Welcome to the Liberty Insider.
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Those regular
viewers of this program
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will know that we bring
you up to date news, views,
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discussion, and information
on religious liberty issues
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in the United States
and 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 is the Associate Editor
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of Liberty
Magazine, Melissa Reid.
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Thanks for being on the program.
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Yeah, it's my pleasure.
I hope it's a pleasure.
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It is. And this is going to be
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a particular
pleasure for any of us,
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both of us who are
involved with Liberty Magazine
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because I want to talk
about how we are particularly
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putting our program out
in front of those viewers
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and supporters who
make liberty happen.
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Yes, absolutely. So
for those who are watching
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that aren't aware,
liberty exists because really,
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because of the, of
the generous support
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of lay persons and Seventh-day
Adventist Church members
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across North America.
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And we actually have, as part
of the North American Division
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offering calendar, a religious,
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a designated offering,
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a Religious
Liberty Sabbath Emphasis.
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Now this is just not
little bit of extra money
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that we get, this is it.
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This is how we exist.
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It determines
our total existence
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and the size of
our distribution.
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Exactly, it
determines the footprint
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for religious
freedom that we can make
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for the coming year.
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Now I'd be bad if I
didn't take the opportunity
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to remind our
viewers that Liberty Magazine
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is presently an
about 185,000 each issue,
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that's a major distribution.
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Praise God. So
we're not retreating,
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but to maintain that
that level of commitment,
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it takes the best
part of a million dollars.
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Yes, yes. And so as I mentioned
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we're on this offering calendar
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for the North American Division
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which is the United
States and Canada, and Bermuda.
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And the fourth
Sabbath in January
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is always determined as
religious liberty Sabbath.
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Now we do allow,
you know, some churches
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have other events going
on during that time period.
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They may have an
evangelistic series
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or the pastor has a
particular event or they've,
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for, maybe for some reason
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they've invited a
guest speaker or something.
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So the date is
flexible as far as, you know,
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if a church cannot
promote with religious liberty
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on that Sabbath,
they are allowed to--
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please don't mean,
you know, please don't--
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In fact, in reality
we'll never stop them.
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Exactly. Any time,
but as far as gathering
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the money to
budget for the next year.
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Yes. Is it around the
end of April or early May.
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It's the end of March actually
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is when we sort of have
our religious liberty campaign
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from January to March.
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So that that first
quarter of the year.
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And so we put
together a promotional packet
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for each local
congregation to promote
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religious freedom therein
the, you know, at that time.
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And we're on the
process right now putting
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that together of
these materials together.
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This year we had
a, we have the theme,
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world of opportunity, 2011
has been an interesting year.
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It's a world, it's a
year of opportunity. It is.
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It's been just fascinating
to be a part of and also just,
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you know, as an observer
to see all of these events
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that are going around the world.
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Really, you know,
significant changes
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in societies around the world.
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And so we feel, we felt like,
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this is really our
opportunity as Christians to,
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you know, it's our moment to
take advantage of the freedoms
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that we have and to share,
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share the Gospel and God's love.
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And to share the
principles of religious freedom.
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Yes. Because the entire
Middle East is in turmoil.
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And I've written editorials
giving a little dim vision
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for some of
those areas, you know,
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it may not always turn out well,
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but, however, it turns out,
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it's undeniable that
this is a moment of flex
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and at that moment
people are open to ideas
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and we need to present to them.
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Yes. The principle
of religious freedom
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and a protective
principle that goes with it,
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a separation of
church and state.
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Right, right,
you know, absolutely.
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So this is an opportunity.
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It is, it
certainly is, you know,
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new governments are
being formed, you know,
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there's been several
situations where dictators
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have been toppled, you
know, decades long dictators.
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And so they are at this
process of putting together,
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you know, a new
governments for entire nations
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and we really want to make
sure that religious liberty
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and the freedom of conscience
is at the forefront of those,
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of the rights that are
protected in those nations.
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I'll put it in a logic context.
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I love history and I
would put it to anyone
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that, that's followed
history that we're right now
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living in a
revolutionary moment.
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It's not just the Middle East.
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The Middle East is
what's catching the attention.
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Think about Europe and all
of the tensions that are there
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with people
movements and, of course,
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the financial
collapse and in that context,
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I think England and the writing
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there is most significant.
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The United States hasn't
seen much civil on Russia,
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but like Europe we're drifting
into an economic malice.
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And usually that
means social unrest,
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so I think we're on
the brink of a broad scale
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revolutionary thought
and while I don't much,
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you know, I'm
not-- It's not for us
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on this program
to come out directly
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for or against
a political party.
