Violence and armed aggression in the world is escalating, and it seems to be increasing day by day and week by week. Look at the trouble spots in the world as they are right now. The troubles in Poland, in the Middle East, in Afghanistan, the Iraq-Iran war, the troubles in North Ireland between North Ireland and Ireland. The troubles in Central America, El Salvador, and other countries there. Communism getting a hold even in our doorstep to the south of us. And now, Soviet Union President Brezhnev has vowed to retaliate if President Reagan's defense program continues to build up. And that means a build-up of nuclear weapons all over this world, and it could erase all human life from this planet Earth. And that includes your life and mine.
The World Tomorrow. The Worldwide Church of God presents, The World Tomorrow with Herbert W. Armstrong, ladies and gentlemen, Herbert W. Armstrong.
Many smaller nations have now joined the nuclear club. Many smaller nations have nuclear weapons today. Now there are mad men in the world. Mad men like Idi Amin, like Gaddafi, and if a mad man in charge of one of the smaller nations even could set off a nuclear war, it could escalate to the point where it would draw in the Soviet Union and the United States, and it could erase all human life from this planet Earth. And that includes your life and mine.
On a recent speaking tour in the Far East, I found uneasiness, and I found a consciousness of this trouble beginning to escalate all over. I want to tell you a little about that trip. I made a stop-off at Hong Kong. I spoke to a group, quite a large group of Plain Truth subscribers who are readers of the Plain Truth. That's one of the world's mass-circulation magazines of which I founded, of which I am Editor in Chief, and I want to tell you more about it in the end.
Then in Bangkok, in Thailand, I spoke there again to a number of Plain Truth subscribers who were reading The Plain Truth magazine. Then we flew up to the north of Thailand to Shanghai, and there King Bhumibol sent his own mountain Jeep to meet me and to bring me up the mountain to Mountain Palace where he was at the time. I found the King, who is a friend of mine. I have spent many hours with him, very much concerned right now with a problem that is a world problem in the drug traffic and especially with the smuggling of heroin and opium into and on through Thailand and out to the world from the ports in Bangkok.
Then I went on to Manila there. I was guest speaker before the Rotary Club. Also, at a banquet of 1000 members of the MPM. That is a certain Philippine movement or club. Then a meeting of 60 or more ministers and wives from all over the Philippine Islands, ministers of the Worldwide Church of God. And then a meeting with President Marcos', and I had two wonderful and lovely meetings with President Marcos's mother. I went over to her penthouse where she resides. And we spent two hours together where she told me all about the rearing of her son, President Marcos.
Then I had two public meetings in Manila. These meetings were held in the PICC. That's the Philippine International Convention Center. There were about 4200 at one meeting, 4500 at another. Then from that, I went on to Tokyo where I had a meeting of between eighty and one hundred Plain Truth subscribers who were regular readers of the Plain Truth in Japan. Then a banquet at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo with many, many distinguished people. And, there were ambassadors representing, say, it was 20 or 21 other nations who were present and many of them with their wives. I was the guest of honor and the speaker there.
And now, I would like to show you the highlights that will be narrated, by Art Gilmore of that banquet.
At the banquet held in Tokyo's Imperial Hotel Mr. Armstrong was guest of honor. Here to listen to his address were many leaders of Japanese society. Mr. Armstrong was especially honored by the presence at his table of his Imperial Highness, Prince Mikasa, and Princess Mikasa. Also in attendance were 11 members of the Japanese diet. The diet, elected by the people, is the highest Congress of national power and the sole law-making instrument of the country. The Japanese diet selects the nation's Prime Minister from among its own members.
Also present to hear Mr. Armstrong's message were Ambassadors of 20 other countries, including Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Tunisia, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Iran, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Syria, Indonesia, Thailand, and the People's Republic of China.
Before his address, Mr. Armstrong was introduced by several prominent Japanese leaders. The first introduction was given by Mr. Tokuo Yamaska. Mr. Yamaska is not only a member of the Japanese Diet since 1974 but also is one of 12 members of the Diet who consider themselves Mr. Armstrong's Japanese sons.
We wanted to welcome our father, Dr. Herbert Armstrong, for some time. It has been a year since he visited us last, and we are very, very happy to welcome Dr. Armstrong again. When we learned that Dr. Armstrong would be visiting Japan, those of us who have been nurtured by him, his sons, organized this banquet. Dr. Armstrong has carried his mission beyond race, nationality, and sociopolitical viewpoint. He seeks to serve people all over the world, giving his virtue to almost every corner of the world without expecting any reward. He just gives and gives and gives.
