tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68625484346077695762012-01-28T17:05:54.646-05:00This is where I publish my preliminary research notes and ideas concerning warfare in the Book of Mormon. This is a spot for civilians, military historians, members of the LDS church and anybody else who enjoys studying the military aspects of the Book of Mormon and its impact on the LDS Church, society and the field of military history.Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.comBlogger1541100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-45617015401448359872012-01-16T16:56:00.001-05:002012-01-16T16:59:51.238-05:00

Parley P. Pratt and the Making of MormonismEdited with Contributions by Gregory K. Armstrong, Matthew J. Grow, and Dennis J. Siler978-0-87062-401-8Biography/Religion Parley P. Pratt and the Making of Mormonism seeks to use the events and accomplishments of Pratt as a “window” into early Mormonism and American religious and cultural history.(11) This edited volume from Gregory Armstrong,

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-35870933991481819382011-12-28T18:16:00.006-05:002012-01-28T17:05:54.656-05:00

As I’ve been a part of the Mormon blogging community I’ve noticed the same arguments and referenced talk against war, while also noticing certain cultural trends from the same people. These cultural beliefs are often at odds with the words of modern prophets so the proponents of these beliefs must explain how they can be members of the church but not accept the prophet’s words as face value. Yet

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-70069109306444676062011-12-06T21:12:00.004-05:002011-12-06T21:18:35.327-05:00

Now I’m not an actual insurgent. I don’t set roadside bombs or kidnap journalists but I have been an outsider using nontraditional tactics to reach my professional goals. I borrow the terminology of Dr. Mark Grimsley, a professor of history of The Ohio State University, who used the term “insurgent” to describe the role that blogging has in the field of military history. Since I am about a

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-45292178027959483222011-10-21T16:31:00.003-04:002011-10-21T16:40:30.634-04:00

You can find my new book review at the Michigan War Studies Review. This is not directly related to warfare in The Book of Mormonbut those of you that have noticed the links of the left side of my blog and have read my manuscript realize how much of my research here is based upon East Asian military theory. In related news I had a publisher request a full manuscript from me so at the very least

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-70904676970236363622011-09-26T20:33:00.006-04:002011-09-28T00:48:21.324-04:00

In studying my Chinese I came across an interesting verse. I didn’t recognize the character and after I looked it up it roughly translated into “treat leniently” (kuandai). So I looked at the English version in Alma chapter 47. After Amalickiah maneuvered himself into the command of the rebel Lamanite army he murdered the King, framed the King’s servants, and received a letter from the Queen. It

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-13891556157614634102011-09-05T19:58:00.002-04:002011-09-05T20:03:31.015-04:00

The Devil's Colony: A Sigma Force Novel James Rollins 27.99 978-0-06-178478-1 479 pages 6x9 Fiction The Devil Colony: A Sigma Force Novel by James Rollins combines the historical mystery of National Treasure with the intensity of 24 in this action adventure about gold plates and American Indians. Aside from minor criticisms the narrative flows quickly and forms an almost nonstop series of

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-88454934713370453992011-08-08T23:39:00.015-04:002011-08-30T17:18:42.885-04:00

Edited, 8/25/11: So I guess I WAS having a really bad day. I deleted the previous comments and will make this a simple update post. Enjoy! Since I spent some time on the internet instead of working on my book I thought I could at least do a blog post. So here is what I am doing: Of course I'm working on my book. I'm still waiting to hear from publishers. My tentative title is "All the Arts

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-27681264348303880142011-07-29T18:43:00.005-04:002011-07-29T19:03:45.883-04:00

I'm still hard at work on my book. I am done with a rough draft and waiting to hear back from the publishers but I need to polish what I have. I need anybody who is willing to review my work. You will help if you can read a couple pages, a chapter, or the entire book. You don't need to be a historian or even LDS. You can simply read to see if you enjoy it, just for typos, or provide critical

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-20869145489674584752011-06-22T14:51:00.004-04:002011-06-22T15:02:32.664-04:00

Greetings. I haven't been posting a great deal, but I'm happy to say this is due to my upcoming book. I have several leads on publishers and I'm aiming to have a completed manuscript by the October General Conference. Because of this book I haven't been able to focus on much else besides research and writing. Since I value my readership, all five of you, I wanted to give you a sneak peak at my

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-78525227246373631592011-05-24T11:58:00.004-04:002011-05-24T12:24:33.422-04:00

This weekend is the Mormon Historical Association Conference. You can find their program here, but here is where you will find me:Session 1E:Latter-day Saints and the Civil War“Mormons and the American Civil War Press”Kenneth L. Alford, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT“Civil War Saints: Latter-day Saints Serving in the Civil War”Robert Freeman, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT“A Closer Look

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-61959178886140903112011-05-07T14:19:00.005-04:002011-05-07T14:34:25.340-04:00

So Mormon Dialogue has a thread about this book, with these posts as the highlight (and lowlight respectively):You can find my original review here. And the entire thread is found here.After only making it to the second paragraph of Deane’s review, I wanted him to defend the claim of there being “new research” in "Turley et al"s book. Can Deane identify just five new bits of information found in

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-83770514416823962872011-05-02T11:41:00.003-04:002011-05-02T11:58:14.044-04:00

