National Council of Churches comes under fire from anti-Christian bigots. Recently the 45 million person National Council of Churches has come under fire from a group called “Concerned Women for America” (CWFA) for encouraging its member Churches to support and actively work toward eradicating global poverty by fulfilling the United Nations Millenium Development Goals: Goal 1. Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger Goal 2, Achieve Universal Primary Education Goal 3, Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women Goal 4, Reduce Child Mortality Goal 5, Improve Maternal Health Goal 6, Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases Goal 7, Ensure Environmental Sustainability Goal 8, Develop a Global Partnership for Development Why would anyone attack the National Council of Churches for encouraging their members to support such goals? Maybe the NCC is one of those pushy evangelizing groups that makes getting aid contingent upon conversion to Christianity? “it(the NCC-ed.) promotes harmonious relations among Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, practitioners of traditional Native American religion and many other faith groups in a society that is increasingly multireligious.” No? Well then, perhaps Concerned Women for America is just one of those commie-pinko-liberal women’s Jesus-hatin’ groups? “We are the nation's largest public policy women's organization with a rich 27-year history of helping our members across the country bring Biblical principles into all levels of public policy.” Oh! Guess not. Well then, what is the CWFA’s problem with the NCC's support of the UN? “The thesis of the National Council of Churches (NCC) booklet Eradicating Global Poverty1 is that for the first time in human history we have the ability to eradicate poverty and the way to do it is through the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. In other words, the NCC is saying that the United Nations, not Jesus Christ, is the salvation of the world.” Ooo---kay. “The NCC is surrendering leadership to a secular entity and offering utopian solutions, instead of Biblical ones, to the world's problems. To add insult to injury, the NCC is using its member churches as foot soldiers to carry forward the U.N. agenda around the world.” Hmmm... Biblical Solutions huh? You mean like this one? 34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2025:34-46;&version=9; Ok then, what else is wrong with the NCC program? “ the NCC proposal substitutes a leftist agenda for Biblical imperatives.” But, but... Jesus said if we feed the hungry, we have fed him too, and we will be blessed. Wait,... does this mean Jesus was a leftist? “The U.N. is actively anti-American; both the Security Council and the General Assembly work to thwart American interests.” Ummm, I thought the NCC program is about eradicating global poverty, does feeding hungry people thwart American interests too? ” Perhaps the National Council of Churches and its member denominations ought to consider sending Christian missionaries into Haiti and other Third World nations; we just might see some transformed lives that would, in turn, transform communities and those nations. “ That sounds nice! Doesn't the National Council of Churches perform any mission work at all? NCC member communion fined $34,000 for Cuba ministry "We have had an ecumenical relationship with the Cuban Council of churches for a long time, as have churches and councils of churches around the world," President Bush's approval of these recommendations indicates that this administration is trying to dictate who our church partners can be and how our humanitarian agencies can deliver aid to people who need it. That is an incredible intrusion into free exercise of religion." Well, I guess that answers my question about whether eradicating global poverty thwarts American interests. Or at least the Bush administration’s interests. “Further, the goals of "gender equality" and "empowering women" include quotas and set-asides that are hugely problematic for Americans who believe in full opportunity for women, but who firmly oppose quotas and special treatment or exceptions. ” From the UN Millennium Development Goals: “...a world in which men and women work together as equal partners to secure better lives for themselves and their families. In this world, women and men share equally in the enjoyment of their capabilities, economic assets, voice, and freedom from fear and violence. They share the care of children, the elderly and the sick; the responsibility for paid employment; and the joys of leisure. In such a world, the resources now used for war and destruction are instead invested in human development and well-being; institutions and decision-making processes are open and democratic; and all human beings treat each other with respect and dignity.” My goodness, that does sound hugely problematic. OK Dr. Crouse can you show us some “brotherly love” for your fellow Christians and wrap all this up with a positive message? Ah, such a nice little package of politically correct, utopian manipulation. Church groups around America can sit together and write up their ideas on newsprint for all the assembled participants to see. They can gather thoughts about calling members of Congress and they can feel good about their compassion for those who are less fortunate. They can increase the amount that they send to liberal organizations and encourage greater support for United Nations efforts. But I remind them of the remarks by the president of Haiti -- after 50 years of aid, there has been no noticeable improvement in that nation that has been the focus of so much U.N. attention. Pouring more money into a failed experiment won't bring better results. So Dr. Crouse, what is your solution to global poverty? ”“The solutions are in mission work, where you send people to countries where they have never heard the gospel before and you break the cycle of poverty by offering people the hope of Jesus Christ.” ... ”Pouring more money into a failed experiment won't bring better results. Perhaps the National Council of Churches and its member denominations ought to consider sending Christian missionaries into Haiti and other Third World nations; we just might see some transformed lives that would, in turn, transform communities and those nations.” Now I don't want to belabor the point that Haiti’s population is already 96% Christian... So I'll just note that in the effort to combat poverty: The United Nations has been around for 61 years. Christianity has been around for about 2006 years. “Pouring more money into a failed experiment won't bring better results.” --Janice Shaw Crouse, Ph.D Maybe working together will? **Concerned Women for America is an extreme right wing organization who opposes homosexual rights, reproductive rights for women including plan B, and has strong ties to the Bush administration best demonstrated by Dr. Janice Shaw Crouse being appointed as an official delegate to the UN despite her opposition to women's rights and her position as head of the Beverly LaHaye Institute whose anti-UN paranoia is most clearly demonstrated in the armageddon fantasies of the LaHaye's 'Left Behind' series. They're also closely associated with the "humanitarians" at Focus on the Family** The only blog inspired by a Bumper Sticker.