The earthquake and tsunami in Japan with about ten thousand people dead, hundreds of billions of dollars in damage and a possible nuclear meltdown was all over the news last weekend but I did not hear one peep about it in church. Nothing was said in Sunday school. Nothing was heard in any prayers said that I heard. Nothing came from the pulpit and nothing even was said in casual conversations. I guess us American Christians can be very inward looking and I also point a finger at myself because I never brought up Japan at church either. In contrast, when something much less deadly like 9/11 or Katrina happened in our own country it was on the lips of everyone in every church in the nation. In fairness, perhaps most people still did not realize the extent of the disaster
Even so, this disaster in Japan could have a grave impact on our own nation in the future. There will be an immediate economic impact in the world markets. Japan was already in grave economic danger before this happened because Japan has a debt load that is 200 percent of their GDP. That is by far the worst debt load of any nation in the world, and now this costly disaster will add to that.
If Japan ever has to borrow from foreign investors with that kind of debt load they will not be able to pay the interest and they will default. The only thing that keeps Japan going is very high personal savings, but that is now going to rapidly end. Many will now need to cash in their savings to pay to rebuild. Japan also has a rapidly aging population. The elderly will have to start cashing in their bonds to live on very shortly. Japan already had an economic crises coming less than a decade down the road but now the debt crisis will be greatly accelerated.
Japan holds almost one trillion dollars in U.S. Treasuries. If they have to sell them to rebuild, there will be a U.S. bond sell off. The consequences of that will end low interest rates in the United States and that will mean the end of any possible recovery in the United States. Even if they somehow do not sell their U.S. bonds, they certainly will have to stop buying our bonds, and that is going to make it much more likely that the Federal Reserve will create even more money out of thin air (quantitative easing) that will eventually destroy the value of the dollar.
This disaster will probably also end any idea about building more nuclear power plants in the world, especially if there is an actual reactor core meltdown with radiation spewed on the population. A core meltdown now looks imminent as I write. Some nations have already announced that they have canceled plans to build more nuclear reactors and extend the life of existing ones. The end of new nuclear plants will mean more demand for other sources of energy down the line. That will create much higher energy prices unless we can get our government to get out of the way and let energy companies develop our abundant oil, gas, and coal deposits.
Japan is not the only economic problem threatening the world economy. The civil war in Libya and the unrest in the Middle East have pushed oil prices to the point where they will damage the world recovery. Interest rates are also rapidly rising in the debt burdened parts of Europe. That is because the socialist labor unions are telling the people that they should not be willing to give up anything.
What was lost in the news because of the civil war in Libya and the crisis in Japan is the fact that hundreds of thousands of people in Europe are marching in the streets protesting the austerity measures that the lending nations demanded. In other words, the big cuts will never happen and these nations will either default on their debt or they will continue to drag down the more responsible nations.
If that is not enough to threaten the world economy. Food prices all over the world have soared to new all time highs and riots in poor nations are now becoming inevitable.
Now, because of this huge economic loss in Japan the camel’s back that is carrying the world economy is fully loaded. If anything else of this magnitude happens within the next year it will become the straw that broke the camel’s back.
If you want further information of what might be blowing in the wind and find out why the world economy was on the brink even before this new Japanese crisis read these 21 signs of impending doom. Even blind optimists might get their head out of the sand after reading about these economic realities. In spite of all the economic happy talk from government, media and Wall Street the world now seems to be on the brink of a great depression.
This is why we come to your website Don, because you say what nobody else has the guts to say…certainly we will not hear this from our mainstream media.
The domino effect from this catastrophic disaster and the unrest in the Middle East could easily lead to a devastating impact globally.
Thank you for spelling it out to us.
We, the people of the United States tend to be a very spoiled bunch (me included). We’ve had it so good for so long that we expect to maintain our vanities, especially materialism.
Most of us cannot fathom what it would be like to have a serious downturn in lifestyle change.
The major populous in our U.S. is very unaware of the happenings in our world, nor do most care, as long as it doesn’t effect us in our daily lives.
To us, $4 per gallon gasoline is disaster as I’ve heard it spoken.
Many don’t see how immorality, corruption, & Godlessness has in past history and will today bring down any nation.
“Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin [is] a reproach to any people.”
As Don has repeatedly stated in his articles, change is coming…not just to them over there…but to the U.S. also.
How will the U.S. people handle a disaster to the magnitude of what we’ve seen in Japan ?
