by Mark West | Aug 10, 2016 | Courage, Faith, Freedom, God, Love, Political, Religious Liberty, Safety
Last week I shared a fictional story about an entrepreneur on the Titanic and how, despite the overwhelming success this businesswoman was having, when the mega-ship struck the iceberg, her wildly profitable business meant very little as the ship succumbed to its watery fate. Sadly, hundreds of lives were lost as the ship’s captain failed to heed the many warning signs that were provided to him.
Similarly, our nation is barreling down on its own iceberg and like the Titanic’s crew, those we have entrusted to guide the American ship are negligently steering us towards a direct hit. Just as the passengers on board the Titanic, all too many Americans are either oblivious, careless, or are in disbelief about the coming disaster.
In my post last week, I highlighted just a few warning signs that point to an upcoming catastrophe:
$150 trillion in debt
a collapsing political system
extreme societal polarization and division
rampant corruption in Washington and our state houses
greed has infected our populace
unrest and violence is growing
ethics and morals have all but disintegrated
religion has little influence in our society
terrorism is rising
For those of us who see the catastrophic iceberg front and center, is there a way to avoid its destruction? And if not, what should we be doing to prepare our lifeboat for that coming reality?
As a follower of Christ, I seek to approach life through the prism of the spiritual. I cannot separate what is going on in America and our world from God. So it’s through that paradigm that I seek solutions. But I realize that everyone does not share that same view. So my thoughts that follow will be broken into two categories: General & Spiritual.
While this is not an exhaustive list of suggestions, it is provided in the hopes that it will spur you and I to take action to prepare for the potential that our “captains” will not or cannot take the corrective measures that are necessary.
General Preparation
I believe our Federal Government is gone. It has grown so large, so corrupt, and so far beyond the scope of its duties as outlined in the Constitution, that it is lost, but for a miracle from God Himself. The potential that the Courts, Congress, the President and the multitude of behemoth federal agencies can be reformed is irreconcilable with reality. So we must turn our attention closer to home, to our state and local governments, our families, neighbors, friends and local alliances and groups. At the end of the day, this is where we will find the relationships that will sustain us and our communities and will be what we will look to, as the federal beast either dies in one calamitous event, or it simply become unable to meet the strain and stress of the mounting obligations it has created for itself.
State & Local: Our local officials are still accessible, unlike our Federal “representatives.” We can drive to the state capitol and sit down with them. We can interact with them when they are in our communities. We can attend a local county commission or city council meeting. We can rally our networks to support initiatives that are good or oppose legislation that is harmful. And because we can still do this, we can still have a voice in our government. If you have not engaged in this manner, I strongly encourage you to do so. We’ve all heard the age-old adage: “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” For too long, good men have done little in Washington and so we have lost our country at the federal level. But we can still affect our local reality. So be one of the good guys, step forward, engage, and make a difference, while you still can.
Meet your Sheriff: If there is one position in your local elected government that is likely the most important of all, it is your County Sheriff. Many have argued that the power of the sheriff within the boundaries of his jurisdiction is greater than that of the President of the United States. That may come as a surprise to many, and some will certainly dispute it, but there is no doubt that your sheriff has immense power, for good or bad. So it is crucial that you get to know him, influence him, and support him when he upholds the Constitution and Liberty, which he has sworn to protect. Likewise, you should correct him when he veers off course. The federal government is already tilting to the side of tyranny and as it continues in that direction, the role each county sheriff will play in protecting the unalienable rights and liberties of his constituents will be crucial. But the time to prepare for that day is not later, but now.
Local Groups: Engage in local groups and organizations that share your values. Become an active participant. Whether it’s a local political group, religious organization, farm group, prepper group, or some other civic organization, it’s critical that you establish networks with those you trust and value. The time to develop relationships is before the stuff hits the fan. Afterwards it will be too late.
