Participants: Lincoln Steed (Host), Mellisa Reid
Series Code: LI
Program Code: LI000144
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00:22 Welcome to the Liberty Insider.
00:24 This is the program that brings you up to date 00:26 news, views, information and discussion about breaking 00:30 religious liberty events around the world. 00:32 My name is Lincoln Steed, Editor of Liberty Magazine 00:36 and my guest on the program, welcome Miss Melissa Reid, 00:40 Associate Editor of Liberty Magazine. 00:42 But Melissa I want to steer this discussion, 00:45 really quick to something that, you recently taken on. 00:50 Liberty has long been involved with it, 00:51 but you've been given particular role to play with 00:55 the North American Religious Liberty Association. 00:58 What is this organization? 00:59 Yeah, well thank you so much for asking. 01:01 I'm excited to be involved with NARLA, 01:03 as it's affectionately known, 01:05 it's a member driven advocacy organization. 01:09 It's an opportunity for church members, 01:11 lay people to become involved 01:13 directly with the religious liberty ministry. 01:15 We know that as far as, 01:17 when we have the religious liberty campaign 01:18 every year, to raise fund, 01:19 to sponsor liberty subscriptions. 01:22 That's the way for members 01:23 to become involved in the process. 01:26 NARLA is another way for them to become involved on a local 01:31 level to be advocates for religious freedom, 01:34 whether its in their state government, 01:36 whether its in the federal government, 01:37 whether its with their city council, 01:40 a way for them to really have some ownership. 01:42 To put them into action, right. 01:43 Exactly, to put them into action. 01:44 And you and I've heard it many times, 01:45 you give a good talk, present Liberty Magazine, 01:48 present some of the issues, then they'll say, you know, 01:50 what can I do? Yes. 01:52 So this is how they can do it 01:54 for becoming involved with NARLA. 01:56 Actually I want to steer viewers to the NARLA website, 01:59 because it's a great resource, 02:01 it's a great introduction to the organization. 02:03 So what's that site? Yeah. 02:04 So its www.religiousliberty.info 02:08 and I really encourage every one 02:09 to go and visit the site. 02:11 We're in the process of redoing the website, 02:15 but it's filled with great information right now 02:16 even if the look is little outdated. 02:18 And the first thing I would ask people 02:21 to do is sign up for the email updates 02:23 that are available on that site. 02:24 That's the way to get involved in the conversation 02:27 to learn about sort of issues as they are happening. 02:30 That Liberty cannot do or any periodical coming 02:33 at defined intervals with the email update. 02:37 You know, it could be as quick as today 02:38 something that's breaking in the news. 02:40 Absolutely. And inform the members quickly. Yes. 02:41 Now you would use the word outdated 02:44 and then you-- for Liberty. 02:46 When did or for-- For NARLA. 02:49 NARLA, when did NARLA begin? 02:50 Right, so its back, actually back in the 1890s. 02:53 Just like Liberty Magazine, 02:55 this has been ministry that's been part 02:57 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church for- 02:58 And due it should. Really since the inception. 03:00 Should realize with NARLA 03:02 and of course Liberty Magazine going back, 03:04 you know, well over a hundred years now. 03:06 This really no other publications 03:09 and no other program in North America 03:12 certainly that has this track record. Yeah. 03:15 There are certain organizations 03:16 like the Baptists, go way, way back 03:20 even that letter, letters between Thomas Jefferson 03:24 and the Baptists on the separation 03:26 of church and state and so. 03:27 You know that shows 03:28 that organization had the sensitivity. 03:31 But as far as a magazine 03:32 and involvement in overt religious liberty work, 03:35 what we're doing is in a class of its own. Yes. 03:39 And anybody that's involved with it anybody 03:41 that's watching this program 03:42 should be very proud to be involved 03:45 in something like this. Yeah. 03:47 But let me get back to 03:48 what I was trying to give myself an angle for as NARLA 03:52 begin as I can discover in about 1891. 03:56 And I was interested the other day, 03:58 I was reading some history of Liberty Magazine 04:01 through its precursor magazine the Centennial. 