Welcome to Liberty Insider.
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This is the program that
brings you the very latest news
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and information on
religious freedom issues.
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My name is Lincoln's
Steed and I am the Editor
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of the Liberty Magazine.
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My name is Michael
Peabody and I am the Government
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Affairs Director for
the Pacific Union Conference
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of Seventh-day Adventists.
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You know there are a lot
of issues we read about in the
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news, but I think one of
the more emotive ones was
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recently used from Afghanistan
where there was a convert
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from Islam to Christianity.
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A man that was on
trial for his life.
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Did you read about that Michael?
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I read about that in
was an amazing story to see
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what was going on.
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You know there were several
levels of craziness there.
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The fact that this was a
country that we had liberated
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from not just Al Qaeda,
but from fundamentalism and
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craziness, the Taliban had
ruled that country for some
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years where they wouldn't
even allow kids to fly kites.
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Or people to really act
like we expect in the modern
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world, now it has
been liberated, there is a
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progressive government, we
believed, running this place.
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Now suddenly here is a
man who converted, not even in
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Afghanistan, in Europe
and came back to Afghanistan.
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There was a family
dispute, as I read the news,
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otherwise he probably
would have come to the attention
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of the authorities.
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There was a bit of a
dispute over the fact that
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he was a Christian and
the authorities came and found
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that the issue was
that now he is a Christian
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and not a Muslim.
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The family was riled up,
the neighbors were upset,
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and he was put in jail
and that was the immediate
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penalty, under the law, we
find in Afghanistan, while the
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Constitution has been
replaced, one that was modeled
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superficially
after the American one.
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He could be executed for
changing his faith from Islam
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to any other religion.
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That is one of the problems
that happens whenever you
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have a majority group
take over the government.
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Well yes, a society
that is the majority
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of the religious view.
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I do think we allowed,
in this country, something
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to happen, we should have
insisted their constitution
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be more open on
religious affiliations.
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I know a few years ago I
spoke to one of the women,
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or a women who was one of the
nine commissioners to the office
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of Investment of Religious
Freedom in the United States.
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She had come back from
Afghanistan and she was quite
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startled to report that
the Constitution, while it is
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superficially looks like
the American one, with the
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basic Bill of Rights and so on.
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In the new Afghan constitution
it says, the laws are
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subject, legislation
is subject to the Koran.
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So it is an interesting
situation because we have this
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nation that is supposed
to be on its path to freedom,
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yet they are talking about
executing a man who decides
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to simply change his religion.
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Now the good news
is, he wasn't executed.
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The bad news was that
this problem was not solved.
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They first declared him
mentally unfit, which we need
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to be careful of that,
because under the Soviets from a
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secular point of view of
people of committed faith they
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would often say by insisting
on the religious faith they
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were showed that
they had a mental problem.
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They would put them in a
mental institution and so that
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was not a good thing
that he was being passed off
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as mentally defective.
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He was mentally
defective because
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he converted to Christianity.
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Well yes and in our society
many people might think that
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somebody that becomes a, I
am trying to think of and odd
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ball religion, someone
from a Western culture that
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became a Santeria cult
practitioner you could say that
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they have taken a
leave of their senses.
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But still they should have
the right to make that crazy
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choice, even if it were
crazy if it is spiritually
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fulfilling for them, why not?
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Spirituality is something
that a person has inside as
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well, and it is very
difficult to see society come in
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and say that you
cannot have that.
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As I understand the
story, he was basically spirited
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out of the country
and the issue was settled.
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But as he left, the
Mullahs were still insisting
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that he needed to be
executed and it was not fair to
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their society to remove
him from such adjudication.
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Incredible!
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Well he
committed a grievous crime.
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Well yes against what?
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I'm being facetious there,
but it is very incredible.
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But are we creeping toward
that same sort of thinking,
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in the West, when we try to
define ourselves in any sort
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of monolithic ways
towards a faith view?
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We definitely need to
make sure that as we go forward
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as a society, that the
rights of minorities are
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protected, that people can
actually go to court and seek
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a redress of grievances
if they are a minority
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that has been persecuted.
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Now I remember
recently, when there was some
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discussion, and I won't
name names here, a national
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figure was taunted as
being a possible presidential
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candidate, and someone said
he is not really a Christian,
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he is a Mormon, or a
Church of latter-day Saints.
