WHAT'S WRONG WITH OUR GOVERNMENTS?
Plain Truth Magazine
March 1977
Volume: Vol XLII, No.3
Issue:
QR Code
WHAT'S WRONG WITH OUR GOVERNMENTS?
Herbert W Armstrong & Stanley R Rader  

The man-made governments of the world are toppling at the rate of one a month. Here we give you a comparison between the different forms of government in the world and the government of the world tomorrow, which will bring us, at last, world peace, universal prosperity, and abundant well-being.

   In my personal present phase of the Work, I encounter things hard to believe. Few if any in political or private life meet and get to know as many heads of state as I do — kings, presidents, emperors, prime ministers, sheiks. Yet, as I have said in my "Personal" appearing in this issue (page 1), I am astonished at the very short duration of time most of them remain in office.
   Governments of nations are being overturned now at the rate of more than one a month. Half a century ago, a government overthrow was rare. We live in a different time. Sometimes the head of state or chief executive is changed, rather than a complete overturn to a new government.
   In this world's national governments, the average tenure in office — if the chief of state stays alive — is limited to four, six, or in case of reelection, eight years. Could business corporations succeed and grow with total management change so frequent?
   I reflect on those I have known — some intimately — NOW GONE!
   There were Prime Ministers Sato and Tanaka of Japan, more fully mentioned in the "Personal." There was Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia. There was President Allende of Chile, machine-gunned down three weeks after I was there in the very room where we held the meeting. At that time I was spending a day with President Suleiman Franjieh of Lebanon, at his summer home high in the mountains. In the bloody civil war in Lebanon, he was forced to officially "resign." Then there was President Rahman of Bangladesh, assassinated in the overthrow of his government. There was the king of Afghanistan, whom I was officially invited to visit, but his government was overthrown, and he fled into exile in Europe before I could accept his invitation. Then there is President V. V. Giri of India, affectionate friend, whose term in office now has expired. And, most recently, just a few weeks ago, Prime Minister Thanin Kraivichien of Thailand, with whom I had a private meeting in his office, and whom I sat next to at a banquet speaker's table that evening — only a few days before the violent overthrow of his government in Bangkok.
   Why are GOVERNMENTS in this world in constant and growing turmoil, whole national governments being overthrown more often than one a month?
   First let me give you the BASIC cause, and then a short description of the various leading types of government.
   Very, very few indeed know that once the GOVERNMENT OF GOD ruled this whole world. Then there was, believe it or not, world PEACE. But God's government, too, was overthrown. It was government administered by a super archangel named Lucifer, over billions of angels who originally inhabited this earth. That's Prehistory. The Facts are in the Bible, but the Bible is GOD'S WORD in writing, and people never have believed what GOD SAID.
   That overthrow of the GOVERNMENT OF GOD brought havoc, destruction, decay, waste and emptiness to the face of the earth (Genesis 1:2, literal translation).
   In six days God renewed the face of the earth (Psalm 104:30) for the habitation of MAN. God created MAN, male and female, in His own image and likeness, except that God is composed of SPIRIT, and He made man of "the dust of the ground" — MATTER. Man was informed by God directly of His WAY of life, the WAY of LOVE, under the GOVERNMENT OF GOD, and freely offered eternal life if he would choose that way.
   But Satan is still on his earthly throne UNTIL a successor qualifies to restore that GOVERNMENT OF GOD and is inducted into office. Lucifer, his name (meaning "morning bright star") changed to Satan (meaning "adversary," "competitor," "enemy"), got to Adam's wife, Eve, in the guise of a serpent and caused the pair to CHOOSE taking to themselves THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, rejecting THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD, based on the divine LAW Of LOVE.
   Satan had turned to the WAY of LIFE of "GET" instead of "LOVE" or "GIVE." That is the way of vanity, lust and greed, envy and jealousy, competition and strife, leading to violence and war, and resentment and rebellion against God's law which is the WAY OF LIFE of the GOVERNMENT OF GOD. MAN rejected the GOVERNMENT OF GOD — and with it God's WAY OF LIFE, based on outgoing concern for the welfare of others. Man rejected God as his RULER. Mari CUT HIMSELF OFF FROM GOD by SIN (transgression of God's law).
