UN-MARATHON
PRAYER FOR THE UN-MARATHON IN SEPTEMBER 2000.
Helene Bos, Serving the Nations.
August 2000

During August and September 2000 a marathon of five mayor meetings will take place in New York, initiated by or related to the UN, for which it is important that Christians (start to) pray. The UN, supported by organisations and groups that are closely related to the UN, takes the millennium-change as an occasion to push forward some goals and ideals that have been formulated by UN-bodies over the past ten years or so
The United Nations was established after WWII in the hope that through talking together, debating issues, problems between nations could be solved, instead of through war. There were ideologies behind this development with ideals that Christians cannot support, but these were in the background. When we mention "the UN"in a critical way , it is important to remember that in that institution, with numerous workers, there are still a number of workers who are sincere and with integrity, and involved in activities that can have our support.
However, through the years a defilement of that body could be noticed in such a way that we now, in general, have to read their information with suspicion, and have to be suspicious about their motivations as well. Over the last twenty five years a special language has been developed in the UN-bodies, and in other global institutions, in which a growing number of words have received a special, defined meaning. Words like sustainability, governance, civil society, democracy, reproductive rights. These words have covered up hidden agenda's, but gradually these agenda's become more exposed. Two of these agenda's were/are the pursuit of a world-religion and the development of a one-world government. The marathon of upcoming meetings will deal with the "necessity" and possibilities of such a government, although this goal will very probably be presented under the disguise of global "down-to-eatrth" problems that need to be solved.

The Marathon of five meetings.

1 The Millennium WORLD PEACE SUMMIT, starting August 28 at the UN headquarters (UNHQ). Religious leaders in Hinduism, Sikhism, Shintoism, Judaism, Taoism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Confucianism and from indigenous religions have been invited. For four days they will discuss and draft a statement of peace. The idea is to establish an "International Advisory Council of Religious and Spiritual Leaders" that in due time may become an advisory group for the UN General Secretary and the General Assembly.
It seems that one group that plays a key role in organizing the WORLD PEACE SUMMIT is a relatively new movement, called the United Religions Initiative (URI), founded in 1995 by an episcopalian bishop, W.E. Swing. Its president, the Rev. Gibbs, described this movement as "an inclusive, decentralized organization, a spiritual partner of the United Nations". He has signed a document with the title "Religious Declaration in Sexual Morality, Justice, and Healing". The declaration supports homosexual marriage, artificial conception and abortion. URI is dedicated to "promoting enduring, daily interfaith cooperation, ending religiously motivated violence, and creating cultures of peace, justice and healing for the Earth (sic!) and all living beings". (Source: Weekly news release "Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute" nrs 34-36, July 2000.)
The WORLD PEACE SUMMIT is rooted, a.o., in the World Parliament of Religions, that was meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, at the end of 1999. During that meeting, as South African intercessors.reported, the religious leaders dedicated Africa to the elements water, fire, wind and earth. In the months that followed heavy fires erupted, there were hurricanes and there was heavy flooding.

2 Overlapping with the above mentioned summit will be the PRESIDING OFFICES OF NATIONAL PARLIAMENTS. They will come together at the invitation of the UN, also at the UNHQ, and organised by the Inter- Parliamentary Union, in order to provide parliamentary support to the UN-Milennium events. The purpose of this is to improve cooperation between the UN and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

3 Next is the MILLENNIUM SUMMIT OF THE UNITED NATIONS, 6-8 September. For this gathering some 130 Heads of State, invited by the UN, are expected to come, over hundred are planning to speak. The UN believes that it will be the biggest Heads of State meeting ever held. The purpose of this summit is to discuss the Millennium Report written by Kofi Annan, "We the Peoples: The role of the United Nations in the 21st century", that deals with the future shape and operation of the United Nations. Remarkable (and strange) is that Heads of State and Government are invited by Kofi Annan to "consider signing and notifying or acceding to multilateral treaties deposited with him", "in a private area". . (re http/www.un.org . Topic: Information note to delegations on arrangements for the Millennium Summit of the UN).

4 In this same week ex-president Gorbachev has his annual "STATE OF THE WORLD FORUM". Traditionally this annual meeting takes place in October in San Francisco, but this year it will happen in September in New York. In this FORUM some 400 to 500 leaders from all corners of society are meeting, like ex-heads of state, top business and industrial leaders, media, religious and scientific leaders, to discuss the topics that are covered in the name of the Forum: the state of the world. Last year they debated a one-world government. This Forum is mentioned on the UN-website as a Summit-related event.