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I don't want to get into a
discussion of their beliefs
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per se, but it is often
said that their doctrines do not
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go along main line Christianity.
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There was a very great
attempt to marginalize him as
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suitable for
major public office.
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To me that is the tip of
the same iceberg that when
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society have their
way ends up with a clamor
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for someone's blood.
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One of the things our
Constitution has is a provision
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that a religion
should not be a test.
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The public test
for public office,
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no religious test
for public office?
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But on occasion that
seems to be certainly under the
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discussion of the
Supreme Court nominees recently.
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There is no question that
that was part of the unstated,
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usually unstated criteria.
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The fact is that in a democracy
the voters could nullify
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that, make it up no affect.
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No affect, yes.
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What we have to be careful
about is being sure that our
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decisions, when we vote,
what we stand for things, that
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is not an issue of religion,
but who is going to be the
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best for this country.
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Just a day or two I
was reading more about this
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conversion issue, it is
not just in Afghanistan.
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It is not really
just in Islamic countries,
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although the nature of Islamic
in it's exclusive aspect,
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they more
rigorously apply and more
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violently than that their
mindset, we see it in Europe
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with the Orthodox Church.
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I read something rather
interesting, an Islam scholar,
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in the US, at one of our
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major universities
was commenting on the fact
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that several countries,
Saudi Arabia, like Saudi Arabia,
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have the death
penalty for conversion.
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He said very few people
are executed under this law.
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I think the number was
like five or six people in
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Saudi Arabia in the last decade.
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And that was
reported with no comment.
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It seems to me that misses
the point absolutely, if you
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and I thought that we spoke
our mind on religious issues
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that there was a law that
said you could be imprisoned
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for that, we would be
very unlikely to say much.
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There is an inhibiting
effect of the fact that a few
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people are killed that
has a salutary effect on the
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ability of anybody, the
willingness of anyone to convert
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in the case of that Saudi.
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The reason the law is in
place is to prevent conversion.
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Right, yes the real
reason is not to execute people,
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it's to stop the
person, that is illegal.
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The fact that there are
very few people executed means
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that the laws very effective.
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So I think that the United
States, which clearly at the
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moment has many internal
issues deciding what religious
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liberty really is, but the
dynamic is under threat as we
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discussed, but the US still
is pursuing a very good role
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in projecting civil and
religious values, civil liberty
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values to other countries.
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We need to encourage our
government to hold countries
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like our ally, Saudi
Arabia, to live to a higher
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standard, that this is
not right for the dignity of
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human beings to hold such
a democratic sword literally
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over their necks
because of their rights or
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determination for
their religious values.
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The practical issue,
seems to me, monolithically in
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Islamic society, not
very many people are likely to
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make that choice, maybe
more would if they could,
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but let them find out.
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It is not right for civil
society, masquerading as God
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on earth, to say you
cannot do this or else I will be
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Judge and executioner too.
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You know that underscores
another thing and that is
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the importance of people
in free countries to write to
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their government officials
to ask if they have condemned
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those type of actions.
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We did a program at another
time on the Liberty Awards
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Banquet that we've
held now for four years in
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Washington, and it has
been gratifying to me that on
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each occasion we have at
least 20 to 30 Ambassadors come
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along and they hear us
reiterate our commitment to
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religious
freedom, religious liberty,
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religious toleration.
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I know toleration can be a
bad word when it's misapplied,
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but they listen to that.
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It has been amazing to me
that they come from some of
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these real problem areas.
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There are hundreds of
Ambassadors in Washington, but I
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notice that we get a very
high percentage of Ambassadors
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from these, I won't name
them for obvious reasons,
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but I think we have the
ability, the opportunity to
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project to these countries
that may be just reflexively
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restricting religious practice
to give them an idea that
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there is another way.
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I think by in large that most
of the people in those countries
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really want freedom.
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They want the ability to say
I want to change my religion.
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I want to even read
about another religion.
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To meet people
in those religions.
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I would like to differ
from you, that might not be so.
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There are some societies
that have been conditioned
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through internal societal
pressures and by government
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policy for so long that
it is unthinkable for the
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majority to even
imagine changing religions.
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But still when we look
at absolute universal human
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rights, we should offer
them what they themselves may
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be clamoring for,
they can reject it.