Educate & Inform: With the power of the internet, the world is at your fingertips. The ability to get unfiltered information from sources other than the biased Main Stream Media (MSM) has never been better. But your education is up to you. Turn off the tube and set aside some time each week to become informed on topics of interest to you. And then begin to share that information with others in a collaborative manner.
Prepping: While some view the concept of prepping as a tin-hat mentality, truthfully, we all prep to one degree or another. If you doubt me, just wait until the next time a snow storm is forecasted in my home state of TN, or a hurricane or some other severe weather is predicted in your state. Notice how quickly the food shelves are left bare at the local grocery store. But there are smart and foolish ways to prep. I would strongly encourage you to go to my friends at Patriot Post to access their Disaster Preparedness Page for an extensive list of guides and resources. Not prepping for some kind of emergency is, in my view, foolish given the threatening clouds that we can all see all around us.
Personal Health: It’s really sad but our personal health seems to mirror our nation’s health. We have a nation that is sick financially, politically, morally, and spiritually and I don’t believe it’s any coincidence that the same applies to many of our citizens. But you can defy the norm. There are multiple opportunities and programs you can work with to improve your health, including a company I am affiliated with, Hope 80/20. If things go south in our nation, those who are healthy will be in a much better position to weather the uncertainties we could be facing.
Spiritual Preparation
Because I believe that all of life’s significant struggles can ultimately be traced back to a spiritual cause, I believe we must actually start with the underlying spiritual flaws we see in ourselves, our communities and our nation. So again, while this is not an exhaustive list, it is one that I believe includes some of the critical issues we must address as Christians in our nation.
Local Church: Become actively engaged in your local church. Seek out those within your church who, like you, believe that there is serious trouble ahead for our nation in general, and Christians specifically. As religious liberty is under attack at an ever increasing rate, it is critical that followers of Christ not be surprised. Rather, we should fully expect this since Jesus foretold that these times would come. Meet with your pastor to engage him in dialogue about your thoughts and concerns. Determine whether he shares your concerns and if so, encourage him to devote some future messages to the “last days” and what that means for members of the church.
Read this book: Implosion: Can America Recover from Its Economic & Spiritual Challenges in Time? by Joel Rosenberg. Joel, a NY Times Best Selling author, has written a masterpiece about the threats our nation faces, the potential repercussions that we may face if we do hit the “iceberg” and what Christians should be doing in the event the worst happens.
Prayer: Pray for our nation, our elected officials and our fellow citizens. If you are a believer, then you understand the power of prayer. Our nation faced similar threats at least two other times in our nation’s history, in the 1700’s and again in the 1800’s, but God was merciful in answering the earnest prayers of believers and He sent the First and Second Great Awakenings. These two movements resulted in millions of Americans turning to God and there is no doubt that these spiritual awakenings “saved” our nation. It could happen again, but it will not without prayer. So begin praying not only individually but join with other believers in small groups and earnestly seek God. Whether a third awakening occurs or not, we know that the “Effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.“
Develop Plans: Enlist others, who share a similar biblical worldview, to join with you in developing plans for mutual caring and collaboration should the worst occur. The plans should not only include our families and friends, but should also take into account the potential that many of your neighbors might be caught without their own lifeboat, physically and spiritually. There is never a better time to share the love of God than in a person’s time of crisis.
God’s Word: Spend more and more time in God’s Word. We know that the Bible has the answers for life. There are dozens of examples in scripture of believers who faced insurmountable odds, and life threatening circumstances. Yet, with God’s strength they stood and persevered. While such biblical scenarios are incomprehensible to us, as we enjoy the relative peace and security we have come to expect, the world can turn upside down in an instant. Studying God’s Word will not prevent catastrophic events, but it can prepare us if those events occur.