04:03 The Liberty Centennial and the editor 04:05 of that magazine was A T. Jones. Right. 04:08 And I know you're well aware of him and our viewers 04:11 should be because I mentioned him now and then. 04:13 Yes, I think we've actually given 04:14 a DVD away to viewers. Absolutely. 04:18 Telling the story of A.T. Jones 04:20 battling against an incipient 04:22 national Sunday law. Right, right, yes. 04:24 Which was a bad development and prophetically 04:28 we expect something like that to turn up 04:29 again at some future point, but doesn't mean 04:32 we wanted to happen or we'll allow 04:33 it to happen unchallenged. Right. 04:35 But in 1891 there was a considerable 04:38 infighting in the Seventh-day Adventist Church 04:40 over what the editor A.T. Jones 04:43 was doing with the Liberty Centennial. 04:45 And its interesting, was interesting to me 04:47 to read the record the other day 04:49 and hear in a meeting 04:50 that was not widely known at the time. 04:54 A number of leaders including the newly elected leader 04:57 of the North American 04:58 Religious Liberty Association got up and he said, 05:01 "We'll not support Liberty Magazine 05:02 or Liberty Centennial anymore, 05:04 its too direct in its proclamation of things 05:07 like the Sabbath versus Sunday 05:11 and Mark of the Beast and prophetic interpretation, 05:14 we won't support that magazine." 05:16 And you know if they challenge me 05:18 that way I would bounce back big time. 05:20 Well, A.T. Jones, 05:21 I don't think was even in that meeting, 05:24 but Ellen White who was informing 05:27 early Seventh-day Adventists 05:28 through her prophetic insights. 05:31 There was a widespread and continuing understanding 05:35 that God was speaking through her 05:37 and she was shown a dream or a vision 05:40 where this meeting was presented to her 05:42 and she saw these people challenging 05:43 our religious liberty work 05:44 and she said that this was the first 05:46 in the series of bad moves. 05:48 It was wrong, but we're not there 05:50 in NARLA because. No I know we-- 05:52 NARLA, Liberty we and other aspects 05:56 including this television program. 05:57 We see this is its part of a seamless whole of presenting 06:01 united religious liberty message. Right. 06:04 First to Seventh-day Adventist, 06:05 but really in a larger sense to anybody 06:08 who values religious freedom. 06:09 Right, right and I think that you 06:10 and I are in complete agreement as far as, 06:14 we as both the Liberty Magazine 06:16 and as the North American Religious Liberty Association 06:19 and as Seventh-day Adventist, we fight for upholding 06:23 the belief system of everyone as long 06:25 as it doesn't affect anyone else's. Absolutely. 06:27 That said, the reason 06:28 why we as a Seventh-day-day Adventist Church 06:30 are so in the forefront of this particular, 06:34 you know, human rights issue 06:35 is because our beliefs are so sacred to us 06:38 and we're certainly not ashamed of those. 06:40 Absolutely. And so I think. 06:41 Yeah, you've given me the leeway, 06:43 you know, we've discussed this a lot. 06:45 But I need to reiterate it and I'll tell it in the context 06:49 of another attack on me a few years ago 06:51 and I'll never forget this. 06:52 Where we were debating some of these said points, 06:55 someone wrote me a letter 06:56 and they said the trouble is you think 06:59 Liberty Magazine is the Seventh-day Adventist 07:01 publication and I told someone I report to, 07:03 I said of course. Yes. 07:05 And anybody that reads the magazine 07:07 or watches this program should know, 07:10 this is not coming from a vacuum. 07:12 We're Seventh-day Adventist, 07:13 we've a very clear religious viewpoint. 07:17 We've very clear views on how religious liberty 07:20 should be administered. 07:22 I mean that something we're proud of. 07:24 But as we present religious liberty, 07:26 it's for all people, we want to facilitate a civil society 07:32 that allows people to believe and practice any single belief 07:36 they want or not to practice a belief. 07:37 Right, right, well certainly, 07:38 I mean that's God's example to us. 07:40 I mean the fact. That's where we take it from, 07:42 not from the constitution. Exactly. 07:44 It's a biblical absolute, it's presented by God 07:48 and really if you analyze most views of a deity 07:51 other than the God's that were modeled 07:55 after purely pagan animistic view points, 07:57 but more spiritual models show 08:00 the integrity of the individual 08:01 and they should not be coerce into a belief system. 