The Interfaith Rainforest Initiative (IRI) is an international, multi-faith alliance that works to combat climate change, end tropical deforestation, and unify the churches on environmentalism. One of the principal figureheads of the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative is Bishop Gunnar Stålsett, former General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation. Bishop Gunnar Stålsett serves as a Special Advisor for the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative and represents the IRI at various international conferences to promote their initiatives.
Pope Francis with Bishop Gunnar Stålsett in 2019.
On March 8, 2019, Bishop Gunnar Stålsett met with Pope Francis in an official capacity while representing the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative. He traveled to the Vatican in response to the Pope’s appeal for religious leaders to work towards ecological development and to combat climate change. Bishop Gunnar Stålsett was seeking Rome’s blessings for the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative. He was given the opportunity to speak on behalf of the IRI and its work, and in his address to the international religious leaders present, including Pope Francis, he said, in part:
“I am honored to be at the Vatican representing all the partners to the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative, including Religions for Peace, GreenFaith, World Council of Churches, Parliament of the World Religions and the Yale Forum on Religions and Ecology. We are all committed to saving the rainforests. We are all working together in partnership with UN Environment.” [1]
“The Interfaith Rainforest Initiative is inextricably linked to the compelling vision that has been put forth by Pope Francis in Laudato Si.” [1]
“From its inception, this initiative has taken its inspiration and theory of change from Laudato Si’s call to action.” [1]
“We look forward to collaborating with the Vatican and all of you here to ensure this initiative achieves its potential, including putting forests at the heart of discussions on how to achieve the SDGs.” [1]
The IRI is a climate change advocacy group that is not just working to fulfill the Pope’s vision of Laudato Si, but they are actually working in partnership with the Vatican to answer their call. In fact, this was not the first time Bishop Gunnar Stålsett visited the Vatican on behalf of the IRI. Back in 2018, Bishop Gunnar Stålsett was in Rome again, seeking to establish a close working relationship with Pope Francis.
Bishop Gunnar Stålsett at the Vatican in 2018.
In 2018, the Vatican celebrated the third anniversary of Laudato Si’. Bishop Gunnar Stålsett visited the Vatican on July 6, 2018, where he spoke at the Laudato Si’ anniversary and shared his goals for the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative. While at the Vatican, Bishop Gunnar Stålsett expressed the following in a video provided by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development:
Minute 13:30 – “Almost exactly one year ago we launched the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative, and you better learn that word because in this year it has gained traction around the world. It has mobilized faith communities, indigenous people’s organizations, environmental activists, academics, politicians, and diplomats. And we have developed programs with governments and with the UN Environment. [2]
Minute 19:52 – “We have a few key objectives, let me mention them. Build consensus. Build consensus. And this wonderful event here [at the Vatican] is part of that consensus. The message of His Holiness, the Pope, was a message of building consensus.” [2]
Minute 20:09 – “Make the case. Provide the platform for leaders of religion, science and academicians to come together for the spiritual and moral, scientific and sustainable development case.” [2]
Minute 21:19 – “Influence policy and build new coalitions.” [2]
Minute 21:24 – “Celebrate creation. Celebrate creation. I think religious faith is about celebration. We have the language. We have the music. We have the poetry.” [2]
Minute 21:56 – “In the very, very brief chance I had to exchange a word with His Holiness the Pope this morning, I reminded him of an invitation he has received when he was in Peru from Religions for peace and others there, to support this movement and to be with us in this as we continue to develop this and celebrate.” [2]
There is no doubt about the IRI’s alignment with the Vatican. In addition to requesting Pope Francis’ cooperation and support, they are also putting Rome’s vision into action. [3] [4] Bishop Gunnar Stålsett regularly meets with the Pope in Rome and is also promoting Laudato Si’, the Pope’s encyclical, at other ecumenical gatherings all over the world.
