THANKS: Johan van Zyl  < johan@jvz.co.za >

Parliament of World's Religions blasphemy
[AfricaProphecy] Parliament of World Religions
who exactly is arriving in Cape Town for the
Parliament of World Religions
WARNING: Some may be shocked by ... practices of ...religions described

__________________

10/2000 update:

BABEL IN CAPE TOWN
>
> The Parliament of World's Religions - A Post Mortem
>
> by Robert R. Zins Jr.
>
> With much fanfare, the interfaith Parliament of the World's Religions
(PWR)
> met in Cape Town, South African from 1-8 December 1999.   Their expressed
> purpose was to bring about a "just, peaceful, and sustainable future."   To
> do so, the PWR endeavoured to promote "a global ethic for the new
> millennium."   To quote Bishop William Swing from his book "The Coming
> United Religions" (which was distributed at the PWR) he said, "Once we
have
> a law or a moral code, we have, indeed, defined right and wrong for
> ourselves."
>
> As high sounding as the PWR claims may seem, Christians should realise
that
> in spite of its expressed desire to promote peace, the PWR nonetheless
> rejects the uniqueness of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
> It is a pity that Bishop Swing (an Episcopal from California) and others
> also ignore the fact that the world has already been given a global ethic;
> the righteous standard of God's Law-Word as contained in the Bible.
> Supporters of the PWR repeat the Pharisees' error, for which Jesus rebuked
> them saying, "...laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the
tradition
> of men" (Mark 7:8).   Only God has the authority to define right and
wrong.
> When men reject right and wrong as defined by God, and then seek to define
> right and wrong on their own terms, they are most certainly in rebellion
> against God and set themselves up to be a god.  That is idolatry.
> ____
>
> Unity at the expense of truth.   It could be said of most (if not all) of
> the PWR supporters that they were united by an overarching Religious
> Humanism.  In one session attended mostly by people identifying themselves
> as from the Roman Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant "traditions," all were
in
> agreement on embracing a unifying vision for mankind.  The facilitator, a
> Roman Catholic, quoted an esteemed colleague who once said in regard to
> obstacles to unity, "the only problem that we have is our Scriptures."   At
> the PWR there was a willingness to put aside Scripture so that God's Truth
> would not interfere with man's attempt at unity.   Having come to the
> position that "man is the measure of all things," they would then tolerate
> everyone having a little compartment in life called "personal religious
> tradition."  Anyone is welcomed in the PWR interfaith circle so long as
one
> doesn't allow his or her particular religious "tradition" to interfere
with
> Religious Humanism.  Religious leaders at the PWR prided themselves on not
> being held captive by their Scripture.  Human Reason was lifted up as
being
> supreme and all other distinctions were blurred.
> _____
>
> Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve! During numerous
sessions
> at the PWR, professing Christians prayed together with Muslims, Hindus,
> Buddhists, and those involved in witchcraft (both African Traditional and
> Witchcraft) ...all asked God's blessing on their efforts in facilitating
> world peace.
>
> Should Christians be involved with the PWR in order to promote world peace
> in this way? Well, consider an example from the Old Testament.  Most
people
> would agree that a three-year drought is a pretty serious problem,
> especially in a society dependent on agricultural produce.  Yet when
Israel
> suffered a three-year drought during the reign of the ungodly King Ahab
and
> Queen Jezebel, the prophet Elijah did not pray together with the prophets
of
> Baal and Asherah.  Elijah's God was different from the false gods
worshiped
> by the prophets of Baal and Asherah.  No, Elijah confronted them and
opposed
> them (1 Kings 18).  Drought is a serious problem, but drought was not the
> Israelites' most serious problem.  Their most serious problem was
idolatry!
> Now let's consider to the Parliament of the World's Religions and its goal
> of peace.  Today, war is not man's most serious problem.  Idolatry and
> rebellion against God continue to be man's main problem!   As noble as the