In my opinion, those that keep depending on man to fix these things are going to be severely disappointed. Those that continue to be vigilant for the Lord God Almighty will handle these coming events with understanding.
Don,
I believe it was mentioned in our church, but only in passing. It didn’t strike me as out of place at the time — not until now as I read your article.
The problem with working from home is, at least for me, when something like this happens I find myself glued to the computer watching it unfold — not working. The BBC seems to have the best coverage. There is a live streaming message board that is very informative. Several things struck me about the Japanese people as I watched. One being that in spite of all the destruction, there has been no reports of looting. Another is the way they wait patiently in line and seem to have a profound respect for each other. On one site, a nuclear expert of some pedigree stated that if there is a meltdown and containment breech, and the wind shifts southward, Japan can become a nuclear wasteland. Then on a “tweet” that showed up on the BBC site, a Japanese citizen complained about how their government seems to be hiding the true magnitude of this disaster from the people, and that people are talking about leaving Japan permanently. Putting this all together, it suddenly occurred to me that here is the answer to your suggestion of a month or so ago that we need to encourage more immigration to enlarge our economic base. A couple million Japanese folks relocating here wouldn’t be a bad thing considering how civilly they are conducting themselves in this current disaster.
On another note. I don’t think this will halt new reactor construction, but it will encourage tighter standards and hopefully more prudent site location. The Fukushima reactors were built from designs intended to power nuclear submarines, not to power cities. We’ve come a long way in 41 years. These should probably have been decommissioned a decade ago.
A few million Japanese moving here sounds like a good idea to me but it could worsen our own demographics problem since Japan is rapidly aging and they have few children.
I like the nuclear idea that Bill Gates is investing in and promoting. They are smaller plants somewhat like those used on U.S. ships. They can be encased in concrete and buried underground and produce electricity for a hundred years. There is nothing in them that can create any kind of nuclear catastrophe. Last I heard they will produce electric for under 10c a kilowatt hour. They would produce energy at a reasonable cost without the danger of a meltdown.
Nothing about what happened in Japan was said in church here in Mexico either. And the tsunami waves even hit MEXICAN TERRITORY!
Abba? What can we say? Spirit, please guide us in prayer! What Jesus said about the people killed by the falling tower comes to mind {Luke 13:4}. The people of Japan, Libya, or anywhere else in the world are no more guilty than we: All of us need Jesus. Bad things happen, but Your remedy is Jesus. We are perplexed; the answer is Jesus. We are poisoned; Jesus is the antidote. We lift-up our brothers and sisters in Japan and Libya and ask that You give them maximum grace for their maximum trial; that that You shine brightly, powerfully, contagiously in and through them that the pre-believers around them would be attracted to You and would surrender! Please give those who don’t know You the faith to become saved; so many of our hearts are hardened and our very souls seared against Your voice – so many beyond human ability to reach for you: please remake their souls enough to be able to hear Your voice again that they may choose life in You. Please comfort our Your children in these and other places of great suffering; please remind them that this is temporary and that YOU await, and that YOU will compensate beyond what we can imagine. Please remind them that You are their treasure, that You are their Lover and they, Your Beloved. If You strengthen us we can go anywhere and do anything, but if You are hidden, what can we do but wilt and cower and hide? You are our strength and shield and we praise You for no one is like You nor above You and now one holds the keys of eternity but You. Please continue Your great work of healing in us, to make us whole, to make us holy. We will magnify Your name in our very lives O God: Father, Jesus and Spirit!
I just added a link in the article where people so inclined can make a donation to the Samaritan’s purse relief effort in Japan.
Don,
I was unaware the Japanese had a $trillion of our debt. I guess Timmy G. will need to create some addition $ to pay this off.
As David said (above) that is why I come to this site. It is very informative
I can only guess that the church you attend has too many prophecy dead attendees who must not be very End Times or world happenings aware. How sad.
Its not just American that is inward looking. Here in Australia I remember in church a few years back (before I stopped going to church on a regular basis) when Katrina devastated New Orleans. I waited and waited for the preacher to offer a prayer for the people of the city or even say anything .. nothing. Eventually I went and did an altar call and suggested we pray. The reaction was.. “oh… yeah.. yeah.. thats probably a good idea…” The attitude was atrocious, and this was regarding an event happening in one of our closest allies where the people are (primarily) the same as us so you’d think we could empathize easily. Mathew 24:12 .. the love of many has already grown cold.
