Without question, a tariff war will cause economic pain. Whether or not the people advising Trump understand this, I do not know. Regardless, the real objective of the tariffs may be political rather than economic and they are willing (for us) to pay the economic price. This is only a conjecture on my part.
Without question, a tariff war will cause economic pain. Whether or not the people advising Trump understand this, I do not know. Regardless, the real objective of the tariffs may be political rather than economic and they are willing (for us) to pay the economic price. This is only a conjecture on my part.
The one man I do respect on this subject is Armstrong. Here is his post from today...............................................
Tariffs are NOT Reciprocal
Posted Apr 4, 2025 By Martin Armstrong
...The assumption that tariffs should be determined by “half of the surplus” rule ignores the reality that trade wars are not linear. These tariffs are NOT “reciprocal” as the Trump Administration insists. They are not looking at the actual tariffs set by other nations. Those advising Trump believe that other countries will want to negotiate “tariffs” to permit free trade, but instead they are simply hoping to close trade deficits, and that simply cannot occur. Thursday’s sell-off is indicative of capital flowing out of the US. The Trump Administration basically told the world that America is closed for international business, and capital is responding to the threat. The real impact of these tariffs will soon come as we move deeper into a period of stagflation.
I think Jeff explained the Trump's strategy with the tariff war well. It's not just to even the field 'fair trade vs free trade', but to get other concessions from our trading partners. (like Jeff's idea that Starmer may cough up some perps from Russiagate).
Exchange. Rate. Follow the exchange rate. USD to CAD, USD to EUR, USD to MXN, USD to GBP, etc.
This will be where the rubber hits the road about tariffs. If, as predicted by esteemed economists, the USD goes UP in value vs. other currencies any increased tariff cost is offset by greater purchasing power in the nation that's been tariffed, their currency value goes down relative the the USD. Which makes an increased tariff a net wash for the stronger USD for buyers exchanging dollars.
In a dynamic economy many factors come into play, tariffs don't stand alone, act as a static 1:1 influence in an economy. Put things in motion and many other things result besides the direct impact. An eye to exchange rates will tell all.
Think about it, what currency will other nations flee to? China's? the Euro? Russia's? The only other viable international exchange system existing today is BRICS, Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa. Are the Europeans and Canadians going to start doing business with Putin to hurt Trump? I've seen many foreign policy pivots in my life before, but that would take the cake.
USD wins any tariff war today, in 2025. Maybe in 2030 things would've been different had we been subjected to more of the Biden/Obama/Bush/Clinton/Bush trade policies. But as of today the USD is still the king of all currencies. And Trump's actions will ensure it remains the king of all currencies. Which allows the US to ride out any tariff/trade war that adversaries and frenemies alike wish to engage in.
“Civilizations at this late stage,” he explained, “are morally hollow, and thus fragile and prone to abuses of power, like censorship, lawfare, and the weaponization of government agencies.”
Armstrong just posted this...................................
Trump’s Tariffs are Winning
Posted Apr 4, 2025 By Martin Armstrong
I have said on various podcasts that a 10% tariff is really a tariff. Beyond that, it is political to force free trade. Most countries are dropping tariffs on US goods, creating what Trump actually was trying to create – FREE TRADE. The belligerent one is, of course, France. Macron has a Napoleon Complex, which is why he has been pushing for war, offering nukes to Germany, and trying to supplant the United States as the savior of Europe, being the 3rd largest nuclear power....
Macron, according to sources, is urging fill retaliation against the Trump that the EU should block all US goods and push for capital controls to prevent money from flowing to the US. He already uses non-tariffs pretending it to be “quality” control outright blocking some products.
However, Macron is also pushing for war with Russia, offering Germany nukes to replace the US as the savior of Europe. He thinks war will elevate France to the leadership of Europe because of its nukes...
The other side of the coin is that something had to be done. And the truth is that America was subsidizing the economies of the rest of the world and running deficits to do it. And this has been done at the expense of the non-commercial and non-financial classes, who were being devastated into third poverty for many decades now, literally being sold by their 'betters' into financial slavery.