> task of "promoting world peace" may sound to the natural man, Christians
are
> not to compromise the truth of the Gospel even if they somehow think that
it
> may be promoting world peace.  Whatever peace might be gained through such
> efforts, it will be short-lived as God's judgement will hang over those
> people who have rejected Him.
> _____
>
> Another Gospel.   At the PWR, what was the theological slant of those who
> professed to be from a so-called "Christian tradition"?  Dr. James W.
> Perkinson, a theologian from the United States, presented a lecture
> entitled, "Soteriological Humility: The Christological Significance of the
> Humanity of Jesus in the Encounter of Religions."  Therein he put forth
the
> proposition that when the Syro-Phoenician woman answered Jesus saying,
"Yes,
> Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children's
> crumbs" (Mark 7:28) that she actually put Jesus in His place and
instructed
> Him in some earthly wisdom which He somehow lacked! And Dr. Perkinson's
> application of the passage was that, if Jesus was sufficiently humble to
> learn from a Syro-Phoenician woman, perhaps Christians ought to be humble
to
> learn from other religions today.  During a period of open discussion, it
> became evident that nearly all the attendees embraced Dr. Perkinson's
> conclusions.
>
> I asked Dr. Perkinson: as the title of his lecture had to do with
> "Soteriology" (the doctrine of salvation) and "Christology" (the doctrine
of
> Jesus Christ), why did he neglect to address the mediatorial role of Jesus
> Christ as proclaimed by the apostle Paul, "For there is one God and one
> Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a
> ransom for all..." (1 Timothy 2:5).  Dr. Perkinson replied that he
rejected
> the apostle Paul's interpretation of the Gospel.  (It should be pointed
out
> that enemies of the Gospel usually do begin their attack with the writings
> of the apostle Paul).  He said that it would be wrong to suggest that
Paul's
> interpretation was the only right one.  Dr. Perkinson denied that
salvation
> is through faith alone, and said pertaining to obtaining salvation, what
we
> do (works) is more important than what we believe (faith).   I responded
by
> saying that the sort of Jesus which he presented is one that the natural
> sinful man could easily accept, and such a view of Jesus would prevent man
> from coming to terms with the real Jesus of Scripture.  I also asserted
that
> "definitely one positive effect of holding to the apostle Paul's
> interpretation of the Gospel (as Dr. Perkinson called it), is that it
> prevents man from making himself God."  Dr. Perkinson did not reply.
> _____
>
> A Sleight of Hand.  At the PWR it was often insinuated that to actively
> engage in proselytising (especially for Christians to do so) is something
> that is unacceptable.  To speak of having been converted from a false
> religion, to faith in Jesus Christ, is something that is anathema to the
> interfaith movement.  They would say, "We are not asking anyone to abandon
> or let go of their particular religious tradition.  We just want everyone
to
> embrace what the PWR stands for". Yet the over arching Religious Humanism
of
> the PWR was very subtle.  Consider this illustration: imagine holding your
> Bible with both hands.  Someone says to you,  "I'm not asking you to let
go
> of your Bible, I'm just asking to take hold of this rock."  If you let go
of
> the Bible with one hand in order to grab hold of the rock, well your hold
of
> the Bible was compromised.  For the Christian, to simply acknowledge PWR
as
> a body with authority to formulate a "Global Ethic" is to compromise the
> faith.  It is to reject Jesus Christ as the Lord.
> ____
>
> "Why do the nations rage and the people plot a vain thing?" (Psalm 2:1).
At
> a special three-day Parliament Assembly at the PWR, participants were to
> endorse a document entitled "A Call to Our Guiding Institutions," an
ethical
> document to be delivered to all the nations of the world. The Parliament
> Assembly consisted of about 800 people who had been hand picked over the
> past three years.  In effect it was a parliament within a parliament.  At
> the time there was no way of even knowing who was in the Parliament
Assembly
> as no listing was available.  In the opinion of one commentator, the
> hundreds of lectures and symposia, the many delegates, and the parliament
