I have read so many articles on what you'll need WTSHTF, most concentrate on things like water, food, bullets etc. But the one thing you and yours will need desperately is Love and Compassion. With out love and compassion you survival will be nothing more than that survival, and to survive with out love in your life for all people and things is time waisted. I've come to this conclusion one day getting fatigued with the ranch and the though crossed my mind.... what if I went to live in the city? What would be different? The difference is most people in the cities are devoid of love and compassion, there hollow eyes, and their striving to live in the squalor that is the epitome of life today in the "WORLD". I'm doing all I can you make my life about love and compassion, its the lost key in all of this. Some things to do to get you on your way. Forgive everyone who ever did you wrong Forgive yourself Give all people and animals you meet love and compassion. It will feel strange at first but with a little practice you'll learn to love being a lover. Peace and Love Dan Place of Refuge 2012 - A Survival Community
Yeah, I think I can do that for everyone. Especially those that helped put us there. I'm going to love beating the poop out of them. I'm going to love ripping them a new one. I will be filled with love for them. /sarcasm off.. Yes, brother, I hear you. We can't survive if we're all so divided that we can't / won't help each other.
Horology, Maybe I am being too harsh, or I am reading something else altogether in what you just said. .... I feel you are assuming too much! You would not have said what you did if you really knew us. I think all of us have some loved ones, friends and family, that they care for greatly. There are few true loners here. I hope YOU are not depending on strictly "Love and Peace", to get you thru if and when the SHTF. If you are, you can probably form a circular daisy chain, and bend over and kiss your friend or lover's butt goodbye. There is evil in this world, and you would be a fool not to realize how desperate and animal like things are going to get when the SHTF. The saying here is prepare for the worst, hope or pray for the best. All of us would like peace, love, hope, and happiness, ...... but we might have to fight like hell to get back to that point, if ever.
Easier said than done...when SHTF happens, what will happen with that love and compassion when hungry, thirsty and armed people knock at your door? Love and compassion are wonderfull, but are they smart? If ALL people were like that, sure, no problem, but since most of the people are selfish, self-centered and greedy, a person playing Jesus is not going to accomplish anything, except getting himself killed... If compassion means to share or give food or water to others, and risk putting my family in danger or trouble, it's just not going to happen!... Untill SHTF happens, sure...if I can help anyone, without making problems for myself, I will...but I'm not going to be a sheep everyone takes advantage of...been there, done that, wasn't fun at all and enough is enough...never more! Peace, love and AK-47...
To all those who think I said "all you need is love", I didn't. Being a loving person and being stupid are not mutually inclusive. Peace, Dan
Well...if all that love and compassion stays on words only, or is a matter of convinience, than no problem...I can be extremely loving and compassionate...if it doesn't cost me anything...Sorry if I misunderstood you...
Aren't you all just little rays of sunshine?! @ peace, love, AK47. Being probably the most friendly person on the planet; I understand what you're saying, Dan. However, I disagree that no one plans to store love and compassion. I think that most people - who are making any plans at all - take the time to consider their personal needs, companionship/whathaveyou, adjust their willingness to share that (and with whom), and then make their plans accordingly.
I think Rawles summed it up quite nicely for me. The gist of what he feels is that it's our moral imperative to assist others especially in uncertain times. However, it's best done at arm's length.
interesting post, I would just like to add that love does not mean allowing yourself to be a victim to others. In fact I would argue that you must practice primary self care so that you are able to love others. and compassion does not mean placing others before yourself, primary responders know that you must first of all ensure your own safety so that you are able to offer assitance to others Even the biblical statement of doing unto others as you would do unto yourself can be interpreted to mean look after yourself first, then others. But I agree, we ( read I) need to have more compassion for others. It is a timely reminder that compassion is a choice than can be made on a daily basis out of love Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, Twas grace my fears relieved.