   God thereupon set in motion a 7,000 year master plan to accomplish His PURPOSE in man on earth. For 6,000 years God vowed to adopt a "hands-off" policy toward MAN. With the rare exception of the occasions NECESSARY for God's PURPOSE and for MAN'S GOOD, God has kept "hands off" — leaving man, as he decided he wanted, CUT OFF from God, going HIS OWN WAY, taking to himself the knowledge of what is the GOOD way and what is the EVIL — or what is RIGHT and what is WRONG.
   In effect, God said to man, "Go your own ways. Organize your own society. Create your own GOVERNMENTS. Formulate your Own RELIGIONS. Organize your own industrial, commercial, economic and business systems."
   God has determined to TEACH MAN — by His OWN 6,000 year experience — that Satan's WAY, rebelling against the GOVERNMENT OF GOD, has brought only evils — suffering, anguish, unhappiness, frustration, violence, war, starvation and DEATH!
   Witness the results TODAY!
   What ARE some of these human-devised forms of government, all under the sway of Satan? Here is a brief analysis of MAN'S IDEAS OF GOVERNMENT — CUI Off Completely from GOD — but swayed by Satan.
   GOVERNMENTS in the world today can generally be classified broadly as either DEMOCRATIC or TOTALITARIAN. These terms are basically political designations.
   SOCIALISM, COMMUNISM, CAPITALISM are primarily economic terms.
   Both capitalism and socialism may operate in a democracy.
   DEMOCRACY: From the Greek demos, "people," and kratos, "power," meaning government by the people.
   Democracy may be either direct or indirect. In a direct democracy, each individual votes personally on every issue, as in ancient Greece. (An example: the old New England town meeting) In an indirect democracy (called a REPUBLIC), the people elect representatives to vote for them. Those representatives make up the national congress, parliament, diet, or whatever called. Indirect democracy is better suited to modern nations with large populations where direct democracy would be impractical. Indirect democracy was developed in England in the 17th century, and became the method of government in North America and France, as a result of revolution, in the 18th century. By 1850 the majority of civilized nations had adopted democratic institutions.
   TOTALITARIANISM: A single party, dictatorial system of government. The totalitarian state extends its influence over the whole of life, private as well as public, and exacts full submission of the individual to its demands. There is some sort of system of police control, total party control of mass communications, widespread doctrinaire education, and so on.
   The term has been used to describe the NAZI (National Socialist) and FASCIST governments of Hitler and Mussolini in Germany and Italy. It also is applied today to the governments of the Soviet Union, China, and other communist states. Totalitarianism did not exist before the 20th century (in the MODERN world).
   SOCIALISM: An economic system and theory according to which the masses of production, distribution and exchange are owned and controlled by the people (i.e., by the government). Its goal (in human theory) is a fairer and more equitable distribution of the wealth of a country. Socialism is found today in Britain, Western Europe, Scandinavia, Australia, and elsewhere. Features of socialism in these nations include the nationalization of certain industries, publicly owned housing, comprehensive welfare systems, etc.
   Socialism may come 1) through revolution, or 2) people may choose to give their government more control over the means of production and distribution of wealth through democratic means. Socialism developed as a reaction against the abuses of capitalism, triggered by the inhuman working conditions during the Industrial Revolution.
   Communists use the term "socialism" to describe the way of life in present Soviet society (see "Communism").
   CAPITALISM: An economic system characterized by private or corporation ownership of the means of production. Investments are determined by private decision rather than by state control. Prices, production and distribution of goods are determined mainly in a free market, i.e., by competition. Features of both capitalism and socialism may coexist in the same nation.
   COMMUNISM: A term used to denote the theory advocating the elimination of private property, with goods owned in common and available to all as needed.
   The term came to prominence in 1848 with the publication of the Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engels. In political terms, the word "communist" refers to the Communist Party created by Lenin in 1918. It is an outgrowth of the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party founded in 1898. In 1903, this party split into so-called majority (Bolshevik) and minority (Menshevik) factions. Both sought to achieve "socialism" as defined by Karl Marx. But the Bolsheviks under Lenin fought for a small, secret organization and the immediate and violent overthrow of government. The Mensheviks were more like the Social Democratic parties in Western Europe, which believed in bringing about socialism gradually and legally through ballot, trade unions, and a large, open party. In 1918, Lenin renamed his Bolshevik group the Communist Party.
   Communists believe that their first task is the establishment of "socialism," and that the final stage is true communism. They say that under socialism they give effect to the principle, "from each according to his ability, to each according to his work," and that there are still distinctions between classes. (The social order found in Russia today, which we call "communism," is termed "socialism" by communist writers) Under communism (which they have not yet attained in its pure form), social life would be guided by the principle, "from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs." At that time, communists believe, class, labor, and property distinctions will, disappear. Eventually the machinery of government will no longer be needed, and the state will wither away.