> itself were a smokescreen, the real work being done by the Council of the
> Parliament of the World's Religions (CPWR).
>
> "The Call to Guidance," approved in a closed session of the PWR, is a
> statement of goals for the future, to which all nations of the world are
> intended to conform.   The PWR hopes to influence all areas of life with
> their "Call to Guidance" including Religious organisations, Government,
> Agriculture, Labour, Industry and Commerce, Education, Arts and
> Communications Media, International Intergovernmental Organisations.
>
> "The Call to Guidance" is based on the earlier document, "Towards a Global
> Ethic" which was presented at the 1993 PWR.  The 1993 document is said to
> have been based on four universal directives that are the basis for a
> "global ethic."  They are: 1) do not kill, 2) do not steal, 3) do not lie,
> 4) do not commit sexual immorality.
>
> Christians might be conned into thinking that there might be something
good
> here.  It appears that these four points coincide with the sixth, eighth,
> ninth, and seventh commandments found in Exodus Chapter 20.  However it
> should be pointed out that the terms "kill," "steal," "lie," and "sexual
> immorality" as understood by the PWR differ from historical Biblical
> Christianity.  Also it should be noted that the six remaining commandments
> from Exodus Chapter 20 are ignored.  It is no wonder that the first,
second,
> and third commandments are conveniently forgotten, as a number of the PWR
> participants falsely promote themselves as being Deity!  Even though the
PWR
> seems to embrace four commandments, their application falls short of the
> rendering in Exodus.  For example: The global ethic says "do not kill,"
yet
> they see nothing wrong with the killing of the innocent unborn through
> abortion.  The global ethic says "do not steal," yet they promote
socialism,
> which is legalised theft and stealing by proxy.  The global ethic says "do
> not lie," yet they promote the lie that all religions are equally valid
ways
> to God.  The global ethic says, "do not commit sexual immorality," yet
they
> promote homosexuality.  Christians who join together with the PWR commit
> spiritual adultery, as it was also written of the Israelites "For the
spirit
> of harlotry has caused them to stray and they have played the harlot
against
> their God" (Hosea 4:12).
> ______
>
> Interfaith Implications for South Africa?  In a lecture entitled
"Religious
> and Cultural Restoration in Post-Apartheid South Africa," Pundit D. H.
> Maharaj (a Hindu) made mention of how the European settlers brought with
> them Christianity and suppressed the traditional beliefs and practices of
> the African people.  The Christians, he said, had an unacceptable attitude
> of religious superiority.  He asserted that one shouldn't think that their
> religion is superior to another.  So I asked him, whether he thought that
> his belief, that people should not think their religion superior to
others,
> is superior to Christianity.  No response.  Then I asked him, in his view,
> was it wrong for the British to outlaw sati, the Hindu practice of widow
> burning.   He brushed off the question saying that sati was not widely
> practiced!!!  (Yet, no doubt it was significant to the hundreds of
thousands
> of poor women who were burned alive.)  Mr. Maharaj emphasised again that
> traditional beliefs and practices ought to be restored.  This theme was
> repeated by a number of other speakers at the PWR.
>
> I voiced my concern that in "the new South Africa" many laws are being
> implemented which are contrary to Biblical moral principles.  The
> perpetrators usually justify their actions as their efforts to dismantle
> Apartheid.  The problem is that, failing to distinguish between
Christianity
> and Apartheid, they would do away with both.  In effect, in "the new South
> Africa" we have a phenomenon that "the baby is being thrown out with the
> bath water."  It would not be an overstatement to say that, those in
> government who are also opposed to a genuine Christian faith, endeavor to
> use the interfaith movement to drive a wedge between the Gospel of Jesus
> Christ and black South Africans.
> ____
>
> The 1999 Parliament of World's Religions did not go unchallenged.
> Christians all over the world were praying that the efforts of the PWR
would
