Cancel Culture and Alma 34

[Bernard Gui]

In a recent Entmoot amongst the Guisons, the topic of Cancel Culture came up…as seen through the lens of Amulek’s sermon in Alma 34.

Abogadissimo made this observation:“

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This current cultural movement is focused on justice for past and present sins (of racism, sexism, homophobia, etc.).  There are parallels with the law of Moses’ “eye for an eye” ethic.  If you look at civilizations that seek justice for past wrongs they never escape the cycles of bloodshed and retribution (see the Middle East and just about any other ethnic conflict).  No amount of sacrifice - human or otherwise - seems to be enough.  Only a religion that allows for mercy allows for an escape from that cycle.  And that mercy must be based on something that fully satisfies past wrongs.

v. 12 - “nothing which is short of an infinite atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world“ - the Atonement applies not just to individual sins but “sins of the world” which might include cultural and “systemic” sins v. 13 - “it is expedient there should be a stop to the shedding of blood” - I’ve always thought this applied to law of Moses (animal sacrifice), but it seems any system based on justice alone cannot escape a cycle of bloodshed and retribution v. 15 - “he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name” - the only way the Atonement can have effect is through faith, which is much harder - but infinitely more effective- than coercion.  Tactics matter. v. 16 - “thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice” - today’s cultural movement seeks safety through justice, which is impossible. True safety can only be found through mercy based on the infinite Atonement of Jesus Christ.

To which Cellissimo replied:

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Looking at human history, it seems man’s “justice” almost always ends in bloodshed.  Only the concept of mercy (embodied by Jesus) can satisfy the perpetual human thirst for “justice”.  It’s no wonder that as our society systemically rejects the savior that we see a systemic call for this kind of justice. “Gods love balances justice and mercy in divine due process-beside which our mortal due process is, comparatively, either a kangaroo court or an orgy of unredeeming indulgence.”- Neal Maxwell

Artisticosso then said:

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Perfect reason why an infinite atonement is necessary. We can not predict what future humans will consider sins of the past, therefore it's impossible to ever reach balance or justice, making the basic case that the only way out of this is Christ.

And finally in response, Cellissimo said:

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“40 And now my beloved brethren, I would exhort you to have patience, and that ye bear with all manner of afflictions; that ye do not revile against those who do cast you out because of your exceeding poverty, lest ye become sinners like unto them” Don’t we see this being fulfilled in many instances?

Words one may have said or actions one may have taken decades ago can be brought up with no possibility of mercy, and a lifetime can be erased. It seems to me that we are living in an era in which many have eliminated repentance, redemption, and forgiveness from public discourse. This is antithetical to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Is this what a world with justice but no mercy looks like?

Edited July 21, 2020 by Bernard Gui

[Robert F. Smith]

33 minutes ago, Bernard Gui said:

................... the topic of Cancel Culture came up…as seen through the lens of Amulek’s sermon in Alma 34.............................

Words one may have said or actions one may have taken decades ago can be brought up with no possibility of mercy, and a lifetime can be erased. It seems to me that we are living in an era in which many have eliminated repentance, redemption, and forgiveness from public discourse. This is antithetical to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Is this what a world with justice but no mercy looks like?

Congressman John Lewis said:

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“part of the effort of the movement was to tame the madness of men to take the beast that lives in all of us and turn it towards love to show human kind a different way of compassion, of connection, and community of peace and non-violence. No, you can’t take an eye for an eye. If you do, we will all be blind.”

Douglas Murray compared today's cancel culture to the old trials for witchcraft.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVqu4BmYyXI.

Peter Hitchens attributes it to the new religion of Selfism, which has a strong belief in one's own virtue.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7K1A8jgF1w.

[Ahab]

35 minutes ago, Bernard Gui said:

In a recent Entmoot amongst the Guisons, the topic of Cancel Culture came up…as seen through the lens of Amulek’s sermon in Alma 34.

Abogadissimo made this observation:“

To which Cellissimo replied:

Artisticosso then said:

And finally in response, Cellissimo said:

Words one may have said or actions one may have taken decades ago can be brought up with no possibility of mercy, and a lifetime can be erased. It seems to me that we are living in an era in which many have eliminated repentance, redemption, and forgiveness from public discourse. This is antithetical to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Is this what a world with justice but no mercy looks like?

I think so.  Justice demands an equal amount of suffering on both sides, the one who causes someone to suffer suffering as much as the one who has suffered from that person's actions.  Someone has got to pay that price, to satisfy the demands of justice, and if someone is able to pay that price not only for the actions of one person but for all people who suffer, from every kind of suffering, we call that person the Savior of all who have suffered for anything.  And those who realize that price has been paid, that justice has been satisfied, are then free to forgive while knowing justice has been satisfied while they express gratitude that someone has paid the price for any suffering they have caused others to feel.

[CV75]

3 hours ago, Bernard Gui said:

In a recent Entmoot amongst the Guisons, the topic of Cancel Culture came up…as seen through the lens of Amulek’s sermon in Alma 34.

Abogadissimo made this observation:“

To which Cellissimo replied:

Artisticosso then said:

And finally in response, Cellissimo said:

Words one may have said or actions one may have taken decades ago can be brought up with no possibility of mercy, and a lifetime can be erased. It seems to me that we are living in an era in which many have eliminated repentance, redemption, and forgiveness from public discourse. This is antithetical to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Is this what a world with justice but no mercy looks like?

I want to be a Social Mercy Warrior.

[The Nehor]

4 hours ago, Bernard Gui said:

Words one may have said or actions one may have taken decades ago can be brought up with no possibility of mercy, and a lifetime can be erased. It seems to me that we are living in an era in which many have eliminated repentance, redemption, and forgiveness from public discourse. This is antithetical to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Is this what a world with justice but no mercy looks like?

I think you are optimistic about the justice part.

[TheTanakas]

5 hours ago, Bernard Gui said:

This current cultural movement is focused on justice for past and present sins (of racism, sexism, homophobia, etc.).

I work for a bank.  It seems to have a hard time to equate racism with evil or unethical.