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And I'm not overly keen
say on the Tea Party Movement,
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but I do recognize that
even that Tea Party Movement
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is really in some
ways a revolutionary shift,
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it's more of a
revolutionary party than just,
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you know, politics is normal.
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Yes. So we're at a time of--
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For and that's why they've got--
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The social
cataclysm, if you look.
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And that's what they chose,
I mean, that's their desire,
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that's why they chose
the name that they did,
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you know, based on the,
on the Boston Tea Party.
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And I feel like--
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By the way, I need to
throw, I'm sorry to interrupt,
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but I need to throw
in the Boston Tea Party
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was really the establishment
bouncing back at England.
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It's a little historical
irony that it's not quite
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the revolution
that they're linking to.
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Okay, but I just feel
like, you know, as an American
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and just even the
economic situation
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that we've now been experiencing
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for the last
couple of years, you know,
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we talk about it as
this is our new normal.
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And it certainly maybe
we're not experiencing,
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you know, you know, the
toppling of a government
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like we, you
know, like we're seeing
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some of the other countries,
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but we're certainly
as citizens are really
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re-examining the way
that we live our life,
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the priorities
that we have, you know,
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and so I feel like
again it's the right time
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to emphasize religious freedom.
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Absolutely. This is--
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In fact, a line comes
to my mind from Tennyson,
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he says "The
old order changeth."
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And we're at one order
is giving way to a new.
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And we want that new order
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to be well informed
on religious freedom.
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Oh, yeah. And so this is not,
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you know, we
got to be realistic.
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Our readers at the present,
and our present circulation
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is not gonna change
the whole order or stop it,
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but still we've got an
opportunity as never before
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and we need to
maximize that moment
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to proclaim again
as the Bible says,
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"Proclaim Liberty
throughout the Land."
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Right, right, and so we really
try to provide local churches
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and local members with
the tools to, you know,
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to make that emphasis
there on their local community.
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And so as I said, you
know, here's our theme for this,
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for 2012 is the
world of opportunities.
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We send a kit, we call it
our promotional campaign kit
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to the local
church and ask them to,
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to make use of these resources.
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We provide them with brochures
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that talk about Liberty Magazine
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and the
religious liberty offering.
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Just a quick aside,
Liberty Magazine is the major
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benefactor of the
religious liberty offering
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'cause as we
mentioned, it's the,
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it's our sole source of funding,
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it's how we, you
know, how we exist.
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But there are also a
couple of other areas
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where the religious
liberty offering is helpful.
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Well, it helps with
organize the structure with,
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mostly within our
church of those who defending
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religious freedom and
then working with legal cases.
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If it's not a -- Most things
are resolved by communication
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with the employer and
arbitration and so on.
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But on a few occasions
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it needs to go to
a legal challenge.
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And we have people
in place who receive
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some of their funding
from this offering, right.
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And then when it
goes to a court case,
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some of these moneys go
and, of course, legal cases
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can chew up
millions and millions,
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but we have
people that give their,
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lawyers that give
their time and other church
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subsidy moneys, but some
of this goes toward that.
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Right, right, so it's
really not just a magazine,
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it's for people and
programs that support
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our whole
religious liberty world.
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Absolutely, absolutely.
So we send this kit and so,
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We've mentioned that we
have the brochures in there
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to give out to
the church members.
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We also have a
promotional poster that,
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you know, that can be placed
on the church bulletin board.
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We each year
have a new religious
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liberty theme sermon
written and for 2012,
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the Sabbath
School quarterly editor
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and former editor
of Liberty Magazine,
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Cliff Goldstein has
written the sermon for us,
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just a fantastic sermon.
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You know, many of you obviously
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you all are familiar with
the Sabbath School quarterly,
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he also has a column
in the Adventist Review
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and he is a frequent contributor
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to Liberty Magazine.
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So I'm sure you all appreciate
his style and his knowledge,
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intelligence that
he brings to the issue
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and I felt like he
did a really good job
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with the sermon
this year. Yes, right.
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He always helps us
in a popular way-- Yes.
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And this is gonna be
a plus to the campaign.
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And then we also include
a DVD that just has a brief
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five minute
segment and actually it--
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Well, it's a
spin-off of this program.
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Exactly, for those
of you that are familiar
00:10:06.12\00:10:07.80
with the program,
you'll feel right at home
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watching the segment and--
00:10:09.30\00:10:10.28
Well, I'll tell
the viewers what it was
00:10:10.29\00:10:12.33
and when we thought to be
a good device to send out,
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you know, some of you
may see it a second time
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in a church that you attend,
but I start this program,
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it's actually
footage from this program
00:10:21.15\00:10:23.22
and I give the welcome and
then I turn to an empty seat,
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now Melissa Reid
on the video. Oh, no.
