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Rev. Ann C. Fox
(508) 992-7081
UFairhaven@aol.com
The Unitarian Universalist Society
of Fairhaven, Massachusetts

"United Nations, Religion, and the Future"
Rev. Ann C. Fox
         I am ambivalent about flags! However, when I see the Union Jack, my heart is gladdened with memories of my country of origin. During the two years I lived in Canada, I came to appreciate their simple flag with the red maple leaf in the middle. And, during that time, I would turn and smile when I saw a Stars and Stripes flying with the Union Jack and the Maple Leaf. But nothing gladdens my heart more than seeing the flag of the United Nations, this blue flag with its globe of the world surrounded by two olive branches, ancient Greek and Roman symbols of peace. World Peace and human well being is what the United Nations Organization is about and this gladdens my heart like no other sight on earth.

         Although the headquarters of various arms of the United Nations are spread throughout the world, the General Assembly and the Security Council are housed in New York City. When I lived there, I was inexplicably drawn often to three places. One was the Metropolitan Museum of Art (when it was free of charge). Another was the Staten Island Ferry where you could pass the Statue of Liberty for 10 cents each way on the ferry. And the last was the United Nations Plaza. It was thrilling to go there during the week-days and see the bustle of all the nationalities doing their cooperative business. I wonder nowadays whether the need for security has changed the look and feel of the nations going about their work.

         The basic work of the United Nations is the basic purpose of all the world's religions, which call us to personal goodness. And that goodness is to be expressed in caring for our neighbor.

         "Western religion---Judaism, Christianity, and Islam---all begin with the well-known stories found in the Book of Genesis. Reading these tales, we can see how the God of Abraham, who was little more than a family or clan God, evolved into a tribal god. And from that, over time, the Holy One became a universal god who causes the rain to fall upon the rich and poor alike, and brings sunshine to the just and the unjust. In other words, one way to understand the Bible and the Koran is as a record of growing human self-awareness of our sacred connections to one another and to the natural world all around. Clearly, our Unitarian and Universalist forebears thought this way.

         "Our forebears, all the way back to ancient Israel, thought this way. It inspired them to strive to establish here on earth communities of faith and good will, where justice and peace prevail. Indeed, this hope---the messianic hope for a new and harmonious order---was at the heart of Hebrew prophecy and central to Christian efforts over the centuries to establish 'thy Kingdom come…on earth, as it is in heaven.' It inspired the Pilgrims' efforts to found on these shores 'a new Zion.' Such hope inspired those who drafted our country's democratic institutions, and---somewhat paradoxically---pervades the mythic background informing the American Dream." (Furrer, 2001)

         You might have noticed in the unison reading that the charter of the United Nations begins with "We, the peoples of the United Nations", reminiscent of the American Declaration of Independence (not surprising since FDR helped draft the charter? And we might recall that our own Principles begin "We the member congregations do covenant to affirm and promote" seven Principles.

         Today we emphasize our Sixth Principle, the gold of world community with peace liberty and justice for all. Again, our sixth Principle is reminiscent of our country's Declaration of Independence. Following World War II, Unitarians and Universalists were inspired by the establishment of a World Body. In the late 1940's, one of our most famous ministers, Kenneth Patton declared himself a world citizen. Our UU United Nations Office says, "Many of us Unitarian Universalists consider ourselves, in a basic sense, citizens of the world. We want to end hunger, eradicate diseases, safeguard human rights, protect our fragile nature environment, and stop war everywhere in the world-not just in our own country." (UU-UNO, 2002)

         Although our UU-UNO office does many things, the most significant one is in fairly recent. In July 1997, the UUA was granted consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). This status increases our potential influence beyond that as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO). As an NGO, our two delegates could attend the annual Conference in New York, but we were limited to the role of observing and educating our members and others about the UN.

         Our new status also allows us to state our views at the UN, not merely just listen. We can send seven more delegates to attend public meetings and we can submit position papers on relevant issues. In this way, we can express the power of our ethical beliefs at the world forum. On September 8, 2002, our UU-UNO Board created this Statement of Conscience concerning a military attack on Iraq by the United States and presented it to the United Nations. (Following is just part of the Statement to give you a flavor of the kind of voice we can raise at this international body.)

         "We, the members of the Board of the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office oppose a pre-emptive military attack on the part of the United States against Iraq. We believe that the widespread death and destruction that would ensue from a military assault on Iraq by the United States would be morally indefensible, and hurt the very people we are intending to save.

         Already, the Iraqi population has suffered mightily from the most punishing sanctions in history. By some estimates, a million civilians, including many children, have died because of this policy. A military attack would only compound the suffering of innocent people." (And now I quote to you the final sentence.)

         "We urge against a rush to judgment, and call upon the United States to avoid an ill-considered, reckless, and potentially tragic military attack on the country and people of Iraq."

         I do not know how you feel about this, but personally, I am gratified and proud that such a liberal religious voice can be heard. This is the true work of the prophets of social justice. Our UU-UNO office is helping us to continue the work of the ancient Hebrew prophet, Micah, who predicted that " they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more;" (Micah 4:3). The prophet Amos counseled "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." (Amos 5:24)

         Our religions alone were not able to form a world body to solve our problems. The world's religions often think they have the edge on truth. We UU's believe that no one has an edge on truth but that we must struggle together to find the spirit or the essence of religions and bring this understanding to the table of world cooperation. The future of the world's nations and the environment depend upon greater understanding and this understanding must go beyond the self-interest that currently motivates United States policy. But we are learning and perhaps one day our own nation and its corporations will work for the betterment of people and not just for power and profit.

         The United States needs the United Nations as much as the UN needs us. One day we will live up to the ideals upon which our nation was founded and that will surely include our UU sixth principle, the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for ALL.

Reading: from Encarta Online Encyclopedia

         For the reading, I thought we might remind ourselves of where the idea of the United Nations came from and how it functions for the benefit of this, our world.

         In the late 18th century, the German philosopher, Immanuel Kant, proposed that nations form a league to unite and punish aggressor nations and also to ensure rights for smaller nations. The League of Nations was formed after World War I without the United States, but it failed because its members were themselves aggressors.

         In 1941, President Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill signed the Atlantic Charter to promote world peace and cooperation. It is surprising that throughout World War II, representatives from many nations met and signed the Declaration of the United Nations. President Roosevelt coined the term the United Nations. The United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and China agreed to establish a general international organization and called for a conference in San Francisco with delegates from 50 countries in 1945. The Delegates completed a charter for the United Nations in only two months that included its purpose, principles, and organizing structure. The United Nations officially came into existence on October 24, 1945.

         To reassure the world's most powerful countries, the United States, Great Britain, France, the Soviet Union, and China, that it would not threaten their sovereignty and the UN gave them veto authority over its most important actions. This veto power is in the most powerful arm of the UN---the 15-member Security Council, which is responsible for maintaining international peace and for restoring peace and imposing economic sanctions.

         The General Assembly provides a forum for countries to promote their views and settle conflicts without violence. Another arm cooperates to solve problems such as poverty, disease, human rights and environmental degradation. The UN is a symbol of international order and global identity. It promotes human rights, and economic and social progress and it collects massive research data. This organization cares for the world. (Hymn 134.)
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