Once again, the people of Ammon prove to be some of my favorite people in the whole Book of Mormon. Not only do they become fully converted and lay down their swords, committing to become lifelong pacifists, but they also aren't afraid of welcoming and serving refugees.
The Zoramites were those people who did not allow the poor people to worship God, instead treating them as outcasts. The Ammonites welcomed ALL the poor Zoramites, feeding them, clothing them, giving up their land, and administering to their wants, not just to their needs.
Basically, the Ammonites are an example of the attitude that we should have towards the poor and needy among us today, including real life refugees. See this article for more about the church's initiatives towards refugees.
Answer:
One of the big side effects of faith seems to be the removal of the scarcity mindset that so often plagues us as humans. We begin to see other human beings as our brothers and sisters, and our eternal perspective allows us the space to relax our control and share with others. I am sure that there is a connection between faith and generosity, though it's true that it's not necessarily tied to religious activity. Some of the more generous people I know seem to have a strong aspect of a certain quality of faith, though they may not even believe in God or keep some of the more basic commandments. Yet, there is some kind of belief in there that humankind is valuable. To me, that belief shows faith.
No comments:
Post a Comment