Benjamin Franklin once said, “Anyone that gives up essential liberty for momentary safety deserve neither.” It is amazing how this once commonplace sentiment has changed over the years. In today’s America it is almost considered required to exchange liberty for safety. It is important to realize that neither option is a right, nor can it be guaranteed. In most of Europe, violence is never considered morally justified. This thought leads to slavery. If there is nothing worth fighting for, then nothing is worth having. This trend of choosing security over liberty is becoming more accepted in this country than the founding fathers ever believed possible.
In America we have gun-free school zones. We also have school shootings. Jesse Ventura was forced to apologize when, after the Littleton Colorado School shooting, he commented that, “If someone in that school had a gun, they could have saved a lot of lives.” His statement was considered outrageous. It might be a distasteful subject, but the idea merits thought. In Israel guns in school are commonplace; they also have little if any violence in the education system.
An American citizen cannot sue the police for failing to protect them. They have no right to constant protection by the police. They also face prejudice, up to and including incarceration if they protect themselves. States of this country do not allow lawful citizens to carry firearms in pubic. Many businesses in right-to-carry states disallow firearm possession in their stores. Do any of these stores hire full time security whose sole job is to protect their patrons? Do criminals intent on mayhem follow these laws? If given a choice, would an armed criminal chose a location where firearms where allowed or disallowed?
Is the idea of violence so terrible that we as Americans should give up out Constitution in order for a measure of fleeting safety? How important is the Bill of Rights to you? Should we allow police unrestricted accesses into our personal lives for the sole purpose of protection? Should we allow the trend of the government to dictate who is dangerous to us, without question. This trend was seen in Nazi Germany, Communist Russia, China, and other countries where people lost the right to protect themselves. Have we as Americans lost the will to do what is needed? Do we have to delegate the distasteful to others? If you as a responsible person feel violence is evil, what is your justification to give over your power to someone else to use violence on your behalf?
Government is needed. Without it there would be chaos. However, government is not always right just because it exists. President Washington said, “Government is like fire; it is a wonderful servant but a fearful master.” Government should serve the people, but it has a tendency to have the people serve it. Before you blindly accept what is presented to you as your best interest, decide for yourself if it truly the case. Our country was founded by men who chose liberty over security. Should you do any less?
Just 2 Seconds covers the lessons of past assassination to prevent future ones.
Think of every assassination you’ve ever heard about. For most people, a few of these major ones come to mind: Caesar, Abraham Lincoln, John Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Anwar Sadat, John Lennon, Israel’s Prime Minister Rabin, Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto.
From start to finish, all of these attacks combined took place in less than one minute. And the hundreds of attacks studied for this book, all of them combined, took place in less than a half-hour. Those thirty minutes, surely the most influential in world history, offer important insights that can help today’s protectors defeat tomorrow’s attackers.
This 650-Page Book Contains:
An original work of new insights arising from ten years of research;
The Five Essential Lessons for protectors;
The Compendium – 400 pages of summarized attacks, near attacks, and incidents against at-risk persons all over the world from 1960-2007, more than 1400 entries;
and the Appendices – More than 100 pages of additional material and resources.
In The Warrior Ethos, the author talks about the nature of the warrior code and the rules by which a warrior, must follow.
I like how Pressfield uses historical examples such as the famous 300 Spartans at Thermopylae but also inner conflict such as described in the Bhagavad Gita.
Pressfield does not define a warrior as a specific martial profession, but broadens it to embrace anyone who faces a conflict they must overcome through trial and effort.
The unwritten warrior code is universally understood by various warrior cultures around the world. This book describes the code.
Amazon says:
WARS CHANGE, WARRIORS DON’T We are all warriors. Each of us struggles every day to define and defend our sense of purpose and integrity, to justify our existence on the planet and to understand, if only within our own hearts, who we are and what we believe in.
Do we fight by a code? If so, what is it? What is the Warrior Ethos?
Where did it come from? What form does it take today? How do we (and how can we) use it and be true to it in our internal and external lives?
The Warrior Ethos is intended not only for men and women in uniform, but artists, entrepreneurs and other warriors in other walks of life. The book examines the evolution of the warrior code of honor and “mental toughness.”
