Category: Christianity

Letter Re: Atheism and Choosing Your Neighborhood

James: I am a new reader to SurvivalBlog and a big fan of “Patriots” ., I have been reading all the archives and old posts, and I would just like to clear one thing up. I am an atheist. I don’t believe that there is sufficient evidence to prove the existence of a supreme power. This does not make make me a bad person. There have been some posts about choosing your neighbors that have said Christians and Jewish people make best neighbors because they are “God fearing” etc. Just because I don’t believe in a god does not mean …


Preparing Your Family for “Interesting” Times: A Covenantal Christian Perspective, by Jim B.

Discerning believers have sensed a decisive change coming for several years. If history truly repeats itself, we are heading into a season of judgment and serious difficulty which may last beyond our current generation. Whether judgment and difficulties are reflected in the current economic crisis, ongoing terrorist attacks, unrighteous leaders or a host of other combined circumstances, many believe we are on the threshold of very perilous times (II Timothy 3). Our family ministry has done significant travel throughout the country over the past ten years, and we never fail to be in awe of the Great Shepherd’s faithfulness toward …


Self Defense and Christianity, by Tim P.

When Christians talk of self-defense and their reaction to violence in general, they frequently speak of turning the other cheek. While I would not attempt to dissuade someone from that point of view I have always been against that type of pacifism in the face of violence – particularly in the case of deadly violence. In the extreme example of self-defense against someone who wants to kill you – people who advocate turning the other cheek advocate throwing away God’s gift of life or worse yet not defending those you love when their lives are threatened. That I could not …


Letter Re: Deep Apprehension About Dangers in the Near Future

Mr. Rawles: I, as well as possibly tens of thousands of my fellow Americans, are extremely fearful that the United States Government is slowly becoming like the former Soviet Union and that the day will come when the citizenry is in serious trouble. I continue to prepare as best I can for my family in the event it all comes crashing down but I cannot see where I will prevail long against American soldiers, police, and gangs that might try to harm me and my family. I am further afraid because I do not know Jesus Christ as my Savior …


Making the Transition to Country Life, by Bois d’Arc

Many readers of Survival Blog are either in the process of moving to a lightly populated area or actively planning to bugout to such an area when the balloon goes up. Twenty years ago I moved from the edge of a large city to a fairly remote property, and have been quietly setting up the doomstead and perfecting skills ever since. In the process, I became part of the fabric of country life here and have learned some valuable lessons which may benefit the rookie country dweller. Most full-time country residents are descendents of frontiersmen who ventured into the wilderness …


Letter Re: Christianity and Self-Defense

Mr. Rawles, First of all, thank for providing the incredible resource of Survivalblog. I have only been a reader for a few months, but it has been an eye-opening experience. I was raised in a conservative, Christian home and my father was only a “casual” gun owner. At first, when reading the opinions on your blog, I was skeptical about owning firearms. I had never owned a gun in my life and only shot one a couple times. In actuality, I had never really thought too much about guns. However, after reading your reconciliation of Christianity and self-defense and my …


Perspectives on Prepping on a Very Low Income, by Kuraly

I was raised in a missionary family, on nine different mission fields around the world. At the age of nineteen, I went out to serve the Lord on my own in the former Soviet Union. I had no formal Theological training, but was accepted by the missionary societies of my denomination because of my experience under my father and my willingness to go to dangerous areas. I married, and my wife and I have now six children. A few years ago, due to some changes in my theology, I fell out of favor with my denomination and had to return …


Four Letters Re: The Gray Man in the Coming Storm

Jim: “E’s” Gray Man concept is cowardly, standing idly by as evil men corrupt this fine country. The Citizen, on the other hand, works to preserve and protect the liberties that we now enjoy, in opposition to men and women who wish to do those liberties harm. The Citizen knows the power of government is kept in check only by the citizenry-at-large. He (or She) is not afraid to oppose totalitarian policies, because he knows to remain silent will surely result loss of his rights. He understands the Constitution and respects the ideals of the fore-fathers. He knows they didn’t …


Letter Re: Food Storage Versus Expecting Manna Falling from Heaven

Greetings! In response to Heather M., I think your Old Testament examples are excellent, but there are numerous New Testament examples as well, with the best being St. Paul’s admonition in II Thessalonians 3: 6-15 “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the …


Letter Re: Food Storage Versus Expecting Manna Falling from Heaven

Dear Sir, Thank you so much for your insightful and educational blog. I highly respect your opinion and I am e-mailing you today to ask for your advice. My husband and I are both conservative Christians who are totally committed to being prepared. Our problem is that we have encountered other conservative Christians who believe that manna will literally fall from Heaven if famine comes upon the land. I was personally told by my former pastor that I was “stupid” for storing food and owning guns. He also told me that by being prepared I was demonstrating a “lack of …


Two Letters Re: Finding Abandoned Properties, Post-TEOTWAWKI?

Sir, First let me say that I agree with the sentiments of D.O.’s reply to the original post. However; In a situation even less drastic than another depression, I believe there will be ‘abandoned’ properties everywhere you look due to foreclosures and displaced persons that can no longer find viable employment and have moved in with family or on to ‘greener’ pastures. The homeowners that lived in them, built them, and called them home, will not own them anymore. These homes will still have an owner, that would be the ‘bank’ that held the note, and also in some cases, …


Letter Re: Preparedness Versus Reliance on God’s Providence and Protection

Jim, I’ve struggled with the paradigm of preparing versus having faith in God to provide for our needs and protection. There are many Biblical references/analogies regarding both. Would you be willing to share your thoughts? Sincerely, – Short-ckt JWR Replies: For some relevant Bible passages, please see the latest additions to my Prayer page. In particular, see the sections under these headings: Clarification on Christianity and Physical Preparedness Food Storage Self Defense Charity May God Bless You and Yours!


Letter Re: Advice on Relocation–A Reader Concerned About Local Racism

Mr. Rawles: I’m a single mother of an 11-year-old living in rural Colorado, with good food and supply stores. I share a house with another single woman who owns it, in a duplex apartment. We have wood heat and national forest out back. We have no firearms. I have no family and I’m on disability, but I have a registered nurse license and keep it up. I honestly do have a very hard time working a job, but would if I had to and realize it may come to that. I have been disabled since a car accident in 2004. …


Christianity and Physical Preparedness

I occasionally get e-mails from SurvivalBlog readers, asking about how I can justify active preparedness in light of my Christian faith. Some cite the “Lilies of the Field” passage in Matthew 6:25-34: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more …


The Precepts of My Survivalist Philosophy

In the past week I’ve had three newcomers to SurvivalBlog.com write and ask me to summarize my world view. One of them asked: “I could spend days looking through [the] archives of your [many months of] blog posts. But there are hundreds of them. Can you tell me where you stand, in just a page? What distinguishes the “Rawlesian” philosophy from other [schools of] survivalist thought?” I’ll likely add a few items to this list as time goes on, but here is a general summary of my precepts: Modern Society is Increasingly Complex, Interdependent, and Fragile. With each passing year, …