OP-ED TEOTWAWKI-A Field Manual for the Warrior..by docfung

TEOTWAWKI-A FIELD MANUAL FOR THE WARRIOR
Part I
By
DocFung

WHERE WE ARE NOW

...logo from the MM...an organization which is explained later on in this thread.

Until the 1970s, American capitalism created on the whole reasonably economic outcomes. But by the 1990s, rapid advances in our corporate culture and the functioning of our markets, together with cheap money and easy speculation, resulted in the creation of astounding wealth which, in turn, led to ethical and legal abuses in the business world. The challenges that we Americans find ourselves facing are monumental……A few of these challenges are outlined below

1.The weakness of the dollar and the debt crisis, combined with the moral turpitude of many financial experts.
2. The spreading wars and their escalating costs in blood and treasure.
3. The growing level of unemployment, and the drying up of small businesses
4. The worsening fiscal situation the states.
5. The dishonesty and corruption of many of our politicians.
6. The moral and economic plight of our cities, states.
7. The lack of an educated public, which is necessary for these problems to be addressed.

Our debt, both public and private has been caused by the culture of greed that was brought on us by the rampant speculation of those who’ve controlled many of our financial institutions. This speculation was encouraged, at the street level, by various news organizations that encouraged the average joe to ‘take a risk’. On a national level, it was encouraged by those who controlled the levers of power, from the White House on down.

My view into the future is not rosy. The countries of the West, will eventually have to institute competitive protectionism just to keep afloat. This will result in higher interest rates, higher prices for goods, and of course, a stagnation of the growth rates of any and all countries that institute these protectionist measures. Once protectionist measures are instituted, prices will rise, and our standard of living will be lowered.

He must understand this: The single most important economic issue facing us today is the issue of fairness. The stock market boom of the past decades, and its inevitable bust, has created ever increasing instability throughout the world. Since the world is beholden on finances for its very survival, we have constructed the beginning of a manual which could be used for both physical and spiritual survival during these very hard times.

Basically, the following info the reader is about to consumer is the result of the culmination of more than a few years of writing and thinking about a financial , social, and moral implosion that has been an ongoing process for more than a few years.. This multi faceted implosion has been noticed by few(until recently)….but felt by many. We already know that America has gobbled up valuable resources, borrowed wrecklessly, and wasted human labor and national treasure without regard to the outcome. We have consumed much more than we have produced, resulting in both consumer and federal debt which has pyramided to record levels. Those in power have applied band aids on these problems, rather than the major surgery that has always been the real solution.

These same people know that there is a bigger game afoot…….and they also know that a bigger more dangerous series of mine fields lay ahead.

How will Greenspan, Bernanke, and Geithner be remembered? They will be remembered as the author’s of the greatest financial debacle in the history of the world. The financial irresponsibility of our past and present leaders has no doubt magnified the irresponsibility and magnitude of our slide into oblivion. These fellows, especially Greenspan, were the supreme saleman of the ‘noble lie’….That nobel lie is the lie that everyone wants to believe, but knows down deep in their gut that the words that were spoken were nothing but balm to sooth a tattered and corrupt financial system.

As I’ve pointed out in past articles, the collective actions of Washington has sent America into the worst recession since the last great depression. However, maybe this isn’t just a bad recession….maybe it’s a stealth depression…which will end up persisting for many years to come. More likely than not our collective standards of living will continue to decline as time passes. As this stealth depression accelerates into a black hole of despair, hopelessness, and fear will prevail…..but wait…all is not lost. There is hope…and there is light at the end of the tunnel….The Warrior emerges to save the day. However, before we speak of the warrior, let’s talk about semantics…and more or less define our terms.

WHAT IS TEOTWAWKI?

Most of us already know what the term Teotwawki stands for…The end of the world as we know it….but actually what does that mean? Is this subject just too depressing to discuss? Should we even entertain these kinds of thoughts? If we do think about this kind of thing, couldn’t this thinking rekindle a subconscious depression that may be lurking right beneath the conscious mind?
I say, yes, to all the rhetorical questions I’ve posed……that’s where the mind of the warrior comes into play…and here’s the real reason that I decided to write this essay in the first place.
THE EVENT HORIZON

My take on the world is this…..teotwawki can happen at anytime….any place…anywhere. Whether it is an EMP, a thermo nuclear exchange, a suit case nuke, an earthquake, storm, or even an even an out of this world event. Whatever we face, we are always just a heartbeat away from Teotwawki……That is the first lesson we must learn…… we must always be ready for the unexpected…. Ultimately… Teotwawki could even be….. our own death. This question then comes to mind……..Are we as a people, collectively ready for any of these aforementioned events to take place? Have we fortified our spirits in such a way that we could mentally survive ‘an event’…whatever that event may be? Do we have the intestinal fortitude, and spiritual wherewithal to handle a disaster?

