War

"We see that war is incompatible with Christ's teachings.  The gospel of Jesus Christ is the gospel of peace.  War is its antithesis and produces hate... There are, however, two conditions which may justify a truly Christian man to enter - mind you, I say enter not begin - a war: (1) an attempt to dominate and deprive another of his free agency; and (2) loyalty to his country.  Possible there is a third, viz., defense of a weak nation that is being unjustly crushed by a strong, ruthless one."

-President David O. McKay, Conference Report, April 1942, pp.70-74

In 1939, war broke out in Europe.  On 7 December 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.  The following day, the United States officially entered World War II.  At the next general conference, 6 April 1942, President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., read the following official statement of the Latter-day Saint position on war:

"'We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.'  A Latter-day Saint must give allegiance to (his) sovereign and render it loyal service when called thereto.  This includes military service.  The attitude of a Latter-day Saint should be to fuller render loyalty to (his) country and to free institutions which the loftiest patriotism calls for... The Church is and must be against war... It cannot regard war as a righteous means of settling international disputes; these should and could be settled - the nations agreeing - by peaceful negotiation and adjustment.  But the Church membership are citizens or subjects of sovereignties over which the church has no control... Obedient to these principles, the members of the Church have always felt under obligation to come to the defense of their country when a call to arms was made... When... constitutional law calls the manhood of the Church into the armed service of and country to which they owe allegiance, their highest civic duty requires that they meet that call.  If, harkening to that call, and obeying those in command over them, they shall take the lives of those who fight against them, that will not make them murderers..."

-President Heber J. Grant, J. Reuben Clark, and David O. McKay, Conference Report, April 1942, pp 88-96 (Emphasis added)

"Any man who will not fight for his wife and children is a coward."

-The Words of Joseph Smith p.162

Alma 48 (concerning Moroni)

1. He did not delight in bloodshed. (v. 11)

2. His soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country and [the freedom] of his brethren from bondage and slavery. (v. 11)

3. He did labor exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people. (v. 12)

4. He had sworn an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of blood. (V. 13)

In response to conscientious objectors:

"Someone asked me once how I felt about amnesty for the draft card burner and the deserter.  I told him that I thought every one of them should be taken before General Moroni to be judged."

-Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone, Ensign, November 1975, pp.7-10.