08:04 Right, right, and I think NARLA and Liberty 08:07 are very consistent in that model, 08:10 in that frame of mind, 08:11 but as you mentioned so that it was at that time 08:14 National Religious Liberty Association 08:16 back in the late 1890s. 08:20 But now its just been recently, 08:22 I think it was probably in the 1990s or maybe was in 80s 08:26 that the organization was resurrected, 08:29 really rejuvenated and that's thanks 08:31 to Liberty Magazine funding by on their part. 08:35 Well, it was within the last decade. Yes, yes. 08:39 And it becomes non existent, 08:41 or at least it become ineffectual, 08:44 there was nothing going on. Right. 08:46 Even though it had never been disbanded. 08:47 Correct. And number of us. Right. 08:50 This was little before you joined with Liberty Magazine 08:53 and number of us decided 08:54 and I need to give full credit to, 08:56 Adrian Westney, was the individual 08:58 that just kept hammering on the idea. 09:00 We need an organization that can mobilize 09:03 these people that are supporting liberty 09:05 and we know believe in religious liberty. 09:07 But they need an organizing, organization or organization 09:12 that will give them information 09:13 and instruction and so on. 09:14 And he kept that as addition 09:16 and initially there was no way to do it. Yes. 09:18 But Liberty had some reserves at that point 09:21 and we put the money toward 09:22 it for about five years. Yeah. 09:24 And we hope now with you 09:25 that it's self sustaining. Yeah. 09:27 But I think there's plenty of evidence 09:28 that within our church and perhaps even in the wider 09:32 Christian and religious community, 09:35 there's some willingness to join 09:36 and to make this a viable organization. 09:38 Goodness knows it's not very expensive, 09:40 tell us about that. 09:41 Its certainly not, well thank you for asking. 09:44 Yeah, it's actually really, 09:47 its well one thing I want to say 09:50 before I even go into the costs. 09:51 One thing that I really would like to see is a burden for me 09:54 and I've talk some to some of our other members 09:58 and I think this is consistent. 10:00 We really would like to see NARLA 10:04 promoted to and appeal to sort 10:07 of the younger generation of Adventists. 10:10 I know when I travel around the country 10:12 in various conferences and events that I've been to. 10:14 I really, I'm so impressed 10:15 with the enthusiasm and the biblical knowledge 10:18 and the spiritual commitment of lot of ours, 10:20 of our younger Adventist these days. 10:22 We need to work with that and encourage that. 10:23 Exactly, exactly, so I really would like to see NARLA, 10:27 appear be introduced on to our college campuses 10:30 our Seventh-day Adventists College campuses. 10:32 So actually as far as prizes, we've a student rate. 10:36 Let, sorry to interrupt you, but we've viewers, 10:39 you know, if there somebody out there, 10:42 that's its part of another college. Yes. 10:45 Another Christian college. Yes. 10:46 Or any other, we got to be careful of state college 10:49 they can't do it, separate to church's statement. Right. 10:51 Other organizations with young people, 10:55 they can contact us. Oh absolutely yes. 10:57 And you or me or someone else would gladly 11:00 go and talk to them about how they can join with NARLA. 11:02 Of course, of course, 11:04 yes and thank you for pointing that out. 11:06 So, $10 is a student membership, 11:09 an annuals membership. 11:11 $28 for an individual 11:12 and then a married couple is $38 for a membership. 11:17 And there's so much that comes with that membership. 11:20 First of all, I think probably 11:23 this seminal benefit is a subscription 11:25 to Liberty Magazine that they get. Good. 11:27 With a membership, they also get the opportunity 11:30 to participate in the leadership of NARLA. 11:34 Whether it's you know on the, 11:36 on their state chapter or regional chapter 11:39 or on the national chapter. 11:41 They also get an invitation 11:42 to the Religious Liberty Emphasis Weekend 11:45 that we have in, in Washington D.C. 11:46 In conjuncture with the Liberty dinner. Exactly. 11:49 Where they can meet some politicians here, 11:52 some top political leaders, 11:55 giving some direct feedback from Capitol Hill 11:58 on religious liberty issues. Yes, I mean it's actually, 12:01 its, you couldn't be more in action 12:03 than that religious liberty emphasis 12:05 as far as our members. 