Awake! Sept. 8, 1991

[Jeshurun]

I don't know how it is I never saw this, but here's an article from the September 8th, 1991 Awake! magazine that blatantly promotes the UN and never once mentions Jehovah's Kingdom! Just as they were signing on as an NGO!


<div align="center">The United Nations—A Better Way?</div>
<div align="left">THE preamble to the United Nations Charter expresses these noble aims: "We the peoples of the United Nations determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, . . . and [desiring] to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, . . . have resolved to combine our efforts to accomplish these aims."</div>
<div align="left">Did the UN "accomplish these aims"? Did it get the nations to unite their strength and maintain peace and security? No, not so far, although the UN has sincerely tried to be a significantly better way than the League of Nations. However, the generation that saw its establishment in 1945 has since been scourged by wars, revolutions, invasions, coups, and aggression in many parts of the earth. And this violence involved many of the nations that had resolved to "maintain international peace and security."</div>
<div align="center">Not the Better Way Yet</div>
<div align="left">Critics who decry the failure of the United Nations to prevent these woes, though, may be forgetting an important fact—the strength of an organization depends on the power its charter gives it and on the commitment of its constituents to carry out their obligations under said charter. First of all, the United Nations Charter does not set up the UN as a world government with supreme power over all its member nations.</div>
<div align="left">Article 2(7) decrees: "Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state." UNCIO (United Nations Conference on International Organization), which met in San Francisco from April 25 to June 26, 1945, to finalize the charter, deemed it necessary "to make sure that the United Nations under prevalent world conditions should not go beyond acceptable limits or exceed due limitations."</div>
<div align="left">Did you notice that qualifying phrase, "under prevalent world conditions"? If these were to change, UNCIO claimed that this ruling could be developed "as the state of the world, the public opinion of the world, and the factual interdependence of the world makes it necessary and appropriate."</div>
<div align="left">The chartered purpose of the United Nations to maintain "international peace and security" expresses a desirable goal for mankind. The world would indeed be far more secure if the nations obeyed Article 2(4) of the UN Charter: "All Members shall refrain . . . from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state." But self-interest of member nations has repeatedly hamstrung the efforts of the UN toward achieving its purpose. Rather than living up to their UN commitment to "settle their international disputes by peaceful means," nations or whole blocs of nations have often resorted to war, claiming that the &#39;matter was essentially within their domestic jurisdiction.&#39;—Article 2(3,7).</div>
<div align="left">Not only have nations ignored UN peace procedures but they have flouted and openly defied its rulings for settling conflicts. And their statesmen have frequently mounted the UN rostrum and delivered long speeches trying to justify their acts of aggression. This skirting of rules that were enacted to maintain peace has all too often paralyzed the UN at critical times and has severely damaged its credibility. UN officials who sit through such sessions are often frustrated. In the end, such talk usually proves to be mere sophistry that attempts to minimize or justify the violence and bloodshed taking place. No wonder UN Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar said that the UN "was regarded in some circles as a tower of Babel and at best a venue for often fruitless diplomatic parleys."</div>
<div align="left">There is another reason why the UN has had difficulty proving itself to be that better way. When it began functioning on October 24, 1945, "no coherent strategy of peace was put in place," observed Pérez de Cuéllar. Without this, how could the United Nations become the viable force for securing world peace that it was intended to be?</div>
<div align="center">What Kind of Peace Could It Achieve?</div>
<div align="left">Pérez de Cuéllar answers: "Peace will not bring the cessation of all conflict. It will only make conflicts manageable through means other than force or intimidation. . . . The United Nations seeks to train our vision towards that end." So the only peace that the UN can achieve is control of violence.</div>
<div align="left">Is this really peace with security? True, "membership in the United Nations is open to all . . . peace-loving states." (Article 4(1)) But will a nation that is peace-loving when it joins the UN stay that way? Governments change, and new rulers bring in new policies. What if a member turns radical, with extreme nationalistic aims and covetous territorial ambitions? And what if it begins arming itself with nuclear and chemical weapons? The United Nations would now have a ticking time bomb on its hands. Yet, as recent events in the Middle East show, such a turn of events may be the very thing to move the nations to empower the UN to remove this threat to their security.</div>
<div align="center">Can the Nations Make It a Better Way?</div>
<div align="left">As never before, the nations are becoming increasingly aware of what UNCIO called "the factual interdependence of the world." No state can live unto itself anymore. The nations are all members of one international community. All are contending with a series of common problems: the devastating effects of ecological pollution, poverty, debilitating diseases, illicit drug trade on every continent, terrorism, sophisticated nuclear weapons in the arsenals of a growing list of nations. These factors are forcing the nations either to seek peace and security through the auspices of the United Nations or to commit global suicide.</div>
<div align="left">Former Soviet foreign minister Shevardnadze observed: "The United Nations can function effectively if it has a mandate from its members, if states agree on a voluntary and temporary basis to delegate to it a portion of their sovereign rights and to entrust it with performing certain tasks in the interests of the majority." He added: "Only in this way can we make the period of peace lasting and irreversible."</div>
<div align="left">If this could be done, then the UN&#39;s voice of jurisdiction could authoritatively denounce any nation threatening the peace of the world. With real power at its disposal, it could suppress such aggressors forcefully and swiftly. But will UN member nations ever give it this mandate, &#39;making available their armed forces, assistance and facilities&#39; to secure peace? (Article 43(1)) They might—if a crisis threatened to undermine the very foundation upon which their respective national sovereignties rest. If the nations see that &#39;uniting their strength to maintain international peace and security&#39; under UN auspices could remove such threats, this might increase their respect for it.</div>
<div align="left">Perhaps you are wondering, &#39;Was the UN&#39;s role in the Persian Gulf crisis a start in this direction?&#39; It could be. Many nations were confronted with the possible calamitous collapse of their economies. And if their interwoven economies crashed, so would the entire world&#39;s. So the nations rallied together under the United Nations. The Security Council passed a series of UN resolutions to end the crisis peacefully, and when this failed, it backed a UN resolution on the use of force in the Gulf.</div>
<div align="left">U.S. Secretary of State James Baker, in calling for this resolution, said: "History has now given us another chance. With the cold war behind us, we now have the chance to build a world which was envisioned by the founders of . . . the United Nations. We have the chance to make this Security Council and this United Nations true instruments for peace and for justice across the globe. . . . We must fulfill our common vision of a peaceful and just post-cold-war world." And he observed concerning their debate about the use of force in the Gulf: "[It] will, I think, rank as one of the most important in the history of the United Nations. It will surely do much to determine the future of this body."</div>
Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses firmly believe that the United Nations is going to play a major role in world events in the very near future. No doubt these developments will be very exciting. And the results will have a far-reaching impact on your life. We urge you to ask Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses in your neighborhood for more details on this matter. The Bible clearly paints a picture showing that the United Nations will very shortly be given power and authority. The UN will then do some very astonishing things that may well amaze you. And you will be thrilled to learn that there is yet a better way near at hand that will surely bring eternal peace and security!

