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autos used to escape dehumanized
urban environments. Americans, for
example, spend about $90 billion a
year on themselves for leisure-time
activities, which is more than the
annual U. S. defense budget.
And who could forget (although
you might want to do just that) that
the average U. S. citizen spends one
eighth of his lifetime sitting in front
of the television tube. As a society,
Americans today are spending sorne
2,600,000,000 more man-hours each
week before the TV set than they do
in productive labor. Television us–
age consumes 3% of the nation's
electrical energy budget.
After all of this, it is no wonder
we have an energy crunch.
Whose Faul t?
The most significant factor con–
tributing lo energy demand, how–
ever, is human nature, But we are
unwilling to admit it. Just think of
the scapegoats we creale. It's the
automaker's fault, or the govern–
ment's fault, or the fault of the oil
companies. lt 's always someone
else's fault!
The auto makers have not forced
us to buy huge, gas-guzzling, air–
conditioned cars. The government
cerlainly hasn't lwisted our collec–
tive arms to continue fueling an en–
ergy-glutted economy addicted to
oil and natural gas. Furthermore, is
it anyone's fault that within the
earth líes only so much available
- and (al leas l until recently)
PLAIN TRUTH Aprll 1974
relatively inexpensive - petroleum?
This is not to say that these three
groups are without fault. They cer–
tainly have their share of blame in
the problem, as noted earlier. Yet
we are willing to place the blame
everywhere but where it should be
primarily placed - on ourselves.
That means we need sweeping
changes
in
practically every aspect
of the individual's endeavor.
1t
means replacing today's competitive
social order with a balanced, har–
monious society.
It
means a total
renewal of the world order. And
above all, it means changed human
beings with new hearts and minds.
One major weekly news magazine
described what is needed as being
"more than a new way of con–
sumption; it requires
a new way of
thinking."
Nothing less will solve the energy
crisis on a permanent basis.
Global Transformat ions
Coming
Actually. sucb global transforma–
tions were predicted long ago in a
source most people have choseo to
ignore. This source is the Bible.
Contrary to what many people
have been led to believe, the Bible
discloses a coming worldwide solu–
tion to all of man's problems.
lt
re–
veals new approaches to life, new
ways of thinking, a new world gov–
ernment.
The Bible defines this coming
government as the "kingdom of
11/ustration - Plain Truth Staff
God." I ts supreme head will be
Jesus Christ. The announcement of
that coming world government was,
in fact, the reason why he was put lo
death under the Roman governor
Pontius Pilate. The rulers of that
day did not want to hear Jesus'
announcement.
Jesus Christ's government will
deal with every one of man's prob–
lems. Instead of concentrating oo
developing means to destroy other
nations, the peoples of the world
tomorrow will structure their ecooo–
mies to serve one another. Respon–
sible leaders will insure that the
energy policies of their nations are
administered according to the prin–
cipie that "it makes one happier to
give than to be given to" (Acts
20:35, Goodspeed version).
Business and industry in the
world tomorrow will execute pol–
icies according to the same prin–
cipie. The profit-motive will no
longer be the all-encompassing goal.
Rather, profit will be considered
in
terms of everyone's benefit.
Today's "throw-away" philoso–
phy will be altered so that goods are
made to last - and be appreciated.
Quality will again be stressed. The
endless waste and squandering of
practically everything will cease.
The Bible also makes clear that
one of the first tasks of that govern–
ment will be to insure world peace.
Conflicts such as last year's October
Mideast war will be virtually impos–
sible, since there won't be any weap-
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