I have no issues with any religion, as long as they don't try to force it on me. I am not religious, but I am definitely NOT religion intolerant. I've had great conversations with Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormons who come knocking on my door. Most, just want to chat, and hand out reading material. I'm OK with that, and I actually do read most of what they hand out. I do not belittle. I do not hide behind the curtains, and pretend I am not home, when they come knocking. What has totally floored me, is the level of prepping that goes on among these people. They may believe in the end of days, and that may be what drives them, but they are prepping.

That is actually what got the initial conversations going. If they happened along while I was working on a project (aquaponics, gardening, nuclear reactor, reloading etc) they generally took a keen interest in the project. Several have even offered to give assistance to my cause, well before God and Religion was ever brought up.

I am amazed at how freely they speak about their preps, and what they have, and what they need. For all the talk about caching, these people do it. They have supplies at several friends' houses (clothes, food, etc) in case their home is totally destroyed. Several have talked about their 'rallying point' where everyone is to meet, if possible, should there be an emergency. I think it is to take inventory of who and what, might be missing, and to make provisions for the losses. Don't think they are easy prey for predators, I know a few are avid gun owners, and shooters. They keep my attention when we start talking about firearms. HAHA I have yet to have one say they don't want to live through it, or God will provide. The people I have talked to are definite doers.

The Latter Day Saints Preparedness Manual is an interesting read if you are so inclined. Tons of information on just about everything. http://thesurvivalmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/LDS-Preparedness-Manual.pdf . This is actually one of the first prepping manuals I downloaded.

It is unfortunate, the non-believers can't meet regularly, and plan strategies. Whether it is a group run to sanctuary, hunkering down with mutual support, or forming a group community, it might be worth a coffee to see what they have to offer.

The "I don't want to live through it" answer isn't just for the religious. People who haven't really thought about it seem to have this lovely vision of vaporizing in a flash of light. They can't conceive that something could happen, and they'll still be here to deal with it.

Yes , I've heard these recently:

- I'm not going to prep, I've always got enough for a few days of food. [ Government has people brainwashed into 72 hours prepping ]

- I'm not going to do all that, I'm just going to pull up a lawn chair and watch the sunset. [ you might get hungry , cold , and in pain on that lawn chair after awhile ]

- When it happens, it will all be over in a big flash. [ again the big flash theory ]

- I don't have money for all those supplies. [ yes there is money involved but you work on it gradually - SO GET STARTED cause you're the type of person I don't want to help ]

- We have no room here to store all that food for a 3 months . [ well I don't want to burst their bubble but 3 months !!@@??! yikes don't tell them how much we do have ]

- I'll just come to your house. [ well what are you bringing ? cause I can pick and choose who has the best skills or supplies and you might get left out in the volcanic ash ]

Lol I like the sunset one. Also heard of people who plan to "party like it's the end of the world." But those people will wake up the next morning with a hangover and no food.

HAHA .... Goldie, I get that last one a lot. I tell them they better have the password when they get within 300 yards. When they ask what it is I tell em something, then add, but it changes DAILY. Had one neighbor ask if she could bring her dogs. I told her 'sure' you gotta eat something. AND I have a recipe for them.

My answer for those religious persons who don't prepare, I use the story of man clinging to a tree for his life in the middle of a great flood. A boat pulls up and others tell him to climb aboard. The man simply replies that God will save him and so the boat leaves. Another boat pull up and the man again sends them away stating God will save him. The boat leaves and soon after - the man drowns! When later awakened by an angel, he asked the angle why God had forsaken him....the angle simply replied "he did send you two boats"..... !

I am not a religious follower of any faith but neither am I an atheist. I count my words more carefully these days in attempt to be careful not to mislead others. It is easy to say what we consider we'll do at a given time, but with each event we confront, there are many possible outcomes. So my suggestion to "know thyself" is something I hope everyone here works on as a daily process when prepping.

I drew my weapon in the line of duty on another human with possible intent to kill ONCE, which is more than many other police officers have done. I can easily state that it scared me likely as much as the drunk who was trying to shoot another man. We trained alot for such situations but I mainly feared the gun going off in my hands unintentionally because with adrenaline pumping and everyone freaking .... that's what I remember most! I distinctly remember the "thou shalt not kill" rule rattling around in my head even weeks after. And I even had fellow officers tell me I blew the chance of a lifetime (to kill) by not taking the shot....