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I'm sorry, but I turn to
the empty seat and I say,
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"There is no
guest." You'll be the guest.
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We want you to be along with us
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in what we're doing
for religious liberty.
00:10:35.49\00:10:37.76
And that's the
dynamic we want to encourage.
00:10:37.77\00:10:41.20
You know, it's fine if
someone gave us the money
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and we go do something
with it, that's not bad,
00:10:43.11\00:10:44.71
but better that
they really a co-partner.
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Exactly, In what
we're trying to accomplish.
00:10:47.11\00:10:48.86
Yeah, and we emphasize--
We've been emphasizing that,
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you know, I think really in
all aspects of our ministry,
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ministry which I spoke on
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North American
Religious Liberty Association
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on our previous program.
00:10:58.36\00:10:59.38
And again, we're really
emphasizing that partnership
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that we want you all involved
in this ministry as well.
00:11:03.06\00:11:06.85
It's not just, I mean, this is
this is protecting the freedom
00:11:06.86\00:11:10.13
of all of us and we
certainly know strength
00:11:10.14\00:11:12.54
and numbers as well.
00:11:12.55\00:11:14.40
So that's, I encourage you all.
00:11:14.41\00:11:17.26
I haven't actually
seen the finished product
00:11:17.27\00:11:18.84
of that video yet,
I'm excited to see it.
00:11:18.85\00:11:20.68
Neither have I. Yeah.
00:11:20.69\00:11:22.21
But I filmed it and I
actually know what it's like,
00:11:22.22\00:11:24.86
but we haven't seen it
in its final edited form,
00:11:24.87\00:11:27.44
it'll be polished and-- Right.
00:11:27.45\00:11:29.27
And some
credits and so on added,
00:11:29.28\00:11:30.73
but we know basically what
it is and we're very confident
00:11:30.74\00:11:34.32
that this, you know,
just those few minutes
00:11:34.33\00:11:35.94
can communicate the dynamic
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of what's necessary
to carry this forward.
00:11:37.88\00:11:39.78
Right, so another thing that's,
00:11:39.79\00:11:41.16
that's a part of this
religious liberty campaign kit
00:11:41.17\00:11:43.85
is the
subscription sponsorship list.
00:11:43.86\00:11:47.68
The liberty
subscription sponsorship list,
00:11:47.69\00:11:49.78
that's, that would
be names of individuals
00:11:49.79\00:11:53.14
that your church,
your local congregation
00:11:53.15\00:11:55.58
has sent, gave
subscriptions to in the past.
00:11:55.59\00:11:58.56
And it gives you an
opportunity to update that
00:11:58.57\00:12:00.98
maybe there's been an
election year, you know,
00:12:00.99\00:12:04.42
that just happened or someone
has moved or transposition
00:12:04.43\00:12:07.09
that gives you opportunity.
00:12:07.10\00:12:08.07
we also include
a new subscription
00:12:08.08\00:12:11.03
order form into it.
00:12:11.04\00:12:12.21
We always want to encourage
you to add individuals.
00:12:12.22\00:12:14.69
And especially,
if you have contacts
00:12:14.70\00:12:17.40
in your local
communities, you know,
00:12:17.41\00:12:18.89
speak with your local pastor,
00:12:18.90\00:12:20.00
is he involved in a
civics organizations,
00:12:20.01\00:12:21.91
he involved in Kiwanis
or rotary or something.
00:12:21.92\00:12:24.03
He can make recommendations
of individuals that,
00:12:24.04\00:12:26.60
you know, really would benefit
00:12:26.61\00:12:28.03
from the Liberty
Magazine subscription.
00:12:28.04\00:12:30.63
So those two items, the
current subscription form
00:12:30.64\00:12:33.81
and the new
subscription order form,
00:12:33.82\00:12:35.55
I really encourage people to--
00:12:35.56\00:12:36.99
So it's a very important package
00:12:37.00\00:12:38.45
that we're sending out.
00:12:38.46\00:12:39.85
And maybe after the
break, we can specify exactly,
00:12:39.86\00:12:43.14
what's in it, I mean,
go through a checklist.
00:12:43.15\00:12:46.82
Thanks for being
with us on this program.
00:12:46.83\00:12:48.90
We're not done yet,
we'll take a little break
00:12:48.91\00:12:50.69
and we'll be right
back after discussing
00:12:50.70\00:12:53.11
how you can be part of
making Liberty Magazine
00:12:53.12\00:12:55.87
and this program more affective.