I had trouble sleeping last night due to the huge news. In a daring military raid Osama Bin Laden was killed by U.S. soldiers. I recalled these scriptures in 3 Nephi 4:12And notwithstanding the threatenings and the oaths which Giddianhi had made, behold, the Nephites did beat them, insomuch that they did fall back from before them.13And it came to pass that Gidgiddoni commanded that his armies

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-29010678080418743542011-04-17T10:51:00.002-04:002011-04-17T11:04:33.496-04:00

A website called "Mormon Heretic" has a great article on the possibility of the Hebrew slaves really being a military unit. This is partly based on the translation Hebrew word "elith", which in addition to being a number is also a military unit. Long time readers should recognize this argument since I've studied this possibility in The Book of Mormon here. You can find the current Mormon

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-73315197169098493642011-04-12T11:55:00.004-04:002011-04-12T12:10:51.666-04:00

Here is an excellent presentation from the War and Peace Conference. David Pulispher summarizes the Ammonite Conundrum. The Ammonites are presented as great pacifists yet their sons are presented as the greatest examples of righteous warriors. He instead takes away the Pacifist/Just War dichotomy and instead presents the good, better, and best options. Session 2 - J. David Pulsipher, "The

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-21090728715335203682011-04-01T11:50:00.004-04:002011-08-02T13:45:55.196-04:00

The Mormon Rebellion: America’s First Civil War, 1857-1858David L. Bigler and Will BagleyUniversity of Oklahoma PressApril 2011Hardcover384 Pages978-0-8061-4135-034.95[This is cross posted at The Association of Mormon Letters, link forthcoming]The Mormon Rebellion: America’s First Civil War 1857-1858 by David Bigler and Will Bagley seeks to resurrect the major causality of the war, “the truth” (

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-91687755947562673702011-03-21T15:07:00.003-04:002011-03-21T15:21:17.746-04:00

You can watch my presentation here:Session 2 - Morgan Deane, "The Lord Forbid: Offensive Warfare in the Book of Mormon" from LDS WarPeace on Vimeo.

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-59157735531636457102011-03-20T14:15:00.006-04:002011-03-20T20:00:57.385-04:00

I'm mostly joking on the second half of the title. It was inspired from the famous line from Jaws where the character sees the shark and says "We're gonna need a bigger boat." I need a bit more time to digest to everything but here are a few of my thoughts. Overall: The trip was great. No missed exits or reservation snafus. Claremont has a beautiful campus and the food was amazing. While the

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-90829446853399593222011-03-08T10:33:00.004-05:002011-03-11T10:57:38.373-05:00

In previous comments I discussed the rather unique history that Utah Mormons had with the Civil War. They felt the war was God's punishment against the nation that banished them but also sought entry into the United States and profited from the conflict. So right on cue I found a great website with a video that discusses some of those issues. You can find it here.

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-16507626444566971882011-02-26T15:56:00.008-05:002011-03-08T12:31:14.161-05:00

The Conference in Claremont is coming quickly. You can find the program here. Here is what I am looking forward to:1. Having the chance to be the only one to present a remotely pro war point of view based on The Book of Mormon. I don't have abstracts from the other papers but their titles suggest a non violent reading of the book. I'm not quite sure where Madsen and the others create a pacifist

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-38024572323983072072011-02-13T10:31:00.002-05:002011-02-13T10:52:02.745-05:00

Besides giving me a job it looks like its good for helping a bunch of hippie peaceniks pretend they know a great deal about military history and to self righteously congratulate themselves. You can check out the thread here.On a serious note. Looking at the OP and comments makes me question how well the citizens of this country can adequately judge military matters. I mean I haven't read Chomsky

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-60842192444048786872011-01-20T11:35:00.008-05:002011-01-30T13:28:06.515-05:00

Two years ago today I started blogging! Although I was a bit hesitant to celebrate this since I spent much of last year in a painful daze. It kind of reminded me of this video:All the jokes aside I can point to highlights which occurred due to this blog:I've been blessed to preview/review multiple books. David West's Heroes of the Fallen was a joy to read. And if you look closely a part of my

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-41591725508528656342011-01-16T00:53:00.002-05:002011-01-16T01:09:22.038-05:00

Michaela has an excellent post at the Scriptorium Blogorium. You can find it here. I also want to add two items. 1. Alma 16:3 and Helaman 1:24 suggest that the Nephites needed time to raise their armies. This adds weight to Micheala's analysis. 2. The article Military Castes in The Book of Mormon suggests that Moroni would have been trained and capable to defend Nephite lands at an early age.

