Category: Christianity

How Your World View and Preparedness Mindset are Influenced by Your Eschatology, by B.H. in North Central Idaho

A few weeks back a young reader asked a question about preparedness and the coming tribulation.  I was surprised that you left out a third option in your response.  I tried to write a quick note but soon realized a comprehensive response or article was warranted.  So here it is. Since the Second Great Awakening (a time of spiritual revival and activity) in the 1830s the Christian Church has embraced the theology of Pessimism.  This time of revival saw a clear shift in end times belief or eschatology.  The traditional and historical view of the Church was of Dominion Theology …


Two Letters Re: Prepping Pays Off in Midwest Winter Storms

Hello, I just wanted to write you about an experience I had recently. First of all I own a very dog eared copy of your novel “Patriots“ that was given to me by someone who I look up to a lot. This individual was the first person to expose me to the “bug out” bag concept. As a result I’ve always been a preparedness type of girl. In high school and college I always kept provisions for myself wherever went and as a result I’ve been able to rise to the occasion many times when things got tough. As a …


Letter Re: Question on The Rapture Versus Tribulation Preparedness

Mr. Rawles; I have been reading your blog for a few months. I am a young Christian. I’ve been attending church four years and saved for three of those years.  I have been doing some preparations for “survival” as per your blog in all areas after observing the financial collapse and other related events in recent years.  Many at church say I am wasting my time cause we will all be raptured prior to the tribulation.  Any brief comments would be appreciated. Thanks, – Jim V. JWR Replies: You are not wasting your time. The concept of a pre-tribulation rapture …


Everything Happens for a Reason, by Leep

In 2006, I left my job of 20+ years as a maintenance mechanic and construction designer, my wife left her job of 10+ years in real estate, and we cashed in a pension and a 401(k), to buy a small farm. At the time we were deemed crazy. We thought so too and to this day can’t really put a finger on the exact reasoning. This farm was one of the last small agriculturally-zoned properties in the area. The rest is sub-division. It was only five acres, but had a large 8-stall horse barn with a large loft & a …


Practical Christianity for TEOTWAWKI, by J.A.G.

I suspect many today might think that the words ‘practical’ and ‘Christianity’ don’t seem to fit in the same sentence. In many minds, practical is what one does Monday through Saturday to get ready for hard times on earth, having to do with nuts and bolts and clothes and food and fuel and power and…well…things. Christianity seems to be what one does on Sunday, in a church. That may be the version of spiritual life that has emerged in our nation’s culture over the years, but it is certainly not the version of life the founder of Christianity had in …


Letter Re: The Real Meaning of Christmas

JWR, After reading the intro to Sean F.’s article on “A Christmas Gift for the Unprepared,” there is much I could say about how the World has hijacked Christmas and the unfortunate consequence of Christians becoming dazzled by the tinsel so that they also are confused about what Christmas is really all about. Christmas is actually about a God who loves us pitiful humans so much that he sent his only Son to us as a gift. That is what Christmas is all about–not just “love for friends and family,” as Sean indicates. What better time is there than Christmas …


A Christmas Gift for the Unprepared — The Starter Prep Kit, by Sean F.

Christmas isn’t what the television commercials would have you believe. It’s not about diamond jewelry, new cars or power tools. It’s not about trinkets and treasures and toys. It’s not about online shopping and last minute bargains. It’s about love. Not love of possessions or material wealth, but love for friends and family. And because you love them, you naturally want them to be happy and safe. In easy times, this isn’t a problem. But what if the Schumer really does Hit The Fan? Will the ones you love be able to sustain themselves and survive? If your family is …


Where’s the Bad Guys? — Morality When the SHTF, by Kelly A.

