T.M. in Arkansas Book Review: A History of Warfare

A History of Warfare © 1993 by John Keegan
Published by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
ISBN: 0-394-58801-0           
Available in paperback and eBook
The copy I read is the first edition hardback.
There are 64 photos and illustrations, a lengthy bibliography, 18 pages of notes, and a nicely done index.
Recommended for both male and female high school students, and older.

A History of Warfare was first published ten years ago, but has no expiration date as shown by now being available on your eBook reader. It is indeed timeless. The author gave us two dozen books in his career before his death in August 2012. He was the senior lecturer in military history during his tenure at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He also held a visiting professorship at Princeton University and was the Delmas Distinguished Professor of History at Vassar College.

In this book, the author uses five chapters and 389 pages of manuscript to ask and answer the question: What is War? Contrary to popular opinion, war is not the continuation of politics by violent means. This book explains why violence, or war, is employed to settle disagreements or to satisfy the urge to build an empire.

The chapters include the limitations of waging war, fortifications, logistics, fire, and the creation of armies since early mankind. We follow the evolution of weapons, tactics, and strategies through thousands of years. We read how different societies conduct warfare in unique ways, but all societies honor their soldiers. As we grow more adept at killing, the importance of harnessing our capacity for violence must grow at a faster pace if we are all to survive. We are a violent species and the better we understand that fact, the better all of us will be.

This book will cause the reader to stop and ponder present day events in light of what our ancestors did. It is mandatory reading for any serious student of history of any genre. I recommend this book for your permanent library.

JWR Adds: I’ve also enjoyed reading Keegan’s books. He also co-authored a book titled Zones of Conflict: An Atlas of Future Warsthat did a good job of articulating the Geographical Determinist school of history, which I ascribe to.

Pat’s Product Review: Italian Gun Grease

In more than 45 years of shooting, I’ve tried just about every kind of lube and gun cleaner on the market. Some work a little better than others, and some don’t work very well at all. Anyone who is serious about taking care of their firearms, for self-defense, combat, military missions or survival, had better take very good care of their firearms. If you don’t properly care for your weapons, they will fail you, just when you need them the most. I couldn’t tell you the number of students who have trained under me, who have had their firearms fail them during one of my courses. One of the biggest causes for weapon failure, was either poor quality aftermarket magazines, or poorly maintained firearms – meaning, they didn’t lube their firearms at all. Inside of 50 rounds of firing, their firearms would start malfunctioning because of the heat and friction involved. Now, while this may be acceptable under range conditions – it is not acceptable under life and death conditions.
 
Many malfunctions were easily corrected by simply applying some lube on handguns in my classes. I always have a range box with me, as well as a first-aid kit. I’ve yet to use the first-aid, but I’ve used the range box with a variety of tools and cleaning equipment, to get guns up and running once again. It’s almost like I’ve performed some type of “magic” on a student’s firearms, when a little lube is applied, the guns start working again. I’ve had quite a few students tells me that they don’t use any lube at all, because they don’t want their firearms to attract dirt or lint, of they fear the lube will get on their clothes. Excuse me? You’re worried about a little lube getting on your clothes – instead of worrying about your firearm failing you, when you need it most? Stupidity never ceases to amaze me in some people.
 
The days of using plain old “gun oil” have long passed, in my humble opinion. Sure, plain old gun oil is still on the market, and I guess it’s ok to use on a hunting firearm, prior to going out to a hunt. However, in harsh conditions, plain old gun oil will still fail you, when you don’t want it to. And, it still amazes me that people use WD-40 as a lube – you are only inviting trouble if you use WD-40 as a lube – it is not a “lube” per se – it is a penetrating oil. WD-40 does not provide very good lubrication on anything, especially firearms – it will wear-off in very short order.
 
There are a good many different types of CLP (Cleaner, Lube and Preservative) compounds on the market these days. One of my most often used is Break-Free, and while I use it more than any other type of CLP, it isn’t perfect in my book. A new family of products have been introduced by Italian Gun Grease – a company that I had heard of, nor their products. A box of various sample Italian Gun Grease products showed in my post office box one day, and when I opened it, I thought to myself “Oh great, another CLP, just like so many other similar products….” I was wrong!
 
One of the biggest threats to your firearms is heat build-up, followed by deposits of carbon and unburned powder. And, I’m not sure which is the biggest threat to causing a malfunction, however with no scientific study under my belt, I’m going to say that friction is the bigger problem. Metal-on-metal, with high-heat, will cause your firearms to malfunction. I’ve taken a few firearms courses over the years myself, and I’ve seen what happens when firearms are not properly cleaned and lubed – in the course of shooting maybe 500 – 1,000 rounds in a day, firearms stop working. I have never had that problem, because I’ve always cleaned and maintained my firearms properly, but I’ve seen other students who had repeated failures, because their guns were dirty and not properly lubed.
 
I think many in the firearms industry have solved the problem of producing a good all ’round lube, with some of the CLP products on the market. However, they haven’t solved the problem of the accumulation of carbon and particulate matter, that can also cause firearms to malfunction under extreme conditions – until now! Italian Gun Grease set out to solve the problem. I believe IGG has solved the problem not only by producing a great lube, but also came away with a game changer, that helps prevent the build-up of carbon and burnt powder on firearms.
 
IGG lubes are very different, they are not true lubes, they contain a proprietary metal conditioner that are actually heat-activated. Their so-called “Heat-Seeking Molecule” formula penetrates into and fills the microscopic gaps where points of friction exist.  IGG doesn’t burn-up in high heat, something that can’t be said for other lubes on the market. What this does is, it actually produces a very hard, high, heat, high pressure resistant polished surface that can cut friction by as much as 85%. This isn’t just a little better than the competition, it’s a whole lot better than ordinary CLP products. IGG products may appear dry, but they are producing the protection you need from friction, and it doesn’t allow carbon and other crud to build-up in the critical friction areas of firearms.
 
