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Conference lgp30::christian-perspective

Title:Discussions from a Christian Perspective
Notice:Prostitutes and tax collectors welcome!
Moderator:CSC32::J_CHRISTIE
Created:Mon Sep 17 1990
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1362
Total number of notes:61362

1206.0. "Survivalists?" by CNTROL::DGAUTHIER () Mon Jan 08 1996 16:24

    I watched part of a documentary last night on the tube.  It was about
    Survivalists, their philosophy, their movement, behaviour, etc... .
    Many of the more formally organized groups are devout Christians.  With
    rifles in hand, on bended knee, they stop for a prayer session before 
    running maneuvers designed to practice methods of using deadly force 
    in defending their compounds.  Hmmmmmm....
    
    The rationalization (one of them anyway) for their militant position
    was that Jesus said that something similar to what happened with Noah
    will happen (soon?).  And they (the survivalists) were like the chosen
    ones who would survive aafterwards to repopulate the earth with
    richeous people.  When asked how charitable they would be to their
    neighbors if/when their prophecy came true, they claimed to be prepared
    to use their weapons to defend their forts, killing any/everyone who
    tries to enter.  One said that he'd feed his neighbors but only because
    it's be cheaper than killing them (how'd you feel about asking that guy
    for a cup of sugar?).  It was also said that the the cities were filled 
    with filth and evil (citing crime, homosexuality, etc...) and that God 
    would purge all that away, as he flooded the earth in Noah's time.
    
    Seems odd to me that they should completely ignore the vast majority of 
    what Jesus said in regard to helping others in time of need, what he
    said about not clinging to material goods, not being worried about
    the future (sufficient for the day are it's own problems), and quite
    simply trusting in God.  
    
    Are there any survivalists out there who care to respond?  Any other
    comments on this?
                             
    
    -dave
    
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1206.1MKOTS3::JMARTINI press on toward the goalMon Jan 08 1996 16:541
    "And in those times, the love of many will wax cold!"
1206.2USAT05::BENSONEternal WeltanschauungMon Jan 08 1996 17:5012
    
    Hi Dave,
    
    I agree that the mentality and attitude of the Christian survivalists
    you described seems somehow at odds with Christ's compassion and even
    His prophecy concerning the future.
    
    You may also recall in the interview the man saying, "we're just common
    people" or something like that which probably means at least that they
    are uneducated and not terribly Bible literate.
    
    jeff
1206.3CNTROL::DGAUTHIERTue Jan 09 1996 12:2424
    Well, I believe they're very Bible literate.  Many of them are very
    intelligent and well educated, sort of like David Koresh (sp).  They seem 
    to "choose and select" the portions of the Bible that support their views 
    and then avoid talking about the rest.  
    
    It's an odd sort of behaviour.  There's no real threat for these people
    to use to bind together, so they fabricate threats, searching and using
    anything to support the belief.  Aside from the religious
    "justifications", they were talking about other things like Russian
    tanks with UN markings in Louisiana (I think), waiting to assist in the
    overthrow of the US government.
    
    How do you spell P-A-R-A-N-O-I-A
    
    They don't seem very dangerous, at least the ones that were in the 
    documentary.  I mean they seem more bent on defending their little
    compounds and forts and not interested in attacking anyone.  But then
    there are the fringe elements which make bombd out of fertilizer and
    destroy buildings.  
    
    I wonder, are there any formalized religions which support
    "survivalism"?
    
    -dave
1206.4CSC32::J_CHRISTIEPs. 85.10Tue Jan 09 1996 15:216
    .3
    
    Was something called the Trilateral Commission mentioned, Dave?
    
    Richard
    
1206.5CNTROL::DGAUTHIERWed Jan 10 1996 13:5412
    > Was something called the Trilateral Commission mentioned, Dave?

    I don't recall that there was.  But it might have been.  The thrust of
    the documentary was about the philosophy and methods of their movement.
    A lot of THAT was based in their religious beliefs but those were not
    expounded upon.  They mentioned the Noah thing, they filmed their
    prayer sessions and they seemed 101% confident that they were doing the
    right thing in the eyes of God.

    -dave