> come to naught. The overall character of the PWR was one of confusion;
> numerous meetings were cancelled or venues changed.  The PWR marches were
a
> flop, partly due to the fact that many of the participants had come from
the
> Northern Hemisphere winter season to arrive in Cape Town at the beginning
of
> summer.  Yet cooler weather on Table Mountain discouraged other PWR
> participants from taking to the mountain to practice their idolatry. The
> beating of drums and a trance dance were cancelled. The PWR organisers
> anticipated 8,000 participants, yet only 4000 actually showed up.
>
> Missionaries and staff of UCA member organisations were involved with
> literature distribution and personal evangelism along with dozens of other
> Christians from local churches.  Thousands of Gospel tracts and Scripture
> booklets were handed out to delegates and passers-by.
> ____
>
> False prophets speak.  On the last day of the PWR the Dalai Lama addressed
> the plenary session audience numbering approximately 4,000.  Behind him
sat
> dozens of leaders from the various belief systems represented at the PWR.
> The Dalai Lama emphasised a new global ethic that he said everyone should
> promote.  Where is this global ethic to be found?  He said that good moral
> values are supposedly inherent within all people and that moral values
must
> be taught outside the context of a specific religion.   He said that as a
> Buddhist, he must not promote Buddhism, but rather this global ethic.
>
> Yet as Christians, in submission to God's Word, we come to learn what is
> righteousness in the eyes of Almighty God.  For the Christian, ethics must
> be solidly rooted in the Law-Word of God as revealed in the Bible.
>
> After the Dalai Lama spoke, a Jew, a Sangoma (an African witchdoctor), a
> Muslim, and a theologian from Chicago were asked to lead the assembly in
> prayer and to solicit God's blessings.  Who would they pray to?  The
> theologian from Chicago began his prayer with, "God! Our mother and our
> father..." By that time the entire interfaith abomination had carried on
way
> too long.  While positioned near the front row, I shouted at the
theologian
> from Chicago, "Balaam speaks" (Balaam being something of a prophet for
hire
> in Numbers chapters 22-24).  Then to the blind spiritual leaders of the
PWR
> I shouted, "Prophets of Baal."   The PWR officials didn't take kindly to
> that and I was escorted out the front door.   As Christians, while we have
> the freedom to speak the truth, we had better do so.  If we don't, the day
> will come when our freedoms will be taken away.
> _____
>
> How should Christians respond to the efforts of the PWR?  First we
continue
> to make true disciples for Jesus Christ; men and women who hold fast to
the
> uniqueness of Jesus Christ, who are not ashamed of the Gospel, and who are
> faithful to obey all that Jesus Christ has commanded. As Christians, we
must
> endeavour to apply God's Word to all areas of life, and to remain vigilant
> against anyone who brings "a different gospel."
>
> Secondly we must expose the wolves in sheep's clothing who would lead
their
> churches into the interfaith abomination.  In South Africa the following
> churches were listed as co-sponsors of the 1999 Parliament of the World's
> Religions: Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Town, Church of the Province of
> Southern Africa, Methodist Church of Southern Africa, Moravian Church of
SA,
> New Apostolic Church, and Rhema Ministries - as listed on page 10 of the
> 1999 PWR program booklet.)  If you are in a church that supports the PWR,
> make your objections known to the leadership and work to get your church
out
> of the abominable interfaith movement.  If the denomination hierarchy
> refuses to separate themselves from the interfaith movement, then
Christian
> should separate themselves from the wolves in sheep's clothing.
>
> "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.  For what fellowship
> has righteousness with lawlessness?  And what communion has light with
> darkness?  And what accord has Christ with Belial?  Or what part has a
> believer with an unbeliever?  And what agreement has the temple of God
with
> idols?  For you are the temple of the living God...Come out from among
them
> and be separate..." (2 Cor 4:14-17)
>
> Sola Deo Gloria
>
>
>
> Robert R. Zins Jr.
> United Christian Action
> uca@global.co.za
>
Subject: Blashemy


