Beware the Ron Paul/Chuck Baldwin supporters!
Fringe radio host Alex Jones has apparently had a field day with this piece of analysis produced by the Missouri Information Analysis Center. The Internet is abuzz with breathless articles citing Jones’ website as a source of proof that the government thinks that anyone who supports a third party candidate for president is a terrorist.
Well…not quite.
Bear a few things in mind. First and foremost, Jones is a master of self-promotion and not above using whatever he can get his hands on if it serves his ends. Just as Rush Limbaugh relishes the ratings boost he’s getting from the Obama presidency, Jones is stirring up his core audience, fanning the flames of fear with this MIAC Strategic Report titled “The Modern Militia Movement”.
That said, the information in the analysis reveals a mindset among certain anti-terror analysts that people who question government authority fit a profile that may indicate a link to violent militia groups.
Closer to home, it’s really interesting to read this document, which — despite being accurately described by a friend as “a case of Google info-orgy using copy/paste research via MS Word” — makes me wonder whether Sharon and I are on MIAC’s (and thus Homeland Security’s) watch list.
MIAC is based in Jefferson City, a short hop down the highway from Columbia, where I used to host the afternoon show on KSSZ-FM (The Eagle 93.9). A gentleman who worked at MIAC called me off the air one day to ask where I got the information I used to prepare the “Daily Intelligence Briefing” that started each show. (Mainstream news sources, mostly.)
A list of frequent topics of the DIB and my show reads like the common characteristics of those who fit the “modern militia” profile, according to the MIAC analysis: economic collapse of the U.S., gun rights, erosion of constitutional protection from the government, the North American Union, RFID tagging, illegal immigration, abortion (and state-funded embryonic stem cell research), and support for an alternative to the two-headed Republicrat ruling party.
This really isn’t a surprise. It’s not much different than the FBI’s 1999 “Project Megiddo” report, which warned that extremist Christians might touch off Armageddon to welcome the new millennium. That report displayed as much understanding of Christian eschatology as MIAC’s analysis does of the militia movement (although it made good fodder for my forthcoming novel, The God Conspiracy).
For the record: I carry no water for anyone who believes that the answer to our problems is to commit acts of terror. However, it seems clear that the United States are following the pattern of human governments since the dawn of time, consolidating authority at the expense of individual freedom.
So the federal government, which, through Homeland Security, financed the creation of MIAC, thinks that people who truly believe in liberty are a threat. Surprise, surprise. When has it ever been different?
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about 1 year ago
I couldn’t agree more–things have never been different–gov’t oppression has always been the ‘norm’, throughout mankind’s history on earth–our country was founded by those who seemed to wish it to be the exception–but, no matter the motive of it’s founders, God has been able to use our country to spread the Gospel of Salvation through His Son, Jesus, around the world, during the last 200+ years–
–and, I’d heard of that ridiculous idea that some Christians[whose sanity was completely intact?!] were going to attempt to cause the war of Armageddon, in order to get Christ to return sooner than God has it all planned, and it was such a ludicrous idea–
–if it was even possible to play on the Lord’s sympathies in order to get Him to come back early, how much rest do you think He’d be getting, due to the amount of pleas He’d be receiving from even just me, to “Please, please, please, Lord Jesus–and, hurry, hurry, hurry on back here!”?!! Not very much!:)
about 1 year ago
Derek,
I listened to both your and Alex Jones’ shows, and although I have a fondness for you both (while holding back judgment on whether I believe at least some of the time), I would have to say that your show is a lot more “far out” than than Alex’s is. I am not saying that the things you’ve said on your show are untrue, I simply don’t know. Alex talks about subjects that do appear in mainstream news (even if buried on p.25 of Financial Times). He doesn’t always bother/remember to cite to a publicly available source, but he does with great frequency. He also makes most of his points through his guests (people like Ron Paul, Paul Craig Roberts, Jesse Ventura, etc.) and primarily discusses topics that are very mainstream.
