Tag: U.N.

He… Shall Laugh

However, there is a concern that Kim has backed himself into a fool’s corner by his determination for arbitrament by the sword and may be required to, as the colloquial saying explains it, ‘put up or shut up.’

Psalm 2:1-5 “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us. He that sits in the heavens shall laugh and shall have them in derision. Then shall He speak to them in His wrath and vex them in His sore displeasure.”

Kim Un Jong declares State of War March 2013

(http://news.msn.com/world/n-korea-says-it-has-entered-state-of-war-against-s-korea?ocid=ansnews11)

The passage from Psalm 2 is perhaps the most appropriate caption for this picture of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un who ordered his country’s missiles to be aimed at Hawaii, Los Angeles, Austin Texas and Washington D.C. and in the next instance on March 29th declared that North Korea was in a State of War with South Korea. In part, the statement itself is redundant since North and South Korea have been only on a ‘cease fire’ or armistice since July 29, 1953. There never was a ‘winner’ in the Korean War however, Kim’s statement yesterday indicates his willingness to reconmmence hostilities. During the war in the 1950’s United Nations troops from across the world battled not only North Korean forces but Communist Chinese as well. Millions of Chinese troops did what the North Koreans could not and that was to hold the advance of the U.N. troops, led by the United States from entering and controlling North Korea. One must wonder whether China, although belligerent and at war with the U.S. already in a ‘cyber-warfare’ that is costing billions of dollars in losses; would be willing to enter into a shooting war with the U.S. and South Korea along with othe U.N. forces that may be required to fulfill their obligation under the armistice to protect South Korea from renewed military offensives.

The United States has maintained troops in South Korea specifically at the Demilitarized Zone since the armistice began. The 38th parallel has been the enforced ‘no-man’s land’ for 60 years as of July 27th of this year. The bellicose Kim appears once again to be ‘blowing smoke’ as far as his declaration that the missiles aimed at the U.S. would be “merciless” in their attack against the American people and his threats to reinvade South Korea. However, there is a concern that Kim has backed himself into a fool’s corner by his determination for arbitrament by the sword and may be required to, as the colloquial saying explains it,  ‘put up or shut up.’ To save face, he may very well act foolishly.

A large concern will be whether the Chinese once again come to the aid of their Communist neighbor and secondly, will Kim flex his nuclear muscle and bring with him his minion from Iran, Ahmadinejad?

Yesterday, B2 bombers based in Missouri flexed a little of the U.S. might as “the strategic stealth bombers flew from Whiteman Air Force Base in the U.S. state of Missouri to drop inert munitions on an island off the southwestern coast of the Korean peninsula before heading back to their home base – a 20,000 kilometer non-stop trip.”1

B-2 Spirit
B-2 Spirit

One can be certain that as tensions mount around Israel, as Syria continues to implode with all of the consequences that will bring for Israel; the fact that Christ is coming again soon is more obvious than ever. An exciting time to be about the Lord’s work as no doubt He will be calling many to Himself in these last days and Satan will be battling strong for every single soul. May we all geared up as Paul admonishes in Ephesians chapter 6 and best we all be ‘prayed up’ ready for battle. “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” Isaiah 6:8 – Let us answer with Isaiah, “Here I am Lord, Send Me!”

1 http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2013/03/mil-130328-voa01.htm?_m=3n%2e002a%2e765%2exb0ao042ml%2ep3p

re•lig•ious [ri lijjǝss] (adj) free-dom [fre’edǝm] (noun)

Rev. Ross L. Riggs, D Min.  www.docriggs.com   Ministry Minute ~ when there’s only a minute for ministry  

An original work of Riggs Family Ministry and True North Ministries

The Human Rights Report “The annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – The Human Rights Report – cover internationally recognized individual, civil, political and worker rights as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international agreements.”[i] According to the May 2010 National Security Strategy, “We see it as fundamental to our own interests to support a just peace around the world – one in which individuals, and not just nations, are granted the fundamental rights that they deserve.”[ii]

In a recent report by Thomas F. Farr, “Religious Freedom Under the Gun: The Obama administration neglects a key foreign policy issue,” [iii] he reports that the U.S. State Department announced that it is dropping coverage of religious freedom from its annual Human Rights Report. According to the State Department it is to “avoid duplicating coverage available in the annual Report on International Religious Freedom.”[iv] On the State Department website where ‘current’ reports from both categories are to be found (neither has anything more current filed than 2010), the following quote is highlighted at the top from Secretary Clinton: “Religious freedom provides a cornerstone for every healthy society. It empowers faith-based service. It fosters tolerance and respect among different communities. And it allows nations that uphold it to become more stable, secure and prosperous.”