ACDP protests Parliament of World's Religions blasphemy
Friday, 12 November 1999

ACDP Vice President Louis Green has called all Christians to express their displeasure toward the Parliament of World Religions (PWR) for its blasphemy toward Jesus Christ and demand the immediate withdrawal of the PWR's topic for discussion which refers to Jesus as a fool (The topic appears on page 2, Summer 1999 Issue of the CRWR Newsletter, Volume 2, Issue 2) .

Speaking in the House of Parliament yesterday (Thursday, 11 November), he gave notice that the house notes with dismay and concern that the PWR had included the blasphemous topic for discussion in the proposed schedule for its December meeting.

Mr. Green said, "(O)ur constitution guarantees the right to freedom of
expression, but this right is not extended to the advocacy of hatred based
on religion."

To lodge a letter of complaint to the Parliament of the World's Religions:
Address: PO Box 42, Woodstock, Cape Town, 7915 - Fax: (021) 4484520 - Email:
pwrsajoy@sn.apc.org

For more information please contact ACDP MP Louis Green at 0834419295 or ACDP Media Liaison Christine Herselman at (021) 4033307 or 0824781037 (All hours).

____________________________________________________________________________
________________________________

Subject: [AfricaProphecy] Parliament of World Religions
Moderators Note: Contact details for those wishing to participate in
the prayer assault against this movement are at the foot of this post.

URGENT CALL TO PRAYER

The Parliament of World religions is due to meet in Cape Town from the 1st to the 8th of December 1999.

Their first preliminary event is scheduled for the spring equinox, the 23rd of September on top of Table Mountain

Why is this important for intercessors?

This is not just a group of tourists coming to our city. There are 8000 spiritual leaders representing every religion on the planet. I.e. every demonic principality that pretends to be the Lord God Almighty.

In their worship of these demonic gods, they intend to erect spiritual altars to these gods in our city. They will be calling up their spirits.


So what?

In terms of the principles of spiritual mapping as pointed out by George Otis Jnr. If they succeed, it will change the entire spiritual dimension in our city and country. People will become more blinded to the gospel than ever before.

Who is coming?

Representatives of Islam, Judaism, Hindus, Buddhists, Taoists, Jainists, Sangomas from central Africa and South Africa, Shamans from North America with the Dalai Lama as the key guest of honour. The organisers claim that there is only one God who can be worshipped in any of these ways and by
any of these names. Even "Christians"!


Main foci: Technicon in District Six with Plenary sessions in the Good Hope Center.

Also at the New and old city halls, UCT, Ratanga etc.

What can we do?

It is important that we pray, fast and intercede that when they try to call up their demons in our city, the demons will not be able to answer. They must not be able to establish new spiritual connections to their gods here. The odd prayer or so will not be effective. We are facing the greatest onslaught in the spiritual realm in the history of our country. We need fervent continuos prayer.

Where is it organised from?

An office on the sixth floor of Victoria house opposite the Woodstock police station in Victoria road Woodstock. Pray confusion into that place and to Gordon Oliver the organiser.

Venues will be arranged for intercession during the time of the conference, and church leaders and intercessors will join together to make proclamations nullifying what these people intend to do, but. this
will only be as effective as the intercession that goes on before the time. We need to establish a platform of favour with God. This is a battle in the spiritual, not in the physical!

Enquiries: Prayer action on 23rd September: Brian at 083 7330919 e mail rurbanvillages @hotmail.com

Leaders prayer action: Wed 24 November 09.30 Pastor Eddie Edson 371 1281

To join specific intercession venues 1st to 8th Dec (still being arranged) 930 7928

Pass the message on to other believers in other areas of our country and overseas asking for prayer support.

This is spiritual world war!

There is reason to suspect that this is a preparatory event heading towards the United Nations intended declaration of a one world religion!!

As I was praying today, the Holy Spirit gave me the following to do spiritual warfare with:
a.. To pray confusion in the enemy's ranks - that they will not be able to agree on ANYTHING!
b.. Balaam's example in Numbers 22-24: that GOD will make it impossible for them to send down curses and deception from Table Mountain; that He will turn their curses into a blessing for this mother city of ours.


Blessings & prayer

Bradley

*************************

-----Original Message-----
From: KMNel [SMTP:KMNel@ChristianS.co.za]
Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 1999 9:02 PM
To: S.A Site - www.Christians.co.za
Subject: Guess who's coming to town...



To find out who exactly is arriving in Cape Town for the
Parliament of World Religions
go to
www.Christians.co.za/prayerpwr2.htm


We need all Christians to come together and pray.   Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Eph 6:12)

We have given you details of the Parliament of World Religions, their schedule, their opening day, the list of speakers and their topics.  This is to give you further information so that you can pray more effictively into these areas and at the specific times.

