By summer I'd enrolled in the Master of Science in Finance program at Texas A&M Commerce. That formal education plus the informal education in finance, technology, health, and geopolitical events has consumed about 30,000 hours of my life over the last 10 years.
This has made it difficult just to have a meaningful conversation with people. If we only consider the top 1% of what I've learned as critical information - that's 300 hours. To relay that in a year would require 6 hours a week - not a likely occurrence.
I believe that at least 10% is really important information for our lives - that's 3,000 hours. That's about a year and a half of 40 hour weeks. An impossible task.
Was the 30,000 hours worth it?
Not financially - I've made less than nothing for my efforts.
Not spiritually - I've no evidence that I've helped one person in their walk with Christ.
Not physically - Again no evidence that I've helped one person prepare for the trying times ahead.
It was some time over a decade ago, I decided I wanted to be prepared for a grid down scenario (what I considered the worst case). Now I realize the futility in that. That may be the biggest benefit to me out of those 30,000 hours.
The Amish have the best skills and communities of any group I know of and they are still dependent on the supply chain. Even if they can overcome the supply chain collapse - can they overcome the bigger problem?
I learned from the late Mat Stein that when the grid goes down, nuclear power plants will go critical. A large scale grid down (whether from a man-made or natural event) would result in the radiation release equivalent of 400 Chernobyls.
Human nature is such that little, if any action will happen before an event occurs.
Reality is such that once an accident (event) starts, it's too late to put on your seat belt (prepare).
I still believe it's prudent to be ready for a two or three month event of which we've repeated seen with hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms, and the like. Anywhere can have the power knocked out for a few days from storms or equipment failure.
We are so busy and have some many distractions in our day-to-day lives that really important issues are ignored or neglected.
Schools do a poor job of education and I believe that was the goal when the Prussian education model was brought to America. We do learn loyalty to team and not to question authority.
We have a populace that is:
Mathematically illiterate
Financially illiterate
Historically illiterate
Biblical illiterate (even most Christians)
Our churches are practically worthless and the worldliness was institutionalized before my parents were born.
Billy Sunday declared in 1914 that we were in need of a revival as our churches had become third rate entertainment centers. IF he were here today I think he'd say they've become first rate entertainment centers.
I've come across many of the milestones of how Christians became so deceived:
- Isaac Newton
- 1751 Machine that made everything
- The Lost Generation
- Electricity and Oil to power the machines
- Logic gates
The challenges to our way of life are many:
Financial: We're way past broke. The world is about $250 trillion in debt with over $73 trillion here in the US. That doesn't include about another $250 trillion to meet the promises of Social Security, Medicare, and pension plans just in the US.
As the Federal debt and interest rates rise (just to normal rates) we'll soon (less than a decade) reach the point where the government would have to borrow money just to pay interest on the debt - nothing to defense or any of the other budgeted items.
Demographically:
- Most countries are below replacement rate
- Loss of elder wisdom coming to a head
- We have about 4 years to change the hearts and minds of the young
Resources:
-- Many critical materials in short supply
-- Energy constraints
Environment:
-- Toxins/Radiation
-- Space Weather/Cosmic Rays
-- Micronova
Health: We can't even begin to fix this problem until the discussion becomes about health rather than costs. The main driver of our ills is chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is lifestyle driven by a number of factors:
- (Processed) food:
-- Sugar, specifically fructose
-- Omega 6 seed oils (canola, corn, etc.)
- Toxins:
-- Glyphosate
-- Chlorine and byproducts
-- Fluoride
- Microbiome issues
-- Antibiotics
-- Toxins
-- Lack of fiber
-- Lack of fermented foods
- Stress/Modern life:
-- Lack of Sleep
-- Lack of sunlight
-- Lack of movement
-- Anxiety (money, relationships, etc.)
The American Way:
-- God given rights at founding
-- Tolerant of other Christian denominations and Judaism
-- Deception is now institutionalized
-- Science and Technology cannot be tamed
It's all a matter of faith - everything comes from God or everything comes from nothing.
Jesus in John 14 said - I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Is Jesus a liar?
If so, then Christianity has a problem. If not, then the rest of the world has a problem.
Next year will mark the 75th anniversary of the end of WW2. Few are still alive from that era, fewer still are old enough to remember it. Even the lessons of 9/11 have been lost on us and that's been less than 20 years ago.
We live in unprecedented times. The next 10 years will see more change than what we've experienced since WW2 - and not for the better. I tried to warn people with The Financial State of the Union, but even Christians prefer the lies over the truth.
The best advice I have today - read Ecclesiastes and enjoy what you can - and do your best to stop being a Worldly Christian.