Fighting Lost Causes

"The one perfectly divine thing, the one glimpse of God's paradise given on earth, is to fight a losing battle-and not lose it." G.K. Chesterton

The second to last chapter in the Book of Mormon is a letter written by Moroni’s father, Mormon.

At the beginning of the letter, Mormon expresses frustration over the behavior of his army. Attempts to discipline their base behavior causes anger. Saying nothing brings even more unrestrained debauchery.

And then he writes what has become my Reason to Fight for Lost Causes:

“And now, my loved son, notwithstanding THEIR hardness, let US labor diligently; for if WE should cease to labor, WE should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God.” (Moroni 9:6)

True disciples of Jesus Christ do the right thing, and don’t alter their behavior or choices because of someone else’s behavior or choices.

The disciple of Christ leaves an unmistakable record of where he stands with this independence. Our choices reveal our character, our desires - and WHOSE we really are. They reveal the principles we value the most.

As the letter progresses and the army’s behavior sinks ever lower, phrases like these are tragic and sobering:

 - “they are without order and without mercy”

 - “ I cannot any longer enforce my commands”

 - “they delight in everything save that which is good”

 - “THEY ARE WITHOUT PRINCIPLE AND PAST FEELING” (Moroni 9:18-20)

That last one jumped off the page this time. Not because it’s surprising that a nation who has rejected God has become past feeling for mankind. That’s simply a test-and-measure statement of natural law.

What really got me was why: the people were without principle.

And then, perversely, I shook my head and laughed ruefully over the clever sophistry of the destroyer.

How do you get a society to completely abandon law and order - become past feeling? By getting it to abandon its principles.

BUT - how do you get a society to abandon its principles?

By focusing ONLY on feelings. At first. Ironic much?

But the greatest thinkers and writers and doers of the ages know this one great truth: principles are for the very times when our fickle human feelings cannot be trusted.

Principles are to prevent our feelings from betraying us. They’re for clinging to in the storm.

They’re for keeping us from becoming beasts.

Principles are what drive us to fight for a lost cause, because in the end - fighting for God - and the rights of His children - is NOT a lost cause because it’s fighting WITH God. And God wins.

This book is exquisite. The people in it are noble and heroic, and testify of Jesus Christ.

The principles in the Book of Mormon can prevent individuals - and nations - from succumbing to fickle feelings - abandoning those principles - and becoming past feeling.

I would commend you to seek this Jesus (Ether 12:41) who walks the pages of this book, and changed forever the lives of those who followed Him.

He’s changed me, and continues to. I’m so grateful I’ve learned that even awkward and clumsy attempts to follow Him… count.