WAR - When Is It Justified?

The book of Alma in the Book of Mormon is a time of many wars between the Lamanites and the Nephites in the Book of Mormon lands. There are several important passage to answer this questions. At one point the Lord tells them –

"Inasmuch as ye are not guilty of the first offense, neither the second, ye shall not suffer yourselves to be slain by the hands of your enemies. And again, the Lord has said that: Ye shall defend your families even unto bloodshed." (Alma 43:46-47)

Although this scripture study is being confined to the Book of Mormon, the scripture studier needs to refer to Doctrine & Covenants Section 98 to get a complete view on the subject.

Additionally, it's recorded that –

"...the Nephites were taught to defend themselves against their enemies, even to the shedding of blood if it were necessary; yea, and they were also taught never to give an offense, yea, and never to raise the sword except it were against an enemy, except it were to preserve their lives.

     "And this was their faith, that by so doing God would prosper them in the land, or in other words, if they were faithful in keeping the commandments of God that he would prosper them in the land; yea, warn them to flee, or to prepare for war, according to their danger;

     "And also, that God would make it known unto them whither they should go to defend themselves against their enemies, and by so doing, the Lord would deliver them; and this was the faith of Moroni [a general and great man], and his heart did glory in it; not in the shedding of blood but in doing good, in preserving his people, yea, in keeping the commandments of God, yea, and resisting iniquity." (Alma 48:14-16)

Here are the things the Nephites went to war to protect:

Alma 43:9-10 … to support their lands, and their houses, and their wives, and their children, that they might preserve them from the hands of their enemies; and also that they might preserve their rights and their privileges, yea, and also their liberty, that they might worship God according to their desires

Alma 43:26 … to defend their lands and their country, their rights and their liberties

Alma 43:30 … to preserve their lands, and their liberty, and their church

Alma 43:45-46 …they were not fighting for monarchy nor power but they were fighting for their homes and their liberties, their wives and their children, and their all, yea, for their rites of worship and their church … doing that which they felt was the duty which they owed to their God

Alma 43:47-50 … the Lord has said that: Ye shall defend your families even unto bloodshed… to defend themselves, and their families, and their lands, their country, and their rights, and their religion … of their lands, their liberty, yea, their freedom from bondage

Alma 44:4-5 … our faith, and our religion … our faith, by our religion, and by our rites of worship, and by our church, and by the sacred support which we owe to our wives and our children, by that liberty which binds us to our lands and our country; yea, and also by the maintenance of the sacred word of God, to which we owe all our happiness; and by all that is most dear unto us

Alma 46:11-14 … In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children

Alma 48:10 … their liberty, their lands, their wives, and their children, and their peace, and that they might live unto the Lord their God

Alma 48:13 … to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion

Alma 54:10 … retain our cities and our lands; yea, and we will maintain our religion and the cause of our God

Alma 55:3 ... "I will seek death among them until they shall sue for peace."

Alma 55:19 … the saving of his people from destruction

WHAT OF THOSE WHO REFUSE TO FIGHT FOR THEIR OWN FREEDOM?
 

Twice in the wars in the book of Alma there were dissenters within the Nephite nation who tried to take over the government, and when they failed to do so they then refused to fight for the freedom that Moroni and others were fighting to protect. Moroni had these persons put to death:

Title of Liberty – Alma 46:1-36

Alma 62:1-11