   The doctrines of Marx and Engels are ambiguous on many points, and consequently have given rise to various interpretations. The Soviet Union and China, for example, differ violently in their interpretations of Marxism.
   The terms "Marxist" and "communist" are often used interchangeably. The nations of Angola and Mozambique, for example, are usually termed "Marxist" by the press, though "communist" would also be accurate. Often the term "communist" implies to many people a connection with the Soviet Union, which may or may not be true. "Communist" Albania, for example, is more closely associated with China than with Russia. One has to examine the history and makeup of the government of each nation in question to accurately determine its international connections and its particular brand of ideology.
   The above, condensed and very briefly stated, is what HUMAN THINKING has led to. Leaders in community affairs, government, politics and economics must always appear to be public benefactors. They must be seeking to work out that system, theory, ism, government or whatever, that is "FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE." Or supposedly so. They do not, under human nature which ALL have imbibed, admit to self-motivated or self-advantageous intentions.
   Remember, Satan is the arch deceiver. This world has been deceived into thinking 1) a devil does not exist; 2) that, if there be a God, he (Satan) is that god — called in the Bible "the god of this world." Indeed, in one way or another, he is the god of every man-made religion. All oppose the LAW OF GOD on which the GOVERNMENT OF GOD is built.
   Remember, too, that man was made with a "human spirit" which imparts the power of intellect to the physical brain. That constitutes the overwhelming difference between human MIND and animal BRAIN. The mental or intellectual output of human MIND is perhaps millions of times greater than that of animal BRAIN — though there are degrees of output of intelligence in different humans, and also in different animals.
   But in man is the ONE spirit. That spirit cannot see. The physical BRAIN sees through the eye. The physical BRAIN hears through the ear. The human spirit does not, independently of itself, THINK. The physical BRAIN thinks. The spirit contains all memory programmed into it (like a computer) as knowledge enters the BRAIN through the eye, ear, senses of feel and touch, smell and taste. The spirit supplies the physical BRAIN with instant recall, making THINKING and REASONING possible.
   But the GREAT DIFFERENCE between man and God is that normal MAN, with his one human spirit, can receive and be conscious of ONLY physical knowledge.
   Spiritual knowledge cannot be seen, heard, felt, smelled or tasted. The most intellectual, therefore, filled with PHYSICAL knowledge and reasoning and beliefs, really think that NOTHING EXISTS outside of MATTER. There is nothing spiritual — there is NO GOD — so they believe.
   UNDERSTAND THIS! IS the foundation Of ALL UNDERSTANDING!
   II is explained in I Corinthians 2:9-14: "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart [mind] of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. [Only physical knowledge comes through these physical senses.] But God hath revealed them unto us [those who have His Holy Spirit] by his Spirit.... For what man knoweth the things of a man [that is, what man can understand or know HUMAN PHYSICAL KNOWLEDGE — 'the things of man' referring to knowledge possessed by humans, but NOT by animals] save the spirit of man which is in him?" Notice the "spirit of man" is NOT the man — it is something other than the man himself that is IN him. He does not receive his LIFE from this spirit, but from blood and the breath of life. He receives human KNOWLEDGE by this spirit, not human LIFE. This is not an "immortal soul."
   Continue: "... Even so [that is, in like manner] the things of God [that is, SPIRITUAL knowledge] knoweth NO MAN, but by the Spirit of God."
   Human man has been given one spirit, which I term the "human spirit." This spirit empowers the physical brain with intellect — makes possible physical KNOWLEDGE — thinking, reasoning, making decisions and choices. But it confines the man to physical knowledge.
   Man was made to NEED a second spirit — the HOLY SPIRIT of God — which when added to his human spirit opens his mind to comprehend SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE — the THINGS OF GOD!
   That is why the most learned among men — university professors, educators, world leaders — are often the MOST IGNORANT of humans — for they are entirely SHUT OFF from spiritual KNOWLEDGE.
   Note further: "But the natural man [even the GREAT Of this world] receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
   Now back to the main question.
   What are the BASIC differences, then, between the GOVERNMENT OF GOD and all these many and varied HUMAN governments in such turmoil, confusion, violence and overthrow in our world today?
