Why The Church Is So Big On Preparedness?

[Melissa569]

I attended the church up to age 12. Then not again until just a couple months ago. I'm finding there is sooooooooo much about the church I had no idea about as a child.

When I was a kid, nobody ever talked about preparedness, at least not to me. But now being in church as an adult... Its almost SCARY the way people talk about it. I mean, sure, any family should always have an emergency kit in the house, blankets, water, food, candles, supplies, etc. And know the basics of fire, hurricane, tornado and earth quake safety (depending on where they live).

But the church acts as if its expecting something nation-wide (or even world-wide), and catastrophic, FOR CERTAIN, very, very soon.

Is that the case, and I've missed out on it because I've been away? lol. Or is preparedness just something the church has always strongly encouraged, even from decades back, "just in case"? I've been too embarrassed to ask the people in my ward, lol.

Edited March 31, 2010 by Melissa569

[NeuroTypical]

But the church acts as if its expecting something nation-wide (or even world-wide), and catastrophic, FOR CERTAIN, very, very soon.

Well, no it doesn't. People IN the church might believe this and act this way, but the church itself is not prophecying doom and gloom.

When Pres Hinckley urged us "with all the emphasis of which I am capable" to get out of debt, he added a qualifier:

"Now, brethren, I want to make it very clear that I am not prophesying, that I am not predicting years of famine in the future. But I am suggesting that the time has come to get our houses in order."

Providentliving.org is all about teaching principles of self reliance and preparing against hardships, but I don't see any melodrama about impending widespread stuff.

I think we're big on preparedness for three reasons. First, we retain our pioneer roots, and remember the problems people had just feeding themselves. Second, we understand that hiccups occur in everyone's lives. Be it unemployment, a natural disaster, terrorist event, loss of a loved provider - we all experience difficulties of a temporary nature. A church full of people who is prepared to weather these temporary things is so much more prepared to help our neighbor. Third, we're very aware of the prophecies surrounding the last days. The events preceeding the millenium have a lot of good in them, but also a lot of very bad in them. Again, if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.

LM

[Wingnut]

I think the Church has changed its preparedness focus since you were 12. They used to teach that we should have a years' supply of food storage. Over the last several years, that has been revised to a 3 month supply, and there is also a lot more focus on not just physical, but also spiritual preparedness. There's also been a push for self-reliance, which makes it possible for us to be in a position to help others, should they need it.

[Melissa569]

Ah, I see. So basically, the teachings have always been there, but I likely didn't notice it as a child for the same reason it seems like there are more bad stories on the news broadcasts as you get older-- its not that there's actually more, its just that you pay more attention as an adult.

Hmmmm, makes sense.

[Wingnut]

Ah, I see. So basically, the teachings have always been there, but I likely didn't notice it as a child for the same reason it seems like there are more bad stories on the news broadcasts as you get older-- its not that there's actually more, its just that you pay more attention as an adult.

Hmmmm, makes sense.

As a child or a teen, you wouldn't have worried about family emergency preparedness -- your parents would have. My parents were married in 1978, and I was born at the end of 1980. By the time I was born, my parents had purchased a modest home. My dad, however, in their first year of marriage, told my mom that he would not buy a house until they had accrued a year's worth of food storage. He stuck by that. My parents have a huge supply of everyday things in their basement now, and they regularly rotate through most things.

Most.

They still have the same year's supply that they purchased in 1979.

[mrmarklin]

The Church is big on preparedness so that we can have personal responsibility for ourselves, and not depend on others. Food storage is but a small part of the program, although it seems to get the most publicity, and there is a fairly large cottage industry catering for this.

More important is avoiding debt, having some sort of savings (financial planners recommend at least 6 months of living expense), life insurance, health insurance for you family and preparing educationally for life in general. If you do these things, the food storage becomes almost academic. It just won't be necessary.

I personally don't have any significant food storage beyond a 72 hour emergency thing for local disasters. My debt is manageable, I have 6 months (actually more) worht of living expense in the bank, and got an education leading to a big 6 figure salary. I'm a partner in a business so I don't fear any layoffs, and although my income has declined during the recession here in the US, I would say I still have a good lifestyle. That's real preparedness.

[mrmarklin]

The Church is far from predicting disasters on a world wide or even national scale. There are enough local ones for that!!!

The program the Lord has for us does not contemplate the END coming too soon IMNSHO.