THE WARRIOR

So now we come down to the very crux of this article…..what does it take to become a warrior….A further question would be, how many folks that are reading this article would really want to become such a person? Only each individual reader will be able to answer these questions with honesty…and hopefully with integrity. However, in my world, here are the requirements. The actual Zen of becoming a warrior requires many things of a person which may seem beyond the reach of the ordinary mortal. Let’s look at some of the prerequisites that would enhance a warrior’s resume.

The very thing that is of utmost importance is that the Warrior must never lose sight of his/her purpose on this earth. The true Warrior. in my view must have this one purpose in mind at all times….and that would be that purpose should be willing to serve the greater good. Serving just ourselves is not to be pursued.. To this end, we must have within our very being a sense of honor, disciple, wisdom, and character,and use these characteristics as arrows in our universal quiver of life.

THE FACTS OF LIFE ON THIS EARTH

Here are the facts of life on this earth as I interpret them. First off, there is a goodly share of suffering and pain within this existence. Some of this suffering, but not all, is caused by our cravings and desires for things from the material world .. To persevere, we must have the correct conception of what is true and real……along with that, our actions in our everyday affairs must reflect our mindfulness of what is real, what is of true value, and what is not of the spirit. Mindfulness, is the essence of being…. We must practice being mindful of what we are, and observe that we must use ‘a right effort’ and a right concentration in order for us not to stray from our original purpose as a spiritual warrior. Such actions are a form of discipline…..and like any discipline time, effort, and sometimes pain are requirement for results to be achieved.
Therefore, there is no way that a limit can be put on anyone who has impeccable intent….who is mindful of his mission…..and who crafts his discipline in the way of the warrior. The warrior must go to knowledge and understanding as the soldier goes to war. A warrior of the spirit knows that he must remain wide awake, tame his fear, and respect what is real, with the absolute assurance that his path is correct…his aim is true….and his mission is right. Above all, the spiritual warrior knows himself best.

The inner workings of the warrior’s mind…his desires…and his aims, are clearly written in the mission statement that is so inscribed with his mind’s eye. The spirit warrior has few regrets, for he has thoughtful mapped out his mission, and knows right from wrong(and all the shades of gray in between…. The warrior is enlightened, mindful, patient, kind, understanding, persistent, and loving. Yet, within this context the warrior is actualized within a continual uplifting of his spiritual purification, combined with a deep sense of responsibility with all beings that inhabit the earth plane. He is strong of heart and mind, yet finds tender mercies for those that need self actualizations themselves……
CERTAIN PHYSICAL QUALITIES

I have only covered some of the mental aspects of being a warrior….and of course, there are many more facets that one must face. Physical conditioning, lean, endurance based conditioning, is preferable to merely lifting weights, or losing weight. Schooling oneselve in the field of economics is a must. If one knows the hows and whys of the markets, then the warrior will be ready to bug out, stay in place, or simply move to his retreat when correct dots present themselves. Ascertaining what’s happening in the geopolitical realm is also a necessary skill, and of course, the reasons for that are obvious.

Lastly, know that the America we all know and love has vanished….it is no more. The Americans who are our friends and neighbors are more than likely not aware of this predicament……they are living in a bubble of denial, and can’t fathom in their own minds that our materialistic culture is vanishing right before our very eyes…What will be the new paradigm for those Americans who’ve lost it all? That paradigm, will be, using all the skills necessary, in order to survive…day to day…week to week…month to month….To that end, the mindset of the warrior will be the first, but not the only, requirement.Do YOU have what it takes to become a warrior? I guess we’ll soon find out.

Start educating yourself on how markets move, how seemingly insignificant moves in commodities or futures, such as pork or wheat can have a direct impact on your daily life. This also gives you markers to start creating your own scenario planning data for acquisition planning, and in the worst case, a timeline for moving to your retreat. American’s are notorious for delusional living, in what is now a deeply materialistic culture, and missing the obvious signs of downturns both in the US and abroad.

docfung (A Lizard King Enterprise)
http://www.preparingforthefuture.org/general-discussion-f4.html

Psst, a "field Manuel" is a Mexican day laborer. You want a "Field Manual".

bethshaya said:

Psst, a "field Manuel" is a Mexican day laborer. You want a "Field Manual".

