Doomsday

Ensuring the Continuity of our Species: It doesn’t look good for the home team. (Part 1 of 4)

When it comes to apocalypse and planet-wide destruction, there seem to be no shortage of details on the when and how and why the world will come to a halt, with some "prophets" even predicting the exact day of the final event.

Most prophets of doom come from a religious perspective, though the secular crowd has caused its share of scares as well. One thing the doomsday scenarios tend to share in common is that, so far, they haven’t come to pass.

The Millerites, 1843

A New England farmer named William Miller, after several years of very careful study of his Bible, concluded that God's chosen time to destroy the world could be divined from a strict literal interpretation of scripture. As he explained to anyone who would listen, the world would end sometime between March 21, 1843 and March 21, 1844.

He preached and published enough to eventually lead thousands of followers (known as Millerites), who decided that the actual date was April 23, 1843. Many sold or gave away their possessions, assuming they would not be needed: When April 23 arrived and Jesus didn't the group eventually disbanded. Some of them went on to form what is now the Seventh Day Adventists.

Halley's Comet, 1910

In 1881, an astronomer discovered through spectral analysis that comet tails include a deadly gas called cyanogen (related, as the name implies, to cyanide). This was of only passing interest until someone realized that Earth would pass through the tail of Halley's comet in 1910.

Would everyone on the planet be bathed in deadly toxic gas? That was the speculation reprinted on the front pages of The New York Times and other newspapers, resulting in a widespread panic across the United States and abroad. Finally even-headed scientists explained that there was nothing to fear.

Pat Robertson, 1982

In May 1980, televangelist and Christian Coalition founder Pat Robertson startled and alarmed many when, contrary to Matthew 24:36 ("No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven ...") he informed his "700 Club" TV show audience around the world that he knew when the world would end.

"I guarantee you by the end of 1982 there is going to be a judgment on the world," Robertson said.

Heaven's Gate, 1997

When comet Hale-Bopp appeared in 1997, rumors surfaced that an alien spacecraft was following the comet, and that there was a cover up by NASA and the astronomical community. Though the claim was refuted by astronomers (and could be refuted by anyone with a good telescope), the rumors were publicized on Art Bell's paranormal radio talk show "Coast to Coast AM."

These claims inspired a San Diego UFO cult named Heaven's Gate to conclude that the world would end soon. Unfortunately, the world did end for the 39 of the cult members who committed suicide on March 26, 1997.

Founding Fathers

Leadership Threats

Chaos is at our Door: Why a dangerous world is closing in. (Part 5 of 5)

It is time to face the reality that we are living in dangerous times. While an open southern border, disease, guns, drugs, illegal aliens, and terrorists are being used as a diversion,  our government is attempting the cover up of scandals too numerous to mention.

Shameless attacks on traditional values and religious beliefs; the legal slaughter of millions of unborn children; attempts to legalize suicide and drugs; and the attacks on freedom are the very real threat of tyranny.

When Americans can no longer trust their leaders and when they realize that the government can’t or won’t protect them, they have no choice but to trust in themselves. Nothing provides individuals more immediate, undeniable, and irreplaceable protection than the 2nd Amendment. It is the one freedom that guarantees our lives, the one freedom we can count on to protect ourselves when no one else will or can.

Imagine your world blanketed in darkness: Everything from radio, TV and cell phones to air defense radar, to police, fire and EMS frequencies gone; no internet, no public water or sewage treatment, no banking, no gas; no emergency response from hospitals or police. Who would protect you or your family?

Chaos is an ever present danger today, especially when you factor in the undercurrent of social unrest, and frustration with government leaders. We live in an age when preparing to survive whatever comes our way is a simple fact of life or death.

Prudent leaders prepare their nation. Prudent people prepare themselves. The police cannot always be there to protect you and the government can’t or won’t.

It’s time to re-listen to the words of an old Bob Dylan song, “Gather ‘round people, wherever you roam, admit that the waters around you have grown, and accept it that soon you’ll be drenched to the bone. If your time to you is worth savin’ then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone. There’s a battle outside and its ragin’, it’ll soon shake your walls, for the times, they are a changin’.”

If there is a battle cry for this age, it must be: We will not be left defenseless. We will not give up our freedoms. We will not surrender our safety to the lies of leaders who promise everything and deliver nothing. It’s time for all of us, as individuals and as community, to stand up and speak up!

Media Distractions

Media Threats

Chaos is at our Door: Why a dangerous world is closing in. (Part 4 of 5)

When you consider all the threats encroaching on our country, one fact is clear: We live in an age when preparing to survive whatever comes our way is a simple fact of life (or death). It’s simply the most prudent way to survive. Prudent leaders prepare their nation. Prudent people prepare themselves.

And millions of NRA members and gun owners know the truth: The police can’t always be there to protect you. The government can’t, or won’t, protect you, either. Only you can protect you.

And nothing provides individual citizens more immediate, undeniable and irreplaceable protection than the Second Amendment-protected right to keep and bear arms. It’s the one freedom that guarantees our lives and our freedoms with force. It’s the one thing we can count on to protect ourselves when nothing else will or even can.

Now, you can bet the media will pounce upon and ridicule gun owners for talking about these dangers and preparing for the worst. They’ll call us paranoid, fear-mongering, reckless and ill-advised. They did the same thing after Sandy Hook, when the NRA said that shielding our schools with police or certified trained armed security was the only proven method to protect them.

Since then, schools everywhere have done exactly what we suggested. They’re giving their kids the first deterrent and last failsafe defense against armed madmen who murder without fear. Because they understand, as we all understand, that there are surely more madmen out there, planning their attacks on the most vulnerable among us, even now.

We were right, history proves it, and the American people know it. Men and women who care about their safety will never let themselves be shamed, ridiculed or accused of being “unreasonable” for defending their God-given right to defend life and limb.

We’ve proven it over and over again, and we’ll do it again on Election Day. So let this be a declaration to America’s leaders: You have no right, no reason and no authority to deny us the protection that the Second Amendment alone guarantees.

We will not be left defenseless. We will not give up our freedoms. We will not surrender our safety to the lies of leaders who promise everything and deliver nothing. We will defend our right to defend ourselves because we have no other choice. We will vote our guns! We will vote our freedom! And we will prevail!

Easter

Christ Our Light

Dying He destroyed our death
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who
believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.
John 3:16

Rising He restored our life
"I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”
John 11:25