Hope for
the World

The Environmental Agenda

(Editors Note: The following is an excerpt from chapter six of
Gary Kah's new book, The
New World Religion: The Spiritual Roots of Global Government. For the sake of editorial flow, slight
formatting changes have been made so that this article would fit within the
framework of this newsletter. Order information for The New World Religion is found at the back of this
article.)

They
exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things
rather than the Creator - who is forever praised. Amen.
- Romans 1:25
(NIV)

During
the 1990's, the efforts of New Age activists have continued to intensify, with
occultists increasingly pushing their agenda for global unity under the banner
of environmental reform. In fact, many of the "successful" one-world meetings of
the last ten years have convened for the alleged purpose of solving the
environmental crisis. This chapter will take a look at a few of these notable
gatherings, including the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. A review of these events and
the people behind them will help the reader understand the real purpose and
nature of the New Age environmental movement.

Among
those at the forefront of this movement, there is one individual who stands out
more than any other. Believed by many to have fallen from the political scene
with the collapse of the Soviet Union, he currently wields more power and
influence in shaping the future of the world than perhaps any diplomat of our
generation. Yet strangely, most of us are not even aware of his influence, let
alone that he has risen to the top of the one-world movement. His keen sense of
timing and political prowess have enabled him to forge alliances where others
before him have failed. His friends include many of the world's most adept
politicians, financial power brokers, and religious leaders. The person of whom
I am speaking is Mikhail Gorbachev.

Mikhail
Sergeyevich Gorbachev

Born on
March 2, 1931, in the southern Russian village of Privolnoje, Mikhail Gorbachev
grew up in a home of peasant farmers. Although his family was Russian Orthodox,
Mikhail rejected Christianity at the age of twenty-one, when he joined the
Communist Party (CPSU). 1 Three years later, after graduating in law from Moscow
State University, he began his political career in the city of Stavropol. There
he served as First secretary of the Komsomol (Communist Youth League) City
Committee from 1955 to 1958. He rose through the ranks and in 1970 was elevated
to the most powerful Communist position in the Stavropol region. Partly as a
result of his reputation and experience in Stavropol politics, he was elected to
the Communist Party Central Committee in 1971. During the next twenty years,
Mikhail held virtually every major position in the Party, steadily climbing the
ladder of power and influence.

Mikhail
was personally chosen and groomed for leadership by his close friend Yuri
Andropov, long-time KGB head and Soviet President from 1983 to 1984. 2 It is no
secret that untold millions were persecuted and put to death at the hands of
Russian leaders during the Andropov years, both inside and outside the Soviet
Union, especially in Afghanistan. His regime was ruthless.

In
1985, following Andropov's death and Konstantin Chernenko's brief term in
office, Gorbachev advanced to the position of general secretary of the powerful
Politburo. After several years of holding this top political post in the Central
Committee (CPSU), he became president of the Soviet Union, a position he held
from 1990-1991. During his six years at the helm of Soviet politics, he wrote
his most famous books including, A Time for Peace (1985) and Perestroika: New Thinking For Our Country and the
World (1987). It was this
latter book which introduced Gorbachev's concepts of glasnost (a new policy of
openness in the media) and perestroika (economic and political restructuring or
reform). These Gorbachev initiatives were to bring permanent democratic reforms
to Soviet government and society.

Did
Gorbachev really abandon Communism in pursuit of world peace, or were his
writings and the accompanying publicity a mere front? Some of his statements
from that period provide a clue. In his book Perestroika Gorbachev wrote:

The
essence of perestroika lies in the fact that it unites socialism with democracy
and revives the Leninist concept of socialist construction both in theory and in
practice. Such is the essence of perestroika, which accounts for its genuine
revolutionary spirit and its all-embracing scope... In politics and ideology we
are seeking to revive the living spirit of Leninism. (Italics in
original.) 3

In
1987, the same year he launched perestroika, Gorbachev unabashedly proclaimed,
"In October 1917, we parted with the Old World, rejecting it once for all. We
are moving toward a new world, the world of Communism. We shall never turn off
that road." 4

In
1989, the year that the Berlin Wall came down, he announced, "I am a convinced
Communist. For some that may be a fantasy. But for me it is my main goal." And
in 1990, when he was being hailed in the Western media as the man who ended
Communism, he emphatically stated, "I am now, just as I've always been, a
convinced Communist." 5