I have only been listening to him for less than a year, so maybe there was something he did before that that angered you. Though I’m sad that you consider all of us who listen to him “disenfranchised paranoiacs.” Some of us are professionals doing quite well and not the slightest bit “disenfranchised.” It’s also sad to see the ad hominem attacks coming from people that I had thought would be “on the same side.”
about 1 year ago
Bewildered: Agreed, P.I.D. Radio is a lot more far out than Jones’ show, and I’m glad that you don’t take everything you hear as gospel truth. I apologize for the name-calling; I should have been more respectful and I’ll change the post to tone it down. My point was that there is a small and vocal group of Jones groupies who hang on his every word, just like Rush’s rabid Ditto-heads.
Just listen to the tone of Jones’ show for awhile: the world always seems to be on the verge of a major Illuminati-sponsored plot that can only be averted by voting for Ron Paul. While we discuss many of the same topics, our perspectives are very different: Jones claims that he’s got “the empire on the run”, and we contend that scripture makes it clear that a world government is inevitable.
But — and here is the key difference — as Christians, we have no reason to be afraid. “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Alex Jones puts out some good information, there is no question. But he’s a professional, and his trade is in fear.
about 1 year ago
Derek,
Thanks so much for your response. Jones is a bit on the “tacky” side, but no more so that the mainstream media that he believes he is fighting against. Fox, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, Time, sometimes NYTimes, etc. are in my opinion more “tacky” than he is.
Some of us (myself, Jones, included) don’t believe in the Rapture. Which means that for practical purposes we are in the same boat with the agnostics, atheists, Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, pagans, Fox/MSNBC/Obamanoid zombies. We may have faith, but we believe that we will experience the same physical pain and deprivation as anyone else, whether that entails being hauled off to a FEMA camp, being deprived of food and water, or whatever. We identify strongly with other people regardless of their faith. While in theory we don’t want to fear, when the Gestapo is standing outside our doors we might change our minds. For practical purposes, wouldn’t it make more sense to not have the Gestapo standing outside our doors in the first place? And while we may believe in Revelation, we might also believe that not every detail is predetermined (the exact number of lives lost due to starvation or torture may not be fixed–maybe we can reduce that number; the number of souls obsessed with the Superbowl in the end of days may not be fixed–maybe we can wake them up). Jones clearly directs his show towards people of all faiths. It’s more of a good vs. evil thing than Christians vs. “the rest of them.” I’ve heard him repeatedly criticized for mentioning God or admitting to being a Christian on his show. It seems one can’t win…
My question to you, who seems so willing to ask questions–is there any possibility that in the end of days there is anything more to salvation than reciting the CCC 4 spiritual laws abracadabra/open sesame style? Might we find ourselves on the “same side” as some who don’t call themselves Christians? Might we be finding ourselves struggling side-by-side with them to mitigate or defend against the extent of evil?
I don’t personally believe Alex to be the origin of fear. I am more afraid of Monsanto taking control of the world’s food supply (having previously produced the most toxic form of Agent Orange). I am more afraid of the dollars I’ve worked to save for years becoming worthless due to fanatical Keynesians, after “free trade” has reduced the capability of my country to produce its own goods and food. If the Beast has indeed emerged upon the earth, I will feel the emotion of fear regardless of whether someone named Alex Jones even exists upon the earth.
about 1 year ago
No doubt that the mainstream media is tacky. My point is not that Jones is tacky, but that he uses his platform principally to promote himself. And to that end, keeping people riled up and afraid serves his purpose.
Not that there aren’t things to protest. If everything was ducky, there’d be no P.I.D. Radio. I’m just saying we Christians are not given a spirit of fear. We KNOW the enemy controls the government. ALL governments, everywhere–go back to Jesus’ encounter with Satan in the desert. We’re behind enemy lines and we have been for 6,000 years. (And voting for any particular political candidate won’t change that.)
I don’t know if we’re right about the Rapture, but scripture sure seems to indicate that there will be a catching up of the faithful at some point before the final showdown, and the theory that best fits the evidence is the pre-wrath rapture. (See Peter Goodgame’s Red Moon Rising for details and scriptural support, available in full online here.) So if things happen soon, we’ll be here for a good bit of the persecution.
