Welcome to the Liberty Insider.
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This is the program
that brings you up to date
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news, views, information
and discussion about breaking
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religious liberty
events around the world.
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My name is Lincoln Steed,
Editor of Liberty Magazine
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and my guest on the program,
welcome Miss Melissa Reid,
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Associate Editor
of Liberty Magazine.
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But Melissa I want to
steer this discussion,
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really quick to something
that, you recently taken on.
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Liberty has long
been involved with it,
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but you've been given
particular role to play with
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the North American
Religious Liberty Association.
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What is this organization?
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Yeah, well thank
you so much for asking.
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I'm excited to be
involved with NARLA,
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as it's affectionately known,
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it's a member driven
advocacy organization.
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It's an
opportunity for church members,
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lay people to become involved
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directly with the
religious liberty ministry.
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We know that as far as,
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when we have the
religious liberty campaign
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every year, to raise fund,
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to sponsor
liberty subscriptions.
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That's the way for members
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to become
involved in the process.
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NARLA is another way for them
to become involved on a local
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level to be advocates
for religious freedom,
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whether its in
their state government,
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whether its in the
federal government,
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whether its with
their city council,
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a way for them to
really have some ownership.
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To put them into action, right.
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Exactly, to put
them into action.
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And you and I've
heard it many times,
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you give a good talk,
present Liberty Magazine,
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present some of the issues,
then they'll say, you know,
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what can I do? Yes.
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So this is how they can do it
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for becoming
involved with NARLA.
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Actually I want to steer
viewers to the NARLA website,
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because it's a great resource,
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it's a great introduction
to the organization.
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So what's that site? Yeah.
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So its www.religiousliberty.info
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and I really encourage every one
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to go and visit the site.
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We're in the process
of redoing the website,
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but it's filled with
great information right now
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even if the look
is little outdated.
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And the first
thing I would ask people
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to do is sign up
for the email updates
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that are available on that site.
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That's the way to get
involved in the conversation
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to learn about sort of
issues as they are happening.
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That Liberty cannot do
or any periodical coming
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at defined intervals
with the email update.
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You know, it could
be as quick as today
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something that's
breaking in the news.
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Absolutely. And inform
the members quickly. Yes.
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Now you would
use the word outdated
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and then you-- for Liberty.
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When did or for-- For NARLA.
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NARLA, when did NARLA begin?
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Right, so its back,
actually back in the 1890s.
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Just like Liberty Magazine,
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this has been
ministry that's been part
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of the Seventh-day
Adventist Church for-
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And due it should.
Really since the inception.
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Should realize with NARLA
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and of course
Liberty Magazine going back,
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you know, well over
a hundred years now.
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This really no
other publications
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and no other
program in North America
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certainly that has
this track record. Yeah.
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There are certain organizations
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like the
Baptists, go way, way back
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even that letter,
letters between Thomas Jefferson
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and the Baptists
on the separation
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of church and state and so.
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You know that shows
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that organization
had the sensitivity.
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But as far as a magazine
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and involvement in
overt religious liberty work,
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what we're doing is in
a class of its own. Yes.
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And anybody that's
involved with it anybody
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that's watching this program
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should be very
proud to be involved
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in something like this. Yeah.
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But let me get back to
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what I was trying to give
myself an angle for as NARLA
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begin as I can
discover in about 1891.
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And I was
interested the other day,
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I was reading some
history of Liberty Magazine
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through its precursor
magazine the Centennial.
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The Liberty
Centennial and the editor
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of that magazine
was A T. Jones. Right.
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And I know you're well
aware of him and our viewers
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should be because I
mentioned him now and then.
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Yes, I think
we've actually given
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a DVD away to
viewers. Absolutely.
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Telling the story of A.T. Jones
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battling against an incipient
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national Sunday
law. Right, right, yes.
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Which was a bad
development and prophetically
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we expect something
like that to turn up
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again at some future
point, but doesn't mean
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we wanted to
happen or we'll allow
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it to happen
unchallenged. Right.
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But in 1891 there
was a considerable
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infighting in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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over what the editor A.T. Jones
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was doing with the
Liberty Centennial.
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And its interesting,
was interesting to me
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to read the record the other day
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and hear in a meeting
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that was not
widely known at the time.
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A number of leaders including
the newly elected leader
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of the North American
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Religious Liberty
Association got up and he said,
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"We'll not
support Liberty Magazine
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or Liberty Centennial anymore,
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its too direct in its
proclamation of things
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like the Sabbath versus Sunday
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and Mark of the Beast
and prophetic interpretation,
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we won't support that magazine."
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And you know if
they challenge me
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that way I would
bounce back big time.
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Well, A.T. Jones,
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I don't think was
even in that meeting,
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but Ellen White
who was informing
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early Seventh-day Adventists
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through her prophetic insights.
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There was a widespread
and continuing understanding
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that God was
speaking through her
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and she was shown
a dream or a vision
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where this meeting
was presented to her
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and she saw these
people challenging
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our religious liberty work
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and she said that
this was the first
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in the series of bad moves.
