Several secular authors of the twentieth century became alarmed at the direction the United States of America was heading. Although they contributed no spiritual insight, they foresaw a path of choices and directives that would bring the West to the precipice of destruction. As secularists, they had insight into the final overthrow of personal freedoms and liberties that would bring a sad end to the Western world.
George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-four
In June of 1949, the English novelist George Orwell published his ninth and final book. It was simply called Nineteen Eighty-four. Although Orwell was a socialist, he feared that through the newly formed United Nations a totalitarian government would arise and destroy the freedoms and liberties known at his time.
Orwell’s novel presents a fictional totalitarian government ruling a portion of the world. The all-controlling government of Oceania is led by Big Brother; Big Brother is presented to society as the savior of humanity from all harm and danger. While the people of Oceania have been brainwashed to believe in Big Brother, twenty-four-hour control is maintained upon the population. Two-way monitors are installed on every street and in every room of their houses. These cameras observe every action, hear every word, and even seek to discern attitudes from facial countenances. No word can be said against Big Brother; even contradictory thoughts are punishable by death if found guilty of what Orwell coined thoughtcrime.
Several times a day in Oceania, no matter where a person is, a Two Minutes Hate routine is practiced. Big Brother projects onto monitors the images of various enemies of the state. For two minutes the people shout their hatred against these enemies and their countries. Continued propaganda helps control the people’s thoughts and emotions. All news is provided and interpreted by this superstate twenty-four hours a day. At the end of the Two Minutes Hate, they conclude by expressing verbal and emotional love and adoration for their supreme party leader Big Brother.
Despite such absolute control, Oceania is a war-torn country; all its cities are dilapidated and basically in ruins. Nevertheless, the minds of the people have been convinced by Big Brother that the buildings are beautiful. Their concepts of wretchedness and beauty have been reversed through mass manipulation of thought. People are starving; food is scarce. Yet, the government has convinced them that they have much; this deception they view as the norm of life. Amidst all its filth and wretchedness, constant surveillance and propaganda are maintained.
The novel advocates the end of families; only certain couples are appointed for procreation. No love is to be expressed by husbands, wives, or even children. Children are often asked to spy upon parental adults and report to the government.
Truth no longer exists in Oceania. The government party controls every source of information, managing and rewriting the content of every newspaper. Oceania’s history is blatantly reinterpreted and altered into new facts for the ruling party’s purposes. The language of Oceania is called Newspeak, which restructures thought and limits the ideas people are capable of formulating in their thinking. And most certainly there is no more humanity. Everything that was part of humanity is stripped from everyone. All the clothing and hairstyles are unisex; beauty and adornment are eradicated. Conversations can never be personal or individual; all speaking must promote Big Brother. For any unruly citizen, Big Brother does not hesitate to use torture unto submission, often destroying the brain and creating a zombie-like citizen totally passive to all of life.
A Glimmer of Hope
But amidst the dark oppressiveness of this government, Orwell placed within the novel a glimmer of hope. A group of people called Proles were the working class. They lived in their own filthy, impoverished district of Oceania. However, these people were not shackled by telescreens and monitors, nor by the language of Newspeak (they could speak Oldspeak). They were a remnant of people that had the precious gift of freedom. All the people who belonged to the supreme party of Big Brother were told that the Proles were animals. But the Proles lived more like real humans of the past. They married for love; they worked for their family, which brought a preciousness to the home; they sought pleasure in recreation. These people held the key to the past because nothing could change their so-called unintelligent, stubborn minds. They also held a key to the future because nothing could erase their primitive human nature. But to the rest of the country who had given their allegiance to Big Brother, there was the constant bombardment of information from the supreme party. While the Proles represented individualism, the rest of Oceania embraced a government-controlled collectivism.
Orwell’s View of a Coming Society
George Orwell wrote his novel to warn the Western world of the powers of totalitarianism’s hunger for absolute control. He believed a full concept of surveillance was inevitable for the West. In 1940, Orwell stated, “Almost certainly we are moving into an age of totalitarian dictatorships.” He believed two characteristics were already marking Western civilization in his day: Collectivism and Hedonism.
