An Ingenious and Inspiring Literary Analysis of Alma 30–42

There are 3 thoughts on “An Ingenious and Inspiring Literary Analysis of Alma 30–42”.

1. John it seems to me that the implications you have pointed out logically follow. Except an act where mercy is shown is not an “unjust act”. It is not unjust to give mercy as long as one has the right to forego the deserved penalty that would otherwise satisfy one’s wrath. It is a simple choice to forego wrath and thus not demand a penalty. It is not unjust to do so provided that the mercy is based on a change of heart of the perpetrator so that the person who did the act is now a new person who no longer deserves to be treated as the former person that they were before changing through repentance.

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   • I added scenarios below each Justice/Injustice statement to show what I had in mind when I was thinking through this. Admittedly these are worldly scenarios rather than gospel based scenarios.

     Justice – A gives to B a blessing that B deserves`(Just Act)
     B does a job and A pays the agreed upon wages. Just

     Injustice – A does not give to B a blessing that B deserves (Unjust Act)
     B does a job and A does NOT pay the agreed upon wages. Unjust

     Justice – A gives to B a penalty that B deserves (Just Act)
     B commits a crime worthy of prison and A sends B to prison. Just

     Injustice – A does not give to B a penalty that B deserves (Unjust, but Merciful Act)
     B commits a crime worthy of prison and A does NOT send B to prison. Unjust

     Justice – A does not give to B a blessing that B does not deserve (Just Act)
     B does NOT do a job so A does NOT give B the agreed upon wages. Just

     Injustice – A give to B a blessing that B does not deserve (Unjust, but Gracious Act)
     B does NOT do a job, but A still gives B the agreed upon wages. Unjust

     Justice – A does not give to B a penalty that B does not deserve (Just Act)
     B did NOT commit a crime worthy of prison and A does NOT send B to prison. Just

     Injustice – A gives to B a penalty that B does not deserve (Unjust Act)
     B did NOT commit a crime worthy of prison but A still sends B to prison. Unjust

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2. I am trying to understand the section on Justice and Mercy. Using the terminology employed in the text:

   “A state of justice is a situation in which each receives what he or she deserves.”

   “A just act is an action where person A gives to person B what B deserves and in which A is motivated by a desire to produce a state of justice.”

   “A merciful act is an action whereby A relieves person B’s suffering without regard to what B deserves, and A is motivated by compassion to relieve B’s suffering.”

   Then would the following by a summation of all the possible permutations?

   Justice – A gives to B a blessing that B deserves`(Just Act)

   Injustice – A does not give to B a blessing that B deserves (Unjust Act)

   Justice – A gives to B a penalty that B deserves (Just Act)

   Injustice – A does not give to B a penalty that B deserves (Unjust, but Merciful Act)

   Justice – A does not give to B a blessing that B does not deserve (Just Act)

   Injustice – A give to B a blessing that B does not deserve (Unjust, but Gracious Act)

   Justice – A does not give to B a penalty that B does not deserve (Just Act)

   Injustice – A gives to B a penalty that B does not deserve (Unjust Act)

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