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It was wrong,
but we're not there
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in NARLA because. No I know we--
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NARLA, Liberty
we and other aspects
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including this
television program.
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We see this is its part of
a seamless whole of presenting
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united religious
liberty message. Right.
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First to Seventh-day Adventist,
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but really in a
larger sense to anybody
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who values religious freedom.
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Right, right
and I think that you
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and I are in
complete agreement as far as,
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we as both the Liberty Magazine
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and as the North American
Religious Liberty Association
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and as Seventh-day Adventist,
we fight for upholding
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the belief system
of everyone as long
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as it doesn't affect
anyone else's. Absolutely.
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That said, the reason
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why we as a
Seventh-day-day Adventist Church
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are so in the
forefront of this particular,
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you know, human rights issue
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is because our
beliefs are so sacred to us
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and we're certainly
not ashamed of those.
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Absolutely. And so I think.
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Yeah, you've
given me the leeway,
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you know, we've
discussed this a lot.
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But I need to reiterate it
and I'll tell it in the context
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of another attack
on me a few years ago
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and I'll never forget this.
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Where we were debating
some of these said points,
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someone wrote me a letter
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and they said the
trouble is you think
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Liberty Magazine is
the Seventh-day Adventist
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publication and I
told someone I report to,
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I said of course. Yes.
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And anybody that
reads the magazine
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or watches this
program should know,
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this is not
coming from a vacuum.
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We're Seventh-day Adventist,
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we've a very clear
religious viewpoint.
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We've very clear views
on how religious liberty
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should be administered.
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I mean that
something we're proud of.
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But as we present
religious liberty,
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it's for all people, we want
to facilitate a civil society
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that allows people to believe
and practice any single belief
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they want or not
to practice a belief.
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Right, right, well certainly,
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I mean that's
God's example to us.
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I mean the fact.
That's where we take it from,
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not from the
constitution. Exactly.
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It's a biblical
absolute, it's presented by God
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and really if you
analyze most views of a deity
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other than the
God's that were modeled
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after purely pagan
animistic view points,
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but more spiritual models show
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the integrity of the individual
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and they should not be
coerce into a belief system.
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Right, right, and I
think NARLA and Liberty
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are very
consistent in that model,
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in that frame of mind,
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but as you mentioned so
that it was at that time
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National Religious
Liberty Association
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back in the late 1890s.
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But now its just been recently,
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I think it was probably in
the 1990s or maybe was in 80s
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that the
organization was resurrected,
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really
rejuvenated and that's thanks
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to Liberty Magazine
funding by on their part.
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Well, it was within
the last decade. Yes, yes.
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And it becomes non existent,
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or at least it
become ineffectual,
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there was
nothing going on. Right.
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Even though it had
never been disbanded.
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Correct. And
number of us. Right.
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This was little before you
joined with Liberty Magazine
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and number of us decided
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and I need to
give full credit to,
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Adrian Westney,
was the individual
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that just kept
hammering on the idea.
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We need an
organization that can mobilize
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these people that
are supporting liberty
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and we know believe
in religious liberty.
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But they need an organizing,
organization or organization
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that will give them information
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and instruction and so on.
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And he kept that as addition
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and initially there
was no way to do it. Yes.
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But Liberty had some
reserves at that point
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and we put the money toward
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it for about five years. Yeah.
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And we hope now with you
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that it's self sustaining. Yeah.
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But I think
there's plenty of evidence
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that within our church
and perhaps even in the wider
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Christian and
religious community,
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there's some willingness to join
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and to make this a
viable organization.
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Goodness knows
it's not very expensive,
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tell us about that.
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Its certainly not,
well thank you for asking.
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Yeah, it's actually really,
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its well one thing I want to say
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before I even go into the costs.
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One thing that I really would
like to see is a burden for me
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and I've talk some to
some of our other members
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and I think this is consistent.
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We really would
like to see NARLA
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promoted to and appeal to sort
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of the younger
generation of Adventists.
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I know when I
travel around the country
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in various conferences
and events that I've been to.
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I really, I'm so impressed
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with the enthusiasm
and the biblical knowledge
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and the spiritual
commitment of lot of ours,
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of our younger
Adventist these days.
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We need to work with
that and encourage that.
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Exactly, exactly, so I
really would like to see NARLA,
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appear be introduced
on to our college campuses
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our Seventh-day
Adventists College campuses.
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So actually as far as
prizes, we've a student rate.
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Let, sorry to interrupt
you, but we've viewers,
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you know, if there
somebody out there,
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that's its part of
another college. Yes.
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Another Christian college. Yes.
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Or any other, we got to
be careful of state college
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they can't do it, separate
to church's statement. Right.
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Other
organizations with young people,
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they can contact
us. Oh absolutely yes.
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And you or me or
someone else would gladly
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go and talk to them about
how they can join with NARLA.
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Of course, of course,
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yes and thank you
for pointing that out.
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So, $10 is a student membership,
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an annuals membership.
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$28 for an individual
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and then a married
couple is $38 for a membership.
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And there's so much that
comes with that membership.
