Desmond Tutu calls for faith at the United Nations

Invited by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Archbishop Desmond Tutu spoke at length March 17, 2004 about "God's word and world politics", according to The East African Standard in Nairobi, and about how people should keep Christian values when dealing in politics.

Called "the foremost moral authority of our times," by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Archbiship Tutu is a Nobel laureate with much experience in ending “apartheid without civil war, without genocide, healing wounds of bitter conflict."

Tutu in his speech to the diplomats of the United Nations stressed how the missions of the United Nations should be to promote world peace and to love with charity in their often tense line of work. He also emphasized how uncompromising religious
fundamentalism in the Middle East is eroding world unity and pitting religions against one another.

"Different religions interpreted the divine will differently. Religion has the capacity to produce saints and rogues," he said to the East African Standard. Instead, there should be room for compromise and love, the love that Jesus preached. "Falling in love is an act of faith," he said.

As the former Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, he also stressed how “the Judeo-Christian faith says we are made in God's image," Tutu said. "You and all of us are God's viceroys. To treat one such badly is very blasphemous. It's almost as if you are spitting on the face of God. Faith teaches us that we all make a family. That all, all, all rich/poor, white/black, red/yellow, educated/not educated, gay, lesbian/so-called straight all, all are held in His embrace."

Indeed, during Tutu’s speech, much of the usually austere and business atmosphere of the United Nations was loosened. Speaking of the United Nations, he said that the UN should help in advancing God’s work.