I do not like prepper groups. I have valid reasons for this which have evolved over the past 15 years. I do like mutual assistance groups and building community. That is why I bought land and built the community center where the Lord directed my path.
I will convey one story along this path. It is only one of many but I hope to make a point about good men making bad decisions under pressure.
I was part of a small group for a few years which was preparing for the apocalypse. The time frame was over ten years ago. While I was part of the leadership of the group, I was not the “figurehead leader”. Our leadership consisted of 4-5 people while the group ranged from 10-16 people over that time frame.
I arrived for a leadership meeting to find the leader in an argument with the man responsible for the tactical portion of the group. He was developing SOPs for situations in the future so that there would be no discussion on how to act. Here is the synopsis for the scenario under discussion:
The world has collapsed and our group has an established perimeter with LP/OPs in place. A couple and their young child come walking down the road into our “perimeter”. Since food and security are paramount concerns, the course of action was to kill the family.
The leader had a problem with the course of action. As the discussion became more heated, I left the room to talk to the leader’s wife as I thought the discussion and scenario were not worth my time. The discussion escalated quickly so I returned to find the man responsible for tactical standing over the seated leader screaming that he had to kill the family.
I want to pause for a second to let this sink in. This is a true story and I want to reaffirm that this was over 10 years ago. I was laughing inside myself that the tactician had lost control of his emotions over this very flawed scenario. What I did not expect was the leader to back down and accept his solution of killing an innocent family. Needless to say, the group did not last much longer. While this is only one story, I want to remind everyone that good men will do bad things when their families are starving. Or their leaders are flawed, weak and have little or no faith.
Was the leader a good man? I thought so prior to this but my opinion changed as more character flaws surfaced. Whatever my opinion of the leader, the tactician was clearly not a “good” man. This became more evident when he presented his thoughts on supply runs: any of our adult children who disobeyed him while on a “mission” would be executed.
Revenge, vengeance, righteousness, honor, justice, morality and rationalization should be our concerns today for a better tomorrow. How you act or react will have consequences that you may not be able to escape. Malachi has several stories to share concerning groups if he so chooses. If anyone else wants to share, here is a venue for you.
My point is simple: 15 years of waiting gives a Christian man time to contemplate what the Lord’s path and actions for him will be. We all will be tested. Some will fail and some will rise to temper their souls.
David DeGerolamo
I would like to see people with the financial resources finance food banks for shtf scenarios. Time is running out. If I had the money I would already have done it. I would probably give food to little kids who are starving in a shtf situation. Which means my survival time will be shortened. All rural churches should already have a plan like this. If they don’t, why not? I consider them to be fake churches.
I am involved in a small intentional community. Before acquiring property, I belonged to several online prepper groups. Each time the group planned a get together and I got to meet the individuals face-to-face, I had misgivings about the people involved and subsequently faded away from the group. I’m finding that homesteading and permaculture groups are much more wholesome, even though they typically don’t talk ‘defence’ or tactics, which may be a shortcoming.
Better to know a groups heart before times of trouble.
I’ve quietly listened to more than a few Patriots and learned their heart wasn’t in Christ. If you listen and stay quiet they will fill the silence.
Real unity in a Church, family or any other group is dependent on our agreeing with Jesus. The more we are in agreement with Jesus, the more we will agree with one another. If we are all standing on the Rock, we will stand with one another.
My group split because our de-facto leader showed his butt. That’s fine, but I and several of us broke off and are going in our own direction. You do not need a toxic personality running the group.
I chair a benevolence committee at my church. We have a policy that allows us to help an individual only twice in a one year period. Several members of the committee are very firm about abiding by the policy. We have a single mom that lost her job and it has taken two months for her to get a new job. We covered her bills for 2 months but because she just started her job, she does not have money to cover the rent for the 3rd month. Because of the policy the team refused her request. One of the team members has stepped up to cover a portion of the rent. I plan to pitch in to help also. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do. We need a better policy.
Human beings are not stable in their nature. They can change on a dime. Humans can hide their darkness very well while pretending to be the Light.
Nothing new under the sun, Jane. Might find reading James chapter one about this useful.
I think the sad thing here is there are probably a lot more people like this tactical guy and more of the follower types than we think. People like him are wanna be warlord marauders who would have no problem killing anyone and taking their stuff. Before i retired the conversation in the lunch room would sometime be regarding prepping and food storage. This was in UT so food storage was practiced among the LDS. So 90% had nothing in the way of preps and had no idea what they would do if they could not not find food. Probably half of them said they would have zero problem killing others and taking their preps. Its not really our govt i fear but the average person. I live in MT now 50 miles to closest city.
May God have mercy on us. Sick bastards like this are not who we need to help rebuild our society
The sad reality is, per the ‘woman and hungry child’ scenario, is the likelihood they are merely scouts for a much larger, armed, male portion of their own survival group. Heartstrings and all…
Joe,was going to mention the same thing/scenario.
We may need hard hearts,that said,we hopefully do not become the monsters we so rightfully despise,best of future to all.
A man and his family walking down the road that entered the “perimeter” is no reason to murder them, they probably didn’t even see anything and would have kept on walking.
If they did make contact, check them out, they might have skills the group needs or if they don’t, tell them to hit the road.
Now a large group of armed people would be a whole different matter.
Those might have to be engaged.
You are a man that can think. I could stand with you sir. You are so right.
I would also send a drone up to see if there was larger armed group behind this man and his family. But just murder someone for crossing your perimeter. That’s nuts!
A safe contact is the trick, Sir. Given the stress of the moment they are apt to be as jumpy as you AND I ponder given the 3rd world diseases we are importing with the illegal invaders the issue of disease.
I hope you have medical isolation procedures figured out as well as security while you figure out the new unknowns.
I know from personal experience that a mere nasty flu can make my little homestead in wintertime a Challange without help from trusted friends.
Hauling water to animals, firewood and such THATS with Grid Power still working, friends.
If all of you are exposed, what then if you’re not able to rely on grid power, well that might be a real problem.
It’s a thinking and prepping man’s situation here. Are they a threat from violence-advance group of problems? Are they sick and a medical threat to the group?
Micah 6:8
King James Version
8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
You have put some thought in-as has Southern Nat. Keep the contact as far off as possible avoid if necessary, trouble will come calling- best sometimes to not answer. And yes, do the chores while sick or hurting(one of the best training exercises) remember the story of the Indians & smallpox blankets, they didn’t die from smallpox but because they were ALL sick and couldn’t care for themselves
At the Church those who need food for their bodies will receive it after they sit through a message at a regularly scheduled service. Remember, Jesus fed the hungry multitudes, but only after he had preached the Word to them.. While we will certainly feed those who are physically hungry (if the Lord provides) the soul is our Lord’s priority and it should be ours too.
Those who come asking for help, whether at home or at Church, will receive help (spiritual first) according their actual need. Those who come to take by force will not be received in the same manner.
Amen.
People will do terrible things if NOT in Christ! Everything should be handled through the prism of God’s Word ESPECIALLY in a leadership position.