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First of all, I think probably
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this seminal
benefit is a subscription
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to Liberty Magazine
that they get. Good.
00:11:25.30\00:11:27.83
With a membership, they
also get the opportunity
00:11:27.86\00:11:30.81
to participate in
the leadership of NARLA.
00:11:30.82\00:11:34.58
Whether it's you know on the,
00:11:34.59\00:11:36.84
on their state
chapter or regional chapter
00:11:36.85\00:11:39.55
or on the national chapter.
00:11:39.56\00:11:41.12
They also get an invitation
00:11:41.13\00:11:42.62
to the Religious
Liberty Emphasis Weekend
00:11:42.63\00:11:45.00
that we have in,
in Washington D.C.
00:11:45.01\00:11:46.60
In conjuncture with the
Liberty dinner. Exactly.
00:11:46.61\00:11:49.27
Where they can meet
some politicians here,
00:11:49.28\00:11:52.08
some top political leaders,
00:11:52.09\00:11:55.13
giving some direct
feedback from Capitol Hill
00:11:55.17\00:11:58.83
on religious liberty issues.
Yes, I mean it's actually,
00:11:58.84\00:12:01.45
its, you
couldn't be more in action
00:12:01.46\00:12:03.72
than that
religious liberty emphasis
00:12:03.73\00:12:05.36
as far as our members.
00:12:05.37\00:12:06.86
By the way I can't
resist tweaking you a bit,
00:12:06.89\00:12:09.33
you've given a nice
outline of memberships.
00:12:09.34\00:12:11.36
What about a
marriage student couple?
00:12:11.37\00:12:15.48
You've to look that one,
00:12:15.49\00:12:17.44
probably $18 I
would guess. So we go yes.
00:12:17.45\00:12:21.44
But now there's a
full spectrum of activities
00:12:21.45\00:12:27.80
and allowances for
different budgets and so on,
00:12:27.81\00:12:30.84
because we want to
involve people down.
00:12:30.85\00:12:32.55
Yes, yeah, we want
to make you accessible,
00:12:32.56\00:12:35.12
its not, we don't want it to
be an exclusive organization.
00:12:35.13\00:12:37.71
We want it to be for
people to be involved
00:12:37.72\00:12:40.54
and we are just excited
that people are passionate
00:12:40.55\00:12:44.83
about Religious
Liberty Ministry.
00:12:44.84\00:12:46.28
Good. And we'll work to
make more passion out there.
00:12:46.29\00:12:48.93
We'll be back after the
break to talk a little bit
00:12:48.94\00:12:50.92
more about the North American
00:12:50.93\00:12:52.92
Religious Liberty
Association. Stay with us.
00:12:52.93\00:12:55.31
One-hundred years, a
long time to do anything
00:13:04.38\00:13:08.18
much less publish a magazine,
00:13:08.19\00:13:10.13
but this year, Liberty,
00:13:10.14\00:13:12.21
the Seventh-day Adventist
voice of religious freedom,
00:13:12.22\00:13:14.87
celebrates one hundred years
of doing what it does best,
00:13:14.88\00:13:18.53
collecting,
analyzing, and reporting the ebb
00:13:18.54\00:13:21.74
and flow of religious
expression around the world.
00:13:21.75\00:13:24.70
Issue after
issue, Liberty has taken
00:13:24.71\00:13:27.35
on the tough assignments,
00:13:27.36\00:13:28.80
tracking down
threats to religious freedom
00:13:28.81\00:13:30.86
and exposing the
work of the devil
00:13:30.87\00:13:32.29
in every corner of the globe.
00:13:32.30\00:13:34.70
Governmental
interference, personal attacks,
00:13:34.71\00:13:37.31
corporate assaults,
even religious freedom issues
00:13:37.32\00:13:40.14
sequestered within the
Church community itself
00:13:40.15\00:13:42.22
have been clearly
and honestly exposed.
00:13:42.23\00:13:45.35
Liberty exists for one purpose,
00:13:45.39\00:13:47.72
to help God's people
maintain that all important
00:13:47.73\00:13:50.87
separation of Church and State,
00:13:50.88\00:13:52.77
while recognizing the dangers
inherent in such a struggle.
00:13:52.78\00:13:56.63
During the past century,
00:13:56.64\00:13:57.91
Liberty has experienced
challenges of its own,
00:13:57.92\00:14:00.62
but it remains on the job.
00:14:00.63\00:14:02.76
Thanks to the
inspired leadership
00:14:02.77\00:14:04.64
of a long line of dedicated
00:14:04.65\00:14:05.99
Adventist Editors,
three of whom represent
00:14:06.00\00:14:08.17
almost half of the
publications existence
00:14:08.18\00:14:10.57
and the
foresight of a little woman
00:14:10.58\00:14:12.71
from New England.
00:14:12.75\00:14:13.94
One hundred years of struggle,
one hundred years of victories,
00:14:13.95\00:14:18.35
religious freedom isn't
just about political machines
00:14:18.36\00:14:21.38
and cultural prejudices.