In fact, the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights to which the Human Rights Report pays homage actually does list, all the way at number 18, the following: “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”[v] This may come as a surprise to most who read this, the U.N. by its article 18 gives more standing to the public practice of one’s religion than the current U.S. administration does! Article 19 continues the thought of 18 with: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” This would certainly put a damper on those who seek to silence the National Religious Broadcasters and political pundits such as Mr. Limbaugh and others who utilize ‘any media and regardless of frontiers’ to ‘impart information and ideas.’

A further review of the Declaration also seems to logically read the description of marriage for the purpose of raising a family and seems to indicate it is between a man and a woman, although not specifically stated. It is logical to conclude however from the language. (Article 16: 1-3)

Before you look to your loving spouse, of the opposite sex, and say that it appears the kindly but aging Rev. Riggs has dropped his false teeth in the soup, and I am endorsing anything that comes out of the United Nations, I am simply pointing out that this administration’s favorite play toy in Manhattan seems to be utilizing terminology that gives support to those whom this administration is seeking to gag (maybe a poor choice of words, because many fundamentals and conservatives have gagged at the rhetoric that comes out of 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue), let’s use the word ‘silence.’ U.N. doctrine is supportive in written text at least, of exercising religious freedom even outside the place of worship and the U.N. does use the term ‘religious freedom’ rather than ‘freedom of worship’ which is in vogue in polite Democratic circles. (It keeps those Christians off the streets and out of the public square!) Granted, the Declaration was ratified on December 10, 1948 and that was at a time when the U.N. also saw fit to “grant” Israel sovereign nation status. Obviously much has changed in sixty-four years but the Declaration’s wording remains the same.

However, back to Mr. Farr’s article and the evidence with which he convinces us that while the administration is trying to distance itself from the notion of enforcing ‘religious freedom’ declarations on the international front, there is certainly a crisis of epic proportions world-wide. Mr. Farr cites two studies by the Pew Research Center. First, “…70 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where religious freedom is severely restricted, by either governments or private actors.”[vi] In the second report (2011) “found that between mid-2006 and mid-2009 the situation deteriorated in twice as many countries as it improved.”[vii] This is not making headway at all but rather is steering the U.S. on a collision course with the countries having even less tolerance than a decade ago.

As many of the nations where the restrictions on religious freedom are non-Western, Muslim-majority; it should not surprise you that: “Of all the religious groups subject to persecution, Christians came out on top…”[viii]  The noted harassment of Christians was found in 130 countries. Muslims did not fare much better. They were reported as receiving harassment in 117 countries. The article states that a growing degree of anti-religion sentiment is in Western Europe which had been previously a purveyor of practicing priests and parishes. It does not indicate, however, whether the Western European disdain of religion is all religion or, perhaps because of the rapid spread of Islam there that it might be directed toward the Muslim. In any event, according to Pew, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and Iran are all in the category of ‘high’ social hostility to religion. France has moved ahead of Cuba in government restrictions against religion. Again, one wonders if France’s disdain is directed more at the Muslim than any other religion but the information is not available from these sources to determine the answer.

Although Western Europe has not engaged in torture, rape, murder, unjust imprisonment and execution for religion as many more extreme ‘societies’ have; there is a belief that “religious freedom is not only unnecessary for human flourishing or social development, but that it poses a threat to these and other goods.”[ix] Especially troubling is that democratic majorities, as well as authoritarian regimes, are rejecting religious freedom. Canada sometimes mirrors and sometimes leads Western Europe where now an “aggressive secularist majority…refuses to permit religiously informed moral arguments into public life.”[x] A recent conference in Oxford brought to light the possibility that “Once same-sex marriage is legalized in the United Kingdom, (an audience to popular media on the matter), agreed, dissenters should be ‘pursued by the law.’”[xi] As I mentioned, sometimes Canada is ahead of their European relatives. “In Canada, it is estimated that since the adoption of gay marriage in 2005, between 200 and 300 proceedings have been launched against defenders of marriage in courts, human rights commissions, and employment boards.” It is reported that the Catholic bishop of Calgary was threatened and charged with a human rights violation for a letter he circulated on his teaching on marriage. According to Farr, the bishop capitulated and stopped his teaching.