His
most stunning remark, however, came during a speech before the Politburo in
1987:

Gentlemen, comrades, do not be concerned about all you hear about
glasnost and perestroika and democracy in the coming years. These are primarily
for outward consumption. There will be no significant internal change within the
Soviet Union, other than for cosmetic purposes. Our purpose is to disarm the
Americans and let them fall asleep. 6

In
spite of admissions such as these, Mikhail Gorbachev won the Nobel Peace Prize
in 1990 for his work in breaking up Communism. With a feather in his hat and his
international popularity secure, Mikhail focused his aim more directly on
America and the West. In 1992, he came to the United States to establish the
International Foundation for Socio-Economic and Political Studies, better known
as The Gorbachev Foundation.

The
Gorbachev Foundation

Ironically, this important policy-making think tank is located at
a former U.S. military base - the Presidio in San Francisco. From his
headquarters at the Presidio, Gorbachev is systematically unveiling his
blueprint for a world government in the twenty-first century. This blueprint, as
we shall see, involves manipulating the earth's inhabitants into accepting a new
world order in the name of saving the planet from environmental
catastrophe.

In
order to accomplish his goal, Gorbachev is calling for a global perestroika, a
complete restructuring of our world and lives - including our economy, political
system, and religious views. He has already begun using his organization to
lobby for global taxation and major "international military" reforms that will
be necessary to fund and enforce this massive undertaking. His proposals to
scale back America's armed forces while increasing the presence of foreign
troops on American soil have been followed almost to the tee. The recent round
of U.S. military base closings were due in part to Gorbachev's
initiatives.

In 1994
we received our first peek at his plans when he presented his new Global
Security Programme in a speech before the Council on Foreign Relations. After
being introduced by David Rockefeller, Gorbachev proceeded to share the
highlights of his agenda, which include a tax to be levied on conventional arms
production. If approved by Congress, this tax would empower the United Nations
by funding the creation of several new U.N.-based agencies and authorities, all
of which would be part of the emerging world system. Eventually, this tax and
others yet to be introduced would be shouldered by taxpayers throughout the
world.

Since
unveiling his plans, Gorbachev has steadily gained endorsements from world
political and spiritual leaders. Among those who support his agenda are former
U.S. Secretary of State George Schultz, chairman of the board of advisors for
the Gorbachev Foundation; Senator Alan Cranston of California, chairman of the
board of directors; and James Garrison of the new age Esalen Institute,
president of the Gorbachev Foundation. Also listed on Gorbachev's board of
advisors are John Naisbitt, author of Megatrends; and Father Theodore Hesburgh,
former President of Notre Dame University and considered by many to be the
leading Catholic educator in America.

Former
U.S. President, Richard Nixon, sized up Gorbachev's popularity after observing
him at a political function:

Gorbachev's neatly tailored suits, refined manners, beautiful
wife, and smooth touch with reporters have made him a star with the press and
the diplomatic corps. An American official who met him was impressed by the
startling fact that he had "good eye contact, a firm handshake and a deep,
melodious voice." A British politician even remarked that Gorbachev was the man
he most admired in the world. A disarmament activist took this a step further,
saying, "Gorbachev is like Jesus. He just keeps giving out good things like arms
control proposals and getting nothing but rejections." 7

Nixon
took special note of the affection which American politicians lavished on
Gorbachev:

When he
applied his public-relations talents at the superpower summit in December 1987,
the city of Washington lost its collective senses. He had conservative senators
eating out of his hand. He dazzled and charmed the Washington social set. The
usually aggressive star reporters of American adversary journalism became
pussycats in his presence. Business leaders and media moguls, when they met him
in a private audience, did not question some of his obviously outlandish
statements... No democratic leader - not Churchill, not de Gaulle, not Adenauer
- ever enjoyed the kind of fawning, sycophantic treatment Gorbachev
did. 8

State
of the World Forum

To
officially launch his program Gorbachev convened a special meeting called the
State of the World Forum in 1995. Held in San Francisco from September 27 to
October 1, the event was nothing less than a world government planning session
with Gorbachev at the helm. Due to the summit's overwhelming success, Gorbachev
decided to make it an annual event.