00:14:21.39\00:14:23.03
It's about people fighting
for the right to serve the God
00:14:23.04\00:14:27.05
they love as their hearts
and the Holy Spirit dictate.
00:14:27.06\00:14:31.46
Thanks to the
prayers and generous support
00:14:31.50\00:14:33.45
of Seventh-day
Adventists everywhere,
00:14:33.46\00:14:35.56
Liberty will
continue to accomplish
00:14:35.57\00:14:37.75
its work of
providing timely information,
00:14:37.76\00:14:39.80
spirit filled inspiration,
00:14:39.81\00:14:41.55
and heaven sent
encouragement to all
00:14:41.56\00:14:44.20
who long to live and
work in a world bound together
00:14:44.21\00:14:47.96
by the God ordained
bonds of religious freedom.
00:14:47.97\00:14:51.86
Welcome back to
the Liberty Insider.
00:15:02.22\00:15:03.94
Before the break those
of you that were with us
00:15:03.95\00:15:06.63
and welcome if you were not.
00:15:06.64\00:15:08.45
Before the break
we were talking about
00:15:08.46\00:15:09.91
the North American Religious
Liberty Association. Yes.
00:15:09.92\00:15:12.73
With my associate,
00:15:12.74\00:15:13.93
with the Executive
Director of NARLA, Melissa Reid.
00:15:13.94\00:15:17.97
Where do you go now with NARLA?
00:15:19.45\00:15:21.51
Right, well, as I
mentioned before the break,
00:15:21.52\00:15:23.60
we're really excited
about reaching young Adventists
00:15:23.61\00:15:26.79
and so we're
looking at college campuses.
00:15:26.80\00:15:28.89
We also would like to
work with our academy teachers
00:15:28.90\00:15:32.79
and try to put
together a curriculum
00:15:32.80\00:15:34.97
to insert into maybe government
00:15:34.98\00:15:36.55
or social studies classes,
00:15:36.56\00:15:38.36
that deals specifically with
history of religious liberty.
00:15:38.37\00:15:42.33
Really what we were
talking about earlier,
00:15:42.34\00:15:43.70
you know then the North,
00:15:43.71\00:15:46.05
the National
Religious Liberty Association,
00:15:46.06\00:15:48.53
A.T.Jones, the Centennial.
00:15:48.54\00:15:50.83
Well, he did know
the history of both
00:15:50.84\00:15:53.03
what our church has done
00:15:53.04\00:15:54.01
and what the
country has been through,
00:15:54.02\00:15:56.54
to formulate. Yeah.
00:15:56.55\00:15:58.01
What is variously
called at sometimes challenge
00:15:58.02\00:16:00.84
the separation of
church and state. Yeah.
00:16:00.85\00:16:02.86
And I've a burden
on this because yes,
00:16:02.87\00:16:05.64
we're getting
information out with Liberty.
00:16:05.65\00:16:07.81
And we do want to
involve young people,
00:16:07.82\00:16:09.79
but it's not just to
involve young people,
00:16:09.80\00:16:12.10
we need to educate people.
00:16:12.11\00:16:13.47
We're trying to do that
with Liberty Magazine. Yes.
00:16:13.48\00:16:15.90
And I've been troubled
from almost the day one,
00:16:15.91\00:16:18.36
when I started
with Liberty Magazine,
00:16:18.37\00:16:20.45
realizing that a
huge amount of people,
00:16:20.46\00:16:22.62
especially in the United States,
00:16:22.63\00:16:24.30
or huge number of people
00:16:24.31\00:16:26.70
just have a wrong
concept of religious liberty.
00:16:26.71\00:16:28.95
They may even believe
it's important in their mind,
00:16:28.96\00:16:32.85
but their model is fluent. Yes.
00:16:32.86\00:16:34.85
For example in Liberty Magazine,
00:16:36.18\00:16:38.20
we're often
talking about the problems
00:16:38.21\00:16:40.37
with the so
called politically active
00:16:40.38\00:16:42.27
religious right, who I think
are big part of the problem.
00:16:42.28\00:16:46.54
Even though most
of them are people
00:16:48.24\00:16:50.36
with I think
with good conscience
00:16:50.37\00:16:53.02
and are steered by
things I see around them,
00:16:53.03\00:16:55.29
want to solve it,
want to even create
00:16:55.30\00:16:58.03
a climate for religious liberty.
00:16:58.04\00:16:59.85
But by their
involvement with the state,
00:16:59.86\00:17:02.05
by their overt
politicization of issues,
00:17:02.06\00:17:05.21
they're actually bringing
in a bigger problem. Right.
00:17:05.22\00:17:07.82
So we've got to educate people
00:17:07.83\00:17:09.47
and it's hard with the adults
00:17:09.48\00:17:11.24
to sort of change
their whole mindset,
00:17:11.25\00:17:12.79
but young people who are
sort of more a blank slate. Yes.
00:17:12.80\00:17:16.51
Or at least open mind
00:17:16.52\00:17:17.57
that they haven't
made up their mind. Right.
00:17:17.58\00:17:19.19
We can give them this
model of religious liberty
00:17:19.20\00:17:21.81
and then involve them. Right.
