By stopping the violence when the enemy was completely vulnerable, we see the mercy and magnanimity of Moroni’s soul. Although Moroni was an expert in inflicting death, he did not enjoy it. He had a peaceful disposition and repeatedly renounced the violence of war. Moroni understood that it is difficult to be “men of God” and “men of blood” at the same time. This problem plagued king David, who was renowned for his military conquests. David lamented, ’I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood’ (1 Chron 28:2-3). The privilege of building a temple was taken from David and given to Solomon because it would be improper for a “man of blood” to build a house of God.
Hugh Nibley
“Here was Moroni’s chance to settle the Lamanite problem once and for all on the spot; a vastly superior force had entered and ravaged a large part of his country, bent on subduing it entirely, and now he had them, as he says, completely in his power. Well might he have said, ’Kill or be killed. It is either you or us!’ and finished them off. But instead of that type of total victory he did not even ask for unconditional surrender…All he asked of his bloodthirsty foe was that they deliver up their weapons and promise not to fight the Nephites anymore; then they could go their way in peace without reprisals, punishment, hostages, or guarantees (Alma 44:6).” (Since Cumorah, p. 298)
Alma 44:2 ye are angry with us because of our religion o:p>
It is a continual source of amazement that a religion which espouses love, peace, and good-will toward men would, in fact, engender so much animosity. This alone is one of the great witnesses of the reality of Satan. He is the source of this undeserved and unrequited anger and instills it carefully and methodically from generation to generation.
Neal A. Maxwell
“Lest we think that the lot of a disciple is likely to be one in which he comes calmly to the cross and then carries it lightly to his own Calvary, there are the sober words of Moroni, whose efforts to bring about peace illuminated the basic and deep differences between the Lamanites and Nephites so clearly and with such pathos that Moroni finally exclaimed; ’Ye are angry with us because of our religion.‘ It is a reminder of John’s words: ’Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.’” (For the Power is in Them, p. 42)
Brigham Young
“The [sectarian] priests are angry because they are afraid that their religion is nothing but a sandy foundation fabric; and whenever they meditate upon the subject and humble themselves, and the Spirit of the Lord finds its way to their hearts and convicts them, the truth then is made manifest before them, and they begin to learn the falsity of their systems; and when that spirit leaves them, they become angry. ‘Mormonism’ is declared to be true by hosts of witnesses, and this makes the priests angry; for this Gospel bears its own weight and testimony, and they know not how to gainsay it. True, I have aimed to point out their errors; but it is not you or me that they are opposed to, although they throw their darts at us: but it is the spirit of conviction that goes with the report of this work; for wherever it goes it strikes conviction to the heart, and that is what disturbs the priests and the people.” (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 75)