Recently, sociologists have proclaimed that religious freedom is good for democracy. It is also linked to economic development, the equality of women and the ‘absence of violent religious extremism’ all of which one would think are things to be sought after in a democracy. From President Obama, however we hear statements such as March 2009, at Notre Dame: “It is beyond our capacity as human beings to know with certainty what God… asks of us.”[xii] Later that year, in December at Georgetown University, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton defined the content of religious liberty: “To fulfill their potential, people… must be free to worship, associate, and to love in the way that they choose.” So, it seems, the President and Secretary of State are out of step with even the Declaration on Human Rights set down by the U.N. I suppose that is to be expected since the U.N. has not done enough in line with the Declaration on Human Rights since about the time that it was enacted in 1948. If you doubt that, ask the U.N.’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem “Navi” Pillay. She is an Indian South African who seems to be a remarkable lady and jurist with an incredible record as well as a husband who was imprisoned under Apartheid. She said, in 2008, the 60th anniversary of the Declaration that: “The promises enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) remain unfilled for tens of millions of people worldwide.”[xiii]

Amen to that! (Oopps… can you say ‘amen’ to a statement by the U.N.)

[ii] Ibid.

[iii] Farr, Thomas F “Religious Freedom Under the Gun” The Weekly Standard  July 16, 2012 (22-24)

[iv] Ibid. 22

[vi] Farr, Thomas F “Religious Freedom Under the Gun” The Weekly Standard  July 16, 2012 (22)

[vii] Ibid. (22)

[viii] Ibid. (23)

[ix] Ibid. (23)

[x] Ibid. (23)

[xi] Ibid. (23)

[xii] Ibid. (24)

new Old Guard

The new ‘Old Home Guard’              14 July 2012

Dr. Ross L. Riggs ~ Security Consulting Investigations & Global Security Consulting

Defending one’s own home and one’s own family is a principle that leaders, military tacticians, contingency planners and soldiers have understood for millennia. Confronted with an indefensible city wall, an enemy taking up offensive positions on the hills not far from the broken gates, Nehemiah assigned men to work refortifying the walls immediately in front of their own homes first. Jerusalem in the sixth century B.C. was under the command of a wise leader. Hundreds of years later, Jesus taught a corollary. The hireling takes off when trouble comes, but the owners of the sheep stay to fight and protect what is theirs. Mercenaries find it much more palatable to concede today in hope of a better tomorrow than stand firm no matter the end. Those who guard their own know that without victory today, there may be no hope for tomorrow.

Americans enjoy the fruits of wisdom of our forefathers who understood the need for a strong national defense. A strong presence with a global reach protects our homeland keeping those who want to strike us leery of that awesome power. Our nation’s planners knew, however, that there were other risks that required a local presence with an equal ability, known today as the National Guard; augmenting the federal military. As well-trained yet, ‘locally owned and operated’ and available to each state’s governor.

But, they did not stop there. Wise leaders in the Constitutional Convention of the 18th century, even before the formal establishment of the divisions of the armed services; enumerated ten amendments to the new Constitution to assure its ratification. Of course, these  amendments are the Bill of Rights. Second only to the right of free speech was, and is, the right of states to have a “well regulated militia” and for each citizen the right to “keep and bear arms.”

Two quick points of logic are necessary here. First, there is a clear distinction by the common reading that there are two groups, or entities, here whose rights are affirmed. One is each state of the union; the second is each individual citizen. The former has the right to keep a militia. The latter has two inter-dependent rights described.They are two specific and individual rights. The first is “To keep… arms.” It is the right of ownership.

It doesn’t say ‘keep registered’ or ‘keep and register…’ it reads “keep.” The second right within this Amendment for the citizen reads, “bear arms.” The clear and common reading in 1787 and today did not mean that the owner of arms had the limited right of carrying it around his property only, or in some cities today, only allowed to carry it inside his home. To bear it simply meant, and means, to carry it wherever one chooses to go. This was clearly understood then as both open and  concealed carry. There was no distinction.

A caveat is necessary. The old adage, my right to swing my fist ends where your nose begins is in play here.  A citizen, who owns private property, has the right to regulate if, when, and how another may carry a firearm onto it.

Any U.S. citizen who attempts to undermine or weaken the security of this country by depriving citizens of their Constitutional rights, in this case without a legally ratified new amendment, but rather by malfeasance and color of law should be charged with treason. This is particularly true of those who would conspire with our enemies to promulgate such an act as in the U.N. Small Arms Treaty.

