Lethality vs. Stopping Power, 3

Continued from "Lethality vs. Stopping Power, 2"

I have known of police officers who carried .357 magnum revolvers or .40 S&W autoloaders as their sidearms who also carried a .380 (or smaller!) caliber handgun as a backup. They somehow think that if they couldn't get the job done with 6 (or 12) rounds of .357, that the .380 is waiting in the wings to save the day.

To me, this seems backwards. If my large caliber primary weapon could not stop an adversary, I think I'd want something even larger as my backup. Just my opinion. Maybe it's that a Ruger Super Redhawk makes too big a bulge in an ankle holster.

Lethality vs. Stopping Power, 2

Continued from "Lethality vs. Stopping Power"

I mentioned shotguns in my previous post on this subject. At closer ranges, they possess high levels of both lethality and stopping power. At medium ranges, with buckshot (and a gun that will fire by holding the trigger back as you work the pump) you can put more lead in the air in a shorter time than with a submachine gun.

Members of certain special operations units in Viet Nam carried shotguns for close-quarters work. I knew one old Marine in Texas (his soul now rests with his Savior) who said he carried one at Guadalcanal.

Yesterday's shooting at a Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville illustrates in a sad and most tragic way the devastating power of a 12 gauge shotgun. It could have been MUCH WORSE if, after the first shot, he had not been firing randomly, and if a small group of sheepdog church members had not tackled him as he reloaded.

CNN Video

I'm not saying anything you don't already know, but the carnage could have ended much more quickly if someone on the scene had been armed and able to take out the shooter.

Pray for those folks. If you know anything about Unitarian Universalists, they deny the deity of Christ, His virgin birth, His resurrection, the need for salvation from sin, etc. Perhaps God, in His grace will use this horrific event to turn them to true faith in the Gospel of Christ.

The Food Riots of 2009?

First, an announcement: For some time, now, I have maintained a site at warskyl.com, in addition to this blog. I am planning to use it to promote some informational products. One of my readers has discovered the site & joined the discussion group as its first member. If you are looking for discussion with like-minded Christian Martialists, I urge you to check out the forum. Go to the site and click on the link for WARSKYLMOOT.


Now, check out this article:

Are feds stockpiling survival food?

Next, watch this video clip:



Observations: The U.S. gov't. is stockpiling food for a reason. (Aside -- In bureaucratic doublespeak, when the civil authority does it, it's called stockpiling; when you do it, it's called hoarding.) If they are amassing food for civil officials because they see a shortage coming, then we are in for a rough ride.

Recently an indigent neighbor asked my wife for a ride to the convenience store because, "Mama just has to have her Mountain Dew." (The soft drink, not the moonshine) They have complained of not having enough food, although the local discount grocery is about the same distance as the convenience store. What's wrong with this picture?

Further, what will happen when millions like these people are cut off from the goodies to which the federal authority has convinced them they are entitled? If you think that they will sit quietly at home and starve, you may want to rethink.

Perhaps I'm wrong about the shortages and the food riots. And I don't want to foster panic -- the ultimate sin in a controlled society. BUT in at least one respect, a stockpile of food is just like a loaded firearm:

It's better to have it and never need it than to need it just once and not have it.

Those who live outside the major population centers may want to think not only about household supplies, but also about tactical defense against robbers that will come in 1's, 2's & 3's. City dwellers may have bands of looters to deal with.

This means the possible need to evacuate. Which, of course implies a supply of fuel, food and arms that is all packed and ready to be thrown into the car. There should be enough fuel to get you to your destination.

That last statement, of course, assumes you have a destination -- one already provisioned with what you'll need when you arrive.

Furthermore, if you are called to the ministry of protecting the sheep, you need to think tactically. One of the greatest tactical assets you can have is a group of people who provide mutual aid and protection. At this stage, it may not be wise to talk post-apocalyptic militia groups. Instead, think and speak of a Neighborhood Watch group. If your area doesn't have one, start one.

With all the weather-related disruptions in the recent past, it should be easy to talk to such a group about a food storage plan in case of natural disaster. And a group already accustomed to watching out for each other and planning for emergencies will more easily adapt to additional threats as they arise.