To find out PWR schedule of events: www.Christians.co.za/prayerpwr2.htm


To find out the events and prayer meetings organised by Christians go to: www.ChristianS.co.za/prayer.htm

Here are just some of the guests attending and speaking at the Parliament of World Religions:  ( We need to pray for their salvation! )

Swami Agnivesh, Hindu spiritual leader, founder of Religions for Social Justice: "Religions for Social Justice"

Dr. S. Wesley Ariarajah, former Director, Dialogue Program, World Council of Churches: "Dialogue and Spirituality: Can We Pray Together?"

Homi Dhalla, international Zoroastrian leader: "Mysticism and Interfaith Harmony" (3/12)

Dharma Master Hsin Tao, Chinese Buddhist leader: "Spiritual Challenges Facing the 2nd Millennium: The Museum of World Religions As a Response"

Chungliang Al Huang, Taoist scholar, teacher, author: "Living Your Tao: Ancient Wisdom For Modern Living" (4/12)

Dadi Janki, founding member, Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University, India: "The Promise of Tomorrow in the Meeting of Generations" (4/12)

Sr. Jayanti, leader, teacher, Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University, Mt. Abu, India, and London: "Rajayoga - Experiencing the Essence of Peace & God" (3/12)

Pualani Kanaka 'ole Kanahele, Hawaiian spiritual and cultural leader: "Sacred Traditions of Hula and Kahuna" (5/12)

Bibiji Inderjit Kaur, beloved teacher of Sikh Dharma; wife of spiritual master Yogi Bhajan: "Shabd Guru- The Technology of Spiritual Integration in the New Millennium" (5/12)

Nokuzola Mndende, African traditional scholar; Member of Parliament, South Africa: "Liberation Theology and Freedom of Religion in Postcolonial South Africa" (5/12)

Achahn Chuen Phangcham, prominent Thai Buddhist scholar and teacher: "A Buddhist Ethic for World Peace" (4/12)

S.N. Subbha Rao, Indian social activist, scholar: "The Beauty of All Religions" (5/12)

Master Suma Ching Hai, international spiritual and humanitarian leader: "The Golden Age Begins with Ourselves by Direct Contact with God" (3/12)

Dada J.P. Vaswani, renowned Hindu spiritual leader: "How to Meet Life's Challenges" (7/12)

____________________________________________________________________________
____

Please note the staff and members of www.ChristianS.co.za do not agree with the Parliament of World Religions  We have posted the schedule of events and list of speakers attending the Parliament of World Religion to assist Christian Intercessors and to keep Christians informed.


God bless

Karen Nel
www.ChristianS.co.za

******************

2 December 1999

WARNING: Some may be shocked by the historical practices of certain
religions described below.

THE PARLIAMENT OF WORLD RELIGIONS, RELIGIOUS PLURALISM AND RESPECT FOR THE RIGHT TO LIFE

The Parliament of World Religions (PWR) meets in Cape Town this week from the 1st - 8th December.  It raises the question of the influence of religious pluralism (as opposed to tolerance) on the right to life.  In 1893, the first Parliament of World Religions was held in Chicago, USA.  At
the Parliament, Western church leaders met with representatives of religious sects from around the world.  The spirit of co-operation and tolerance was broken by the question of religious practices and tolerance of practices that violated the 'right to life'.  A group of Presbyterian missionaries submitted the following report, based on what they had seen in nations they had worked in to the PWR: '.Poverty, barbarity, death and lasciviousness must be the lot of those men and nations that follow after them [dead founders of religions].  The horrors of children left to die, women sacrificed to dumb idols, and the sick given over to their own devices are the fruit of the flesh that no heathen ravings can be rid.  Only the gospel of our Saviour Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth, the Life, can lend the bequest of Life.  Only Christ has Himself escaped the shackles of death, and only faith in Him that comes
through grace can free men from the oppressions of the spirit of murder, which we must sadly affirm, is the same as your precious spirit of co-operation, tolerance, and empathy'.

