Basic HTML Version
Dr. Pecce i called for a " human
philosophy of life, a new human–
ism," based on justice a nd human
development. Only a just and equi–
table society, he asserted, could
guaran tee proper, controlled social
a nd economic development.
At the Wes t Berlín meeting C lub
of Rome members discussed lheir
latest report, " Ma nkind at the Turn–
ing Point" (the Club roused an
international debate with its contro–
vers ia ! firsl reporl on
The Limits of
Growth
in 1972).
The new book calls for a con–
certed, coordinated a t tack on global
problems to avoid, among ot her
things. a futu re "apocalyp tic" fam–
ine. The only answer, the study
shows. is for all nations, large and
small. wealthy and poor. to develop
a phi losophy of international coop–
eration a nd interdependence
wherein all peoples help a nother for
mutual gain.
Bul is such a "radical" concept -
which really is "love thy neighbor as
thyself' - likely to be tried in the
climate of contemporary world af–
fairs?
No Peace Without World
Government
According to American lelevision
commentator, Harry Reasoner. "the
only even tual a nswer is ome kind
of world government, ome kind of
limit on b loody nal io na l sover–
eignty. whe th er it is capita list or
communist. But there is no world
leader or na tion of any stature at all
even hinting at that kind of thing."
The need for s u ch a right ,
"humane" world governmen t, or–
dered by a philosophy of "jus tice
and equity," which can once and for
al! solve all of our mounting crises
and at the same time put a n end to
the rifts and divisions wi thin the
human fami ly
is
more obvious now
than ever before in all of man's ar–
duous history.
But mere need doesn't guarantee
the desired resu lt.
One of the most respected of all
contemporary politica l scientis ts.
Hans J. Morgenthau wrote in his
8
classic text,
Politics Among Nations:
"There is no shirking the con–
clusion that internationa l peace can–
not be permanent without a world
state, a nd that a world slate ca nnot
be establi shed under the present
moral, social a nd political condi–
tions of thc wo rld ."
Professor Morgenthau adds with
double emphasis: "There is also no
shirking the further conclusion that
in no period of modern history was
civilization more in need of per–
manent peace and, he ncc. of a
world state, and that in no period o f
modern history were t he moral, so–
cial, and political condi lions of the
There ís no shírkíng the con–
clusíon that international peace
cannot be permanent without
a world state, and that a world
state cannot be establíshed
under the present moral, social
and política! conditíons of the
world.
- Hans
J.
Mor·genthau
world less favorable for the estab–
lishment of a world sta te.' '
(Politics
Among Nations,
Han s J . Mor–
gen thau. four th edition, 1967, p.
495.)
What a dilemma! There can be
no peace without a world govern–
ment. Yet the conditions necessary
ro
bring it about are nonexistent in a
world where close lo four billion
humans are divided in just about
every manner possible - pol itically.
ideologically, religiously, culturally,
philosophically, ethni ca lly.
A world governmen l not having
the s upport of the world at large.
kep t in force through military
power, admits Morgen thau. would
be a " totalitarian monster." Yet a
world body thal attempts to recon–
cile and accommodate all hades of
opinion a nd outlook is timid a nd
powerless, unable to act with deci–
siveness in tackling problcms com–
mon to all.
Could it be that men, through the
ages. have overlooked and ignored
the very solution that they seek?
For forty yea rs this magazine has
proclaimed the only hope for a
world rapidly hurtling toward the
t ime when. except fo r the inter–
vention ofthe Almighty God, " there
should no ftesh be saved" (Ma tthew
24:22) . The answer is world govern–
ment, bul a righ teous. just govern–
ment of God, not of men. The
"kingdom of God" spoken of so
o ften in the pages of the Bible.
is
that very govcrnment. soon to be
cstablished.lt will be a literal world–
ru ling government. nol a "feeling' '
in the hea rt of pro fe sing Christians.
This government. headed by
Jesus Christ. will be established
"wi th judgment and wi th justice
from henceforth even for eve r"
(fsaiah 9:7). l t wilJ exercise ' 'judg–
men t a nd justice in the earth" (Jere–
miah 23:5).
This is the "just and equitable so–
ciety" men seek but have not been
a ble to find.
What's Ahead for 1975?
A litt le ovcr ayear ago.
a
con tem–
porary theologia n was asked his
opinion of the shape of the world
a nd where mankind was headed.
After itemizing sorne of human–
ity's headaches. t he th eo logian
st ressed that answers must soon be
found, adding that, with an analogy
to motion piclures, " no God is going
to step in and ave us during the last
reel."
T he Bible - especia lly the 24th
chapter of Ma lthew - clcarly says
ot herwise. And this theo logian -
the word litera lly means a study of
God
(theos)
-
should have known
better. Without God's intervent ion
to pu l a stop to human folly. there
would indeed be no hope.
What is ahead for 1975? More of
the same as 1974 - only more so.
Conditions will worsen year by yea r
unti l men and n a tions governed by
the downward. self-centered pulls of
human nature. are forced to realize
they cannot wisely rule themselves
or others. and that the only system
of government that can possibly
work is one brought by and admin–
istered by God himse lf.
The need was never greater.
O
PLAIN TRUTH
January
1975