12:06 By the way I can't resist tweaking you a bit, 12:09 you've given a nice outline of memberships. 12:11 What about a marriage student couple? 12:15 You've to look that one, 12:17 probably $18 I would guess. So we go yes. 12:21 But now there's a full spectrum of activities 12:27 and allowances for different budgets and so on, 12:30 because we want to involve people down. 12:32 Yes, yeah, we want to make you accessible, 12:35 its not, we don't want it to be an exclusive organization. 12:37 We want it to be for people to be involved 12:40 and we are just excited that people are passionate 12:44 about Religious Liberty Ministry. 12:46 Good. And we'll work to make more passion out there. 12:48 We'll be back after the break to talk a little bit 12:50 more about the North American 12:52 Religious Liberty Association. Stay with us. 13:04 One-hundred years, a long time to do anything 13:08 much less publish a magazine, 13:10 but this year, Liberty, 13:12 the Seventh-day Adventist voice of religious freedom, 13:14 celebrates one hundred years of doing what it does best, 13:18 collecting, analyzing, and reporting the ebb 13:21 and flow of religious expression around the world. 13:24 Issue after issue, Liberty has taken 13:27 on the tough assignments, 13:28 tracking down threats to religious freedom 13:30 and exposing the work of the devil 13:32 in every corner of the globe. 13:34 Governmental interference, personal attacks, 13:37 corporate assaults, even religious freedom issues 13:40 sequestered within the Church community itself 13:42 have been clearly and honestly exposed. 13:45 Liberty exists for one purpose, 13:47 to help God's people maintain that all important 13:50 separation of Church and State, 13:52 while recognizing the dangers inherent in such a struggle. 13:56 During the past century, 13:57 Liberty has experienced challenges of its own, 14:00 but it remains on the job. 14:02 Thanks to the inspired leadership 14:04 of a long line of dedicated 14:06 Adventist Editors, three of whom represent 14:08 almost half of the publications existence 14:10 and the foresight of a little woman 14:12 from New England. 14:13 One hundred years of struggle, one hundred years of victories, 14:18 religious freedom isn't just about political machines 14:21 and cultural prejudices. 14:23 It's about people fighting for the right to serve the God 14:27 they love as their hearts and the Holy Spirit dictate. 14:31 Thanks to the prayers and generous support 14:33 of Seventh-day Adventists everywhere, 14:35 Liberty will continue to accomplish 14:37 its work of providing timely information, 14:39 spirit filled inspiration, 14:41 and heaven sent encouragement to all 14:44 who long to live and work in a world bound together 14:47 by the God ordained bonds of religious freedom. 15:02 Welcome back to the Liberty Insider. 15:03 Before the break those of you that were with us 15:06 and welcome if you were not. 15:08 Before the break we were talking about 15:09 the North American Religious Liberty Association. Yes. 15:12 With my associate, 15:13 with the Executive Director of NARLA, Melissa Reid. 15:19 Where do you go now with NARLA? 15:21 Right, well, as I mentioned before the break, 15:23 we're really excited about reaching young Adventists 15:26 and so we're looking at college campuses. 15:28 We also would like to work with our academy teachers 15:32 and try to put together a curriculum 15:35 to insert into maybe government 15:36 or social studies classes, 15:38 that deals specifically with history of religious liberty. 15:42 Really what we were talking about earlier, 15:43 you know then the North, 15:46 the National Religious Liberty Association, 15:48 A.T.Jones, the Centennial. 15:50 Well, he did know the history of both 15:53 what our church has done 15:54 and what the country has been through, 15:56 to formulate. Yeah. 15:58 What is variously called at sometimes challenge 16:00 the separation of church and state. Yeah. 16:02 And I've a burden on this because yes, 16:05 we're getting information out with Liberty. 16:07 And we do want to involve young people, 16:09 but it's not just to involve young people, 16:12 we need to educate people. 16:13 We're trying to do that with Liberty Magazine. Yes. 16:15 And I've been troubled from almost the day one, 16:18 when I started with Liberty Magazine, 16:20 realizing that a huge amount of people, 16:22 especially in the United States, 16:24 or huge number of people 16:26 just have a wrong concept of religious liberty. 