00:12:55.88\00:12:57.74
One-hundred years, a
long time to do anything,
00:13:06.54\00:13:10.30
much less publish a
magazine, but this year Liberty,
00:13:10.31\00:13:14.24
the Seventh-day Adventist
voice of religious freedom,
00:13:14.25\00:13:16.82
celebrates one-hundred years
of doing what it does best,
00:13:16.83\00:13:20.57
collecting, analyzing,
and reporting the ebb and flow
00:13:20.58\00:13:24.11
of religious
expression around the world.
00:13:24.12\00:13:26.67
Issue after issue,
00:13:26.68\00:13:28.40
Liberty has taken on
the tough assignments,
00:13:28.41\00:13:30.78
tracking down
threats to religious freedom
00:13:30.79\00:13:32.90
and exposing the
work of the devil
00:13:32.91\00:13:34.37
in every corner of the globe.
00:13:34.38\00:13:36.68
Governmental
interference, personal attacks,
00:13:36.69\00:13:39.42
corporate assaults,
even religious freedom issues
00:13:39.43\00:13:42.02
sequestered within the
Church community itself
00:13:42.03\00:13:44.41
have been clearly
and honestly exposed.
00:13:44.42\00:13:47.41
Liberty exists for one
purpose to help God's people
00:13:47.42\00:13:51.06
maintain that all important
separation of Church and State
00:13:51.07\00:13:54.81
while recognizing the dangers
inherent in such a struggle.
00:13:54.82\00:13:58.81
During the past century,
00:13:58.82\00:14:00.17
Liberty has experienced
challenges of its own,
00:14:00.18\00:14:02.77
but it remains on the job.
00:14:02.78\00:14:04.95
Thanks to the
inspired leadership
00:14:04.96\00:14:06.69
of a long line of
dedicated Adventist Editors,
00:14:06.70\00:14:09.26
three of whom
represent almost half
00:14:09.27\00:14:10.96
of the publications existence
00:14:10.97\00:14:12.71
and the foresight of a
little woman from New England.
00:14:12.72\00:14:16.05
One-hundred years of struggle,
00:14:16.06\00:14:18.09
one-hundred years of victories,
00:14:18.10\00:14:20.31
religious freedom isn't
just about political machines
00:14:20.32\00:14:23.30
and cultural prejudices.
00:14:23.31\00:14:25.21
It's about people
fighting for the right
00:14:25.22\00:14:28.03
to serve the God
they love as their hearts
00:14:28.04\00:14:30.97
and the Holy Spirit dictate.
00:14:30.98\00:14:33.44
Thanks to the
prayers and generous support
00:14:33.45\00:14:35.40
of Seventh-day
Adventists everywhere.
00:14:35.41\00:14:37.69
Liberty will continue
to accomplish its work
00:14:37.70\00:14:40.08
of providing timely information,
00:14:40.09\00:14:41.85
spirit filled inspiration,
00:14:41.86\00:14:43.46
and heaven sent encouragement
to all who long to live
00:14:43.47\00:14:47.32
and work in a world
bound together by the God
00:14:47.33\00:14:50.68
ordained bonds of
religious freedom.
00:14:50.69\00:14:54.83
Welcome back to
the Liberty Insider.
00:15:04.38\00:15:05.85
Before the break, I was
talking with Associate Editor,
00:15:05.86\00:15:08.87
Melissa Reid about
our annual campaign
00:15:08.88\00:15:12.03
for Liberty Magazine
which I was gonna say
00:15:12.04\00:15:15.43
might seem like
promotion, but it is promotion.
00:15:15.44\00:15:18.09
But it's for a purpose,
this is not commercial. Right.
00:15:18.10\00:15:20.57
This is the
life blood of getting
00:15:20.58\00:15:22.37
a Religious Liberty
emphasis out, right.
00:15:22.38\00:15:25.72
And we depend,
we're not in this--
00:15:25.73\00:15:28.96
Well, we're
almost in the south area.
00:15:28.97\00:15:31.10
We depend on the
kindness of strangers.
00:15:31.11\00:15:35.33
But they're not
strangers because anybody
00:15:35.34\00:15:37.10
that believes
in what we're doing
00:15:37.11\00:15:38.30
for Religious Liberty
is one of us. Absolutely.
00:15:38.31\00:15:41.20
Whether they're
Seventh-day Adventists,
00:15:41.21\00:15:42.33
whether they're
Catholic, they're Muslim,
00:15:42.34\00:15:44.16
or whatever because, yes,
religious liberty as I've said
00:15:44.17\00:15:47.53
elsewhere Liberty
Magazine rather is calculatedly
00:15:47.54\00:15:52.27
projecting an Adventists
viewpoint behind the scene,
00:15:52.28\00:15:55.78
if you like, but the
principle of religious liberty
00:15:55.79\00:15:59.23
that we're
sharing is non-sectarian,
00:15:59.24\00:16:02.35
it's universal, and it's
religious freedom for all.