According to the IGG web site, their lube has an operating temperature range of between -45 degrees, all the way up to 430-degrees. Now, we couldn’t last but a moment in 430 degree temps, but the inside and and high friction areas of firearms can reach 300-degrees in rapid or automatic fire. We can operate in -45 degree temps in some areas of the world, and this is where a lot of other lubes fail – they congeal, and don’t provide proper lubrication, ‘causing firearms to fail, just the same as if they had no lube at all. More information is posted on the IGG web site, and it is worth the time to read it.
 
I do a lot of shooting for my firearms articles. In some instances, I’ll burn through 500 rounds of ammo in an AR-15 or AK-47 style rifle in an hour or less, when I’m doing function rather than accuracy testing. In handguns, I might burn through a couple hundred rounds of ammo in an hour. Then I’ll continue testing over several days for accuracy, and testing different types of ammo. The thing is, during most of my firearms test, I don’t routinely stop and clean and lube the firearms, unless there is a problem. I usually clean and lube a firearm prior to testing, and then after the testing give the firearms another good cleaning and lube. I know when testing semiauto rifles like ARs or AKs, the guns get very hot, and at the end of my testing, much of the lube is burned-off, and there is a lot of carbon and other crud built-up, that can cause problems and malfunctions.
 
Over a two month period, I only used IGG products in various firearms, and I will say, I was very impressed with the results. While there didn’t appear to be any sort of lube or protection in high-friction areas, like slide rails or locking lugs, the protection was there, you could actually feel how much smoother a slide or bolt was moving both while firing the firearms and while working a slide or bolt.
 
Italian Gun Grease has several different products on the market, and I highly recommend their Tactical Formula 2 – which is designed for combat use. They also have Advanced Formula 2 for hunter applications, however, for my money, I’d just stick with the Tactical Formula 2 for all my needs, especially in a combat or survival situation – just seems like it would give better protection all the way around. They also have True Grease, and I recommend this for the locking lugs on semi-auto pistols, especially 1911-type pistols. You’d be surprised how many people don’t bother to lube the locking lugs at all on a 1911 – and this is a very important area where friction can build-up. IGG also has cleaning kits, that can cover most of your handgun and rifle needs, all in one handy pouch. This is a great little kit to place in your BOB or range bag – just perfect for survival or combat scenarios, with a good supply of Tactical Formula 2 – their combat lube.
 
I gave some sample IGG grease to other shooters, and asked for their feedback, and each one came away with the impression that IGG lubes worked better than whatever other products they were using – they all said that their firearms seemed to operate smoother and there was less buildup of crud and carbon.  Okay, IGG products made a believer out of me, and I highly recommend all their products to anyone who is serious about survival or who might be in a combat zone, where failure of your weapon is not an option you can afford. You’ll find IGG products are competitively priced compared to some of the other CLP products on the market, so it’s a small investment, that can return great dividends if you want some of the best lubes you can get for your weapons.   – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Job Available Ranch/FarmTeam (Eastern Oregon Retreat)

[Editor’s Note: I’m posting this as a favor for one of my old consulting clients. I have visited this ranch, and I can attest that it is an amazing fully-equipped off-grid ranch with large acreage. This would be a great opportunity for an energetic couple that wants to live in the boonies but that cannot afford a retreat of their own.]

Seeking two-person team for hard labor job running a remote ranch, dealing with cattle, grain farming, large garden, and ranch maintenance.

Personal requirements: Stable relationship, no children at home, no smoking, drug use, drinking, or criminal history. We will check.
Must have lived and worked in the country and understand that ranch life is a 24/7 job.

This is not a retirement position. Nearest drug store or doctor is 100 miles away, neighbors are few so you must have no major medical problems.

At least one farm member must have experience growing crops and handling cattle, including operating and repairing machinery.

The other member should plan to plant and harvest a large garden and can some and separately have basic computer skills to prepare/submit weekly report of daily activities.

Submit detailed resumes, including education, work history, skills, goals and three non-family references with phone numbers. No single person applications please or request for telephone call first.

Total compensation for both: $44,000 per year including basic health insurance, bonus plus detached caretaker house, utilities, garden food, good hunting, some fishing.

Interested and available candidates are urged to send their resumes with cover letters to “Archie” at this address: rm33307736@gmail.com. Be prepared to subsequently provide references.

Letter Re: Pre-Trib Rapture Doctrine and Preparedness

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Dear Mr. Rawles:
I have been reading articles on your blog about the pretribulational rapture not being mentioned prior to 1800. I realize the writer is just ignorant of the facts. Someone needs to tell this guy the truth about the facts.
 
The pretribulational rapture was mentioned in Pseudo-Ephraem) in AD 373.  There are many other ancient writings dating back prior to 1800. These are mentioned in the easy to read book, “The Popular Handbook on the Rapture”. By Dr. Tim LaHaye, Dr. Thomas Ice, and Dr. Ed Hindson.  
 
I am a Christian and I believe in the pretribulational rapture because it is biblical.  The first verse is when the Lord Jesus was offering the Kingdom to the Jewish people. The second verse is for Christian during the church age. I prepare not because I am afraid of the great tribulation. I prepare to follow 1 Tim 5:8 and being a good Christian.
 
Matthew 6:19-22 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
 
1 Timothy 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
 
Sincerely, – Bill A.

JWR Replies: The text by Pseudo-Ephraem, “The Syrian”, (actually written after 700 A.D.) is often cited by Tim LaHaye, et al. But if you read the literal translation of the text, you will see that it is NOT referring to the so-called rapture. (Being “caught up in the clouds…”) Rather, it talks about how people will escape the Tribulation by dying in advance of it! I concur that pre-Tribulation rapture is a post-1800 contrivance. And from my own reading I must say that it has little Biblical support.

By the way, I don’t even like using the term rapture. (Which doesn’t occur in the Bible.) Although it is convenient shorthand, the term is a Darbyist invention, used to describe this prophetic event:

“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:17 (KJV)

FWIW, I believe that “…alive and remain…” refers to those of us who have survived the Tribulation period.