5 Then, on the 14th of September, starts the 55th General Assembly of the UN, this time called MILLENNIUM ASSEMBLY. To this MILLENNIUM ASSEMBLY some proposals will be presented that we should mention here.
5a One proposal will be the EARTH CHARTER. This document has been "under construction" since the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. A document from '95 published by the Earth Council states that " It is meant to be an inspiration and guide for all people, communities and countries for improving their relationships with each other, with other species sharing our fragile planet and with Earth generally". And "The common concern of humanity transcends the rights of individual States and all strictly human concerns". The main concern is sustainable development, inspired by awe for a deified "Mother Earth", also named Gaia, a Greek personification and recently a modern personification of the Queen of Heaven. Among the proponents are Gorbachev, as president of the International Green Cross, and Maurice Strong, Chairman of the Earth Council, who also was the secretary-general of the Earth Summit, who is responsible for the reorganization of the UN, and who is also involved with the World Peace Summit. The Earth Charter has been described as the "New Ten Commandments".
5b Another proposal is meant to be submitted to the MILLENNIUM ASSEMBLY is the "CHARTER '99", in which a number of Non Governmental Organisations (NGO's) call for the expansion of the mandate of the UN in order to make it a World Government. The NGO's that are submitting this Charter '99 do have a high status at the UN, some of them are entitled to place items on the UN-agenda. (www.oneworld.org ; www.charter99.org; www.vvm.com/ctomlin/a87.htm)
5c A third document to be submitted to the MILLENNIUM ASSEMBLY is the "We the Peoples: Millennium Forum Declaration and Agenda for Action"coming out of the Millennium Forum that was meeting for the first time last May. This Declaration, that recognizably was drafted by the UN secretariat, pleads for the strengthening of the UN and the extension of its mandate. This is remarkable as this Millennium Forum, 1350 representatives of over 1000 NGO's, was called together by the UN, inviting many NGO's that were established by the UN itself, In other words: when UN-established NGO's plead for extension of the UN-mandate, it is simply the UN mascarading her push for power with a show of names and documents.
The Declaration urges the MILLENNIUM (General) ASSEMBLY to consider the creation of a UN parliamentary body related to the UN General Assembly. The members should be selected through an election process, it says. (But this does not mean that they will be democraticly elected, because democracy in UN-jargon does not mean representative democracy any more, but representation through "civil society". And that means: through NGO's who are most of the times representatives of interest groups.). But does a UN-parliament not only make sense if there is a UN-government?

In a historical process of the last ten years have many nations assigned a lot of power and authority to the UN. By signing Programs of Action coming out of UN-conferences, and by ratifying the treaties that form a follow-up to these Programs of Action, many nations have, through their governments, committed themselves to recognize in the UN a sort of global overseer and ruler.

It does make sense that influential leaders meet to discuss issues that have become global in scope. Already for that reason alone we need to cover them in prayer. However, we also need to see that these meetings are influenced by ideals that Christians cannot support. A need for a wider mandate and a hunger for power are not the same. That the different meetings have a clear overlap in purpose is not a coincidence, it is the result of a clear and clever strategy designed by influential people in and around the UN. It is not a coincidence either that we can read the same names in different networks organizing these events.
When we digest the purposes of these five upcoming events and the scope of their possible future impact, it becomes clear that the Body of Christ needs to take up its responsibility to pray for those who are in authority. In the areas where our nation has delegated authority to the UN, those who lead in the UN-bodies should be covered by our prayers. Not all the people involved in the above-mentioned meetings do have authority over us. Gorbatchev and Maurice Strong do not (yet) have authority over us. The authority of Bishop Swing and the Rev. Gibbs over people is limited to their "sheep".

- An ALLIANCE with end-time characteristics.
The journalist who followed the development of URI from the start in 1995 states, that this is an effort to create a(nother) new-world religion. URI believes that one of the major stumbling blocks to their efforts is the presence of "fundamentalists". Bishop Swing very much dislikes Christian evangelization: "Proselytizing, condemning, murdering, or dominating will not be tolerated in the United Religions zone".
For quite some time already there have been interfaith services in New York. Religious oecumenism is not the same as interfaith oecumenism. The last sort is syncretism. The people who initiated those services are the same as those who are active in the Millennium WORLD PEACE SUMMIT. That this Summit is going to be held at the UN head quarters should make us alert. For years the UN has been screening religions on "sustainability", which is one of the most important values that the Earth Charter will demand us to stick to. (This term is a jargon word, with much more meaning to it than just " enduring the time"). So we see a body that has a lot of power, with global aspirations, making an alliance with a religious body, with global aspirations, that is outspoken hostile towards orthodox Christianity. This has end-time characteristics, even when we do not know exactly where we are timewise on Gods time-line. One indication of that may be that the Great Commission, Matth. 28:19, is getting closer to its fulfillment every day. We can expect that the enemy raises up barriers where he can. Whether we agree that they have end-time characteristics or not, we can agree that they look grim.

6 Last but not least: A PRAYER SUMMIT.

When the MILLENNIUM SUMMIT and the STATE OF THE WORLD FORUM meet in New York, in the beginning of September, there will also be a PRAYER SUMMIT, not far away from the UNHQ, organized by some local churches, with national and international intercessors taking part. Christians who have carry a burden to pray for the UN and UN-related issues will meet there. In the first place in order to worship the Lord for who He is, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. They feel that it is important to come together as a representation of the trans-national Body of Christ to worship and glorify Him at a time that worldly leaders glorify each other. They will confess that His is a Kingdom that is not of this world, that has started not by any human initiative, that will fill the earth and have no end. (Daniel 2)
They also will pray that the One who appoints kings and removes them according to His plan and purposes (Daniel 4) will have His way in the Summits that are called together by the UN. Among the invited Heads of State and among the delegates coming to the Millennium Assembly may well be some Christians who do have a position of power and authority. They need our prayers for wisdom, strength and protection. We need to pray that through the Christians, who may not even know one another, yet the light of Christ will shine in those meetings. (Matthew 5:13-16).

We NEED TO PRAY BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER those summits. This is WORLD HISTORY We do not need to let things come over us in a passive way. You, in your prayer closet or prayergroup, can stand with those who are in the PRAYER SUMMIT, and join your hearts. Let us so worship the King of kings, and pray that He will move in the summits. Let us together withstand the evil things that we see, and let us ask Him to fulfill His purposes in all these developments.
"Lord, let YOUR kingdom come, may YOUR will be done, on earth as it IS in heaven"