Welcome

[Goodbook]

By govt agencies and corporations which govt do you mean? The american one? The local one? Agencies....like ministry of health, work and income etc?

I think most people do depend on the govt for things at least a little bit cos thats what we pay taxes to. If we dont pay our taxes, we dont get any services. Also, lots of baby boomers are now getting pensions. Not that they depend on them but for many it is better than nothing.

If you are working a business, you still need to pay taxes. That is part of life in almost all nations of the world. The only way you cant is...to have no identity at all, no bank account, do not live in a town or city, do not have internet or name registered anywhere, dont have a car that you need to pay registration for etc. I just wondered what country that kind of 'self sufficiency' can work in...it seems to me like almost making your own little world. Some christian sects do this...like quakers and mennonites. Theres one in my country called Gloriavale, and some branches of the exclusive brethren.

I just wondered if this is what people mean. I am not mocking people for living this way but trying to understand where they coming from. Having govt provide welfare is good or bad depending on how you look at it.

 

[Goodbook]

Corporations...what corporations? Multinationals? I think most corporations are not good...but the body of christ is a corporation by definition.

 

[Poster0]

I cant speak for everyone, but its my opinion that no one here is talking about not paying taxes or rebelling against the government. I think people either want to be be prepared in case an emergency happens, or they have desire to return to a more simplistic lifestyle. Sure people may look down on someone who wishes to live more free and simple, but its actually a noble and very spiritual thing, in my opinion.

 

[Goodbook]

Well i hope so cos thats a bit of a worry. I mean you can get put in jail for tax evasion.

 

[Goodbook]

Im all for simple living.
Just not extremes. I live with a mum whos got hoarding tendencies. Which seems crazy to keep like all old clothes you dont even wear etc. i dont know what emergency shes preparing for. I even saw her hide money under her mattress.

 

[FreeinChrist]

I cant speak for everyone, but its my opinion that no one here is talking about not paying taxes or rebelling against the government. I think people either want to be be prepared in case an emergency happens, or they have desire to return to a more simplistic lifestyle. Sure people may look down on someone who wishes to live more free and simple, but its actually a noble and very spiritual thing, in my opinion.

Right, no one is speaking about tax evasion.
I see it as being more responsible and a good steward.

 

[Goodbook]

Thats a relief.
Thats what we all want to be. And if we have more than enough we share with others, and if we have less we ask God.

 

[Poster0]

Im all for simple living.
Just not extremes. I live with a mum whos got hoarding tendencies. Which seems crazy to keep like all old clothes you dont even wear etc. i dont know what emergency shes preparing for. I even saw her hide money under her mattress.

Maybe some people have seen very hard times and they tend to not throw anything away. My grandparents remembered the great depression and they never through anything away either. Im not really sure but that's my opinion.

 

[Goodbook]

In the old days things were built to last. Now things just break and its cheaper to buy new then get it repaired. They have to be thrown out, you cant keep them forever.

 

[Goodbook]

I have this theory that hoarders grew up deprived and poor. So they over compensate and think having a lot of stuff makes them rich...

 

[Poster0]

In the old days things were built to last. Now things just break and its cheaper to buy new then get it repaired. They have to be thrown out, you cant keep them forever.

That's true, although recycling them, or re-purpose them is a good option. I saw an old refrigerator today that looked like it came from the 1930's or 40's. It looked like one of the very first that have ever been made. It looked like an old icebox style cooler that they used before they invented modern refrigeration systems, but it had the cooling system attached to it. The guy selling it claimed that it actually still worked.

 

[Poster0]

I have this theory that hoarders grew up deprived and poor. So they over compensate and think having a lot of stuff makes them rich...

I suppose that could be a contributing factor for some, but surely not most. I think that people do many things for many reasons. Why not be a prepper? Why not be prepared? It seems like a good hobby for some i guess, and others it seems practical and wise, while others may have completely different reasons altogether.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Our parents and grandparents grew up during the depression. On my side of the family there were four families living in the same house. On my wife's side of the family, an infant baby died of malnutrition. My wife's father chose to "bo" (he became a hobo, living in the bush) rather than stay home and be a useless eater consuming food his family needed. Grandmother would go from house to house begging for milk for the baby.
We are spoiled. Even the worst off in America has it better than most in the 3rd world.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

People have a false notion about hoarding.
In the context of prepping, hoarding is when you go to all the stores in town and gather up all there is and leave nothing for anyone else. This is not even close to what preppers do. Currently the shelves are jammed to the max with every sort of food and goods imaginable. Anyone and everyone can get whatever and as much as they want.
If you want to see hoarding, wait until the day the stuff hits the fan. What you will see is all the non-preppers busting down the doors to grab everything in sight. This happens every time a hurricane approaches the east coast of the US.