As I close, it’s possible that you might be thinking I’ve gone over the edge and lost my mind. Who in their right mind would believe that America, the most powerful nation in the world, could ever lose such status? Yet, just this week, we saw Delta Airlines, one of the world’s largest carriers, be brought to its knees, as a simple power failure in Atlanta grounded hundreds of flights for multiple days. While lives were not lost, the completely unexpected occurred and the lives of millions were significantly impacted. Now, let your mind wander, for just a moment, to the vast number of other potential destructive scenarios that could occur, and one can realistically see how that iceberg could in fact be staring us down.
So I close this 2 part series in the same way I opened it, and I trust you will begin to take the necessary precautions that you deem appropriate. If I can help in any way, whether individually or in your group or organization, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
“A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.” Proverbs 27:12 NLT
by Mark West | Jun 22, 2016 | Barack Obama, Islam, Islamic Terrorism, Liberty, Political, Protection, Safety, Terrorism
This week, in the wake of the worst mass shooting in our nation’s history, President Obama’s Department of Justice, via US Attorney General Loretta Lynch, released an excerpt of the transcript between Omar Mateen, the Islamic terrorist, and a 911 operator. However, the excerpt provided was scrubbed to exclude references to “ISIS” and ISIS leader “Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.” It was as if Obama and Lynch chose to use White-Out to cover up after another Islamic terrorist attack.
Thankfully, following an overwhelming outcry from American citizens, Attorney General Lynch reversed course in less than 24 hours and released the full transcript of the 911 calls. It’s extremely troubling though, to say the least, that anyone in our government would think that omitting such relevant info is appropriate.
This is how the scrubbed transcript was initially released:
Orlando Police Dispatcher (OD): Emergency 911, this is being recorded.
Shooter (OM): In the name of God the Merciful, the beneficial [in Arabic]
OD: What?
OM: Praise be to God, and prayers as well as peace be upon the prophet of God [in Arabic]. I let you know, I’m in Orlando and I did the shootings.
OD: What’s your name?
OM: My name is I pledge of allegiance to [omitted].
OD: Ok, What’s your name?
OM: I pledge allegiance to [omitted] may God protect him [in Arabic], on behalf of [omitted].
OD: Alright, where are you at?
OM: In Orlando.
OD: Where in Orlando?
[End of call.]
Imagine for just a moment, how this kind of approach might have read on December 8, 1941 when President Franklin Roosevelt responded to the deliberate attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor:
“Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941 – a date which will live in infamy – the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of [omitted]. I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by [omitted] on Sunday, Dec. 7, a state of war has existed between the United States and the [omitted] empire.”
Looking back in history now, we would see such a response from the POTUS as not only ludicrous and naive but more importantly, mortally dangerous. Thankfully, President Roosevelt understood the existential threat posed by Japan and he not only named them as the enemy, but he responded with these words: “No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.”
Fast forward seventy-five years though, and we see an administration that is either so stooped in political correctness that it cannot bring itself to allow the words of the actual terrorist to be disclosed, or worse, it naively believes that there really is no threat posed by ISIS and its Islamic soldiers, who walk among us. Based on the actions and words of Obama and his administration over the last seven years, there is no question that the President seeks to provide cover for Islam.
As noted, because of political pressure, Obama’s Attorney General Loretta Lynn acquiesced. But her initial willingness to “white-out” the facts that are perhaps the most relevant to explaining the motive behind the worst mass shooting in our history, is extremely telling. And it’s not unprecedented for the Obama administration. There have been other instances when words were changed to deemphasize the role Islamic terrorism has played in other attacks.
If you’ve ever used the product White Out to cover up a word, you know that while the product’s white smudge hides the mistake, the original word is still underneath. Likewise, while Obama and his underlings may attempt to white-out Islamic terrorism, the grave threat this 1400 year old ideology poses remains. And as Obama continues to employ this white-out strategy, American lives will continue to hang in the balance, just as they did in Los Angeles, Little Rock, Ft. Hood, Boston, Chattanooga, San Bernardino, Orlando, and more.