Collectivism is a set of ideologies in which the goals of a certain collective (such as a state, a nation, or a society) are given precedence over the goals of individuals. Socialism, communism, fascism, and nationalism to him were all part of collectivism. Orwell believed collectivism necessitated a total control over society. Yet, Orwell himself was a socialist, believing that capitalism was too inadequate to portray all the perspective views of humanity:
It is not certain that socialism is in all ways superior to capitalism, but it is certain that, unlike capitalism, it can solve the problems of production and consumption.
Orwell believed the gap between the rich and the poor would inevitably be destroyed as collectivism became entrenched in the Western world. When asked what type of collectivism would arise, Orwell responded, “The real question is whether capitalism, now obviously doomed, is to give way to oligarchy [totalitarianism] or to true democracy [democratic socialism].” Orwell had hoped that democratic socialism would take over the West, nationalizing all industries and abolishing the extremes of rich and poor. This would result in all citizens possessing a common status of living and class. Orwell’s socialism did include freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, which he hoped could be retained. But the problem he grappled with (as well as other socialists of his day) was the absence of any examples in the past or present that had existed in such perfection. Each example (Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union) had quickly moved to totalitarianism. They had become an oligarchic collectivism, and not a true democratic socialism.
Oligarchic collectivism is the belief that an elite few have the absolute control over society to bring about a collective set of beliefs. They use force and deception to gain power and then crush everything that opposes them. Once in power, they crush not only economic benefits for the people but also their civil rights; both, Orwell believed, should be a liberty of the people. Orwell feared that though there was a needed death of capitalism, its death would give rise to an oligarchic collectivism in Western civilization, all because of the West’s pursuit of hedonism.
Hedonism is an ethical position that the goal of living should be the maximization of pleasure and the minimization of pain and discomfort. Orwell sadly viewed the profound growth of hedonism in Western society. He believed that this weakens people and makes them incapable of mounting a reaction against those who would try to rule over them.
While the West has become more hedonistic since Orwell’s death in 1950, it has not led to totalitarian dictatorship taking control. At least this seems to be true up to the time of this new coronavirus.
Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World
Another warning of totalitarianism arises in Aldous Huxley’s novel Brave New World written in 1931 and published the following year. This work was greatly influenced by both past and current events in England and around the world at that time. It is notable that Huxley wrote his novel between World War I and World War II, at the rising of technological optimism in Western civilization.
Works such as Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-four are called dystopian novels. Dystopian novels present an imagined state or society where there is great suffering and injustice. It is interesting to note that Huxley borrowed some of his plot as well as the title from Shakespeare’s play The Tempest. The phrase “brave new world” is taken from Miranda’s speech (Act V, Scene I):
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, that has such people in’t.
Huxley was additionally influenced by H. G. Wells, who wrote several utopian novels including A Modern Utopia (1905) and Men Like Gods (1923).
Huxley’s Brave New World is set in the “World State city of London…where citizens are engineered through artificial wombs and childhood indoctrination programs into predetermined classes based on intelligence and labour.” To keep the population peaceful, they constantly consume a soothing, happiness-producing drug called soma. Huxley imagined a genetically engineered future where life is pain-free, but meaningless. We should note, George Orwell’s novel was influenced by Huxley’s novel. We do not recommend the youth to read Huxley’s novel because of its descriptive rawness of evil and sin; such descriptions caused the work to be censored in many countries (Ireland, Australia, and India) when it was first published.
The unique setting of Brave New World is a futuristic world state, where its citizens are “environmentally engineered into an intelligence-based social hierarchy.” As in certain aspects of Nineteen Eighty-four, Huxley’s novel anticipates (as a science fiction work) tremendous scientific advancements in classical conditioning, reproductive technology, and psychological manipulation over global humanity. In the story, only one individual seems to see what has happened to the technologically advanced world.