00:16:02.36\00:16:06.63
And the dynamic in the
United States particularly,
00:16:06.64\00:16:09.42
is that it's best
protected on the separation
00:16:09.43\00:16:11.47
of church and state which
the laws very happily recommend.
00:16:11.48\00:16:14.98
You know, and putting
together some of the materials,
00:16:14.99\00:16:16.92
promotional
materials for this coming year,
00:16:16.93\00:16:19.44
I grabbed some letters that we,
00:16:19.45\00:16:22.04
that we have received there
00:16:22.05\00:16:23.38
in our editorial
offices from individuals.
00:16:23.39\00:16:25.89
Because I wanted just saying,
thank you for subscription.
00:16:25.90\00:16:28.88
Basically, the
jest of the letters was,
00:16:28.89\00:16:32.43
you know, thank you
for Liberty Magazine,
00:16:32.44\00:16:34.34
we don't have any idea
why we're receiving it,
00:16:34.35\00:16:36.82
but please
don't stop sending it.
00:16:36.83\00:16:38.90
And I think that--
00:16:38.91\00:16:39.88
Yeah, we get
beautiful letters periodically
00:16:39.89\00:16:41.18
and I don't keep them
as often as I should, but--
00:16:41.19\00:16:42.99
I think it's important
for people to realize that,
00:16:43.00\00:16:45.42
yes, you know,
those subscriptions
00:16:45.43\00:16:48.12
that you're
sponsoring aren't going,
00:16:48.13\00:16:49.63
you know, often to
the Netherlands or--
00:16:49.64\00:16:52.19
they are being read,
they are being appreciated,
00:16:52.20\00:16:54.70
and I know that
that's in a large part
00:16:54.71\00:16:58.05
because
individuals are sending prayers
00:16:58.06\00:16:59.84
along with those
funds. Absolutely.
00:16:59.85\00:17:01.33
That, you know, that
these magazines are read
00:17:01.34\00:17:04.01
and appreciated
and used as a tool.
00:17:04.02\00:17:07.17
Can you allow me
to characterize them
00:17:07.18\00:17:08.59
because I've got
a lot over the years
00:17:08.60\00:17:10.66
and they were a
few that that take
00:17:10.67\00:17:13.33
violent exception
with what we're presenting.
00:17:13.34\00:17:16.32
But, you know, I
don't like the negative,
00:17:16.33\00:17:18.20
but they've usually
taken violent exception
00:17:18.21\00:17:20.86
for something that we do
have a real difference on.
00:17:20.87\00:17:23.89
I mean, they've
recognized our standards
00:17:23.90\00:17:26.09
so they don't like it. Yes.
00:17:26.10\00:17:27.14
But those are
rare, you know-- Yes.
00:17:27.15\00:17:28.84
In fact, unusually
read because sometimes
00:17:28.85\00:17:31.58
we've called the bluff,
for want of a better term on,
00:17:31.59\00:17:35.08
say something the
religious writers doing
00:17:35.09\00:17:36.76
or the Roman
Catholic Church is doing,
00:17:36.77\00:17:38.80
you know, there's wonderful
people in the Catholic Church
00:17:38.81\00:17:42.37
but the structure I
think is problematic.
00:17:42.38\00:17:44.68
Because it's a
depending on the moment
00:17:44.69\00:17:48.36
and so church
masquerading is the state
00:17:48.37\00:17:50.17
or the state
masquerading is the church.
00:17:50.18\00:17:52.31
And so it, that
is the worse thing
00:17:52.32\00:17:54.22
when you're
dealing with the separation
00:17:54.23\00:17:55.36
of church and state.
00:17:55.37\00:17:56.58
So we sometimes put out some
00:17:56.59\00:17:59.35
fairly heart hitting articles
and yet I've been surprised,
00:17:59.36\00:18:02.98
I've had easily as
many positive comments
00:18:02.99\00:18:06.39
in those cases from
Roman Catholics as negative.
00:18:06.40\00:18:08.59
So they don't just
reflexly come bouncing back.
00:18:08.60\00:18:11.30
They see that we've
got a logical argument
00:18:11.31\00:18:13.44
rather than that we
gratuitously attacking them.
00:18:13.45\00:18:16.31
And so I just putting
those few negatives aside,
00:18:16.32\00:18:19.67
they basically characterize
as regular readers who,
00:18:19.68\00:18:22.46
you know, would be evaluations
00:18:22.47\00:18:25.49
that I could blush
on sometimes, you know,
00:18:25.50\00:18:27.21
the first thing they
read, say is the editorial,
00:18:27.22\00:18:29.12
we love Liberty, we've
read it for 23-30 years
00:18:29.13\00:18:31.35
because beyond my
10 years. Yes, yes.