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Like what I mean is
that they don't have to think
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automatically to a
religion they would change from.
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It seems to me that
this is part of the dynamic
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often acknowledged proselytism.
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Our church is involved
for 10 to 15 years in dialogue
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with other groups
like Roman Catholics and
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Eastern Orthodox and
so on, on issues of how to
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administer issues of
evangelization and proselytism
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and so on, and there is
too much protecting their own
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turf and setting up
rules of engagement that are
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unworkable, because
sometimes it is said, that is,
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if it is offensive to
the major believe group,
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then you shouldn't
say anything that might
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convert someone across.
00:11:59.42\00:12:01.20
Why shouldn't people
have the opportunity, even if
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they find it
troubling to their held beliefs?
00:12:04.25\00:12:07.66
Do you think we should be
allowed to say something in
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this country in
proclaiming what we believe,
00:12:11.84\00:12:15.00
the challenges
directly another belief system,
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even if they find it offensive?
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Well we should be able to
say whatever we would like
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to say regarding faith.
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Faith is an issue of the
heart, it is not an issue of
00:12:23.52\00:12:25.13
governmental limitations,
it is not something that can
00:12:25.16\00:12:28.03
be prescribed to
people, they can't be forced to
00:12:28.06\00:12:30.53
believe in a certain thing.
00:12:30.56\00:12:31.96
Faith means that it is a
faith that disagrees with other
00:12:31.99\00:12:36.52
beliefs, were you
should be able to explain why.
00:12:36.55\00:12:38.41
You know there is no question
when we are thinking about
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our obligation toward God,
if He is the God of freedom,
00:12:41.58\00:12:44.96
the Creator God that wanted
us to enjoy life to the fullest,
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surely we should have
the right to determine our
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religious
affiliation and allegiance.
00:12:51.56\00:12:54.19
A long time to do anything
much less publish a magazine.
00:13:05.27\00:13:08.16
But this year, Liberty,
the Seventh-day Adventist voice
00:13:08.19\00:13:11.74
of religious freedom celebrates
100 years of doing what
00:13:11.77\00:13:15.48
it does best, collecting,
analyzing, and reporting the
00:13:15.51\00:13:19.39
ebon flow of religious
expression around the world.
00:13:19.42\00:13:22.60
Issue after issue, Liberty
has taken on the toughest
00:13:22.63\00:13:26.28
assignments, tracking down
threats to religious freedom,
00:13:26.31\00:13:29.00
exposing the work
of the devil in every
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corner of the globe.
00:13:31.10\00:13:33.04
Governmental
interference, personal attacks,
00:13:33.07\00:13:35.41
corporate assaults even
religious freedom issues
00:13:35.44\00:13:38.22
sequestered within the
church community itself has been
00:13:38.25\00:13:40.89
clearly and honestly exposed.
00:13:40.92\00:13:43.38
Liberty exists for one
purpose, to help God's people
00:13:43.41\00:13:47.26
maintain that all important
separation of church and
00:13:47.29\00:13:50.25
state while
recognizing the dangers inherent
00:13:50.28\00:13:53.10
in such a struggle.
00:13:53.13\00:13:54.96
During the past
century Liberty has experienced
00:13:54.99\00:13:57.32
challenges of its own, but
it remains on the job thanks
00:13:57.35\00:14:01.32
to the inspired
leadership of a long line
00:14:01.35\00:14:03.60
of dedicated Adventist editors.
00:14:03.63\00:14:05.59
Three of whom represent
almost half of the publications
00:14:05.62\00:14:07.73
existence and the
foresight of the little woman
00:14:07.76\00:14:10.46
from New England.
00:14:10.49\00:14:12.39
100 years of struggle,
100 years of victories.
00:14:12.42\00:14:16.61
Religious freedom isn't
just about political machines
00:14:16.64\00:14:19.60
a cultural prejudices,
it's about people fighting for
00:14:19.63\00:14:23.70
the right to serve the
God they love as their hearts
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and the Holy Spirit dictate.