Regardless of our eschatological views, the bottom line is that all of Christ’s Elect need to stay in full fellowship and be ready, regardless of what occurs, and regardless of the sequence of events.

Here is some suggested reading:

Pre-Trib View: 50 Reasons Why the Rapture Must Happen Before the Tribulation

Post-Trib View: Post Tribulation Rapture Belief

I pray for correct discernment and that this issue is not unnecessarily divisive. I allowed it to be raised in my blog because I believe that all Christians should be thorough and articulate Bible scholars. Only by diligently studying scripture can we be ready to defend out faith! Studying complex issues like this is a good way to sharpen your Bible study skills. Iron sharpens iron.

Minor points of doctrine aside, the important thing is that people repent and get right with God!

Recipe of the Week:

KAF’s Tamale Pie

Serves 5 to 6

1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 c yellow cornmeal
3 c boiling water
1 1/2 c cooked, ground, or shredded left over beef
2 c beef broth
2 cloves fresh minced, or 1/2 tsp. dried chopped garlic
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
salt to taste

Boil the water in a medium sized pan. Sift the 1 tsp. salt and cornmeal gradually into the boiling water and cook, constantly stirring for 10 minutes. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix cooked meat, and broth, add garlic, salt if needed, and chili powder.

Line the sides and bottom of a casserole pan with the cornmeal mush mixture, and reserve leftover mush for topping.

Next, fill with the meat mixture. Now spread the reserved cornmeal mush over the top or drop on top by spoonfuls.

Bake in a preheated oven 425 F for 25 minutes, or until the top and sides are browned. Serve.

Chef’s Notes: This recipe is a great way to use up left-over beef.

Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:

Tamale Pie recipe

Quick and Easy Mexican Recipes

Cornmeal Recipes

Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!

Economics and Investing:

Pipelines Can’t Handle North American Oil Boom

Russia to ban cash transactions over $10,000

Jim Rogers: Put Your Money In Hard Assets, Especially Farmland and Agriculture

Items from The Economatrix:

Cyprus Bail-Out: Savers Will Be Raided To Save Euro In Future Crises, Says Eurozone Chief

Fear & Loathing Grips Cyprus As ECB Hastens Debtline

Eurozone Economy Now Expected To Sink Even Deeper Into Recession; Bank of Cyprus Chairman Quits As Heads Roll After Bail-Out Debacle

Odds ‘n Sods:

There has been a lot of chatter on the net about the call for an “‘Armed’ Peaceful March on Washington D.C. for July 4th”, as mentioned in the DC Clothesline blog. While I trust that the organizers are sincere, I believe that going armed would be unwise. Because open carry is banned in DC and because of the now mature facial recognition software, everyone who attends could face arrest at home — even weeks or months after the event. (And wearing masks is out of the question, because that is banned in D.C. too.) I strongly urge them to gather instead in on the other side of the Potomac, perhaps at Potomac Overlook Regional Park, in Arlington, Virginia. There, they won’t run afoul of D.C.’s draconian gun laws. (Coverage of an unarmed rally held in D.C. in 2010 provides some insight.) If they gather armed anywhere inside of the District of Columbia, it could turn into a public relations nightmare, with mass arrests and a high risk of a gun battle that could be started by just one agent provocateur. The US Capitol Police cannot be trusted to show restraint or respect for the Second Amendment. But I believe that the Arlington, Virginia Police can be trusted. (Respect for Constitutional rights is item #3 in their mission statement.)

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Indoctrination and Data Mining in Common Core. Note that there is now an effort to force the Common Core curriculum on homeschoolers.

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Assault weapons ban survives in Maryland gun-control bill. Note that this bill also includes a ban on any magazine over 10 round capacity. Marylanders are urged to contact their state senators and insist that this unconstitutional bill be voted down!

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Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large) sent: Comparing England (or UK) murder rates with the US: More complex than you thought. A murder rate higher than in the U.S.?

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James C. sent us this: Thousands of armed vigilantes takeover Mexican town, arrest police and shoot at tourists after ‘commander’ is killed and dumped in the street

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“…They were two perfectly insignificant and incapable individuals, whose existence is only rendered possible through the high organization of civilized crowds. Few men realize that their life, the very essence of their character, their capabilities and their audacities, are only the expression of their belief in the safety of their surroundings. The courage, the composure, the confidence; the emotions and principles; every great and every insignificant thought belongs not to the individual but to the crowd: to the crowd that believes blindly in the irresistible force of its institutions and of its morals, in the power of its police and of its opinion. But the contact with pure unmitigated savagery, with primitive nature and primitive man, brings sudden and profound trouble into the heart. To the sentiment of being alone of one’s kind, to the clear perception of the loneliness of one’s thoughts, of one’s sensations–to the negation of the habitual, which is safe, there is added the affirmation of the unusual, which is dangerous; a suggestion of things vague, uncontrollable, and repulsive, whose discomposing intrusion excites the imagination and tries the civilized nerves of the foolish and the wise alike.” – Joseph Conrad, An Outpost of Progress

Notes from JWR:

Today is celebrated as Resurrection Sunday. Christ is risen!

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Today is the birthday of Dr. Walter E. Williams, a PhD. Economist and one of my heroes. He was born in 1936.

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Today we present the last two entries for Round 45 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate donated by Shelf Reliance.

Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials and F.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value. E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

The queue of articles for Round 45 is full, but we are now accepting entries for Round 46, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

So You Want to Become a Prepper — Now What?, by Daniel A.

History has shown that empires, nations, societies, and individuals all pass, and that the events of our lives can be, and oftentimes are, very uncertain. 

About a year ago, my wife and I read the novel One Second After by William Forstchen.  While this book is a fictional account of a catastrophic event and the resulting collapse of civilized society, it may depict a disturbingly accurate account of events that could occur in a real-life catastrophe in the near future.  Reading this book resulted in a complete shift in our mindset and caused us to re-evaluate our pursuit of the “American Dream.”  It opened our eyes to the realities that the near future may consist of issues far more serious than retirement and buying our dream home.  While these things are still important, they are not the only factors to consider, or even necessarily the most important factors to consider.

