A recent press release from the United Nations' secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, makes a startling statement. It says that the teachings of a 13th century, Persian poet--Maulana Rumi--capture the goals of the UN's "Alliance of Civilizations."

As followers of FP know, the AoC is an initiative launched under the UN's previous secretary-general, Kofi Annan, to combat religious extremism and end the tensions that divide the Western and Muslim worlds. The UN realized it can never achieve its goal of creating a peaceful world unless it first achieves religious tolerance. It plans to focus its efforts on education, media, migration and youth.

The AoC is being implemented under the framework of the "Euro-Mediterranean Partnership" and the "European Neighbourhood Policy" (both which seek to bring peace and stability to the Middle East) with a goal of extending the AoC globally. An AoC "High Representative," Jorge Sampaio (former president of Portugal), has been appointed to lead these efforts, and Javier Solana, the EU's High Representative, has endorsed the AoC. The UN's goal is for the AoC to become operational by the end of 2009--just in time for the middle of Daniel's 70th week in 2010 (if it, indeed, started Jan, 1, 2007). 

The emergence of the AoC is significant because it marked the beginning of a formal, spiritual agenda by the UN. And what are the UN's spiritual beliefs? According to the secretary-general, Ban, they can be found in the writings of Maulana Rumi, which you can read here. Ban goes so far as to call himself a "student" of Rumi. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the prime minister of Turkey--co-sponsor of the AoC with Spain--told the UN General Assembly that spreading Rumi's message throughout the world "will greatly strengthen our efforts within the framework of the Alliance of Civilizations." Read his speech here. Turkey is currently sponoring an exhibit featuring Rumi's work at the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

Rumi taught that, originally, we were all part of God and, through spiritual enlightenment, we'll eventually make our way back to God. Like other Eastern and New Age teachings, Rumi taught that only when individuals attain inner peace--and don't discriminate against other beliefs--can they create a peaceful world. The core of all faiths, he taught, is love. His writings are attractive to the United Nations because they teach a "humanist philosophy and ... highlight the principles of tolerance, understanding and compassion," according to Ki-moon. Rumi's poems have gained a pop-culture following through recorded readings by celebrities, like Madonna's video "Bittersweet." Lyrics here.

Rumi's poems are hard to understand, first, because--according to his followers-- he wrote them while in a mystical state. Also, they are translated from Persian. Yet, you can see his contradiction of Christian teachings in lines like these, found in his poem titled Divan-E Shams:

The ignorant and the blind
With insight are now wise and kind
Surpass Jesus, put him behind
And so we say, may it be so  (From Rumi 21)

Here, Rumi suggests that, on the path to enlightenment, people can pass up Jesus--who, in Eastern thinking, isn't the unique Son of God, but one of many people who have achieved a high level of enlightenment. In another line, Rumi seems to suggest that, once people achieve enlightenment--what he calls "resurrection grade"--they will have no need for belief in a biblical Judgment Day:

In this world attained our resurrection grade
Till thoughts of the other & Judgement Day fade (From Rumi 24)

Rumi's teachings give us insights into the beliefs guiding the UN and its Alliance of Civilizations. Such beliefs mesh perfectly with the EU's secular humanistic philosophy. The bottom line in both Eastern and humanistic thinking is that human beings are God--though these teachings may have different ways of getting there. And, of course, the teaching that human beings can be like God is the same old lie Satan told Eve in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:5). This satanic teaching is, sadly, even being promoted within our own Christian quarters through the popular "Word-Faith Movement." My skin has crawled when I've heard Creflo Dollar blasphemously state on Christian television: "You are gods," while also denying the divinity of Christ. Watch him here. 

We know from Bible prophecy that the Antichrist also will hold to a type of this thinking. In the middle of Daniel's 70th week, he will go into the rebuilt Jewish temple and proclaim himself to be God (Daniel 11:36-37, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). 

So, we can see how different non-Christian beliefs seem to be merging into the end-time false religious system that the Bible describes as "the beast from the earth" (Revelation 13:11-18). This false religious system will support the "beast from the sea" (the revival of the Roman Empire under the Antichrist, which appears to have risen in the European Union). It also will be responsible for the most violent persecution of God's people ever.

Christians--with their beliefs about sin, judgment and Jesus as the only Savior--are going to be seen as hate mongers standing in the way of global unity. And those who are more fully "enlightened" or "evolved"--a word choice depending on whether their thinking is Eastern or secular humanistic--will be seen as humanity's true saviors. 

Students of Bible prophecy would do well to keep their eyes on the Alliance of Civilizations.