True Peace and Security—By Nuclear Freeze or by God’s Kingdom?
FREEZING nuclear arsenals at their present levels is like halting the temperature of a feverish patient at 104 degrees (40 degrees Celsius). It is not enough! Weapons and fevers are only symptomatic of a deeper ailment. Eliminating the source of the problem results in the cure. For example, today the world’s nuclear stockpile contains the explosive power equal to more than three tons of TNT for each man, woman and child on earth—13,000,000,000 tons! Do you feel secure living with this threat?
Since a freeze of nuclear arms is not sufficient, what about removal of all nuclear weapons? Global disarmament is not a new idea. The famous physicist Albert Einstein advocated this. And since 1945 the sound of a host of other dignitaries pleading for global nuclear disarmament has been heard. Yet in the last 10 years the combined nuclear warheads of the U.S. and the Soviet Union have more than doubled in number. Do you really believe we are any closer to nuclear disarmament now than we were 37 years ago?
Ridding the earth of nuclear arms will not stop wars. Since the last use of the atomic bomb three decades ago, over 130 wars have been fought. So, would you experience genuine peace and security if all war weapons vanished?
Eliminating all war instruments is a giant step toward peace and security but does not go far enough. People’s hearts must be reached, educated and changed. No human movement can do this. But God can. The Almighty God Jehovah can read and heal hearts. (Jeremiah 17:10; Psalm 51:10) But he will do more than that. God’s Kingdom, the long-prayed-for heavenly government, will bring about peace and security on the earth. (Matthew 6:10) Do you feel that this solution is realistic?
The antinuclear-war book The Fate of the Earth sees a worldwide government as the only sure means of preventing a nuclear holocaust, and further proposes: “In sum, the task is nothing less than to reinvent politics: to reinvent the world.” And that is just what Jehovah purposes to do. Do you honestly believe nations will voluntarily give up their sovereignty?
For those against righteous rule, God will use his Kingdom power in a controlled manner, destroying all nations opposed to his peace movement. (Daniel 2:44) In addition, the educational system of God’s Kingdom will instruct every sincere peace lover in true ways of disarmament so that ‘swords become plowshares.’—Isaiah 2:4; Psalm 46:8, 9.
Therefore, do not be fooled into thinking that human movements can bring salvation, for the Bible warns: “Whenever it is that they are saying: ‘Peace and security!’ then sudden destruction is to be instantly upon them just as the pang of distress upon a pregnant woman; and they will by no means escape.” (1 Thessalonians 5:3) But for those of honest heart there is a sure hope. They are confident—and you too can be confident—that soon God will usher in true peace and security, which will be everlasting.—Psalm 72:7, 8; Isaiah 9:6, 7.
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World arsenals of nuclear warheads predicted to increase during this decade
75,000 WARHEADS IN 1990
50,000 WARHEADS IN 1972
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WE SHALL BEAT OUR SWORDS [MISSILES] INTO PLOWSHARES