Thus began our journey towards preparing our family for a future event that will change the lifestyles and priorities of our society.

Initially, we read blogs, books, magazine articles, and many other sources of information to educate ourselves in the necessities of preparedness.  We immediately discovered that a person could spend a lifetime researching and learning, and still not know everything there is to know about prepping for a variety of catastrophic circumstances.  We also discovered that prepping is costly, both in time and money.

As we began making plans, lists, and gathering supplies, my wife and I discovered that we each had a mindset unique to us.  This difference was, and is an obstacle that has to be overcome and collaborated in order to maximize the effectiveness of our preparations.

For example, I am a Law Enforcement Officer in a small, rural town in the Rocky Mountains.  I am also an avid outdoorsman, survivalist, and gun enthusiast.  These qualities tend to guide my mind towards preparing a “bug out” location in the mountains, far away from human populations, and living off the land.  It also causes me to consider tactical preparations as a primary issue.  While there are some positive things to be said for this, I have learned that there is far more to prepping than living off the land and shooting the bad guys.

My wife on the other hand, is a stay at home mom who home schools our two children and keeps the home.  Her mindset is to prepare our home to be a safe haven, well stocked with the necessities to survive.  She tends a garden, cans food, sews, cooks, collects and stores food and water, and makes plans to “hunker down” and thrive on our collected resources in our “bug in” home.

These very different mindsets are both important, but must be melded in a manner that creates a balance.  This, along with a limited budget, made it imperative that we prioritize our preparations by order of immediate importance.  To successfully accomplish this prioritization, there are several factors to consider.

Factor #1 – What circumstances are you preparing for?
People prep for many reasons.  In our minds, the most logical preparations take into consideration a wide variety of realistic circumstances, and prioritize the supplies and skills that will prepare you for many different circumstances.  For example, if you prepare exclusively for a worldwide pandemic, but do not prepare for a complete collapse of our current society, your family may starve to death.  This is along the same lines as the commonly quoted idiom, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”  Our personal opinion is that there are numerous circumstances that may lead to the collapse of our society, creating a shortage of necessities, and a breakdown of civil order.  Therefore, because it covers such a broad spectrum of circumstances, it makes sense to us to be prepared for that situation.  When those preps are complete, then narrow down your continuing preps for a particular situation.  We scour web sites such as survivalblog.com, www.preppingtosurvive.com, www.americanpreppersnetwork.com, and www.shtfblog.com for useful and practical prepping information.  

Factor #2 – Financial limitations.
Prepping is not cheap.  You could spend infinite amounts of money preparing for the end of the world as we know it, but, if you are like my family, you do not have infinite financial resources.  Thus, you must carefully prioritize, plan, and shop in a manner that maximizes the financial resources that are presently available to you.  For example, if you don’t presently have the financial ability to purchase a solar power system to power your home, you may have enough money to purchase a large supply of non-hybrid seeds, enabling you to plant a garden.  The point is, purchase necessities of survival when you can, and plan to save up your money for the large expense items.  We visit internet sites such as www.preppingonabudget.com, and www.prepareyourselftosurvive.com for information and ideas on prepping with a limited budget.

Factor #3 – Organization
When my wife and I first began prepping, we had all kinds of great ideas, priorities, and purchases which we wanted to implement.  What we quickly discovered was that we often times were making something an immediate priority when there were other items or skills which were a more pressing priority.  We decided to get organized and began to make lists of what items and skills we needed for our preparations.  What we then discovered, is that these lists are always growing, and that, while having a list is great, the items and skills on the lists must be prioritized by order of importance, and must be adaptable to ever changing circumstances.  This organization requires time and effort to create and maintain, but will ultimately result in a more efficient preparedness plan.  This organization and planning is unique to each individual and family, but there are innumerable web sites on the internet that provide insight and opinions into this topic.

Factor #4 – What is truly important?
This is a question that can also be relatively unique to each family or individual.  With that being said, there are several factors that are universally important.  These factors are: clean water, shelter, and food.  It is our personal opinion that these necessities should be prioritized in above order because, while you can live for a while without food, you can’t survive without water for very long, and shelter may be just as important, depending on the situation.  Other factors may be relative to a person’s marital situation or geographic location, but every human on earth requires these needs be met.  That will never change, so make these a #1 priority.  Beyond these necessities, each individual and/or family must decide for themselves what preparations are most important.  One family’s plan may not be the best plan for the family next door.  The point is, meet the necessities first, then prioritize and implement the other preparations.  There are many great books and web sites devoted to these topics.  One web site we have found particularly helpful is www.shelfreliance.com, and our favorite book so far has been JWR’s How to Survive the End of the World As We Know It.

Factor #5 – Who are you prepping for?
This is a very important issue to think about.  Are you prepping for your family? You’re extended family?  You’re friends or neighbors?  Or all of the above?  The point is, when these people come knocking at your door and looking for help, what are you going to do?  This needs to be thought out and planned for so that when the time comes, you are not caught unprepared.  Personally, my wife and I feel that the more people we educate on this topic, the less people there are that will be knocking on our door (or knocking down our door), looking for help.

Factor #6 – Learn what you can.
There are almost unlimited resources to assist you in preparedness. Make use of as many resources as possible.  Learn from other people’s mistakes or successes, and do the best you can to avoid making mistakes of your own.  Remember, knowledge and wisdom are two different things, but both can help you survive and thrive in a bad situation.

My wife and I are still very new to the world of preparedness.  We learn new things every day and struggle with balancing prepping with living our lives in way that does not require us to stress or obsess to the point of unhealthy mental strain. 

Prepping can be exhausting and stressful.  Or it can be rewarding, exciting, and fun.  Be diligent, but don’t be militaristic.  Include your entire family and work at your preparations at a pace which best suits your family.  Find ways to make your prepping fun and adventuresome.  Prepping can be used to bond families together.