16:28 They may even believe it's important in their mind, 16:32 but their model is fluent. Yes. 16:36 For example in Liberty Magazine, 16:38 we're often talking about the problems 16:40 with the so called politically active 16:42 religious right, who I think are big part of the problem. 16:48 Even though most of them are people 16:50 with I think with good conscience 16:53 and are steered by things I see around them, 16:55 want to solve it, want to even create 16:58 a climate for religious liberty. 16:59 But by their involvement with the state, 17:02 by their overt politicization of issues, 17:05 they're actually bringing in a bigger problem. Right. 17:07 So we've got to educate people 17:09 and it's hard with the adults 17:11 to sort of change their whole mindset, 17:12 but young people who are sort of more a blank slate. Yes. 17:16 Or at least open mind 17:17 that they haven't made up their mind. Right. 17:19 We can give them this model of religious liberty 17:21 and then involve them. Right. 17:23 So NARLA is not just involvement, 17:25 its baseline education. 17:27 Absolutely, absolutely, 17:28 and that's why when I mentioned the website 17:30 earlier that's which for those of you just turning 17:32 on its religiousliberty.info. www.religousliberty.info. 17:37 That's why I would again really encourage 17:39 people to signup for those email updates, 17:41 because it really does give people perspective. 17:44 A lot of times, you know, 17:46 we talk about things that are happening right now 17:49 very in a very contemporary events. 17:51 And you know at first glance, 17:53 when you're watching the evening news 17:55 or reading the newspaper, 17:56 you may not think of them as religious liberty issue. 17:59 But with our organization and the dialog 18:02 that we're able to have, 18:04 we'll explain how this can affect 18:07 your religious freedom, your freedom of conscience. 18:09 And so again that's an educational 18:11 component of the ministry and so I really feel like, 18:17 I absolutely agree with you that education 18:19 is a component a very important 18:21 component of this particular ministry. 18:23 Yeah, religious liberty is multi-faceted. 18:26 There are things right at persecution. Yeah. 18:29 But sometimes exists in a very 18:31 overt fashion in the United States. 18:33 But mostly we see that sort of thing in other countries, 18:36 where perhaps the government is targeting 18:38 people of a certain faith, 18:40 or like in the racists state in India 18:42 where mobs have taken off 18:44 after Christians in particular 18:47 and you know butchered them just in a mob scene. 18:51 We don't' see that sort of thing 18:52 in the United States. 18:54 But there is prejudice. Yes. 18:55 Sometimes there are laws that inhibit 18:58 and we need to work legally. 19:00 But what I see more and more in the United States, 19:02 there is a dynamic mix of politics 19:06 and historical developments. 19:09 And if you don't watch it they can very quickly 19:12 have deep implications 19:13 for the practice of religious freedom. Oh yes. 19:16 But they did, but on the face of it 19:17 that may have nothing to do 19:18 with religious liberty. Absolutely. 19:20 And that's why we like to be, 19:22 you know both with the magazine and with 19:24 North American Religious Liberty Association. 19:26 We try to think or be aware of issues 19:30 a couple of steps ahead. 19:32 I know that's very much a part of you know 19:34 when I watch you put the magazine together 19:36 and choose the issues, 19:37 you know, we're dealing with an editorial calendar 19:38 that several months in advance and its amazing, 19:42 how could you know relevant and contemporary it is, 19:45 than when that published day comes out, 19:46 because I think that you as an editor 19:49 are very good about sort of watching, 19:51 you know sort of maybe what people. 19:53 See the trends. Exactly, to see the trends. 19:55 This happens, this happens 19:56 therefore this may happen. Yeah. 19:57 You can't always get it right, 19:58 but I think lot of the time there is a logic to it 20:02 that lot of people aren't sort of conditioned to see. 20:05 They just say well, you know, 20:06 it's a big political discussion at the moment. 20:08 They don't think if this happens 20:09 and this happens therefore this will develop. 