00:18:31.36\00:18:33.66
So this regular
people that, you know,
00:18:33.67\00:18:35.15
keep up more of
the same as others
00:18:35.16\00:18:36.87
who have
discovered it by chance, yes.
00:18:36.88\00:18:39.44
It was the one
recently, a probation officers
00:18:39.45\00:18:43.00
saw it on the judges desk. Yes.
00:18:43.01\00:18:44.47
He thought it was one
of his own church papers,
00:18:44.48\00:18:46.33
picked it up and,
wow, wonderful. Yes.
00:18:46.34\00:18:48.32
My church puts this
out, he realized that.
00:18:48.33\00:18:50.30
Yes, yes, I
remember that letter.
00:18:50.31\00:18:51.32
There are other people that say,
00:18:51.33\00:18:53.72
they've
discovered it now, you know,
00:18:53.73\00:18:55.72
want to get it for themselves,
how can I get it and so on.
00:18:55.73\00:18:57.91
Yes. So the whole gamut
is generally very positive
00:18:57.92\00:19:01.82
and even a few
negatives and the positives
00:19:01.83\00:19:04.79
taken together tell me,
we're doing the right thing
00:19:04.80\00:19:06.93
that we're on target. Right.
00:19:06.94\00:19:08.21
And we ask, we ask
individuals to sponsor
00:19:08.22\00:19:11.17
subscriptions to who
we refer to a lot of times
00:19:11.18\00:19:13.14
mostly as thought leaders.
00:19:13.15\00:19:14.47
Sort of the decision
makers in the society,
00:19:14.48\00:19:16.98
and those are the individuals
we're hearing from as far as,
00:19:16.99\00:19:19.39
you know, you
know, it's judges that,
00:19:19.40\00:19:21.89
you know, as you
mentioned that are--
00:19:21.90\00:19:24.44
And law
professors. Law professors.
00:19:24.45\00:19:26.00
I've had it, I'd say, at
least four law professors write
00:19:26.01\00:19:28.77
and say that they use
it in their classes. Right.
00:19:28.78\00:19:30.71
Not as primary
text book, I'm sure,
00:19:30.72\00:19:32.46
but as an
example regulate. Right.
00:19:32.47\00:19:34.44
we had a Secretary of State,
00:19:34.45\00:19:36.18
I think it was from Minnesota
that was writing to us.
00:19:36.19\00:19:38.63
And so anyway--
00:19:38.64\00:19:39.95
That just an interesting letter.
00:19:39.96\00:19:40.93
Yeah, I just wanted
to, I just wanted to,
00:19:40.94\00:19:43.12
you know, really
affirm those who are,
00:19:43.13\00:19:45.55
who are
supporting Liberty Magazine
00:19:45.56\00:19:47.20
and the subscription drive
00:19:47.21\00:19:48.54
because those
magazines are being read and--
00:19:48.55\00:19:50.90
You know, that Secretary
of State made a comment
00:19:50.91\00:19:52.82
that maybe this is the time
00:19:52.83\00:19:53.80
to bring it
forward because he said,
00:19:53.81\00:19:56.15
he reads it all the
time, and recommends it.
00:19:56.16\00:19:57.85
And he says, "Don't ever
stop publishing this magazine."
00:19:57.86\00:20:00.65
He says, "You need
a paper version of it,
00:20:00.66\00:20:02.70
don't have an electronic."
00:20:02.71\00:20:04.25
Now I didn't, I don't
feel threatened by that
00:20:04.26\00:20:06.69
even though the
whole world is shifting to,
00:20:06.70\00:20:08.89
to Facebook and all the
other social networking way
00:20:08.90\00:20:14.02
that people are reading letters,
00:20:14.03\00:20:15.96
given that we
have a target audience
00:20:15.97\00:20:18.56
that are busy public officials.
00:20:18.57\00:20:20.06
I don't myself
see any substitute
00:20:20.07\00:20:22.21
to putting a physical
magazine in front of them.
00:20:22.22\00:20:25.38
But for many of
our other co-travelers
00:20:25.39\00:20:28.73
on the Religious
Liberty voyage or journey,
00:20:28.74\00:20:33.21
they can benefit
from going to our website.
00:20:33.22\00:20:35.20
Right, and I'm so glad--
00:20:35.21\00:20:36.30
But they shouldn't
think that just because
00:20:36.31\00:20:37.55
they're enjoying the website
00:20:37.56\00:20:38.81
that let's them off the hook.
00:20:38.82\00:20:40.29
They then can use their money
00:20:40.30\00:20:41.84
to facilitate
it to these target.