It goes back to the ancient Spartans and Athenians, to Caesar’s Romans, Alexander’s Macedonians and the Persians of Cyrus the Great (not excluding the Garden of Eden and the primitive hunting band).
Sources include Herodotus, Thucydides, Plutarch, Xenophon, Vegetius, Arrian and Curtius–and on down to Gen. George Patton, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, and Israeli Minister of Defense, Moshe Dayan.
After the earlier post, I figured I should show some Biblical Quotes on Preparedness.
Genesis 6:21
“And remember; take enough food for your family and for all the animals”.
God could have easily provided enough food every day for all people and animals on board, but He had Noah prepare ahead of time. God told Noah to build the Ark BEFORE the flood.
Genesis 41:1-32
“I had a dream last night,” Pharaoh told him, “and none of these men can tell me what it means. But I have heard that you can interpret dreams, and that is why I have called for you.”
Joseph told the Pharaoh to stockpile seven years of grain. God used seven years of great prosperity to bless them in the seven years of famine.
Exodus 12:35
And the people of Israel did as Moses had instructed and asked the Egyptians for clothing and articles of silver and gold. 36 The LORD caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they gave the Israelites whatever they asked for. So, like a victorious army, they plundered the Egyptians!
God could have provided everything for them, but He instructed them to prepare certain things before leaving.
Proverbs 6:6 – 6:11
6:6 Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and be wise! 6:7 Even though they have no prince, governor, or ruler to make them work, 6:8 they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. 6:9 But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? I want you to learn this lesson: 6:10 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest 6:11 and poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.
Ants don’t take breaks, Prepping is hard, it’s not easy, and it takes resources from things that are fun. But that does not mean you should not have some self-discipline to put off instant gratification to ensure you have your needs met.
Timothy 5:8
“But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”
A man that refuses to provide is not a man. If you see a danger and refuse to take the appropriate precautions, then this verse applies as well.
Proverbs 27:12
“A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.”
God through Solomon only gives us two choices
Our economy, the unemployed rate is almost 10%. With Quantitative easing round two the Federal Reserve in an attempt to jump-start the economy just angered much of the world by devaluing our dollar. The National Inflation Association has stated they believe we will see hyperinflation and expects the prices of food to skyrocket.
I’m not saying that we’re in “The End Times”, but inflation or hyperinflation is a real danger. Hyperinflation is the only way I can see a day’s wages paying for a loaf of bread as mentioned in Revelation 6:6.
Hebrews 11:7
“By faith, Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet,…,prepared an ark to the saving of his house…”
Proverbs 21:20
“There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.”
Luke 6: 46
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”
Genesis 41:34-36
“Then let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh’s authority, and let them guard it. “
Proverbs 13:16
“Every prudent man deals with knowledge: but a fool lays open his folly.”
Proverbs 13:19
“Desire realized is sweet to the soul, but it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil.”
Proverbs 15:22
“Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed.”
Proverbs 16:1
“The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.”
Proverb 16:9
“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but, the Lord directeth his steps.”
Proverbs 20:18
“Prepare plans by consultation, and make war by wise guidance.”
Proverbs 21:5
“The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.”
Proverbs 22:3
“The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, but the naive go on, and are punished for it.”
Proverbs 24:3-4
“By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”
Proverbs 24:27
“Prepare your work outside and make it ready for yourself in the field; afterwards, then, build your house.”
Proverbs 27:12
“A prudent man sees evil and hides himself, the naive proceed and pay the penalty.”
Proverbs 27:23
“Know well the condition of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds;”
Ecclesiastes 11:2
“Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth.”
Matthew 25:1-13
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”
Luke 12:16-21
“And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”‘ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
Luke 14:28-30
“For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? “Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish. ‘”
1 Corinthians 16:1-2
“Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.”
1 Timothy 6:7
“For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.”
Just 2 Seconds covers the lessons of past assassination to prevent future ones.
In The Warrior Ethos, the author talks about the nature of the warrior code and the rules by which a warrior, must follow.
After the earlier post, I figured I should show some Biblical Quotes on Preparedness.