Click to expand...

Thanks for that keen observation bethshaya....I wouldn't have caught that in a million years.....I will say this...if things continue..we here in America will all become
FIELD MANUELS...hehehe

Awesome post Doc...Thanks

Here's why becoming a warrior (mentally) is so very important...NOBLE LIES...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con....

Quote:

The right reform for the Fed

By Ben Bernanke
Sunday, November 29, 2009

For many Americans, the financial crisis, and the recession it spawned, have been devastating -- jobs, homes, savings lost. Understandably, many people are calling for change. Yet change needs to be about creating a system that works better, not just differently. As a nation, our challenge is to design a system of financial oversight that will embody the lessons of the past two years and provide a robust framework for preventing future crises and the economic damage they cause.

These matters are complex, and Congress is still in the midst of considering how best to reform financial regulation. I am concerned, however, that a number of the legislative proposals being circulated would significantly reduce the capacity of the Federal Reserve to perform its core functions. Notably, some leading proposals in the Senate would strip the Fed of all its bank regulatory powers. And a House committee recently voted to repeal a 1978 provision that was intended to protect monetary policy from short-term political influence. These measures are very much out of step with the global consensus on the appropriate role of central banks, and they would seriously impair the prospects for economic and financial stability in the United States. The Fed played a major part in arresting the crisis, and we should be seeking to preserve, not degrade, the institution's ability to foster financial stability and to promote economic recovery without inflation.

The proposed measures are at least in part the product of public anger over the financial crisis and the government's response, particularly the rescues of some individual financial firms. The government's actions to avoid financial collapse last fall -- as distasteful and unfair as some undoubtedly were -- were unfortunately necessary to prevent a global economic catastrophe that could have rivaled the Great Depression in length and severity, with profound consequences for our economy and society. (I know something about this, having spent my career prior to public service studying these issues.) My colleagues at the Federal Reserve and I were determined not to allow that to happen.

Moreover, looking to the future, we strongly support measures -- including the development of a special bankruptcy regime for financial firms whose disorderly failure would threaten the integrity of the financial system -- to ensure that ad hoc interventions of the type we were forced to use last fall never happen again. Adopting such a resolution regime, together with tougher oversight of large, complex financial firms, would make clear that no institution is "too big to fail" -- while ensuring that the costs of failure are borne by owners, managers, creditors and the financial services industry, not by taxpayers.

The Federal Reserve, like other regulators around the world, did not do all that it could have to constrain excessive risk-taking in the financial sector in the period leading up to the crisis. We have extensively reviewed our performance and moved aggressively to fix the problems.

Working with other agencies, we have toughened our rules and oversight. We will be requiring banks to hold more capital and liquidity and to structure compensation packages in ways that limit excessive risk-taking. We are taking more explicit account of risks to the financial system as a whole.

We are also supplementing bank examination staffs with teams of economists, financial market specialists and other experts. This combination of expertise, a unique strength of the Fed, helped bring credibility and clarity to the "stress tests" of the banking system conducted in the spring. These tests were led by the Fed and marked a turning point in public confidence in the banking system.

There is a strong case for a continued role for the Federal Reserve in bank supervision. Because of our role in making monetary policy, the Fed brings unparalleled economic and financial expertise to its oversight of banks, as demonstrated by the success of the stress tests.

This expertise is essential for supervising highly complex financial firms and for analyzing the interactions among key firms and markets. Our supervision is also informed by the grass-roots perspective derived from the Fed's unique regional structure and our experience in supervising community banks. At the same time, our ability to make effective monetary policy and to promote financial stability depends vitally on the information, expertise and authorities we gain as bank supervisors, as demonstrated in episodes such as the 1987 stock market crash and the financial disruptions of Sept. 11, 2001, as well as by the crisis of the past two years.

Of course, the ultimate goal of all our efforts is to restore and sustain economic prosperity. To support economic growth, the Fed has cut interest rates aggressively and provided further stimulus through lending and asset-purchase programs. Our ability to take such actions without engendering sharp increases in inflation depends heavily on our credibility and independence from short-term political pressures. Many studies have shown that countries whose central banks make monetary policy independently of such political influence have better economic performance, including lower inflation and interest rates.

