VOLUME 5, NUMBER 3 -- APRIL 30, 2000
EARTH CHARTER USA
The Earth Charter Commission issued a final version of the Earth Charter after their meeting on March
12-14, 2000, at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The charter is a collaborative effort of the Earth
Council and Green Cross International, with the support of the Dutch Government.
The Earth Council and Green Cross International define themselves in the following manner:
"The Earth Council is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) that was created in
September 1992 to promote and advance the implementation of the Earth Summit agreements. It is led
by a body of 18 Members, drawn from the world's political, business, scientific and non-governmental
communities. Sixteen eminent world leaders serve as Honorary Members, and an 18 member Earth
Council Institute functions as an advisory board."
(http://www.ecouncil.ac.cr/about/)
"Green Cross an International Network"
"Mikhail Gorbachev chaired the destiny of Green Cross International since 1993, date of its birth. The
mission of Green Cross International is to help create the conditions for a sustainable future by cultivating
a more harmonious relationship between humans and the environment."
"The founding principles of Green Cross International can be summarized by: __A fundamental
transformation of society's Values with respect to the environment. Narrow approaches to problem
solving ignore linkages between sectors or across local, national and global spheres. Firstly, changes in
values and in the distribution of power are needed and secondly, new ways of analyzing and acting are
required. Green Cross works worldwide to promote the emergence of these values."
(http://www.gci.ch/GreenCrossFamily/presentation.html)
Their efforts have spawned "Earth Charter USA Campaign". The Campaign's website
(http://www.earthcharterusa.org) contains a question and answer page. Here are some excerpts:
"What is the Earth Charter?"
"The Earth Charter is envisioned as a statement of fundamental ethical principles and practical guidelines
of enduring significance that are widely shared by all people. In like manner to the Universal Declaration
on Human Rights, it will serve as a universal code of conduct to guide people and nations towards
sustainable development. It is a call for action that adds significant new dimensions to what has been
expressed in earlier agreements and declarations on the environment and sustainable development."
(emphasis added)
"Why do we need an Earth Charter?"
"The transition to sustainable development requires basic changes in the attitudes, values, and
behavior of all people in order to achieve social, economic, and ecological security in the context
of limited resources. The Earth Charter process recognizes the need for these changes and to
integrate the ethical, social, scientific, and economic dimensions into a sustainable operating value
framework for the 21st century. By supporting the transition to sustainability, it will help to restore and
protect the Earth as a secure home for humanity and the larger community of life." (emphasis added)
The answer to the following question describes how the charter will be turned into international binding
law on every citizen of every nation.
Notice that inalienable rights; rights granted by God as stated in the Declaration of Independence are not
listed.
"What will happen with the Earth Charter now?"
"The document will continue to be introduced through broad outreach to civil society. It will also
eventually be presented to governments and the UN for endorsement and implementation at the national
and international levels."
"What is the Earth Charter USA Campaign?"
"The Earth Charter USA Campaign is the United States component of the international Earth Charter
initiative. Earth Charter USA provides support to those individuals and organizations within the US who
are working to bring the Earth Charter and the values and principles it articulates to the American public.
The main agents of the Campaign in the United States are Earth Charter Facilitators. These are
individuals from across the country and all walks of life, who introduce the Earth Charter to their
communities, churches, and organizations. Earth Charter USA is coordinated by the Center for Respect
of Life and Environment (CRLE) in Washington, DC. CRLE is a non-profit, non-governmental organization
that works to promote earth ethics and sustainable policies and practices within the United States and
throughout the world."
"How do I get involved in the Earth Charter USA Campaign?"
- "Become an Earth Charter USA Facilitator. As a Facilitator you will become part of the Earth Charter
USA National Network and you will have the opportunity to bring the Earth Charter to your community
through civic organizations, churches, business groups, youth groups, or other social organizations."
- "Form a study group on the Earth Charter."
- "Promote the identification and integration of fundamental ethical values for sustainable development in
your business or profession. Make a financial contribution to Earth Charter USA to support the activities
of Earth Charter Facilitators and the Secretariat."
"What other people and organizations are involved in Earth Charter USA?"
- "There are hundreds of people from all walks of life involved in the Earth Charter USA Campaign. They
represent civic groups, churches and other religious and spiritual groups, labor groups, businesses and
professions, and schools and universities among others. Some groups that have taken an active role in
Earth Charter USA are: The Citizen's Network for Sustainable Development, the American Association of
Engineering Societies, Soka Gakkai-International USA, the Baha'is of the US, Global Education
Associates, The Foundation for the Future of Youth, the Boston Research Center for the 21st Century,
Institute for Ethics and Meaning, and The Interfaith Center of New York."
