Something Interesting in the Mail

[brianj]

\Food storage and ample supply of guns and ammo does not a gathering believer make. I have both and consider it a sign of common sense as well as faithful obedience. Whether or not a "gathering" happens, per JR's description, I'm ready for whatever.

And then there are my friends who packed up, sold their homes, and moved to middle-of-nowhere Idaho because JR said the apocalypse was starting soon and they wanted to get a head start. One family filled three trucks with food storage, then two more with their possessions, followed by another trailer full of.... I'm not sure what, really. And this was just one family with two people. Four other families followed suit. They are superheroes in the "tentite" world. But such dedication to end times philosophy deprived our ward of much needed priesthood power and support.

Lift where you stand; Don't stand in a bunker.

Let me be abundantly clear:
You just called me an idiot and I don't appreciate it. You called me an idiot by telling me that I, as a believer in a gathering, think that people foolish enough to ignore what Julie Rowe counsels and run off to the middle of nowhere are my superheroes.

Try listening to what Julie Rowe has to say. She has publicly, repeatedly stated that people should not run off and hide, should not go live in a tent right now, and should not panic buy a food storage. She has advised people to acquire a food storage responsibly, without going into debt, and as finances permit. She has advised people to live their lives mostly as normal, changing bad habits to get right with Heavenly Father and get close to the Holy Ghost so that we can be ready to receive inspiration and do what we are guided to do.

PLEASE STOP BEING SO INSULTING! Why do you feel the need to search for extremists then hold them up as typical examples of people who believe in something you don't? Why do you intentionally blind yourself to the real message and to people who really are typical examples of the group?
If you have a Muslim coworker, do you assume that they are wearing an explosive vest just because some extremist Muslims blow themselves up?

[iWriteStuff]

\Food storage and ample supply of guns and ammo does not a gathering believer make. I have both and consider it a sign of common sense as well as faithful obedience. Whether or not a "gathering" happens, per JR's description, I'm ready for whatever.

And then there are my friends who packed up, sold their homes, and moved to middle-of-nowhere Idaho because JR said the apocalypse was starting soon and they wanted to get a head start. One family filled three trucks with food storage, then two more with their possessions, followed by another trailer full of.... I'm not sure what, really. And this was just one family with two people. Four other families followed suit. They are superheroes in the "tentite" world. But such dedication to end times philosophy deprived our ward of much needed priesthood power and support.

Lift where you stand; Don't stand in a bunker.

Let me be abundantly clear:
You just called me an idiot and I don't appreciate it. You called me an idiot by telling me that I, as a believer in a gathering, think that people foolish enough to ignore what Julie Rowe counsels and run off to the middle of nowhere are my superheroes.

Try listening to what Julie Rowe has to say. She has publicly, repeatedly stated that people should not run off and hide, should not go live in a tent right now, and should not panic buy a food storage. She has advised people to acquire a food storage responsibly, without going into debt, and as finances permit. She has advised people to live their lives mostly as normal, changing bad habits to get right with Heavenly Father and get close to the Holy Ghost so that we can be ready to receive inspiration and do what we are guided to do.

PLEASE STOP BEING SO INSULTING! Why do you feel the need to search for extremists then hold them up as typical examples of people who believe in something you don't? Why do you intentionally blind yourself to the real message and to people who really are typical examples of the group?
If you have a Muslim coworker, do you assume that they are wearing an explosive vest just because some extremist Muslims blow themselves up?

Let me be abundantly clear: you're putting words in my mouth. I described the actions of two of my best friends. They were the ones who introduced me to Julie Rowe and her writings, got me to her events, got me all excited, and then took off for parts unknown with trucks full of food storage and tents. At what point in that description did I describe you? I don't know you, nor would I attempt to describe you. I described my friends. And in calling them "superheroes of the tentite world", it is from the reaction of their other friends in the ward that I make that description. Those who didn't move with them openly expressed their envy. At the other end of the spectrum are the people YOU are happy to categorize as having no preparations nor interest in preparing. If none of them are protesting your over generalization, it's because they didn't take it personally. Neither should you.

I know what JR has counseled. I also know there are people who take that advice, add in her stories of impending doom, and then prefer to take counsel of their fears, going buck wild on food storage and camping gear. The clearest voice for moderation comes from the church, who utilize no fearful messages, nor dreams/visions of famine, war, disease, etc to promote a common sense approach to preparation. For this reason alone I think the wisest course of action is to heed the counsel of the church and turn down the volume on everything you hear from JR/Spencer/AVOW/etc.

I don't know how you describe "typical examples of people who believe in something I don't". I have never searched for extremists; I have merely observed the extreme behaviors of my close friends the believers. Perhaps there are more "moderates" in the SeaTac area of the Pacific Northwest, but in Colorado I rarely meet any.