[watchman]

That particular Awake was undoubtedly written in order that the Society could submit it along with their original NGO application as a sample of how they supported the goals of the UN&#39;S Department of Public Information (DPI) by using their resources to dissiminate positive information about the UN. I commented on that article in the book, Jehovah Himself Has Become King, a chapter of which was published as a web page on e-watchman. http://e-watchman.com/essays/watchtower-un...ows-part-6.html (http://e-watchman.com/essays/watchtower-united-nations-strange-bedfellows-part-6.html)

[Jeshurun]

It makes me wonder if the brothers and sisters even read the Awake magazine. That article might as well have come from a Lucis Trust publication. How it didn&#39;t set off an uproar back then is mind-boggling.

[Kenneth]

I remember reading an article in 1998 I had no idea what they were doing at the time, in fact most don&#39;t know to this day.

The UN has a link to the article "Long Job Finished" I&#39;m sure this article was on the society&#39;s web site at one point. Now the link (http://www.unhchr.ch/udhr/materials/articles.htm)
takes you straight to the society&#39;s site and not the article its self.

Was it on their site does anyone remember?

[stayawake]

There was a post on the board about a year ago giving the dates and page of the total 66 Awakes that were used to keep the WT a NGO member for the ten years.
Does any one have it?
It would be deeply appreciated.
love stayawake

[DoubtingThomas]

Hey Lou ... Am I missing something here? I remember reading this article and placing this magazine when it came out in 1991. I believed then, and still believe now that this is a piece of fair and unbiased and accurate journalism on the part of Awake! magazine. Of course I now believe that this article was indeed submitted by the WTBTS as part of the UN NGO requirement it had to meet. But I still do not see anything in this article that is in conflict with our faith and current beliefs as Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses. In fact, the final paragraph of the article brings out our current beliefs as discussed here in this forum and in the e-watchmans essays that the UN will shortly be given power and authority. I read this article twice. I am a slow learner, but if I am missing something that conflicts with our current beliefs as Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses please point this out to me.

[Jeshurun]

Hey Lou ... Am I missing something here? I remember reading this article and placing this magazine when it came out in 1991. I believed then, and still believe now that this is a piece of fair and unbiased and accurate journalism on the part of Awake! magazine. Of course I now believe that this article was indeed submitted by the WTBTS as part of the UN NGO requirement it had to meet. But I still do not see anything in this article that is in conflict with our faith and current beliefs as Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses. In fact, the final paragraph of the article brings out our current beliefs as discussed here in this forum and in the e-watchmans essays that the UN will shortly be given power and authority. I read this article twice. I am a slow learner, but if I am missing something that conflicts with our current beliefs as Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses please point this out to me.[/b]

I was inactive and away from the truth from 1980 to 1995, and even then I will confess that I only read the Watchtower. No, there&#39;s nothing here that conflicts with our present beliefs, that wasn&#39;t the point. But the use of the words "exciting", "amazing" and "astonishing" are a little misleading, don&#39;t you think? If I were a householder, I would have no clue that this New World Order was going to try to force me to renounce my beliefs by the edge of a sword, or death by slow starvation because I would not sign up for their new monetary system by way of allegiance.

If the Watchtower knows this much, which I didn&#39;t think they did, then they also know what this New World Order is going to do to mankind before it "goes off into destruction". Is that what they mean by "exciting"?

This article is clearly setting a trap for Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses. Surely the brothers and sisters are being prepared for the Great Tribulation, but they are also being set up to be expecting to be "delivered" at Armageddon. When World War III comes to a close, won&#39;t they be truly baffled when Armageddon does not ensue? What happens next? The New World Order takes over. What will the Governing Body do then? From the looks of this article, I would guess the answer isn&#39;t good. If they were leading the fold correctly in the first place, they would all know that there would only be 42 months to endure. Since they&#39;ve massacred almost all of the prophecies, the friends won&#39;t have a clue to what&#39;s going on unless they have secretly been "thinking independently".

That&#39;s where you and I and all the rest of us come in, DT. The future preaching work is primarily to be a witness to God&#39;s people who have been grossly misled by the Watchtower.

