Jen mentioned in another thread that she's tired of gloom and doom. This got me to wondering: when do you cross the line from warning your neighbor (we're told by scripture that if we've been warned, we should warn our neighbor) to spreading gloom and doom? Pres. Hinckley, one of the greatest optomists this world has ever known, talked about hard times to come. But he didn't spread gloom and doom. Specifically, about the financial situation our economy is in, when do you cross the line from saying, "Dude, get your house in order" to "It's time to panic! We're all doomed!"
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
Well I'll tell you when I feel a difference. I welcome- and want- actual words from the Prophets. Advice on how to follow their counsel. To me, that is just Saints working together to do what we're asked to do.
But speculation, shouting out "what-if's" and warnings based only on fear, not fact or counsel, feels more like a person is trying to set up an "I told you so" situation, if that makes sense. Almost hoping that something bad will happen so you (general) can say, "See?! See?! I knew it! I told you!".
I guess the question is, what is your intention? Is it to help, and to warn based on something concrete, or to stir up fear or try and prove something?
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"There is order in the way the Lord reveals His will to mankind. . .we cannot receive revelation for someone else's stewardship." L. Tom Perry
I've never thought of people trying to set up an "I told you so!" scenario where they can rub it in your face afterword. I guess I don't know anyone who's like that.
I guess what gets me tee'd off is people who *discount* the words of the Prophets, esp. food storage, by saying things like, "We've heard this for years," "Why the sudden rush now?" "It's just not time yet," (that one was my SIL today) or when people downplay the seriousness of it. There's lots of sophisticated reasons why sophisticated people don't get "caught up" in this nonsense of doomsday. The main one (I think) is that they just can't fathom bad times. They can't fathom running out of food and Wal-Mart not being there. They can't fathom having to rely on others' good charity (if they're lucky) to get food or milk for their babies. They can't fathom having no income for a year. They can't fathom ever being without electricity for a long period of time. So... they'd rather just not talk about it or think about it. I find that if I'm *mentally* prepared for some negative thing, I'm more able to *physically* get through it.
I've found nothing on this forum that looks like it's based on fear... in fact, I think the people who talk most about it will come out in the best shape on the other side of trials... I think people are trying to get the word out. Maybe the prophets speak too softly and unemotionally at GenConf...? Maybe some people need a different delivery to "get it" ...? I think that's by design, actually. We don't gain testimonies based on emotion or sensationalism... but those who have ears will hear.
Here's something Chris Dodd said just recently... (he's not a prophet, I know) "After reading this proposal, I can only conclude that it is not just our economy that is at risk, Mr. Secretary, but our Constitution, as well."
Now this has been prophecied. There is some dispute whether the Constitution "will be saved" or "if it will be saved" ... but we know this is coming. Does this make us fearmongers? Because we see the Amero coming over the horizon?
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
Jen wrote:But speculation, shouting out "what-if's" and warnings based only on fear, not fact or counsel, feels more like a person is trying to set up an "I told you so" situation, if that makes sense. Almost hoping that something bad will happen so you (general) can say, "See?! See?! I knew it! I told you!".
I guess the question is, what is your intention? Is it to help, and to warn based on something concrete, or to stir up fear or try and prove something?
So I am guessing based on this comment and others that you think we are just fearmongerers around here?
I bolded a specific thing you said for a different comment. One of the best ways to train for something is to play "what if" games. It is a proven technique in law enforcement, military and disaster recovery. I can attest to it's value having "what if'ed" for years. It works, it is highly effective and in once case saved my life and I am sure has protected me many times.
Look at Double-D's post today, about 14 years of terribleness for the people who even survive it. . . then cite to me where he got any numbers or facts. Sorry to point fingers, D, but that's exactly the sensationalism I'm talking about. Mirk, I appreciate that you back your stuff up with prophecy. No I don't think you're *all* fearmongers here, nor do I think that you know what I am or am not doing to prepare. But there are some. . .
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"There is order in the way the Lord reveals His will to mankind. . .we cannot receive revelation for someone else's stewardship." L. Tom Perry
There are occasional emails sent around from someone with access to the highest clearance levels who is certain that a terrorist act is going to happen within the next couple of months. Some of those then mention that cannery supplies are running low or that there are runs on certain supplies, because the government knows what is coming. They may give certain details or name specific people. None of these have come true. It has become a boy crying wolf scenario.
Even with local natural disasters I don't think anyone in the USA has had to use their entire year's food supply. The most likely reason for using them are the mundane loss of job or medical disaster that disrupts earning ability. Those that have food supplies are very glad they followed the prophets counsel when that happens, but it isn't as exciting to try and motivate people to get food storage with threats of job loss when you can talk about worldwide natural disasters and war. Eventually, people may just zone out of anything that isn't exciting.
Look at Double-D's post today, about 14 years of terribleness for the people who even survive it. . . then cite to me where he got any numbers or facts. Sorry to point fingers, D, but that's exactly the sensationalism I'm talking about. Mirk, I appreciate that you back your stuff up with prophecy. No I don't think you're *all* fearmongers here, nor do I think that you know what I am or am not doing to prepare. But there are some. . .
Ok thanks for clarifying. BTW I think you are either squared away or actively working to get there FWIW.
You know, I think that what might seem like fear mongering to one person is more like being informed to another person. We all have different perspectives and motivations.
For myself, I have a definite limit on what I can handle taking in. Too much gloom-doom and instead of feeling motivated to do more, I find myself feeling paralyzed or depressed. And this is especially true when I am pregnant. I may have mentioned briefly how depressed I became after 9/11 while I was pregnant with my second. It was very, very not good. What I've learned from that is that I need to limit my exposure to gloom-doom stuff. Otherwise, I find myself dwelling on it and getting stuck in it. I'm doing much better this time around. I can still be up on the basics on what's going on in the world, but I limit my time spent on such to keep my perspective from getting skewed. And when I have had enough, I find something else to do.
At times, that has meant not getting involved in some topics around here. And it's not that I don't still like it here, I'm just taking care of me based on my current situation.
I guess my point (which got really lost, welcome to my scatterbrained-ness) is that I think it's just gonna be normal to have a whole range of ways people look at what's going on in the world and the warnings of the prophets and that we're all in charge of letting it soak in and taking actions for ourselves and families. And if someone else is motivated by more intensity and gloom-doom then that is fine and it doesn't have to be threatening to me.
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"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