One could also make arguments about the 'country living beyond is means', subsidy and trade imbalances and the allowing of gold and silver money (which restrict excesses) to lapse. And this would be only the tip of the ice burg as to 'what went wrong' and which inevitably led to off-shoring. And without waxing effusively verbose, I say that the entire 'can of worms' economically speaking is very complex, and when it comes to economics there are no infallible popes.
As well, I often ask myself this. How was it possible that earlier America had tariffs for decades on end, came to displace England as the manufacturing center of the world and still rise to dominance in world trade? And just why do other countries do everything in the book to achieve trade advantage, including currency exchange advantage ... but the United States continually shoots itself in the foot? And why does the United States throw real economics out the window in favor of Globalist ideologically based fairy tale inventions funded largely by money printing which in turn is the death and the robbing of us all save but the Anointed Grifting Few?
I also look at another key input, the cost of manufacturing and competitiveness. I wonder, for example, at robotics and the leveling of labor cost which will reshape the map of the world? Cost of energy input? In the restructuring of the United States, this could be a huge competitive advantage.
Armstrong is smart and he is one of my regular stops. But there are things which he does not consider. And ditto for Bonner and Casey.
In short, something had to be done. The United States was on the brink of collapse. And even if Trump's policies were to lead to outright collapse, we had nothing to lose. Because that's were we were headed anyway. As it is, I am cautiously optimistic. And I realize that it is not just tariffs, but it is also the rest of the overall restructure package which has to succeed. It's still, nonetheless, too early to rush to judgment.
Great comment for thought! And you are so right: we had nothing to lose for we were already at the edge of destruction. As you said at the beginning, for decades, Americans were "literally being sold by their 'betters' into financial slavery." One only has to look around today and all you see is financial slavery to indebtedness. No one is self-sufficient! I can not think of anything more anti-American and, more importantly, more anti-Christian than that.
This all goes back to what was done in 1913 as I commented elsewhere:
...The Seventeenth Amendment (direct election of Senators - the final act of centralizing power in the Federal Gov't and gutting the Constitutional protection of the Sovereign States which began with Lincoln's War of Northern Aggression in 1861)
...The Federal Reserve Act signed into law by Pres Wilson which enslaved America to the international banking debt system
...The Sixteenth Amendment (income tax) which put the shackles of debt slavery upon each and every American in servitude to the international banking system.
The above enslavement of the American people to an international oligarch debt system was made possible by the political destruction of State sovereignty in the war of 1861. That war forever changed the course of American history and made 1913 inevitable.
I completely agree with you conclusion that "something had to be done" even if it resulted in collapse. It is definitely too early to pass any judgement. Trump and his team are working with many factors and economics is only one. I suspect that his tariffs are not purely based on economics but rather they have a political usefulness. I also think this is supported by the way they have been set up so Trump can increase, decrease or eliminate them at will. This is something I've never seen done before. That tells me he is using them to achieve political ends, not just economic. I also am cautiously hopeful.
I may have mentioned it previously, but I came across a little book by John W Burgess, written 1923, "Recent Changes (!) in American Constitutional Theory". He was called the Father of Political Science in America. In it he laments three things that were direct attacks on the pursuit of LIFE: Selective Service unlimited to wars of defense at home. LIBERTY: Espionage Act. And, PROPERTY/pursuit of happiness: Income Tax. It is very interesting. He wrote as he retired from being a professor and political advisor to presidents. Prescient.
Definitely prescient! Thanks for the reference. He amazingly dissected what was going to happen. From the 3 seeds you listed of LIFE, LIBERTY & PROPERTY, sprang ALL the tyranny we see today and this all from what was done in 1913.
Save these thoughts for commenting again. Superb example of why it is so important to know history!
So far, we are getting relief. And if there is a reversal which sticks, it will be authoritarian in nature ... something akin to what the Russian Federation has (which is better in a nominally Christian way than the totalitarian Chinese practices). Since Christianity has been largely neutered in the Western world, there is no going back to 17th and 18th century America. And then there are the invasion of the robots which will change every and then to level the labor cost input throughout the world economy.
Post May 1945 in Germany and post the Soviet dissolution announced on December 31st, 1991 ... both of these economies were pretty much gutted. In both cases it was a good twenty years for those economies to get rebuilt, and an extra ten on top of that to full strength. As an historical footnote, the Russian Federation was not strong enough to contest the US and NATO in the 2014 era. And as it worked out, the historical stage was better set for Russia given the proxy war, the weaponizing of SWIFT, covid terrorism, shifts in world attitudes and so on ... much better for Russia. And better to have a fully deployed hypersonic missile system either deployed or just coming into deployment.