00:14:26.98\00:14:29.46
Thanks to the prayers
and generous support of
00:14:29.49\00:14:31.73
Seventh-day Adventist
everywhere, Liberty will
00:14:31.76\00:14:35.20
continue to accomplish its work
of providing timely information,
00:14:35.23\00:14:37.91
Spirit filled inspiration,
and heaven sent encouragement
00:14:37.94\00:14:41.19
to all who long to live
and work in a world bound
00:14:41.22\00:14:45.43
together by the God ordained
bonds of Religious Freedom.
00:14:45.46\00:14:49.97
Welcome back to
the Liberty Insider.
00:14:59.57\00:15:01.98
Before the break we were
talking about some intolerance
00:15:02.01\00:15:05.77
in other parts of the world
where it is under pain of death
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plea to change your
religious persuasion.
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I would like to bring up
an interesting topic that has
00:15:12.82\00:15:16.08
been in the media for a
long, long time now and probably
00:15:16.11\00:15:18.50
will never go away.
00:15:18.53\00:15:19.92
The sight of people all
around the world rioting because
00:15:19.95\00:15:22.92
of incendiary cartoons of
religious icons especially
00:15:22.95\00:15:28.12
the prophet Mohamed.
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What do you think about this?
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It's interesting. - Some
people have died about this.
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You know religion is such
a personal thing that people
00:15:35.32\00:15:38.40
really strike out if
they get offended that way.
00:15:38.43\00:15:41.92
It seems like if you
are of course a Christian,
00:15:41.95\00:15:45.51
they make fun of
Christians all the time,
00:15:45.54\00:15:47.51
by the popular media, but
when it comes to issues in
00:15:47.54\00:15:50.27
religions like
Islam or other religions,
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people get very offended.
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I'm thinking of something
I just read this morning.
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They were reviewing a
movie, Mission Impossible 3.
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I haven't seen 1 and 2
actually, but Mission Impossible
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3, the review said this
and this and it ends with an
00:16:03.82\00:16:06.86
exploding crucifix and
says, the reviewer said I can
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think of other
religions that rioted for less.
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There is no question that
in our society we regularly
00:16:14.49\00:16:17.70
release programs on TV that
is an affront to some one of
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faith and I know I
am often affronted.
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I listen to satellite
radio on occasion and sometimes
00:16:24.69\00:16:28.05
flip through the comedy
Channel, and it blisters my
00:16:28.08\00:16:31.55
ears, as a Christian
to hear the gratuitous,
00:16:31.58\00:16:34.60
it's not just profanity,
it's desecration of religious
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belief even in the
person of Jesus Christ.
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I don't want that, if I
had druthers, I would stop
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it, but I know as someone tied
up to religious liberty that
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antithetical to
the whole principle.
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If I use some legal path to
inhibit that because I don't
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like this then
someone else could inhibit my
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proclamation of Jesus,
saying why do I want to hear
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about some fantastical
sedo historical figure?
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I don't believe that,
it is an offense to me.
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It comes down to personal
belief, the idea that we
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need to respect other
people's belief, but we don't
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need to go out and
strike out against people when
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they disagree with us.
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And you seized on
something that I think should be
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discussed more, I think
there is a need, even in the
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most free open society
for modicum of respect.
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You can't mandate it, but
we should educate toward it.
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we should create a culture that
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doesn't just allow freedoms
to others, but respects them
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as a fellow human being.
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The idea has some validity
because that person who I
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honor is a fellow
human being, holds it.
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I wouldn't gratuitously insult
them, and yet ironically we
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have to allow some
leeway where you can be insulted
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as long as it is not
violent or restrictive of your
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free practice of religion.
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I think ultimately we
have to remember God can defend
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Himself, and He will
defend Himself eventually.
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And the Old Testament shows
many times when God defended
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in amazing ways, and
it might be possible,
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and as Pat Robinson,
in one of his moments,
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said the stone was an
attack on a godless city.
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There is a small element
of that, but what human being
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can claim to know the mind
of God and to say that this
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was a punishment from God?
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Or that a certain group are
dying from a disease because
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God was punishing them.
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That is very unfeeling and
ultimately an unchristian way
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to express a faith issue.
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There is no other higher
authority to appeal to than
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God, if you want to make
a strong point you say, well
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God told me to tell you this.
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I am speaking for God, and
if you say anything against
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me you are offending God.
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We do know a little
bit more in the modern era,
00:18:59.70\00:19:03.12
without giving full
acknowledgment, sometimes
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the voices are
not always from God.