In June 2019, Bishop Gunnar Stålsett, Special Advisor for the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative, traveled to Tokyo, Japan to meet with 200 prominent religious leaders from around the world during the G20 Interfaith Forum. Bishop Gunnar Stålsett spoke to the global interfaith panel and shared his message during a talk called “Religious Calls to Protect Rainforests: No Climate Solution without Tropical Forests: A Compelling Call to Action.” [5]
Bishop Gunnar Stålsett with Ganoune Diop.
Here is Bishop Gunnar Stålsett, the Pope’s climate change ambassador, sitting next to Ganoune Diop, Director of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. With so many different religious leaders present at this conference, why is Ganoune Diop sitting next to this Laudato Si‘ agitator?
Another photo together.
Is this all just one big coincidence? Not at all. Here is Ganoune Diop, once again, standing next to the Pope’s climate change representative. However, this image represents much more than just a Seventh-day Adventist leader having his picture taken several times with Rome’s Laudato Si’ ambassador. The situation is much worse. Seventh-day Adventists are “members” of the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative. Our people are “part” of this Laudato Si’-inspired, Vatican-approved mission. We are members of this group of climate activists that is committed to spreading the Pope’s climate change encyclical to religious leaders around the world.
The Interfaith Rainforest Initiative is currently operating in five different rainforest climate zones located in Brazil, Peru, Columbia, Indonesia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The IRI has different chapters in these different nations. These locations were selected due to the tropical rain forests that are found within these nations. Seventh-day Adventists are members of the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative that is based in the country of Peru. Notice the names of the various religions that make up the IRI in the list below. The following information was released by Laura Vargas, the national facilitator of the IRI in Peru:
Who are IRI members?
Catholic Church
National Evangelical Council of Peru – CONEP
Union of Evangelical Christian Churches of Peru – UNICEP
Lutheran Church of Peru,
Anglican Church of Peru
Methodist Church of Peru
Presbyterian Church of Peru
Orthodox Church of Peru (Patriarchate of Antioch)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Jewish community
The Islamic community
The Buddhist community in its two branches: Tibetan Buddhism and Soto Zen Buddhism
The Bahai Faith
The Brahma Kumaris Spiritual University, which, although it is not a religion, is a spirituality with Hindu roots [6]
Then Laura Vargas, the national coordinator for the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative in Peru, disclosed the following information about the IRI:
What are the most important environmental challenges that IRI has identified in Peru?
• Promote the climate agenda in the country.
• Confront the threats against human rights defenders, especially against the Amazonian indigenous communities.
• Confront crimes in the Amazon, especially illegal mining, drug trafficking, species trafficking and illegal logging. Environmental crimes are sheltered under mafias that corrupt officials, degrade the forest, health and threaten the life of the people and nature. It is urgent to face this problem to ensure the right of people to a healthy and sustainable environment.
• Strengthen environmental and cultural authorities. [6]
We are joining Rome in order to combat crime in the Amazon. What sort of crime? Are they discussing transgressions of God’s moral law? Absolutely not. They are talking about crimes against the environment. This is one of the motives and objectives for establishing the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative. Here we have an organization that has the Pope’s blessings and is developing some new kind of criminal legislation that will punish those who violate the environmental policies contained in Laudato Si’. How do we know this?
The Interfaith Rainforest Initiative has created “A Catholic Toolkit on Forest Protection.” This book serves as a resource for religious leaders. This book is a tribute to Laudato Si’ and offers many reading selections from the Pope’s encyclical. It also praises Pope Francis for his environmental advocacy. Additionally, this book includes pantheistic prayers that glorify and pay homage to the earth.