Held in
the fall of each year, the State of the World Forum brings together a who's who
of the one-world movement. Samantha Smith, journalist and author of Goddess Earth, attended the first Forum in 1995. She
shared with me her disbelief over the blatant nature of the conference and the
fact that it received virtually no coverage from the media. This lack of
coverage was due in part to the fact that many of the roundtables were closed to
the press, including deliberations on human overpopulation, environmental
reform, and the redistribution of the world's wealth.

Samantha shared her experience in our Fall 1995
newsletter:

More
than 500 elder statesmen, business leaders, religious figures and scientists
(paying $5,000 each) enjoyed their gourmet meals prepared by the city's most
celebrated chefs, while Gorbachev drove home the issues of world hunger,
poverty, social upheaval, spiritual crisis, overpopulation, environmental
degradation and the need for a world government. Although Gorbachev speaks
fluent English, he spoke to the crowd in Russian, with a translator. He said,
"We must reinvent the world together. We need unity in
diversity."

His
"diversity" referred to broad variations - like rich and poor, cultural
differences and selected religious beliefs - with total compliance by all to new
international law.

Throughout the conference, we heard the words "New World Order,"
"World Government," "Global Governance," and "Global Government." Zbigniew
Brzezinski (Jimmy Carter's National Security Advisor) said in a speech,
"Finally, I have no illusions about World Government emerging in our lifetime...
we cannot leap into world government through one quick step... a consensual
global system is not just a matter of good wishes or good will, but it requires
a process... the precondition for eventual and genuine globalization is
progressive regionalization... " 9

Samantha continued:

Gorbachev harped on the importance of having "consensus" for
Global Governance - where nations under world government will lose sovereignty,
giving way to international laws that will dictate common beliefs, values,
standards, and behavior, and conform to the consensus of a chosen group of
leaders. The former head of Russia's Communist Party has selected 100 elite
"innovative thinkers," called the "Global Brain Trust," or the "Council of the
Wise," who will meet annually at the Presidio in San Francisco, to guide global
issues during the transition into the next century. 10

Samantha Smith described the conference as "a coming-out party for
New Age elitists." Among those present were Shirley MacLaine, Dennis Weaver,
John Denver, John Naisbitt, Carl Sagan, Ted Turner and Jane Fonda, Barbara Marx
Hubbard, Maurice Strong, Robert Muller, Dr. Deepak Chopra, Matthew Fox, Alan
Jones, Michael Murphy and James Garrison. Some spoke in workshops, while others
simply attended. 11

Smith
noticed the spiritual theme that was woven throughout the conference. One of the
sessions was called "The Global Crisis of Spirit and the Search for Meaning."
She reported: "Attendees were told they have a god-shaped vacuum in their hearts
that needs to be filled. Religious panelists eagerly offered a number of
different "gods" and Eastern Philosophies from which to choose."
12

Gorbachev's fascination with eastern mysticism and the occult was
evident in his choice of "spiritual" leaders invited to the Forum. The list
included Isabel Allende, Author, House of Spirits; Richard Baker, Abbott,
Crestone Mountain Zen Center; Akio Matsumura, Founder, Global Forum of Spiritual
and Parliamentary Leaders; and Sonia Gandhi, Founder of the Rajiv Gandhi
Foundation, to name just a few. Gorbachev's endorsement of eastern mysticism was
further reflected in the fact that the Gandhi Foundation (a Hindu organization)
co-sponsored his activity.

In
addition, Gorbachev selected Thich Nhat Hanh, a renowned Vietnamese monk, to
lead a special half-day Buddhist meditation at the Forum. This popular Zen
Buddhist is the author of the occult book - LIVING BUDDHA, LIVING CHRIST. 13
Hanh has devoted his life to merging Buddhism with Christianity, believing such
a synthetic religion would be ideal for the emerging world order. In an
interview printed in the San Francisco Chronicle on October 1st, 1995, Hanh
revealed that "he has Christ on his altar alongside the Buddha."

Gorbachev is also calling for the unity of Buddhism and
Christianity. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times he stated, "In this new
synthesis, we need democratic, Christian and Buddhist values as well, which
affirm such moral principles as social responsibility and the sense of oneness
with nature and each other. The future should be built with these moral building
blocks that are centuries old." 14

Reflecting this quest for a new spirituality, Gorbachev's internet
web site opens with the following words. "We need a new system of values, a
system of the organic unity between mankind and nature and the ethic of global
responsibility." 15 This statement has become Gorbachev's campaign slogan and
appears on many of his reports, invitations, promotionals, etc.