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People hear voices, and
we shouldn't respect those
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voices automatically, but
until they cross a line of
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harm to other people, I
think they should be allowed
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and let the
marketplace dismiss them
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as shrill or irrelevant.
00:19:22.15\00:19:25.18
Back to the cartoons, what
do you think about the fact
00:19:25.21\00:19:28.86
that I have seen those
cartoons, they didn't seem too
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extreme to me, but people
have died all around the world
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because of these?
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Well looking at it from a
perspective, if I believed
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that as an Islamic I
might be offended by that.
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You know if I believed
that prophet Mohammed should
00:19:42.86\00:19:46.03
never be depicted, I
think I would be offended.
00:19:46.07\00:19:49.12
I think as a Christian,
I should be sensitive of
00:19:49.15\00:19:52.17
offending other
people in that way.
00:19:52.20\00:19:54.99
You know the Bible is the
golden rule and the Bible says
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you should treat others
as you want to be treated.
00:20:01.20\00:20:05.16
I think we should hold
some of these societies that do
00:20:05.19\00:20:08.58
have a sense of insult,
say as to the prophet Mohammed,
00:20:08.61\00:20:12.87
I don't think it was
overstated, but still, if it was
00:20:12.91\00:20:16.95
intended to be offensive
than it is non excusable.
00:20:16.98\00:20:20.99
I think we need to
hold them responsible too.
00:20:21.03\00:20:23.53
I have seen certain graphics
from other religious faith.
00:20:23.56\00:20:27.53
Islam may be particularly
because it is very aggressive
00:20:27.57\00:20:31.50
faith like some
elements of Christianity.
00:20:31.54\00:20:34.89
I think Islam needs
to be held accountable,
00:20:34.92\00:20:37.92
not to gratuitously
insult Jews for example.
00:20:37.95\00:20:40.88
Not to read or write to
their own population as was done
00:20:40.92\00:20:45.31
recently, shown recently
from current Saudi textbooks
00:20:45.34\00:20:48.99
where they were saying
that Christians are dogs and so
00:20:49.03\00:20:53.00
on, you can pull from the
Old Testament some extreme
00:20:53.04\00:20:56.70
statements in a certain
historic context against
00:20:56.74\00:21:00.37
infidels or unbelievers.
00:21:00.40\00:21:02.32
But anyone who has read the
whole text knows that that's
00:21:02.36\00:21:04.60
not appalled to us
individually in our time.
00:21:04.64\00:21:09.45
I think it is the
same with the Koran.
00:21:09.48\00:21:11.43
We are not holding elements
of Islam responsible enough
00:21:11.47\00:21:14.96
where they are seizing
on these extreme statements
00:21:15.00\00:21:19.32
that may be somewhat
typical of what is said there.
00:21:19.36\00:21:23.31
I think there is a moderating
truth within Islam that
00:21:23.34\00:21:27.26
should give them some
sense of responsibility.
00:21:27.29\00:21:29.69
If you are going to
be offended by this,
00:21:29.72\00:21:31.52
don't give offense.
00:21:31.56\00:21:33.06
It goes back to what I
call, the nice guy rule.
00:21:33.10\00:21:35.98
Okay, I'm going to be a
nice guy and I am not going to
00:21:36.01\00:21:38.86
make fun of your religion,
but I'm not going to not
00:21:38.90\00:21:41.68
make fun of your religion
because I'm being intimidated.
00:21:41.71\00:21:44.64
I think intimidation
is a horrible factor.
00:21:44.67\00:21:47.38
Religion, I've seen all
kinds of religions where they
00:21:49.76\00:21:53.34
threaten to you to take a
political action, or even a
00:21:53.37\00:21:57.56
violent action to basically
make their viewpoint become
00:21:57.59\00:22:01.74
the predominant viewpoint,
and that is not right.
00:22:01.78\00:22:03.75
I was planning on getting
to that point because that is
00:22:03.78\00:22:07.02
really what offends me
about this international
00:22:07.05\00:22:10.39
intimidation and there is
a curious byproduct of this.
00:22:10.42\00:22:14.84
In the West, I don't
think we have ever wanted as a
00:22:14.88\00:22:19.26
society to offend any
other religious faith.
