Alma 31:2 "For it was the cause of great sorrow to Alma to know of iniquity among his people; therefore his heart was exceedingly sorrowful because of the separation of the Zoramites from the Nephites."
I noted in these verses how Alma feels about his fellowman, and our contrast (in general) in our day.
In American culture we try to let others find their own happiness. We don't worry whether they find that happiness in sin or righteousness, as long as their happiness doesn't step on our rights, or in some cases, offend us.
If somebody unrelated to us is living wickedly we tend to just plain forget about them. We may make snide remarks, or judge their choices, but within minutes we've moved on without another thought.
In other instances we take great offense. We grow angry, and our hearts become inflamed with indignation. We are so proud of our own righteousness that we make the grave error of playing God by passing judgment upon our brethren.
In contrast, Alma worries over the sins of his brethren, not out of indignation, but out of love. He's concerned that the judgment of God will come down upon them because of their wickedness. He wants them to repent, and not because of some imaginary offense against him.
He also doesn't ignore the problem. He doesn't look upon sin and inequality with a blind eye to what he doesn't want to see. He wants his people to be happy, all of them. He wants them to live righteously for their sake, not his own.
So, the question I pose is how can we use Alma's example in our present day? How can we change our perspective and approach to today's political climate so that we don't look like a bunch of radical haters?
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