Another dissenting voice came from a veteran missionary from China who asserted: 'When I reached Amoy thirty-two years ago, there was a pond in the centre of town known as the Babies Pond.  This was the place where unwanted little ones were thrown by their mothers.  There were always several bodies of innocents floating on it's green and slimy waters and passersby looked on without surprise.  This is what a world without a clear uncompromised Christian gospel leads irrevocably toward'.

Still another delegate, a converted Mangaian islander, testified that he had been marked out for ritual sacrifice before the coming of the missionaries. By some stroke of Providence, he was temporarily spared.  He continued: 'Still I believed that I must die, and in my turn be offered.  But, blessed
be Jehovah, not long after the cultus, the gospel was brought to Mangaia.  I then learned with wonder that the true peace offering is Jesus, who died on Calvary, in order that all the wretched slaves of Satan might be freed. This was indeed good news to me.   God forbid that we should return to the bondage of universal lawlessness.'

Since the first Parliament of World religions in 1893, the Judeo-Christian consensus has weakened substantially in the Western World, resulting in the encroachment of anti-life practices, such as abortion, euthanasia and infanticide as predicted by the missionaries above.  At the same time, many
of these practices have been eliminated or substantially reduced in many developing nations as a result of the spread of Judeo-Christian ethics and law.

William Carey, regarded by many as the 'father' of the modern missionary movement campaigned until 1829 against 'Sati', the Hindu practice of burning a widow on her dead husbands funeral pyre.  As with euthanasia today, 'Sati' advocates claimed that the widow's action was voluntary - whereas missionaries, like prolife activists today, argued that was motivated by family and community pressure.  The British colonial government in India did not want to stop Sati as they viewed allowing it as a form of religious tolerance.  Carey also opposed the Hindu practice of sacrificing babies by placing them near a river mouth to be washed away by the tide.  Many Indians disapproved of these practices, in the same way that most South Africans today oppose abortion but as with abortion today, they were tolerated. PRE-CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS AND THE RIGHT TO LIFE

The ancient pre-Christian European religions had similar practices.  The Scandinavian Vikings sacrificed slaves on their burning funeral ships to go with their chieftains to the next world.  Julius Caesar remarked with horror that the Celtic Druids living in France and Britain sacrificed human beings
by strangling, drowning or burning them to death in wicker baskets.  What he had forgotten was that his own Roman ancestors had only recently stopped human sacrifices themselves.  When Hannibal threatened Rome, the city priests buried people alive in order in hope of gaining favour with their
gods.  Despite the fact that human sacrifice of adults was stopped, Rome continued to use abortion and infanticide as a means of birth control until the Roman emperors converted to Christianity.
Hannibal himself came from the Phoenician city of Carthage in North Africa, itself a Canaanite colony founded by Tyre, which worshipped the god Baal.

Baal required the sacrifice of every firstborn Phoenician child by burning in a pit in front of his statue.
It was for this reason that the ancient Israelites entering the promised land of Israel were commanded to destroy both the worshippers and the altars of Baal (Deuteronomy 18:9-13).  When the king of ancient Israel married a Phoenician wife, Jezebel, she introduced Baal worship (1 Kings 16:31) and
the Israelites even erected an altar to Baal for the purpose of child sacrifice in a valley below the city of Jerusalem.  The ashes and bones of these children were kept in special urns marked 'Dedicated to Baal' found by archaeologists in both Carthage and Israel.  The Hebrew prophets Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel (Isaiah 57:5, Jeremiah 19:5, Ezekiel 20:31) spoke out against this practice and cited it as one of the reasons for the destruction and Babylonian exile of Israel.

The ancient Greeks, while not practicing human sacrifice, did use both abortion and infanticide as a method of birth control and disposing of handicapped infants.   One city-state required compulsory euthanasia by all citizens over the age of sixty.  Many are unaware that the myth of Romulus and Remus, the founders of the city of Rome, is an example of the widespread practice of infanticide by abandonment.   They were said to have been abandoned and brought up by a she-wolf.  Romans used to watch gladiators fight to the death for entertainment until a Christian monk, Telemachus jumped into the arena to protest the killing.  He was stoned to death by the crowd, but the emperor stopped the combats.  When the Roman emperors converted to Christianity, they introduced legislation to protect the lives of infants and the unborn.   This became the basis for the right to life in 'Roman law' adopted as part of our 'Common law' throughout the Western world until gradually abandoned during this century.

