War has always been a kingmaker, teaching mankind that neither peace nor conflict can be governed by committee. [1]
The benefits of early war brought about social changes and new ideas that accelerated civilization's progress, despite the temporary setback of plunging society into savagery. [2]
The Badonan survivors of the great racial struggle in northwestern highlands of India 500,000 years ago were the most intelligent and desirable of all then living descendants of Andon and Fonta. [3] Through a tribal spirit and bellicose natures, lemurs improved their species through war and selective survival. [4]
War once taught arrogant individualists to obey a chief executive, but now society must look to peace for true leaders in industry, science, and social achievement. [5]
Early wars spread culture, but trading relations and advancing arts and sciences by the traveling trader and roving explorer were more influential in advancing historic civilization. [6] External warfare imposed tribal organization upon kinship clans, while internal stability was maintained through commerce and trade. [7] Imposed discipline, enforced co-operation is indispensable; now bankrupt, this scaffolding must be abandoned. [8]
A fierce war in past ages instituted social changes and new ideas, at a terrible price of temporarily reverted society into savagery, showing war's curative yet dangerous nature that must eventually be abandoned as civilization progresses. [9] War requires organization and woman stealing has caused conflict throughout history due to a scarcity of domestic help. [10]
Tribal struggles and rugged competition in race survival have weeded out most abnormal and defective strains, making race improvement attainable in early human evolution. [11]
The causes of war reflect the animalistic nature of evolving man, while peace symbolizes the advancement of civilization. [12] War is a result of the absence of ideals on part of national leaders, leading to poverty, divorce, and racial hatreds. [13] The early war chiefs were not fond of peace, tending to rule from one war on through to the next, ensuring that one war did not last too long. [14]
The earliest wars were fought over mineral deposits, leading to the formation of formal tribal treaties for peaceful interactions at these valuable spots. [15] Early administrations only changed by civil war, proving that the weak had become strong. [16] War for gain or glory is one of the institutions of survival within society, fostered by fear, ignorance, and superstition. [17]
The necessity for producing large numbers of mortals for social and moral development can lead to the serious problem of overpopulation, which can be prevented through optimum stabilization of national population to enhance culture and prevent war. [18]
Man's evolutionary background as fighting animals explains why war persists, as primitive beings are inherently prone to irritate and offend each other, prompting an animalistic reaction to conflicts. [19] Secularism's militant denial of God leads to unrest, animosity, unhappiness, and war. [20] The Spirit of Truth unifies mankind by lessening self-assertiveness and preventing destructive wars. [21]
The illusion of unlimited national sovereignty perpetuates the never-ending cycle of war on Urantia, as true lasting peace can only come from the surrender of sovereign powers to the brotherhood of mankind. [22]
Man will never accept peace as a normal mode of living until he realizes peace is best for his material welfare and peaceful substitutes exist for the gratification of self-preservation reactions. [23]
War is the natural state of evolving man, as evidenced by the tendency for uncultured people to irritate and offend each other, leading to violence and hostility among separate races. [24] Society breaks down into war and bloodshed without help from superhuman sources. [25]
The great handicap confronting Urantia in attaining its high planetary destiny of light and life encompasses disease, degeneracy, war, multicolored races, and multilingualism. [26] Early military conquests led to the establishment of slavery as a feature of society, creating a division between the free and the enslaved. [27] Religion, when prostituted into military propaganda during war, risks distortion and perversion away from true goals. [28]
More humans were killed during the first third of the twentieth century than in all of Christian history up to that point, a dire consequence of the complete secularization of society. [29] The dire harvest of materialism and secularism has brought about more terrible destruction, with even worse to come. [30] Wars will become almost racially suicidal unless mankind establishes a government of peace and fosters world-wide goodwill. [31] In the midst of great wars, Jesus emerged as the victor, teaching to overcome evil with love and forgiveness, where all participants met with defeat. [32]
Primitive religions all sanctioned war, but one of the great peace moves of the ages has been the attempt to separate church and state. [33] War is disreputable on normal worlds. [34]
Prince's staff labored to regulate and humanize warfare, just as Tut and his associates promoted peaceful group associations to improve tribal governments and intertribal relations. [35] Enslavement was seen as a merciful advancement over earlier practices of torture, sacrifice, and cannibalism of war captives. [36] International adjudication should replace the barbarous arbitrament of war for the benefit of planetary survival. [37] Chinese statehood development was delayed by lack of war, contrasted with the red man's suffering from too much warfare. [38] The dawn mammals were exterminated by the mid-mammals in a relentless war, leaving not a single survivor of the pre-existent race. [39] Military mercy has historically been slow to arrive, as seen in the ruthless actions of Deborah's general in ancient times. [40] Competition, while essential for social progress, must be regulated to prevent the violence that remains unoutlawed by mankind as a whole. [41] In a world where war is a thing of the past, government and laws are fading as self-control and morality rise. [42]
The practice of declaring war represented progress, leading to the development of rules of warfare based on fairness, including avoiding fighting near religious sites and on holy days, and granting protection to political fugitives. [43]
The main continental nation of a nearby inhabited planet prioritizes defense over offense, utilizing a strict borrowing policy and a powerful National Council of Defense for war funding and resources. [44] Competition, slowly displacing war, determines individual's industry role and industry survival in current society. [45] Society must provide peaceful substitutes for the periodic drive for collective liberation in order for man to accept peace as a normal way of life. [46] International trade organizations will do more for promoting peace on Urantia than sentimental visions of peace planning. [47]