[DesertWonderer]

This is the problem with the whole tent city people. They become obsessed with end times, believe the dreamers I.e. Rowe and associates. And then go way overboard. This flyer is fear mongering at its finest. Have we not received warnings for decades to prepare? Is provident living not enough? Someone spent thousands of dollars on this hysterical flyer. Sad

Isn't this exactly why we have been warned many times about gospel hobbies and attending / participating in these "cottage meetings"?

[brianj]

They are superheroes in the "tentite" world.

This appears to be a blanket statement.

I described the actions of two of my best friends... And in calling them "superheroes of the tentite world", it is from the reaction of their other friends in the ward that I make that description. Those who didn't move with them openly expressed their envy.

This statement expresses something very different. Some, maybe all, of the people in your ward who accepted what Julie Rowe had to say were envious of those who moved. But that limited observation doesn't necessarily mean most or all of those who believe in a future gathering are envious of people who run away and hide.

I know what JR has counseled. I also know there are people who take that advice, add in her stories of impending doom, and then prefer to take counsel of their fears, going buck wild on food storage and camping gear. The clearest voice for moderation comes from the church, who utilize no fearful messages, nor dreams/visions of famine, war, disease, etc to promote a common sense approach to preparation. For this reason alone I think the wisest course of action is to heed the counsel of the church and turn down the volume on everything you hear from JR/Spencer/AVOW/etc.

I respectfully disagree for the following reason: We have prophecies from Orson Hyde and others of a second civil war, to be far worse than the first one. Hyde specifically stated that manufacturing will cease for a time. I believe that during that time electricity will not be generated, natural gas will not be distributed, oil will not be refined, and home heating oil will not be delivered. When utilities are cut off you will be in real trouble if you don't have the supplies you need to keep warm through the winter or cook your own foods. If we do gather, the more prepared we are the better off we will be. If a gathering doesn't happen, and we stay at home, we will be better off if we have cold weather sleeping bags and small stoves to cook or heat water. But if we initially stay home then find ourselves among those who are prophesied to "flee before the ravaging armies from place to place" then we will be much better off if, in addition to having a year's supply of food and other items as counseled by the prophet, we also have backpacks, sleeping bags, camp stoves, and portable food. And those of us who live in earthquake country will be much better off if we are prepared to pitch a tent in the backyard if a big earthquake makes the house unsafe to live in.

That being said, I do believe the people who thought a case or two of canned foods was a sufficient food storage then acquired a food storage as fast as they could because of Julie Rowe/Spencer/whatever other source have some repenting to do. Those who ignore the basic message to be prepared for emergencies until they are scared into action by one of these non-GA sources need to take a look inside themselves to determine why they aren't following prophetic counsel until somebody else scares them into doing so and repent of not following the prophet in the first place.

[Mcox]

Brian I think you post just to argue, you love the contention. There are a few on this forum that I have concerns for your spiritual welfare maybe I should mail out a flyer! At the top it will have this : WARNING... All this who believe in tent city.....WARNING.....you are all following false teachers!

[skmo]

Let me be abundantly clear:
You just called me an idiot and I don't appreciate it. You called me an idiot by telling me that I, as a believer in a gathering, think that people foolish enough to ignore what Julie Rowe counsels and run off to the middle of nowhere are my superheroes.

I wouldn't call them superheroes, but persons to admire, at the least.

Try listening to what Julie Rowe has to say....
PLEASE STOP BEING SO INSULTING!

You might be confusing iwrite with me. I make no bones about insults about followers and disciples of people who preach doom and gloom.

She has publicly, repeatedly stated that people should not run off and hide

Yup. One of the best ways DaG people use to try to convince people of how worthy they are to listen to is to present their credentials, paste reasonable words to ensure the masses that they are "common sense" people, then paint over it with a message of fear.

[skmo]

Let me be abundantly clear:
You just called me an idiot and I don't appreciate it.

Let me be clear as well: You're putting words into his mouth. You have an opinion. He has an opinion. Both may express their feelings. If you're offended because he said something directly about you then report it. If you're offended because he expressed his opinion and it stepped on your beliefs, maybe you should consider developing thicker skin. If you believe he's right and you're being made a fool, maybe figure out how to change yourself. If you believe he's wrong, how are you harmed? Present your beliefs (as you did well later on) and be done with it. You have absolutely no right to be free of offensive ideas of others in a public discussion, only the right to prove why you're right and teach others or learn why you're wrong and decide if you want to change.

Being politically correct is not a requirement here, as far as I know. Being polite is, and if someone directly attacks you (as in if I tell iwrite he's a blathering idiot) then that post should be reported to a mod so the appropriate action can be made. However, I don't see anywhere he, or I, for that matter, called you an idiot.