Captain Moroni and the Founders of the Nation

"In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children"
This quote, though it comes from Captain Moroni, in Alma 46, applies easily to the founders of our nation, and their reasoning. One of the things Dr. H brought up in class was that the founders were ordinary men, trying to go along in their lives, and that they knew the courage it would take to be able to stand up for the revolution. By signing their names to the Declaration of Independence, they were essentially signing their names as traitors to the throne. These men had lives, families, kids, and jobs that, had the Revolution failed, they had given a death sentence. But they knew what was necessary. In order to save their families, and their country, and their religion from tyrannical rule, they had to put their lives on the line, and trust in God for help.

The same situation applies to Captain Moroni. The men in his armies had families, too. They didn't want to fight. Even Captain Moroni hated the shedding of blood (Alma 48:11). However, they had a duty to protect their families and lands, and these are the righteous causes that spurred them forward for battle after battle.

Just as Captain Moroni is considered one of the great heroes of the Book of Mormon, so should the founders be our heroes. They were men of courage, who took a risk, despite looming failure. They could have easily just backed down, but they knew that they had to do the right thing for the country.