among the more wicked part of them, insomuch that this band of robbers was utterly destroyed from among the Lamanites.

38 And it came to pass on the other hand, that the Nephites did build them up and support them, beginning at the more wicked part of them, until they had overspread all the land of the Nephites, and had seduced the more part of the righteous until they had come down to believe in their works and partake of their spoils, and to join with them in their secret murders and combinations.

39 And thus they did obtain the sole management of the government, insomuch that they did trample under their feet and smite and rend and turn their backs upon the poor and the meek, and the humble followers of God.

40 And thus we see that they were in an awful state, and ripening for an everlasting destruction.

Just as the Nephites built up and supported the secret combinations in their day, Americans and people throughout the world—even members of the Church—are at risk of supporting a global secret combination that is growing in power and influence in our day.  If we neglect to thoroughly vet all political candidates—separating the freemen from the king-men—we might unknowingly elect modern-day Gadiantons into public office. If we fail to actively research the important political issues of the day, we could inadvertently support the Gadiantons’ freedom-destroying public policies.  Without conducting our due diligence, we could be at risk of embracing their political platforms and destructive beliefs without realizing it.  In our silence and complacency, we might allow them to teach false principles and ideologies, such as socialism, to our children in government-run schools. Whether we do these things intentionally or unknowingly, from a temporal perspective the outcome is the same.

Observation and experience would indicate that the latter-day Gadiantons exercise great influence in the corporate news media, public forums, motion pictures, television programs, social media, and public education system, enabling them to disseminate their propaganda and thereby sway public opinion on war, politics, science, religion, business, medicine, and social and moral issues.  They are like a contaminating leaven that spreads throughout society and corrupts the hearts and minds of the people.  They have the ability, as Isaiah prophesied, to make good appear evil, and evil appear good (Isaiah 5:20).  Just as in the days of the Jaredites, so it is today, for “so great had been the spreading of this wicked and secret society that it had corrupted the hearts of all the people” (Ether 9:6). Like the Nephites before us, it appears that we have unwittingly given the Gadiantons the keys to the car.

The Parable of the Wild Pigs: Seduction of the Citizenry

Many years ago, I heard someone relate an insightful story which could be considered a modern-day parable that perfectly illustrates this principle of corrupting or seducing the populace by way of government largesse.  While searching for an alternative food source to feed their hungry families, a certain community determined that the wild pigs which lived in the woods near their village would be a wonderful supplement to their diet.  Equipped with only the most rudimentary weapons, the villagers soon discovered that the pigs were too smart and fast for them to be captured or killed with their crude handmade spears.

After some thought and observation the villagers learned that the wild pigs often foraged for food in certain areas of the woods.  The hunters decided to strategically place small piles of corn in an open meadow in the woods to see if the pigs would eat it.  From the vantage point of their hiding place within the woods, the hunters observed the cautious pigs suspiciously approach the small piles of corn in the meadow, and after they determined there was no threat, they quickly consumed the free meal.

The next day, the hunters provided more corn for the pigs, however this time they added two fence posts and a section of fencing to connect the posts, and then once again watched from their hiding place.  As expected, the pigs came to the meadow foraging for food, found the corn along with the small section of fence, and once they determined the fencing posed no danger, they commenced eating the readily available meal.  On the third day, the hunters spread out their little piles of corn in addition to another section of fence, and as anticipated, the pigs arrived for their easy meal, paying little attention to the new section of fence.  Each subsequent day, the hunters provided free corn to the pigs, and each day they also installed a new section of fence until they nearly completed a large pen with a gate opening on the final side wherein the pigs could still enter to access their free meal.  Forgetting how to forage for food in the wild, or perhaps simply losing the desire to expend the effort, the pigs relied totally on the free corn for their daily sustenance.

On the greatly anticipated day of final execution of their plan, the hunters laid out their corn bait, installed their new gate which they left wide open, and waited in the woods for the arrival of the wild pigs.  The pigs made their appearance just as they had for many previous days, and entered the completed pen through the gate and began to eat the corn, oblivious to the dangers around them.  At just the right moment, the hunters sprang from their hiding places and slammed the gate shut to the horror of the pigs.  They shrieked and scurried around the pen looking for an escape route, but it was too late.  The wild pigs were no longer able to roam the woods at will, and enjoy their previous privileges and freedoms.  Due to their reliance on the free and easily accessible food source, they were now prisoners to their conspiring captors who looked forward to many months of feasting on delicious roast pork.  Giving up any hope of escape, the pigs settled down, accepted their captivity, and continued to eat the free corn.