Interestingly, Japan had just chastised Israel about their building new homes.
Perhaps we have a more aware church as we personally mentioned Japan in our second grade Sunday School and several prayers for the people of Japan were offered during the main service. Perhaps it’s time to reevaluate the church you’re at!!
ProfessorJ,
Not really, I attend a good fellowship. I would not be going there if everyone was Biblically illiterate and unconcerned about others. My normal Sunday school teacher was sick this Sunday and I know he would have brought it up and we would have discussed it and probably prayed about it had he been there. Since he was gone I attended another class where a substitute was teaching that day so I do not know if the main teacher would have brought Japan up or not. The other groups I was in and the people I talked to probably had other things on their mind just like me. We probably have some in our Church that are not aware that the end times are approaching but that is true in most churches. On the other hand, those who think every current natural disaster is a fulfillment of Bible prophecy are also wrong.
As for being “world happenings aware”. I just think they missed mentioning the Japan disaster Sunday because they had many other things on there mind or they missed the news. My purpose was not to chastise my church, they are a praying church. My point was that Americans in general are very self focused and I think that is often demonstrated even in good Bible churches like mine. We Christians in America seem to think that the world and Christianity revolves around what happens in America.
Thanks for the link to Samaritan’s Purse Don. It is best to store up treasure in heaven and this is one way to do that. The financial tsunami is that much closer to crashing upon our American shores, so it is better to give it away as well as to be as prepared as I know how to be. Thank you Brett for your prayer for those who are “pre-believers.” I feel this disaster is a local judgement because the Lord will not share His glory with idols. Even so, except for the grace of God in my own life, I’d be a candidate for wrath as well. So I don’t mean to sound uncaring, just pragmatic. Holy Spirit, extend your loving grace to those who are suffering and convict those who have ears to hear of their sin and show them their need for the Savior.
Gibby62, said,
“interestingly, Japan had just chastised Israel about their building new homes.”
So have 150 other nations and it did not happen to them! I do not believe in this tit-for-tat curse on any nation that does not agree with the state of Israel. The state of Israel today is not doing God’s will either and God’s curse is still upon them.
When Israel returns to God and the two prophets arrive the “I will bless those that bless you and curse those that curse you covenant” will be applicable, but even in the Old Kingdom it was not an immediate tit-for-tat judgment. Some traveling the Bible prophecy circuits would have us think that every natural disaster in the world since 1948 has a direct relationship to Israel. It is silly.
I am always evaluating the church where I am attending. They still are the best church in this area and I do not see that changing anytime soon.
I could be very wrong about this…but so far, I am of the opinion that the condemnation that Israel is experiencing (from Palestinian supporting nations) for their settlement activities are “setting things up” precisely for their coming wars.
Feel free to chime in : )
Chime!!! That is rather obvious.
Don, you have to learn to chime louder ; )
Yes, it is obvious…and the mounting pressure on Israel to divide Jerusalem also seems to be mounting…which from my understanding means “that’s it”! That’s when we see God’s wrath for dividing “his” land. Is that correct Sir ?
The world will see God’s wrath after they reject the message of His prophets and attack His people. Many things can still happen in and around Israel before that happens.
Don,
Hubbert’s peak theory, a proven theory applied to global petroleum extraction, is a concern as more emphasis is given to petroleum as a continued source of energy. Though Wikepedia is not the best reference source it does some up the situation nicely with added references, “Optimistic estimations of peak production forecast the global decline will begin by 2020 or later, and assume major investments in alternatives will occur before a crisis, without requiring major changes in the lifestyle of heavily oil-consuming nations. These models show the price of oil at first escalating and then retreating as other types of fuel and energy sources are used. Pessimistic predictions of future oil production operate on the thesis that either the peak has already occurred, that oil production is on the cusp of the peak, or that it will occur shortly. The International Energy Agency (IEA) says production of conventional crude oil peaked in 2006. As proactive mitigation may no longer be an option, a global depression is predicted, perhaps even initiating a chain reaction of the various feedback mechanisms in the global market that might stimulate a collapse of global industrial civilization, potentially leading to large population declines within a short period. Throughout the first two quarters of 2008, there were signs that a global recession was being made worse by a series of record oil prices.” To add to your portending statements, it is so early in 2011 there is a high probability of additional crises to occur not the least of which is the hurricane season beginning in June. I live close to the gulf coast and another active season is predicted and since no major hurricanes landed last year there is a sense that will not be the case this year. Thanks for the encouragement to give to Christian help organizations. I have already given to World Vision.
