The Corner-Stone Basics of Survival in Modern Times

             

            Why do we need to see the Curve?

                                          Shawn Patrick Starry

                                                    For support/Donations: $survivorbible

                                         Monday December 11th, 2023     

All we have to do nowadays is see on our cell phones or on our televisions the manmade and natural disasters occurring around the world. We have to ask ourselves the hard questions, seek those who have had the experience in surviving various different disasters, and learn: 1. How did they see this coming? 2. How did they prepare for this. 3. What influenced their decisions to make such changes? 4. What redpilled their attention and what exactly nailed the belief they need to prepare for such events?

            We were taught by so many modern day parents from the ages that our government will protect us, even save us if a disaster occurs. What have we learned? While in hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, the first responders were the first to leave. To leave the city, to protect their families from injury or death. Those who have no other options, not able to bug out to another permanent location, fought for their lives against mother nature. Once the damage was inflicted, skies parted, sun shone on this city, many people were isolated, cut off from the rest of the world, lacking communication, supplies and medical treatment. Many of them made their way to the football dome where it provided the best options of cover, and hopefully support. Many elderly, and disabled people were not able to make their way to the dome. 

Then comes the horror story. A few days later, many of the gangs would raid the first responders building taking uniforms, vehicles, etc. They would go door to door posing as first responders to rob the people who were trapped in their homes or areas, killing several hundreds. As time went on, sister churches and organizations were raising funds, buying supplies and trying to deliver much needed relief for those trapped in the city. While the police under Federal Emergency Management Agency were directed to halt all non-essential from entering the city. Months went by, more people died. Finally, the New Orleans Police Chief and the National Guard entered the edge of the city going from house to house, confiscating weapons law abiding citizens owned, denying them medical assistance and more. Those who resisted were shot and killed in the name of National Security. Many of those who survived the hurricane, robbers, hunger, dehydration died at the hands of the police and national guard. Did these people believe they needed a survival plan? No because they did not want to be labeled "Crazy Conspiracists" by their neighbors, employers and families. So they planned based on an empty promise. To those who survived, because they were the fittest. Because they were able to be mobile. They were in good health. 

If we look at the geographic locations to determine the most common natural disasters, we can see a domino effect. Earthquakes can and often produce Tsunami's first physical devastation, followed by a pause, then a washing out to sea the inhabitants and their buildings. In the Midwest, we see more, tornados.  This brings localized destruction in the millions. Having the same effects as a hurricane, they usually get some more immediate relief from local nearby towns, and volunteers. 

In some areas there are landslides, that will wash out entire civilizations. Only to be forgotten until years later, dug up and studied. Much of our history has been controlled simply because in 1920 Rockefeller wanted to create a nation of workers, not thinkers. Because of this, so much of actual history and narrative was changed or erased. This leads to a recurrence of loss of life. Education before the 1920s was a bedrock for the "Family Unit". With less and less actual history, and relative studies, replaced with "Ideologies" that are simply 'weaponized" by the government against the people, more and more Ivy league educated students, have no real skill set outside the indoctrination that contributes to building towards a more better society, having checks and balances.  But they will one day face the same situation when disaster strikes them like many of the people in New Orleans did during Hurricane Katrina. 

Having taken the time, studying history, you will learn this simple phrase, "History always repeats itself, for we in our prideful ignorance believe we are the masters of the cosmos". It's here we learn, that by having a check and balance system, we can coexist with each other and with nature. Instead, we forgo the lessons our founding fathers and elders have taught, while living on their wealth, chasing the "Casper Ghost" dream that we can be successful if we operate our lives based on ruthless attitude and demeanor towards those who live a life of poverty or middle class. Greed now becomes a cancer, eroding the very fabric of actual building, relationships, families, and productive life styles. Instead we created a generation of divided, self centered privileged individuals who believe they will become famous, important to such a degree that 'demands' respect. Abortions, homosexuality, tribal wars, a nation of children without fathers, where anybody can be a 'woman' with 999 different genders, 'safe spaces or zones'; these are the ingredients before a collapse of every civilization. 

The three steps to effectively kill any nation or civilization:

1. Isolation. Cut off communication, physical social gatherings. (Covid-19 Lockdowns) This creates a mental health crisis, even in normal people. 

