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Church's UN Liaison Director Reacts to United Nations Anti-terrorism Resolution

The Seventh-day Adventist Church's United Nations liaison director Dr. Jonathan Gallagher reacted October 1 to the adoption by the United Nations of an anti-terrorism resolution.

"The unity of the international community in taking action to 'prevent and suppress' terrorist acts is surely appreciated by all," said Gallagher. "We too are 'deeply concerned by the increase, in various regions of the world, of acts of terrorism motivated by intolerance or extremism,' as the resolution states.

"Such terrorist threats are of deep concern to all nations and that this resolution is necessary is a tragic commentary on our time. The Adventist Church has consistently stood for values of compassion, toleration, and the need for unity in the family of humanity as it follows the principles of non-violence as taught by Jesus Christ. We join with all people of good faith in expressing our horror at all acts of extreme violence, especially those carried out on the innocent and defenseless, and will continue to do our part to build up the quality of life, rather than to tear it down."

Not only are "the acts, methods, and practices of terrorism contrary to the purposes and principles of United Nations," as the resolution affirms, but such actions are an affront to fundamental humanity, Gallagher continued. "The Biblical principle is to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself," he said. "Terrorism is a complete denial of such beliefs. The tragedy is compounded in that religion is appealed to as an endorsement of terrorist acts. This 'hijacking of religion' for such violent and murderous ends only compounds the problems society faces, and distorts and perverts religion for evil ends."

The legally-binding Security Council resolution calls on all nations to cut off funding and support for terrorist networks, to deny safe havens to terrorists, and to prevent the movement of individuals and groups suspected of terrorist connections. A Security Council committee is also being established to monitor compliance by nation states as they "take all necessary steps in order to ensure the implementation of this resolution."

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