Jon,
It would seem to be a perplexing problem. If the economy of the world improves nations use more oil and prices go up and that just forces the world back into economic decline. Nevertheless, right now, there is plenty of spare capacity in the world.
If OPEC did not exist and if there were not wars and speculators driving up the price, oil would be selling for $50 a barrel. Iraq is also coming on line. They have the oil reserves to become another Saudi Arabia. So does Venezuela but will they remain stable enough to develop their oil?
Without war and uprisings there probably will be enough spare capacity in the world for at least another decade and If government and Gaia fear mongers got out of the way we could have our own huge gas and shale oil deposits kicking in by the following decade.
The real problem in the world has little to do with any energy shortage. There is a stability crisis and faith in God crises. People now rely on elitist statists control freaks to manage the world, but the world control freaks just promote lies such as man caused global warming dangers and UN Agenda 21 because doing so allows them to get more control over everyone.
If the world stayed stable, in twenty years local electrical generation could be painted on any surface that receives light and electricity would come at the cost of coal today. But, the world will not remain stable for two decades and so there will be wars and speculators driving up the cost of oil.
I live in Mexico, and I know many PEMEX people here. All of them are certain that there is enough oil in the world for at least the next 30 years, taking into account that the world population will probably double during that period. Recently in the southest part of the Gulf was found the biggest oil field in the world. The thing is that the oil is too deep to extract. Soon they will be able to extract that oil and then they go even deeper. I imagine that the deeper they go, the more expensive the gas price will be.
Martin,
I believe there will be enough oil accessible to us until the new Heaven and Earth and eternity. Who really knows what the catastrophic earth upheavals at the end of this age will bring in the form of new near surface oil if oil is not even a fossil fuel like some oil experts now believe. Synthetic oil can also be created.
In the long term oil will only get as expensive as it costs to develop replacements for it, and in the long term that will be less expensive than oil is today. That is the main reason why oil rich states will not allow oil to go much higher without first increasing their spare production capability. Oil is not going to bring them high bucks in the future if we develop ways to increase production or develop cheaper energy and fuel alternatives. Believe me some pretty good minds are working on it.
It is our current dependency on oil from nations that are unstable and nations like Iran that actually want to use oil as a weapon to destroy the West that is the real problem. We could end that dependency in ten year if we threw the skirts out of office and manned up. By the way, those working on oil shale pilot projects say oil can be developed for under $50 a barrel.
I wonder if there will be any need for oil or other industrial-grade energy sources in the Millennium? I wonder, under Christ’s reign, if humanity will continue down the path of technology, or it will revert to agrarian societies? Will there be ruins to cleanup after the Tribulation? If so, than that my required the kind of equipment and infrastructure we are used to, but maybe God will intervene in this supernaturally too?
AND as a software engineer, will there be computing devices of any sort on earth or the New Jerusalem. Somehow it seems unlikely and the skills and creativity I use now will simply be applied elsewhere, I imagine.
One thing I’m pretty sure of is that whatever I’m thinking, I’m probably thinking way-to-small!!!
However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”(1 Corinthians 2:9 cf. Isaiah 64:4)
AND, the next verse is intriguing:
but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
SO, we are not without any inkling…
I can’t wait!
Brett,
I hope at least Jesus will allow old English Sports Cars and MP3 players! 🙂
When I envision the Kingdom or Heaven, I see miles and miles of paved twisting roads with no one on them but me in my Triumph or MGB. After all, how else could it be called Heaven? 🙂
If our Great and Extravagant God will allow for Heaven to include the endearing peculiarities of the SU carburetor, then Heaven will be an interesting place indeed!!! 🙂
And for those of us who want to learn, explore and create, there will be forever. I cannot conceive of this; we ourselves will have to continually grow and “expand” for Heaven to hold our interest, and God will always be steps ahead of us…I bet our growth will be in both order and degree. We are truly seeds in God’s soil to germinate into what? Ah! We shall see! AND we shall see Him, the true treasure, above all!
Also, I *strongly suspect* that all good things here are mere shadows, small representations, of things we will marvel upon and enjoy in eternity, and that even these things will not remain static, but will grow in pace with our abilities and being.
I wonder if there are blogs in heaven if people who comment will stay on the post topic 😉
Don, sorry to further these off topic comments.
But, isn’t it silly to think that our earthly desires now are going to be our heavenly desires then ?