[DoubtingThomas]

<div class='quotemain'>Hey Lou ... Am I missing something here? I remember reading this article and placing this magazine when it came out in 1991. I believed then, and still believe now that this is a piece of fair and unbiased and accurate journalism on the part of Awake! magazine. Of course I now believe that this article was indeed submitted by the WTBTS as part of the UN NGO requirement it had to meet. But I still do not see anything in this article that is in conflict with our faith and current beliefs as Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses. In fact, the final paragraph of the article brings out our current beliefs as discussed here in this forum and in the e-watchmans essays that the UN will shortly be given power and authority. I read this article twice. I am a slow learner, but if I am missing something that conflicts with our current beliefs as Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses please point this out to me.[/b]

I was inactive and away from the truth from 1980 to 1995, and even then I will confess that I only read the Watchtower. No, there&#39;s nothing here that conflicts with our present beliefs, that wasn&#39;t the point. But the use of the words "exciting", "amazing" and "astonishing" are a little misleading, don&#39;t you think? If I were a householder, I would have no clue that this New World Order was going to try to force me to renounce my beliefs by the edge of a sword, or death by slow starvation because I would not sign up for their new monetary system by way of allegiance.

If the Watchtower knows this much, which I didn&#39;t think they did, then they also know what this New World Order is going to do to mankind before it "goes off into destruction". Is that what they mean by "exciting"?

This article is clearly setting a trap for Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses. Surely the brothers and sisters are being prepared for the Great Tribulation, but they are also being set up to be expecting to be "delivered" at Armageddon. When World War III comes to a close, won&#39;t they be truly baffled when Armageddon does not ensue? What happens next? The New World Order takes over. What will the Governing Body do then? From the looks of this article, I would guess the answer isn&#39;t good. If they were leading the fold correctly in the first place, they would all know that there would only be 42 months to endure. Since they&#39;ve massacred almost all of the prophecies, the friends won&#39;t have a clue to what&#39;s going on unless they have secretly been "thinking independently".

That&#39;s where you and I and all the rest of us come in, DT. The future preaching work is primarily to be a witness to God&#39;s people who have been grossly misled by the Watchtower.
[/b][/quote]

Thanks for clarifying that for me Lou. And I am in full agreement with evrything you said. Ditto here!

[biblereader]

I don&#39;t know how it is I never saw this, but here&#39;s an article from the September 8th, 1991 Awake! magazine that blatantly promotes the UN and never once mentions Jehovah&#39;s Kingdom! Just as they were signing on as an NGO!


The Bible clearly paints a picture showing that the United Nations will very shortly be given power and authority. The UN will then do some very astonishing things that may well amaze you. And you will be thrilled to learn that there is yet a better way near at hand that will surely bring eternal peace and security!

</span>[/b]

There is nothing here that compramises our faith, and I put in bold some areas that call into question the UN&#39;s ability to bring peace.

As another poster said it is a fair piece of jornalisium.

Later Bruce

[Peter]

Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses firmly believe that the United Nations is going to play a major role in world events in the very near future.[/b]

The above has a double meaning, it could mean the UN will play a large role in world peace or become the last and eight King; it depends on ones point of view and understanding of its writer.

meet DPI criteria,</span></span> to inform a wider audience of its activities.</span></span></span>

[biblereader]

Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses firmly believe that the United Nations is going to play a major role in world events in the very near future.[/b]

The above has a double meaning, it could mean the UN will play a large role in world peace or become the last and eight King; it depends on ones point of view and understanding of its writer.

meet DPI criteria,</span></span> to inform a wider audience of its activities.</span></span></span>
[/b]

WT has always done a fair report on the UN sometime very hard hitting and some times as above as an information peice, and has always pointed to the UN as becomeing the 8th king, and not able to bring any real peace, so most regular readers would get the same.

But I see your point that some new readers may not get an accurate picture.

Later Bruce

[Sketch]

WT has always done a fair report on the UN sometime very hard hitting and some times as above as an information peice, and has always pointed to the UN as becomeing the 8th king, and not able to bring any real peace....[/b]

I may be missing something here.... what hard hitting condemnation the WTS done on the UN in the recent past? say since the NGO issue? Thats been what? 17 years?

[James]

<div class='quotemain'>WT has always done a fair report on the UN sometime very hard hitting and some times as above as an information peice, and has always pointed to the UN as becomeing the 8th king, and not able to bring any real peace....[/b]

I may be missing something here.... what hard hitting condemnation the WTS done on the UN in the recent past? say since the NGO issue? Thats been what? 17 years?
[/b][/quote]


I dunno Sketch,

Isn&#39;t this rather scathing of the U.N.? lol Talks about &#39;crazed&#39; members of the U.N.

*** w97 5/1 pp. 15-18 No Peace for the False Messengers! ***

The UN as a Peacemaker?

9 Could not the United Nations become a true messenger of peace? After all, the preamble to its charter, put forward in June 1945, just 41 days before the atom bomb devastated Hiroshima, stated its purpose: “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” The 50 prospective members of the United Nations were “to unite [their] strength to maintain international peace and security.” Today the UN has 185 member nations, all supposedly dedicated to the same cause.

10 Over the years, the UN has been loudly acclaimed, especially by religious leaders. On April 11, 1963, Pope John XXIII signed his encyclical entitled “Pacem in Terris” (Peace on Earth) in which he stated: “It is our earnest wish that the United Nations organization—in its structure and in its means—may become ever more equal to the magnitude and nobility of its tasks.” Later, in June 1965, religious leaders, said to represent one half of the world’s population, celebrated in San Francisco the 20th birthday of the UN. Also in 1965, Pope Paul VI on a visit to the UN described it as “the last hope of concord and peace.” In 1986, Pope John Paul II cooperated in promoting the UN International Year of Peace.

11 Again, during his visit in October 1995, the pope declared: “Today we are celebrating the Good News of God’s Kingdom.” But is he actually God’s messenger of Kingdom good news? Speaking of world problems, he went on to say: “As we face these enormous challenges, how can we fail to acknowledge the role of the United Nations Organization?” The UN, rather than God’s Kingdom, is the pope’s choice.

