Some United Nations agencies have long avoided mention of the world of faith and religion in most matters. But U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, a practicing Roman Catholic with a deep Christian faith, said that religious leaders can help in combating the violent extremism of groups claiming religion is their motivation.
“I firmly believe in the power of faith leaders to shape our world for good,” he said.
Guterres spoke at the launch of the “Fez Plan of Action” for Religious Leaders and Actors to Prevent Incitement to Violence that Could Lead to Atrocity Crimes through an initiative known as the Fez Plan. “The Fez Plan of Action is the product of two years of consultations, led by my Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide,” Guterres said. “It involved religious leaders representing different faiths around the world, as well as faith-based organizations and many others.”
The U.N. head voiced concern about the abuse of religion to justify incitement to violence, while stressing the importance of religious leaders in preventing violence and contributing to peace and stability. “Around the world, we see how religion is being twisted [and] cynically manipulated,” he stressed. The action plan is designed to prevent atrocity crimes, which include genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.”
Guterres also cautioned against the proliferation of online and offline hate speech. “Hate speech sows the seeds of suspicion, mistrust and intolerance [and] over time, it can play an important role in convincing people that violence is logical, justifiable, even necessary,” he noted.
A total of 232 religious leaders and actors from 77 countries took part in the consultations organized by the UN. Participants included Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims and Sikhs from different groups and denominations, as well as representatives from various religious minorities.
Guterres was joined by U.N. Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng and a number of religious leaders from around the world.
Hate speech is one of the most common warning signs of atrocity crimes, Guterres said, noting that early action can be taken to prevent them from occurring and that religious leaders are key actors in that warning process. The UN head said the Plan lays out ways in which religious leaders can prevent incitement to violence and contribute to peace and stability. “These principles summon us to show respect for all human beings, even those with whom we might profoundly disagree or whose cultures might seem alien,” he said, calling for the widest possible dissemination and implementation of the Plan of Action. “Let us work together to prevent and end atrocity crimes and all affronts to human rights and dignity,” he said.
Then “Fez Plan of Action” calls for monitoring of incitement and the development of alternative messages as well as engagement in dialogue. It includes efforts to develop and revise education to include better mainstreaming of appreciation of all cultures, engaging in and strengthening inter-religious and intra-religious dialogue and activities. In doing so it seeks to ensure understanding, respect and communication, engaging in dialogue on grievances, strengthening clarity of message and engaging with political leaders.
When you think about what is being said by Mr. Guterres and others, it is obvious they intend to use religious leaders to work in collaboration with the UN, a world political body, to unite church and state at the global level to combat religious extremism. Religious extremism has been used time and again to successfully bring into place the various bits and pieces of the New World Order. It has also been used to unite religions together. But now it is being used to elevate that collaboration between religions and the state to the global scale.
Religious leaders are enthusiastic about working together on this project because it advances toward a one-world religion for which the Vatican has been working incessantly for centuries. Attempts to find solutions to these challenges in the past have tended to exclude religious leaders. Bringing religious leaders to the table on this issue may do some good for the issue, but it also brings us closer to global religion all in the name of peace and safety.
The Bible teaches that at the very time it appears that the world has developed solutions to the problem of extremism; a sudden calamity will throw them into chaos, violence and devastation.
“For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”
1 Thessalonians 5:3.