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-80033205167326055862011-01-11T15:21:00.008-05:002011-01-16T00:49:03.016-05:00

I seemed to have reached a plateau in my writing. I come up with good ideas, I'm good at research, can write good term papers, but can't seem to break through into publishing. So I'm asking for any and all interested reviewers! You not only get to see topics previewed on this site more in depth, but you will also have the satisfaction of helping an up and coming scholar. The following is a list

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-26593723591439812342010-12-31T15:22:00.004-05:002011-01-01T13:50:13.850-05:00

Gettysburg to Great Salt Lake: George R. Maxwell, Civil War Hero and Federal Marshall among the MormonsBy John Gary MaxwellGettysburg to Great Salt Lake by John Maxwell strives to provide a biographical account of George Maxwell and a “different voice” in studying of 19th century Utah history.(p. 27) John Maxwell does this through primary sources and the best of secondary scholarship. While he

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-68960005773320345382010-12-17T12:07:00.003-05:002010-12-17T14:18:28.266-05:00

I came across an interesting verse in my studies. In Helaman 11:8-9 we read:8 And the people began to plead with their chief judges and their leaders, that they would say unto Nephi: Behold, we know that thou art a man of God, and therefore cry unto the Lord our God that he turn away from us this famine, lest all the words which thou hast spoken concerning our destruction be fulfilled. 9 And it

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-77772245990954634042010-12-03T15:13:00.006-05:002010-12-09T12:28:27.007-05:00

I particularly enjoy 3rd Nephi 4:31-33. It reads:31 And it came to pass that they did break forth, all as one, in singing, and praising their God for the great thing which he had done for them, in preserving them from falling into the hands of their enemies. 32 Yea, they did cry: Hosanna to the Most High God. And they did cry: Blessed be the name of the Lord God Almighty, the Most High God. 33

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-86853943097882860232010-11-14T19:25:00.002-05:002010-11-14T21:49:24.710-05:00

We’ll Find the Place: The Mormon Exodus, 1846-1848Richard E. BennettWe’ll Find the Place by Richard Bennett seeks to describe the Mormon exodus as a seminal event in the survival of the church. (xv) He provides context by citing scholars and events known to American historians and most Americans while he also details the compelling drama and succession crisis that followed Joseph Smith’s death

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-27828062225959949962010-11-12T11:49:00.003-05:002010-11-12T11:57:32.657-05:00

Micheala has an excellent post about Captain Moroni over at her blog, you can find the post here. Go add your comments to that excellent post!

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-70845809077159127872010-10-29T16:55:00.006-04:002010-10-29T17:38:32.149-04:00

Alma 2 contains an account of a rebellion against the Nephite nation. What I found interesting was the Nephite armies limited capability in Alma 2:25-And they are upon our brethren in that land; and they are fleeing before them with their flocks, and their wives, and their children, towards our city; and except we make haste they obtain possession of our city, and our fathers, and our wives, and

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-59731407395496532272010-10-15T14:06:00.002-04:002010-10-16T00:22:18.491-04:00

The Nauvoo Legion in Illinois: A History of the Mormon Militia, 1841-1846Richard E. Bennett, Susan Easton Black, Donald Q. Cannon39.95 Cloth978-0-87062-382-0440 Pages, 6.125 x 9.2525 B&W Illus., 5 TablesReligion/Western History The Nauvoo Legion in Illinois by Richard Bennett, Susan Easton Black, and Donald Cannon represents an important entry into the field of Mormon history. The authors

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-88757947206229349212010-09-22T01:41:00.004-04:002010-10-07T22:42:01.127-04:00

My paper was recently accepted for the upcoming conference at Claremont University. You can find my abstract here. This is a very exciting time for my career as I continue to make a name for myself (hopefully a good one) and learn from more established scholars. Additionally, the conference is 29 miles away from Disneyland. I ~suppose~ I'll take my daughter with me.

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-51865876558116090562010-09-19T13:41:00.007-04:002010-09-19T19:21:11.656-04:00

So asks the Salt Lake Tribune. I think one's answer depends in large part on what perceptions you bring to the table. The article itself doesn't give much detail concerning the person's argument. But there are several scriptures that strongly point towards a "no". For starters we have Alma 61:11-14; Alma 43:30; and Alma 43:47. Now these scriptures place limits on what wars are just, but to say

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-52212624637556125682010-09-13T22:19:00.010-04:002010-11-06T00:15:08.688-04:00

A Dragons Head and a Serpent’s Tail:Ming China and the First Great East Asian War, 1592-1598Kenneth SwopeNorman Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 2009.34.95 hardcover978-0-8061-4056-8432 pages, 31 B&W Illus., 12 mapsVolume 20 in the Campaign and Commanders Series This is a new series of reviews I am doing for Oklahoma University Press about various military and Mormon themed books. While

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-12062774237803120572010-08-22T11:06:00.008-04:002010-08-28T12:10:32.152-04:00

In reading about Chinese history from the 1st Century A.D. I came across an interesting passage:[1]Almost from the beginning everything seemed to conspire against [the ruler] Wang Mang, even nature. Aberrations in the weather produced a series of poor harvests; perennial dough settled on the Shensi basin, in which the capital was located; and what was worse, a series of breaks in the Yellow River

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-83723196642953467252010-08-03T22:41:00.005-04:002010-08-04T15:07:06.424-04:00

The term “preparing for war” is often included in the descriptions of Nephite warfare. This post briefly describes the different uses of the term. -Arming. We see this explicitly in Alma 2:12. It’s also implied in both Helaman 1 and Alma 16:3. In both cases the Nephites did not have time to equip an army. -Gathering. The Nephites also did not have time to gather their soldiers. In Helaman 1:

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-83740578945739538712010-07-09T23:36:00.003-04:002010-07-12T21:58:01.560-04:00