Our world is ever changing and we must adapt to, and overcome the challenges that arise with these changes if we are to survive them.  If you wait until the last minute and don’t plan for the unexpected, you may find yourself unprepared to face the potentially life altering, or life threatening circumstances you may encounter.  Better to be prepared and not need to be, than to be unprepared when necessity strikes!

Good luck and happy prepping.

Pre-Trib Rapture Doctrine and Preparedness, by P.H.

In my conversations in person and online as well as select daily readings including SurvivalBlog; it seems to me that there are a few very common themed roadblocks that people throw out as reasons why they can’t or don’t need to prepare or are unable to take their prepping to the next level.
The four that come to mind are:
1)      My spouse doesn’t buy into the need to prepare
2)      We can’t afford to move
3)      God is in control; He will take care of us.
4)      Your prepping is actually a sign of a lack of faith: The Pre-Tribulation Rapture theory.
For the purposes of this article I am going to leave number one alone as much has been written about it and I don’t feel that I have much to add to the topic other than to say that if you are “equally yoked” with a spouse who is also a survivalist then count your blessings. That being said I believe that the conclusions I will draw regarding the latter three topics is also likely the reason a spouse is not “on board” with prepping.
We can’t Afford to Move;

Let me begin this topic by excluding those who are in the heart of major metropolises doing “great commission” work and those who are serving our country. I know brothers who are survivalists and in the military who when serving in “The Sand Box” are very concerned that the flag could go up and they would likely be up a creek without a paddle. Also stateside they realize that their preparations are lacking due to where they may be stationed, frequent moves, lack of storage space and too much month left at the end of the paycheck since they are the sole bread winners for their families. They deserve our praise for being in harm’s way.

Many people have given their testimony regarding pulling up stakes and moving to a safer location. My personal favorite was the SurvivalBlog submission “The Big Picture – Making a Life Changing Move” by A.L.  His writings remind me of the colloquialism of “nuff said.”

Another popular testimony is that of Pastor Chuck Baldwin; they pulled up stakes after 35 years of preaching and deep roots from their home in Florida moving to where they now reside in Montana. Read his testimony titled The Hardest Decision of My Life.

Pastor Baldwin has said some controversial things in the past that not everyone agrees with but allow me to make two points. First, I was impressed by the fact that it wasn’t just he and his wife who made the move; in fact if was five families and 17 people. Secondly when he says that it was the hardest decision of his life, I take him at his word.

My testimony is not as impressive as those two but it follows the theme. 25 years ago my wife and I moved from a large metropolitan area in California to a mid-sized city in what is now called the American Redoubt. We did our homework and had visited said location twice. When it came time to move it meant leaving all our family and friends behind. We loaded all our worldly possessions (we were newlyweds so my dog was probably the most valuable possession)  into my pickup and my wife’s small car. We arrived at our new “home town” with no place to stay, no jobs lined up, not one person in the region we knew, no credit available to us and $5,000 in cash.

I can report that from that day to this we have never borrowed a nickel from anyone other than for the purchase of real estate. The journey has been incredible and the blessings that we have received by taking that leap of faith are uncountable.

There are many great people and blogs out there with similar stories. I think of the homesteaders I know in the Clark Fork, Idaho area, Enola Gay’s blog Paratus Familia and Patrice Lewis in her Rural Revolution blog. [JWR Adds: Those are two of Avalanche Lily’s favorite blogs.]

The common themes are this. Very few people relocate to a safer location with significant resources at their disposal, nor do they relocate to pursue the treadmill of creating (paper) wealth. Most stories you hear have required a leap of faith and very frugal living to “live the life.” In a word; sacrifice.
Another theme you will see is that the definition of wealth  has been redefined by those who have moved out of the cities and suburbs to their piece of ground, homestead, rural retreat, etc. From my observations most of those people tend to be happier even though they work extremely hard. That happiness, I believe is derived from a sense of purpose that is hard to find in the work-a-day world of large cities.

Several years ago we were new to birthing (goats and sheep). We had a few successes under our belts but we ran into a problem and of course it was in the middle of the night in the middle of winter with zero moon. Bottom line, we were in a bind. It was clear the babies were not going to make it so it was all about saving our prized  French Alpine. We don’t like to impose on people but like I said, we were in a bind and over our heads. I called our neighbors who live two miles away and 3:10 am who have much more experience with livestock.

They answered the phone straight away with a “hello?”  I said Dan this is Jeff we are having problems with a birthing and wondered if you had any advice for us. He said “I will be right over.” He and his wife arrived at our place nine minutes later. His wife gets out of the vehicle and in a very upbeat and cheerful tone says “good morning neighbors!” It took an hour of physically and emotionally draining work but we saved the babies (Kids) and the doe. That to us is wealth. Having neighbors who have your back that you can call on any time day or night and they are there for you means more to me than a fat 401k would.

I will concede that there are people who through no fault of their own lack the resources to make a move. I also believe in personal responsibility and cause and effect and know that when a good number of people claim that they can’t afford to move what I hear is that they are unwilling to make the sacrifices entailed in such a move.

It’s a choice. Can you afford not to move?

God is in Control
I will never forget a conversation I had with a gentleman after a Bible Study we attended. Based on that study I knew the answers he would give to my first few questions. For OPSEC reasons he did not know that we are survivalists.