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You don’t have to read many gun blogs before you are faced with discussion regarding Bad Guys (“BG’s”). The BG shorthand is the current forum-speak for “Bad Guy”. In these discussions you’ll find that BG’s are always in desperate need of having an end put to their pathetic lives, and that they are nothing really but a target waiting to be acquired. But does reality reflect forum logic? Does every BG have an angry scowl and use someone’s beautiful daughter as a human shield? Life, unlike some forum discussions, is chuck-full of gray areas, shadowy concealment, and moral dilemmas where right and …


The Relational Dimension of Survival, by Gene B.

One of the more unsettling observations that I’ve increasingly noticed in the current talking circles of the internet catastrophe/ end-times web-sites is the lack of agreement on whether or not a manmade scenario or an earth caused event hits us first. The preparations for either are complex, the preparations for both at the same time may be so much so, as to leave holes in our efforts. It might be prudent therefore to consider the strength and synergism of developing a team of like minded individuals or families to fill in these holes that may be unseen in our preparations …


The Big Picture – Making a Life Changing Move, by A.L.

I am trying to picture my intended audience on a typical weekday, sitting down at your computer for a brief respite or perhaps you are working at your desk all day and are checking SurvivalBlog for your daily reality moorings. First about myself: With my family I recently relocated to a state “west of the Mississippi River with multiple right-angle borders” where I am very fortunate to have found a job at all. I thank God that I am making a living–which is 1/5th of the wage of my previous job back east, where I worked for a well-known corporation. …


Lessons for the Christian Prepper, by Dallas in Iraq

Seven hundred years before the birth of the Christ, a man named Hezekiah ascended to the throne in Jerusalem. Looking around, Hezekiah saw a nation divided and in spiritual decay. Bold action was needed to set the nation back on track. Though we may not be kings with the power to lead our country off of a path of destruction, I believe that there are several valuable lessons that can be taken from the experiences of Hezekiah and applied to the life of a Christian prepper. When we look around, we see a nation on the brink of disaster, just …


In Defense of Prepping: When Disaster Doesn’t Strike, by A.S.D.

In Defense of Prepping: When Disaster Doesn’t Strike, by A.S.D. Hi everyone. I’m relatively new to the prepping scene, as I’ve only been at this for a few years or so. I’d like to attempt to tackle a subject that, somewhat naturally when you consider what this site is all about, doesn’t often seem to be addressed on Survivalblog: what happens if disaster doesn’t ever happen? You see, thanks to the diligence and enthusiasm of JWR, we have literally thousands of detailed articles and opinions at our disposal regarding a myriad of topics: food storage, guns, ammunition, homesteading, homeschooling, cache-building, …


Two Letters Re: TEOTWAWKI: Getting Folks to Recognize the Possibility

Sir, As a recent “convert” to Rawlesian Survivalist Philosophy, I very much identify with the author of “TEOTWAWKI: Getting Folks to Recognize the Possibility.” I did, however, take issue with his conclusion regarding his treatment of family members in a Schumeresque world. Having recently presented my “list of lists” to my wife, she made the comment to me that my quantities were off. As a future pastor (I am currently serving in the Navy and preparing to enter seminary) she made the point that if the SHTF we would undoubtedly be taking in strays from my congregation who did not …


Baby Steps, by Doctus

If you have seen the movie What About Bob can in some way relate to the OCD character Bob and cannot help but laugh at his ridiculous antics.  The funniest and perhaps most well known scene is when Bob meets with the psychiatrist and receives what would become the most famous cinema prescription, “Baby steps.”  When trying to conquer any fear, or overcome difficult circumstances in any situation, we need the same advice, baby steps. I was just recently introduced to the SurvivalBlog. Upon first reading it, the amount of information is daunting.  The amount of preparation for TEOTWAWKI is …


A Personal Journey in Preparedness, by Mountain Man

I’m fairly new to SurvivalBlog but now it’s an every day read. I wanted to write and share my own journey of preparedness with you and your readers. After living with three and a half million people for about 22 years, a move to the country was long over due. I made the decision to get out of the city back in 1999, when I starting to take things a bit more seriously with all of the talk about Y2K. I was really hoping that something would have happened back then so I could test my skills at being prepared …