00:17:21.82\00:17:23.70
So NARLA is not
just involvement,
00:17:23.71\00:17:25.59
its baseline education.
00:17:25.60\00:17:27.49
Absolutely, absolutely,
00:17:27.50\00:17:28.70
and that's why when
I mentioned the website
00:17:28.71\00:17:30.25
earlier that's which for
those of you just turning
00:17:30.26\00:17:32.50
on its religiousliberty.info.
www.religousliberty.info.
00:17:32.51\00:17:37.46
That's why I would
again really encourage
00:17:37.47\00:17:39.15
people to signup
for those email updates,
00:17:39.16\00:17:41.00
because it really does
give people perspective.
00:17:41.01\00:17:44.81
A lot of times, you know,
00:17:44.82\00:17:46.27
we talk about things
that are happening right now
00:17:46.28\00:17:49.43
very in a very
contemporary events.
00:17:49.44\00:17:51.55
And you know at first glance,
00:17:51.56\00:17:53.75
when you're
watching the evening news
00:17:53.76\00:17:55.13
or reading the newspaper,
00:17:55.14\00:17:56.21
you may not think of them
as religious liberty issue.
00:17:56.22\00:17:59.67
But with our
organization and the dialog
00:17:59.68\00:18:02.67
that we're able to have,
00:18:02.68\00:18:04.71
we'll explain
how this can affect
00:18:04.72\00:18:07.11
your religious freedom,
your freedom of conscience.
00:18:07.12\00:18:09.58
And so again
that's an educational
00:18:09.59\00:18:11.58
component of the ministry
and so I really feel like,
00:18:11.59\00:18:17.51
I absolutely agree
with you that education
00:18:17.52\00:18:19.46
is a component a very important
00:18:19.47\00:18:21.82
component of this
particular ministry.
00:18:21.83\00:18:23.64
Yeah, religious
liberty is multi-faceted.
00:18:23.65\00:18:26.06
There are things
right at persecution. Yeah.
00:18:26.07\00:18:28.97
But sometimes exists in a very
00:18:28.98\00:18:31.46
overt fashion in
the United States.
00:18:31.47\00:18:33.62
But mostly we see that sort
of thing in other countries,
00:18:33.63\00:18:36.03
where perhaps the
government is targeting
00:18:36.04\00:18:38.37
people of a certain faith,
00:18:38.38\00:18:40.17
or like in the
racists state in India
00:18:40.18\00:18:42.47
where mobs have taken off
00:18:42.48\00:18:44.86
after Christians in particular
00:18:44.87\00:18:47.39
and you know butchered
them just in a mob scene.
00:18:47.40\00:18:51.34
We don't' see that sort of thing
00:18:51.35\00:18:52.39
in the United States.
00:18:52.40\00:18:54.22
But there is prejudice. Yes.
00:18:54.23\00:18:55.86
Sometimes there
are laws that inhibit
00:18:55.87\00:18:58.44
and we need to work legally.
00:18:58.45\00:19:00.25
But what I see more and
more in the United States,
00:19:00.26\00:19:02.78
there is a
dynamic mix of politics
00:19:02.79\00:19:06.29
and historical developments.
00:19:06.30\00:19:09.24
And if you don't watch
it they can very quickly
00:19:09.25\00:19:12.17
have deep implications
00:19:12.18\00:19:13.80
for the practice of
religious freedom. Oh yes.
00:19:13.81\00:19:16.05
But they did,
but on the face of it
00:19:16.06\00:19:17.32
that may have nothing to do
00:19:17.33\00:19:18.47
with religious
liberty. Absolutely.
00:19:18.48\00:19:20.18
And that's why we like to be,
00:19:20.19\00:19:22.22
you know both with
the magazine and with
00:19:22.23\00:19:24.47
North American
Religious Liberty Association.
00:19:24.48\00:19:26.50
We try to think
or be aware of issues
00:19:26.51\00:19:30.29
a couple of steps ahead.
00:19:30.30\00:19:32.24
I know that's very
much a part of you know
00:19:32.25\00:19:34.29
when I watch you put
the magazine together
00:19:34.30\00:19:36.02
and choose the issues,
00:19:36.03\00:19:37.01
you know, we're dealing
with an editorial calendar
00:19:37.02\00:19:38.81
that several months in
advance and its amazing,
00:19:38.82\00:19:42.00
how could you know
relevant and contemporary it is,
00:19:42.01\00:19:45.20
than when that
published day comes out,
00:19:45.21\00:19:46.88
because I think
that you as an editor
00:19:46.89\00:19:49.08
are very good
about sort of watching,
00:19:49.09\00:19:51.65
you know sort of
maybe what people.
00:19:51.66\00:19:53.15
See the trends.
Exactly, to see the trends.
00:19:53.16\00:19:55.26
This happens, this happens
00:19:55.27\00:19:56.46
therefore this may happen. Yeah.
00:19:56.47\00:19:57.78
You can't always get it right,
00:19:57.79\00:19:58.94
but I think lot of the
time there is a logic to it
00:19:58.95\00:20:02.46
that lot of people aren't
sort of conditioned to see.