So the United States has to have a normalization across all fields of human endeavor. Total banishment of the anarchy and chaos of what we have had to go through for the last ten to twenty years. Col. MacGregor hints at some of this in this interview.
So many pieces, reforms, exorcisms of bad behaviors have to happen before America has a prayer for an approximate recovery of its once former itself. But even then it will never again be the same world as it was in our time of rearing. The demographics are now to far gone for that to happen.
Dave, you are prophetic in your analysis and IMO, you have stated the whole situation to a T.
The way I say it, we have entered an era of "the political strongman". This is exemplified by Trump, Xi, Putin and to a lesser extent, the megalomaniacs of the EU who will extinguish themselves against the boulders of the big three.
I find myself in an interesting mental watershed. Having spent most of my life supportive of the ideals of America's founders, reality has now caused me mentally to actually look forward to an "authoritarian regime", modified by Christian ethical restraint, that kills and suppresses the nihilistic impulses that have infected political society for the last 20+ years.
Fallen Christianity in the West has given to us a schizoid habit of mind. For example, a Westminster Calvinist will long for an authentic American Exceptionalism based upon law practise tributary of Christian Law ... and as was manifested in the original states' constitutions. But the operating reality is as you say, a strong man like the one who is now a busy bee in the issuing of executive orders. This is precisely what Augustus did with Rome. And as of yore so it is in our modern example, a rule with a thin old republican glazing pasted over the new body politic fact.
We reap what we sow. And having done so, the best we Americans can expect is an authoritarian regime quasi-conditioned by a watered down Christian past. But nonetheless, a menacing dagger lingers, poised to strike with any sudden darken shift in political fortunes. And the set in concrete reality of the moment is that there appears to be no going back to what once was. The demographics are too much changed and the memory of what once was has faded ... and is no longer taught.
"Tolerance becomes a crime when applied to evil" -- Thomas Mann
You put into narrative my state of mind very well. I am thankful for the day we have, that is, a Trump regime day rather than a Kamala regime day. And sufficient unto the day are the troubles of the day without worrying about tomorrow. There is much for us to do while the sun is shining. Tomorrow will take care of itself if we take advantage of the present to do what we can to prepare.
I think Providence has given us a reprieve from a complete cultural collapse for which I am thankful for the sake of my grandchildren. One cannot look at grandchildren and not realize the beauty that the future could hold because of them.
And as you pointed out in your previous comment, the demographics in America have changed so much, our old paradigms have become obsolete. These are not the demographic changes of a growing culture absorbing mass immigration such as in the 19th century but rather we have become a morally and intellectually weak geriatric culture being hit with a massive alien migration that is openly hostile to the existing culture and is not compatible.
This has got to produce a lot of internal conflict which will only get worse and on top of that, there is the fact that the USG Empire itself will eventually collapse as all empires do when they can no longer be sustained. I see two possibilities. We can disintegrate and collapse into ruin as the Roman Empire did or we can "voluntarily" pull back as Russia was forced to do and focus inward on building a strong and stable society without trying to impose our rule on the rest of the planet. I now see the latter as a distinct possibility initiated by the Trump regime. I think this is what we should be working towards. If we don't, then the reprieve Providence has given us could be short-lived.
All of which brings me to the existential question: the revival of the American church, the body of Christ, to once again be salt and leaven in the culture. There is a reason Jesus said to Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world." The American church has effectively bought into the dispensational lie that Christ's kingdom will be an earthly kingdom to be brought about by His physical return when He will impose His kingdom on earth by force. I cannot think of anything more antithetical to His teachings which is the same lie Satan offered Him in the wilderness in Matt 4:8-9. If the American church does not reject the error of Dispensationalism, then we may yet have to suffer the prior more difficult alternative of a complete collapse of society.
It's Sunday, so I read some Westminster, took in an Internet sermon, plus watched the below and mostly because De Wife alluded to it. And as you know wives are the smartest people on the planet. Or so some people think! :)
I live pretty much outside the world in which most other people dwell, and I always have done so since I was a child. My motto throughout life has been, "If you want everyone else's results, do what everyone else does." These days, not wanting every one else's result compel one straight into the camp of the resistance.