As in the past, the media, - newspaper, TV, and radio will be counted on to inform us of the new value
system without any information about the real agenda - i.e. enslavement at your own request.
Organizations that up to this point have not joined the UN agenda, may come alive with this new dogma.
Some of the reasons are listed below:
- Any business that has signed on to ISO standardization program. ISO 14000 will require the agenda to
be incorporated into the ethical practices of the business. Check out the World Business Council for
Sustainable Development, it is a who's who of Global titans.
- All public schools have accepted Goals 2000 and will teach the program starting in the first grade. For
private school, a voucher system is on the verge of passing Congress. Private schools accepting
government money will, in the end, abide by governmental rules.
- Churches belonging to the World Council of Churches have already been bought. Churches that do
not belong to the Council will learn the true meaning of 501c3 - Intolerance will not be tolerated.
Lets examine some of the specific points of this new ethic:
"6. Prevent harm as the best method of environmental protection and, when knowledge is limited, apply
a precautionary approach." Principle 15 of the UN agenda 21 states "Where there are threats of serious
or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost
effective measures to prevent environmental degradation."
"10. a. Promote the equitable distribution of wealth within nations and among nations."
Take from the haves and give to the have nots. Just how powerful will the UN be when it can order the
distribution of wealth on a global basis?
"12 a. Eliminate discrimination in all its forms, such as that based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation,
religion, language, and national, ethnic or social origin." (emphasis added)
"13 e. Eliminate corruption in all public and private institutions."
"14 d. Recognize the importance of moral and spiritual education for sustainable living." (emphasis
added)
On first read the Earth Charter sounds good. It is filled with a lot of high sounding rhetoric about things
we would all like to see. Most of us want clean air and water and unpolluted streams and lakes. Most of
us want habitats for the earth's wildlife and most of us want to preserve the beauties of nature for our
children and grandchildren. All of these are desirable goals.
The problems with the Earth Charter are more with what it doesn't say than with what it says. It fails to
present the costs of the proposals it makes...and those costs will be very high in what the average
American and Western European will have to give up...including liberties. The costs in dollars is
insignificant when compared to the loss of freedoms.
Even more significant is the general tone of the document. When compared to our Declaration of
Independence it is totally lacking. Our Founding Fathers recognized that man is made in the image of
God but that he is a fallen creature. Because he is a fallen creature he is not to be trusted with too much
power. They set up the triune government of checks and balances in the hopes of keeping any one
element of the government from gaining too much power. As a final check they insisted on regular
elections whereby the people could evict those who were not doing the job they should or who were
trying to gather too much power to themselves.
The Earth Charter speaks of the Earth providing the necessities of life and of man evolving. It implies
that man can evolve to become the "good" keeper of nature's bounty and can overcome the base nature
we as Christians know him to possess. There is no room in the Earth Charter for the Jehovah of the
Jews or the Christ of the Christians. We see a system that elevates man to the highest estate, or so it
would seem. The problem there is that only some men are capable of making the appropriate decisions.
Since most of us have demonstrated we are not able or willing to make those decisions they will have to
be made for us and a legal structure put into place to ensure that we adhere to them.
A careful reading between the lines of this document should scare any freedom-loving person out of his
wits. The end result of implementing the conditions set forth in the Earth Charter will be slavery for most
of mankind. Just a few samples taken from the Charter:
"II.,5., d. Control and eradicate non-native or genetically modified organisms harmful to native species and the
environment, and prevent introduction of such harmful organisms."
You probably have not thought in these terms, but do you realize that humans are non-native to most
areas in which they now live? Will they be eradicated or will other means of control be implemented?
"II., 7., e. Ensure universal access to health care that fosters reproductive health and responsible reproduction."
The code here is that abortion is a guaranteed right or perhaps, as in China, a requirement.
"III. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE, 9. Eradicate poverty as an ethical, social, and environmental
imperative."
A noble goal to be sure but impossible according to the Scripture, for Jesus said: "For ye have the poor
always with you;..." (Matthew 26:11)
Now read a quote from the final section "The Way Forward:"
"In order to build a sustainable global community, the nations of the world must renew their
commitment to the United Nations, fulfill their obligations under existing international agreements, and
support the implementation of Earth Charter principles with an international legally binding instrument
on environment and development." (emphasis added)
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