00:20:02.47\00:20:05.08
They just say well, you know,
00:20:05.09\00:20:06.28
it's a big political
discussion at the moment.
00:20:06.29\00:20:08.01
They don't think if this happens
00:20:08.02\00:20:09.67
and this happens
therefore this will develop.
00:20:09.68\00:20:11.60
Right, right so another way
00:20:11.61\00:20:13.08
that I actually would
like to see NARLA grow
00:20:13.09\00:20:16.09
is for the
Seventh-day Adventist church
00:20:16.10\00:20:18.58
the largest growing population
00:20:18.59\00:20:21.58
is the Hispanic population
00:20:21.59\00:20:24.30
as far as church
members baptisms and so.
00:20:24.31\00:20:26.51
I think
demographically that's true
00:20:26.52\00:20:28.15
with United States as a whole.
00:20:28.16\00:20:29.44
Yes, probably so.
00:20:29.45\00:20:31.34
I know relative
to African-Americans,
00:20:31.35\00:20:34.78
the Hispanic population
is growing quickly. Right.
00:20:34.79\00:20:37.54
And I better be
careful, but I think,
00:20:37.55\00:20:41.29
I think African-American
was only 12 percent or so
00:20:41.30\00:20:44.07
and Hispanics are
moving up towards 16.
00:20:44.08\00:20:46.02
Okay, okay, yeah.
00:20:46.03\00:20:47.29
Anyhow relatively speaking
that's the difference since,
00:20:47.30\00:20:51.02
there are quiet a
few not just birthright.
00:20:51.03\00:20:53.54
There's quiet some well legal
00:20:53.55\00:20:56.26
and illegal
immigration is feeling that.
00:20:56.27\00:20:58.70
Right, right, so
we're excited now because
00:20:58.71\00:21:00.92
we have just put together.
00:21:00.93\00:21:02.41
We just published a
new brochure for NARLA
00:21:02.42\00:21:05.30
and we've done it both
in English and Spanish.
00:21:05.31\00:21:07.46
Yeah, I can actually
show the audience, this is--
00:21:07.47\00:21:10.05
if you can read it here.
00:21:10.06\00:21:11.16
It says, holding
open the doors to freedom
00:21:11.17\00:21:13.55
and that's
really what we're about.
00:21:13.56\00:21:14.84
You know and
like we said earlier
00:21:14.85\00:21:16.34
this is Christ's
example of holding
00:21:16.35\00:21:19.52
open these
opportunities to be able to have
00:21:19.53\00:21:21.87
that relationship with him.
00:21:21.88\00:21:23.66
So yes, so we're now offering
00:21:23.67\00:21:24.97
all of our
materials in Spanish as well.
00:21:24.98\00:21:28.21
And then I think I
touched just briefly
00:21:28.22\00:21:30.77
we have the
national chapter of NARLA,
00:21:30.78\00:21:32.59
but we also have
regional chapters.
00:21:32.60\00:21:34.62
And we've one in the southern
part of the United States
00:21:34.63\00:21:39.13
and we also have one in
the western United States
00:21:39.14\00:21:42.93
and then we
have one specifically
00:21:42.94\00:21:45.10
in the Los Angeles
area that is completely,
00:21:45.11\00:21:48.38
it's Spanish based.
00:21:48.39\00:21:50.62
It's a Spanish
speaking NARLA version
00:21:50.63\00:21:52.85
and so we're
really excited about that.
00:21:52.86\00:21:54.86
We want to
encourage that sort of allies.
00:21:54.87\00:21:56.98
So that's a
segment of the population
00:21:56.99\00:21:58.90
that we're really
targeting as well.
00:21:58.91\00:22:01.83
That you were too with
00:22:01.84\00:22:03.90
one of the
meetings of our California,
00:22:03.91\00:22:06.50
not the Hispanic
but the California,
00:22:06.51\00:22:09.47
what is that NARLA
west, is it. Correct, yes.
00:22:09.48\00:22:11.85
And I was impressed by
the plans that they have.
00:22:11.86\00:22:14.47
Yes. And they are moving
here quickly like the one plan
00:22:14.48\00:22:16.48
that I expect to
see fruition shortly
00:22:16.49\00:22:19.05
is for them to sponsor young
people to come to the event
00:22:19.06\00:22:23.43
that we hold in Washington area.
00:22:23.44\00:22:24.88
Right, the Religious Liberty
00:22:24.89\00:22:26.14
emphasis weekend
that we talked about.
00:22:26.15\00:22:27.63
Yeah, I was a part
of that meeting too
00:22:27.64\00:22:29.13
and was so impressed
00:22:29.14\00:22:32.54
with their
commitment to the ministry
00:22:32.55\00:22:34.87
and their plans for
it and they are gonna,
00:22:34.88\00:22:36.23
I think gonna
hold the essay contest,
00:22:36.24\00:22:39.63
you know, the young adults
00:22:39.64\00:22:41.11
can become
involved with and get them
00:22:41.12\00:22:43.23
to come to these events.