2. Synchronized Chaos. Spreading the town square (Social Media platforms like X or Facebook) with actual Disinformation, cause and create fear in the highest levels. For those who are disabled, health problems, it simply impacts their health in such a negative way, their bodies become more sick, deepening their dependence on Medical Pharmacy to solve their pains, with more suffering until death by side effects of the medications. And for those that are healthy, they devote their entire energy into creating more hateful, short termed ideologies to injure those whom they have never met, nor understand the physical, mental or spiritual struggles of the individual. And in many cases, perform more dangerous acts of physically injuring others, or cyber hacking to steal, rob, and blind an entire populace of individuals. 

3. Coup D'etat. A collapse, of every basic civil service. A civil war between polarized groups. Cities will be hit the hardest. No communication, a lot of misassumptions made, and more lives lost. Another country, or multiple countries will intervene at some point, possibly bombing indiscriminately, wiping out what is left of a decant rotten nation hell bent on killing one another. And it will be effectively replaced with a more obedient, servitude nation  like China, Russia, Cuba, or A One World Government. And a few generations will live in slavery once again because their parents or grandparents were more concerned about having more privileges than their next door neighbor, rejecting the very ideal of compromise at times. And it will be the grandchildren, or great grandchildren who will take up arms, and fight their oppressors. Could this all be avoided? Yes. We need to learn our weakness, and fix it while building one another up in actual truth and love. My grandchildren will benefit, when I invest in my neighbors. 

"The poor have mastered the art of real love through sacrifice for others, while the rich live in a perpetual misery making sacrifices for themselves. And this while at odds can be reconciled. It only takes, one act of love to wake an entire nation up." I've often taught my children this lesson: "When your children, grandchildren learn of your actions, will it be one worth repeating? We will all leave behind a legacy. Will it be filled with love, sacrifice, harmony; or will it be filled with pain, misery and injustice? Which one will you leave behind?" For every man, woman and child reading this, understand this universal truth: We only have one life to live. Be the change you want your children to see in you. So that they will go out into the world and make a impact that will bring about harmony, peace, and sacrifice. Safeguard our history, learn from the mistakes of those who failed. Understand why values, and principals matter. But also understand, why civilizations come and go. 

Sociologists and anthropologists have described the stages of the rise and fall of the world’s great civilizations. Scottish philosopher Alexander Tyler of the University of Edinburg noted eight stages that articulate well what history discloses. I first encountered these in in Ted Flynn’s book The Great Transformation. They provide a great deal of perspective to what we are currently experiencing.

Let’s look at each of the eight stages. The names of the stages are from Tyler’s book and are presented in bold red text. My brief reflections follow in plain text.

From bondage to spiritual growth – Great civilizations are formed in the crucible. The Ancient Jews were in bondage for 400 years in Egypt. The Christian faith and the Church came out of 300 years of persecution. Western Christendom emerged from the chaotic conflicts during the decline of the Roman Empire and the movements of often fierce “barbarian” tribes. American culture was formed by the injustices that grew in colonial times. Sufferings and injustices cause—even force—spiritual growth. Suffering brings wisdom and demands a spiritual discipline that seeks justice and solutions.

From spiritual growth to great courage – Having been steeled in the crucible of suffering, courage and the ability to endure great sacrifice come forth. Anointed leaders emerge and people are summoned to courage and sacrifice (including loss of life) in order to create a better, more just world for succeeding generations. People who have little or nothing, also have little or nothing to lose and are often more willing to live for something more important than themselves and their own pleasure. A battle is begun, a battle requiring courage, discipline, and other virtues.

From courage to liberty – As a result of the courageous fight, the foe is vanquished and liberty and greater justice emerges. At this point a civilization comes forth, rooted in its greatest ideals. Many who led the battle are still alive, and the legacy of those who are not is still fresh. Heroism and the virtues that brought about liberty are still esteemed. The ideals that were struggled for during the years in the crucible are still largely agreed upon.

From liberty to abundance – Liberty ushers in greater prosperity, because a civilization is still functioning with the virtues of sacrifice and hard work. But then comes the first danger: abundance. Things that are in too great an abundance tend to weigh us down and take on a life of their own. At the same time, the struggles that engender wisdom and steel the soul to proper discipline and priorities move to the background. Jesus said that man’s life does not consist in his possessions. But just try to tell that to people in a culture that starts to experience abundance. Such a culture is living on the fumes of earlier sacrifices; its people become less and less willing to make such sacrifices. Ideals diminish in importance and abundance weighs down the souls of the citizens. The sacrifices, discipline, and virtues responsible for the thriving of the civilization are increasingly remote from the collective conscience; the enjoyment of their fruits becomes the focus.