As
strange as it may seem, the words and actions of Mikhail Gorbachev classify him
as a New Age Leninist. He is literally seeking to replace Christianity with a
new religious order in which humanism (the central teaching of Communism) and
pantheism (the basis for eastern mysticism) are combined. To make this "new"
religion more acceptable, he is lacing it with Christian terminology. In using
this tactic he is simply following the lead of Chardin, Jung, Hanh and other
mystics who have done the same. In reality, Gorbachev's religion is
anti-Christian to the core.

Throughout the conference, Gorbachev shared glimpses of his vision
for uniting the planet. He clearly stated his intentions of using humanity's
concern over the environment to strategically further his world government
agenda. Revealing his motivation, he declared, "The environmental crisis is the
cornerstone for the New World Order." 16

One
reason why the environment has taken center stage in Gorbachev's campaign for
world government is that by its very nature it is an "international" issue which
evokes strong feelings. This makes it especially easy to manipulate. To
globalists like Gorbachev it is the perfect issue behind which they can rally a
naive and easily misled public.

Another
reason why the environment is such an important issue to Gorbachev is that it
will enable him to introduce and ratify comprehensive international treaties
granting unprecedented power to seize government and private property, all in
the name of protecting the environment. In fact, Gorbachev's mandate for the
future includes the imposition of stringent global environmental laws which
would regulate every area of life. Toward this end he has been supporting the
creation of an all-encompassing planetary document called The Earth Charter.
Samantha Smith confirms these developments: At this conference, we were told
that an Earth Charter, a Bill of Rights for the Planet, would be presented to
the General Assembly of the United Nations for ratification, then hopefully
adopted by the year 2000. 17

According to Smith, Maurice Strong, the U.N.'s top environmental
activist, referred to The Charter as "a Magna Carta for Earth." 18 Gorbachev
goes even further, describing The Charter as a new set of rules to guide
humanity. 19 He states, "My hope is that this charter will be a kind of Ten
Commandments, a "Sermon on the Mount," that provides a guide for human behavior
toward the environment in the next century and beyond." 20

Together with other major environmental legislation already
drafted, this document, if accepted, will govern life in the 21st
Century.

Campaigning in the Heartland

On
October 8, 1996 I had the personal opportunity of hearing Gorbachev speak on
this subject in Indianapolis, Indiana. I listened as he carefully built his case
for environmental reform, calling for a global restructuring to deal with this
immense "crisis." A few of his statements follow:

We need
a new paradigm of development in which the environment will be a priority...
World civilization as we know it will soon end... We have very little time and
we must act... If we can address the environment problem, we have hope... but it
will have to be done within a new system, a new paradigm... We have to change
our mindset-the way humankind views the world.

Gorbachev wasted no time in presenting The Earth Charter as the
only solution to the global environmental crisis, asserting that The Charter
would "be the basis for changing current values." In order to make this
transition into a new global society, people everywhere would have to be
educated. He stated that he was already working with UNESCO (The United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) to introduce new education
curriculums in all countries. He also indicated that he was working through his
special environmental organization, Green Cross International, to bring about
these changes, revealing that chapters of Green Cross were already active in 17
countries with a dozen more countries to be added soon. (His affiliate in the
United States is Global Green.) He purported that government organizations
throughout the world were already "seeking the involvement of Green Cross
International to help solve these problems."

Considered by some to be the most elite of the environmental
action groups, Green Cross is at the forefront of working for the ratification
and implementation of The Earth Charter. For this reason, The Charter has been
dubbed "Gorbachev's baby," even though Maurice Strong initially introduced the
document and continues to play a critical role. Although Gorbachev commended his
colleagues from The Club of Rome, Green Peace and The World Wildlife Fund for
their efforts in trying to get The Charter ratified, his highest praises were
reserved for Maurice Strong and Vice President Al Gore - his closest allies in
North America. (Researchers on this subject frequently refer to Gorbachev,
Strong, and Gore as the "Three Musketeers" of the Environmental Movement; with
the understanding that former UN Assistant Secretary General Robert Muller,
Prince Philip and Prince Charles also play critical roles in advancing this
agenda. ) 21

Strong,
who founded the influential Earth Council has worked closely with Gorbachev in
overseeing the development and progress of The Earth Charter. Gorbachev
confirmed this relationship during his talk, stating, "Since environmental
problems are of a global nature we have joined forces with the Earth Council,
headed by Maurice Strong." He went on to discuss their joint cooperation with
the United Nations, indicating they intended to launch their all out push for
The Charter's ratification in 1998, presenting the final draft of The Earth
Charter for implementation no later than the year 2002. In giving these dates
Gorbachev also revealed his timetable for the start of global government
(sometime between 1998 and 2002), since The Charter is slated to be part of that
government.