   The BASIC difference is that God's government is a WAY OF LIFE — the administration of God's SPIRITUAL LAW. It IS, simply, the WAY OF LIFE of LOVE — of out flowing LOVE, first of all toward GOD, supreme RULER, and secondly outgoing concern for the GOOD and WELFARE of human neighbor. It is the way of "GIVE," as I so often call it.
   Lucifer and his angels turned FROM this way to the WAY OF "GET." That is, the way of vanity, lust and greed, of envy and jealousy, of competition and strife leading to violence and war, of resentment toward real or imagined wrongs, of rebellion against God and His government.
   The "GIVE" way is God-centered. The "GET" way is SELF-centered.
   Secondly, the government of God is administered by GOD, who is love, who is all-wise, all-knowing, all-merciful, all-understanding, all-just, all-POWERFUL. The governments of MAN are administered, in whatever form, by HUMANS, who, regardless of their degree of sincerity and honest intent, are fallible, and naturally self-centered. MAN, by comparison to GOD, is utterly incapable of righteous RULE for the GOOD Of the GOVERNED.
   Thirdly, as to FORM, God's government is government from the TOP down. That is, from the MOST fit, the HIGHEST qualified, the MOST able, on down, each in succession being chosen from higher up; chosen by those who know and can read MINDS and HEARTS, ATTITUDES and INTENTS, and who select for each position the one BEST QUALIFIED, for the GOOD OF THE GOVERNED.
   Now compare this with our recent election in the United States. Look at the MILLIONS OF DOLLARS used in campaigning, in state primaries, in conventions devoted more to horse-play and entertainment than to serious concern for the STATE OF THE NATION AND THE WORLD.
   Look at all the folderol and confusion in voting over minor ISSUES. Look at the debates — the editorials, the propaganda — to try to convince others to the way of thinking of the politicians and the writers and speakers.
   And WHAT IS THE REAL BASIC MOTIVATION, after all, in the mind of both candidate and voter? SELF-INTEREST on the part of the voter, and what the candidate THINKS will appear to the SELF-interest of the largest number.
   All is conducted on the SELF-CENTERED WAY of the god of this world. Yes, truly, this is his world!
   What about communism and TOTALITARIANISM? In organizational form, totalitarianism closely resembles the organizational form of the GOVERNMENT OF GOD, but there the likeness stops! Some totalitarian rulers in the past have been good rulers from a human standpoint; most have been tyrants. Even the better ones were still HUMAN and fallible, and subject to mistakes that have been costly to their subjects beyond estimate, in economy, injustice, pain and suffering.
   Six thousand years of man trying to organize himself have WRITTEN THE LESSON in human anguish, pain, suffering, injustice, unhappiness, discontent, frustration — and DEATH!
   Religions have failed, to reveal to humanity the TRUTH. Truly they have been the "opiate of the people." Governments have failed utterly to solve the world's evils. Social systems have enslaved, harmed, given little or no real help. Science has brought more curses than blessings. Today the engines of MASS DESTRUCTION produced by science are capable of blasting all human life from this planet.
   The angels who inhabited the earth before us wrought DESTRUCTION. Look what MAN has done! He has polluted the air, the water, the soil of his earth. He has ruined, harmed, destroyed, or polluted every piece of God's earth he has gotten his hands on!
   Pessimistic?
   No! A thousand times No! The 6,000 years God allotted for man to WRITE this lesson are about over.
   The lesson has been WRITTEN — but not yet LEARNED!
   My GREAT COMMISSION IS TO ANNOUNCE TO YOU and the WORLD that soon now — yet in OUR GENERATION — God ALMIGHTY Will INTERVENE supernaturally and directly. Christ soon will come in the TOTAL POWER and AUTHORITY Of the Creator GOD, TO RULE ALL NATIONS with the GOVERNMENT OF GOD!
   A very FEW have been predestinated to be CALLED NOW, to stand back of me in getting this ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE WORLD, and in so doing have prepared themselves to be changed, at Christ's coming, from mortal to immortal — from human to divine; to be given POWER under Christ in His Kingdom to RULE what humanity is left alive after the present fast-approaching GREAT TRIBULATION — the final CLIMAX Of man's REBELLION — shall have been put down.
   We shall have PEACE, happiness, joy, abundant well-being — and the offer OF ETERNAL LIFE — for all. I am merely the advance announcer, preparing the way.

Back To Top

Plain Truth MagazineMarch 1977Vol XLII, No.3