As Christian Martialists we must not forget God's hand in sending famine on a land as a form of judgment. Such conditions would provide opportunities to minister and witness to neighbors. Read Genesis chapter 41 with an eye to how those had foresight, devised a plan and acted were able to take dominion over those who focused solely on the present.

According to Pareto's Law, 1 out of 5 who read this will even discuss it with their families. Out of those, 20% will take positive steps toward preparing. That's 4% of my readership, which isn't very big to begin with. If the "food riots of 2009" should, by some chance, take place (and I will be the first to rejoice if they do not), will you be among the very few who are prepared?

The theme of this post is continued in "Beware the Food Police"

Lethality vs. Stopping Power

I recall an article by Jeff Cooper I read over 30 years ago. He told a true story about the host of a party who left his guests, went upstairs and shot himself in the temple with a .25 caliber handgun. The guests heard a little pop, but were not alarmed, as the host came downstairs with a band-aid covering the hole in the side of his head. After the guests left, he went to bed and died in his sleep.

That's lethality. Stopping power is another matter.

Studies have found that, in general, the likelihood of stopping a determined foe increases with bore diameter. That's a generalization, to be sure, because bullet placement, whether the attacker is on drugs, etc. are mitigating factors.

Any firearm can be lethal. Some are more likely to stop a determined attacker than others. For self defense, I recommend you carry the largest caliber that you can accurately shoot, under pressure. And for home defense, you can't do better than a 12 gauge shotgun.

That's for civilian self-defense. Warfare is another matter. Perhaps this calls for a followup post?

Sheepdog Strategies

As we left the chiropractor's office, my wife told me about her conversation with the doctor. "I told him that we were going to jujitsu class. He said, 'Why do you need jujitsu? One look at your husband and anyone would leave you alone.'" Then he added that jujitsu would help her back.

Although I found the doctor's observation flattering [I was a somewhat less "portly" fellow in those days], I also immediately recognized the flaw in his reasoning. I was not and could not always be with my wife or children to protect them.

Any Christian Martialist sheepdog will know what I'm talking about. You are always alert and ready to protect the lady or ladies in your life. But you cannot always be there when she is vulnerable.

If the woman in your life thinks that self-defense (including the use of firearms) is not for her, your frustration is increased. The more you try to interest her in her own protection, the more she resists.

I'd like to build a few posts under the title of "Sheepdog Strategies" that address the problem of how to protect your family when you're not there. Your ideas and experiences are welcome. (Comment, please!)

Continued in "Sheepdog Strategies, 2"

Sheepdog Dad

Dad, Mom & son are taking a walk on a forest trail when the little boy runs up ahead. There's a scream, then the parents see a mountain lion carrying off their child.

I have a link to this story of an incredible sheepdog dad. With tears in her eyes, this young mother says that she knows her husband would "do anything to protect us."

Father Saves Son from Mountain Lion

If you've been lulled by the animal rights lobby into thinking that wolves, bears and mountain lions are just misunderstood critters who mean no harm, you may need to read Death in the Long Grass by Peter Hathaway Capstick. My barber loaned me a copy several years ago, and it was an eye-opener.

P.S. Don't read it right after a meal.

Meditation on the Psychology of Battle

After reading "Defeat Your Assailant's Will" and "The Psychology of Combat", do these articles give you an insight into the following passage?

Now when the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the people of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. And the people of Israel said to Samuel, "Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines."

So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. And Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him.

As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the LORD thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were routed before Israel. And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and struck them, as far as below Beth-car. (I Samuel 7:7-11)

Here's a passage that not only includes Divinely-provided noise, but also incorporates the maneuver warfare tactic of attacking behind enemy lines:

And the Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, "You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees. And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, for then the LORD has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines."

And David did as the LORD commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer. (II Samuel 5:22-25)

It is a marvelous thing that we learn from Scripture not only by precept, but also by Divinely appointed example.

Defeat Your Assailant's Will

When you read the article by Dave Grossman that I linked to earlier this week (you did read it, didn't you?), I hope you thought about how the tactical aspect might apply to the individual's self-defense situation. Can you use what you learned to defeat your attacker's will?

The average orc seeking a victim looks for easy prey. He wants someone who does not have the will to resist. From the time of his very intention to commit a violent act, he knows he does not want a contest of the will.

Up until I entered junior high (middle school), I had been in very few fights. Then for about a year and a half, I fought on a rather regular basis -- by my choice, but not by my preference. In other words, I fought because if I didn't, my aggressors would have beaten me, anyway.