Page 4: “We live a time of grace with the pontificate of Francis … Francis asks us to listen to the “deaf cry that reaches heaven, the cry of the poor and the earth.” [7]
Page 6: “Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical On Care for Our Common Home, also referred to by its title Laudato Si’, is addressed to people of the entire world and carries a strong sense of urgency about the global environmental crisis we face.” [7]
Page 14: Pope Francis says, “I urgently appeal for a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet.” [7]
Page 14: “Following Pope Francis’ suggestion, today we want to reflect individually and collectively on our experiences with forests, nature, indigenous peoples and climate change.” [7]
Page 15: “In his encyclical, Pope Francis also said that in order to solve the environmental crisis “we require a new and universal solidarity.” [7]
Page 10: “PRAYING WITH THE FOREST … From the hidden roots of the trees, In humble dialogue with the humus and the mysteries of the subsoil, We praise you God … With each nest and each fruit, With each fallen leaf turned into food We praise you, Creator Spirit … By flying rivers and groundwater For the connection of the biome and the biodiverse communion We praise you, O Lord … Everything is connected. Everything is interlinked. We apologize for breaking the whole For giving rise to sin We apologize for denying your love … With each ethnic group and its ancestral knowledge, With each settler and each riverbank With each academic and each pastor … May each temple and each parish May each tribe and organization Recognize that we are like a fertile tree That only bears fruit being forest in communion … With the trill of the birds and the voice of the river We ask you Father with a Mother’s heart Let us be one … We stand united to implore your blessing, To learn to take care of ourselves in our common home Like a family that sings together … May no more trees be cut! May no more lives be lost!” [7]
Page 11: “LITANY FOR THE TROPICAL FORESTS … O great God, Creator, You who love justice and simple people Do not let us fear the enemy who with pen scribbles wants, to decree the death of the forest … O great God, Creator We, Indigenous peoples, your children, the forests and the rivers, Together invoke your protection and cry out: Do not delay in overthrowing the wicked.” [7]
Page 17: “A PRAYER FOR OUR EARTH (From Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’) … All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures. You embrace with your tenderness all that exists … Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and contemplation, to recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature as we journey towards your infinite light. We thank you for being with us each day. Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love and peace. Amen.” [7]
This is pure pantheism. Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ and Mother Earth are being honored by this. The IRI is more catholic and more aggressive in prompting Rome’s policies than even most Catholic institutions. These are the same dangerous principles taught by Kellogg during the Alpha of Apostasy. According to Ellen White, the Omega would be worse.
The Jesuits have tricked our people. Yes, the Jesuits. The Jesuit Cardinal, Pedro Barreto, is a member of the Interfaith Rainforest Alliance. In the image above, the Jesuit Cardinal is speaking during a press conference as he “outlines the vision and mandate of the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative globally.” [8]
Our true mission and message are being forgotten as a result of all of this. These new proposals would establish new offenses that would punish people who endanger the environment. The churches are rushing to accept the Pope’s message. A new morality is being taught. There will be no more talk about sins against God’s moral law. It’s all about the new crimes against the environment. And what is the new solution? As soon as we accept Laudato Si’, the new message claims, all of the world’s issues will be solved. We will have genuine and enduring peace in our world once the Pope’s encyclical is made into law.
Members of the IRI in Peru advocating for climate justice.
Considering that Laudato Si’ #237 encourages Sunday rest and the need to uphold Sunday sacredness, how can Seventh-day Adventists participate in any of this? By promoting this radical climate change agenda, Rome is trying to reshape the religious and political landscape for the entire civilized world. Even though we pray that our fellow Seventh-day Adventists awaken, we must implore them to oppose and reject these dangerous policies and “Come out of her My people” (Revelation 18:4). We must repudiate and oppose these pantheistic pursuits. Because they are a part of the deadly heresy that first surfaced in 1903 as a result of the pantheistic teachings found in the book The Living Temple, we must encourage God’s people to reject this as well:
“In the book Living Temple there is presented the alpha of deadly heresies. The omega will follow, and will be received by those who are not willing to heed the warning God has given … We need not the mysticism that is in this book. Those who entertain these sophistries will soon find themselves in a position where the enemy can talk with them, and lead them away from God.” (Selected Messages, vol. 1, pp. 200, 202)
We cannot grasp the critical hour in which we live. We have leaders in Adventism who have no problem participating in and listening to these pantheistic heresies, year after year. They have made it clear that they want to listen to pagans rather than to the warnings contained in the writings of God’s prophet. If nothing changes, notice what will happen:
“Many souls will come from other denominational churches, and at the eleventh hour will obey all the truth, because they have not set themselves in array against heaven’s light, but lived up to all the light they had: while those who have had great light, large privileges and opportunities, and have failed to live in the light and walk in the light, will drop out by the way. Their light will shine less and less until their lamps will go out” (1888 Materials, p. 710).