Reasons for ‘Weeping Bitterly’

12 The celebration of the 50th anniversary of the UN failed to reveal any real prospect of “peace on earth.” One reason was indicated by a writer in The Toronto Star of Canada, who wrote: “The U.N. is a toothless lion, which roars when confronted by human savagery, but has to wait for its members to pop in its dentures before it can bite.” Too often that bite has been too little too late. The messengers of peace in the present world system, and especially those in Christendom, have been echoing the words of Jeremiah 6:14: “They try to heal the breakdown of my people lightly, saying, ‘There is peace! There is peace!’ when there is no peace.”

13 Successive secretaries-general of the UN have worked hard, and no doubt sincerely, to make the UN succeed. But the constant wrangling between the multipurposed 185 members about how to contain warfare, frame policy, and handle financing has stymied prospects of success. In his annual report for 1995, the then secretary-general wrote of the receding “spectre of global nuclear cataclysm” as opening the way for “nations to work together towards economic and social progress for the whole of humankind.” But he added: “Sadly, the record of world affairs over the past few years has largely belied those optimistic expectations.” Truly, the would-be messengers of peace are ‘weeping bitterly.’

14 A headline in The Orange County Register of California read: “The U.N. Is Financially, Morally Bankrupt.” The article stated that between 1945 and 1990, there were over 80 wars, claiming more than 30 million lives. It quoted a writer for the October 1995 issue of Reader’s Digest who “describes U.N. military operations as distinguished by ‘incompetent commanders, undisciplined soldiers, alliances with aggressors, failure to prevent atrocities and at times even contributing to the horror.’ Moreover, ‘the level of waste, fraud, and abuse is overwhelming.’” In a section entitled “The U.N. at 50,” The New York Times carried the headline “Mismanagement and Waste Erode U.N.’s Best Intentions.” The Times of London, England, headed an article with the words “Frail at Fifty—The UN needs a fitness programme to get back into shape.” Factually, it is as we read at Jeremiah chapter 8, verse 15: “There was a hoping for peace, but no good came; for a time of healing, but, look! terror!” And the threat of a nuclear holocaust still hangs over mankind. Clearly, the UN is not the messenger of peace that mankind needs.

15 What will be the outcome of all of this? Jehovah’s prophetic Word leaves no doubt. In the first place, what lies ahead for the world’s false religions that have so often been extremely friendly with the UN? They are the offspring of one idolatrous fountainhead, ancient Babylon. Appropriately, they are described at Revelation 17:5 as “Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting things of the earth.” Jeremiah described the doom of this hypocritical conglomerate. Harlotlike, they have seduced earth’s politicians, flattering the UN and forming illicit relations with its member political powers. They have been major participants in the wars of history. One commentator stated with reference to religious warfare in India: “Karl Marx referred to religion as the opium of the masses. But that statement cannot be quite right because opium is a downer, it lulls people into a stupor. No, religion is more like crack cocaine. It unleashes tremendous violence and is a very destructive force.” That writer is not quite right either. False religion is both stupefying and destructive.

16 What, then, should honesthearted people do? God’s messenger Jeremiah gives us the answer: “Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and provide escape each one for his own soul. . . . For it is the time of vengeance belonging to Jehovah.” Happy we are that millions have fled from the confines of Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion. Are you one of these? Then you can well understand how Babylon the Great has affected the nations of earth: “From her wine the nations have drunk. That is why the nations keep acting crazed.”—Jeremiah 51:6, 7.

17 Shortly, “crazed” members of the UN will be maneuvered by Jehovah to turn on false religion, as described at Revelation 17:16: “These will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire.” This will mark the start of the great tribulation that is referred to at Matthew 24:21 and that will climax at Armageddon, the war of the great day of God the Almighty. Like ancient Babylon, Babylon the Great will meet up with the judgment pronounced at Jeremiah 51:13, 25: “‘O woman residing on abounding waters, abundant in treasures, your end has come, the measure of your profit making. Here I am against you, O ruinous mountain,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘you ruiner of the whole earth; and I will stretch out my hand against you and roll you away from the crags and make you a burnt-out mountain.’” Corrupt, warmongering nations will follow false religion into destruction as Jehovah’s day of vengeance catches up with them also.

18 At 1 Thessalonians 5:3, it is said of the wicked: “Whenever it is that they are saying: ‘Peace and security!’ then sudden destruction is to be instantly upon them just as the pang of distress upon a pregnant woman; and they will by no means escape.” These are the ones of whom Isaiah said: “Look! . . . Messengers of peace will weep bitterly.” (Isaiah 33:7) Indeed, as we read at Isaiah 48:22, “‘there is no peace,’ Jehovah has said, ‘for the wicked ones.’” But what future awaits the true messengers of godly peace? Our next article will tell.

[Sketch]

thats junk... thats saying that crazy individuals within an organization are going to do something. its not condemning that WHOLE organization... you CAN see the difference, right? other than that, its a bunch of OTHER PEOPLE&#39;S quotes calling the UN out... certainly not the (then current) cowards at the WTS...


15 What will be the outcome of all of this? Jehovah&#39;s prophetic Word leaves no doubt. In the first place, what lies ahead for the world&#39;s false religions that have so often been extremely friendly with the UN? They are the offspring of one idolatrous fountainhead, ancient Babylon.[/b]

apparently, if they are the TRUE religion, its okay to be extremely friendly with the UN?

hogwash.

HOG..... WASH.....

[James]

I dunno Sketch,

Isn&#39;t this rather scathing of the U.N.? lol[/b]



you CAN see the difference, right?[/b]


YES Sketch,

I was being facetious.
Wonder where I heard that word recently???

