Ether 10 – Captivity

What exactly is captivity?  The dictionary says: the condition of being imprisoned or confined.

I’m fascinated that while many good men who were leaders in the land had sons who grew to maturity while they were in captivity.  This tells me that somewhat they were free to move about, provide for families, love enough to have families, provide some kind of food.  I need to put this into perspective.  Were the people who lived in East Germany before the iron curtain fell living in captivity?  Most assuredly.  They were confined to stay in their country and do exactly as the wicked leaders required of them or they were killed.  That said, it would seem that somehow the wicked leaders in Chapter 10 were able to confine them.  Did they have a wall like East Germany?  Did they have guards standing at the perimeters of the land who were willing to kill anyone trying to leave to another place?  It doesn’t say much about that. 

Now let’s put it into today’s vernacular.  Who do I know that lives in captivity?  This is where the Book of Mormon teaches me.  If being imprisoned and confined means we can’t move about at will, then those who have put themselves into financial prison are living in captivity.  They can’t surround themselves with people who are industrious, righteous and who have goals.  They don’t want to be around them.  It is uncomfortable.  They choose instead to live in squalor for two reasons. 1.  They can’t afford otherwise because of poor choices.  2.  They enjoy being around people of like mindedness, i.e. lazy, short-sighted, and not God-seeking and fearing.  If they have created a life of lies and deceit to others and to themselves, then there are places they won’t feel comfortable being – i.e. people they aren’t comfortable around, churches they aren’t comfortable in, temples they are not worthy to enter.  To me, this is imprisonment and definitely being confined. 

It is fascinating to me that when we leave the teachings of our parents to live a life filled with wrong choices leading to deceit and lies, that we don’t want to be around family, friends and those who believe as we were taught to believe.  This is a natural process.  As a result, that downhill spiral is fast and the pain associated with it is intense.  The Lord has created a world where we can be taught.  Wise people will see this and make changes necessary to stop the downhill descent.  Foolish people will close their eyes to the obvious and choose instead to continue living a life far beneath their potential.  It is sad to watch.  It is painful when it is one of your own children.