SCRIPTURE POWER
The King James Version of Ephesians 4:26 states: “Be ye angry, and sin not” The Prophet Joseph Smith changed this to: “Can ye be angry, and not sin?” (JST Eph. 4:26) Similarly the sermon on the mount was changed from “whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause” (Matt. 5:22) to: “omit the words “without a cause”. The similar sermon at the temple in Bountiful in 3 Ne. 12:22 also removes the phrase “without a cause”. There is no justification to be angry.
In Nephi’s Psalm (2 Ne. 4) he refers to Laman and Lemuel as his “enemies” (v 22) and Satan as his “enemy” (v 27) He explains that when we become angry we lose peace and allow Satan to control us.
He writes: “And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy? Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul. Do not anger again because of mine enemies. (2 Ne. 4:27-29)
Even though Laman and Lemuel had been angry at him to the point of attempting to kill him three (3) times (1 Ne. 7:16, 16:37, 17:48) he realized that when he became angry he lost the peace of the Spirit and allowed Satan to partially control him. In the very next chapter a similar situation occurs. His brothers are angry and once again attempt to kill him. However, Nephi responds without anger and is blessed by the warning of the Spirit. “their anger did increase against me…they seek to take away my life. And it came to pass that the Lord did warn me, that I, Nephi, should depart from them” (2 Ne. 5: 2, 4-5) Later in this chapter he describes “that we lived after the manner of happiness” (2 Ne. 5:27).
On the first day of Jesus’ three day visit one of the first things he taught was: “For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.” (3 Ne. 11: 29-30)
Mormon provides a great tribute to Moroni but also includes six (6) times in which Moroni was angry:
“And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and slavery; Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people. Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood…Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.” (Alma 48: 11-13, 17)
Nevertheless, Mormon also includes six (6) instances of his anger:
“Moroni was angry, because of the stubbornness of the Lamanites;” (Alma 44:17)
“And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the chief commander of the armies of the Nephites, had heard of these dissensions, he was angry with Amalickiah.” (Alma 46:11)
And it came to pass that when Moroni saw this, and also saw that the Lamanites were coming into the borders of the land, he was exceedingly wroth because of the stubbornness of those people whom he had labored with so much diligence to preserve; yea, he was exceedingly wroth; his soul was filled with anger against them” (Alma 51:14)
Moroni’s letter to Ammoron: “Behold, I am in my anger,” (Alma 54:13) After reading Ammoron’s reply: “Now it came to pass that when Moroni had received this epistle he was more angry,” (Alma 55:1)
“Moroni was angry with the government, because of their indifference concerning the freedom of their country.” (Alma 59:13)
Perhaps a purpose in mentioning these instances of Moroni’s anger is to illustrate the greatness of Pahoran’s reply when falsely accused by Moroni. “And now, in your epistle you have censured me, but it mattered not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart.” (Alma 61:9)
Mormon’s letter to his son also named Moroni: “And now behold, my son, I fear lest the Lamanites shall destroy this people; for they do not repent, and Satan stirreth them up continually to anger one with another. Behold, I am laboring with them continually; and when I speak the word of God with sharpness they tremble and anger against me; and when I use no sharpness they harden their hearts against it; wherefore, I fear lest the Spirit of the Lord hath ceased striving with them. For so exceedingly do they anger that it seemeth me that they have no fear of death; and they have lost their love, one towards another; and they thirst after blood and revenge continually.” (Moroni 9:3-5) Anger causes a loss of love.
Solution to avoid contention- “Thus did Alma teach his people, that every man should love his neighbor as himself, that there should be no contention among them.” (Mosiah 23:15)
Sister Marilyn Arnold said: “Mormon elected to include in his abridgment the full text of three important epistles exchanged during Pahoran's rule. These letters, taken as a whole, illustrate Pahoran's incredible magnanimity and forgiving nature. The letters were written in the midst of warfare with the external and internal enemies of the Church and state. The first letter, from Helaman2 to Moroni1, details victories, defeats, and sufferings attributed to the apparent neglect of Pahoran and his government to send provisions and reinforcements to the battlefront (Alma 58:3 –9, 34–36). Moroni sent an epistle to Pahoran requesting more men for Helaman's army, but it was not included in the record and Pahoran may have never received it (Alma 59:3). The second epistle included was again from Moroni to Pahoran (Alma 60), and the third is from Pahoran to Moroni (Alma 61). Angered at the circumstances and at Pahoran's failure to answer his first request, Moroni sent a scathing letter to the chief judge. He went so far as to accuse Pahoran of being a traitor, and he threatened to march on Zarahemla and make war on him (Alma 60:27 –30).