Independent does not mean unaccountable. In its making of monetary policy, the Fed is highly transparent, providing detailed minutes of policy meetings and regular testimony before Congress, among other information. Our financial statements are public and audited by an outside accounting firm; we publish our balance sheet weekly; and we provide monthly reports with extensive information on all the temporary lending facilities developed during the crisis. Congress, through the Government Accountability Office, can and does audit all parts of our operations except for the monetary policy deliberations and actions covered by the 1978 exemption. The general repeal of that exemption would serve only to increase the perceived influence of Congress on monetary policy decisions, which would undermine the confidence the public and the markets have in the Fed to act in the long-term economic interest of the nation.

We have come a long way in our battle against the financial and economic crisis, but there is a long way to go. Now more than ever, America needs a strong, nonpolitical and independent central bank with the tools to promote financial stability and to help steer our economy to recovery without inflation.

The writer is chairman of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.

Banks may lose $430 billion


Banks are projected to lose $430 billion on commercial real estate loans in the next two to three years, a Newport Beach receiver’s agent told the National Association of Realtors convention earlier this month.

This year’s commercial real estate defaults are projected to be 6.5% of outstanding loans, added Stan Mullin, an associate with California Real Estate Receiverships in Newport Beach. Mullin was one of the featured speakers at the NAR convention in San Diego. His message:

The impacts of the housing slump will pale in comparison to the potential impacts from the coming wave of commercial real estate defaults.

Highlight’s of Mullin’s talk:

•$1.4 trillion in commercial loans are coming due in the next five years.
•That’s equal to the same amount that came due in the last 15 years.
•Lenders could take massive losses on their real estate portfolios from 2010-2013.
“If commercial is a nine-inning game, we’re in the first inning going into the second,” Mullin said. “We’ve got a long ways to go.”

A second speaker addressing commercial real estate woes, Robert Goldstein, president and CEO of Hospitality Consultants Inc. in Orlando, Fla., said there’s a “coming tsunami in defaults.”

Goldstein said that $260 billion to $300 billion in bank loans maturing in the next two years are not likely to qualify for refinancing because of falling property values.

Goldstein argued that the Obama Administration needs to take action to curb commercial default rates. Among the measures he proposed are providing incentives to lenders to refinance loans or encourage lenders to give owners more time to repay their loans.
http://lansner.freedomblogging.com/2009/....

U.S. Banks Credit Default Swaps Widen: CMA DataVision


NEW YORK (Reuters) - The costs to insure the debt of some big U.S. banks against potential default rose between 10 and 20 basis points on Friday amid a selloff in riskier assets on investors' concerns about Dubai's debt difficulties.

Five-year credit default swaps for Morgan Stanley widened to 150 basis points from about 137 basis points at Wednesday's close, according to CMA DataVision. Bank of America's CDS widened by about 10 basis points to 140 basis points and Citigroup's CDS widened by about 20 basis points to 210 basis points.

U.S. bond markets were closed on Thursday for the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday.

(Reporting by John Parry; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Nearly One In Four Homeowners Under Water

If you owe more on your mortgage than your home is worth, you're in good company. An amazing 23 percent of mortgaged property in the U.S. was "under water" at the end of the third quarter, according to real estate tracking firm First American Corelogic.

Negative equity is not only bad news for the individual homeowner - essentially meaning they can't sell their property - but it's a worrisome problem for the overall housing market. Homeowners with negative equity are much more likely to default on their loans and simply walk away, creating more foreclosures.

Defaults and foreclosures put downward pressure on home prices. As home prices fall, more homeowners find themselves "under water," creating a devastating cycle.

First American CoreLogic says most of the homeowners in a negative equity situation purchased their homes between 2005 and 2008, comprising the peak of the housing market. Not only did they pay inflated prices for their homes, many took advantage of "creative" financing that required little or no money down. As a result, they owed their lender more than they could reasonably sell their house for when prices began to fall.

According to First American CoreLogic, 40 percent of homeowners who purchased their home in 2006 are in a negative equity situation. Of perhaps more concern is the fact that 11 percent of those who bought a home this year are already "under water."

A large percentage of foreclosures have been caused by homeowners losing their income, or loan rates resetting so that monthly payments increased dramatically. These homeowners default because they can no longer afford to make the payments.

But in most cases, negative equity homeowners are still employed and can still make the payments. Though they are unlikely to walk away from their homes simply because they are underwater, housing analysts consider them extremely vulnerable. Unable to sell their homes, default is about their only option if they lose their income.