From abundance to complacency – To be complacent means to be self-satisfied and increasingly unaware of serious trends that undermine health and the ability to thrive. Everything looks fine, so it must be fine. Yet foundations, resources, infrastructures, and necessary virtues are all crumbling. As virtues, disciplines, and ideals become ever more remote, those who raise alarms are labeled by the complacent as “killjoys” and considered extreme, harsh, or judgmental.

From complacency to apathy – The word apathy comes from the Greek and refers to a lack of interest in, or passion for, the things that once animated and inspired. Due to the complacency of the previous stage, the growing lack of attention to disturbing trends advances to outright dismissal. Many seldom think or care about the sacrifices of previous generations and lose a sense that they must work for and contribute to the common good. “Civilization” suffers the serious blow of being replaced by personalization and privatization in growing degrees. Working and sacrificing for others becomes more remote. Growing numbers becoming increasingly willing to live on the carcass of previous sacrifices. They park on someone else’s dime, but will not fill the parking meter themselves. Hard work and self-discipline continue to erode.

From apathy to dependence – Increasing numbers of people lack the virtues and zeal necessary to work and contribute. The suffering and the sacrifices that built the culture are now a distant memory. As discipline and work increasingly seem “too hard,” dependence grows. The collective culture now tips in the direction of dependence. Suffering of any sort seems intolerable. But virtue is not seen as the solution. Having lived on the sacrifices of others for years, the civilization now insists that “others” must solve their woes. This ushers in growing demands for governmental, collective solutions. This in turns deepens dependence, as solutions move from personal virtue and local, family-based sacrifices to centralized ones.

From dependence back to bondage – As dependence increases, so does centralized power. Dependent people tend to become increasingly dysfunctional and desperate. Seeking a savior, they look to strong central leadership. But centralized power corrupts, and tends to usher in increasing intrusion by centralized power. Injustice and intrusion multiplies. But those in bondage know of no other solutions. Family and personal virtue (essential ingredients for any civilization) are now effectively replaced by an increasingly dark and despotic centralized control, hungry for more and more power. In this way, the civilization is gradually ended, because people in bondage no longer have the virtues necessary to fight.

Another possibility is that a more powerful nation or group is able to enter, by invasion or replacement, and destroy the final vestiges of a decadent civilization and replace it with their own culture.

Either way, it’s back to crucible, until suffering and conflict bring about enough of the wisdom, virtue, and courage necessary to begin a new civilization that will rise from the ashes.

Thus are the stages of civilizations. Sic transit gloria mundi. The Church has witnessed a lot of this in just the brief two millennia of her time. In addition to civilizations, nations have come and gone quite frequently over the years. Few nations have lasted longer than 200 years. Civilizations are harder to define with exact years, but at the beginning of the New Covenant, Rome was already in decline. In the Church’s future would be other large nations and empires in the West: the “Holy” Roman Empire, various colonial powers, the Spanish, the Portuguese, and the French.  It was once said that “The sun never sets on the British Empire.” Now it does. As the West began a long decline, Napoleon made his move. Later, Hitler strove to build a German empire. Then came the USSR. And prior to all this, in the Old Testament period, there had been the Kingdom of David, to be succeeded by Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome.

The only true ark of safety is the Church, who received her promise of indefectibility from the Lord (Matt 16:18). But the Church, too, is always in need of reform and will have much to suffer. Yet she alone will survive this changing world, because she is the Bride of Christ and also His Body.

These are hard days, but perspective can help. It is hard to deny that we are living at the end of an era. It is painful because something we love is dying. But from death comes forth new life. Only the Lord knows the next stage and long this interregnum will be. Look to Him. Go ahead and vote, but put not your trust in princes (Ps 146:3). God will preserve His people, as He did in the Old Covenant. He will preserve those of us who are now joined to Him in the New Covenant. Find your place in the ark, ever ancient and yet new.

This video of psalm 121 is sung in an ancient language and manner, but its message is still current:

I lift mine eyes to the Mountains from whence cometh my help (Psalm 121).

Credit:https://blog.adw.org/2016/10/eight-stages-rise-fall-civilizations/