There is a relentless, unyielding battle between the Three Angels’ Message and the pantheistic superstitions of the wine of Babylon. Why can’t we recognize this? Instead of helping others see the everlasting gospel, which would help people escape spiritualism and the coming Sunday law, it seems that the world is helping us to embrace radical environmentalism and explore the mystical teachings of Mother Earth through Laudato Si’.
Members of the IRI with people of the indigenous faiths.
The only solution for nature worship, green Sunday laws, and radical environmentalism is to proclaim the Three Angels’ Message of Revelation 14:6-12 to the entire world, in a loud voice, without fear or hesitation. This is a call to fear God, reflect His character, obey His commandments and embrace His memorial to creation – the seventh-day Sabbath. It is also a call to come out of Babylon, reject the mark of apostasy (the green Sunday law), forsake paganism, and help others to do the same. We must call others to come out and keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (Revelation 14:12).
“Christ is coming the second time, with power unto salvation. To prepare human beings for this event, He has sent the first, second, and third angels’ messages. These angels represent those who receive the truth, and with power open the gospel to the world” (Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 979).
“I do hope that the trumpet will give a certain sound in regard to this Sunday-law movement. I think that it would be best if in our papers the subject of the perpetuity of the law of God were made a specialty…. We should now be doing our very best to defeat this Sunday law.” (Last Day Events, p. 128).
The Adventist church’s membership in the IRI was revealed by Laura Vargas, the IRI’s national coordinator in Peru, pictured here.
Sources
[1] https://religionsforpeaceaustralia.org.au/?p=7346
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33KNQUwjw_I
[7] https://www.interfaithrainforest.org/s/Interfaith_Catholic.pdf
[8] https://www.interfaithrainforest.org/2019/05/06/iri-at-the-tropical-forest-alliance-2020-tfa-2020/
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Thank you for your actions to enlighten those who seek the truth. May our Lord continue to inspire you, may He grant long life to your ministry
“Come out of her.” What is there not to understand?
Jesuits, climate crimes, Laudato Si’ … What could go wrong?
{Satan’s chief work is at the headquarters of our faith.
He spares no pains to corrupt men in responsible positions and to persuade them to be unfaithful to their several trusts.
He insinuates his suspicions and jealousies into the minds of those whose business it is to do God’s work faithfully.
While God is testing and proving these helpers, and fitting them for their posts,
Satan is doing his utmost to deceive and allure them, that they may not only be destroyed themselves, but may influence others to do wrong and to injure the great work.
He seeks by all the means in his power to shake the confidence of God’s people in the voice of warning and reproof through which God designs to purify the church and prosper His cause.
It is Satan’s plan to weaken the faith of God’s people in the Testimonies.
Next follows skepticism in regard to the vital points of our faith, the pillars of our position, then doubt as to the Holy Scriptures, and then the downward march to perdition.
When the Testimonies, which were once believed, are doubted and given up, Satan knows the deceived ones will not stop at this; and he redoubles his efforts till he launches them into open rebellion, which becomes incurable and ends in destruction.
Satan has gained marked advantage in—–because the people of God have not guarded the outposts.
The very men whose labors God has signified that He would accept if they were fully consecrated have been the ones to be deceived, to fail in their duties, and to prove a terrible burden and discouragement, instead of the help and blessing that they should have been.
These men who have been trusted to keep the fort have well-nigh betrayed it into the hands of the enemy. They have opened the gates to a wily foe, who has sought to destroy them.