To permit the open meeting of co-conspirators within the boundaries of the U.S., particularly within blocks of 9-11 Ground Zero, is a slap in the face of all Americans. At what point will we cordially invite the U.N. and every other group or individual here in the country who can only denigrate the nation and seek to find ways to hurt and disrespect it to go elsewhere? It is ludicrous for the American taxpayer to host the U(nfriendly) N(ations) at a cost of $20 million annually, over $2 billion for the new office, 22% of the entire annual budget and the costs keep adding up…[i]  The Small Arms Treaty should be the final straw. That building would make a nice Holocaust museum and a Hebrew University campus for international studies as well as an American University center for Constitutional law.

“I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and cause me to tremble for safety of my country; corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption in High Places will follow, and the Money Power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the People, until the wealth is aggregated in a few hands, and the Republic destroyed.”[ii]

A Battle for the Soul of America

Rev. Ross L. Riggs, D. Min.   www.docriggs.com

Maintain the peace, settle disputes between nations in a ‘civilized way’ and prevent war from ever happening again, on such broad a scale and so horrifically – these were clear cut directives for an  organization that was to have broad sweeping powers to make it happen. There was only one small problem – they had a little tribunal and no one came. Just like the old adage, ‘locks are only good for keeping out honest people’; the same was true for stopping war… the only ones that want to play by the rules were going to play by the rules even without this new organization. Those who were not so inclined to play by the rest of the world’s standards didn’t.

This new instrument of peace could call offending nations into their headquarters and tell them to make nice. If that did not work, there could be economic sanctions, which would require the member nations to agree to not send money, food, etc. to pressure the citizens to oust their unrepentant leaders. Failing that, military force could be used, except there was no military. The two nations that might be able to send military to police the sanctions had neither the money nor the manpower to do it.

Perhaps the saddest of all was the founder and president of this new body designed to respectfully work out the problems of the world lead the only major country in the world that refused to join. I refer, of course, to the League of Nations founded by none other than American President Woodrow Wilson who held a little conference and his own countrymen said, “No.” Western Europe and the Communist regimes that came to power in the first decades of the 20th century on the tails of violent and bloody WWI and revolutions were to grow stronger and more ruthless as time went on and America became more an isolationist. America’s farm boys had come home and that is where their families wanted them to stay. They were hoping to leave the rest of the world, (at least that on the far side of the globe­), to their own machinations.

With such a shabby foundation from which to grow, it is no wonder that today’s United Nations is anything other than what is. Now we have sanctions against human atrocities handed out by a Human Rights Commission headed by the worst offenders, most demonically influenced in the world. They continually seek the sanctioning, isolation and the eventual destruction of Israel and Jerusalem. At a time when the world needs leadership that knows what is right, adheres to the prescripts of fundamental Christian theology, utilizes the Bible as the only rule of faith and practice; instead, America has perhaps the single worst president in two full centuries not excepting Woodrow Wilson.

It is no longer an issue of Democrat versus Republican philosophies. It has become Marxist Socialism versus the entire American way of life. Failure to stop the current path America is on with this next election is certainly to draw the U.S. to the precipice of the Fall of the American Empire. What it took patriotic Americans over two hundred years to build by the grace of God and with His blessing; this atheistic socialism is at the heart of a movement that is lead by a calculating group of people who could dismantle America in less than a quarter century, turning her back on God.

The League of Nations was an experiment in finding ways for civilized society to discuss their issues without resorting to full scale war. That particular experiment failed, though many who guided its institution were eager to do good for humanity. The U.N. on the other hand, however, has always been a tool of the power hungry to grab more power, to eliminate any who stand in their way and under the guise of food to the poor and policing the world’s war zones, has turned to feeding the armies of their oppressive regimes and attempting the wholesale obliteration of groups of people who stand in their way. (Bosnia Herzegovina mid-1990’s)

If America and the world ever needed godly men to step into positions of leadership it is now. If America ever needed to be humble before the God of creation, it is now. If individual families ever needed God-fearing fathers and mothers, it is now. If America ever needed to stand with Israel, it is now.

Just these last two weeks have seen movement by the newly, ‘re-elected’ (probably Czar for Life), Vladimir Putin begin to put additional pressure on the nation of Israel and show Russia’s support for Iran and its involvement in Syria. Putin will be traveling to Tel Aviv to most likely send a message of, ‘don’t you dare strike Iran’ while at the same time telling Syria to get its house in order. Already he has hosted Ahmadinejad in Moscow. He is up to something sinister and as the enemies of Israel begin to circle like vultures, just as in the days of Habakkuk, Christians can rest assured that God is on His throne and He will do something in our day that we would not believe it, even if it were told to us!

I propose, as I believe the biblical principles would support the following:                                      

We must be aware of all that is going on around us.

As Americans we should consider what good would become of us removing a seat of Satan from our land as it even now, I believe, sits in Manhattan. I believe that God would honor us evicting the U.N. from our shores.