Homeowners in markets where prices have fallen the most are in most danger of being "under water." The First American Corelogic report shows 65 percent of homeowners in Nevada are in a negative equity situation.

Read more: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/20....

What, after all, is The Mental Militia?



The Mental Militia is not a formal organization, it is an association of conscientious people who value freedom and liberty in the widest context. We like that brand of Liberty which was originally expounded by the authors of the United States Declaration of Independence.

Mentalitians are people who believe that "consciousness works!", and who prefer the art of reason over violence as a solution to international, national, societal, and cultural problems. We see an apparent and lucid truth in the wisdom of dispelling illusions of mass-mentality by first coming to know and to understand the content of one's mind. We feel that a healthy, integrated, well-oriented mind produces a physical rendering in actions and deeds within society and culture which reflect the unity and cohesiveness of peace, love, and happiness.

The Mental Militia presupposes that to achieve a healthy mind in today's "civilized" world, anyone might begin by accumulating a wide and diversified field of truthful knowledge. Therefore, The Mental Militia seeks the gathering of diverse thought, historic fact, philosophical view, intuitive and creative thinking, emotional input, and analysis of public events involving spirituality, psychology, economics, cultural mores, governance, and politics.

There is really nothing to join with TMM except the exploration of ideas and how they effect your inner-most self. We are simply a growing number of people who confer in cyberspace and stimulate intellectual/psychological growth between ourselves as we discuss, argue, debate, and celebrate the spectrum of Liberty-related premises and theories.

We are from all over the world, and we are all responsible, peace-loving persons with a burning passion for human freedom. Individual freedom. Our members/associates are average people just like those good neighbors who live next door to you, or work in an office or other work-space along side you. We are composed of attorneys, military people, self-employed folk, artists, professionals, tradesmen, small business owners, housewives, teachers and students, and people from just about every walk of life in today's Age of Information. We are mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons.

We are as grass-roots as grass-roots gets. We are like you. And we are concerned about the direction of today's industrialized, militarized, economized, high-tech, post-Atomic, government-controlled world. We're here to talk about it with you. We hope you are here to exchange ideas with us as well.

In describing for you a sketch of who and what The Mental Militia is, we could say that most of us are artists in our own way, and all of us make an art of living life. We are common people whom the media and entertainment communities, as well as the national government, would have you believe are quasi-potential-terrorist-sympathizers. We do not see ourselves in that way. We eat food, sleep, have relationships, manage careers, raise families, enjoy our pleasures and comforts, read books, find our fortunes, dislike visits to the dentist's office, support the arts, tolerate the different views of our neighbors, study the meaning of life, combat daily stresses, value morality, get sick sometimes, wonder how corrupt government really is, and, like everyone else, we form opinions.

We use our minds, and our motto is: "Mind what you think!"

We believe that liberty and freedom are fast disappearing for several obvious and also for several not-so-obvious reasons, and we are advocating a Mental Revolution world-wide. We believe that violent revolutions always lead to the need for yet another revolution, as history shows clearly. We therefore seek the awakening of mankind to personal responsibility and the Liberty which springs therefrom. One of our keenest issues is the place of "individual sovereignty" within today's complex world of powerful governments.

Therefore we are non-violent militians of the mind of mankind, and as our logo, LadyFireSilk's Gryphon striking flint with steel, aptly suggests, we hope to spark a world-wide awakening to the reality of today's sovereign human being, to the various levels of Statism which absorb the individual's life-energies, his work, his emotional capacities, and, yes, even his mind.

We ask the question, "what is the relationship between the individual human being and government?"

The Mental Militia is opposed to coercion of any kind, and is especially opposed to institutionalized coercion. The Mental Militia is also opposed to deceptive psychological tactics presently being used by the Corporate Dynasty via mass-media propaganda programs.

We seek to protect our birth-right of individual liberty and autonomy via legal, non-violent means and methods, and we do understand how our Liberty can be legally returned to each of us, by peaceful means, as sovereign human beings.