00:22:19.30\00:22:21.67
I don't think even at
this late point, when we have
00:22:21.70\00:22:24.95
abundant evidence that
radical elements within Islam
00:22:24.99\00:22:28.20
mean us harm, it's not the
same as saying that Islam does,
00:22:28.23\00:22:32.64
but radical
Islam is no question.
00:22:32.67\00:22:34.40
But even at this late
point, I don't think there is
00:22:34.43\00:22:36.83
a broad based intention,
or even close to a broad
00:22:36.87\00:22:39.61
based intention to
insult the faith of Islam.
00:22:39.65\00:22:42.33
But there is clearly an
effort by Islam in general,
00:22:42.36\00:22:46.78
even those who wouldn't
buy in to radicalistic agenda
00:22:46.81\00:22:51.79
to intimidate the West to
not speaking to their system
00:22:51.82\00:22:56.76
and some of its inconsistencies.
00:22:56.79\00:22:59.32
I think we can go beyond
the cartoon itself, I think
00:22:59.35\00:23:02.19
there is an element of
attempting to use any trigger
00:23:02.23\00:23:05.77
factor in order to incite
some type of riot, in order to
00:23:05.81\00:23:09.32
take a broad action and
gain political clout and
00:23:09.36\00:23:12.64
threaten another group
who may disagree with you.
00:23:12.68\00:23:15.30
It is really a power
struggle, and I think that is
00:23:15.33\00:23:17.92
really where it lies.
00:23:17.95\00:23:19.93
It goes way
beyond the cartoon issue.
00:23:19.96\00:23:22.13
As far as the cartoons, as
an editor of a magazine, I find
00:23:22.16\00:23:25.84
it problematic,
Islam was the issue here,
00:23:25.87\00:23:29.25
and the cartoon defends
Islam, but the media need to
00:23:29.28\00:23:32.93
have a certain responsibility,
but it is not good when
00:23:32.96\00:23:36.08
the media basically is
told that they cannot deal with
00:23:36.11\00:23:39.19
the topic at all.
00:23:39.23\00:23:40.77
I think this is having a
very chilling effect on public
00:23:40.81\00:23:44.57
discussion of maybe
Islam, certainly Islam.
00:23:44.60\00:23:49.77
It may even be some elements
of religious expression or
00:23:49.80\00:23:52.99
religious extremism
in the Western world.
00:23:53.03\00:23:56.28
Well the impact on the
freedom of the press...
00:23:56.31\00:23:59.40
Freedom of the press
is under attack, isn't it?
00:23:59.44\00:24:02.45
I thought there was a
certain irony, and I'm shifting
00:24:02.49\00:24:05.98
gears radically now, but
in the US we have found that
00:24:06.01\00:24:10.24
the government have been
filtering through phone calls,
00:24:10.27\00:24:13.40
I don't know exactly was
going on, but it seems quite
00:24:13.43\00:24:17.22
clear to me that under
the old understanding of the
00:24:17.26\00:24:20.80
prohibition against search
and seizure, you would have
00:24:20.84\00:24:24.35
protection against
government intrusion into
00:24:24.38\00:24:27.04
your private affairs.
00:24:27.07\00:24:28.67
It is essentially justified
by this administration under the
00:24:28.70\00:24:33.23
War Powers Act was
trumping the Constitution.
00:24:33.27\00:24:37.90
The Attorney General has
gone to the public media saying
00:24:37.94\00:24:41.96
that they will prosecute
journalists who released the
00:24:42.00\00:24:45.99
information on this illegal act.
00:24:46.02\00:24:48.29
Well there is an interest
in national security as well
00:24:48.32\00:24:51.39
and I think that counts.
00:24:51.42\00:24:52.90
But right at large, do we
want the journalist generally,
00:24:52.93\00:24:58.42
and those writing about
the most sensitive issues,
00:24:58.45\00:25:02.34
those of religion, to be
inhibited thinking that they
00:25:02.38\00:25:06.24
will offend the public
sensibility in some way,
00:25:06.27\00:25:10.00
even if it is true
they are not to say this.
00:25:10.03\00:25:13.69
This is turning the
clock back in a dangerous ways
00:25:13.72\00:25:16.58
in the West where we
have had the tradition of
00:25:16.61\00:25:19.43
freedom of information.
