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Conditions Necessary for
Creating an Advanced Civilization By Richard Kieninger Five basic conditions must
exist for a healthy civilization to be created, and these must be adhered to
throughout the growth and maintenance of that civilization. If any one of
these conditions is lacking, the civilization is doomed. Belief in A Supreme Being The foremost of these
conditions is religious faith in a Supreme Being. When men first conceived
the idea of Gods more powerful, more worthy, more righteous, and more exalted
than themselves, an upward pull began to influence their lives. It is a
psychological fact that we tend to become like the object we adore. If we
continually and persistently call to mind the attributes and personification
of goodness through worship of a Greater Being, we tend to accept rules for
our own conduct as exemplified in those who are just, powerful, loving,
generous and permanent. The higher the ideals that men ascribe to their view
of God, the higher their civilization is capable of rising. From man’s contemplation of
the idealism of his Supreme Being has sprung his moral ideals and ethical
standards. In the beginning, man’s ideals were not very high. Gods were
subject to the passion of men because men knew of nothing higher or better.
As they persistently directed minds and hearts towards the best that they
knew, their comprehension and idealization of God grew, which in turn drew
them to even higher ideals. (And teachers could then come to instruct and
uplift men even higher.) Until the understanding
that dishonesty, falsehood, coveting, stealing, killing and adultery are
wrong is accepted and practiced by the greater portion of a people,
civilization is impossible. No civilization has ever become great until its
ethical ideals have raised its people above savagery and have started the
development of beauty and refinement. When these ethical ideals which are
inspired and sustained by allegiance to examples of Greater Beings no longer
claim the attention of the people, their civilization begins to disintegrate. Money
of Intrinsic Value
A second condition upon
which civilizations must be founded is trusted money of intrinsic value that
will not lose its purchasing power. Every civilization grew only on the basis
of sound money in which people had confidence; money that did not
progressively lose its value; money for which people were willing to work
long and hard; money which people saved with confidence, knowing it
would make their future easier and more secure. Only money with its own
intrinsic value will induce them to work hard, live frugally and save
persistently. This gives rise to capital accumulation, which always marks a
developing civilization. Without capital, there can be no financing of
industry, architecture, defense, science, education and the arts. Most of the civilizations
that declined in the past were beset by financial woes usually brought about
by the extravagance of their rulers first and then by the people as a
consequence. The governments tried to create more money, and the end result
was inflation, which is the increase of money beyond the goods its value is
based on. When people see that the
purchasing power of their money is declining, the incentive to save is gone.
If they cannot get ahead by careful living, long-term saving, and hard work,
they go for the short-term opportunity, fearing that the money should be
spent while it still has value. Many virtues flow from
sound money—among them honesty and steady, long-term effort. Periods of
unsound money lead to moral degradation and economic hard times. Sound money
has been a basis of every successful civilization. Monogamous,
Stable Relationships
A third condition for the
rise of civilizations is sexual integrity. Professor J. D. Unwin of
Cambridge University made an exhaustive study of 80 civilizations ranging
over a period of 4,000 years. He concluded: “Any human society is free to
choose either to display great energy or to enjoy sexual freedom; the
evidence is that they cannot do both for more than one generation.” The whole
human history does not contain a single instance of a group becoming truly
civilized unless it practiced monogamy, nor is there an example of a group
retaining its culture after it had succumbed to less-disciplined sexual
customs. Sexual integrity produces
sound homes which nurture emotionally balanced children to carry on the
culture. Children thrive best in the secure continuity provided by their
mother and father remaining in a happy relationship with each other. The
example of loving concern between parents provides psychological growth in their
children. Sexual relations between a man and woman is a powerful binder that
should not be divided between multiple partners, because that weakens the
primary bond. Strong families are best able to produce sound future
citizens. Patriotism is one’s concern for the larger community and is but an
extension of one’s love for family. Defense of the Nation The fourth condition for
the rise of a civilization is the will to survive and a willingness to fight when
necessary for the security of the group. When a society’s men and women
shrink from defending themselves because they might be hurt or killed, that
has always been the death knell of that society. Many ancient civilizations,
fat and luxury loving, paid tribute or gave hostages instead of fighting.
Their appeasement of their enemies was the beginning of the end for them. While it may not be
beneficial to any civilization to have the principal childrearers (mothers)
involved in combat or training for combat, all citizens should be trained as
a skilled force in order to be prepared for any military or civil emergency. Citizens not only have a
right but also a responsibility to maintain arms in their homes to guarantee
their self-protection against external or internal threats. When a nation is
deprived of this internal defense against corrupt police or a punitive
military, it is delivered into bondage. Men must use every means at their
disposal if it becomes necessary to defend their lives and their political
and intellectual freedom. To fail to do so is to surrender to the
forces of evil. Freedom
The long journey to acquire
wisdom requires the freedom to explore, experiment and experience. This must
be done on both the individual and group levels. When one is forbidden by
laws, customs or any degree of enslavement, then to that extent
self-knowledge is denied. We are all restricted by the current mode of
religion and government, whether despotic or liberal. Most of us are
persuaded to accept many beliefs and information as the ultimate truth; but
until one can freely and personally test such beliefs, they are not
knowledge. There are sensible limits
on freedom. Although we can do anything we want, there are practical
penalties and responses from others around us. Common Law is based on the
premise that you are free to do anything so long as you do not injure another
person, his property or his reputation. This applies to actions by
governments, groups and individuals. Such actions properly require compensation
from the injurer to the injured party and is also in line with the
inescapable law of karma. That Natural Law assures that whatever you do to or
for another person, you have equally done to or for yourself in the future.
When a man has learned that from observation and experience, he governs
himself harmlessly and helpfully. The principal area where
total freedom is essential is philosophical inquiry. Mentation is the key to
soul growth and presumably does not injure one’s fellow man. Even a slave can
still think his private thoughts, but there are tyrants who would control
everyone’s thoughts. Their motto is, “Believe my way or die,” be they priest
or king. Freedom of thought leads to the development of inventions and
results in better ways of living. Enforced stagnation of thought does not
allow a flourishing civilization. It would seem that God gave us Mind to find
our way to Him and perceive Him in His fullness. Great Civilizations are
noted for their original thinkers, and they are the most enduring. |
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