We do not advocate citizenship, as governments invariably construe that as a sign of ownership over a more or less subservient citizenry. We think that We The People rightfully own our allegedly representative government. We do advocate individual sovereignty. We desire the true essence of human existence as sovereign souls owing no allegiance to any man-made State. We celebrate dissenting views as being a natural "right", and expect the same in return. Therefore, we hold that people who wish to be a citizen of any Government should be free to do so, while those among us who do not choose citizenship should be free to exist apart from Government's otherwise-collective authority. As Spencer wrote:

As a corollary to the proposition that all institutions must be subordinated to the law of equal freedom, we cannot choose but admit the right of the citizen to adopt a condition of voluntary outlawry. If every man has freedom to do all that he wills, provided he infringes not the equal freedom of any other man, then he is free to drop connection with the state—to relinquish its protection, and to refuse paying toward its support. It is self-evident that in so behaving he in no way trenches upon the liberty of others; for his position is a passive one; and whilst passive he cannot become an aggressor. It is equally self-evident that he cannot be compelled to continue one of a political corporation, without a breach of the moral law, seeing that citizenship involves payment of taxes; and the taking away of a man's property against his will, is an infringement of his rights. Government being simply an agent employed in common by a number of individuals to secure to them certain advantages, the very nature of the connection implies that it is for each to say whether he will employ such an agent or not. If any one of them determines to ignore this mutual-safety confederation, nothing can be said except that he loses all claim to its good offices, and exposes himself to the danger of maltreatment—a thing he is quite at liberty to do if he likes. He cannot be coerced into political combination without a breach of the law of equal freedom; he can withdraw from it without committing any such breach; and he has therefore a right so to withdraw.
—Herbert Spencer
The Right To Ignore The State

i'm running out the door, but i can see i need to spend some time reading this. thanks Doc. i see a lot of interesting phrases and ideas that indicate influences from many places. a quick perusal suggests to me that you are on the good path.

......

Psst, a "field Manuel" is a Mexican day laborer. You want a "Field Manual".



lol. good catch.

A call to Arms Doc? I'm there. See under my name... as in your "spiritual warrior" mentality. It's a good fight. Great piece, thank you!

As far as this goes..

(Goldstein said that $260 billion to $300 billion in bank loans maturing in the next two years are not likely to qualify for refinancing because of falling property values.)

Isn't it amazing that the property values fall when it is in the interest of those who benefit to claim so but the taxes remain the same or continue to increase. Sort of an oxymoron so to speak.

Thinking out loud here for a moment... I find the secrecy of the tax base in my small community revolting in itself. It just gets worse from there. We have the usual village board and various public servants who don't actually "serve" when they are being PAID to do so and right there starts the problem. Job security and all.. why not fire all of them and start with a "Volunteer" public servant group. Of course that would turn into a democracy being any and all that want to volunteer will have to forgo to the mass consensus. But a democracy would be better than a Dictatorship. I would think that the one's footing the bills would be most interested in having a say in what is being taxed. I know this is a small rant in the grand scheme of things but it's just some thoughts I wanted to articulate here. Keep going Doc...

Vicki

Herbert Spencer, Social Darwinism, and a Nietzchian view of super men ("warriors" had some nasty influences in the 20th century, keep in mind. Nazi theory of rule of an evolving super race (helped along by exterminating the inferiors, such as Communists, Jews, Gypsies, Russians, Poles, Christian religious leaders, homosexuals etc.) and the super men of the S.S. state are the prime example. And while the theory of being separate from the state certainly has its value, in practice it seldom works when a crisis arises. Ideas of pacifism, brotherhood, and a world whee people resolve differences by talking without slugging one another quickly melted away in the crises of 1914 and 1941.

What you write certainly provides excellent guidance for developing one's own character and self reliance, but watch out for its implications if pushed beyond that or applied to society as a whole. It's tough to make a community or solve community problems when you are dealing with a room full of rugged individualists! Herding cats comes to mind.

Old Futz said:

Herbert Spencer, Social Darwinism, and a Nietzchian view of super men ("warriors" had some nasty influences in the 20th century, keep in mind. Nazi theory of rule of an evolving super race (helped along by exterminating the inferiors, such as Communists, Jews, Gypsies, Russians, Poles, Christian religious leaders, homosexuals etc.) and the super men of the S.S. state are the prime example. And while the theory of being separate from the state certainly has its value, in practice it seldom works when a crisis arises. Ideas of pacifism, brotherhood, and a world whee people resolve differences by talking without slugging one another quickly melted away in the crises of 1914 and 1941.

What you write certainly provides excellent guidance for developing one's own character and self reliance, but watch out for its implications if pushed beyond that or applied to society as a whole. It's tough to make a community or solve community problems when you are dealing with a room full of rugged individualists! Herding cats comes to mind.

Click to expand...

Before we can deal with others my friend, we must learn, first and foremost, to deal with ourselves. That is a daunting task. We have not evolved...we are evolving constantly(some may be devolving unfortunately).