[Sketch]

<div class='quotemain'>I dunno Sketch,

Isn&#39;t this rather scathing of the U.N.? lol[/b]



you CAN see the difference, right?[/b]


YES Sketch,

I was being facetious.
Wonder where I heard that word recently???
[/b][/quote]

i HATE when that happens... my bad

http://www.arar93.dsl.pipex.com/mds975/Images/homer_simpson_doh_02.gif

[Peter]

<div class='quotemain'>
Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses firmly believe that the United Nations is going to play a major role in world events in the very near future.[/b]

The above has a double meaning, it could mean the UN will play a large role in world peace or become the last and eight King; it depends on ones point of view and understanding of its writer.

meet DPI criteria,</span></span> to inform a wider audience of its activities.</span></span></span>
[/b]

WT has always done a fair report on the UN sometime very hard hitting and some times as above as an information peice, and has always pointed to the UN as becomeing the 8th king, and not able to bring any real peace, so most regular readers would get the same.

But I see your point that some new readers may not get an accurate picture.

Later Bruce
[/b][/quote]

If you used your library on a regular basis that’s run by the local authority that&#39;s financed and owned by a political party I supposed that’s OK, there’s no compromise.


What though if the local authority were to say, yes you can use the library if you can demonstrate support for our charter, what then.

So what’s the difference? :187:

[Sketch]

http://www.454ss.com/hosts/web/members/dualss/Aw_Jeez.jpg

[shikinah]

I don&#39;t know how it is I never saw this, but here&#39;s an article from the September 8th, 1991 Awake! magazine that blatantly promotes the UN and never once mentions Jehovah&#39;s Kingdom! Just as they were signing on as an NGO!


<div align="center">The United Nations—A Better Way?
<div align="left">THE preamble to the United Nations Charter expresses these noble aims: "We the peoples of the United Nations determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, . . . and [desiring] to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, . . . have resolved to combine our efforts to accomplish these aims."</div>
<div align="left">Did the UN "accomplish these aims"? Did it get the nations to unite their strength and maintain peace and security? No, not so far, although the UN has sincerely tried to be a significantly better way than the League of Nations. However, the generation that saw its establishment in 1945 has since been scourged by wars, revolutions, invasions, coups, and aggression in many parts of the earth. And this violence involved many of the nations that had resolved to "maintain international peace and security."</div>
<div align="center">Not the Better Way Yet</div>
<div align="left">Critics who decry the failure of the United Nations to prevent these woes, though, may be forgetting an important fact—the strength of an organization depends on the power its charter gives it and on the commitment of its constituents to carry out their obligations under said charter. First of all, the United Nations Charter does not set up the UN as a world government with supreme power over all its member nations.</div>
<div align="left">Article 2(7) decrees: "Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state." UNCIO (United Nations Conference on International Organization), which met in San Francisco from April 25 to June 26, 1945, to finalize the charter, deemed it necessary "to make sure that the United Nations under prevalent world conditions should not go beyond acceptable limits or exceed due limitations."</div>
<div align="left">Did you notice that qualifying phrase, "under prevalent world conditions"? If these were to change, UNCIO claimed that this ruling could be developed "as the state of the world, the public opinion of the world, and the factual interdependence of the world makes it necessary and appropriate."</div>
<div align="left">The chartered purpose of the United Nations to maintain "international peace and security" expresses a desirable goal for mankind. The world would indeed be far more secure if the nations obeyed Article 2(4) of the UN Charter: "All Members shall refrain . . . from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state." But self-interest of member nations has repeatedly hamstrung the efforts of the UN toward achieving its purpose. Rather than living up to their UN commitment to "settle their international disputes by peaceful means," nations or whole blocs of nations have often resorted to war, claiming that the &#39;matter was essentially within their domestic jurisdiction.&#39;—Article 2(3,7).</div>
<div align="left">Not only have nations ignored UN peace procedures but they have flouted and openly defied its rulings for settling conflicts. And their statesmen have frequently mounted the UN rostrum and delivered long speeches trying to justify their acts of aggression. This skirting of rules that were enacted to maintain peace has all too often paralyzed the UN at critical times and has severely damaged its credibility. UN officials who sit through such sessions are often frustrated. In the end, such talk usually proves to be mere sophistry that attempts to minimize or justify the violence and bloodshed taking place. No wonder UN Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar said that the UN "was regarded in some circles as a tower of Babel and at best a venue for often fruitless diplomatic parleys."</div>
<div align="left">There is another reason why the UN has had difficulty proving itself to be that better way. When it began functioning on October 24, 1945, "no coherent strategy of peace was put in place," observed Pérez de Cuéllar. Without this, how could the United Nations become the viable force for securing world peace that it was intended to be?</div>
<div align="center">What Kind of Peace Could It Achieve?</div>
<div align="left">Pérez de Cuéllar answers: "Peace will not bring the cessation of all conflict. It will only make conflicts manageable through means other than force or intimidation. . . . The United Nations seeks to train our vision towards that end." So the only peace that the UN can achieve is control of violence.</div>
<div align="left">Is this really peace with security? True, "membership in the United Nations is open to all . . . peace-loving states." (Article 4(1)) But will a nation that is peace-loving when it joins the UN stay that way? Governments change, and new rulers bring in new policies. What if a member turns radical, with extreme nationalistic aims and covetous territorial ambitions? And what if it begins arming itself with nuclear and chemical weapons? The United Nations would now have a ticking time bomb on its hands. Yet, as recent events in the Middle East show, such a turn of events may be the very thing to move the nations to empower the UN to remove this threat to their security.</div>
<div align="center">Can the Nations Make It a Better Way?</div>
<div align="left">As never before, the nations are becoming increasingly aware of what UNCIO called "the factual interdependence of the world." No state can live unto itself anymore. The nations are all members of one international community. All are contending with a series of common problems: the devastating effects of ecological pollution, poverty, debilitating diseases, illicit drug trade on every continent, terrorism, sophisticated nuclear weapons in the arsenals of a growing list of nations. These factors are forcing the nations either to seek peace and security through the auspices of the United Nations or to commit global suicide.</div>
<div align="left">Former Soviet foreign minister Shevardnadze observed: "The United Nations can function effectively if it has a mandate from its members, if states agree on a voluntary and temporary basis to delegate to it a portion of their sovereign rights and to entrust it with performing certain tasks in the interests of the majority." He added: "Only in this way can we make the period of peace lasting and irreversible."</div>
<div align="left">If this could be done, then the UN&#39;s voice of jurisdiction could authoritatively denounce any nation threatening the peace of the world. With real power at its disposal, it could suppress such aggressors forcefully and swiftly. But will UN member nations ever give it this mandate, &#39;making available their armed forces, assistance and facilities&#39; to secure peace? (Article 43(1)) They might—if a crisis threatened to undermine the very foundation upon which their respective national sovereignties rest. If the nations see that &#39;uniting their strength to maintain international peace and security&#39; under UN auspices could remove such threats, this might increase their respect for it.</div>
<div align="left">Perhaps you are wondering, &#39;Was the UN&#39;s role in the Persian Gulf crisis a start in this direction?&#39; It could be. Many nations were confronted with the possible calamitous collapse of their economies. And if their interwoven economies crashed, so would the entire world&#39;s. So the nations rallied together under the United Nations. The Security Council passed a series of UN resolutions to end the crisis peacefully, and when this failed, it backed a UN resolution on the use of force in the Gulf.</div>
<div align="left">U.S. Secretary of State James Baker, in calling for this resolution, said: "History has now given us another chance. With the cold war behind us, we now have the chance to build a world which was envisioned by the founders of . . . the United Nations. We have the chance to make this Security Council and this United Nations true instruments for peace and for justice across the globe. . . . We must fulfill our common vision of a peaceful and just post-cold-war world." And he observed concerning their debate about the use of force in the Gulf: "[It] will, I think, rank as one of the most important in the history of the United Nations. It will surely do much to determine the future of this body."</div>
Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses firmly believe that the United Nations is going to play a major role in world events in the very near future. No doubt these developments will be very exciting. And the results will have a far-reaching impact on your life. We urge you to ask Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses in your neighborhood for more details on this matter. The Bible clearly paints a picture showing that the United Nations will very shortly be given power and authority. The UN will then do some very astonishing things that may well amaze you. And you will be thrilled to learn that there is yet a better way near at hand that will surely bring eternal peace and security!

