2. The United Nations and Global Governance

World Scripture

Now is the gracious Lord’s ordinance promulgated,
No one shall cause another pain or injury;
All mankind shall live in peace together,
Under a shield of administrative benevolence.
Adi Granth, Sri Raga, M.5, p. 74 (Sikhism)

We the peoples of the United Nations, determined
to save succeeding generations from the scourge
of war, which twice in our lifetime has
brought untold sorrow to mankind, and
to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights,
in the dignity and worth of the human person,
in the equal rights of men and women
and of nations large and small, and
to establish conditions under which justice and
respect for the obligations arising from treaties and
other sources of international law
can be maintained, and
to promote social progress and better standards
of life in larger freedom,
And for these ends—
to practice tolerance and live together in peace
with one another as good neighbors, and
to unite our strength to maintain international
peace and security, and
to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and
the institution of methods, that armed force
shall not be used, save in the common interest, and
to employ international machinery for the promotion
of the economic and social advancement of all peoples
—have resolved to combine our efforts to
accomplish these aims.
Accordingly, our respective governments, through representatives assembled in the city of San Francisco, who have exhibited their full powers found to be in good and due form, have agreed to the present charter of the United Nations and do hereby establish an international organization to be known as the United Nations.
Preamble of the United Nations Charter
In times past, one would be justified in feeling that the public authorities of the different political communities might be in a position to provide for the universal common good, either through normal diplomatic channels or through top-level meetings, by making use of juridical instruments such as conventions and treaties…
Today the universal common good presents us with problems which are worldwide in their dimensions; problems, therefore, which cannot be solved except by a public authority with power, organization and means co-extensive with these problems, and with a world-wide sphere of activity. Consequently the moral order itself demands the establishment of some such general form of public authority…set up by common accord and not imposed by force…
By the principle of subsidiarity…the public authority of the world community is not intended to limit the sphere of action of the public authority of the individual political community, much less to take its place. On the contrary, its purpose is to create, on a world basis, an environment in which the public authorities of each political community, its citizens and intermediate associations, can carry out their tasks, fulfill their duties and exercise their rights with greater security…
It is Our earnest wish that the United Nations Organization—in its structure and in its means—may become ever more equal to the magnitude and nobility of its tasks… This is all the more to be hoped for since all human beings…are becoming more consciously aware that they are living members of a universal family of humankind.
Pope John XXIII, Pacem in Terris (Christianity)

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon

The biblical account of Cain and Abel reveals the beginnings of human conflict right in Adam’s family. It provides the archetype for humankind’s unending history of struggle, war and conflict. We are conflicted on many levels, beginning with the war between body and mind within each individual and extending to wars between nations and even to the global conflict between materialism and theism.
Who can untie this ancient knot of Cain and Abel? It has been tightened for thousands of years and grows ever more tangled. Do you think the United Nations can do it? The U.N. at its founding proclaimed a movement for world peace, and for sixty years it has dedicated itself to this task; yet world peace still remains far distant. Peace among nations can never come when those entrusted with the task have not resolved the Cain-Abel relationship between their own mind and body. Therefore, the time has come to launch the Abel-type sovereignty for the peaceful, ideal world that will set its course according to God’s Will.²²
(September 21, 2005)

World peace can be fully accomplished only when the wisdom and efforts of the world’s religious leaders, who represent the internal concerns of the mind and conscience, work cooperatively and respectfully with national leaders who have much practical wisdom and worldly experience about the external reality or “body.” In this light, it is time for us to give serious consideration even to the prospect of restructuring the United Nations. For example, perhaps it is possible to envision the United Nations as a bicameral institution.
The existing United Nations structure, composed of national representatives, may be regarded as a congress where the interests of each member nation are represented. However, I submit that serious consideration should be given to forming a religious assembly, or council of religious representatives within the structure of the United Nations. This assembly or council would consist of respected spiritual leaders in fields such as religion, culture and education. Of course, the members of this interreligious assembly will need to have demonstrated an ability to transcend the limited interests of individual nations and to speak for the concerns of the entire world and humanity at large.
The two chambers, working together in mutual respect and cooperation, will be able to make great advances in ushering in a world of peace. The wisdom and vision of great religious leaders will substantially supplement the political insight, experience and skill of the world’s political leaders.
(August 18, 2000)