Awake article ....Vaticans role as NGO

by purplesofa 19 Replies latest jw friends

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  purplesofa

  Effort to Oust Vatican from UN

  THE Rome-based news agency Inter Press Service (IPS) reported that "an international coalition of more than 70 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has launched a global campaign to oust the Vatican from the United Nations." Presently, the Vatican is a permanent observer, or nonmember state, in the UN organization. The Vatican has had that status since 1964.

  Why does this group of NGOs, which by the end of April last year had increased to 100 organizations worldwide, object to the Vatican?s position in the UN? Because the Vatican, the NGOs argue, is a religious authority and not a political state. Frances Kissling, president of Catholics for a Free Choice, told IPS that the coalition does not oppose the Vatican?s right to express its view, but "what is in question is the right of this non-state to occupy a position with governments."

  Anika Rahman, director of International Programmes at the Centre for Reproductive Law and Policy, agrees. IPS quoted her as saying that "if the UN treats the Holy See as a state with permanent observer privileges because of its religious authority, the world body is creating a precedent for similar claims by other religions." She added: "To ensure that the United Nations does not promote any particular religion, religious entities such as the Roman Catholic Church should not be permitted to participate in this forum as a non-member state."

  But what about the argument that the Vatican is a state and is therefore entitled to its present status? "That is semantic double-talk," responded Ms. Kissling in an interview. "We say that this is in essence a 15th-century definition of statehood and that the Holy See is, in effect, the governing structure of the religion." She added that the terms "Vatican" and "the Holy See" are both "synonyms for the Roman Catholic Church."

  Much of the resentment of the NGOs against the Vatican?s current position in the UN is caused by the Vatican?s view on population issues. For instance, the Vatican has used UN conferences such as the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development, in Cairo, and the 1995 Women?s Conference, in Beijing, to express its strong views against family planning. "Since the UN takes most of its decisions by consensus," notes IPS, "dissenting voices such as those of the Vatican have derailed negotiations on issues relating to population, contraception, women?s rights and reproductive health care."

  According to Ms. Kissling, "the appropriate role for the Vatican is that of a NGO?the same as all the other NGOs representing Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Bahais and other religious organisations."The coalition wants UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and ultimately the UN General Assembly to conduct an official review of the place the Vatican occupies within the world?s largest political body.

  10/22/2000 AWAKE

  No mentioin of Jehovahs Witness's .......I guess they are other religious organizations.
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  Amazing

  Purple,

  Oddly enough, the Vatican is a legitimate country, recognized by the United Nations. The Pope is considered the legitimate head-of-state. It is the smallest country in the world, at one square mile. Therefore, it has more of a right to me a member state, than anything else. Notwithstanding this, the Vatican has chosen to remain in an observer status. Fascinating. Thanks for sharing the article, it was most interesting.

  Jim Whitney
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  purplesofa

  When did JW pull out as NGO.....?
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  purplesofa

  An October 8, 2001 article by U.K. newspaper Guardian exposed the Watchtower, Bible & Tract Society's secret association to the UN as a NGO. Following a flood of inquiry by Jehovah's Witnesses, the Watchtower quickly withdrew its membership and released an official explanation stating that they became an NGO (non-governmental organization) simply to have access to research materials at the UN headquarters' library.

  http://www.randytv.com/secret/fordecades.htm

  I stumbled on something that has really got me going.

  They pulled out in 2001 but the previous article posted is from 2000 specifically naming religions as shown in red with no mention of JW's, knowing they were NGO's to the UN.

  Maybe this article has been brought out before but this is so nasty to not mention in this AWAKE, that at that time JW was NGO. They obviously knew it..........what a croc
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  Amazing

  Hi Purple,

  The Watchtower membership as an NGO was a huge scandal. They were members for about ten years. Yet, the Society condemned the UN as Satan's image of the Wild Beast in Revelation. Some JWs have tried to defend the Society by minimizing the fact the originally NGOs were not required to sign anything, all they had to do was to complete a registration form. The comments by Watchtower oficials is that they only registered so that they could use the UN library. However, they fail to tell the JWs that anyone can use the UN library and not be a member organizaton, like an NGO.

  My guess is that the Society joined because they wanted to have some formal standing with the UN so they could fight for certain religious rights to allow JWs to operate freely in some countries that are member nations of the UN. On the surface, their registration for that reason would have made far more sense than the library card excuse. Nonetheless, the fact that the Society so strongly condemned the UN along with Babylon the Great, and the nations of the world as all being part of Satan's system of things ... then ... they should not have joined under any capacity. The Society just plain got caught doing something hippocritical, and do not want to admit to their error.

  Jim Whitney
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  purplesofa

  What bothers me about this article is that they talk about NGO's and never mention that they in fact were member of the NGO themselves. They write of it as if they were a third party, an observer, instead of a participant.

  It is like when they change the wording of WT's when put in bound volumes.

  purps
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  Satanus

  The wt pretends to take a neutral stance in the article, but the wt corp's hatred of the catholic institution is well known by long time jws. Merely printing this article is a form of propaganda, as they left out the fact that the vatican is a nation, as jim pointed out.

  S
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  zagor

  the appropriate role for the Vatican is that of a NGO?the same as all the other NGOs representing Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Bahais and other religious organisations."

  An inadvertent admission that they were fully aware of what an NGO's relationship and its obligations toward UN were. So their excuse of "thank you for bringing it to our attention" doesn't really wash it.
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  AK - Jeff

  What bothers me about this article is that they talk about NGO's and never mention that they in fact were member of the NGO themselves. They write of it as if they were a third party, an observer, instead of a participant.

  Purple - I tried to post an article from the 10/01/86 Watchtower in which they pussy-foot about the issue of 'Bribery' - which we all know they allowed and 'winked at' in Mexico, for the purpose of allowing the brothers to violate the laws on mandatory military training there. Of course Mexico and the specific bribery scandal was never mentioned - but it gave the impression that at times bribery may be acceptable. I think this article was specifically written as 'damage control' after Franz' book revealed the matter.

  Oh, on the matter of hypocricy these bastards need no training. Whatever the subject, they can skirt and hide the facts. Kinda like the preacher that gets up and denounces the sins of the fornicating world, whilst he winks at his mistress in the front pew.

  Jeff
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  purplesofa

  I just want to say...........coming in to the JW teachings, I was trusting and naive and overlooked alot of doubts. Although learning alot from the bible helped my in my life......I think of the confession I made to a judicial committee and to be disfellowshipped for nine years, yet I still had faith that what I was learning was the truth and being DF for nine years was justified. I worked hard to come back, altering my entire life to be reinstated believing all the time I was doing the right thing.

  The UN thing really did not bother me until this article when they were clearly a member at the time it was written. It's not the information given out.......it's the lack of information.

  So coming in I overlooked alot ......going out you must dig deep for the hidden sumliminal messages.

  I have been sitting on the fence for two years......but if they want us to be so open and confess our sins...they owe something to their followers and well, I am deeply saddened today.

  I know not to expect perfection, but this is just blatent misleading in my opinion.

  purps

  purps