Me: So John you believe that Christians will be here on earth during the Great Tribulation?
John: Certainly, that is clear in the Bible.
Me: And you believe that the Great Tribulation is coming soon?
John; Very soon.
Me: And you believe in the concept of the Mark of the Beast?
John: Yes, I believe that we as Christians who do not take the mark will not be allowed to conduct commerce, buy, sell and so on.
Me: So that means what? You can’t buy groceries, fuel, clothes etc?
John: Yes exactly.
Me: What are you doing about that?
John; What do you mean?
Me: I don’t know, this is your scenario, I just wondered if you were doing anything to prepare for this?
John: You mean like storing food?
Me: Well, I don’t know, like I said, this is your scenario but sure, if you won’t be able to buy groceries, how are you going to feed your family? (Husband, wife and three pre-teen children)
John: Well I had thought about that but I would just end up giving all the food away as charity.
Me: Wouldn’t it be better to be in a position to dispense charity rather than to have to rely on it?
John (pause); Our main course of action is to pray and get close to God and put our faith in Him.
Me: I see.
John: My wife has brought up the same questions (come to find out she is a closet prepper). But I don’t want to get all bogged down in trying to sort through every conceivable disaster to prepare for.
Me: (The guy hasn’t gotten bogged down in anything) Are you in danger of that?
John: I just want to be careful not to turn inwards towards myself rather than outwards towards God.
Me: Well, I would say that using your resources and time to help insure the health and safety of other people is the inverse of selfishness.
John: Maybe, I just don’t want to take away from what God’s plan is for Me: to be a blessing to other people.
Me: (gag) Well, again, this is your scenario but it would seem to me that if what you think is going to come to pass, does come to pass, and you don’t do anything to prepare for it, you will be the inverse of a blessing to those you love the most.
John; (long pregnant pause)…it’s something to think about..he changes the subject.

My suspicions are that there are a lot of people like this. On the one hand their eyes are open but on the other they have every conceivable reason why they don’t have to do anything. These are also the types where if you start talking about firearms for self protection you can get the; “Oh, we want to be careful about that, remember those who live by the sword die by the sword.” Wow! What do you do with that?

In the safety of a blog that doesn’t compromise OPSEC I think what you do with that is call a spade a spade. The doing of the Bible and the doing of survival might not be required to save your soul but it could save your life and the lives of people you care about. My sense is that likely it is just a means to an end to support laziness. When all Hell is breaking loose I really think that God is going to have “bigger fish to fry” than keeping food on your table. Don’t ask God to do for you what you should be doing for yourselves.

A few weeks ago I read an article and I cannot remember who wrote it but the gentlemen had no compunction about telling it as he saw it. To paraphrase he was talking about this very subject about all the places the Bible (Jesus) warns us to be prepared for myriad things. Then he says, so if you don’t heed the Bible’s warnings and prepare like it tells you to; when you and your family are starving that will be the least of your pains because you will be gnashing your teeth for not doing what you should have, then you will die and go before God and you will get to explain why you didn’t do what He told you to do!  Yikes!  No holds barred there, but I like his bluntness.

The Pre-Tribulation Rapture: “You see, your preparations are actually a sign of a lack of faith on your part.”
 
This is a good one.
First of all let’s not meld three concepts into one as they are want to do. There are personal times of “tribulation” there are “tribulations” and there is “the great Tribulation.” So, even if you’re certain that you won’t be around for the “Great Tribulation” it does not mean that there is nothing to prepare for. Twice Paul begged God to be” taken away home” out of his personal tribulation and God refused as He had additional plans for Paul. If Jesus’ right hand man Paul didn’t get a pass from his tribulations why do you think you will?
I am not a “man of the cloth” rather just a man trying to walk the walk but in my opinion the concept of the Pre-Trib rapture is false doctrine. Potentially dangerous false doctrine.

In no way does the Bible clearly articulate the concept of Pre-Trib rapture. To my reading the citations used by those to support the concept are subjective in nature. “The cow jumped over the moon which was made of green cheese.” So clearly the cow represents Israel and the moon means the Euphrates River and the fact that it was made of green cheese means the moon was not kosher.

Okay, so I exaggerate but you get the point. This is what I refer to as the “clearlies” and the “obviouslies.”  When you are reading “The Theologians Guide to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture”, etc you run across a lot of “clearlies” and “obviouslies” and that to me means it is not “clear” or “obvious.” Without getting bogged down with back and forth scripture citations let’s ask some common sense questions that deserve common sense answers.

1)    The Pre-Trib rapture first got introduced as a working idea in the 1800s. Prior to that there is no mention of it that I can find by any prophet, scholar, preacher, writer, nobody. Why?
 
2)    What does Satan have to offer? Three things to my thinking: lies that contain half truths, the allure of “enlightenment” and the desire to divide Christians. God offers whole truths, no lies, the offer of redemption not enlightenment and desires for us to unite.  “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
 
3)    Did this notion of a Pre-Tribulation rapture serve to unite or divide Christians? If you’re not sure you need to get around the Internet a bit more and see the vitriolic arguments for and against levied by “Christians” at each other. If the modern notion of a Pre-Trib rapture served to divide Christians in a big way (and it has) it serves Satan’s purposes, not God’s.
 
4)    What explanation do some Pre-Tribbers offer as to why this concept was never spoken of prior to the mid 1800s? Yep! Some form of enlightenment by the believers bestowed upon them in that day that was previously not known. Who was it that offers enlightenment again?
 
5)    Do the Pre-Trib believers of today that you know see their beliefs as more enlightened than those who do not hold those beliefs? The ones that I know do. Do those who don’t believe in Pre-Trib rapture carry an air of more enlightenment than those who do?  I for one don’t. This is best illustrated by the fact that Pre-Trib rapture believers have absolutely told me to my face that my preps are a lack of faith. Satan’s lies are so subtle that they have convinced themselves that the false doctrine they embrace is a higher level of faith (enlightenment and division all in one) than those of us preparing to provide four ourselves in times of trouble. Who was it that seeks to divide us and offers enlightenment again?
 
6)    The Bible is the book for believers. Our handbook if you will. If the believers are all going to be “taken away home” just in the nick of time what is the point of the Bible going into great detail about the Great Tribulation period if none of us are going to be here? We really wouldn’t need to know anything about that would we? What purpose does that information serve if everything in the “Good book” is there for a reason?
 
7)    Not the least of which the Mark of the Beast. Why would we need to think about that or hear about that if we are all gone?
 
