U.S. Joins Alliance of Civilizations

 

“The Alliance of Civilizations is a special project of the UN Secretary-General which seeks to counter the cultural and religious forces which can lead to extremism and polarization in society, and works to actively engage governments in support of civil society projects that help bring communities together. The Alliance has already developed a number of partnerships with US-based organizations, and the entry of the US government into the Alliance is expected to lead to greater participation by US-based academic and research institutions, NGOs, businesses, religious and media groups.”

News article: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1005/S00300.htm

Here is a quote from the website for the upcoming AoC forum in Rio:

“The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations seeks to address widening rifts between communities and societies by reaffirming a paradigm of mutual respect among peoples of different cultural and religious backgrounds and by helping to mobilize concerted action towards this end.”

Here is a pdf of the High Level Group Report. Pages 47-48 contain some goals.

Here’s the government announcement: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/05/141812.htm

Please check out Paul Latour’s analysis and commentary in the comments section.

U.S. Dept. of Peace

The campaign is on to establish a cabinet level U.S. Department of Peace. Introduced to congress by Dennis Kucinich, a U.S. Department of Peace (H.R. 808) would be dedicated to studying conditions that would promote domestic and international peace, as well as develop policies that would establish resolutions to national and international conflicts. This department would establish policy to create a “culture of peace”.

The bill calls for “peace training and education” at all levels of society, the creation of the office of Secretary of Peace, the establishment of a U.S. Peace Academy, the institution of Peace Day and the establishment of policy for the prevention of conflict. The goal would be to prevent violence and conflict in all forms. Those who support this legislation state that violence occurs in forms other than physical; therefore this department would establish policy (“solutions”) that would prevent “verbal and emotional violence “ as well.

God’s Word tells us that the reason for conflict, violence and evil in the world is sin and rebellion against God. We know that the only solution is the Prince of Peace, God’s Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. The real peace issue is whether a person has the forgiveness of sins (justification) that Christ provides to those who trust in Him. Real peace is the peace that is established between guilty sinners and a holy God, through the mediation and intercession of Jesus Christ, by the covenant in His blood, through faith.

What does a U.S. Department of Peace mean for us? If you read the bill, you will notice that the language suggests the probability of establishing laws or policies that would make the teaching, preaching and telling of the Gospel, illegal (thus “preventing religious conflict”). The Gospel brings peace for those who believe, and conflict for those who reject it. For those who are promoting the one world religion, the goal is to silence the message that Jesus promised would cause conflict (Matt.10:34), all for the goal of “world peace” and global spiritual unity.

We know what our response to such legislation must be. By God’s grace, and by His Spirit, we must obey God rather than men and continue to be witnesses of the Gospel with boldness, humility, and compassion for the lost, declaring Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom.5:1

Convictions Out, Global Faith In

Of all the signs of the times we are seeing, and there are many, the one that most interests me is the development of a global new spirituality, or “one faith for all”.

In Tony Blair’s first major speech on religion as the head of his new Blair Faith Foundation, Blair states that religion must be rescued from religious extremism. He suggests that faith should not be reduced to a set of ‘strange convictions’, but must address the necessities of ordinary life. He desires to ‘awaken the world’s conscience’ to the world’s social/physical problems and has set the Millennium Development Goals as a priority. He also says his foundation will bring together different faith organizations to foster understanding, and harness “people of faith” as a force for good in the world. Paul Woolley who welcomed Blair’s speech made this comment:

“The theory of secularization has been widely discredited,” he said. “The reality is that religious faith will play an increasingly significant role in society and not simply due to radical Islam.

“The return of civil society, the emerging political interest in well-being and the growth of identity politics all point towards a greater role for God in the public square.

“Mr Blair recognizes this and is to be congratulated on establishing his new Faith Foundation.”

Atheism is not the enemy’s plan for the world, but religious “faith”: a re-ordered, diapraxed, redefined, synthesized, antichrist global spirituality which serves the world system and the god of this world. But the truth of Jesus Christ and the gospel will not be involved, nor tolerated.

Article link: Religion must be saved from extremism, says Blair, at www.Christiantoday.com

Related posts:

One Faith for All, pt.3

Change Agents in Your Church?

Right Before Our Very Eyes

Unity in the One World Religion

Here is a chart from the July-Sep.2007 issue of Proclaiming the Gospel newsletter, titled Common Bonds for Unity, and excerpts from the article, The Remarkable Formation of the One World Religion, by Mike Gendron.

The True Church

♦ Receives divine revelation from Scripture alone (2 Peter 1:20)

♦ Is called by God their Father, saved by Jesus Christ and sealed and sanctified by the Holy Spirit (Col. 1:9; Eph. 2:8; 1 Cor. 1:3)

♦ Is saved by God’s grace for good works (Eph. 2:8-10)

♦ Is intolerant, believing there is only one way to God (John 14:6)

♦ Is baptized by the Holy Spirit into one body (1 Cor. 12:13)

♦ Is alive in Christ and abides in His word (Rom. 6:11; John 8:31-32)

♦ Contends for the apostles’ faith (Jude 3)

♦ Is the Bride of Christ, united in love for the Savior (Rev. 19:7; Jn 13:35)

♦ Will worship and serve the true Christ when He appears in glory(Titus 2:13-15)

♦ Will rejoice in God’s peace (Rev. 21:4)

The World Religion

♦ Receives “divine” revelation from demonic sources (1 Tim. 4:1-4)

♦ Is blinded by their father the devil, deceived by false Christs and bonded by another spirit (2 Cor. 4:4; John 8:44; Rev. 9:20)

♦ Teach they are saved by works, but their works deny God (Titus 1:16)

♦ Is tolerant, believing there are many ways to God

♦ Is ensnared by another Spirit to do his will (2 Tim. 2:24-26)

♦ Is spiritually dead and abides in the world (1 John 2:16)

♦ Seeks common truth among all faiths.

♦ Is the harlot of anti-Christ, united in hatred for the saints (Rev. 17:6)

♦ Will worship and serve a false Christ when he appears in deceit (Rev. 13.12)

♦ Will weep in an eternal fire (Mat. 13:42)

What Are Christians To Do? Christians must not tolerate anyone who willfully misrepresents the character or attributes of almighty God or His Gospel. A sound and loving rebuke, using scripture, is necessary to earnestly contend for the faith (Jude 3). To remain silent shows, either an indifference toward the Lord Jesus, or a greater loyalty to another person or institution.

We are commanded to separate from those who persist in false teaching (Rom.16:17; Titus 3:10). For some, this may mean finding another church. For others, it may mean withholding support from ministries that continue to compromise the Gospel. The apostles warned us that if we do not separate from false teachers we could either be disqualified for service, become identified with them and their error, or risk being partakers of their fate (2 Tim. 2:20; 2 John 10-11; Jude 11-13). May God help us all to stand firm and not be carried away by every wind of doctrine!