This comment is continued from last week, and is taken from Arno Froese's article in the "Midnight Call" magazine.
" New Currency
Much has been written about the proposed new money. While in many parts of the world, new money is being issued rather frequently, it is almost unthinkable in the United States. We have gotten used to the "greenback" over the last several generations. This is equally true for the British currency. Incidentally, both currencies are continuously losing purchasing power and financial experts have little doubt that the currencies will need to be replaced. The following is an interesting article in connection with this idea:
"The consequences of a universal currency will be simplicity of all arithmetic, operation and facilities gained for travelers, the easing of international transactions and the simplification of exchange rates. When we have a universal currency, trading will receive such a stimulus that it will bypass all the trade records experienced so far."
Does that sound like some overly optimistic prediction? Wrong! This was written in 1870 by Mr. Feer Herzog, the Swiss Finance Minister in France. Already at that time, there were those who dreamed of a unified Europe and a united currency!
World Communism
What is epically unique today is the fact that the competing forces of capitalism and communism are being merged into one since the fall of international communism. The communistic system could not compete with social/capitalism because it ignored monetary policy.
Back in 1967 Dr. Wim Maglo wrote an article in our first American edition of "Midnight Call" entitled, "Communism: Doomed to Fail." We have witnessed its collapse but it was unthinkable in 1967 because we had heard so much about the great communistic threat. Russia was ahead of the United States in weapons production and space travel and she was swallowing up one country after another. The U.S. lost the war against the small nation of North Vietnam. The communists achieved one great victory after another in many parts of the world.
Why did communism fail? There were many reasons, but one specific point that I would like to mention here is that communism failed to consider that man is basically evil, selfish and money hungry. Capitalism, on the other hand, thrives on the love of money. A catch phrase "Greed is Good" was popular during the Regan administration.
Anti-God Communism
Communism revealed itself as being anti-God. The communists’ motto was "God is dead!"
When my mother-in-law was alive she frequently traveled behind the Iron Curtain to visit her relatives in communist East Germany. She always brought Midnight Call literature with her in spite of the fact that it was forbidden. She was caught with the literature several times, but the authorities did not arrest her because of her age.
When in East Germany, Mom always took long walks in the fields of the countryside. On one occasion, she saw a large sign in a wheat field that the communists had put up that said, "Ohne Gott und Sonnenschein bringen wir doch die Ernte ein!" (Without God and sunshine we will still bring the harvest in.") The communists challenged God. Their confidence was strengthened because they had just imported brand new grain harvesters from Russia, which were supposedly capable of harvesting wheat during wet seasons.
Then one day it started to rain. This, of course was not unusal but the rain continued for seven days. The result was predictable. The crop was flattened. They were unable to harvest the grain even with the most sophisticated Russian machinery. The billboards disappeared overnight. The communists had taken them down because they were embarrassed by their arrogance.
I don’t have to tell you that my mother-in-law, who was a believer, praised the Lord, rejoicing in her heart to see these foolish people defeated by the mighty hand of God.
Anti-Christ capitalist
Communism was based upon the productivity of the worker. Karl Marx stated in 1848: "If the workers of the world unite, they will be able to bring forth a paradise on earth."
But communism failed because it was not centered on the love of money. Instead they invented their own financial system that was not backed by personal incentives for the individual. Communism rejected that idea and developed the philosophy that all people are created equal, subsequently they will remain equal.
A degree of greediness is essential in order to make a capitalistic economy work properly. People who seek personal wealth generally work a lot more than the average citizen. Many successful businessmen work between 12 and 16 hours a day. Some work six, even seven days a week. They think about profit and individual wealth all the time. They are dedicated to success, and the love of money.
Believers Lesson
Believers must learn a lesson here: we must also work day and night, but the work we do is of eternal value. Gold and silver perish, but precious souls that will be saved by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ will remain forever. They will make up our crown of jewels, our reward for all of eternity.
We all need money. Midnight Call Ministries could not function without money. We must pay to print our magazines, books and tracts. We need money for wages, missionaries, and postage. We need money for just about everything. But money should only serve to sustain our standard of living, and most of all, to further the work of the Lord. That is the reason the Lord gives us health: so that we can work, earn money, and help to further the Gospel. "
The final part of this comment will be listed next week.
By George Konig
4/13/2008
www.georgekonig.org
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