Someone on another forum gave some good advice:


If one is so concerned about TSHTF, then why aren't they learning a new trade that will be required under that scenario? That way they are in demand and have a renewable resource by which to survive.

Obviously believers of this scenario don't think that it will last long, probably view it with shades of grey and sepia in their minds eye, like a long, snowy winter, and expect to come out to "spring" after a few months.

If you think TSHTF will happen, stop waiting and learn a trade. Insurance actuaries and waitresses may be in low demand. Machinists that do not need a CNC, mechanics, weavers, farmers, lumber, building skills, generator/soalr panel/wind mill maintenance knowledge, food preservation/canning knowledge, candle making, etc...

Everything that you have will need to be maintained by you. Do you have a home shop outfitted to work "off the grid" Do you have hand tools (hoe, rake, hammers, nails, pop rivets, sheet metal, whet stones, axes, hand saws, extra handles, squares, levels, crow bar, pulleys, etc...)? Do you have supplies (oils, buttons, rope, chains, harnessing, glass jars/canning supplies, fabric, thread, needles, salt, ...)? Do you have non-electronic reference materials (ie books, repair manuals)? Do you have local friends (church, other)? Do you have entertainment (books, musical instruments, ...)

Do you own a bicycle? Do you know how to fix it if you get a flat tire? Do you have a bicycle pump? Do you know how to fix it if the piston seal goes bad?

Do you have an off-grid, potable water source?
Do you have a wood-burning stove, properly installed, in your home to provide heat, not just ambiance?
Can you darn? Can you cobble?

If you think that TSHTF will come to fruition, have you thought through what will truly happen the day after?

Personally, I read Rev. 18 and think that the US will go out with a bang rather than a whimper.

Doesn't the commentary say that this refers to Rome?

Under that context, it kind of reminded me of what Our Lady is reported to have said or shown one of her visionaries... something about the pope fleeing rome over the bodies of bishops or something like that...

I mean seriously... if the Catholic Church gets back on it's feet, and starts throwing around it's divine authority and telling the world's criminal masterminds they'd better get in line... just what do you THINK would happen?

But that's just what it reminded me of. I would defer to the Church, of course, for the official and right interpretation before drawing my own conclusions and relying upon them. (My own impression was at least inspired by something Mary was supposed to have said or shown someone, but still, that could have nothing to do with this passage of the Bible, which I have no right to interpret any way it strikes me, however reasonable my thoughts may seem to me.)

I'm sure the (old) approved commentaries have a verdict on the subject. You should take them for their word, as the Church alone has the understanding of scripture to declare what something in it means, or probably means. The one in my Douay-Rheims, however, speculates one possibility is that it refers to Rome... which is pretty interesting any way you look at it.

Matthew,

I think what you have written is not true.  Your attention is directed to the following:


Scripture is written in a number of different senses.  One of which is the literal sense.  The literal sense is essentially what the author intended it to mean literally at the time that it was written.  Many Prots fall into this trap.  It does not mean the way that a 21st century man would interpret it literally in his day.  

Many texts are written in apocalyptic.  e.g. Revelation, Mat 24, etc.

and then there is the allegorical, et al.



Free From All Error: Authorship, Inerrancy, Historicity of Scripture, Church Teaching, and Modern Scripture Scholarsk, by Fr. William G. Most

Chapter 4:  The Plural Senses of Scripture

http://www.catholicculture.org/library/most/getchap.cfm?WorkNum=216&ChapNum=5



Not all of the events prophesized by Our Lord occurred in (or by) 70 A.D.   See the following:

Eschatology, by Fr. William G. Most

http://www.catholicculture.org/library/most/getwork.cfm?worknum=70



Lastly, there is multiple fulfillment prophecy.  That is, certain prophecy can be fulfilled more than once.  See:


Free From All Error: Authorship, Inerrancy, Historicity of Scripture, Church Teaching, and Modern Scripture Scholarsk, by Fr. William G. Most

Chapter 5:  Multiple Fulfillment

http://www.catholicculture.org/library/most/getchap.cfm?WorkNum=216&ChapNum=6