Micheala has some good insights at in her new post on Alma 43. I would add that Alma 43 exhibits what the Sunzi described as "fatal terrain": Throw [soldiers] into a place where there is nowhere to go and they will die rather than flee. When they are facing death, how can one not obtain the utmost strength from the officers and men? When soldiers have fallen in deep they have no fear.So as

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-72481070171830199262010-07-01T12:20:00.006-04:002010-08-13T00:59:09.248-04:00

Since I haven't posted in awhile I thought I should update everybody on what I'm doing. Editing for publication I've already posted previews of my analysis of the Jaredite Civil War. I have been carefully working through this paper to get it ready for publication. If no journal wants to publish this piece (and there aren't that many publishing outlets for Mormon themed articles), I will save it

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-42554140663446170092010-06-09T12:11:00.002-04:002010-06-09T12:15:43.346-04:00

This is a rough draft of a paper I would like to present at the Claremont Conference for the Study of War and Peace. Please let me know what you think, and if you would like to organize a panel with me. THE NARROW STRIP OF WILDERNESS IN THE MODERN AGESTRATEGIC LESSONS FROM THE BOOK OF MORMONThe Book of Mormon records how God commanded the Nephites to assume a defensive posture. Relying upon the “

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-17396824951591683912010-06-08T16:06:00.002-04:002010-06-08T16:10:06.820-04:00

Call for PapersWar and Peace in Our Time:Mormon PerspectivesA conference sponsored by the Latter-day Saint Council on Mormon Studies, andthe Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre DameHeld at Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CAMarch 18-19, 2011In a world pervaded with religious fervor and seemingly perpetual war, it has become essential for

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-68819821606716613852010-06-05T12:27:00.003-04:002010-06-05T12:33:38.840-04:00

I came across an interesting article on Captain Moroni. This post by Robert C. interacts with Grant Hardy's new book on The Book of Mormon. If you can get past his admitted jealousy over Captain Moroni he makes some excellent points about the values that he represents contrasted with those of modern Western society.

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-82312664212134600482010-05-27T20:02:00.008-04:002010-05-29T15:34:48.714-04:00

So I got stuck at the airport for a long time on my way back from the SMH conference. I ran across this interesting sequence of events that recall the major events in Helaman 1. As you remember, Helaman details a brief power struggle between Nephite leaders followed by a quick strike from the Lamanites at the heart of the nation. This is then followed by a swift counter attack by strong Nephite

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-38597172634485164292010-05-13T19:36:00.004-04:002010-05-13T21:54:41.650-04:00

I am reaching the conclusion of my paper analyzing the Jaredite Civil War. I've already shown previews on this site and I would like more formal and extensive reviews. Much like preaching the gospel all you need is desire and I would love to send you a copy. If you have history experience and a knowledge of proper grammar that would help even more. And a knowledge of The Book of Mormon, military

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-8155457187264467042010-05-08T23:09:00.003-04:002010-05-08T23:25:22.920-04:00

Many people are discussing their attendance at upcoming religious and Mormon history conferences. But I couldn't attend because I am off to the yearly SMH conference. The Society For Military History is the premier academic body in the study of military history and I am honored to present at this years conference. You can find the homepage here, and the presentation list here. Of course this

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-51551609471447039012010-04-28T17:53:00.001-04:002010-04-28T17:55:22.116-04:00

I came across an excellent video concerning the seasonality of warfare. I hope you enjoy!

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-26615023443278332312010-04-25T15:43:00.008-04:002011-08-25T20:09:12.875-04:00

The provocative title is a direct response to those that espouse an isolationist foreign policy using The Book of Mormon as support. This is not only a dangerous position to take in the modern world, but incorrectly applies strategic lessons from The Book of Mormon. This post will briefly address Nephite strategic choices based on technological and geographic considerations contrasted with

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-61086596745985752062010-04-19T19:22:00.001-04:002010-04-19T19:24:34.194-04:00

What follows is the last section I was able to work on. Again, this a rough draft that is without notes which I am hoping to receive feedback about. Thanks for reading:Practice of WarWe read in that same verse that Coriantumr was studied in “all the arts of war” as well. We don’t have many details from the text what this art is. Based on several stratagems used later in the Jaredite Civil War,

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-37922119943979148482010-04-07T15:00:00.002-04:002010-04-07T15:06:56.183-04:00

I've been honored to have read an advanced copy of Heroes of the Fallen, a new historical fiction novel by David West. I am further honored by having a part of my advanced review included on the back/inside cover and the Amazon page. So if you are looking for a new exciting read for yourself or a good early Christmas gift, I highly recommend his book. You can find it on Amazon here.