00:22:43.24\00:22:44.42
Just to flush out a little bit,
00:22:44.43\00:22:45.93
the Religious
Liberty Emphasis Weekend.
00:22:45.94\00:22:48.23
We mentioned there is
the Religious Liberty Dinner
00:22:48.24\00:22:50.00
that we hold on Capitol Hill
00:22:50.01\00:22:51.37
and we've talked
about that in the past.
00:22:51.38\00:22:53.70
But also, it's an opportunity
for training sessions
00:22:53.71\00:22:56.88
for lay people as
far as how to interact
00:22:56.89\00:23:00.15
with their local
and state leaders.
00:23:00.16\00:23:02.04
And also it's an opportunity
00:23:02.05\00:23:03.53
for them to
actually go on Capitol Hill
00:23:03.54\00:23:06.74
and become involved on lobbying
00:23:06.75\00:23:08.57
which ever relevant
religious liberty issues
00:23:08.58\00:23:11.09
there are at the time.
00:23:11.10\00:23:13.18
And then apart that I
think it's so important
00:23:13.19\00:23:15.75
is we always
during the Sabbath hours,
00:23:15.76\00:23:18.13
have an opportunity to,
00:23:18.14\00:23:20.00
you know, to spent time
00:23:20.01\00:23:21.42
worshipping together
and praising together.
00:23:21.43\00:23:22.92
Because again
like we said the reason
00:23:22.93\00:23:24.20
why we have this ministry
00:23:24.21\00:23:25.73
is because our faith
is so precious to us.
00:23:25.74\00:23:28.14
You know, its
not any logical thing
00:23:28.15\00:23:29.98
to involve young people.
00:23:29.99\00:23:32.14
When you think
about it the government
00:23:32.15\00:23:33.78
have a great
tradition of congressional pages
00:23:33.79\00:23:37.34
and interns and all
of those and every time
00:23:37.35\00:23:39.84
I watch or listen to
some hearing in Washington,
00:23:39.85\00:23:43.05
I'm impressed at the
number of very young heads,
00:23:43.06\00:23:46.06
some of them are
college students,
00:23:46.07\00:23:47.15
but barely more than that,
00:23:47.16\00:23:49.61
who hover or
battle these legislators
00:23:49.62\00:23:52.72
and its not really they
just need, low cost labor.
00:23:52.73\00:23:56.44
Certainly they do.
00:23:56.45\00:23:57.87
I think it's
been well recognized
00:23:57.88\00:24:00.06
that to mentor
these young people
00:24:00.07\00:24:01.82
to have them gather on
00:24:01.83\00:24:03.28
and see how things are done.
00:24:03.29\00:24:04.46
They learn things that
you could never learn as good.
00:24:04.47\00:24:06.76
Oh sure. The
same with NARLA. Sure.
00:24:06.77\00:24:08.25
I think to bring
them into our overt,
00:24:08.26\00:24:11.46
to bring them to
Washington, once he is good,
00:24:11.47\00:24:15.07
but of course the major effect
00:24:15.08\00:24:16.52
of this would be in
their local area. Yes.
00:24:16.53\00:24:19.08
The state government or lower,
00:24:19.09\00:24:21.21
you know working you
think if a little town,
00:24:21.22\00:24:24.68
if young people were
striking up lines of contact
00:24:24.69\00:24:27.88
between the mayor
and local counselors
00:24:27.89\00:24:30.16
and council people and perhaps
00:24:30.17\00:24:32.40
even the school board,
00:24:32.41\00:24:33.91
letting them know
what they think about
00:24:33.92\00:24:36.13
policies on evolution and so on.
00:24:36.14\00:24:38.32
That will make a real difference
00:24:38.33\00:24:40.01
very quickly in the community.
00:24:40.02\00:24:41.36
Oh surely absolutely,
00:24:41.37\00:24:42.50
you know I've thought about that
00:24:42.51\00:24:43.60
as far as photo registration
guides things like that.
00:24:43.61\00:24:46.34
I mean you see young people,
00:24:46.35\00:24:48.25
you know, I remember back,
00:24:48.26\00:24:50.20
you know, way back
when I was a young person.
00:24:50.21\00:24:52.63
You have this you
know you have this energy
00:24:52.64\00:24:56.05
and you have probably,
you know, a lot of times
00:24:56.06\00:24:57.98
you have a more
time to be able to devote
00:24:57.99\00:25:00.52
to those sort of things and,
00:25:00.53\00:25:02.11
you know, you may not
have financial resources
00:25:02.12\00:25:03.93
like you know.
00:25:03.94\00:25:05.50
Young people have idealism
00:25:05.51\00:25:06.96
which I think is
money in the bank.
00:25:06.97\00:25:09.10
Yeah, and so
you see young people
00:25:09.11\00:25:10.62
become involved in
other advocacy organizations
00:25:10.63\00:25:15.31
and so you know
whether they're involved
00:25:15.32\00:25:17.61
in Amnesty International or,
00:25:17.62\00:25:19.43
you know, this or
that, whatever you see,
00:25:19.44\00:25:21.25
you see, other
organizations tapping into that,
00:25:21.26\00:25:24.20
you know to that
resource to that enthusiasm
00:25:24.21\00:25:26.19
and so I really
just fell like well,
00:25:26.20\00:25:28.52
you know, this is the way.