After
reprimanding the United States for some of its "isolationist" policies and for
not taking a strong enough stand on the environment, he closed by stressing that
"The main work is still ahead of us," but that together with him "... the U.S.
can play an important role in helping to establish the New International
Order."

Gorbachev had mesmerized the crowd. Upon delivering his final
words, the audience, consisting of more than 3,000 local dignitaries, erupted in
a loud standing ovation as if they agreed with everything he just said. His
agenda appeared to be an "easy sell."

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World Religion, please
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Endnotes

1. Mikhail Gorbachev, Gorbachev: Mandate
For Peace (Toronto: PaperJacks, 1987), p. 9
2. Philip C. Bom, The Coming
Century of Commonism (Virginia Beach, VA: Policy Books, 1992), p. 113
3.
Gorbachev, Perestroika: New Thinking For Our Country and the World (New York:
Harper & Row, 1987), pp.35, 66.
4. Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev - Who Is
He? (Indianapolis, IN: Indianapolis Baptist Temple, October1996, fact sheet) An
identical quote, minus the first sentence, may be found in the following source.
David B. Funderburk, former U.S. Ambassador to Romania, Betrayal of America
(Dunn, NC: Larry McDonald Foundation, 1991), p. 61.
5. Mikhail Sergeyevich
Gorbachev - Who Is He?
6. For a similar statement by Gorbachev, see
Funderburk, Betrayal of America, p. 57. For additional quotes by Gorbachev and
other contemporary socialist leaders, see the Soviet Analyst: An Intelligence
Commentary, World Reports Limited, Suite 1209, 280 Madison Avenue, New York, NY
10016-0802 (telephone: 212-599-4560).
7. Richard Nixion, 1999: Victory
Without War (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1988), pp. 29, 30.
8. Ibid., p.
32.
9. Samantha Smith, "Gorbachev Forum Highlights World Government," Hope
for the World Update, (Noblesville, IN: Hope for the World, Fall 1995),
2.
10. Ibid., p.2
11. Ibid., p.2
12. Ibid., p.2
13. Ibid.,
p.2
14. Mikhail Gorbachev, "Environment: Act Globally, Not Nationally,"
Interview with The Los Angeles Times, (Thursday, May 8, 1997). Green Cross
International (web page http://www.gci.ch/GreenCrossFamily/gorby/newspeeches/interviews/laTimes.html [Accessed March 20, 1998]).
15.
Green Cross Family, (web page http://www.gci.ch/GreenCrossFamily/gorby/gorby.html).
16. Samantha Smith, Journalist,
Testimony of her observations from the State of the World Forum (San Francisco,
CA: September 27 - October 1, 1995).
17. Smith, "Gorbachev Forum Highlights
World Government,", Hope for The World Update, p.2.
18. Ibid., p.2
19.
Mikhail Gorbachev, The Earth Charter, Speech, Rio+5 Forum, March 18th, 1997,
Earth Council, P.O. Box 2323-1002, San Jose, Costa Rica. (web page http://www.ecouncil.ac.cr/rio5/mar18/gorbachev.html [Accessed February 10, 1998]).
20.
Gorbachev, "Environment: Act Globally, Not Nationally," Interview with the Los
Angels Times.
21. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, has been an outspoken
environmentalist for most of his life. In 1961 he became the first president of
The World Wildlife Fund (U.K.), serving in that capacity until 1982. From 1981
to 1996 he served as the organization's International President and still acts
as President Emeritus. Prince Charles has continued in his father's footsteps.
Viewed by many as Europe's most powerful environmental advocate, he is the
patron or president of some 200 organizations, covering a wide range of
interests, including the environment. In 1990, Charles produced a television
special on environmental issues for the British Broadcasting Corporation called
The Earth in Balance. (Source: web page http://www.royal.gov.uk/family.htm)

Hope
for the World

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