When the Israelites were wandering in the desert, to bring them closer to God they were given Manna for their daily wants and prohibited from storing it (except the day before the Sabbath). Early LDS missionaries were sent out without "purse or scrip" so they would be reliant on the guidance of the Spirit and the goodness of others. Members are constantly warned against reliance on the arm of flesh, which to me includes material stockpiles. And there are the not so infrequent scare scenarios that are spun out in which some priesthood holder has to defend his year's supply by shooting his hungry neighbors. Hardly the picture of charity and being your brother's keeper.

There is the possibility that the story of the Garden of Eden is a parable about the invention of agriculture and the consequent evils that arose from giving up living with nature by hunting and gathering and instead living from nature and investing in real estate and fixed assets.

Considering all of these indications, don't you think that food storage/prepping is spiritually corrosive? If nothing else, it encourages paranoia and pessimism, which may amount to the same thing.

It depends on how you approach it. My approach is this:

Since I receive money only once a month I purchase everything that I can safely store immediately. I usually have more than I can use so I rotate it with the old. From time to time I will have enough for two or three months. This is the maximum that I prep ahead food that I grow and then can.

I do not however try to store food for long periods of time because it seems that a large amount of that food will go to waste by spoilage.

A year's supply? I do not believe that to be efficacious so I don't attempt it.

This is all I.M.H.O!! To each his own!

It definitely isn't stupid to be prepared. We have a good amount of storage that we rotate. Hopefully nothing happens to require it, but at least I know I won't be going hungry or wanting for water until things get back to normal

Well, now, everyone knows "miracles" like manna from heaven don't actually happen anymore (they never did, but some people like to pretend they at least used to).
And since paranoia reigns in TSCC, preparing materially for the "end times" keeps the gullible busy and believing.

Of course, they'd never be able to take their haul of stuff to Missouri when they walk there -- hey, who said it had to make sense?

True Christians (following the teachings of Christ according to the Bible) do not store food supplies or even have savings accounts:

Matthew 6:25-34

"...Take therefore no thought for the morrow;..."

That has been my feeling that the Biblical based Christianity was inclined to be more spontaneous, in-the-moment, trust in God way of life. Share and share alike is harder to do when you are convinced that material prosperity is a sign of your own personal worthiness.

Mormons talk a lot about living by the Spirit in all the small things, but when it comes to the big stuff..But then the church has always had a real material, acquisitive aspect.

RPackham Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> True Christians (following the teachings of Christ
> according to the Bible) do not store food supplies
> or even have savings accounts:
>
> Matthew 6:25-34
>
> "...Take therefore no thought for the morrow;..."

Perhaps, but I notice they have savings accounts, and closets full of nice clothes, and pantries full of food...


25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.

While having some food on hand isn't a bad idea, the real threat is running out of money.

Having 6 month's worth of expensive in a savings account is worth a lot more than food storage. Food spoils, can be destroyed, and must be abandoned if you have to evacuate.

A bank account can be used to rent a motel, pay for medical expenses, cover job loss salary gaps, fix your roof, repair your car, buy you suit for your job interview, etc. Better to have some cash on hand than waste your money on food storage.

I have learned the hard way over the last half century; keep some cash at home. Most homeowners policies cover a good amount of cash.

Think it can't happen here? Credit cards and checks are useless without power and internet.

My son and daughter in law had all their accounts drained of cash during the Target fiasco. Grandpa had to come to the rescue.

I can't remember if it was in my old home ward or in the Lakeview ward, while I was at the Y, that I heard the counsel to store liquor and cigarettes, because when things really go bad, money might be worthless, but you could always trade with whiskey and tobacco.

But don't rotate your stock!!

I remember all the food storage stinking up Rexburg after the Teton dam flood.