The second introduction was presented by Mr. Bonsai Sato, another of Mr. Armstrong's Japanese sons. Mr. Sato, a former Vice Minister of Transportation, is an author and a member of the Diet. Mr. Sato is currently serving as chairman of the Public Relations Committee for the Liberal Democratic Party, the majority party of the Diet.
It was exactly 10 years ago, January of 1972, when we represented this country at the San Clemente Conference where our late Prime Minister Sato met with former President Nixon. It was the first time that we were received by Dr. Armstrong. That was 10 years ago. The conference was a very crucial summit between the US and Japan to discuss the reversion of Okinawa. At that time, Dr. Armstrong gave us strategic support, you might say behind the scenes, to make our activities more effective at the conference. That same summer, you may recall that Prime Minister Tanaka met with President Nixon in Hawaii. At that time again, Dr. Armstrong supported our activities, recognizing his great contribution to US-Japan relations. His Majesty, the Emperor of Japan conferred upon him the Second Order of the Sacred Treasure.
Dr. Armstrong, who so kindly taught us people-to-people diplomacy and diplomacy among the parliamentarians, he is a most honored teacher. But today again, we are very happy to see our father Dr. Armstrong, who calls us "my sons" with tears in his eyes. We, the members of the Diet, welcome you as our grandfather, grandpa. Welcome back to Tokyo. I sincerely hope and wish that Dr. Armstrong. You keep your strong health and spirit so you can carry your God-given task, your great mission to all the world. I thank you very much.
After the first two speakers, the audience was privileged to hear from his Imperial Highness, Prince Mikasa, the brother of Emperor Hirohito. Prince Mikasa, a long-time close friend of Mr. Armstrong, dating back to their initial meeting in 1968, asked the entire audience to join him in honoring Mr. Armstrong with a toast.
Dr. Armstrong, ladies and gentlemen, I've been associated with Dr. Armstrong for a number of years, and personally, I forgot when I first met Dr. Armstrong. So, I asked him, when did we first meet? And he remembered very clearly. It was in 1968. Since then, Dr. Armstrong has been very kind to me, and I have kept a close friendship with him.
Not only that, but as you heard in the speeches, Dr. Armstrong has helped the academic affairs of Japan as well as world peace. We were told that this July you will be celebrating your 90th anniversary. This is a most festive occasion, but as we well know nowadays, the longevity of the human race is extending so that I hope you will live a long, healthy life. Well, beyond 90 years for that, we give this toast.
While Mr. Armstrong spoke, Professor Fujita of Tokyo's Waseda University translated in Japanese for brevity. Only portions of the translation are included.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, good evening. I have so many friends here in Japan all the way, I believe from His Majesty, His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor, and His Majesty's brother, Prince Macao. Many of your congressmen who consider themselves my Japanese sons, and I am honored that so many of them are here tonight.
I've been coming to Japan now for many years. I'm a little hoarse tonight. You'll have to excuse me. I was speaking quite a while last night to many readers of our magazine, The Plain Truth. And I find that I'm a little hoarse, but as I was telling them last night, conditions in the world have worsened since I was last here. The weapons now exist that can erase all human life from off this earth. If we have another war, which will be a nuclear war.
I have seen so many things happen in this world in the almost 90 years that I have lived. I have seen miraculous things happen. I have seen awesome progress, but also, I have seen appalling troubles and evils happening in the world, and it is becoming worse all the time. I have to ask why, why the paradox of awesome progress and awesome accomplishments, sending men to the moon and back, jet plane travel, the miracle of television, the many things that we have today, and still so many troubles and so much sorrow and sickness all over the world.
Educators and scientists have said, "If you give us enough knowledge, we will solve all our problems and we will cure all our evils." Dr. Clark Kerr, who was president of the University of California, said that the universities of today are factories, and what do they manufacture? They manufacture knowledge. So, in the decade of the 1960s, the world's fund of knowledge doubled, but the world's troubles doubled also in the same decade. So, there's something wrong with our knowledge.
If we ask why we have to go back to the very beginning of all civilization. The oldest recorded history in the world is a book called the Bible. And it says that the first man, one man who was created and one woman, his wife, and all life has sprung from them. And that first man had to make a choice between two kinds of knowledge, and they represented two ways of life. One way was the way of love, which is outflow toward other people. I call that the way of give. And the other way was the way of get. I want to take away from other people. That first man chose the way of get instead of give. And so, the society that started through him has continued on everybody trying to get from everybody else. And all civilization has been based on that principle. It is the way of competition. It is the way of vanity. It is the way of envy and jealousy toward other people. And it has resulted in unhappiness until it seemed that the whole world is discontented today, and no one seems to be happy.