Very eloquently said. That is the direction we were trying to go in with this post. Thanks for completing our thought! That's the kind of spirit we are looking for in people to join our community. Peace, Dan
Love and compassion? Yes and no. Store love and compassion? Yes, and no. OK this is a somewhat long post (extracted from my personal Blog) so here goes: (QUICK disclaimer, I am a Christian, and the views expressed here in no way reflect those of the Survival Monkey Forums, the Moderators, The Owners or anyone directly or indirectly associated with this web site, these are my views). Let us do a hypothetical take on America invaded by...say...an imaginary country...call them Aggressors: Let us say we were attacked on our soil by the Aggressors and they were slaughtering helpless women and children neighbors, would you stand idly by and do nothing to protect your neighbors, but let them be slaughtered so you could love the Agressors butchering them? Would you not be showing hate to your neighbors if you did nothing to defend them when you could protect them by killing the enemy? Would you let the enemy kill your Mom and Dad and brothers and sisters in cold blood and not try to defend them even with your life by killing the enemy? Or would you let them kill your family in cold blood and do nothing or “hate” your family just so you could love your enemy? Jesus’ command to love your enemy is when you are personally attacked and forced to do something to help your enemy. He does not speak of letting the enemy kill you willingly in cold blood. The apostles were told to flee if the enemy was trying to kill them. Paul was let down in a basket from a window and escaped. Even Jesus knocked the soldiers down on the ground to defend his disciples. He even told the soldiers to let his disciples go. Christ never got rid of the teaching of self defense against an enemy that would kill you or your loved ones. If a murderer broke into your house and was going to kill your family, would you not do everything to protect your family? Yes, first you would try to talk him down, but if you couldn’t you would physically try to stop him. If you had to kill him to protect your family, was that not more in loving your family then to step back and let the murderer kill all of you so you could say you were “loving your enemy?” If the two commands collide - the commands to "love your neighbor" or "love your enemy" - for example if the enemy would kill your neighbor, you must then love your neighbor by protecting him against the enemy. Otherwise you are supporting and helping your enemy to commit murder to your neighbor and actually hating your neighbor by letting him be killed. If you were about to be killed by an enemy, would you want someone to try to save you or just stand there and love your enemy and allow them to kill you? Some men are called to kill to defend their country. To fight in a just war when we are first attacked by an enemy that would slaughter American men, women and children in cold blood for no reason but hate and dominion, is not against Christ’s teaching. You fight and kill in self defense. You are part of the sword of the State. What you do is just and right. You fight because you love your neighbor, your family and country. To not fight and let the men, women, and children of a country be slaughtered would be to hate your neighbor, your family, and country. The personal command of Jesus given to his disciples to love your enemies was to his followers to be obeyed on a personal level, as when you are personally abused by a personal enemy. It is to teach forgiveness and showing goodness to enemies who personally wrong us, so we do not live by the code of “eye for eye” or a code of revenge. But this command is not for the State about enemies of the State who would destroy a country. If a State would not stop an attacking enemy, but just let the enemy kill multitudes of women and children, the State would become an accomplice to wholesale murder, neglecting its duty to protect its citizens. Neither does the command to love your enemy negate the command of self defense, either of one’s self or family or neighbor. Christ did not teach we are to let our enemies freely kill us or our loved ones. The church prayed for Peter and an angel delivered him. Jesus told the disciple to take a sword with them just before his passion. Jesus knocked the soldiers down to protect his disciples. Jesus drove the money changers out to protect his Father’s house and the true worshipers. To use physical force to protect oneself or family or neighbors is quite within the doctrine of protecting and loving our neighbor as taught in Scripture. If a life is taken to defend an innocent person, it is well within the doctrine of loving your neighbor as yourself. The two greatest commands are to “Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind, and strength” and to “love thy neighbor as yourself.” Jesus does not place loving your enemies as high as these. For if you cannot truly love your neighbor or brother who loves you by defending him with your life, if need be, then how in the world could you ever love your enemy who hates you? Jesus said to not resist evil when done to oneself, but was constantly fighting for justice, healing, and life for his neighbor. Just my .02 worth.