So when folks talk non-nonchalantly about shooting first, it is like hitting the F5 key to refresh my memory of that moment. Most don't know what they are saying so I forgive them for that. After being a P/O, I went to the extreme opposite of that and drove ambulance for a couple years. I say it's opposite because I went from everyone disliking my arrival to folks being relieved at seeing us arrive! So I hope no ones judgement is clouded by events seen on television, because you may regret wearing those "blinders" later on. And I'd rather be surrounded by alot of religious fanatics than by alot of Rambo's when SHTF.

But on the other side of this fence now....

- the comment that I've heard alot and DISLIKE the most is "I don't have to stock up, when SHTF, I grab my gun and I'll just take yours"!

Wow what a great resource peppersaurus....booked marked and saved. I like that they have the amounts that a person will use each year. Now for me eating a plant base diet I need to keep learning what the forest has to offer and if someone wants my cabin it's OK they will quickly run out of food and I will just keep harvesting from the forest.

Knuckle - my hubby is a veteran that did have to kill during his military career and now he suffers from PTSD from doing that act. You may meet people that are cavalier about it but when they are really faced with it, if the person fires and doesn't regret it, he is the one to be afraid of and you don't want that type in your group.

I think one kind of people that will be hit hard will be the ones with the "entitled" mentality. They will sure learn quickly that that won't go far in a world that has exploded! Try going on a fast for 3 days consuming only water and when you feel the hunger you then can a small appreciate what people will be going through......though mentally it won't be like it because you have a fridge with food in it you can eat anytime during the fast if you chose to break it.....especially with our fast food world where we are addicted to sugar, salt, coffee and other foods. A whole area in with drawl and detoxing! I'm staying well hid in the wildness.

- the comment that I've heard alot and DISLIKE the most is "I don't have to stock up, when SHTF, I grab my gun and I'll just take yours"!

That is scary.

I also dislike seeing the neighbors spending all their money on vacations , new cars, etc, and then saying .. must be nice to have a generator,
we know where to come when the lights go out.

[ my brain is silently saying Buzzzz off you mooch ]

Goldie,

Isn't that the truth. People have a skewed sense of priorities. Cigarettes and beer always seem to be right up there as well.

I know one of my friends who also works in my gardens , only keeps about a months worth of food, however
with her gardening skills , she is not someone anyone would turn away.

- I'll just come to your house. [ well what are you bringing ? cause I can pick and choose who has the best skills or supplies and you might get left out in the volcanic ash ]

I have a close friend that lives by this plan. He thinks I am a bit nuts for preparing for ANY sort of problem. But they will sure come running if there ever is.

Tin,

Are you going to let him?

Tin,

Are you going to let him?

It's easy to say no now. But I imagine it will be hard to if the need was truly there.

As someone who has served in various war zones I can tell you that we in the West are spoiled, very very spoiled. Our society is definitely not ready for life without comforts. I really hope that SHTF never happens because I would rather be drinking cold beer out of a can then warm dirty water out of a Life Straw.

Tin,

Are you going to let him?

It's easy to say no now. But I imagine it will be hard to if the need was truly there.

Well perhaps they will need to bring their tent and camp outside at your place so in a sense
they are going to need to rough it . My place is not very large inside to accomodate everyone,
nor will I have enough supplies and water for everyone. If you have enough for 1 year for yourself, and
someone comes and wants to bring their spouse and 1 kid, now you have 4 months of supplies. SCARY

EDITED: YIKES .. 12 / 4 = 3 months NOT 4 months .. think about it , you had 12 months supply and
suddenly by taking in a married couple and 1 kid you have been axed down to 3 months of supplies.

Before you have room for them,you might need to make room first for your own immediate
siblings that have not done any prepping plus people you know that have been prepping and have skills.

Others might have to go on a waiting list.

Again it is best to hint at prepping and when you can tell they are not going to , keep your
mouth zipped because you will not be able to provide for all of them.

Can always tell them to eat their souvenir I LOVE VEGAS t-shirts. I really can't find any compassion for people who did nothing to prep, no matter how much they saw me and my wife preparing, but still did nothing. When they bring their kids, prepare for the ultimate guilt trip, when you say NO. I'm sure they will first ask, then admit that you were right, then beg, then cry, then......... the guilt trip 'AT LEAST FEED MY BABY'. <queue the kid with the quivering bottom lip>. People will use their kids as weapons to get something from you, as if society owes their spawn.

Of course, you could preempt this by going to THEIR house and asking, then begging then crying (queue the prepper with the quivering bottom lip>. Maybe they have been prepping all along.