It is not difficult to recognize the analogy to the strategy employed by would-be authoritarians in our present-day situation.  Today, many political leaders offer the people welfare programs, free education, free healthcare, free food, subsidized housing, and a plethora of other social programs to bribe the citizens in exchange for their votes and support of their unconstitutional schemes.  Each offering of public handouts serves as an enticing portion of “free corn” which is accompanied by a new section of freedom-depriving “fencing.”  While we are seduced by the myriad free offerings—not to mention society’s many distractions of recreation and entertainment—we fail to notice that our freedoms are withering away as we become more dependent on our supposed benefactors.  We must awaken to the dangers that await us if we unwisely “believe in their works and partake of their spoils” (Helaman 6:38), before the gate is slammed shut and it is everlastingly too late.

The Prophet Nephi warned us about the enticements of the devil and his collaborators, “And there are also secret combinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever” (2 Nephi 26:22).  Many will follow the enemy of our souls willingly, requiring only a thin flaxen cord of enticing free gifts and seductive philosophies to lead them into bondage, until he eventually binds them down with the strong cords of oppressive laws, authoritarian government, addictive habits, and entitlement mentalities.

Benjamin Franklin is credited with saying, “When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.” We have seen this prediction fulfilled, for a recent report indicates that “52 percent of U.S. households—more than half—now receive benefits from the government.” President Ezra Taft Benson taught, “In that sacred volume of scripture, the Book of Mormon, we note the great and prolonged struggle for liberty. We also note the complacency of the people and their frequent willingness to give up their liberty for the promises of a would-be provider.”

When Jesus Christ fed the multitudes with loaves and fishes during His mortal ministry, many people expended great effort, even crossing the Sea of Galilee, to follow Him.  “And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye desire to keep my sayings, neither because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled” (JST John 6:25-26).  In other words, many people sought out the Lord not for His gospel teachings, nor were they looking for the Messiah through whom they could gain eternal life, but they pursued Him for free food obtained without labor.  Unfortunately, we witness this same phenomenon in our nation today.

Emphasizing the importance of free enterprise and financial self-reliance to our overall personal freedom, President David O. McKay taught, “The fostering of full economic freedom lies at the base of our liberties. Only in perpetuating economic freedom can our social, political, and religious liberties be preserved.” We are never truly free or independent if we rely on the public coffers for our livelihood and sustenance.

The people inadvertently demonstrate their allegiance to the modern-day Gadianton robbers by electing their candidates into office in exchange for the promises of government benefits, after which these compromised politicians can fill many of the judgment seats, office staffs, cabinet positions, bureaucratic agencies, innumerable departments, and other positions of power within government with their loyal accomplices.  This is the means by which secret combinations are able to “obtain the sole management of the government” (Helaman 6:39).  This is how a once-free people lose their precious constitutional rights and God-given freedoms, which is the inevitable result if the people cease to worship and obey the true God.

Conclusion

Hopefully these examples will provide all of us with a greater appreciation for declarations made by latter-day prophets that the Book of Mormon was written for our day. The Nephite record clearly highlights both positive and negative experiences in this ancient American society, and my book—comprised of 57 chapters of parallels—analyzes both their good and poor examples, allowing us to learn from their admirable qualities as well as their unfortunate mistakes. For positive parallels, The Coming of Christ: Ancient & Latter-day Parallels discusses how the Lord provides a technological advantage to preserve the righteous, how righteous leaders bless a nation, how righteousness promotes freedom and prosperity, how the Lord strengthens those who repent, how war can soften (or harden) our hearts, how the Lord blesses the grateful and obedient, how trials provide growth experiences, and how we may become sanctified through the atonement of Jesus Christ. Alternatively, this book investigates the negative societal impact of wicked leaders, unjust wars, public contentions and dissensions, replacement of just laws with unjust laws, power-seeking secret combinations, class envy and warfare, the pride cycle, societal deterioration, rejection of true prophets, and government corruption and ultimate destruction.

A thought-provoking mix of religion, politics, and current events, this study includes teachings of the latter-day prophets of God and the Founding Fathers of our nation, as well as timely discussions on constitutional principles, personal rights and freedoms, recent political controversies, societal developments, moral issues, and economic policies, all supported by numerous faith-promoting personal stories and modern-day parables that teach eternal principles. Strengthen your testimony and deepen your understanding of the coming days with this insightful discussion of the signs and conditions of the times, and learn what we can do, in the process, to prepare ourselves both temporally and spiritually for the trials that lie ahead.