00:20:41.85\00:20:43.35
Absolutely, absolutely.
I'm glad that you mentioned
00:20:43.36\00:20:45.50
the website because,
which, for those of you
00:20:45.51\00:20:48.04
that aren't familiar,
it's www.libertymagazine.org.
00:20:48.05\00:20:51.45
We also make all of
these campaign materials
00:20:51.46\00:20:53.89
that we're
talking about available
00:20:53.90\00:20:55.32
for download on the website.
00:20:55.33\00:20:56.54
So if for some reason
your packet of promotional
00:20:56.55\00:20:59.83
materials are not
mailed to your church
00:20:59.84\00:21:01.37
or for some
reason they're misplaced
00:21:01.38\00:21:02.80
or something like
that, Libertymagazine.org,
00:21:02.81\00:21:05.33
there's just a campaign
resources quick link button
00:21:05.34\00:21:08.25
and you can download
all the materials there.
00:21:08.26\00:21:10.89
And another thing I know a
lot of our 3ABN audiences are,
00:21:10.90\00:21:14.36
are in more rural parts of
the country and maybe you are,
00:21:14.37\00:21:17.45
are a member of a congregation
that has a rotating pastor.
00:21:17.46\00:21:21.24
And so a lot of times
he's maybe at another district
00:21:21.25\00:21:23.45
and you rely on the local elder.
00:21:23.46\00:21:26.38
Or maybe you're not
a Seventh-day Adventist
00:21:26.39\00:21:28.10
and you're just
watching from your home,
00:21:28.11\00:21:29.27
you're just learning about
the Sabbath things like that,
00:21:29.28\00:21:31.68
but would love to hear a
religious liberty sermon.
00:21:31.69\00:21:34.23
We provide it. Absolutely.
00:21:34.24\00:21:36.03
For those, for those individuals
00:21:36.04\00:21:38.34
and for really
for anyone, may be,
00:21:38.35\00:21:39.68
you want to use this at
your prayer meeting one week
00:21:39.69\00:21:41.85
or for your-- for
your small group study.
00:21:41.86\00:21:44.84
If you go to our
website, we provide each year's
00:21:44.85\00:21:48.35
religious
liberty sermon available,
00:21:48.36\00:21:50.24
you can watch it
directly there on the website
00:21:50.25\00:21:52.35
or you can download
it. You can-- it's a great.
00:21:52.36\00:21:55.91
I really would encourage
the individuals to do that,
00:21:55.92\00:21:57.86
who are longing to hear more.
00:21:57.87\00:21:59.43
Good suggestion. Yeah,
about religious freedom.
00:21:59.44\00:22:02.78
And they don't
need any special code
00:22:02.79\00:22:04.31
or anything to
download this material?
00:22:04.32\00:22:05.98
No, they create a
login and a password
00:22:05.99\00:22:07.50
and that's it,
that's all that they need.
00:22:07.51\00:22:09.99
You know, we're
running a dual track
00:22:10.00\00:22:11.70
in some ways with our site,
00:22:11.71\00:22:13.14
because it's for these
target audience for someone
00:22:13.15\00:22:15.73
who is nonsectarian not even,
maybe involved in religion,
00:22:15.74\00:22:19.91
but interested
in a civil freedom,
00:22:19.92\00:22:23.39
freedom of religion to
believe or not believe.
00:22:23.40\00:22:25.21
And so, and we don't want
them to believe that what is,
00:22:25.22\00:22:28.61
get the idea which
really good be false,
00:22:28.62\00:22:30.87
so this is sort of just
a church activity thing,
00:22:30.88\00:22:33.54
but at the same time
there are people in our church
00:22:33.55\00:22:37.29
that are our bedrock of support
00:22:37.30\00:22:38.64
and we want to
service their needs.
00:22:38.65\00:22:41.55
So, yes, they can have access
00:22:41.56\00:22:43.24
through this
password that they setup.
00:22:43.25\00:22:44.38
Absolutely, yes,
yes, and you know,
00:22:44.39\00:22:46.91
as I said the lot of
times things are misplaced,
00:22:46.92\00:22:48.85
we certainly don't
want the Religious Liberty
00:22:48.86\00:22:50.45
offering not to take
place because, you know,
00:22:50.46\00:22:53.54
the campaign materials
that we mailed to your church
00:22:53.55\00:22:55.16
didn't for some
reason, you know,
00:22:55.17\00:22:57.06
are on your shelf sitting
somewhere and not accessible.
00:22:57.07\00:22:59.67
So we try to provide
everything online as well.