The video describes the state of things very well. I think you will like the commentary. It's pretty succinct.
They were very succinct! Thank you. Funny thing is, I posted this earlier this week to C&C - I think to someone's scripture postings - without first watching it and then failed to get back to watch it. Silly me. His description of the dispensational mindset was excellent. I have often alluded to the fact that dispensationalism causes Christians to retreat from society and simply sit in the church pew praying for the End Times. (Obviously this the Satan's purpose for this lie.) He puts it much better. And he so clearly describes the fact that the only reason people accept what they are being taught is because they have never read the Word for themselves. When you actually do THAT... one cannot help but see that this is NOT what Jesus was saying. Just pick up the Book and read His words!
I was impressed by their observation that the people that are being taught dispensationalism are the very best people of the church. All wonderful loving Christians, the very best people you would want to associate with. I had not really thought of that before. They have GOT to start questioning what they are being taught!
I identify with your motto. My attitude from my earliest days has been similar, "When everyone is going one way, go in the opposite direction, don't be part of the crowd." Not sure how I came by that attitude but it worked for me even on the playground. As a result, I've always been skeptical of popularly held beliefs. When I was in my latter 20's, I was attending a small, reformed church in CA. In Sunday school, the elders assigned a book by a reformed author for me to read and then give a presentation on what I had read. I don't remember his name but I'm sure you would recognize it. I found the book to be sound but seriously lacking in an understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit. Generally speaking, that is an area where I feel reformed theology needs some development. So I developed a critique of the book on that subject by simply applying relevant passages from the NT to demonstrate that the authors appreciation of the work of the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ is seriously understated. Apparently the elders were impressed. After my presentation, one came up to me and asked if I had ever taught classes before. I said no.
Thanks for drawing my attention back to this interview.
Without question, a tariff war will cause economic pain. Whether or not the people advising Trump understand this, I do not know. Regardless, the real objective of the tariffs may be political rather than economic and they are willing (for us) to pay the economic price. This is only a conjecture on my part.
The one man I do respect on this subject is Armstrong. Here is his post from today...............................................
Tariffs are NOT Reciprocal
Posted Apr 4, 2025 By Martin Armstrong
...The assumption that tariffs should be determined by “half of the surplus” rule ignores the reality that trade wars are not linear. These tariffs are NOT “reciprocal” as the Trump Administration insists. They are not looking at the actual tariffs set by other nations. Those advising Trump believe that other countries will want to negotiate “tariffs” to permit free trade, but instead they are simply hoping to close trade deficits, and that simply cannot occur. Thursday’s sell-off is indicative of capital flowing out of the US. The Trump Administration basically told the world that America is closed for international business, and capital is responding to the threat. The real impact of these tariffs will soon come as we move deeper into a period of stagflation.
https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/world-news/world-trade/tariffs-not-reciprocal/
I think Jeff explained the Trump's strategy with the tariff war well. It's not just to even the field 'fair trade vs free trade', but to get other concessions from our trading partners. (like Jeff's idea that Starmer may cough up some perps from Russiagate).
Exchange. Rate. Follow the exchange rate. USD to CAD, USD to EUR, USD to MXN, USD to GBP, etc.
This will be where the rubber hits the road about tariffs. If, as predicted by esteemed economists, the USD goes UP in value vs. other currencies any increased tariff cost is offset by greater purchasing power in the nation that's been tariffed, their currency value goes down relative the the USD. Which makes an increased tariff a net wash for the stronger USD for buyers exchanging dollars.
In a dynamic economy many factors come into play, tariffs don't stand alone, act as a static 1:1 influence in an economy. Put things in motion and many other things result besides the direct impact. An eye to exchange rates will tell all.
Think about it, what currency will other nations flee to? China's? the Euro? Russia's? The only other viable international exchange system existing today is BRICS, Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa. Are the Europeans and Canadians going to start doing business with Putin to hurt Trump? I've seen many foreign policy pivots in my life before, but that would take the cake.