Years later, as I reflected on those dark and threatening days, I realized that no one has ever challenged me to fight because he wanted to fight. I haven't had many challenges since those days, but they tend to fall into a pattern: the challenger was either 1) posturing for his ego or to get what he wanted, or 2) wanted -- for his own perverse reasons -- someone to beat up.

Wanting a fight and wanting to beat someone up are two different things. Outside of the boxing and MMA arenas, very few guys really want to fight (okay, maybe hocky, too). Everyone else is just looking for a victim.

Willingness to fight goes a long way toward shutting down a lot of challengers. But there's a psychology to it. If he's posturing & you start posturing, each of you will puff himself up bigger & get louder. Once the process starts, it has already escalated to the point where neither of you will back down for the sake of ego, even though neither of really you wants a fight.

Your first and best option -- especially when dealing with a stranger -- is tactical retreat. This orc is challenging you because he has an edge, and he knows it. Whether his edge is a literal edge (knife) or just a Sunday punch, he's confident because he's used it successfully before.

Don't meet this guy's challenge, if you have an out. If retreat is not possible, then you must defeat his will to fight as much as you need to defeat his strength and skill. You also have to establish your role as the one on the defensive in the eyes of witnesses.

So, you assume the defensive posture, and you loudly say, "Stop! Leave me alone." At this point the orc thinks he has you up a tree. Then you ask a simple question:

"You're not going to let me out of here without a fight, are you?"

His answer may be something like "!@#$% right I'm not," or he may suggest that he'll let you go if you do something for him in return that you absolutely will not do (especially if it involves your wife or sister). It makes no difference; as soon as he makes his intention plain, you hit him.

Then you keep on hitting him until you've neutralized the threat.

Your question establishes two things:

1. You want out of the situation without a fight;
2. He's forcing the fight on you.
   

This is your way of piercing his psychology of intimidation. You also launch into an attack that he's not ready for -- he's still working himself up to it when you light into him.

Here you should use the psychology of combat to further turn the momentum in your favor. Grossman's article mentions two closely related points in this regard: noise and the close proximity of the enemy.

The noise alone does not work at a distance, but it will magnify his disorientation as you move in on him (see "Controlling Adrenaline Stress: The Battle Cry"). You see, his experience is that his victims try to get away, or try to move out of range. If he grabs them, they try to pull away.

Unless you encounter an expert grappler, he will find it disconcerting when you move in on him. (That's one thing I like about jujitsu -- it conditions you to fight at distances most people find discomfiting.) The loud sound of your battle cry should increase your advantage exponentially -- both by what it does to him and what it does for you.

The combination of great noise and proximity to the enemy has spelled victory and defeat on the battlefield for millennia. A street fight is merely a microcosm of battle -- close quarters combat for two (unless the orc has help). There is no reason you shouldn't use these battle-proven tactics on the street.

Poetry and Other Deadly Pursuits, 2

This must be Dave Grossman Week. Here is a poem by him I found at the Warrior Science Group website:

'The Angel of the Night'
by Dave Grossman

Fear not the night.
Fear those who walk the night.
And *I* am he that walks the night.

But only evil need fear me ...
and gentle souls sleep safe in their beds...
because I walk the night

The Psychology of Combat

This blog is dedicated to the development of the individual Christian warrior's spirit (and skills) in subordination to God's Law. The article I'm recommending here lays a foundation for understanding combat mindset, but it does so as preparation for a discussion of tactics (maneuver warfare). Although the article goes beyond the scope of the individual combatant, it offers much insight to the Christian Martialist willing to read, study and comprehend.

Willingness to fight an assailant who attacks you or an innocent third party implies the possibility of taking the assailant's life. This is a grave and solemn matter, not to be taken lightly. You need to understand the stresses on the human psyche at the moment of truth, lest you become the victim.

Lt. Col. Dave Grossman has provided deep and practical insight into these matters in his books On Killing and On Combat. I hope this long (34 pages) article by Grossman will motivate you to get his books -- which deal with the warrior as an individual -- and read them. Here is the link to his article:

Defeating the Enemy’s Will: The Psychological Foundations of Maneuver Warfare

Caveat: The author's evolutionary presuppositions are evident both in his books and in this article.

