Bro Carlson is misguided if he thinks the Book of Mormon is "about prophets as military leaders in wars'.Maybe he should study the life of the Saviour a bit more and learn words like Compassion,obhorrence to war,love, love thy neighbour and their meaning!
To love and serve God is greater than serving country.We should be more condsiderate when we choose our leaders as examples for this generation.
And those who select should be more aware of Christlike values instead of Head of state values.

So you know more than someone called as a General Authority about what Jesus and the Book of MOrmon teaches. No the Book of MOrmon does not teach us to go into offensive wars. Jesus didn't either.

However there were times in the Old Testament he directed Isreal to destroy the Amelekites. IN the book of Mormon righteous people had to enter a war to defend agency. That is what he did. Even in times of peace the military has to do things to prepare against evil people.

Entering a war is necessary at times. No were in the Book of Mormon or teachings of Christ are lds pacifist. Will defend freedom if necessary. BOM people hated sending people to spirit world unprepared only did to protect family. Carlson abhored war too. Only entered Air Force to protect people from the likes of Hitler and Hussein. If unchecked they would of killed whole continents. What did good people do to deserve that.

Joseph Atwater 7:52 a.m. June 14, 2009 got news for you, just before my enlistment in the Army back in 1975 I received my (Paytreeodical sorry spelling is wrong was unable to find the correct spelling) blessing and I was told in that blessing that serving our country was in keeping with my second estate. So this tells me that God approves military services, how ell are we to remain free from those who would take our rights, liberties and freedoms away from us?

Joseph Atwater is on to something. Many scriptures teach us not to rely on the arm of flesh but the word of God. One of my favorite regarding avoiding war is D&C 98:16,

Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children;

Actually, the Book of Mormon does have examples however few of pacifism. Look in Alma 53 for the story of the people of Ammon (Lamanites) who, after being converted to the gospel by Ammon, took an oath before God to lay down their weapons of war and fight no more, even to the point of willingly sacrificing their own lives to avoid fighting. However, later, when several of them decided to take up their weapons again and fight alongside the Nephites, Helaman discouraged them from doing so, saying that they had entered into an oath with God and should not break it, or lose their souls doing so. Fascinating!

-John Z

A lifelong pacifist only "denounces" war. It takes a warrior to renounce war.

Seems like the acceptance of the call by General, now Elder Carlson is in complete submission to the requirements of D&C 98. A modern-day Captain Moroni who can now renounce war and proclaim peace.

Many of us retired stripling warriors are now engaged full time in proclaiming peace throughout the land.

And who better? After all, fighting wars is best done by young men.

While we are told to renounce war and proclaim peace, we also are told we can defend ourselves. The Book of Mormon does have prophet generals, in fact, in 3 Ne. 3:19, we learn that the Nephites (except when wicked) chose chief captains with the spirit of revelation and prophecy so they could better lead the armies. They did not glory in violence, but defended their families as necessary. This is what I believe Elder Carlson is referring to. Besides, when one must fight, which is better--having a leader who desires death and destruction, or one who wants to ultimately gain peace and thus fights while remembering that those he fights against are individuals of worth?

Pacifism isn't wrong, but it is important to remember that the Lamanites who made a covenant to never take up arms again were doing so because they had (in their own words) committed many murders and didn't want anymore blood on their hands. They didn't stop their sons who hadn't made the covenant from joining in their defense.

We are a warlike people, easily distracted from our assignment of preparing for the coming of the Lord. When enemies rise up, we commit vast resources to the fabrication of gods of stone and steelships, planes, missiles, fortificationsand depend on them for protection and deliverance. When threatened, we become anti-enemy instead of pro-kingdom of God; we train a man in the art of war and call him a patriot, thus, in the manner of Satans counterfeit of true patriotism, perverting the Saviors teaching:

Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:44-45.)

We forget that if we are righteous the Lord will either not suffer our enemies to come upon usand this is the special promise to the inhabitants of the land of the Americas (2 Ne. 1:7)or he will fight our battles for us (Exod. 14:14; D&C 98:37, to name only two references of many). This he is able to do.

is the first and foremost, most important and undeniably God given gift to us. We have an Elder Brother who volunteered to be our Saviour and another brother who was cast into outer darkness because he wanted to deny us our freedom. (remember the "war in heaven") It is our devine responsibility to defend our freedoms from whatever enemy threatens those freedoms, but to never, never initiate.