Contrast Between Huxley and Orwell
Perhaps Huxley may have had a greater grasp of the way the 20th and 21st centuries would freely lay hold of totalitarianism. Huxley, like Orwell, was an anti-hedonist (denying that pleasure or happiness is the highest good, or the proper end of all action). However, Huxley viewed hedonism differently than Orwell. Huxley believed that hedonism could be used as a tool to strongly oppress human society. He believed that people are willing to forego freedom for “sensory pleasure and endless consumption.” If a society could be structured to give more time to pleasures, gratifying human desires with materialism, drugging themselves from the harshness of reality, then persuasion and conditioning could control society rather than painful physical coercion (Orwell’s belief). Hedonism was sufficient incentive to gain extreme control over the people.
Note the contrasts between Orwell and Huxley’s approach: Orwell feared such a society would ban all books; Huxley believed none would want to read. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed; Huxley feared the truth would drown in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared a captive culture; Huxley feared a trivial culture. In Nineteen Eighty-four, people are controlled by the infliction of pain upon them. In Brave New World, society is controlled by the political powers promoting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we dread in the realm of pain and suffering would ruin us. Huxley feared that what we desire would ruin us.
The West it seems has been taken completely by what Huxley feared. As the proverbial frog that could be boiled to death by raising the water’s temperature slowly, the West’s intense desire for more and more pleasures and conveniences has conditioned us to give up our freedoms and liberties with little resistance. Recent years have proved again that the West has accepted greater and greater intrusion into its freedoms for the sake of these conveniences and pleasures. Up to this time, Orwell’s control of a society by the infliction of pain has been proved unnecessary. But such control is inevitable.
Though Huxley’s view of the West seems more viable at this time, we cannot ignore Orwell’s perspective altogether. Orwell knew Huxley’s position and did not deny that the hedonism Huxley feared was a possibility. Orwell believed that Huxley’s hedonism would be temporary, leading to a time when totalitarian brute force finally controls society. This perspective will be in place by the time Antichrist comes.
The Present Powers of Destruction and Globalism
Orwell knew that totalitarianism could not be fully functional until capitalism died and collectivism was established. Capitalism has not died as quickly as he predicted. Collectivism has yet to fully form in the West. Nevertheless, the recent coronavirus crisis may be the local, national, and global crisis that has been needed to quickly implement actions that will bring into permanent play powers needed for the coming Antichrist. Almost overnight this crisis has brought us into a final transition into the powers of totalitarianism. We have never witnessed, at least in the United States, such dictatorial decisions made by immature, foolish, and irrational leaders who have risen within the ranks of the godless to become leaders of this nation that was once under God. We ask the question in wonder: How did such godless, America-hating, imbecilic individuals enter the forum of leadership in our country? They have slowly but methodically made their way up the ladder of political power to rule collectively our country.
This virus crisis has brought such evil out of the woodwork of society, boldly defying everything this “one nation under God” once believed in. We are now witnessing the progressive influence of socialism covering our nation as a thick poisonous fog, which through this crisis is making its way into our society, overthrowing our small businesses, producing massive unemployment. And now, the flow of “stimulus packages” as a swirling river of free money is coming to us from Washington, DC, through the democratic liberalism that has longed for such an hour in America. We are being forced to live under the god-like providence of the government for our very existence. And more money is promised!
We will never be able to go back to former days of living before God and faith in His providence. Our entire nation is quickly becoming a welfare nation. We have been lied to, manipulated by an invisible virus that only God knows the true and the false about. The media caused an entire nation to enter the shackling chains of fear and panic. Nearly every death certificate during these months has been forced to declare “COVID-19” as a contributing cause of death. Every other reason for death has been laid aside. Apparently, only one deadly culprit rules the land. Yet, the mass overflow of our hospital systems is nonexistent. Additional hospitals built were never really needed. All but emergency surgeries were delayed because we were told over two million would die by the invisible virus.
Out of the chaos and confusion, our country is being rebuilt to become a socialistic nation. We did not vote for this; it has been forced upon us through fear! It was a fear that was instilled falsely in us by an evil news media, evil doctors, and demonic globalists who are out to destroy the final bastion of Western civilization, the United States of America. Governors, county commissioners, and even mayors are absurdly and insanely wielding their political powers to hold absolute control over their populated precincts. We have witnessed, dear reader, totalitarianism in its ruthless, diabolical manner, and we have witnessed the ripping out of our nation’s heart and soul! We will never be the same again!
