Irony is characterized by an incongruity, or contrast, between what the expectations of a situation are and what is really the case.
Instead of reading the Book of Mormon as a warning to us of what we are doing wrong, we use the Book of Mormon as proof that we are right.. and the only true church. Instead of using the book as a prophetic blueprint of what not to do, we use it to hasten our efforts to proclaim the message that we are building Zion. Instead of admitting our mistakes and repenting, we follow along and maintain the status quo.
Our existence was designed for us that we might have joy, yet in this world we are seeing more and more sadness. A recent article in the LA Times reported that that Clinical depression is now the second-leading cause of global disability, according to new research, with the highest rates of incidence affecting working-age adults and women more than men. These depressive disorders were second only to lower respiratory infections. LINK
We see innocent life lost while the guilty live. Last week a family in our neighborhood were driving home when an intoxicated undocumented illegal immigrant hit their car and their 3 year old was tragically killed. The man who hit their car attempted to flee the scene, since he is un-insured and without legal documents to be in the country.
Those who have the role to protect life are the very ones who destroy life. Here in Utah over the past two weeks , a mother killed her two daughters and then killed herself. A Utah police officer killed his wife, his 7 year son and his 5 year old daughter, and his mother in law before killing himself.
We punish and cast out those who tell the truth and stand up for their convictions.
We desire to have love in harmony in our homes, yet we spend little time nourishing our family relationships. Instead we abuse, neglect and eventually separate causing heartache, despair, and pain to those we should love the most.
We are taught the importance of seeking out receiving Christ in the flesh in the Book of Mormon, yet we don't believe those who testify of Christ, who have seen Him in the flesh and instead we label them as deceivers, Anti-Christs, and apostates.
The list could go on. In his final words before passing the records to his brother Jacob, Nephi teaches the doctrine of Christ, “Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh. And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do. And now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be.” 2 Nephi 32: 5-7
