Survival/Preppers

Just be sure to feed her well - let her take a good hot shower - and give her a comfortable bed to sleep in - she will be very tired --- it is a long swim from the UK...

Now that I disagree with. The human race cannot survive without leadership. Those in authority will do all they can otherwise life will be meaningless. To that hope I will cling, while helping myself as I can, because without hope there is nothing.

You've got those Sharia Law areas in the UK, right, where Muslim gangs have taken over? That will be the kind of authority you get in a societal breakdown situation. Overt, localised criminals, ruling by might is right. And those in the cities will be the easiest targets. Those further away - probably too much trouble to get to in order to rob.

Yeah. I know. I was being facetious, in a folksy way.

When New Orleans was hit by Katrina (hurricane) and flooded out....how many of the "first responders" (police, ambulance staff, firefighters, and etc) did we see not only abandon their jobs but take part in looting and leaving nursing home residents and hospitals to their fate.

In Russia when the USSR collapsed the police became the Russian mafia...committing every horrible crime possible until they died.

Those we expect to come to our rescue won't come at all and possibly if they do its not for noble reasons.

Here in the US we do have the National Guard....controlled by the Govenor and state legislatures. Those who actually report for duty tend to be OK...not always but generally speaking they tend to be better than city or county staff.

Red Cross? No photo op and they aren't going to show up.
Salvation Army will show up (and stay until things have normalized) but they tend to be extremely disorganized for large scale catastrophe. They are awesome at small and medium sized catastrophic events....but they do get overwhelmed. (They are not allowed alcoholic beverages....so don't offer any and don't expect to be offered any)

Your local gun enthusiast might be in a panic but not appear to be....such is the nature of PTSD.

Surviving a complete disaster is more about luck and divine providence than planning and preparation . I wish I could say otherwise. Chaos is in charge during these events. And nothing goes according to plan during Chaos.
Great quote right there! While I'm trying to be as prepared as one can, there is only that much that you can do in the face of disaster. I've got my bug out bag ready, I've learnt some skills, I got myself a handgun+ one of those tactical over the shoulder galco holsters and some ammo, but in no way doesn it guarantee I'm going to make it if something really bad happens.

Surviving mass catastrophes is definitely a lot of luck, I do agree. You can only be so prepared to take something heads up when it happens...
I'd say USSR example comes down to them surviving in their own way, i.e their best plan to make it thorugh collapse was to side with mafia, but I might be wrong there ofc.

I think keeping one's humanity is vital. In the long run it is cooperation that ideal.

I must say, as I read novels of this genre, I am gaining far better understanding in how important having weapons is. Everyone has the right to defend themselves and their loved ones. Nothing is good about being a victim.

Surviving mass catastrophes is definitely a lot of luck, I do agree. You can only be so prepared to take something heads up when it happens...
I'd say USSR example comes down to them surviving in their own way, i.e their best plan to make it thorugh collapse was to side with mafia, but I might be wrong there ofc.

The best way to survive the Russian mafia (as I heard from others) was to not do anything that they wanted to be involved with.
You stayed out of the mob if you wanted to live. Many of the mobsters were former civilian police.

If you were selling cigarettes and the mob wanted a "piece of the action" and offered protection you instantly stopped selling cigarettes.

You always fly below the radar screen....if noticed by anyone you duck and run. The mob all shot each other over territory and money and died (lived and died by the sword)

Also from what I've been told is that they never really ran out of food. It might have been extremely limited options as to what was available to purchase but there was always food available.

I dunno about all this stuff about people turning on people and doing stuff they never thought they'd do. My life ain't that important to me. "Success" isn't measured by how long a life is, although some people think it is. If it was, Peter's life would have been a failure. It got cut short by execution.

However long I live, and whatever happens around me, at the end of it I'm gonna answer to God for what I did. If I get shot because I saw a stranger and didn't shoot first just because he's an unknown, I'll get shot with a clean conscience. Living a few more days in a disaster area won't be more important to me than heaven.

Now don't get me wrong, I ain't saying y'all shouldn't learn to shoot. There will be other people who will definitely value their continued living highly enough to attack you for what you got. But we shouldn't lose our heads and become part of that crowd. It just ain't worth it.

Learning to protect yourself is vital. I never before understood about guns as they are just not part of our English mentality. Now I can understand why folks want to be able to defend themselves and that Americans will never give up that right.

As you say our lives are not really that valuable when we think of the temporal nature of our brief lives. However, in an emergency we are all frightened if under attack by evil and it's justified to defend ourselves and to protect fellow innocent human beings from those who have lost their humanity or sanity.

Let's put it this way....

If Ukraine had the right to bear arms the way the USA does....Russia would never have invaded.

You mean ordinary citizens? I'm afraid I know very little about Ukraine.

If the worst happens, such as internet and power gone, all supplies scarce, how can we protect ourselves?

Yes...ordinary citizens carrying or owning weapons on a regular basis is a huge deterrent for any nation that wants to invade. Because civilians are going to resist occupation with firearms.

Ukraine, like many European countries forbids private ownership of firearms....but when Russia invaded last year they were handing out rifles as if it was bottled water.

I can see the logic. There are those who can only be dealt with by force. Being a victim is of no use, I see no merit in letting bullies of any kind have their way unhindered. God sees all hearts and motives, that I know.
Is it a sin to prepare, plan and resist evil?

Difficult to know what the answer is, we act as we see fit in our own situation.

Reading a series of books by Millie Copper called Havoc in Wyoming, I have really begun to understand what could happen. It is classed as 'cosy apocalypse' writing as I do not want to frighten myself too much nor do I want graphic or violent stuff. This is about a Christian family who are Preppers and how they and their community adapt to the situations after terrorists attack America. I am finding it compelling as well as full of valuable information.

I live in the UK and am not at all prepared! I don't have money and resources to do much but would welcome basic advice.
I respect those who are well prepared for catastrophic events, it is wise, although it is fascinating to read on the internet about extremely wealthy people who have built luxury bunkers just in case. That might be taking it too far?

Not everyone will be in a fortunate situation to be able to prepare for what is to come. However, I believe Father YHWH will provide a way for those who haven’t got. We need to have the faith that like He provided manna from heaven to the Israelites that He will do the same again. It could be also via people who have been able to prepare sharing their resources or in other more supernatural ways 🙏🏽