Friday, August 9, 2013

An Excerpt from Bankruptcy of Our Nation by Jerry Robinson: Brief History of Oil, America & The Church's Response

"There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know."--Harry Truman

“History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives."—Abba Eban

“History never seems like history when you are living through it. Yet, together, we are witnessing the end of an age — we are living at the end of an empire.”—J. Robinson

Jerry Robinson writes,

"The Evolution of Energy Since 1700"

"Despite its increasing global demand, oil has not always been the world's most important energy source as it is today. In his book American Theocracy, author Kevin Phillips provides an illuminating look at the evolution of energy supplies over the last several centuries."

"Phillips writes about the world's various energy leaders of recent memory and begins in the 17th century with Holland. Thanks to Dutch ingenuity, they were able to harness enormous amounts of energy supplies from three basic sources: wood, water, and wind. As the global leader of energy, Amsterdam soon became the center of commerce and finance and boasted the largest share of world trade. And their navy fleets dominated the sea lanes from Holland to Asia."

"By the mid-18th century, Great Britain began rising in energy dominance, thanks to the discovery of coal-fired energy. As Britain began to harness the power of refined coal, it soon led to the creation of steam power (which would later give rise to the internal combustion engine). These early discoveries, including the development of iron-making, gave rise to what historians refer to as the Industrial Revolution."

"During this same time, Holland's energy influence began to wane as the new center of global power began to shift toward Great Britain. Put simply, the Dutch windmills could not compete with the efficiency of British coal-fired energy. As the British continued their massive investment in coal, a second industrial revolution began occurring near the end of the 19th century. During this new era, the focus moved from the steam engine, iron, and coal to the internal combustion engine, steel, and petroleum-based energy. Leading the charge of this new energy source was none other than the United States."

"As the global hegemonic power of the 19th century, Britain entered the 20th century with all of the wounds of an empire in decline: an overextended military, a failing currency, and an aging national infrastructure. Their massive investment in coal-based energy meant that converting to a new energy source would mean starting over. The British remained one step behind the United States moving into the 20th century and would eventually give way to total American dominance halfway through the 20th century. The impact that this second phase of the Industrial Revolution had upon the world is indescribable."

"The introduction of petroleum as a viable energy source transformed industry and commerce the world over. It revolutionized the way wars were fought. And the influence that it would have upon the American economy and culture is too widespread to mention in this book.... America's energy leadership during this new found era meant that our nation stood to gain the great prosperity that would come from harnessing oil. Today, the energy produced by oil has made life extremely comfortable. Thanks to the many innovations it has made possible, the average middle class family in America lives a life that would have been the envy of monarchs in centuries past."

"One of the greatest — and most imminent — challenges looming on America's economic horizon is the threat of global peak oil production.... The oil trapped beneath the surface of the earth exists in a limited supply. It is non-renewable, and therefore its supply is finite. Because the amount of oil under the earth is limited, eventually readily available oil supplies will decrease. As it decreases, it also becomes more expensive to extract from the earth. As the amount of oil available to humanity becomes harder to extract, it will lead to declining oil production. Declining oil production will make each barrel of oil more expensive due to increasing global demand for oil. Higher prices will hurt the global economy and will eventually require the globe to discover and implement alternative energy sources."

"Many people have mistakenly thought that 'peak oil' is the theory that the world is running out of oil. Let me be the first to say that the world is not running out of oil. The world has tremendous amounts of remaining oil supplies to be tapped. In fact, it is highly probably that the earth will never completely be sucked dry of its petroleum (oil) reserves. So let me emphasize this point: The problem is not that the world is running out of oil; rather, the world is running out of cheap oil."

"When energy extracted from the ground begins to require more energy than can be produced by the extraction, this is referred to as 'peak oil.' Over the last several decades, global oil supplies, for the most part, have been plentiful, readily accessible and, therefore, relatively inexpensive — or 'cheap.' Oil companies love 'cheap' oil sources because they increase their profits due to high EROEI [Energy Return on Energy Investment] by decreasing their exploration and production costs. Businesses love 'cheap' oil because it stabilizes their costs of doing business, drives down transportation costs, can allow them to create or employ innovative technologies, and can generally increase their bottom line. Finally, consumers love cheap oil because it lowers their monthly costs, thereby freeing up more money for other types of consumption."

"In 1970, the year of America's peak oil production, we imported only 24 percent of our oil from foreign nations. Today, that number has increased to 70 percent. And it is growing.... Sadly, America's dependency upon foreign oil has exposed our nation's obsession with over consumption. Never before in history has one nation been as dependent upon foreign nations for its own supply of energy as America is today."

"The US Department of Energy, in an effort to gain answers commissioned and sponsored an in-depth report detailing the likelihood of short-term global peak oil production. The report, entitled "Peaking of World Oil Production: Impacts, Mitigation, and Risk Management," is also known as the Hirsch Report. Released in 2005 by energy expert Robert Hirsch, the 67-page report drew several important conclusions. They include the following:"

"The era of plentiful, low-cost petroleum is approaching an end. World oil supplies will peak, and in fact already are beginning to in several areas."

"Without massive intervention, the problem will be pervasive and long lasting."

"Oil peaking will adversely affect global economies, particularly those most dependent on oil."

"World oil demand is forecast to grow by 50 percent by 2025."

"Oil production is in decline in 33 of the world's 48 largest oil-producing countries."