[/b][/quote]


Someone please tell me this is a joke? this can not be an awake article.



Elizabeth

[watchman]

here is an excerpt from Jehovah Himself Has Become King, from the chapter Strange Bedfellows, under the sub-heading WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE UNITED NATIONS? which specifically comments on this very article...


It seems that the first detectable shift in attitude towards the UN came in 1985. That is when the Watchtower began to call attention to the United Nations’ upcoming “International Year of Peace” in 1986. Jehovah’s Witnesses naturally took an interest in the International Year of Peace because we felt it may lead into the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. So, at the time it did not seem out of place when the Watchtower praised the United Nations’ noble (but futile) efforts to bring peace. Needless to say, the International Year of Peace passed uneventfully.

However, in 1991, the very year the Watchtower originally applied to become an associate NGO, the Awake! magazine published a baffling piece that seemed intended to give the unwary reader the impression that Jehovah’s Witnesses actually endorsed the political objectives of the United Nations. The September 8, 1991, Awake!, article was entitled: “What is happening at the United Nations?” The opening sentence stated:

“Something is happening at the United Nations. Startling developments are taking place that are going to affect your future. World leaders are very optimistic about them.”

To what “startling developments” was the Awake! referring? The article went on to cite how the nations began to promote the UN after the end of the Cold War in the optimistic belief that it might finally live up to its own ideals. Indeed, the Awake! seemed to lend credibility to the notion that the reason the UN had failed to bring world peace was because individual nations had not fully cooperated with the United Nations. The Awake! also seemed to echo the call for the UN to be given more power in order to enforce its edicts.

What was noticeably missing from the three-part series, however, was any reference to the United Nations being the symbolic scarlet-colored wild beast of Revelation or the “disgusting thing that causes desolation.” Absent, too, was any mention of the UN being a modern idol or a counterfeit of Christ’s kingdom. In fact, there was not even a single word about how God’s kingdom is going to replace all existing kingdoms on earth. Instead, praising their “noble aims” and sincere efforts, the Awake! spoke hopefully of the possibility that a retooled UN might actually succeed in bringing a measure of peace and security to a war-weary world.

Unquestionably, the September 8, 1991, Awake! was a noticeable departure from the Watchtower’s previous writings on the UN. The concluding paragraph on page 10 typifies the ambiguous double-speak, which was obviously cleverly crafted to leave uninformed readers with the impression that Jehovah’s Witnesses believe, perhaps like the UN-promoting Bahai faith, that the United Nations is an instrumentality of God to bring peace. Carefully note in the following quotation how the unfamiliar reader could easily form the impression that the United Nations might accomplish political objectives other than what Jehovah’s Witnesses have come to expect.

“Jehovah’s Witnesses firmly believe that the United Nations is going to play a major role in world events in the very near future. No doubt these developments will be very exciting. And the results will have a far-reaching impact on your life. We urge you to ask Jehovah’s Witnesses in your neighborhood for more details on this matter. The Bible clearly paints a picture showing that the United Nations will very shortly be given power and authority. The UN will then do some very astonishing things that may well amaze you. And you will be thrilled to learn that there is yet a better way near at hand that will surely bring eternal peace and security!”