The question we must ask ourselves is what role has Obama’s failed and dangerous strategy played in the loss of American lives? And how many more lives will we continue to lose between now and January 20, 2017, Obama’s last day in office? No one knows. But one thing is for certain, there is no chance that Obama will reverse course at this point.
But there are at least three steps you and I can take to counter Obama’s dangerous white-out policy:
Individually we must remain vigilant. All muslims are not terrorists and they do not all pose a threat. But nearly all terrorists over the last couple decades have come from the Islamic faith, interpreting its doctrine and teachings in keeping with their founder, Muhammed. So be aware of this truth. If you see something or someone that appears suspicious, inform your local law enforcement.
Inform your friends, family and neighbors of the the reality of the threat of Islamic terrorism. Forward this article to others. Make sure they are provided with news from sources other than ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and even FoxNews. There are many unfiltered and non-politically correct sites that can provide you and others with the true nature and scope of the threat posed by Islamic terrorism. Three which I consider very credible are Center for Security Policy, Political Islam, and Act for America.
We must encourage our political leaders and law enforcement to step up and fill-in the gap that Obama has created. You’ve heard the old saying that “all politics is local.” This same concept applies to law enforcement. Your local sheriff is likely the most important individual who will either acknowledge the threat of Islamic terrorism or he will embrace the Obama “white-out” strategy. Thankfully, my local Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond has taken a strong stand against Islamic terrorism, following the Islamic attack in 2015 in Chattanooga that killed five servicemen. And while his stand has brought great criticism by the naive apologists for Islam, Sheriff Hammond has remained steadfast in his understanding of the threat, and because of this, our community is safer as a result.
I close with the thoughts of two of our founders and the responsibility we all bear, for both our individual safety and our nation’s liberty.
“Eternal Vigilance is the Price of Liberty.” Thomas Jefferson
“Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.” Thomas Paine
by Mark West | Apr 27, 2016 | Political, Safety, Transgender
If you’ve been half awake the last week you’ve no doubt heard about Target’s recent pronouncement where they “welcome transgender team members and guests to use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity.” The phrase “gender identity” is code for a person who rejects his or her biological gender at birth as male or female and chooses to act out the opposite of their own physical reality. Thus a male (boy or man) will feel as if he is a female (girl or woman) — regardless of the truth of his/her own anatomy. Consequently, he will begin to act and make decisions in a manner that is at odds with the truth of his gender.
Gender identity is the ultimate rejection of absolute truth, just one more sign that our culture has gone all-in on moral relativism and continues to reject not just basic common sense, but more importantly God, the Author of gender.
While Target’s decision tells us a lot about our culture, it also speaks volumes about the second largest discount retailer in the US. There are serious implications for Target, and you, that will naturally flow from Target’s new policy, that they boast is “inclusive” and something they “celebrate.” Let’s look at just a few of the implications from Target’s celebration.
Target’s foolhardiness is playing with your safety
We are truly in new and unchartered territory with Target’s announcement. Restrooms and fitting rooms that have always offered privacy from members of the opposite sex will no longer operate as such. Target has, under the faux banner of “inclusivity, non-discrimination, and respect,” chosen to exclude, discriminate and disrespect millions of women and men who would frequent their stores.
The privacy afforded to men and women, boys and girls, is no longer a given at Target. Now, a woman or little girl may be in a stall, and a man who simply claims he “feels” like a woman, can enter the stall directly adjoining the woman or little girl. He may simply choose to relieve himself. Or worse, he may have more sinister activities in mind, including peering over or under the stall divider, as your wife or daughter believe they are being afforded their privacy. This is no theory or hypothetical as there are already many instances of men entering women’s restrooms with evil intentions and preying on innocent women and girls (linked at bottom of this post).