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-43402497435292193972010-03-24T21:03:00.004-04:002010-03-24T21:10:32.441-04:00

What follows is the second part of a rough draft on which I am working. Footnotes are incomplete and the prose is still turgid but I am hoping to get some feedback on this and provide you with sorely needed original content. Leading to WarThe war leading to the destruction of the Jaredites begins in Ether 13:15 where we read that “there began to be a great war among the people” and many might men

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-28316245779595078412010-03-13T16:04:00.003-05:002010-03-15T21:23:38.126-04:00

I found an excellent post by Michaela analyzing the letter sent from Captain Moroni in Alma 54. You can copy and paste the following link into your browser, or click on her blog in the link on the left side of your screen. http://scriptoriumblogorium.blogspot.com/2010/03/captain-moronis-psychological-warfare.html

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-26365052006220719552010-03-04T23:04:00.004-05:002010-03-17T12:43:21.375-04:00

This is a sneak peak at an article I've been working on. Its still in the rough draft phase, so both grammar and citations are incomplete. I also would have worked on it more but I was about half way through when my wife left me, so please forgive its current condition. As always I look forward to your comments. BLEACHED BONES COVERED THE FIELD AN ANALYSIS OF THE JAREDITE CIVIL WAR USING THE ‘

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-26599659255786881962010-02-21T17:59:00.006-05:002010-02-21T18:17:56.523-05:00

This blog is starting to look like a webisode of "As the World Turns", so I thought it necessary to provide some real content again. The most recent edition of The Journal of Book of Mormon Studies is a good place to start and has an excellent article on pacifism in The Book of Mormon. You can cut and paste this link into your browser to read it: http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-7493895665181987632010-02-17T20:12:00.005-05:002010-02-20T00:52:51.242-05:00

I am sorry to say that me and my wife are getting a divorce. But at least notionally we have agreed to joint physical custody of my daughter. I am in the hiring process with Kaplan University and I look forward to bringing you some new and fascinating posts. Thank you for all of your prayers.Update, 2/19: Well it looks like I spoke too soon. Shannon still wants a divorce but she is not ready

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-13119757591880998622010-01-30T10:46:00.003-05:002010-01-30T10:51:48.073-05:00

Greetings everyone. I'm sorry I haven't been able to post in awhile, I have been busy with the problems I already detailed. On that front, Shannon hasn't filed for divorce yet but all of her problems with me remain. My love for her remains strong and I will travel to Las Vegas on Tuesday to see her and my daughter. Hopefully this will help improve matters. In other news, I have been hired by

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-51709667172939967782010-01-07T10:30:00.005-05:002010-01-07T11:29:39.687-05:00

I've got some good news and bad news and I think some more good news. I got a new job teaching at Central Virginia Community College. I understand its not the most prestigious institution, but it certainly beats being homeless! If that were my only problem I would feel pretty good right now. But my wife left me on Sunday morning and she took my daughter with her. That is the bad news. But the

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-37175875277398366202009-12-31T12:51:00.007-05:002009-12-31T18:09:23.748-05:00

In reading Alma chapter 47 I couldn't help but get the impression about the stupidity of Amalickiah's enemies. Then I realized that much of their "stupidity" was a result of the Amalickiah's flattery. With that flattery stripped from the account we can better understand his dangerous game. A good example are the events surrounding Lehonti's encounter with Amalickiah. In chapter 47 we read that

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-46227838443729183972009-12-26T12:14:00.005-05:002009-12-31T12:50:17.146-05:00

Micheala operates a blog called The Scriptorium Blogorium. Her analysis of the scriptures often seems to spring from my own mind as she presents historical, cultural and spiritual lessons. Although this time she presented something that never occurred to me. She discussed the possibility that the initial confrontation with the Amlicites was a fake to draw the Nephites away from Zarahemla so their

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-67107986500288180902009-12-19T21:44:00.005-05:002009-12-19T22:16:55.951-05:00

Today's activities included shoveling my car out of a six foot snow drift. But don't worry, after getting my car out I spent the rest of my day mad at directv for having satellites that can't handle a few feet of snow (and cursing my contract with them of course). I only bring this up because I often read of people who advocate a North American Geography for The Book of Mormon. They often fail to

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-91165977335133905042009-12-14T20:48:00.006-05:002009-12-19T17:40:20.025-05:00

What follows is a portion of some unpublished research that I wrote a year ago. It dives into some of the interesting elements revealed by Alma 56:28. I would try to write more original posts but I am currently facing a very difficult time in my life. Not only do my classes keep getting canceled, but I have additional family burdens weighing upon me. If you would like to read the whole paper you

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-90291687917480341812009-12-08T21:51:00.003-05:002009-12-08T22:13:37.881-05:00

Many critiques of The Book of Mormon often result from several common errors. The attack against the "millions" number from the book of Ether is a perfect example of arguments that result from shallow reading of the text and a lack of historical context. 1. Shallow Reading: The "millions" that some site is actually "nearly" that number. This equivocation is not something that I made up, it’s in

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-44035753564438116552009-12-04T12:00:00.006-05:002009-12-04T13:05:26.605-05:00

The title of this post is drawn from a line that one of my graduate school advisers used to say. Dr. John Grenier told us that any monkey can make a comparison. Its the differences that can really make or break a point. He also cautioned us to be very specific and narrow in making comparisons. I used this advice when confronted with a post about evil Chinese invading Texas for oil. In the

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-61318383331845105742009-12-02T12:19:00.008-05:002009-12-02T15:45:51.003-05:00

I read a recent column from a blogger that discussed how he "supports" the troops. I explained my reasoning in the comments section of that blog, but his support is hardly such. You can click the link for my full explanation and context, but as a veteran of 9 years who even participated in these wars I questioned his support. He wished for me to fail in the current unjust wars, but still claimed

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-91934514762277929432009-11-28T22:50:00.006-05:002009-11-30T20:34:28.428-05:00