This crisis has brought to the forefront talk of how to nationalize all the major companies in every field of the economy. The previous administration in the White House encumbered the small businesses with penalties and heavy taxation, hoping to drive them out of business. The present administration lifted much of the albatross around the businesses’ necks. But this crisis will eradicate most of the small businesses in America, as the Liberals hinder money through the stimulus package for the small businesses. Oh, what will our country be after coming through this stimulated mess of lunacy brought on by the drunken madness of leading doctors, a fake news media, and corrupt politicians?
Conclusion
We still declare with full confidence that God and His providence continue to wield the highest power! God has permitted all of this, including the lies, delusions, and fears running rampant throughout our nation. God is turning our nation over to a reprobate mind and delusional thought. We are rapidly being hurled by providence into the last stage of history before the secret coming of the Lord and the open coming of the Antichrist. Preparations are being made for both comings.
One preparation is the working of the Holy Spirit within the hearts of His remnant around the world. The Rapture will be a singular moment in time when a variety of ages of men and women, boys and girls (who know the redemption of God’s Son at Calvary) will be caught alive off this planet of growing, intense hatred for God and His people. One generation of living saints will know the catching up from this evil world at the most critical hour of history, the darkest hour for God’s people (down in the valley of nuts, as Song of Solomon 6:11 describes); it will be a season of extremely complex problems with no answers. His people will simply trust in God to keep them through the unknown. We are in the sifting and shaking of professing Christians (Heb. 12:25–29) that will make all the previous testings small in comparison. And even our Lord declared that the intensity of the delusionary power of “The Lie” will be so great, that if it were possible, the very elect would be deceived (Matt. 24:24–26).
Every End-time, true ministry of God finds itself caught in the web of this confounding hour. We have the voice of the world, the voice of our national government, the voice of our state government, the voice of our local governments, speaking from secularistic, atheistic presuppositions under the guise of public safety. Their voices have been carefully fine-tuned to maintain a sense of fear. Fear of what could happen to us, and fear of what will happen to us if we do not submit to their authority. We are being told that we are as ignorant children who do not know what is best for us; therefore, we need the parental exhortations from the ones who tell us they know. We are shown pictures and images while bombarded with projected models of two million deaths. We have heard Dr. Anthony Fauci (who has not personally seen a patient in over twenty years) present so-called scientific facts to later contradict himself as the weeks unfolded. The world’s future is being placed in this man’s hands for its salvation?
Over these months we have been introduced to a new definition of the word quarantine, which is a strict isolation imposed to prevent the spread of disease. The English word comes from the Italian quarantine meaning “forty,” which comes from the Latin also meaning “forty.” Historically, a quarantine referred to a period of forty days imposed upon ships when suspected of carrying an infectious or contagious disease. It is the separation of a person or group of people reasonably believed to have been exposed to a communicable disease (but perhaps not yet symptomatic) from others who have not been exposed, to prevent the possible spread of the disease. It is the sick or the suspected who are quarantined, not the healthy!
The word isolation is used when someone or something is set apart or separated from other persons or things. We have come to a crisis hour, for some reason, in the belief that we are all to be quarantined or isolated so we will not be affected. Not only the sick but also the healthy are quarantined. Social distancing to many may seem like a small thing, since most people already live by the cell phone and computer apart from others. These live more by social networking. For a long time we have been psychologically preparing for this “social distancing.”
One of the greatest atrocities perpetrated against God’s people through these months by our state leaders under the guise of “safety” has been the attack on our worship of God! We have witnessed a prelude to how this will be addressed in the future for the sake of public health. We are being told that we must be willing to give up God and our worship with God’s people for the sake of our health and the health of others. Yes, this is where we have been brought to in our country, the United States of America. God knows we have little by little given up our liberties and freedoms “for the sake of” so many things over these years. This renewed attack on our freedoms came upon us like a tornado, and we were not ready for its power. May God grant us an understanding of these times, and to know how we as Christians ought to live.