Ironically, Target boasts that “everyone deserves to feel like they belong, and you’ll always be accepted, respected and welcomed at Target.” Yet, what respect are they showing for the mother, wife, daughter or even boy who simply desires their privacy when they enter a Target restroom? What respect have they shown for the 12 year old girl, who will now be exposed to a male predator. And the reason for this exposure is due to Target’s new policy, that allows “feelings” rather than reality to destroy privacy barriers that have existed for millennia. Simply claiming identity as a woman, a lie based on a mental delusion, becomes the basis for a man using the woman’s restroom.
Target will face serious legal consequences
Americans are known as people with a propensity to litigate damages and injustices in court. And the legal profession has been more than eager to pursue opportunities to target mega-corporations whose policies jeopardize a customers’ safety and welfare and result in actual harm to that customer. In time, there will be instances where someone using a Target restroom or fitting room, exploits Target’s “inclusive” policy to willfully prey on and sexually assault an innocent victim. While a crime of this nature is heinous, what is perhaps even worse is the fact that Target’s CEO Brian Cornell (whose compensation last year was $28 million) and his team will be willing participants in this crime, as corporate enablers of such a tragic incident.
It is not too difficult to predict that Target will be the target of powerful legal firms as they seek to hold Cornell, his team and the corporation they lead, Target, financially liable for the harm caused to their customers as a result of their negligent and dangerous policy. It’s ironic that the company whose logo is a bullseye, will soon be directly in the crosshairs of a legal profession who is more than eager to prey upon vulnerable, corporate giants.
Target will lose billions in revenue from #BoycottTarget
In this era of boycotts and online petitions, it’s fairly routine to see campaigns targeting corporations, politicians, legislation and more. So it was no surprise that the American Family Association launched its own Petition to #BoycottTarget. In just a few short days, their petition has grown to over 800,000 signatures and it is continuing to mushroom by the thousands every hour.
According to Perfect Price, a database of billions of credit card transactions, the average dollars spent per trip by Target customers is $62. So I’ll use a very conservative calculation to extrapolate the impact of the #BoycottTarget Petition so far. Assuming that the average customer makes two trips per month (a likely conservative number), and the signatures grow to one million in another day or two, we arrive at $1.5 billion dollars in lost revenue annually to Target. But we should also consider that most people who decide to move their business from Target to some other retailer will likely never sign a petition. They’ll simply leave Target in disgust as they see a company that has abandoned common sense values.
So it’s not far fetched to conclude that at the end of the day, the total financial impact to Target will be $5-10 billion in lost revenue annually, approximately 10% of their annual sales. And in a nation where dollars reign supreme, perhaps this is one way you and I can make a difference in this whole debate.
One other way you can directly punish Target relates to your 401K or other investment vehicle. Call up your broker or financial adviser and ask him to sell any of your Target stock (TGT). Dumping your investment in this company will also send a strong signal to both Target and the rest of the mega-corporate world that they should keep their nose out of the social battles and simply focus on selling their products, period.
A Christian’s Response & Final Thoughts
There is a verse in Ephesians which states “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” When you #BoycottTarget you have broken fellowship with a corporation whose works peddle in darkness. And when you share info about the boycott and inform others about Target’s debased policy, you are exposing them.
Your engagement and response to Target’s recent policy may determine whether Target is punished for their aberrant choices and made an example to many other left-leaning corporations or whether Target will pave the way for hundreds of other companies and organization to follow suit. The jury is out and many would-be followers are waiting in the shadows, assessing whether the public will rise up and in solidarity express their vehement outrage over Target’s targeting of women and little girls. If Target is made to pay for their dangerous policy, then others may think twice. But if not, then the tidal wave will follow and the relatively small level of decency left in our nation will be gone.
Will you take action? I trust you will by signing the AFA Petition to #BoycottTarget, joining over 800,000 other shoppers who have said NO to Target.
And finally, please share this post with others and encourage them to join you.
References & Links:
Boycott link: https://www.afa.net/target
Target’s Statement: https://corporate.target.com/article/2016/04/target-stands-inclusivity
Links to news stories (from Petition):