00:25:28.53\00:25:30.33
And again, we're
educating for that you know
00:25:30.34\00:25:32.73
for the future as well so.
00:25:32.74\00:25:34.14
I think we're on the
wave of the future with this
00:25:34.15\00:25:36.87
because it's
probably obvious to everyone
00:25:36.88\00:25:39.18
looking at the
news that in Egypt
00:25:39.19\00:25:40.73
and Tunisia and place like that.
00:25:40.74\00:25:42.64
It's an inordinate
amount of young people
00:25:42.65\00:25:44.13
that have forged
these changes. Yes.
00:25:44.14\00:25:47.55
And that's fine,
00:25:47.56\00:25:48.92
but why shouldn't
something as important as NARLA
00:25:48.93\00:25:51.05
and our religious
liberty work benefit
00:25:51.06\00:25:52.85
from that same enthusiasm
and idealism and energy.
00:25:52.86\00:25:56.73
In any way you cut it,
00:25:56.74\00:25:58.61
there's an advantage
to being a young person.
00:25:58.62\00:26:00.48
I mean they don't
have the experience
00:26:00.49\00:26:02.36
and the knowledge necessarily,
00:26:02.37\00:26:03.96
but that can be given to them,
00:26:03.97\00:26:05.71
that can be coordinated
through this program. Right.
00:26:05.72\00:26:07.95
But they've wonderful
advantages that come with,
00:26:07.96\00:26:10.11
with being young,
being enthusiastic,
00:26:10.12\00:26:12.23
being idealistic. Yes, yes.
00:26:12.24\00:26:14.97
As I mentioned earlier
00:26:14.98\00:26:16.16
the North American
Religious Liberty Association
00:26:16.17\00:26:18.25
is a really a member
driven advocacy organization.
00:26:18.26\00:26:21.69
The
effectiveness of the ministry
00:26:21.70\00:26:23.71
is really going to be driven
00:26:23.72\00:26:26.55
by the enthusiasm of the members
00:26:26.56\00:26:30.09
and so I really encourage
viewers to participate,
00:26:30.10\00:26:34.07
visit the website
which I mentioned before
00:26:34.08\00:26:36.10
www.relgiousliberty.info
and become a member join.
00:26:36.11\00:26:41.10
As I mentioned
if you're student,
00:26:41.11\00:26:42.08
it's only $10 to join
and individual is $28.
00:26:42.09\00:26:45.64
And become
involved in the dialog,
00:26:45.65\00:26:48.97
become involved in
your local community,
00:26:48.98\00:26:50.79
make that difference
for religious freedom.
00:26:50.80\00:26:52.60
I remember reading once about
a group counseling session,
00:26:53.77\00:26:57.66
where circle of
people were going around
00:26:57.67\00:27:01.90
sharing all of the
burdens of their life and so on.
00:27:01.91\00:27:04.22
And every time it came to
one particular young woman,
00:27:04.23\00:27:07.27
all she would say
in a small voice was,
00:27:07.28\00:27:09.64
but Jesus said.
00:27:09.65\00:27:12.25
That's a wonderful
point of perspective
00:27:12.26\00:27:15.11
in a confusing dynamic.
00:27:15.12\00:27:17.37
When I think of
religious liberty
00:27:17.38\00:27:18.78
and the meetings that
we've had over the years,
00:27:18.79\00:27:20.63
I remember so
often Dr. Adrian Westney,
00:27:20.64\00:27:23.88
a religious liberty pioneer.
00:27:23.89\00:27:26.36
And he is, since
past to his rest,
00:27:26.37\00:27:28.02
but then he
would say consistently.
00:27:28.03\00:27:31.23
But what about
00:27:31.24\00:27:32.22
the North American
Religious Liberty Association
00:27:32.23\00:27:35.25
and he argued convincingly,
00:27:35.26\00:27:37.59
because it
eventually came through
00:27:37.60\00:27:39.08
that we should reestablish
this membership organization
00:27:39.09\00:27:42.76
that they did back
over a century ago.
00:27:42.77\00:27:46.12
The North American
Religious Liberty Association
00:27:46.13\00:27:48.36
is alive and well
now, you can join it.
00:27:48.37\00:27:51.33
It will give you updates.
00:27:51.34\00:27:53.25
It will give you an involvement
00:27:53.26\00:27:54.56
where you can
come to Washington,
00:27:54.57\00:27:56.61
rub shoulders with legislators.
00:27:56.62\00:27:58.22
Where you can read,
receive instruction,
00:27:58.23\00:27:59.95
encouragement and all
that you need to point
00:27:59.96\00:28:03.09
you as a
religious liberty activists
00:28:03.10\00:28:05.67
in the direction of activity.
00:28:05.68\00:28:07.67
This is Lincoln
Steed for Liberty Insider.
00:28:09.86\00:28:13.51