We must resist the dealings of our current Secretary of State to seek the disarming of U.S. citizens of even basic firearms as assured us in our Constitution by her use of U.N. legislation to outlaw and supersede our own Bill of Rights.

We must be wary of case law in places like Michigan federal courts that are allowing Sharia law to be considered in the adjudication of cases, subverting our own Constitution’s ban on other sources of law being utilized against American citizens.

We must be alert to legislation as recently considered in Indiana that would allow a homeowner to shoot a police officer the homeowner ‘believes’ is breaking the law by entering his home. Current law already provides remedies for the unauthorized use of search and seizure authority. A false scare about ‘rogue cops’ is a false front used to cover another agenda behind this legislation.

We, as Americans, must stand with Israel.

We must stand in support of our military and not permit un-American agendas and unwise decisions to pull our troops out of current military actions because it is politically expedient; knowing it could cause both future casualties to increase and cause those who have fallen to have fallen in vain.

As Christians and Americans, we must call our families back to the altar of worship of the One True God.

Fathers, as Christians and Americans, we must lead our families as Christ would have us do.

Mothers, as Christians and Americans, we must teach our children what it means to be both.

Students, as Christians and Americans, we must seek to be the best educated, most competitive workforce in the world to bring our economy back to where it can be, for today and tomorrow.

As churches, we must follow biblical principles to care for the true widows and orphans; to seek to employ men and women of the household of faith; to care for one another, giving preference to one another, for this is of God and in so doing we can end the welfare state in the United States.

As Christians and Americans, we must speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. We must stand up for those who cannot stand for themselves. We must put an end to abortion and begin to call on all Americans to honor God by caring for His children from conception to old age.

There rages around us a battle for the soul of America. As Christians and Americans we must exercise our vote.

There rages around us a battle for the souls of our families, we must put on the full armor of God and be prepared for spiritual warfare.

Americans who are Christians and Christians who happen to be Americans, the time for sleep and slumber is over, it is time to rise up and be heard, be counted. Now and forever may His Name be always on our lips in prayer and in praise.

May we bless God and humbly beseech Him that He might again, bless America.                              

Rev. Ross L. Riggs

UN-welcome News

Dr. Ross L. Riggs – Riggs Ministry Minute – A ministry of True North Ministries – 15 February 2012

The most recent news from New York – that part of New York that isn’t New York, it isn’t even American – the ghastly string of buildings in Manhattan that proudly declares it is everything that it must be to be anti-American and still we host them at amazing cost to the tax payers. But I digress… the news from the U.N. is most ‘unwelcome’ particularly as it has to do with Israel, Iran and Syria. A recent bill in the U.N that was to go before the Security Council to enforce a strong resolution against the civilian carnage in Syria never left the Security Council chambers. Dual vetoes by Russia and China, according to The Weekly Standard contributor, John Bolton- former ambassador to the UN, “made it clear that the U.N. will play no role contrary to (Russia’s and China’s) interests.”

For the nuclear issue in Iran, the stage then has been set. Bolton wrote, “… there will be no dramatic Security Council action to administer the coup de grace against Iran; no further UN. Sanctions; nothing that could be used to enforce exiting sanctions militarily…” If Israel were not hanging out on a limb all alone before, they are now and the U.N. just handed them a two ton brick to hold. According to Bolton, “We now have no prospect through diplomacy or sanctions  of preventing Iran from crossing the finish line essentially at a time of its choosing.” On January 31stof this year, the U.S. Director of Intelligence, James Clapper testified before the Senate regarding Tehran’s nuclear program. He said, “The sanctions imposed so far have not caused them to change their behavior or their policy.”

U.N. Headquarters New York

Ambassador Bolton believes that the Obama administration is so open about the possibility of Israel conducting a preemptive strike against Iran this spring because private pressure against Israel to back away has not worked. He is concerned, as all Israel should be when he writes, “Who knows what sensitive information Team Obama will next reveal: Israel’s flight plan to the Iranian targets? Israel’s order of battle?” His conclusion is that “Since there is almost no chance that Obama will act (to stop Iran militarily), the pressure on Israel intensifies.”

Finally, in this report, the Former Ambassador states it plainly regarding Israel’s current position as it regards Iran. “…in the absence of American leadership, David needs to decide on his own whether to pick up his slingshot.” It cannot be stated more plainly. I would conclude that if at any time Christian’s ever prayed for the peace of Jerusalem, the time is now to do so; as well as for all God’s people to pray that His will should be accomplished in these last days.

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