"It is highly probable that when global oil supplies collectively peak, the world will have less than one year's warning."

"The world has never confronted a problem like this."

"The release of the Hirsch Report further legitimized and solidified the imminent threat posed by 'peak oil.' In addition, the Hirsch Report surveyed a number of energy experts regarding what year they expected the world's oil supplies to reach a peak. Interestingly, an overwhelming number of responses pointed to the year 2010 as the general time frame for global peak oil to begin."

"Today, however, there is very little debate about the reality of peak oil. The question is not if peak oil is coming, but when. Even the U.S. government has confirmed the validity of Hubbert's Peak in a February 2007 report entitled "Uncertainty about Future Oil Supply Makes It Important to Develop a Strategy for Addressing a Peak and Decline in Oil Production." The report, issued by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), admits that the world will reach peak oil production sometime between now and 2040."

“As the American economic empire enters its final stages of decline, the message that arises will be one of sacrifice. This coming era of ‘sacrifice’ will do more than simply reveal the absurdity of America's immoral financial excesses. It will expose the American Church's reliance upon man-made kingdoms. Instead of focusing their adherents upon the necessity of the coming Kingdom of God, the American Church has often misplaced its hope in worldly kingdoms.”

“When the government is finally forced to demand sacrifice from the living, the American Church, inebriated by a false prosperity, may finally awaken to the need for the coming Kingdom of God. Then, various versions of the message of sacrifice will ring loudly across the United States of America.”

“What is strangely missing from the majority of today's churches is solid teaching regarding the most pressing issues of our day…. Ignoring these matters does little to reduce their size and their scope. In the midst of the chaos and confusion confronting our world, the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is mysteriously quiet. I am convinced that this silence exists for a number of unfortunate reasons. I will not go into all of those reasons here, with the exception of one, which I feel is the most important and relevant to our discussion: the idea of American Exceptionalism.

“According to the idea of "American Exceptionalism," America is such a unique and special nation that it will not face the same fates as nations and empires that preceded it.” Of course, every empire that has existed before America has fallen. However, according to the idea of American Exceptionalism, America will not have to face those same challenges. Instead, America is an exception to the rule of history…. America's economy is in peril due to the same poor monetary policies that have taken down every fiat empire before it.”

“When America's credit-induced hangover finally arrives, economic sacrifice will be the only available option. This constraint on needless and mindless consumption will be more than a huge inconvenience for most. But this will be especially true for a new American generation who has never been asked to sacrifice anything for anyone. How America responds to the coming required economic sacrifice will directly determine our nation's viability to exist peacefully in the 21st century.”

Are You an "Activist" or Are You One of the "Aware"?

"ACTIVISTS are Biblically aware but politically motivated. In contrast, the AWARE are politically aware but Biblically motivated."

"ACTIVISTS insist that by getting the right political party into office we can "take back America for God." In contrast, the AWARE realize that no matter which political party gets elected, nothing can slow man's sin problem. They avoid political games, knowing their futility."

"ACTIVISTS think that getting prayer back into America's schools will change the nation. The AWARE pray with their children at home and do not expect government-controlled institutions to teach their children spiritual values."

"ACTIVISTS extol the virtues of man's kingdoms (political platforms) and follow them with a religious fervor. The AWARE endure man's kingdoms, all the while praying and longing for God's Kingdom."

"ACTIVISTS demand "Merry Christmas" be spoken — even in secular settings, and the phrase "Happy Holidays" is viewed as religious persecution. The AWARE do not expect non-Christians to promote Christ."

"ACTIVISTS want "In God We Trust" to remain plastered on the U.S. fiat currency. The AWARE realize that fiat currency systems, such as the U.S. dollar, are "unjust weights and balances" and therefore are an "abomination" to God.

“In our current environment, leaders who refuse to speak truth, and instead continue to strive for top placement in popularity contests, will fail the people that they have been commissioned to lead. Once the American Church is purged of the career charlatans that control it, it can finally arise with real answers. Until then, the American evangelical church will remain a declining sub-cultural phenomenon, a voting bloc easily manipulated by certain keywords uttered by informed politicians that are designed to elicit the right response.”

“Until the American Church desires the coming Kingdom of God as desperately as it wants the American kingdom to reflect its own glory, it will remain irrelevant. But despite their irrelevance, the message of sacrifice is still coming. The ancient principle of ‘sacrifice’— proclaimed by Christ Himself — will ring throughout this land as America's sins of excess and immorality become evident through the ‘false weights and balances’ created by its economy. Sacrifice will not be the natural response from a people accustomed to over-consumption. However, it will be the only possible response.”

“Today, much of the American Church has embraced the economic delusion that will ultimately lead to our nation's downfall. Unfortunately, this blind trust that has been placed in the American illusion of prosperity has rendered the Church impotent in offering solid biblical solutions to a clueless public regarding the economic crisis.”

“Undoubtedly, the crisis that is unfolding offers the American Church a strong evangelistic opportunity to expose the modern version of the Tower of Babel that America has built upon its economic prowess and political exploits. But while the ‘Tower of America’ stood strong and deceived many, much of the Church instructed its members with shallow teachings on finances that rarely pointed to the futility of man-made kingdoms. When America needed to hear a strong message of ‘sacrifice’ from the American church, what they got instead was feel-good messages designed to stroke the ego and stoke the fire of over-consumption.”

--Jerry Robinson. Bankruptcy of Our Nation. New Leaf Press. Kindle Edition (edited).

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