USD wins any tariff war today, in 2025. Maybe in 2030 things would've been different had we been subjected to more of the Biden/Obama/Bush/Clinton/Bush trade policies. But as of today the USD is still the king of all currencies. And Trump's actions will ensure it remains the king of all currencies. Which allows the US to ride out any tariff/trade war that adversaries and frenemies alike wish to engage in.
Yes... and I think Trump agrees with you.
Trump has acknowledged that this will be painful for a while.
Exactly. Jeff:
“Civilizations at this late stage,” he explained, “are morally hollow, and thus fragile and prone to abuses of power, like censorship, lawfare, and the weaponization of government agencies.”
Fixing it is a big job.
Armstrong just posted this...................................
Trump’s Tariffs are Winning
Posted Apr 4, 2025 By Martin Armstrong
I have said on various podcasts that a 10% tariff is really a tariff. Beyond that, it is political to force free trade. Most countries are dropping tariffs on US goods, creating what Trump actually was trying to create – FREE TRADE. The belligerent one is, of course, France. Macron has a Napoleon Complex, which is why he has been pushing for war, offering nukes to Germany, and trying to supplant the United States as the savior of Europe, being the 3rd largest nuclear power....
Macron, according to sources, is urging fill retaliation against the Trump that the EU should block all US goods and push for capital controls to prevent money from flowing to the US. He already uses non-tariffs pretending it to be “quality” control outright blocking some products.
However, Macron is also pushing for war with Russia, offering Germany nukes to replace the US as the savior of Europe. He thinks war will elevate France to the leadership of Europe because of its nukes...
https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/trade-war/trumps-tariffs-are-winning/
Good luck, France! Thanks for the update, Phil.
The other side of the coin is that something had to be done. And the truth is that America was subsidizing the economies of the rest of the world and running deficits to do it. And this has been done at the expense of the non-commercial and non-financial classes, who were being devastated into third poverty for many decades now, literally being sold by their 'betters' into financial slavery.
One could also make arguments about the 'country living beyond is means', subsidy and trade imbalances and the allowing of gold and silver money (which restrict excesses) to lapse. And this would be only the tip of the ice burg as to 'what went wrong' and which inevitably led to off-shoring. And without waxing effusively verbose, I say that the entire 'can of worms' economically speaking is very complex, and when it comes to economics there are no infallible popes.
As well, I often ask myself this. How was it possible that earlier America had tariffs for decades on end, came to displace England as the manufacturing center of the world and still rise to dominance in world trade? And just why do other countries do everything in the book to achieve trade advantage, including currency exchange advantage ... but the United States continually shoots itself in the foot? And why does the United States throw real economics out the window in favor of Globalist ideologically based fairy tale inventions funded largely by money printing which in turn is the death and the robbing of us all save but the Anointed Grifting Few?
I also look at another key input, the cost of manufacturing and competitiveness. I wonder, for example, at robotics and the leveling of labor cost which will reshape the map of the world? Cost of energy input? In the restructuring of the United States, this could be a huge competitive advantage.
Armstrong is smart and he is one of my regular stops. But there are things which he does not consider. And ditto for Bonner and Casey.
In short, something had to be done. The United States was on the brink of collapse. And even if Trump's policies were to lead to outright collapse, we had nothing to lose. Because that's were we were headed anyway. As it is, I am cautiously optimistic. And I realize that it is not just tariffs, but it is also the rest of the overall restructure package which has to succeed. It's still, nonetheless, too early to rush to judgment.
Great comment for thought! And you are so right: we had nothing to lose for we were already at the edge of destruction. As you said at the beginning, for decades, Americans were "literally being sold by their 'betters' into financial slavery." One only has to look around today and all you see is financial slavery to indebtedness. No one is self-sufficient! I can not think of anything more anti-American and, more importantly, more anti-Christian than that.
This all goes back to what was done in 1913 as I commented elsewhere:
...The Seventeenth Amendment (direct election of Senators - the final act of centralizing power in the Federal Gov't and gutting the Constitutional protection of the Sovereign States which began with Lincoln's War of Northern Aggression in 1861)
...The Federal Reserve Act signed into law by Pres Wilson which enslaved America to the international banking debt system
...The Sixteenth Amendment (income tax) which put the shackles of debt slavery upon each and every American in servitude to the international banking system.