If the reader were to actually follow the Awake! magazine’s suggestion and ask one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in their neighborhood “for more details on this matter,” surely they would find out that the exciting developments Jehovah’s Witnesses are anticipating have to do with the United Nations fulfilling its role as the prophetic eighth king of Revelation the 17th and 18th chapters. The Watchtower has in the past written reams about how the UN will soon be empowered by the nations to become a militarized tyrant, and thereafter, it will initiate a horrific holocaust that will annihilate all organized religion from the earth—including Christendom. Those are the “astonishing things” Jehovah’s Witnesses are anticipating in the future! But why did not the Awake! writers simply say that?

The Awake! article is only comprehensible in light of the necessity for applying NGOs to submit samples of their commitment to the ideals of the United Nations. In that knowledge it becomes abundantly clear why the concluding paragraph was ambiguously worded to appear to Jehovah’s Witnesses one way, while adroitly giving unfamiliar readers (such as DPI reviewers) an entirely different impression.

In view of the Watchtower’s shameful legerdemain, instead of considering the question “What is happening at the United Nations?” the more relevant question for thinking Jehovah’s Witnesses to ponder is—What is happening at Bethel?

[gertie]

Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses firmly believe that the United Nations is going to play a major role in world events in the very near future. No doubt these developments will be very exciting. And the results will have a far-reaching impact on your life. We urge you to ask Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses in your neighborhood for more details on this matter. The Bible clearly paints a picture showing that the United Nations will very shortly be given power and authority. The UN will then do some very astonishing things that may well amaze you. And you will be thrilled to learn that there is yet a better way near at hand that will surely bring eternal peace and security![/b]

Admittedly at the very end they say there is a better way but you could miss it so easily. The article points more to what the UN will achieve than what God&#39;s government will under Jesus Christ.
The last para is two faced, it makes it look like the UN is going to achieve so much but at the same time it&#39;s as though it&#39;s winking at b/s saying &#39;but we know better don&#39;t we hee hee.&#39;
Announcing God&#39;s Kingdom, I REALLY DON&#39;T THINK SO. Not only does it mislead b/s but anyone who reads it.
xx

[shikinah]

I never saw this Awake before today, im appauled and disgusted and cant understand why i never saw this, as i was going to meetings at the time, perhaps it was my pre-occupation with six kids that made it slip my mind. Thank you again for the above information, everytime you think it cant get any worse it does :187:


Elizabeth

[shikinah]

Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses firmly believe that the United Nations is going to play a major role in world events in the very near future. No doubt these developments will be very exciting. And the results will have a far-reaching impact on your life. We urge you to ask Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses in your neighborhood for more details on this matter. The Bible clearly paints a picture showing that the United Nations will very shortly be given power and authority. The UN will then do some very astonishing things that may well amaze you. And you will be thrilled to learn that there is yet a better way near at hand that will surely bring eternal peace and security![/b]

Admittedly at the very end they say there is a better way but you could miss it so easily. The article points more to what the UN will achieve than what God&#39;s government will under Jesus Christ.
The last para is two faced, it makes it look like the UN is going to achieve so much but at the same time it&#39;s as though it&#39;s winking at b/s saying &#39;but we know better don&#39;t we hee hee.&#39;
Announcing God&#39;s Kingdom, I REALLY DON&#39;T THINK SO. Not only does it mislead b/s but anyone who reads it.
xx
[/b]

I had to read the end part twice as it seemed to be saying the UN was going to bring peace and security, and this exactly what any normal householder would also think. No mention of Jehovah, its like a promotion campaign for the UN, shame on the WTS.

Elizabeth

[gertie]

I never saw this Awake before today, im appauled and disgusted and cant understand why i never saw this, as i was going to meetings at the time, perhaps it was my pre-occupation with six kids that made it slip my mind. Thank you again for the above information, everytime you think it cant get any worse it does


Elizabeth[/b]

I was smacking myself over the head when I read it so I think I know how you feel. :o How blind can ya be. This is what can happen when you put total faith in men, they can blind you so easily.
xx

[shikinah]

I never saw this Awake before today, im appauled and disgusted and cant understand why i never saw this, as i was going to meetings at the time, perhaps it was my pre-occupation with six kids that made it slip my mind. Thank you again for the above information, everytime you think it cant get any worse it does


Elizabeth[/b]

I was smacking myself over the head when I read it so I think I know how you feel. :o How blind can ya be. This is what can happen when you put total faith in men, they can blind you so easily.
xx
[/b]


I knew about the awake with the United Nations year of volunteers, that was bad enough logo the lot, but to speak about them in this article with such zeal and excitement is beyond me.

Elizabeth

[Cephalon]

<div class='quotemain'>
Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses firmly believe that the United Nations is going to play a major role in world events in the very near future. No doubt these developments will be very exciting. And the results will have a far-reaching impact on your life. We urge you to ask Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses in your neighborhood for more details on this matter. The Bible clearly paints a picture showing that the United Nations will very shortly be given power and authority. The UN will then do some very astonishing things that may well amaze you. And you will be thrilled to learn that there is yet a better way near at hand that will surely bring eternal peace and security![/b]

Admittedly at the very end they say there is a better way but you could miss it so easily. The article points more to what the UN will achieve than what God&#39;s government will under Jesus Christ.
The last para is two faced, it makes it look like the UN is going to achieve so much but at the same time it&#39;s as though it&#39;s winking at b/s saying &#39;but we know better don&#39;t we hee hee.&#39;
Announcing God&#39;s Kingdom, I REALLY DON&#39;T THINK SO. Not only does it mislead b/s but anyone who reads it.
xx
[/b]

I had to read the end part twice as it seemed to be saying the UN was going to bring peace and security, and this exactly what any normal householder would also think. No mention of Jehovah, its like a promotion campaign for the UN, shame on the WTS.