...whether humans are just above the Chimps...or just below the angles has been a matter for debate for thousands of years. The article I posted was created to give hope.....but to achieve real hope, and dispel despair requires hard work AND we know that none of what I've outlined is easy....Those that are not willing to do introspection, and work to improve their collective spirits will of course, become part of the frozen masses that history has portrayed as victims......the choice is ours to take.....and the aftermath of that choice will our future make...

This particular response from Moggy, was very striking...I'm going to quote what Moggy has said,

"TEOTWAWKI, from my perspective, is not something awful, for the world in which we live can fairly be described as unbalanced to the point of disharmony; thus for the world to gain harmony it is necessary that TWAWKI come tumbling down.

No matter how spiritually inclined an individual may think themselves, to be of service toward the advancement of the race, s/he must know what things contribute to race advancement and what things are detractive, for spirituality carries a responsibility to society.

Before any attempt is made to give instructions on how to be spiritual there must first be a clear cut idea of what is meant by that term. If spirituality has a value to life it must contribute either to quantity or to quality; that is, to length of life or to its richness, because aside from these two there can be no value. Duration of life is not spirituality because spirituality depends upon how the duration is utilized. Consequently, true spirituality must in some manner relate to the quality of the thoughts, feelings and actions of life. I would classify all those thoughts, feelings and actions that spring from a desire to help others, rather than to gain some profit for self, as spiritual.

In the matter of becoming a spiritual warrior one must be able to look upon the face of evil and respond with love."
http://www.preparingforthefuture.org...ussion-f4.html

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Well done my friend, well done.

doctor_fungcool said:

This particular response from Moggy, was very striking...I'm going to quote what Moggy has said,

"TEOTWAWKI, from my perspective, is not something awful, for the world in which we live can fairly be described as unbalanced to the point of disharmony; thus for the world to gain harmony it is necessary that TWAWKI come tumbling down.

No matter how spiritually inclined an individual may think themselves, to be of service toward the advancement of the race, s/he must know what things contribute to race advancement and what things are detractive, for spirituality carries a responsibility to society.

Before any attempt is made to give instructions on how to be spiritual there must first be a clear cut idea of what is meant by that term. If spirituality has a value to life it must contribute either to quantity or to quality; that is, to length of life or to its richness, because aside from these two there can be no value. Duration of life is not spirituality because spirituality depends upon how the duration is utilized. Consequently, true spirituality must in some manner relate to the quality of the thoughts, feelings and actions of life. I would classify all those thoughts, feelings and actions that spring from a desire to help others, rather than to gain some profit for self, as spiritual.

In the matter of becoming a spiritual warrior one must be able to look upon the face of evil and respond with love."
http://www.preparingforthefuture.org...ussion-f4.html

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Well done my friend, well done.

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However, these things should be kept in mind. The warrior must use discernment in order to know the difference between the misguided person, and pure evil. Pure evil, according to the warrior code, must be vanquished. Love all, but trust no one until that trust is earned. If the evil intents of another are discerned by the warrior, he can either stand and fight, or withdraw.

The warrior wishes to bring light to darkness, kindle love, where there is hate, helps the weak, yet never be used or manipulated. However, in the end, where there is utter darkness, evil, and cruelty, the role of the warrior is to conquer these foes with both his mind AND his sword. The warrior must carry love within his heart in order not to be sucked into the mental snares that evil entities may conjure.

http://www.survivalblog.com

TEOTWAWKI, by D.P.B.

I can’t help but notice there being a correlation between preparedness and Christianity. Most people I know who are getting involved, and most of the stuff I read on line is written by Christians. The one thing I haven’t read too much about though is what it will look like to share our faith after a collapse. In the grand scheme of eternity being able to grow in your relationship with Jesus and help others do the same is the most important part of being prepared.

A friend of mine used to own and operate a Christian bookstore. His family bought it in the summer of 2001 and did okay. They were able to make ends meet and they were satisfied knowing they were helping people get closer to God. For the rest of that year following the 9/11 attacks my friend said he was pulling in nearly $10,000 a day. That was more than they made a month during that summer. He told me that people think more about God when tragedy strikes and we are reminded why we need Him.