But whether it’s pre-, mid-, post-, or not at all (though the latter two options don’t fit with scripture) is irrelevant. You and I aren’t going to put “the empire” on the run. The empire has more guns and money. Just remember “‘Vengeance is mine,’ saith the Lord; ‘I will repay.’” They’ll get theirs even if it’s not in the time frame we’d prefer.
I’m not familiar with the CCC 4 spiritual laws. (And I’ve got problems with the Dominionist nature of CCC, but that’s another article.) Is there anything more to salvation than accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and savior? No.
I mean, faith without works is dead, but no. Salvation is by grace through faith alone (Eph 2:8). Yes, work to wake up our neighbors; yes, work to serve our brothers and sisters, saved and unsaved, and reach out to help others in need, certainly. How better to show the love of Christ?
Back to point: I’m not saying Jones doesn’t do some good work or that he’s necessarily an unreliable source. Just remember he’s a professional and this is how he makes his living. If there were no threats to our liberty, would people still listen to Alex Jones, Jack Blood, John Stadtmiller, the Power Hour, and the rest of the patriot media? And if nobody listened, who’d buy the gold offered by Midas Resources?
Can you agree that there might be some incentive to keep things simmering even if it means applying a little heat that doesn’t really exist?
about 1 year ago
Bewildered and Derek: I so appreciate your dialogue, because it is very representative of the “volley” of thought that goes on in my own mind a good deal of the time about the Rapture, and whether or not there is any point in preparing for the troubles that lie ahead, how reliable is Alex Jones, etc. When we talk of a “pre-wrath” Rapture, we’re talking about a Rapture that occurs before God’s wrath is poured out upon the unbelieving world. World government, starvation, enslavement of the masses, and persecution of Christians by that unbelieving world are not part of God’s wrath; they are what will incur His wrath, ultimately. This means that Christians, as they have for 2,000 years in varying degrees, will endure affliction in various ways around the world before Jesus calls them home. Alex’s personality and the subject matter just naturally attracts every kind of follower. Maybe some of the extremists will get a glimmer of the Gospel from his forum whereas they might never visit another strictly Christian site. Good to prepare spiritually and physically for what lies ahead, the latter to whatever degree is wise and possible. Thanks for this forum, Derek.
about 1 year ago
KR: Thank you for your kind words. Too kind, in truth; Bewildered was right in that my initial post was unnecessarily demeaning to those who find value in Jones’ work. It’s all too easy to jump for the jugular when behind the keyboard.
about 1 year ago
FOR PRETRIB RAPTURE REPEATERS
Congratulations! You are now fulfilling the Bible which says “Come now, and let us repeat together.”
Be sure to repeat what Walvoord, Lindsey, LaHaye, Ice etc. repeat what their own teachers repeat what their own teachers repeat etc. etc. etc.!
Repeat that Christ’s return is imminent because we’re told to “watch” (Matt. 24, 25) for it. So is the “day of God” (II Pet. 3:12) – which you admit is at least 1000 years ahead – also imminent because we’re told to be “looking for” it?
Also repeat the pretrib myths about the “Jewish wedding stages” and “Jewish feasts” (where’s your “church/Israel dichotomy” now?) even though Christ and Paul knew nothing about a “pretrib stage” and neither did any official theological creed or organized church before 1830!
You should read “Pretrib Rapture Dishonesty” on the “Powered by Christ Ministries” site to find out why you shouldn’t repeat everything your pretrib teachers repeat.
Do I have to repeat this?
(saw above on web – Billy)
about 1 year ago
Billy: Do a little more reading around here and at pidradio.com before you jump to conclusions about my beliefs and how I arrived at them. I am not pre-trib, as you assume, but pre-wrath.
More important, though — get a grip. How does your comment have anything at all to do with this post?
about 1 year ago
I liked this article. Always nice to see some clear-headedness (is that a word, LOL) in others writings. Thanks Mr. Gilbert