Elizabeth
[/b][/quote]
No, that&#39;s not what they were saying. "there is YET a better way near at hand" was in reference to next article: God kingdom, the "better way".

[shikinah]

But what if this magazine was placed on the doors, and didnt see the follow up article, you would think they were promoting the UN. Wheres the usual wording wild beast, disgusting thing etc, instead it states

" The UN will then do some very astonishing things that may well amaze you".
And you will be thrilled to learn that there is yet a better way near at hand that will surely bring eternal peace and security!

It should have read...

"And you will be thrilled to learn that theres is yet a better way near at hand, that Jehovahs Kingdom will bring eternal peace and security"

Why let it be misleading, and even today you would be hard pushed to find an article which refers to the UN as the wild beast, abomination or disgusting thing.

[Jeshurun]

Why let it be misleading, and even today you would be hard pushed to find an article which refers to the UN as the wild beast, abomination or disgusting thing.[/b]

Many researchers have concluded, with more than ample evidence, of the Watchtower&#39;s connection with the New World Order. Robert has shown from scripture that the Man of Lawlessness is in the Tower. Say what you will about Fritz Springmeier, but his research speaks for itself. He says Bethel is Illuminati Headquarters (I&#39;m not so sure about that but they are definitely marching to the same drumbeat). Their ownership of 50 percent of Rand Cam warfare technology stock says enough by itself. Rand Cam has been shown to be directly involved in the HR 1959 anti-terrorism bill passed last year, that basically clinches freedom to Fascism in America. It shouldn&#39;t be too difficult to connect the dots. If it smells like poo, it&#39;s usually poo.

Love,
Jesh

[shikinah]

<div class='quotemain'>Why let it be misleading, and even today you would be hard pushed to find an article which refers to the UN as the wild beast, abomination or disgusting thing.[/b]

Many researchers have concluded, with more than ample evidence, of the Watchtower&#39;s connection with the New World Order. Robert has shown from scripture that the Man of Lawlessness is in the Tower. Say what you will about Fritz Springmeier, but his research speaks for itself. He says Bethel is Illuminati Headquarters (I&#39;m not so sure about that but they are definitely marching to the same drumbeat). Their ownership of 50 percent of Rand Cam warfare technology stock says enough by itself. Rand Cam has been shown to be directly involved in the HR 1959 anti-terrorism bill passed last year, that basically clinches freedom to Fascism in America. It shouldn&#39;t be too difficult to connect the dots. If it smells like poo, it&#39;s usually poo.

Love,
Jesh
[/b][/quote]

No its not difficult to connect the dots, i think sometimes i wish the information i see was apostate material and not the truth, because no matter how many times i come to learn about yet another blunder or devious move by the WTS im lost for words, and as for Rand Cam, there are no words to describe its association, engines for war planes, innocent children killed and war mongering, yes their cup is full of blood and theres the blood of holy ones under the alter sometimes its just too much to comprehend :Yahoo_51:

Elizabeth

[Cephalon]

But what if this magazine was placed on the doors, and didnt see the follow up article, you would think they were promoting the UN. Wheres the usual wording wild beast, disgusting thing etc, instead it states

" The UN will then do some very astonishing things that may well amaze you".
And you will be thrilled to learn that there is yet a better way near at hand that will surely bring eternal peace and security!

It should have read...

"And you will be thrilled to learn that theres is yet a better way near at hand, that Jehovahs Kingdom will bring eternal peace and security"

Why let it be misleading, and even today you would be hard pushed to find an article which refers to the UN as the wild beast, abomination or disgusting thing.[/b]

That&#39;s how they always deal with topics in the awake magazine. 2 or 3 articles about the topic at hand and the last one or 2, they look at the topic in relation to God&#39;s Kingdom.

If you had say that they gave to much praise to the UN in the article, i would agree with you. But to take that one sentence and twist it around and say it says something else..

[panda]

<div class='quotemain'>Why let it be misleading, and even today you would be hard pushed to find an article which refers to the UN as the wild beast, abomination or disgusting thing.[/b]

Many researchers have concluded, with more than ample evidence, of the Watchtower&#39;s connection with the New World Order. Robert has shown from scripture that the Man of Lawlessness is in the Tower. Say what you will about Fritz Springmeier, but his research speaks for itself. He says Bethel is Illuminati Headquarters (I&#39;m not so sure about that but they are definitely marching to the same drumbeat). Their ownership of 50 percent of Rand Cam warfare technology stock says enough by itself. Rand Cam has been shown to be directly involved in the HR 1959 anti-terrorism bill passed last year, that basically clinches freedom to Fascism in America. It shouldn&#39;t be too difficult to connect the dots. If it smells like poo, it&#39;s usually poo.

Love,
Jesh
[/b][/quote]I really found this hard to believe about the Ram Cam, I came across something on an old forum from around six years ago where they bought out some info, the a non-witness guy gave the WT 51% of his shares in Ram Cam, so they excepted it. I just find that there is much propaganda around, just don&#39;t know if it really true or not.

As far as being part of the Illuminati, I find that is very far fetched, one gets confused with so much talk, we don&#39;t really have any proof, but speculation in the negative, sometimes just don&#39;t know what to believe.

[Jinnvisible]

Say what you will about Fritz Springmeier, but his research speaks for itself. He says Bethel is Illuminati Headquarters[/b]

What a strange thought.

[noname]

Their ownership of 50 percent of Rand Cam warfare technology stock says enough by itself.[/b]

Is there any actual proof of this?

[uglyandthin]

<div class='quotemain'>Say what you will about Fritz Springmeier, but his research speaks for itself. He says Bethel is Illuminati Headquarters[/b]

What a strange thought.
[/b][/quote]


Hi Jinn:

It&#39;s a great idea, undercover at the Watchtower. Who could have thought of a better plan.

uglyandthin