The above enslavement of the American people to an international oligarch debt system was made possible by the political destruction of State sovereignty in the war of 1861. That war forever changed the course of American history and made 1913 inevitable.
I completely agree with you conclusion that "something had to be done" even if it resulted in collapse. It is definitely too early to pass any judgement. Trump and his team are working with many factors and economics is only one. I suspect that his tariffs are not purely based on economics but rather they have a political usefulness. I also think this is supported by the way they have been set up so Trump can increase, decrease or eliminate them at will. This is something I've never seen done before. That tells me he is using them to achieve political ends, not just economic. I also am cautiously hopeful.
I may have mentioned it previously, but I came across a little book by John W Burgess, written 1923, "Recent Changes (!) in American Constitutional Theory". He was called the Father of Political Science in America. In it he laments three things that were direct attacks on the pursuit of LIFE: Selective Service unlimited to wars of defense at home. LIBERTY: Espionage Act. And, PROPERTY/pursuit of happiness: Income Tax. It is very interesting. He wrote as he retired from being a professor and political advisor to presidents. Prescient.
Definitely prescient! Thanks for the reference. He amazingly dissected what was going to happen. From the 3 seeds you listed of LIFE, LIBERTY & PROPERTY, sprang ALL the tyranny we see today and this all from what was done in 1913.
Save these thoughts for commenting again. Superb example of why it is so important to know history!
So far, we are getting relief. And if there is a reversal which sticks, it will be authoritarian in nature ... something akin to what the Russian Federation has (which is better in a nominally Christian way than the totalitarian Chinese practices). Since Christianity has been largely neutered in the Western world, there is no going back to 17th and 18th century America. And then there are the invasion of the robots which will change every and then to level the labor cost input throughout the world economy.
Post May 1945 in Germany and post the Soviet dissolution announced on December 31st, 1991 ... both of these economies were pretty much gutted. In both cases it was a good twenty years for those economies to get rebuilt, and an extra ten on top of that to full strength. As an historical footnote, the Russian Federation was not strong enough to contest the US and NATO in the 2014 era. And as it worked out, the historical stage was better set for Russia given the proxy war, the weaponizing of SWIFT, covid terrorism, shifts in world attitudes and so on ... much better for Russia. And better to have a fully deployed hypersonic missile system either deployed or just coming into deployment.
So the United States has to have a normalization across all fields of human endeavor. Total banishment of the anarchy and chaos of what we have had to go through for the last ten to twenty years. Col. MacGregor hints at some of this in this interview.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iYbmOW6Vb8
So many pieces, reforms, exorcisms of bad behaviors have to happen before America has a prayer for an approximate recovery of its once former itself. But even then it will never again be the same world as it was in our time of rearing. The demographics are now to far gone for that to happen.
Dave, you are prophetic in your analysis and IMO, you have stated the whole situation to a T.
The way I say it, we have entered an era of "the political strongman". This is exemplified by Trump, Xi, Putin and to a lesser extent, the megalomaniacs of the EU who will extinguish themselves against the boulders of the big three.
I find myself in an interesting mental watershed. Having spent most of my life supportive of the ideals of America's founders, reality has now caused me mentally to actually look forward to an "authoritarian regime", modified by Christian ethical restraint, that kills and suppresses the nihilistic impulses that have infected political society for the last 20+ years.
Go Trump!
Fallen Christianity in the West has given to us a schizoid habit of mind. For example, a Westminster Calvinist will long for an authentic American Exceptionalism based upon law practise tributary of Christian Law ... and as was manifested in the original states' constitutions. But the operating reality is as you say, a strong man like the one who is now a busy bee in the issuing of executive orders. This is precisely what Augustus did with Rome. And as of yore so it is in our modern example, a rule with a thin old republican glazing pasted over the new body politic fact.
We reap what we sow. And having done so, the best we Americans can expect is an authoritarian regime quasi-conditioned by a watered down Christian past. But nonetheless, a menacing dagger lingers, poised to strike with any sudden darken shift in political fortunes. And the set in concrete reality of the moment is that there appears to be no going back to what once was. The demographics are too much changed and the memory of what once was has faded ... and is no longer taught.
