Have you ever thought a
comment was really good... until you found out who said it? Who says
it, and what they are referring to, can make all the difference in
the world! One time, I was surprised to find out that someone I
didn't particularly like happened to appreciate the same literature
that I did. I wasn't sure how to respond--do I adjust my perception of that person, or do I shift my literary preferences?
Sometimes feelings are
affected by people who hold similar perceptions. Sometimes our feelings are affected by what they are applied to. This last
point struck me when I read through the United Nations Charter.
As I read the Charter with
its values and principles, I couldn't help but notice how much the UN
sounded like a religion. It aims to establish lasting peace. It
seeks to mobilize the whole world in the work of the UN. Its members
profess faith in the UN and commit to its principles, Charters, and
international laws.
Now, how about we replace
that with a faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and a commitment to His
commands and laws and vision? These are also “indispensable
foundations of a more peaceful, prosperous and just world.” It is
only through acting in accordance with the “purposes and principles
of [God]... that any just and lasting peace all over the world” can
be established (quotations are from the UN Charter, with minor
adjustments in square brackets)!
Somehow, the world perceives it differently when it is not about the God of the Bible. Somehow, it is not religious bigotry when the UN is involved.