Now, the first man was made with a mind that is capable of acquiring knowledge to deal with things out of the ground. But the first man denied his maker, and he did not know how to get along with other people. So, we have built a civilization on earth of government, of education and educational system, of religion, of society, and all is based on the selfish motive of get and of self-centeredness. So, we have been able to be very successful in dealing with things with matter out of the ground. But in this spirit of competition, it has resulted in war, it's fighting in families and homes, it's fighting between neighbors, it's fighting between groups, and it's fighting between nations. And this whole system that has grown has denied the Supreme God, our maker, and our creator.
And so now it is like an editorial in a very large American magazine said, "It would seem that the only hope of this world today lies in the intervention of an unseen strong hand from some place". Now, Almighty God, the creator, is that supreme, unseen hand, and He is going to intervene. And before man destroys mankind with nuclear weapons, God is going to intervene and save this whole world, and He is going to compel this whole world and all nations to be happy by living the way that will make us happy. And all of this is going to happen in our living generation.
And He has sent me here tonight as a voice crying in the wilderness of miseducation, of wrong ways of life, of a wrong civilization, to tell you that it is really going to happen. We're going to learn to live the right way and going to have peace, even yet. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, thank you.
And now, ladies and gentlemen, to the television audience, you need to know why this paradox of such awesome accomplishment in the world, at the same time of such appalling evils, heartaches, troubles, suffering, anguish, and such violence and destruction all over the world. Why there has to be a cause for every effect and where are we going from here? What is going to happen now?
Now, The Plain Truth magazine gives you all of that. And I want to tell you something about The Plain Truth magazine that so many people, millions of people, are reading all over the world. The Plain Truth magazine. Now here is an article, "Crisis in Poland Foreshadows End of NATO," telling you of world conditions, analyzing them, telling you what is in the world, why it is, what is going to happen from here, where is it going to lead us?
Then here is another article, "Computers That Think," so much about the computer today. Then another one about Ireland, and that was a cover story, "Ireland Divided by Fear and Hatred." And of course, it's highly illustrated throughout then. "Just What Do You Mean Armageddon?" Where are we leading? You hear a great deal about Armageddon? Just what is Armageddon and how and when is it coming?
Now, here's another article in this particular number of The Plain Truth. "Why Celebrate Easter?" What is Easter? How did it start? Is it truly a Christian festival? Does the Bible say anything about it? Actually, the Bible says nothing about it. The word is mentioned one place in the Bible, and even there, it's a mistranslation. And you will be surprised. I'd like to have you take The Plain Truth, and there's no subscription price. It is a unique magazine. There is nothing like it on the face of the earth. No one reads it except you order it for yourself, but we'll gladly send you a year's subscription free of cost. No obligation, no follow-up, no request for money. There's no program like that. No magazine like The Plain Truth. It's one of the world's great mass circulation magazines going on now, 4 1/2 million subscribers, that many copies going to that many subscribers every month. Millions of people, at least 12, 13, 14 million people are reading it every month in six languages all over the world.
Or perhaps you would like a booklet I have that will explain the civilization that I was mentioning in the address in Tokyo about how this civilization started. How did it get started? There's a special booklet, "Never Before Understood Why Humanity Cannot Solve Its Evils" and how is it all going to finally come out? What is going to happen in the next year or two? That's all in this booklet. It's a booklet of, oh, must be about 64-something pages, highly illustrated throughout. And I'd be very happy to send it to you, and there's no obligation, no cost, no follow-up, no request for money. I want you to have it. I want to tell you there's no program like this. There's no work like we're conducting on the basis of give and not get. We're not out to get. We do not solicit members, church members, anything of the kind. No member of the Worldwide Church of God was ever solicited. They have all come of their own accord.
However, if you only could know it, all have been called by God Himself, and essentially have not been volunteers either because Jesus Christ said, "No man can come to me except the Father who sent me draw him." Did you know that? That is in the Bible. There are many things in the Bible that will shock you and amaze you, and you will learn of those things in The Plain Truth magazine or in the booklet that I just mentioned to you.
Now, why don't you just go to your telephone now and call us a toll-free call at 800-423-4444, a toll-free call 800-423-4444 or in California, Alaska or Hawaii just call, collect 213-577-5555. Now we pay for the call even then. That's a collect call 213-577-5555. Or just send your request to me, Herbert W Armstrong Pasadena, California 91123. And that's all the address you need. If you write Herbert W Armstrong Pasadena, California. So, until next time, Herbert W Armstrong, goodbye friends.
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