A little while ago I discussed the social and political problems that resulted in the Books of Helaman and Third Nephi due to an influx of military veterans. I elaborated on this concept further in describing war bands in the Book of Mormon. Without going into excessive detail, the main thrust of my posts was to explore the reason for a social breakdown among the Nephites described in the years

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-56387726833878109282009-11-21T15:46:00.003-05:002009-11-21T17:17:47.098-05:00

Many people say you can increase the popularity of your product by including sex and violence. Since this blog is about warfare I already have plenty of the latter; and as I was reading some Chinese military theory I did realize how sex can be used as a weapon, and how it has a comparable example in The Book of Mormon.Introducing Tai Kung's Six Secret Teachings, Ralph Sawyer describes how some

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-76612657362706435142009-11-17T16:27:00.003-05:002009-11-17T16:31:46.605-05:00

One of my frequent complaints during the boring times of my military service was: "they never showed this in the recruiting video." So in conjunction with my previous post on bored soldiers, here is the video game version of it: Ultra-Realistic Modern Warfare Game Features Awaiting Orders, Repairing Trucks

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-18588931857220760412009-11-14T14:38:00.002-05:002009-11-14T14:46:29.783-05:00

I often do not discuss this topic for several reasons. 1. I feel the subject has already been addressed in depth. 2. The subject bores me. A recent post by Jeff Lindsey fits into the former category. Enjoy:Laban's Sword of Precious Steel: Increasingly Plausible

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-70980970404499781482009-11-13T16:56:00.007-05:002009-11-13T17:19:21.833-05:00

What follows is a post from one of my frequent commentators. This was originally going to be a comment on one of my earlier posts. Due to its length, and the merits of its argument I thought I should promote it to a guest blog post. I also included a map to help guide you through the analysis. What follows does not necessarily endorse a particular geographic model, and is presented as it was sent

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-20079179683340919272009-11-09T22:54:00.004-05:002009-11-09T22:58:16.441-05:00

I ran across a great article at The Times and Season's Blog. James Olsen makes an excellent case for why the average reader of The Book of Mormon should take an intellectual approach to the book. I also feel somewhat vindicated in my approach to the book, since I often do not include devotional material but focus more on scholarly approaches. Under Intellectual Condemnation

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-40058630097311208322009-11-06T18:53:00.007-05:002009-11-08T00:22:19.302-05:00

This is a great and funny video about the activities that bored soldiers take part in. On the surface it appears that this has no similarity to events in The Book of Mormon. We read in Alma 55 that:7...the Nephites were guarded in the city of Gid; therefore Moroni appointed Laman and caused that a small number of men should go with him. 8 And when it was evening Laman went to the guards who were

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-85384298368909431802009-11-06T18:19:00.005-05:002009-11-06T18:53:47.573-05:00

Over at a A Choice Land you can look up a proposed model for The Book of Mormon geography. Their location of Nephihah largely matches my analysis. It protects the approach towards the city of Zarahemla and you can even see a modern road that runs through this area. There is rough terrain west of the river that could act as the "cliff" side that Moroni entered the city from. And there is more open

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-69429789566945117382009-11-03T19:34:00.004-05:002009-11-03T19:54:09.965-05:00

As you can see (if you click on it), the theme of the conference is pretty wide open. Please contact me if you wish to be included on a propsed panel dealing with warfare in The Book of Mormon.

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-44731679255978371362009-10-29T13:06:00.005-04:002009-10-30T15:32:14.577-04:00

Using the terrain to strengthen your defense is not a new idea. Richard Smail described the early crusader habit of building forts using existing terrain.[1] Such a fortress would be built upon a spur near a pivotal river crossing, and thus be only accessible by one side. This would reduce the need to four high walls, hence both men and material could be better concentrated. Benjamin Wallacker

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-46028548432679864902009-10-21T14:59:00.004-04:002009-10-21T16:15:30.458-04:00

An article by Bejamin Wallacker titled "Two Concepts in Early Chinese Military Thought" gives us the title of this thread.[1] He first presents a translation of the military writer Sunzi: What enable the masses of the Three Armies to invariably withstand the enemy without being defeated are the unorthodox [chi] and the orthodox [cheng]...In general, in battle one engages with the orthodox and

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-89299739302661607922009-10-20T20:22:00.005-04:002009-10-20T20:36:15.010-04:00

I want to address the criticism concerning qualifying words in our writings. These are words such as "probably", "most likely" and so on that indicate a degree of doubt concerning scholarly research. What follows is a brief response to the charge that scholarship which defends The Book of Mormon is faulty or inadequate because it includes these qualifiers: I have found that the more I study and

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-22402219016019602742009-10-15T18:01:00.006-04:002010-04-11T12:32:34.596-04:00

Seeking evidence for The Book of Mormon through parallels is a double edged sword.[1]In the search for tighter methodological controls a third variable is needed. Instead of A is similar to B, as most comparisons go, we need A is more similar to B than C. In seeking this additional variable John Grenier's First Way of War is incredibly useful.[2] In this book he describes a way of war beyond the

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-82941934860215247062009-10-09T12:38:00.006-04:002009-10-09T16:16:54.461-04:00