Sharpening the Warrior's Edge: A Review

I have recently read Sharpening the Warrior's Edge: The Psychology and Science of Training. It is one of those books that has been on my "to get" list for some time, but I kept putting off making the purchase. Now I'm sorry I didn't buy and read it years ago.

After I finished chapter one, I knew this book would make a difference in how I will conduct the training portion of the WARSKYL Conference (October 11, Peoria IL). This one chapter tells how to structure training to ensure that students will successfully acquire the skills taught and put their confidence in them.

Here is a summary of the author's areas of expertise from the Warrior Science Group site:

Mr. Siddle is internationally recognized as an expert in the study of combat human factors, use of force and counter-terrorism training. Mr. Siddle is often credited as the pioneer who initiated the study of survival stress and how it impacts the performance of law enforcement officers, military personnel and combat aviators. His pivotal research into the influence of the Sympathetic Nervous System on perceptual processing, cognitive processing, motor performance and memory, is now widely incorporated in all facets of use of force, combat and survival skills training. Just as importantly, Mr. Siddle research is routinely used to help defending law enforcement and military personnel against charges of excessive force.

Don't let the physiological jargon fool you. Sharpening the Warrior's Edge is written so that the average home-educated person can easily understand it. It's only slightly harder for those who, like me, graduated from the public school system.

The bottom line is that Siddle expertly relates how to train warriors in skills that work under combat stress. This may be important to you if you need to construct a training curriculum. But it could also be useful for you to evaluate any training you receive (individual, class, print or video) as to whether it is really equipping you to get the job done.

Finally, the last chapter on mindset is worth the price of the book.

The Destruction of Sennacherib

This poem is based on the Scriptural account found in II Kings chapter 19. Two things that Lord Byron's work teaches us:

1. The battle belongs to the LORD;
2. Occasionally, even the English get it right ;-)

The poem is composed in anapestic tetrameter (see yesterday's post).


THE DESTRUCTION OF SENNACHERIB, first published in 1815

The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold,
And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold;
And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea,
When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee.

Like the leaves of the forest when Summer is green,
That host with their banners at sunset were seen:
Like the leaves of the forest when Autumn hath blown,
That host on the morrow lay withered and strown.

For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast,
And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed;
And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill,
And their hearts but once heaved, and for ever grew still!

And there lay the steed with his nostril all wide,
But through it there rolled not the breath of his pride;
And the foam of his gasping lay white on the turf,
And cold as the spray of the rock-beating surf.

And there lay the rider distorted and pale,
With the dew on his brow, and the rust on his mail:
And the tents were all silent, the banners alone,
The lances unlifted, the trumpet unblown.

And the widows of Ashur are loud in their wail,
And the idols are broke in the temple of Baal;
And the might of the Gentile, unsmote by the sword,
Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord!

Poetry and Other Deadly Pursuits

If you've ever taken a class in poetry, you've no doubt encountered

A rose is a rose is a rose is a rose

as an example of anapestic tetrameter. This poetic form applies to the Christian Martialist in more ways than one, but I'd like to focus on just one right now:

A fight is a fight is a fight is a fight.

What's the point? Fair question. I've recently discussed the concept of knife fighting or cane fighting vs. fighting with a knife or cane.

Now let's extend that concept. Say your opponent has a weapon and you don't. The fight is still a fight. It hasn't morphed into something else.

Sure, it's a fight with a new element (knife, stick, firearm). That new element introduces increased dangers. But, ultimately, it's still just a fight.

Look at it this way. Suppose this Uruk Hai orc is 6'6" tall, lithe as a cat, quick as a cobra and strong as an ox. In addition, he has a black belt in Kill Fu and perfected his mayhem skills at Folsom Prison. Every strike from this guy might maim or kill you. What do you do?

You pray for grace, reach deep inside for whatever strength and skill lies there, and you fight him with all you've got. How different is that from any other fight?

Now suppose you take the average back-alley Mordor variety orc and put a knife in his hand. Is he any more dangerous than orc #1? Not really. So, you pray for grace, reach deep inside . . . and you fight him with all you've got. How different is that from any other fight?

