Adam West-ing the Scriptures

It's statistically proven that cats
are not trying to kill you.
(Study done by Felines Forever.)

There is a saying along the lines of, "You can find a statistic to prove anything." Statisticians would tell you, "There's a bad statistic to prove anything." Because with some bias and enough bad math, anything is possible.

We have something similar in the gospel. Prophets call it, "Wresting the Scriptures." I, personally, call it, "Adam West-ing the Scriptures." Let me explain.

Adam West played Batman in the 1960's television show of the same name, as well as on the cartoon Superfriends. He was so well known as Batman that he nearly became typecast. My favorite episode of Batman the Animated Series featured Adam West voicing an old actor who played the Gray Ghost. Watch it sometime. It makes my heart melt. Nowadays he voices the kooky Mayor Adam West on Family Guy. Don't watch that one.

Anyway... The episodes of Batman where the Riddler was the villain of the week, Batman would be presented with a riddle such as:

The Cat Sat on the Mat. Where am I?

I am Vengeance! I Am The Night! I Am Teancum!

Sometimes when you read the Book of Mormon, you discover fun things. Like Batman.

Okay, let's set the scene. We have the good guys, namely the Nephite army led by Captain Moroni, Helaman leading the band of Strippling Warriors, and Pahoran acting as Chief Judge over all the land of the Nephites. Over the last several years, they have fought the Lamanites in a bloody and ferocious war. Even worse, a group of Nephite dissenters, led by a man named Amalekiah, continually rile them up and incite hatred towards their former bretheren. The battles go on, the Lamanites taking one city, the Nephites decimating them and taking back their land, then the Lamanites take whole swath of cities. And the battles go on.

And sometimes you buy cereal because it has the Justice League on it.

For more details, read Alma 45-62

One of the great captains of the Nephite armies is Teancum. He is so skilled and decisive that when the Lamanites know a city is protected by him, they do not dare attack it. Teancum does not like the war and bloodshed the Lamanites have forced him into, but he stands firmly for the values set forth by the Title of Liberty. He will protect his country, his religion, his family, and sometimes he goes out of his way to do so. After one battle in Alma 51, he and a servant sneak over to the Lamanites' camp and seek out their leader, Amalekiah.

"And it came to pass that when the night had come, Teancum and his servant stole forth and went out by night, and went into the camp of Amalickiah; and behold, sleep had overpowered them because of their much fatigue, which was caused by the labors and heat of the day.

"And it came to pass that Teancum stole privily into the tent of the king, and put a javelin to his heart; and he did cause the death of the king immediately that he did not awake his servants." (Alma 51:33-34)

The Dark Knight of Apostasy

Shining, happy city...

Apostasy: (a) Distortion or rejection of truth. (b) Loss or absence of Priesthood Authority

Once upon a time in Gotham City, an honorable police force guarded the city. The citizens lived peacefully knowing that they would protect and uphold the law. They had power given to them from on high, otherwise known as the State. They maintained that authority by living the law that they swore to uphold.

Then, the 1920's came around. With the Prohibition of alcohol and other spirits, criminals organized themselves into gangs and mafias. Despite the Gotham City Police Department's efforts to prevent the sale and smuggling of liquor, the crime families became too strong for them to be effectively removed from the city. With little resources and growing opposition, the police and Feds fought a losing battle.

Lost in the fog and gloom...

The Nation did away with the Prohibition Act, but the damage was done. The Mafia put their own system into place within the GCPD, this time with officers receiving bribes and the honorable ones occasionally disappearing in the night only to be found a few days later in the river. Crime spread and became the norm for Gotham. Within a decade, this shining city turned to rust and decay.

What police force they had by the late 20th century, was a joke. This became all too apparent to young Bruce Wayne as he watched Joe Chill, a small time thief, shoot and kill his parents in front of him. The injustice and corruption in the city had gone too far, and he determined that something had to be done by someone. Coincidentally, the vigilante Batman burst onto the Gotham scene when he grew old enough to change the world.

Pow!

This Dark Knight watched over and protected Gotham, opposed on both sides for the good he did and because he went about doing so in the wrong way. Even though Batman took down crime rings, halted super-villains in their tracks, and saved Gotham from utter destruction now and again, he had no authority given to him by The State to play Judge, Jury, Police Officer, Lawmaker, and Animal Control. As a vigilante, he was a criminal himself.

The only way for Gotham to return to its original light and glory is to completely overhaul the system and restore the GCPD to its original integrity by the Governor of The State. His chosen representative(s) would fire the bad cops and call the good cops to higher, nobler positions. Then the citizens of Gotham can live happier safe lives.

We in the real world do not have to wait for such a day to come. After centuries of darkness following the death of Christ's apostles, priesthood authority has been restored to the earth by our loving Heavenly Father. Original gospel truths, once lost due to Apostasy, have been given to us through modern revelation and the Book of Mormon.

I invite everyone, member and investigator alike, to read the Book of Mormon, ponder the message it contains, and to ask God in prayer if it is true. I know that the Holy Ghost will testify to you that it is true, and help strengthen your testimony in our Savior Jesus Christ.