This is another brief piece from Roger Magneson. He has a B.S. from The United States Military Academy and an M.L.S. from Emporia State. I enjoy this piece because of its "old school" quality. Many of the new approaches to history focus on the expierence of the average soldier, war and society, or gender studies. There is nothing wrong with that, but its also nice to study what historians call

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-5630275862286896692009-10-07T18:11:00.004-04:002009-10-07T18:16:40.601-04:00

We can compare Churchill's words with that of Pahoran in Alma 62 where after being called a traitor among other things he said: 9 And now, in your epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart. I, Pahoran, do not seek for power, save only to retain my judgment-seat that I may preserve the rights and the liberty of my people. My

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-45430637381163120582009-10-03T18:15:00.005-04:002009-10-03T19:35:49.727-04:00

No I'm not referring to the atmosphere that street protesters bring. I did hear two interesting spiritual principles elucidated today. 1. I just described how discipline can increase the power of an otherwise underwhelming group of people like the Stripling Warriors. One member of the Seventy discussed how tempered glass, just like tempered steel can withstand large amounts of pressure. He went

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-35000996915637907592009-09-30T12:52:00.004-04:002009-09-30T13:17:36.537-04:00

Adolescents who enter the freshman class at, for example, Virginia Military Institute are immediately shorn of their hair, deprived of their civilian clothes, and taught to drill and march in step- as prior class, race, or political loyalties fade into columns of identically appearing, moving, and chanting cadets. Take the most vicious street or motorcycle gang, replete with Uzi machine guns and

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-23173395426277963112009-09-24T11:52:00.009-04:002009-09-27T11:18:18.109-04:00

I did a recent post about the creepy video of children singing to their dear leader, Barrack Obama. I did not explain in great detail why it was so creepy. Let me clarify, when I pledge allegiance its to the flag of the United States and what the country stands for. Principles like justice apply to everybody regardless of who happens to be in the White House. When I took my oath of enlistment I

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-28836014594884420452009-09-22T12:08:00.003-04:002009-09-22T13:51:48.552-04:00

Despite my recent financial difficulties I am grateful for many things. Pertaining to this blog I have now achieved a place of respect that people send me unsolicited items. In the past 36 hours I've had two book manuscripts, an Education week talk, and a link to another blog that had a military discussion. I am honored that people hold my opinion and ideas in such high regard that they want to

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-55602985270949927442009-09-19T11:16:00.009-04:002009-09-20T11:04:13.613-04:00

This is the first of a news series of posts I plan on doing. I previouslydiscussed how good spiritual principles are often interchangeable with good military principles. I also realize that examining The Book of Mormon from a purely historical standpoint ignores a large part of the book's aim and focus. So this ongoing series will first discuss abstract military principles based on both

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-6436418197615329502009-09-14T20:30:00.004-04:002009-09-14T21:47:44.540-04:00

Michaela, who blogs at scriptorium blogorium, asked a very interesting question. She says: I've noticed that often Captain Moroni causes the opposition to enter into a covenant to keep the peace once he has beat them. I'd like to know whether this covenant IS the surrender or whether it is one of the terms of surrender that Moroni requires of them.I'm honored that she presented the question to me

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-91154027869366988622009-09-12T13:21:00.004-04:002009-09-14T20:25:52.252-04:00

One of my colleagues has posted some excellent notes about the land dispute between Morianton and Lehi found in Alma 50. I like the holistic approach that she takes to analyzing the scripture. She mentions some possible historical factors and includes the spiritual application of the verse. I want to take a slightly more narrow approach by contrasting the unrestrained passion of Morianton with

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-23278105672696302152009-09-09T10:51:00.003-04:002009-09-09T10:53:46.862-04:00

I've had some more complaints concerning the failure of the comments feature. I sign in using my google ID, the I ignore the error message and simply click submit a second time. That usually gets me posted. Past that, as Doctor McCoy might say, I'm a historian not a techie. I hope that helps. Thanks for reading.

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-36756079054978174032009-09-08T10:20:00.004-04:002009-09-08T14:48:09.261-04:00

The "Military Mind of Joseph Smith" has been re posted over at the Millennial Star. You can find it here. I would like to welcome any first time visitors. I hope you enjoy what you find here, feel free to look around and post any comments or questions that you might have.

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-1093956505552631342009-09-05T13:15:00.004-04:002009-09-05T15:54:44.650-04:00

A couple posts ago I mentioned how we have a text that can and should help us analyze current events. The scriptures can also help us see beyond a person's rhetoric and instead see the potentially damaging actions that could occur. My friend sent me a link to an article from Meridian Magazine. The article uses the King Men as a tool to analyze President Obama's first nine months, and the culture

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-8656684988715814522009-09-04T21:53:00.005-04:002009-09-04T22:40:02.811-04:00

A recent article suggests that a small group of defenders in Mesoamerica would flee to the temple to make a last stand. This story reminded me of Gideon and his attempt to kill King Noah. In Mosiah 19 we read: 3 And the lesser part [of King Noah's people] began to breathe out threatenings against the king, and there began to be a great contention among them. 4 And now there was a man among them

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-32708462107441037212009-09-02T13:22:00.009-04:002009-09-05T13:14:53.637-04:00