Pahoran's reply is an example of Christ's injunction to turn the other cheek, and it teaches the modern reader the appropriate way to respond to false accusations (3 Ne. 12:11; Matt. 5:11). Rather than responding angrily, Pahoran quietly explained that he had been driven out of Zarahemla and his government taken over by dissenters. Then he wrote, "In your epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart " (Alma 61:9). That Pahoran did not take offense when wrongly accused, that he did not return the wrong but instead absorbed it, defines the man.” — (The Book of Mormon Reference Companion)
Elder Neal A. Maxwell said: “Anxious Moroni did not have all the facts, as is evident in his biting complaint to Pahoran. Pahoran's meek reply is a lesson to us all, as it certainly must have been to Moroni. . . . Where individuals have said too much with too little data, meekness plays a very crucial, correcting role in what follows.” (“Meek and Lowly”, pages 23 & 25)
Elder David A. Bednar said: “During a perilous period of war, an exchange of letters occurred between Moroni, the captain of the Nephite armies, and Pahoran, the chief judge and governor of the land. Moroni, whose army was suffering because of inadequate support from the government, wrote to Pahoran “by the way of condemnation” (Alma 60:2) and harshly accused him of thoughtlessness, slothfulness, and neglect. Pahoran might easily have resented Moroni and his message, but he chose not to take offense. Pahoran responded compassionately and described a rebellion against the government about which Moroni was not aware. And then he responded, “Behold, I say unto you, Moroni, that I do not joy in your great afflictions, yea, it grieves my soul. … And now, in your epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart” (Alma 61:2, 9).
One of the greatest indicators of our own spiritual maturity is revealed in how we respond to the weaknesses, the inexperience, and the potentially offensive actions of others. A thing, an event, or an expression may be offensive, but you and I can choose not to be offended—and to say with Pahoran, “it mattereth not.” (General Conference, Oct. 2006, ‘And Nothing Shall Offend Them’)
Elder Lynn G. Robbins said: “A cunning part of his strategy is to dissociate anger from agency, making us believe that we are victims of an emotion that we cannot control. We hear, “I lost my temper.” Losing one’s temper is an interesting choice of words that has become a widely used idiom. To “lose something” implies “not meaning to,” “accidental,” “involuntary,” “not responsible”—careless perhaps but “not responsible.”
“He made me mad.” This is another phrase we hear, also implying lack of control or agency. This is a myth that must be debunked. No one makes us mad. Others don’t make us angry. There is no force involved. Becoming angry is a conscious choice, a decision; therefore, we can make the choice not to become angry. We choose!
To those who say, “But I can’t help myself,” author William Wilbanks responds: “Nonsense.”
“Aggression, … suppressing the anger, talking about it, screaming and yelling,” are all learned strategies in dealing with anger. “We choose the one that has proved effective for us in the past. Ever notice how seldom we lose control when frustrated by our boss, but how often we do when annoyed by friends or family?” (“The New Obscenity,” Reader’s Digest, Dec. 1988, 24; emphasis added).…The Lord expects us to make the choice not to become angry.
Nor can becoming angry be justified. In Matthew 5, verse 22, the Lord says: “But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment” (emphasis added). How interesting that the phrase “without a cause” is not found in the inspired Joseph Smith Translation (see Matt. 5:24), nor in the 3 Nephi 12:22 version. When the Lord eliminates the phrase “without a cause,” He leaves us without an excuse. “But this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away” (3 Ne. 11:30). We can “do away” with anger, for He has so taught and commanded us.
Anger is a yielding to Satan’s influence by surrendering our self-control. It is the thought-sin that leads to hostile feelings or behavior. It is the detonator of road rage on the freeway, flare-ups in the sports arena, and domestic violence in homes.” (“Agency and Anger”, Ensign, May, 1998).
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