8)    The Pre-Tribbers assert that at the rapture (at the onset of the Great Tribulation) Jesus comes down to the clouds and at the end of the Great Tribulation. He actually walks on Earth and that that is the second coming. So which one is Judgment day? Those who get raptured to Heaven and those left behind at the beginning of the Great Tribulation; is that judgment day? Or is it judgment day when Christ returns?  Are there two judgment days? Two unsealing of the Book of Lambs? If all the saved Christians are taken away home right before all hell breaks loose why have a great tribulation at all?
 
9)    Be extra leery of theses that support your biases. i.e. people with lazy streaks who  convince themselves that they don’t have to do anything. Nothing worth having is attained easily. We know that our salvation is attained through grace not works but we also know that there is a certain element who are all too keen on the idea of having to do nothing. “Works for me, back to the ball game.” That is fine, it’s a choice, but when you castigate those of us preparing that doing so is “lacking faith” it is hard for me to not think of the word “foolish” or even “mockery.” Mocking God’s people seems like a bad idea to me.
 
10) And now we get down to brass tacks. Does the Pre-Tribulation Rapture theory better serve the desires of Satan or God? How could we know? Using logic I think we can certainly gain some insight. What happens if I am wrong and the rapture occurs prior to the tribulation and I am taken away home? Nothing really, I will be saved and in Heaven and probably won’t even know what hit me, much less have the time to rationalize, “Oh I guess I got that Pre-Trib rapture thing wrong.” Now let’s go the other way. What happens to Christians who have built much of their belief system around the Pre-Trib rapture, what if they are wrong? The great tribulation is “game on” and they are still here on earth. How many of them are going to question God? Question their faith? “He” didn’t come through for us, it was all a pack of lies! How many of them are going to renounce their faith? How many of them will swallow the next big lie that God doesn’t exist and turn their allegiances to the antichrist and become the sworn enemies of those remaining Christians? To me, that’s the main “rub” right there. This is exactly what the Pre-Tribbers have been set up for in my opinion. Not all of them will swallow the next big lie certainly, but many will.
 
To me the main lesson here for those of us who count ourselves as Christian Survivalists is this; In a SHTF scenario identifying friend from foe is going to be a huge challenge. None of us are naive enough to think that the bad guys are going to introduce themselves as evil. But let us also not be naive enough to think that all “Christians” are going to be your friends. The Bible is clear on this and maybe none more famous than Isaiah 3:5:

“People will oppress each other– man against man, neighbor against neighbor. The young will rise up against the old, the nobody against the honored.”

Since, like Judah, we have broken our covenant of protection, this may well metaphorically speak to our futures as well.

God is in charge but that doesn’t make doing nothing a wise call.

Two Letters Re: Things to Understand When Interacting With the Police

Dear Editor:
In response to R.B. and his comments on “Things to Understand When Interacting With the Police,” I’d like to share “Some Things He Needs to Understand When Interacting With Civilians.”

We’ve long abandoned the idea that the police are interested in helping us when they interact with us. We expect, for good reason, that any encounter with a police officer is going to be a reminder that right or wrong, he or she is a cop, they must be respected no matter how inhumane their behavior, and that any error on the part of the officer is inconsequential. I may have to accept the ticket for allegedly running the red light, pay the fine, and suffer the insurance consequences, but if my dash cam video shows that the officer lied, the most I can expect is that the ticket is thrown out. No matter that my time was wasted in by a fraudulent traffic stop and a day off work to come in and prove my innocence in the absence of an officer actually being able to prove I was guilty. What we almost never see happen is that the officer is reprimanded for lying.

We also know that in nearly every encounter with police, the only reason they speak to us is to find something indictable. They aren’t looking for a reason to exonerate us or for a reason not to cite or arrest us, and that means any discussion with a police officer has the potential to lead to consequences for us, and silence will never incriminate us. That is why we have a right to remain silent, and it’s ludicrous for an officer to suggest that it’s a good idea to talk to the police.

For the perspective that only 5% of defense attorneys are honest, I don’t disagree, but that statistic can be just as easily applied to the police, but with a more insidious element; defense attorneys are only trying to defend the impropriety of their client (a potential criminal) while the police routinely defend the impropriety of each other.

There is no denying the fact that there are a lot of bad cops out there. They are truly a stain on the tradition of law enforcement, but the idea that they are a “few bad apples” ignores several facts. 1. Their fellow officers (the supposed ‘good’ cops) never interfere when one of these bad officers is violating someone’s rights. 2. They usually cover for these bad cops, whether through silence, looking the other way, or outright lying. 3. The police enjoy immunity from the mistakes they make which often ruin lives.

These things considered, please don’t be surprised that the public view of the image of law enforcement is crumbling. We are tired of the videos of perpetrators being assaulted by the police while not a single officer steps in to stop the assault. The ludicrousness of the police justifying their actions when they asphyxiate a subject and then beat him for “resisting” when his guttural instinct for survival kicks in. The repeated instances of the police demanding that civilians turn off cameras in public places, where they assault people for recording them, and where they illegally confiscate recording equipment which so often goes ‘mysteriously’ missing. This indicates two key problems; the police know that their words don’t match their behaviors, and such evidence cannot be tolerated, and that we really need to think about the level of accountability among an institution that loses more video evidence (both police dash-cam and confiscated video) than Hollywood.

The one thing that is predictable in these discussions is that the blame for law-enforcement misbehavior is quickly directed back at the citizens, where civilians are somehow at fault for the misbehavior of the police and that we can’t possibly understand why they do what they do. This is illogical and insulting. The bottom line is that the police are responsible for their own image, whether good cop or bad, and it’s not enough to say “those are the bad cops, I’m a good cop” and leave it at that. Unless you are taking specific action to protect the citizens (as sworn?) from bad cops, then you are no better than them, falling somewhere on the ‘respect’ list between used car salesmen and the Nigerian prince who wants me to help him collect his inheritance. It’s your responsibility as a police officer and as an institution to consider why your image is falling like a North Korean satellite, and to address ways of resolving it. Blaming us is not the answer. Calling other people a liar is not the answer. Look inward and then show a good faith effort the people who are losing trust and respect for you, and therein you might regain our trust.