A long time ago I posted about the ideology of war. The post basically describes some research done by Hugh Nibley concerning the rhetoric of war. This rhetoric was an an attempt by the "villains" in the Book of Mormon to present themselves as heroes. The Lamanites only fought to regain their rights "stolen" by Nephi and his descendants. Korihor was only trying to free an oppressed populace. The

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-30559087022736325582009-08-30T13:13:00.004-04:002009-10-24T19:52:48.058-04:00

Well two days before classes were supposed to begin I received word that my classes were cancelled due to low enrollment. My reaction was about as priceless as the "Hitler as a T.A." video I posted a little while back. So I'm sorry I haven't posted anything substantive but I have been scrambling to find another teaching position. I still have some good ideas, its simply been hard to concentrate

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-80968485848296099162009-08-23T19:22:00.003-04:002009-08-23T19:25:36.213-04:00

Here is another rough draft of an article I am writing for FAIR Wiki. Please share any thoughts or suggestions you might have. Miriam Webster’s dictionary defines tactics as “the science and art of disposing and maneuvering forces in combat.”[1] Nephite tactics were a culmination of their STRATEGY and resulted in battles determined largely through shock battle.[2] William Hamblin said that “

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-32045287920911959592009-08-20T11:55:00.004-04:002009-08-20T12:17:18.125-04:00

This is a rough draft of a Wikipedia article that I am writing for F.A.I.R. Feel free to provide any feedback that you have. Strategy in the Book of Mormon: Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines strategy as “the science and art of military command exercised to meet the enemy in combat under advantageous conditions".[1] The Nephites adopted a strategy that most closely resembles what military

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-30037430389578025742009-08-15T10:26:00.003-04:002009-08-15T10:36:46.085-04:00

I've had people ask me why I wanted to find employment before completing or even starting a PhD program. The answer lies in this Simpsons clip. I didn't want to be a professional student who makes $600 a year and made a "poor life choice". I was worried that I would simply be in school for another 5 years with still no credible chance of finding a job. But I found a job in this environment

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-51672910877850540672009-08-10T13:31:00.008-04:002009-10-24T19:52:31.839-04:00

There are many things wrong with the natural explanation of the Book of Mormon's origin. However a relatively undeveloped theme is the correlation, or lack thereof, between the military themes in the Book of Mormon and Smith's life. This post briefly addresses the topic while calling for greater research into this theme. A brief perusal of this site should give you an indication of the myriad

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-52949710379499566032009-08-07T13:07:00.007-04:002009-08-09T11:14:23.651-04:00

This is a big weekend for many people in the church as F.A.I.R. (The Foundation for Apologetics Information and Research) is having their annual conference. I was content to sit back and enjoy the blogging commentary, but a small kerfuffle has erupted over the comments of Robert White. You can trace the contours of the debate here and here. To briefly summarize, some people did not like the words

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-59969491554287083142009-08-02T20:03:00.005-04:002009-08-02T20:07:17.925-04:00

I am excited for my new job but at the same time I can totally relate to the meltdown in this video. And I fear if I ever go to a PhD program and get assigned as a teaching assistant I will understand it even more. It doesn't have too much to do with warfare in the Book of Mormon, but enjoy the funny clip anyway. (Caution: There is some bad language included) And thanks to Mark Grimsley at

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-59961515115300164532009-07-29T21:54:00.003-04:002009-07-29T22:23:07.330-04:00

I came across an interesting discussion of ritual war within Karl Friday's Samurai Warfare and the State in Early Medieval Japan. On page 32 he says:To the Japanese of the Nara, Heian and Kamakira eras, ritual and ceremony were not quaint or meaningless customs designed to occupy the time of bored courtiers, they were a visible symbol of the social order and served an important function in

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-18561563144183138732009-07-25T14:20:00.007-04:002009-07-30T14:49:50.258-04:00

I got quite a few good and funny responses. Maybe I will have a "caption this" contest in the future with Mormon war themes. Before I point out the answers I must make two statements. First, I appreciate the beauty of art no matter what my academic mind says about it. Second, the "answers" are simply based on current scholarly consensus. A new archaeological discovery or new geographic theory

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-18851554669309739052009-07-23T12:32:00.003-04:002009-07-23T12:35:46.798-04:00

My wife often complains that she can't buy me any art because I always point out whats wrong. Now its your chance:The answers will come shortly.

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-41548984476372834872009-07-22T15:47:00.006-04:002009-07-22T16:26:38.798-04:00

Sorry for my delay in posts. Last week I had my car break down right before a conference on Napoleonic warfare, and I still had to continue building the courses I am under contract for. So needless to say I have been a little busy. But I value my readers, those that do so often, those who just stop by, those that don't comment, and those that do. I also have some good developments to announce as

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6862548434607769576.post-21820704244535667772009-07-14T19:46:00.009-04:002009-10-24T19:53:15.685-04:00

In preparation for my (possible) PhD program I have been examining European medieval history a bit more. I came across a very interesting lecture that applies to the Gadianton Robbers in the Book of Mormon. On the Late Imperial Army in Rome Richard Abels said this: As soldiers became landlords and landlords became the masters of soldiers, private individuals became the heads of military retinues

Morgan Deanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09480320552458246756noreply@blogger.com2