Keeping the Faith

[MaryN]

So, I'd like to talk about faith. It seems to me that we have quite a selection of different faiths on the Forum, whether you call it faith, belief or religion - everything in fact from Pagans to probably Protestants or Catholics and athesists or agnostics - and I wondered if your belief featured at all in your desire to prep. I'm not about to cast aspersions on any particular faith - as a Pagan myself I do find people look at me strangely if I just happen to mention it (I'm used to it) - I'm just curious if it features in your view of the future, whatever that may be.

Reading through a few of the American sites it seems to me that a firm set of religious views features quite high up in the prepper mentality. Is it the same for the Brits, I wonder?

Does having a strong set of beliefs help you, or is it something that would be quickly cast by the roadside?

Just curious.

[NorthernRaider]

Ooeer, OK I was baptised Church of England but as the years went by and I experienced more of life I lost my blind obedience to the C of E especially as it stared changing what was a sin and what was now socially acceptable. But I think more importantly I got to see how other people lived WITH and WITHOUT faith and I realised that from both sides of the fence people got moral support, comfort and guidance with or without religion.

I saw how Mormons and Fundamentalist Christians stockpiled food, fuel, medicines etc and how completely independently the Amish and Mennonites did the same, but then I cam across Social realists and political scientists who had seen just how vulnerable our societies have become and they too prep and store supplies. And it was topped off by meeting or reading about people living in remote areas who had to prep regardless of faith or politics because its what they had to do to survive each winter.

I have more faith in the fellow preppers who are living the self reliant lifestyle than I do in any faith.

[MaryN]

So, it's not going to be "Praise the Lord and pass the ammo!" then, NR?

[NorthernRaider]

There's no atheists in a fox hole Mary Mon Cheri

[MaryN]

I guess we all believe in something .... even if it is nothing!

[NorthernRaider]

The belief I think that is universal is the Will To Live, Survive and Thrive. Though I think pagans and druids and others like many native tribal faiths love the land and nature more than many other folks do. Think it was the Cheyenne who believe that they must never take more than they need from the land and they should always put something back this maintaining the balance of nature as the earth mother created, May not have been the Cheyenne's but it was a Plains Native tribe.

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Someone will correct me if I'm wrong I hope.

[MaryN]

I think the principle of the Pagans is to live lightly on the earth, and not to take more than you need. Rather a different attitude to the materialistic age we live in. This could translate well to prepping as such, since you would hope not to be selfish enough to take everything, but to leave something for others, but then again, these days, perhaps not.

[NorthernRaider]

The Pagan lifestyle served its followers very well from Iberia to Northern Europe, Parts of Scandinavia and the UK for a very long time before Christianity and permanent settlements gained the upper hand

[Barneyboy]

mother earth is my lord and master

[MaryN]

Crikey, BB, that's a deep comment......