20:11 Right, right so another way 20:13 that I actually would like to see NARLA grow 20:16 is for the Seventh-day Adventist church 20:18 the largest growing population 20:21 is the Hispanic population 20:24 as far as church members baptisms and so. 20:26 I think demographically that's true 20:28 with United States as a whole. 20:29 Yes, probably so. 20:31 I know relative to African-Americans, 20:34 the Hispanic population is growing quickly. Right. 20:37 And I better be careful, but I think, 20:41 I think African-American was only 12 percent or so 20:44 and Hispanics are moving up towards 16. 20:46 Okay, okay, yeah. 20:47 Anyhow relatively speaking that's the difference since, 20:51 there are quiet a few not just birthright. 20:53 There's quiet some well legal 20:56 and illegal immigration is feeling that. 20:58 Right, right, so we're excited now because 21:00 we have just put together. 21:02 We just published a new brochure for NARLA 21:05 and we've done it both in English and Spanish. 21:07 Yeah, I can actually show the audience, this is-- 21:10 if you can read it here. 21:11 It says, holding open the doors to freedom 21:13 and that's really what we're about. 21:14 You know and like we said earlier 21:16 this is Christ's example of holding 21:19 open these opportunities to be able to have 21:21 that relationship with him. 21:23 So yes, so we're now offering 21:25 all of our materials in Spanish as well. 21:28 And then I think I touched just briefly 21:30 we have the national chapter of NARLA, 21:32 but we also have regional chapters. 21:34 And we've one in the southern part of the United States 21:39 and we also have one in the western United States 21:42 and then we have one specifically 21:45 in the Los Angeles area that is completely, 21:48 it's Spanish based. 21:50 It's a Spanish speaking NARLA version 21:52 and so we're really excited about that. 21:54 We want to encourage that sort of allies. 21:57 So that's a segment of the population 21:58 that we're really targeting as well. 22:01 That you were too with 22:03 one of the meetings of our California, 22:06 not the Hispanic but the California, 22:09 what is that NARLA west, is it. Correct, yes. 22:11 And I was impressed by the plans that they have. 22:14 Yes. And they are moving here quickly like the one plan 22:16 that I expect to see fruition shortly 22:19 is for them to sponsor young people to come to the event 22:23 that we hold in Washington area. 22:24 Right, the Religious Liberty 22:26 emphasis weekend that we talked about. 22:27 Yeah, I was a part of that meeting too 22:29 and was so impressed 22:32 with their commitment to the ministry 22:34 and their plans for it and they are gonna, 22:36 I think gonna hold the essay contest, 22:39 you know, the young adults 22:41 can become involved with and get them 22:43 to come to these events. 22:44 Just to flush out a little bit, 22:45 the Religious Liberty Emphasis Weekend. 22:48 We mentioned there is the Religious Liberty Dinner 22:50 that we hold on Capitol Hill 22:51 and we've talked about that in the past. 22:53 But also, it's an opportunity for training sessions 22:56 for lay people as far as how to interact 23:00 with their local and state leaders. 23:02 And also it's an opportunity 23:03 for them to actually go on Capitol Hill 23:06 and become involved on lobbying 23:08 which ever relevant religious liberty issues 23:11 there are at the time. 23:13 And then apart that I think it's so important 23:15 is we always during the Sabbath hours, 23:18 have an opportunity to, 23:20 you know, to spent time 23:21 worshipping together and praising together. 23:22 Because again like we said the reason 23:24 why we have this ministry 23:25 is because our faith is so precious to us. 23:28 You know, its not any logical thing 23:30 to involve young people. 23:32 When you think about it the government 23:33 have a great tradition of congressional pages 23:37 and interns and all of those and every time 23:39 I watch or listen to some hearing in Washington, 23:43 I'm impressed at the number of very young heads, 23:46 some of them are college students, 23:47 but barely more than that, 23:49 who hover or battle these legislators 23:52 and its not really they just need, low cost labor. 