00:25:19.47\00:25:22.33
Well turning back to that
issue of national security,
00:25:22.37\00:25:25.17
I think when you have a
situation where the government
00:25:25.21\00:25:27.98
is acting in such a
way as to be interpreted as
00:25:28.01\00:25:30.89
unconstitutional, like
where it is violating the fourth
00:25:30.92\00:25:33.69
amendment to unreasonable
search and seizure, it's the
00:25:33.72\00:25:36.47
prerogative and the right
of the journalist to respond.
00:25:36.50\00:25:39.50
I think impeding journalists
in any sense in terms of
00:25:39.54\00:25:42.10
their opinions and
things like that, I think it is
00:25:42.14\00:25:46.13
devastating to the integrity
of freedom of the press.
00:25:46.16\00:25:49.33
But I think when it
comes to issues of religion,
00:25:49.37\00:25:52.47
when it comes to an opinion
the press should be able to
00:25:52.50\00:25:55.30
pretty much
speak freely as well.
00:25:55.34\00:25:57.23
If a reporter were to
report on an issue such
00:25:57.27\00:26:01.01
as troop movements or
something very specific
00:26:01.04\00:26:04.75
in a military sense.
00:26:04.78\00:26:05.97
But I am reminded as a
Seventh-day Adventist the
00:26:06.01\00:26:07.71
particular subject of
Protestantism advanced printing
00:26:07.75\00:26:12.11
and dissemination of information
we do not want to allow
00:26:12.15\00:26:16.47
a state of affairs
that would inhibit the free
00:26:16.51\00:26:19.41
expression of ideas in
print or the media, television.
00:26:19.45\00:26:22.36
We need to be free to
express ourselves even if it is
00:26:22.39\00:26:24.97
offensive, while at the
same time making every effort
00:26:25.00\00:26:27.54
not to be
offensive, don't you agree?
00:26:27.58\00:26:29.98
I agree, I think freedom
of the press, freedom of the
00:26:30.02\00:26:32.16
speaking your faith
is extremely important,
00:26:32.20\00:26:35.11
but we also
need to be nice guys.
00:26:35.15\00:26:36.98
We need to be sensitive
to what people say about us
00:26:37.01\00:26:39.91
and we need to be sensitive
to what we say about other
00:26:39.94\00:26:43.27
people and learn how to
respond in civil dignified
00:26:43.31\00:26:46.61
manner, riots
aren't appropriate.
00:26:46.64\00:26:49.04
There is something in
our kick about the idea that
00:26:50.87\00:26:54.77
people should be put to death
up holding their faith view.
00:26:54.80\00:26:57.75
When you think about
it this is an old problem.
00:26:57.79\00:27:01.99
When Jesus was on this
earth and He spoke truth to
00:27:03.32\00:27:07.06
what were once God's people,
and could still have been
00:27:07.10\00:27:10.81
if they obeyed God's promises.
00:27:10.84\00:27:13.17
And said that the Temple
would be destroyed because
00:27:13.20\00:27:16.72
of their unfaithfulness.
00:27:16.76\00:27:18.19
He was reported
to the authorities.
00:27:18.22\00:27:19.85
They said this man is
deserving of death because He
00:27:19.88\00:27:22.91
spoke against this Temple.
00:27:22.95\00:27:24.54
In our modern world people
are ready to riot and indeed
00:27:24.58\00:27:29.20
kill other people
because they speak against their
00:27:29.24\00:27:31.98
Temple, their sacred
icons of religiosity.
00:27:32.02\00:27:36.22
Religion is something to
uphold people, a faith to
00:27:36.25\00:27:39.64
give them strength, not
to give justification to be
00:27:39.67\00:27:43.03
cruel and
inhuman to other people.
00:27:43.06\00:27:44.95
There is no question that
in our era, we need to work
00:27:44.98\00:27:48.90
towards accommodation,
toward true Christianity,
00:27:48.94\00:27:52.68
to project our faith
values in ways that uphold
00:27:52.71\00:27:56.41
and not to do harm.
00:27:56.45\00:27:58.38
Religion is not a force
for evil, it should be a force
00:27:58.41\00:28:02.71
for good and tolerance.
00:28:02.74\00:28:04.88
This is Lincoln
Steed for Liberty Insider.
00:28:07.00\00:28:09.89