Similar practices of human sacrifice by the Incas and Aztecs in Central and South America and various tribes in Africa were stopped as a result of the influence of Christian missions.  Before the arrival of Christianity, Eskimos practiced euthanasia of the elderly by setting them on ice floes into the sea.
THE DECLINE OF CHRISTIANITY AND THE RIGHT TO LIFE IN WESTERN SOCIETY

As the influence of Christianity has declined in the Western World, so has respect for the value of human life.  First in Europe to legalise abortion was the atheistic Soviet Union.  Next were the Nazi's who advocated a return to the ancient Germanic religion and reintroduced abortion, infanticide and
euthanasia, which had been practiced by their pagan ancestors.  Most people would be shocked to discover that they are descended from nations, which at some time before the influence of Christianity practiced abortion, infanticide and human sacrifice.

The fact that many religions practiced and tolerated violations of the right to life, particularly before exposure to Christianity, does not mean that all of their adherents supported these practices.  Many did and still do oppose them.  A notable example is the Greek philosopher Hippocrates, who wrote the Hippocratic oath forbidding abortion and euthanasia.  Until recently, this oath was sworn by most medical doctors in the Western World.

Credit must also be given to Islamic governments, which together with South American and African governments have opposed attempts by North American and the European governments in United Nations to impose abortion on the developing world.  While orthodox Jews oppose abortion, the current Israeli government is dominated by secularists who permit it.  South African polls show 89% opposed to abortion on demand (Reality check poll, 1999), while only 74% profess to be Christian (1996 census) and a much lower percentage attend church.  Thus at least 15% of South Africans are against abortion on demand and do not profess Christianity.

The fact that many religions have historically tolerated such violations of the right to life does not mean that the 'Parliament of World Religions' or all delegates currently attending it in Cape Town endorse these practices.

At their previous conference (Chicago,1993), organisers produced a 'Global' ethic statement attempting to unite all religions that included a general statement against killing.  The statement is, however vague and can be interpreted on disputed issues by anyone as they wish.  It fails to deal specifically with the right to life conflicts over abortion, infanticide and euthanasia.  The objection of the missionaries at the 1893 Parliament was that such vague pluralistic ethics, when translated into laws fail to protect the right to life of the weak.  In 1893, a Christian dominated America displayed religious tolerance by allowing the first Parliament of World Religions to be held in Chicago, but did not tolerate practices violating the right to life. 

A hundred years later, that religious 'tolerance' of personal beliefs has changed to religious 'pluralism' with the loss of Christian ethics in law.  As the missionaries predicted in 1893, with religious pluralism in law, respect for the value of human life has been lost.

Christianity, Islam, Judaism and various other smaller groups share a respect for the Law of Moses and other Hebrew scriptures, which condemn the killing of innocent human beings (Exodus 20:13) and count the unborn amongst them (Psalm 139:13-18).  It is not a coincidence that South Africa's
adoption of a constitution which fails to recognise the authority of the God of the Bible (Interim, 1994; Final, 1996), was followed soon afterwards by the legalisation of abortion on demand (1997) and discussion of the legalisation of euthanasia (1999).  The restoration of respect for the right to life in South Africa, will require a restoration of the fear of the God of the Bible.

REFERENCES
Bancroft, A. 1987: Origins of the sacred - The spiritual journey of Western tradition, Arkana Paperbacks, London.

Grant, G. 1954: 'Third time around: A history of the Prolife movement from the first century to the present', Wolgemuth & Hyatt, Berntwood, Tennessee.

Kennedy, D.J. and Newcombe, J. 1994: What if Jesus had never been born?,
Thomas Nelson Publishers, London.

Severy, M. & et al.  1977: Greece and Rome - Builders of our World, National Geographic Society.
Wellman, S. 1997: William Carey - Father of Modern Missions, Barbour Publishing, Uhrichsville.


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