Men of experience have seen stealthy hands slipping the bolts that Satan might enter; yet they have held their peace with apparent indifference as to the results.
Some have been glad to see this, as it seemed an extenuation of their past neglect, which made it a necessity to call for others to fill the posts of responsibility that they had abused or neglected.
This lack of watchfulness on the part of these newer incumbents seemed to excuse the former for their own want of faithfulness, as it showed that others were fully as derelict in duty.
These persons do not realize that God holds them responsible for every advantage gained by the foe who is admitted to the fort. The desolation and ruin following lie at the door of the unfaithful sentinels, who, by their neglect, become agents in the hands of the adversary to win souls to destruction.
Men in responsible positions should seek wisdom and guidance of God, and not trust to their own judgment and knowledge. Like Solomon they should earnestly pray for faith and light, and God will give them freely of His abundant supply.
God would have His work done intelligently, not in a haphazard manner. He would have it done with faith and careful exactness, that He may place the sign of His approval upon it.
Those who love Him, and walk with fear and humility before Him, He will bless and guide and connect with heaven. If the workers rely upon Him, He will give them wisdom and correct their infirmities, so that they will be able to do the work of the Lord with perfection.
We must put on the armor and be prepared to successfully resist all the attacks of Satan. His malignity and cruel power are not sufficiently estimated.
When he finds himself foiled upon one point he takes new ground and fresh tactics, and tries again, working wonders in order to deceive and destroy the children of men.
The youth should be carefully warned against his power and patiently and prayerfully directed how to endure the trials sure to come upon them in this life.
They should be led to cling to the word of God and give attention to counsel and advice.
Living faith in the merits of a crucified Redeemer will carry them through the fiery furnace of affliction and trial. The form of the Fourth will be with them in the fierce heat of the furnace, which will not leave even the smell of fire upon their garments.
Children should be encouraged to become Bible students and to have firm religious principles that will stand the test of the perils sure to be experienced by all who live upon the earth during the last days in the closing history of the world. (T4 210-213)}
zackgeo@hotmail.com
This is quite a list and a good summary of how Satan works.
I assume that because the church does some things you don’t agree with, all of these statements apparently apply to today’s church.
For instance, “people of God have not guarded the outposts.” Exactly which “outposts” have not been guarded? Just because the Pope writes an encyclical, does that mean we should not be involved in trying to correct the errors in his perspectives in as many people’s minds as possible? Do you have any idea of the positive picture Ganoune Diop has been able to paint of the Adventist church among people you and I could never have opportunity to even meet?
Can you back up this list with actual facts other than the fact that you apparently don’t like Ganoune Diop because he is going the job he is elected by the world church to do. I’m just curious.
Did you say “elected”? Mabe you should say “selected”. Since when do we vote in block? Since when can’t we discuss in GC about a candidate nor mention his name nor his department? Ganoune Diop was not elected, he doesn’t represent SDA church’s interests, and he should not be considered as Religious Liberty director by any real son of God. “He did good and reached people”? How did he do that? When he co-authored a book with a jesuit? Or when he singed to the antichrist? Or mabe when he sent praise letters and got involved with Soros’ Open Society. Mabe when he promoted the pope poison wrong called covid vaccine to his fellow bretheren, or did nothing for the thousands that suffered religious persecution because they refused to inject toxic elixirs into their Holy Ghost temple, and didn’t aply for a conscience objection because of the Diop’s unauthorised ADCOM vaccine declaration.
We appreciate you sharing this information with us that our church will never do.
Sad to see this happening before our eyes. Jesus is coming soon the shaking will soon be over.
We are buying into the Pope’s message instead of sharing ours.
Patriarchs and Prophets 140: “Every day the probation of some is closing. Every hour some are passing beyond the reach of mercy. And where are the voices of warning and entreaty to bid the sinner flee from this fearful doom? Where are the hands stretched out to draw him back from death? Where are those who with humility and persevering faith are pleading with God for him?”