I can hear someone object (there's always at least one), "But, don't you need special skills to deal with a knife/stick/handgun?" Yep. And you need particular skills to deal with sucker punching, kicking and gouging, as well.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that your psychological reaction should not change if your assailant introduces a weapon. In fact, in my self-talk, I don't like to use the term fight at all.

No matter what the orc may do or may have in his hand, your assignment is the same: neutralize the threat as quickly as possible. That's the strategic objective, no matter how you achieve it. You don't "fight"; you "neutralize threats".

The more you train, & the more scenarios you drill, the more threats you will be able to neutralize. And don't forget tactical withdrawal (i.e., running away) as the great universal neutralizer. He can't punch, stab or shoot you if you're halfway to the next county before he can act.

Knife Fighting vs. Fighting with a Knife, 3

Continued from "Knife Fighting vs. Fighting with a Knife, 2"

A knife is a formidable weapon. It is fast and difficult to defend against. It is also silent and deadly.

But the knife imposes a great limitation on many who choose to use it. This is especially true of the less experienced fighters, but even some veteran knifers suffer from it. The same thing could be said of those who use sticks or clubs, as well.

I'm talking about the tendency of a person with a weapon in his hand to focus on that weapon alone for all his fighting moves. It's as though a knife in one hand makes him forget about his other hand & two feet.

If you have a knife, don't limit your total focus to the weapon. Chances are your opponent will be so focused on your knife (and his) that he won't even see that kick to the knee coming. Just a thought.

Oh, and I wrote to Keith Pascal regarding the comment I made in the last post about how the slash/thrust drill reminded me of chi sao. Here's my inquiry:

The first exercise in 10 Days to Better Knife Fighting looks to me vaguely like chi sao. Did you intend it that way? Or was it, perhaps, an unconscious adaptation? Or am I way off base?

I'm interested because when I trained in jujitsu, my instructor said that someone who wasn't good with his hands wouldn't be good with weapons, either." The idea was that we should learn to be good with our hands, first. Since then, I've had the idea that one's knife fighting should be an extension of his empty hand technique rather than a separate discipline.

What do you think?

Keith's reply was prompt. Here it is:

I like your idea of knife being an extension of ...

But as far as the slash and thrust resembling chi sao ... I can see
how it would "look"
that way, but it's not the same feeling.

Think of constant contact in chi sao -- not so in slash and thrust.

Both are in close ... OK, come to think of it, there is a similarity ...
both take advantage of an opening to the centerline.

I hope this doesn't confuse it all more

Thanks to Keith Pascal for clarifying that point, and for his usual keen insight into the fighting arts.

Guest Article on Knife Fighting

I try to keep guest articles to a minimum, but this is one of those weeks when I really feel the time pressure. BTW, I have Keith Pascal's knife fighting material. I have not had a partner to practice it with, but the exercises look like good, sound basic stuff. The first drill reminds me a little of chi sao. That shows that, to some degree, he's adapting hand techniques to weapons use.

Here's the article:

Knife Fighting - Where's Your Check Hand?
By Keith Pascal

Looking at the photo shoot for an ebook provides a practical lesson for knife fighting defense:

My buddy, Lee Asher (famous magician), took a ton of knife fighting photos for one of my ebooks. I think Lee has a good camera eye -- he took some great teaching pictures.

Even though he took the shots, I had to set the scene, according to the knife lesson.

I told Lee the teaching sequences I wanted to capture visually.

Then, I told my students what I wanted out of the photo sequence, and I held my breath and sometimes ... had to tell everyone to shoot the sequence again....

It was so cold out, that the students, moved their hands, shivered during the picture, smiled (or was that teeth chattering?) and changed their hand positions inadvertently.

Through all of this, I made some interesting observations about their check hands:

The beginners always seemed to forget positioning -- they let their hands drop to their sides.

They sometimes do this during practice, as well.

What's wrong with this?

* They only have one hand for protection

* They leave an entire side open to attack

*They don't coordinate the use of both hands

* It makes a lousy photo for an ebook (smile)

Check Hand on More Advanced Students

My more advanced students had a different tendency. They stuck their check hand up in the air. It's almost as if they were fencing -- one hand on the sword, and one hand raised in the air.

Think about this positioning....

Is their check hand helping them in the fight? Or are we encountering the same set of problems that we have when we drop the secondary hand to the side?

Check Hand Errors

At least one of my students noticed these check-hand errors. I saw the correction that he made. He put both hands forward, less than a foot apart.