Everything goes in cycles. If and when the next Crash/Collapse/Outbreak happens it will not be anything that the historical timeline hasn’t seen before. Honestly I’d say we’re overdue. One thing that you will find that comes along with almost every huge upheaval is a revival of the things of God. When the world goes to chaos people want to talk about God. They might start by railing against Him, but it doesn’t stay that way for long.
When reading your Bible I challenge you to find a passage that even alludes to the idea that when all Hell breaks loose we are to hide and let the damned be damned and the saved be saved. Read through the prophets (especially Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Habakkuk) and you will see what God’s chosen are called to do when the SHTF. Just because things get really bad doesn’t mean God is giving up on us. Don’t start thinking that He has unless he tells you to build an ark and two of every kind of animal show up at your retreat.
When the SHTF we who are Christians we are called to be ever more vigilant. Paul charges Timothy to: “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2). I firmly believe this charge is to all of us who call ourselves believers. We are not exempt from sharing out faith just because things get really difficult.
You are right to assume that I have never shared my faith after a serious collapse. I have been blessed to live in America and do my ministering here. The closest thing I have is ministering after 9/11. What I have more of is experience in sharing my faith with the desolate, homeless, and forgotten and when the SHTF those people will be the majority.
From that experience I offer these points on Sharing your Faith after TEOTWAWKI:

1. Take Care of Your Family- I promised my God, family, and self that I would not sacrifice my family on the altar of ministry. In 1 Timothy 3:4+5 Paul says of leaders in the church: “He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?).” It will be very difficult after TEOTWAWKI to minister to others if your life (spiritually and physically) is not in order. Our first line of ministry is to our families. We must make sure that in the days after a crash that our family is well fed, healthy, and spiritually sound. While working with teens, most coming from broken homes, I have found one of the most Christian things I can say is, “No, I can’t go hang out with you I have to spend time with my family.” This shows them a better way. Imagine how much we can show by our strong family unit after TEOTWAWKI!

1. Take Care of Physical Needs of Others- Jesus gave us many beautiful examples of how to minister to both body and spirit. Jesus healed many physically; He fed multitudes, and even made money appear in the mouth of a fish. Jesus never ignored the physical needs of those He was talking to and He never passed up an opportunity to share His faith afterwards. As we prepare, if possible, store up enough provisions for at least another person. Have more than enough ammo, food, junk silver, and supplies to give out freely. This may not be possible right away but as you grow your own food and store it make sure a reasonable portion goes into your “Charity Stash.” This will give you ample opportunity to show others what Christ has done in your life. It is very hard to for a hungry person to hear the Gospel over the sound of their own stomach growling.

1. Take Care of Spiritual Needs of Others- In the aftermath of a serious crash people will be extremely desperate and searching for answers. In times of trouble people start to turn back to God. There are examples of it in the Bible and through out history. People will be in a very open state when they are destitute. In the package you give the people who come to your door be sure to include a copy of the New Testament. A complete version of the Bible would be best, but New Testaments are considerably cheaper and easier to store and hand out. You can pick up Bibles cheaply off Amazon, or CBD.com and library book sales. They may not have a lot of the study guides and fancy stuff but it has the Word. This doesn’t mean that everybody you help will fall to their knees and accept Christ on the spot but remember we are called to proclaim the Lord not convert people. Even if somebody leaves your retreat with a bag of rice, some ammo, and a Bible and they don’t seem to care you can’t know what God has in store for them.

1. Be part of Community- One of the first things God told Adam in the Garden was: It is not good for man to be alone. (Genesis 2:18). God knows we grow in community. After things start to settle down after the crash it would be good to be part of a community of people both Christians and Non-Christians. Hopefully at your retreat you will be surrounded by people of similar faith and will be able to have daily Bible studies and worship sessions, but after things settle it would be good to meet with others outside the retreat. This may include people from another retreat or refugees squatting in vacant houses and buildings. Starting a church wouldn’t be very hard at all and any one with a love for Jesus and good Bible knowledge could take over as head pastor.

In reading the Bible it is impossible to deny that God will at times crash our world in order to get our attention. Habakkuk prayed for God to bring the Israelites back to Himself and God’s answer was enemy invasion and seventy years of captivity. It is our duty out of God’s love to be prepared to bring others to Christ as long as we draw breath.

bethshaya said:

Psst, a "field Manuel" is a Mexican day laborer. You want a "Field Manual".

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Thank you for the best laugh of the morning
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I'm still wiping away the tears


Carry on Doc

Double_A said:

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Thank you for the best laugh of the morning
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I'm still wiping away the tears


Carry on Doc

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Actually, that is one funny happenstance....I laugh so hard that I fell out of my chair.