This is a truth you can bank on:
Everyone is a prepper, some are just waiting until the stuff hits the fan to start. Then they will prep very hard and very fast getting as much as they can down to the last spoiled tomato and last case of bottled water. THAT will be hoarding. And virtually all those who oppose prepping will be in there doing it, with a vengeance.

 

[Poster0]

Our parents and grandparents grew up during the depression. On my side of the family there were four families living in the same house. On my wife's side of the family, an infant baby died of malnutrition. My wife's father chose to "bo" (he became a hobo, living in the bush) rather than stay home and be a useless eater consuming food his family needed. Grandmother would go from house to house begging for milk for the baby.
We are spoiled. Even the worst off in America has it better than most in the 3rd world.

I agree we are spoiled in many ways, but some in america do have it just as bad as in those other countries. People end up homeless, living in their car or in an alley way or abandoned building, scavenging food from any place they can find. We should wake up and stop following this american dream and instead embrace a more simple and down to earth lifestyle, and help those around us who are in trouble. This american dream is not what the Lord taught us to follow. Some of us have it all when others have nothing, while others try to get it all but only cause themselves much heartache when they fail. If however they don't fail but instead succeed at getting it all, then they fail as Christians. Im sorry but i must protest these preachers who live rich lifestyles and teach us that God wants us to be rich. That's not the faith we have been given.

 

[Poster0]

People have a false notion about hoarding.
In the context of prepping, hoarding is when you go to all the stores in town and gather up all there is and leave nothing for anyone else. This is not even close to what preppers do. Currently the shelves are jammed to the max with every sort of food and goods imaginable. Anyone and everyone can get whatever and as much as they want.
If you want to see hoarding, wait until the day the stuff hits the fan. What you will see is all the non-preppers busting down the doors to grab everything in sight. This happens every time a hurricane approaches the east coast of the US.

This is a truth you can bank on:
Everyone is a prepper, some are just waiting until the stuff hits the fan to start. Then they will prep very hard and very fast getting as much as they can down to the last spoiled tomato and last case of bottled water. THAT will be hoarding. And virtually all those who oppose prepping will be in there doing it, with a vengeance.

Yes, good point.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Absolutely. And to think the 3rd world countries are surviving with the techniques we need to learn.

Indeed. We have lost so much. And we cannot ditz modern technology. Some of that tech would be useful in a third world context. Solar power, water filtration systems, and new building methods would not go away if the Stuff Hits The Fan. While we would be back in the 19th century... would would be better of because off the knowledge and the modern material that we have now.

 

[Goodbook]

Sounds like first world problems.

Even in nz what you seeing now, which never used to happen as we had good social welfare, is homeless ppl on the street.

The govt is trying to dismantle the whole system which christians in govt set up to look after the poor, the widowed and orphaned. First it was rogernomics, then it was user pays. Then student loans and foreign partnerships, basically just greed.

 

[Goodbook]

I think the situation in nz is different and you cant generalise it from america. Americans ought to realise they have a very skewed view on the world, plus theires a huge gap beetween rich and poor. If they looking at it from a material POV.

Spiritually, ive found many manifestations of christianity coming from america very shallow. Ie. Prosperity gospel.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Sounds like first world problems.

Even in nz what you seeing now, which never used to happen as we had good social welfare, is homeless ppl on the street.

The govt is trying to dismantle the whole system which christians in govt set up to look after the poor, the widowed and orphaned. First it was rogernomics, then it was user pays. Then student loans and foreign partnerships, basically just greed.

I think the US is heading in the opposite direction. People equate "government help" with loss of freedom. So there is a resistance to social programs. There is currently a huge controversy over the "affordable health care system" recently put in place by President Obama and the liberals. Conservatives are making this a plank in the upcoming election platform. As of today, I think we are officially a socialistic country and not the "democratic republic" we were originally designed to be. Huge changes for the US... many do not like it.