"Tolerance becomes a crime when applied to evil" -- Thomas Mann
You put into narrative my state of mind very well. I am thankful for the day we have, that is, a Trump regime day rather than a Kamala regime day. And sufficient unto the day are the troubles of the day without worrying about tomorrow. There is much for us to do while the sun is shining. Tomorrow will take care of itself if we take advantage of the present to do what we can to prepare.
I think Providence has given us a reprieve from a complete cultural collapse for which I am thankful for the sake of my grandchildren. One cannot look at grandchildren and not realize the beauty that the future could hold because of them.
And as you pointed out in your previous comment, the demographics in America have changed so much, our old paradigms have become obsolete. These are not the demographic changes of a growing culture absorbing mass immigration such as in the 19th century but rather we have become a morally and intellectually weak geriatric culture being hit with a massive alien migration that is openly hostile to the existing culture and is not compatible.
This has got to produce a lot of internal conflict which will only get worse and on top of that, there is the fact that the USG Empire itself will eventually collapse as all empires do when they can no longer be sustained. I see two possibilities. We can disintegrate and collapse into ruin as the Roman Empire did or we can "voluntarily" pull back as Russia was forced to do and focus inward on building a strong and stable society without trying to impose our rule on the rest of the planet. I now see the latter as a distinct possibility initiated by the Trump regime. I think this is what we should be working towards. If we don't, then the reprieve Providence has given us could be short-lived.
All of which brings me to the existential question: the revival of the American church, the body of Christ, to once again be salt and leaven in the culture. There is a reason Jesus said to Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world." The American church has effectively bought into the dispensational lie that Christ's kingdom will be an earthly kingdom to be brought about by His physical return when He will impose His kingdom on earth by force. I cannot think of anything more antithetical to His teachings which is the same lie Satan offered Him in the wilderness in Matt 4:8-9. If the American church does not reject the error of Dispensationalism, then we may yet have to suffer the prior more difficult alternative of a complete collapse of society.
It's Sunday, so I read some Westminster, took in an Internet sermon, plus watched the below and mostly because De Wife alluded to it. And as you know wives are the smartest people on the planet. Or so some people think! :)
https://rumble.com/v6rgv6p-andrew-isker-building-a-christian-refuge-to-fight-wokeness-transgenderism-a.html?e9s=src_v1_ucp
I live pretty much outside the world in which most other people dwell, and I always have done so since I was a child. My motto throughout life has been, "If you want everyone else's results, do what everyone else does." These days, not wanting every one else's result compel one straight into the camp of the resistance.
The video describes the state of things very well. I think you will like the commentary. It's pretty succinct.
They were very succinct! Thank you. Funny thing is, I posted this earlier this week to C&C - I think to someone's scripture postings - without first watching it and then failed to get back to watch it. Silly me. His description of the dispensational mindset was excellent. I have often alluded to the fact that dispensationalism causes Christians to retreat from society and simply sit in the church pew praying for the End Times. (Obviously this the Satan's purpose for this lie.) He puts it much better. And he so clearly describes the fact that the only reason people accept what they are being taught is because they have never read the Word for themselves. When you actually do THAT... one cannot help but see that this is NOT what Jesus was saying. Just pick up the Book and read His words!
I was impressed by their observation that the people that are being taught dispensationalism are the very best people of the church. All wonderful loving Christians, the very best people you would want to associate with. I had not really thought of that before. They have GOT to start questioning what they are being taught!
I identify with your motto. My attitude from my earliest days has been similar, "When everyone is going one way, go in the opposite direction, don't be part of the crowd." Not sure how I came by that attitude but it worked for me even on the playground. As a result, I've always been skeptical of popularly held beliefs. When I was in my latter 20's, I was attending a small, reformed church in CA. In Sunday school, the elders assigned a book by a reformed author for me to read and then give a presentation on what I had read. I don't remember his name but I'm sure you would recognize it. I found the book to be sound but seriously lacking in an understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit. Generally speaking, that is an area where I feel reformed theology needs some development. So I developed a critique of the book on that subject by simply applying relevant passages from the NT to demonstrate that the authors appreciation of the work of the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ is seriously understated. Apparently the elders were impressed. After my presentation, one came up to me and asked if I had ever taught classes before. I said no.
Thanks for drawing my attention back to this interview.