It was very reminiscent of chi sao (sticky hands), except one hand held a knife.

What's wrong with this?

A New Target

His "Live Hand" (to borrow a term from the Filipino arts) has become another target for his opponent. It's too close to the action, to just "hang" there.

In the knife fighting ebook, "10 Days to Better Knife Fighting," I have an exercise, where you practice slicing for the hand WITHOUT the knife. You learn a specific and efficient way to 'corkscrew' from your main target to further up the arm, or to an empty hand.

Do this without opening a new line of response for your opponent.

Check-Hand Advice

Whether you defend yourself with two knives, one in each hand, or a single blade in one hand, you should think about the placement of your check hand.

Don't drop it too low.

Don't plant it right in front of your face.

Don't stretch it forward so far, that it becomes a target.

Don't have it move and wiggle without a purpose.

Do use it to help your attack hand.

Do use it, to defend while your other hand attacks.

Do learn to use it as a controlling hand.

Do use your check hand to attack simultaneously.

And...

Do know that the roles of your hands can change. Your 'Live Hand' can suddenly become the attacking hand and vice versa.

End note:

And if you happens to be so lucky that your opponent focuses on one particular hand of yours ... great.

You know what to do with the other hand, right?

Keith Pascal is the author of 10 Days to Better Knife Fighting. This is the only book that absolutely guarantees that your knife fighting defense will improve in only ten days. No matter what your skill level.

"These drills will make you respond automatically, efficiently, without thought."

http://www.KnifeFightingBooks.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keith_Pascal
http://EzineArticles.com/?Knife-Fighting---Wheres-Your-Check-Hand?&id=725159

Of Sheepdogs and Crackpots, 4

Continued from "Of Sheepdogs and Crackpots, 3"

All the following represent my opinions. My own assessment so far:

I see the subject as a rather bright social misfit stuck in a low-level job. His frustration leads to anger against God, Gary DeMar and home schoolers. He seems to see the home-schooled as a threat. Perhaps a job or a promotion he thought he should get went to someone educated at home.


At any rate, scapegoating generally arises out of fear. And making decisions out of fear is one of the two major traits of what Dan Korem calls a "Random Actor". The other is unpredictability.

"You just never know what (insert name) is going to do next." Unpredictability arises out of someone's tendency to want to be different and do things differently. If the subject possesses this quality of unpredictability -- as social misfits tend to do -- and makes decisions out of fear, then he fits the profile of a "Random Actor".

Dan Korem is a Christian who has taught his system of profiling to various gov't. agencies and police forces. I very highly recommend his book, Rage of the Random Actor as the next level of sheepdog self-education after The Gift of Fear. Korem's book will teach you the profile traits common to school and workplace shooters as well as terrorists.

When the anger turns to rage in the presence of fear, the mixture is likely to explode.

Some of you disagree with my assessment. Some may not understand my assessment. I do not say that the subject "is a killer." Nor do I say that "he will kill." Rather, based on what evidence I can glean and the conclusions I draw from that evidence, I say, "The subject represents a potential threat, especially if Mr. DeMar allows [what he perceives as] the debate to continue."

I have written a brief assessment of the situation to Gary DeMar along with recommendations that his security people read the books I mentioned above.

If you've just joined this series and wonder what it's all about, you might want to start a the beginning: "Of Sheepdogs and Crackpots"

Obeying God & obeying men

My pastor sent me the link to this message. I think it helps to reinforce some of the issues I dealt with in my series on the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. One point I wish he had clearly articulated is that we obey men within their narrowly defined spheres of authority BECAUSE God tells us to do so. In other words, obedience to legitimate authority IS obedience to God. Conversely, obedience to wicked requirements on the basis of a false claim to authority is disobedience to God.

Here's the link:

When Should We Obey God, and When Should We Obey Men?

The speaker is David Woodward, Phd. He is a professor of political science at Clemson University.

WARSKYL Conference/Don't Buy My Book

Just this week I discovered that the link to my book was dead. Should be taken care of, now, so if you want to check out 12 US Military Combat Techniques That Could Save Your Life, all you have to do is click the link. Just don't buy it.