23:56 Certainly they do. 23:57 I think it's been well recognized 24:00 that to mentor these young people 24:01 to have them gather on 24:03 and see how things are done. 24:04 They learn things that you could never learn as good. 24:06 Oh sure. The same with NARLA. Sure. 24:08 I think to bring them into our overt, 24:11 to bring them to Washington, once he is good, 24:15 but of course the major effect 24:16 of this would be in their local area. Yes. 24:19 The state government or lower, 24:21 you know working you think if a little town, 24:24 if young people were striking up lines of contact 24:27 between the mayor and local counselors 24:30 and council people and perhaps 24:32 even the school board, 24:33 letting them know what they think about 24:36 policies on evolution and so on. 24:38 That will make a real difference 24:40 very quickly in the community. 24:41 Oh surely absolutely, 24:42 you know I've thought about that 24:43 as far as photo registration guides things like that. 24:46 I mean you see young people, 24:48 you know, I remember back, 24:50 you know, way back when I was a young person. 24:52 You have this you know you have this energy 24:56 and you have probably, you know, a lot of times 24:58 you have a more time to be able to devote 25:00 to those sort of things and, 25:02 you know, you may not have financial resources 25:03 like you know. 25:05 Young people have idealism 25:06 which I think is money in the bank. 25:09 Yeah, and so you see young people 25:10 become involved in other advocacy organizations 25:15 and so you know whether they're involved 25:17 in Amnesty International or, 25:19 you know, this or that, whatever you see, 25:21 you see, other organizations tapping into that, 25:24 you know to that resource to that enthusiasm 25:26 and so I really just fell like well, 25:28 you know, this is the way. 25:30 And again, we're educating for that you know 25:32 for the future as well so. 25:34 I think we're on the wave of the future with this 25:36 because it's probably obvious to everyone 25:39 looking at the news that in Egypt 25:40 and Tunisia and place like that. 25:42 It's an inordinate amount of young people 25:44 that have forged these changes. Yes. 25:47 And that's fine, 25:48 but why shouldn't something as important as NARLA 25:51 and our religious liberty work benefit 25:52 from that same enthusiasm and idealism and energy. 25:56 In any way you cut it, 25:58 there's an advantage to being a young person. 26:00 I mean they don't have the experience 26:02 and the knowledge necessarily, 26:03 but that can be given to them, 26:05 that can be coordinated through this program. Right. 26:07 But they've wonderful advantages that come with, 26:10 with being young, being enthusiastic, 26:12 being idealistic. Yes, yes. 26:15 As I mentioned earlier 26:16 the North American Religious Liberty Association 26:18 is a really a member driven advocacy organization. 26:21 The effectiveness of the ministry 26:23 is really going to be driven 26:26 by the enthusiasm of the members 26:30 and so I really encourage viewers to participate, 26:34 visit the website which I mentioned before 26:36 www.relgiousliberty.info and become a member join. 26:41 As I mentioned if you're student, 26:42 it's only $10 to join and individual is $28. 26:45 And become involved in the dialog, 26:49 become involved in your local community, 26:50 make that difference for religious freedom. 26:53 I remember reading once about a group counseling session, 26:57 where circle of people were going around 27:01 sharing all of the burdens of their life and so on. 27:04 And every time it came to one particular young woman, 27:07 all she would say in a small voice was, 27:09 but Jesus said. 27:12 That's a wonderful point of perspective 27:15 in a confusing dynamic. 27:17 When I think of religious liberty 27:18 and the meetings that we've had over the years, 27:20 I remember so often Dr. Adrian Westney, 27:23 a religious liberty pioneer. 27:26 And he is, since past to his rest, 27:28 but then he would say consistently. 27:31 But what about 27:32 the North American Religious Liberty Association 27:35 and he argued convincingly, 27:37 because it eventually came through 27:39 that we should reestablish this membership organization 27:42 that they did back over a century ago. 27:46 The North American Religious Liberty Association 27:48 is alive and well now, you can join it. 27:51 It will give you updates. 27:53 It will give you an involvement 27:54 where you can come to Washington, 27:56 rub shoulders with legislators. 27:58 Where you can read, receive instruction, 27:59 encouragement and all that you need to point 28:03 you as a religious liberty activists 28:05 in the direction of activity. 28:09 This is Lincoln Steed for Liberty Insider. |
Revised 2014-12-17