1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
Now, that is awesome : )
Hey Don, I was wanting to ask a question about the earthquake in Japan. Three days before the earthquake Japan sent aid to the Palestinian people. For years they have been supporting a palestinian state and making some serious boast against Israel. I have not heard anybody state the obvious. Our Lord sent judgement upon them. Am I out of line here? What are your thoughts concerning this? Maybe I am missing something here or just have hate in my heart towards everyone against Israel.
I already commented on that on this post. Every time something bad happens on earth some link it to Israel. If it was a judgment on Japan perhaps is is just because Japan has been rejecting the message to seek His salvation and they need a wake up call.
Speaking of a country in need of a wake up call.
So I read an article about the DEMs using the tragedy in Japan to lie about how the budget cuts would put the nation at risk (e.g., the big bad ole REPs would defund the tsunami warning system run by the weather service et al) – and yet, all the while the GOV, particularly the self destructive DEMs, are not even bothering to lift a finger or a dime for the more real threat of an EMP or other more probable threats (as detailed on your main web site).
I continue to keep my head in the self-sufficiency game. Learning how to use a cast net – it’s a pretty useful contraption, potentially.
And then there’s this really wild one I read a while back where Hillary was quoted as saying no other administration had done as much *for* the state of Israel than Obama’s. Unbelievable what lengths of lies the DEMs will go to.
And then there’s the scoffers promoting gay marriage. They even go so far as to say that the bible does not define marriage as between a man and woman. And the DEMs just ride that nonsense.
Speaking of a country in need of judgment, let alone a wake up call.
Yep Craig, I agree with you.
I also agree with Billy Graham who said, “If God doesn’t judge the United States, he’ll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah”.
I was just thinking this morning about how “Liberals” is such an inappropriate name for these people. They should be called “Liars” because that is what liberals really are these days.
With Marxists the end justifies the means and the end is a Godless ant farm run by Queens. Now you know why they push homosexuality.
Has Billy Graham really said that, David? I’ve been trying to say the same simple thing about the whole world during all my life, and I couldn’t… 🙂
His exact quote was…
“If God doesn’t soon bring judgment upon America, He’ll have to go back and apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!
My understanding is, it was in his 1965 book, World Aflame…and really was originally coined by his wife Ruth.
His original quote was…
“If God doesn’t soon bring judgment upon America, He’ll have to go back and apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!”
It appeared in his 1965 book, World Aflame…My understanding is that it was originally coined by his wife Ruth.
Don,
Liberalism is a mental disorder !!!
I can’t take credit for that quote…but I believe it.
I personally think it’s quite ironic that for all the rights and the enemy that they fight for…the enemy would first want to kill them and what they stand for.
Actually, I do have a solution to the Liberalism problem in America.
This is a bit more political than Christian in view, however.
Since the foreign expert, Hollywood elites, say that the United States is brutish in war and that terrorists can be reasoned with, I suggest sending “them” to the caves of Afghanistan to “reason” with the terrorists and when they don’t come back, send more.
What baffles me is that the liberal elite in Hollywood is all Jewish and they can’t comprehend that all these liberals they fund for office are actually against Israel.
Stephen,
I don’t know if what you said has any basis in fact or is anti-Semitic thinking.
I’ll wait for someone with more knowledge than I to shed some light on what you said.
Don,
Another appropriate synonym for liberals is “socialists”.
David, speaking of ironies, I find it ironic that so many black people identify with liberalism and the Democratic Party. If you look back in history, the Democratic Party was always the strong force holding back black people. They were, for the greater part, pro-slavery. Back in the nineteenth and early twentieth century the democrats even called themselves “the white man’s party”. I never understood the mental disconnect in this. I wonder what exactly the democratic party did to remake themselves and hide this facet of their past???
Sometimes you really do have to wonder if liberalism isn’t a manifestation of a short-circuiting brain.
David,
obviously what Stephen said was a generalization its not anti-Semitic thinking, but lets all try to stay on the post topic as much as possible. This is not a chat forum. If every comments area of a post starts talking about just anything few are going to bother reading any of them.
I started going to a different church in August and they were in the middle of expanding their building as they had grown to over 400 people. The Pastor does so many Bible studies plus we have one at our house and his message on Sundays is to believe in Jesus Christ and accept the Holy Spirit. It is not watered down. Every Sunday there are prayer requests and the last 2 weeks Japan was 1st on the list.
God bless you Don for your info on this website, I have learned so much.