That is, don't buy it if you have plans to come to the WARSKYL conference in Peoria, IL this October 11th. I've finished the conference work-text except for a few finishing touches. (I hate blank pages, and I want to put as much information & inspiration as possible into the hands of attendees.)

Anyway, I have lifted the pages from 12 US Military Techniques that contain said techniques along with the bonus techniques (and my comments,of course), and I've inserted them into the work-text. So, if you plan to come to the conference, buying the 12 Techniques book would not be worth it -- too redundant.

Since finishing the major part of the work-text, I've also started a PowerPoint presentation based on the text. It is my hope that we will have a recording of the conference along with the Powerpoint presentation & book available to those of you who, for some odd reason, do not see fit to turn your lives upside down, empty your bank accounts to fill the gas tank and give up family, friends & career just to attend this gathering.

Also, I am hoping soon to hear from one of two possible presenters who may also speak at the conference. Please keep this event in your prayers, even if you don't plan to come. It will provide a platform to produce more Bible-centered resource material for Christian Martialists, like you.

BTW, thanks to all of you who have commented & otherwise encouraged me over the past weeks & months. You have no idea how much it means.

Of Sheepdogs and Crackpots, 3

Continued from "Of Sheepdogs and Crackpots, 2"

(Parenthetical note: "It's all good fun, until someone loses an eye." Stay safe, have a happy Independence Day & stick by your guns.)

The black knight's comment on my original post not only agrees with my own conclusion, but for the very same reasons. He is basing his opinions on the dynamic of this kind of "relationship." If you don't follow his argument or you don't understand how he gets there, I cannot urge you strongly enough to get a copy of The Gift of Fear by Gavin DeBecker and read it.

It's pretty easy to lay aside DeBecker's humanistic & evolutionary framework and redeem the principles he teaches by putting them in a Biblical context. This book will help you read the players , and you will be a much more effective sheepdog if you can do that.

Enough of that, for now. Let me continue my analysis of the subject. (Subject seems a more objective term than crackpot). Again, this is my OPINION.

So far, I have concluded that the subject is a social misfit, who is probably stuck in a low-level job. From his grammar and syntax, he appears to be brighter than the average public school graduate. But his lack of valid research and his poor argumentation suggest that he is intellectually undisciplined.

There are two attitudes that come through his writing as well. The more obvious one is his anger. It seems he ultimately directs his anger at God -- "I hate my life, and it's all God's fault." But God's people are easier to reach, so he seems to have settled on Gary DeMar and Christian home educators as scapegoats.

This anger has grown with his frustration, just as the black knight has indicated. Public humiliation will only escalate his desire to get even. The suggestion that Gary DeMar himself faked some 200 responses to his post is not only ludicrous, but also demonstrates a break with reality that is rooted in bitter anger.

The other attitude the subject manifests is fear. It's not really as obvious, but an element of fear always underlies scapegoating. As some of you have also commented, he sees home educated people as a threat.

I want to discuss the interaction of his fear and anger in another post.

Of Sheepdogs and Crackpots, 2

Continued from "Of Sheepdogs and Crackpots"

Thanks to those who posted their comments on whether the anti-homeschool e-mailer is dangerous. The consensus seems to be that he is not. You may be right. I did, however come to a completely different conclusion.

My rationale follows. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT ALL THAT FOLLOWS REPRESENTS MY OPINION, NOT AN ASSERTION OF FACT.

First, I noticed that Mr. DeMar said that he had been receiving emails from this person for some months. The email featured in the article was not an isolated event. Further, he said that early on he tried to engage the emailer in rational debate. This leads me to believe that the early emails did not contain the vitriol of the later ones.

So, we have someone who has invested months in corresponding with a minor celebrity with whom he disagrees. As time passes, his negative feelings intensify, and (as evident from the quotes printed) include unsubstantiated personal attacks. In this, I see a person with a growing obsession.

People with normal lives and normal social contacts do not have time to waste on this kind of obsessive behavior. I see someone whose life has little other meaning than to "bring down" this Christian spokesman.

His lack of disciplined thought and research coupled with my assumption that he does not have a normal social life, lead me to believe that he does not hold a responsible career position. Probably something more along the lines of, "You want fries with that?" (There's nothing wrong with working in fast foods as a first job or in management, but that's not where I see this guy. He's stuck in a low-level, dead-end job.)

Well, I have to go. I hope to continue this, later.