One thing I’ve learned is that when an “executive officer of the state” tells me that someone else is lying, that someone else is probably telling the truth. We aren’t “anti-police,” we are anti-bad-police-establishment.” – S.T.

 

Mr. Rawles,
The recent article by G.S. suggested that prepper’s maintain a distrustful attitude when interacting with law enforcement personnel.  This was followed by R.B.’s disdainful view of the defense bar and belief that law enforcement personnel can be trusted to protect the constitution rights of citizens.  Taken together, these viewpoints demonstrate something that preppers should carefully consider; the law enforcement environment in which they are operating, and what steps to take to protect themselves.

I have no doubt that in the Western state that R.B. works to keep safe, law enforcement officers use common sense and can be trusted to understand the Constitutional rights of Americans.  Similarly, we have seen enough stories to know that there are parts of this country, certainly where G.S. resides, where police view Constitutional rights as nothing more than a hindrance and common sense plays little role in decision making.

It is vitally important to learn about your legal and law enforcement environment before significant contact with law enforcement, rather than after the fact.  Here are a couple ideas:

– Talk to a lawyer.   If you don’t already have one or know one, it is much easier to shop around for a good plumber before your pipe breaks. The same is true for attorneys.  Ask around, find one with a good reputation.  Many attorneys will set up an appointment for a nominal fee.  While attorneys cannot divulge the content of your discussion, there is no need to share details about your preps, numbers of firearms, etc.  It may be enough to ask “what should I do if and intruder is on my property or breaking into my home?”  or “Do we have a ‘stand-your-ground’ law here?”  The answers may be different depending on where you live.

-Find out about the prosecutor in your area.  Is the prosecutor elected or a political appointment and if so, by whom?  Are judges elected or appointed?  Is your local prosecutor or police chief involved with anti-Second Amendment groups?  The mayor?   Does your local prosecutor have a history of filing charges against citizens protecting themselves and their families? 

-Learn about the police and sheriff.  Knowing what precinct and beat you live in is particularly helpful if you are monitoring a radio scanner or an online police scanner.   If there is a neighborhood police meeting, take the time to show up and meet the officers working in your area.   You can get a read on the officer’s view of public safety and information about the crime trends in your area could be critical to your family’s safety. 

-Check the news.  Have there been a string of police misconduct complaints?  In proven cases of misconduct, have offenders been punished or is everything swept under the rug?   Do the police have a written or unwritten policy of making an arrest every time someone defends them self from attack?

In many cases, the law enforcement environment in an area is reflective the quality of local government in general,  the area economy, level of personal freedom, and so forth.    When it comes to interactions with law enforcement, like everything else in preparedness, know your environment and have a plan.

How you would deal with a deputy who you know on a first name since grade school would be completely different than a police officer while visiting a major East coast city.   Regardless of your environment,

-Be courteous.  Presume that the officer is doing his job in a manner that deserves our respect. 

-Know your rights.  Don’t think you know them, find out exactly what you can, cannot and must do in your jurisdiction.

-Do not lie.   You may have the right to stay silent, you don’t have the right to say something is untrue.

-Keep your paperwork straight and vehicle in good working order.  Avoid interactions in the first place by ensuring your tags, insurance, etc. are up to date, and your vehicle is in good shape.  This is particularly important if you preparations include a bug-out plan using your vehicle.

-If you determine that an officer is acting in an inappropriate manner and you must invoke your Constitution rights to refuse to make a statement or consent to a search, continue to be courteous and even tempered.  If your rights are violated you can tell the judge, citizens review board, or other authority when the time is appropriate.

After reading both articles, I believe that both G.S. and R.B. are correct as concerns their locale.  Preppers should examine their own locale, and consider their own legal environment and what that environment might become in the event of a local or widespread disaster. – R.L.W.

Economics and Investing:

Necultchurny! The haircut news from Cyprus just got worse: “This morning Sky [News] reported that the levy on balances over €100,000 had now increased to 60%…” This now qualifies as full scale bank robbery.

Ricky L. sent a link with some disturbing news: Fake 90% Silver U.S. Coins. Silver dollars are most often faked, but even smaller dominations should now be scrutinized.

Bill Whittle: Canaries in Coal Mines

You Will NEVER Look At MONEY The Same AGAIN.

Items from The Economatrix:

No Matter Outcome, Cyprus Crisis Is Blow To Business (And To Bank Customer Confidence Worldwide)

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Policy Paper Urges Higher Fuel Taxes to Offset Post-Tax Subsidies and “Externalities” Like Global CO2 Emissions. These Pigouvian (“Corrective”) taxes might push the price of gasoline to $4.67 per gallon in the U.S.! (Scroll down to “Appendix Table 1. Corrective Motor Fuel Taxes, Selected Countries”. Note that the suggested tax increase is 36 cents is per liter, not per gallon!)

Have The Russians Already Quietly Withdrawn Their Cash From Cyprus?

Eurogroup President Spooks Market By Saying Cyprus Deal Is A Template

Odds ‘n Sods:

Joe K. suggested: Emergency Preparedness & Outdoor Adventure Planning Checklist

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Americans Are Migrating To More Free Republican States. It is noteworthy that the study (see summary here) would have ranked Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana higher, except that “freedom” as they define it includes so-called “same sex marriage” and the freedom to use marijuana. This skewed their results.

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F.G. suggested this vintage video that explains vacuum tube technology: AT&T Archives: Bottle of Magic

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Ten Reasons Why Senators Should Vote Against the Gun Control Bribe-o-thon

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Reader D.D. sen this link to a piece that he wrote: One man’s approach to packing a 72-Hour Bag.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the [same] night in which he was betrayed took bread:
And when he had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also [he took] the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink [it], in remembrance of me.
For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.” – I Corinthians 11: 23-26 (KJV)