[Cacinok]

I think the Church has changed its preparedness focus since you were 12. They used to teach that we should have a years' supply of food storage. Over the last several years, that has been revised to a 3 month supply, and there is also a lot more focus on not just physical, but also spiritual preparedness. There's also been a push for self-reliance, which makes it possible for us to be in a position to help others, should they need it.

this is not exactly correct. the church still teaches to have a years supply of food. what they have added is that you should have a three month supply of the food that you eat daily. in other words, a 3 month pantry. here's why, most disasters people will go through will be of short duration and 3 months of food will get you through them easy enough. also, pandemics generally run in two six week cycles and then burn themselves out.

the church has been preaching preparedness for a long time, Brigham Young, iirc, even advocated having food stored, but he encouraged seven years worth. right around the time of the great depression, the church really began to emphasize food storage.

in much the same way that living righteously removes the fear of dying and being judged, having food storage removes the fear of what disasters may lie ahead, be they individual or national.

if you really want to dig into what might come, the take a look at LDSLastDays.com somebody has pulled together a lot of great scriptural and church teaching references regarding present and future events. another great resource is a book called "Prophecy, Key to the Future". i think duane crowther is the author.

[Guest mormonmusic]

This is my own personal opinion -- yes -- they want us to be self-reliant for our own character. At the same time, they also want people to take responsibility for their own temporal welfare for practical reasons.

When people don't make prudent choices, don't save, don't prepare for a rainy day, this puts pressure on fast offering funds, which are used to help the poor.

The local Church leaders often has to go to the membership and ask the people who are working to sacrifice even more than they already are, to clear off fast offering deficits. This is often perceived as a blessing by the membership, but is also a problem when year after year, certain Wards spend way more than they bring in, in fast offering funds used to help people in need.

If everyone had a years' supply of food, then when disaster, health problems, unemployment strikes, they can look after themselves rather than drawing on the Church fund, potentially creating deficits that have to be cleared by members.

Also, during times of natural disaster, certain areas aren't supplied with basic necessisities -- members with an ample supply of food and water etcetera can survive these periods more comfortably until aid can reach such areas.

[MarginOfError]

To be clear, wards are not limited in the amount of Fast Offering funds they spend. If they need to spend more than they take in, then the stake and the Church will cover the costs. All checks written from Fast Offering are covered by the Church.

[Guest mormonmusic]

To be clear, wards are not limited in the amount of Fast Offering funds they spend. If they need to spend more than they take in, then the stake and the Church will cover the costs. All checks written from Fast Offering are covered by the Church.

Granted, but each Ward is also encouraged to meet its own obligations. Just as individuals are encouraged to be self-reliant, so are entire wards.

At least, that's been true in two Wards I attended over my life in the Church. In one ward, the Bishop stood up and asked each family to give the equivalent of two meals for their famiy at McDonalds to help clear off the Ward's fast offering deficit.

In our last Ward, the Bishop was constantly after us to give generously to close the deficit we'd run year after year after year. This was very important to him as he mentioned it constantly.

Edited May 10, 2010 by mormonmusic

[Raven21633]

To be honest, I wish other churches would also stess emergency preparedness.

The first thing the American Red Cross recommends when preparing a Family Disaster Plan is to identify the types of disasters that can occur in your community.

Live near a Railroad? or Freeway? - A chemical spill could cause an evacuation in your area. What would you do if you and your family are evacuated from your home? What would you do if your children are at a friends house or at school? How would you reconnect with them?

Live in Tornado or Hurricane country? (as I do) - The threat is obvious. Do you have a "grab-bag" "go-kit" "Bug-out bag" (etc.) in case your home or the homes in your neighborhood are damaged? Or in case you have to flee ahead of a storm?

Then there are disasters that can occur anywhere and at any time to any one. A fire in the home. Flooding.

Then there are "Shelter-in-place" plans where you may be required to take refuge in your own home for several days, such as in a severe snow storm, ice storm, flooding...

It's not about scaring anyone, or worrying about any one particular event, it's about being prepared to take care of yourself and your family in the event anything occurs that displaces you and your family from your home.

Sorry, I didn't mean to get carried away. I did a stake-tour on Family Disaster Planning a few years ago and it's a subject still close to my heart. :)

[bl8tant]

It's amazing how much emphasis on emergency prep varies from place to place. In the two states I've previously attended church, preparedness is always construed to mean "keep a year's supply of food" and that's pretty much it. Here in California, our stake has all kinds of programs and activities: ham radio drills, ward phone trees, and lots more. I'd love to see that emphasis exported to more wards throughout the world. No place is immune to disaster, be it natural or man-made.

[Hemidakota]

Beside our normal to have list, living on a seperated plate, running from LA to Baja California, can you swim?

[Dbuild]

The Mormon church stresses this because they look at the macro effects of anarchy. They want as many mormons to survive as possible so they can quickly reorganize afterward and have pockets of lawfully controlled lds. First it will be the western united states that falls under lds power. With the flood of distressed people coming under the arms of lds controlled lands and safety, they will be indoctrinated and conscripted into the armies of "moroni". They will then retake missouri and all of the territory in between. Then the eastern US. The end goal being WORLD DOMINATION. A planet ruled by the almighty power of the mormons. Spreading the doctrine to all 4 corners of the planet.

This is basically why they want you to have food storage.