00:22:59.68\00:23:02.12
Good. What we
would do this year of,
00:23:02.13\00:23:04.13
instead of, you know,
the roughly million dollars
00:23:04.14\00:23:07.42
that we need to continue?
00:23:07.43\00:23:09.00
What if we got
two million dollars?
00:23:09.01\00:23:10.47
Oh, my
goodness. Praise the Lord.
00:23:10.48\00:23:12.07
What a problem to
have. Umm! It was--
00:23:12.08\00:23:15.18
So some problems we want, right?
00:23:15.19\00:23:16.61
Absolutely. Well, there
certainly are many, many
00:23:16.62\00:23:20.56
other individuals
that we would love
00:23:20.57\00:23:22.22
to put Liberty in front of.
00:23:22.23\00:23:23.66
We would have, I
don't, I don't foresee
00:23:23.67\00:23:25.49
any sort of problem in
being able to use that money
00:23:25.50\00:23:28.28
to facilitate, you know,
additional subscriptions.
00:23:28.29\00:23:30.92
There's lot, so many
people around the country
00:23:30.93\00:23:34.02
in the United States and Canada,
00:23:34.03\00:23:36.26
who just would really
benefit from a subscription
00:23:36.27\00:23:39.21
to the magazine and
we have at our office
00:23:39.22\00:23:42.95
and what we call a
National Priority List.
00:23:42.96\00:23:45.22
So we can provide
names pretty easily, right?
00:23:45.23\00:23:47.83
Oh, absolutely. There
are so many more individuals
00:23:47.84\00:23:49.65
that we would love to
receive Liberty Magazine
00:23:49.66\00:23:52.63
that we think it would
be beneficial to their,
00:23:52.64\00:23:54.29
to their work, you
know, to the jobs that they do
00:23:54.30\00:23:57.58
both in United
States and Canada.
00:23:57.59\00:23:59.50
So absolutely if we,
if we have the blessing,
00:23:59.51\00:24:02.72
the outpouring of, you
know, of a double offering
00:24:02.73\00:24:05.15
this coming year we
would absolutely, we would,
00:24:05.16\00:24:07.47
it would just be a
miracle and a blessing.
00:24:07.48\00:24:10.60
Now, now something
that that troubles me,
00:24:10.61\00:24:13.80
you know, we do this regularly
00:24:13.81\00:24:15.35
and the support
being fairly consistent,
00:24:15.36\00:24:17.43
they drop the bid
a couple of years ago
00:24:17.44\00:24:20.10
and there was another
promotion at the same time
00:24:20.11\00:24:22.35
as dropped to
respond to a special event
00:24:22.36\00:24:25.27
and to let several million rise.
00:24:25.28\00:24:26.79
So I know that
there's no cap on what,
00:24:26.80\00:24:29.04
what people can give.
00:24:29.05\00:24:30.42
But what troubles me
is that religious liberty
00:24:30.43\00:24:33.30
very easily I think
drops into sort of the mindset
00:24:33.31\00:24:36.98
of an insurance policy. Yes.
00:24:36.99\00:24:38.75
And when the
disaster comes suddenly,
00:24:38.76\00:24:41.30
you know, throw
some interest at it. Yes.
00:24:41.31\00:24:42.87
But people should see this
as important before the problem.
00:24:42.88\00:24:47.39
Right. And to get with
it now, not when suddenly
00:24:47.40\00:24:50.78
there's a law that might,
00:24:50.79\00:24:52.30
you know, let's
talk to Canadian,
00:24:52.31\00:24:54.56
a law that even
in the United States
00:24:54.57\00:24:56.08
might prohibit
religious expression, right.
00:24:56.09\00:24:58.70
And it's sort of late
to get with the program.
00:24:58.71\00:25:00.85
Absolutely, and I know honesty,
00:25:00.86\00:25:03.19
the funds may not actually
be real effective at that time,
00:25:03.20\00:25:06.20
if we're not able to--
00:25:06.21\00:25:07.18
I mean, the time is
absolutely as we talked about
00:25:07.19\00:25:09.14
our campaign
theme, and you know,
00:25:09.15\00:25:10.43
this is the
world of opportunity,
00:25:10.44\00:25:11.52
this is the time now, you know,
00:25:11.53\00:25:14.10
to do our very best
to promote this ministry.
00:25:14.11\00:25:16.69
And that's actually one
reason why I love emphasizing
00:25:16.70\00:25:20.28
or mentioning the
history of Religious Freedom
00:25:20.29\00:25:22.09
within the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:25:22.10\00:25:24.38
You know, this
ministry, Liberty Magazine,
00:25:24.39\00:25:26.66
has been published since 1906.
00:25:26.67\00:25:28.62
On other shows we talked
about the Liberty Sentinel.
00:25:28.63\00:25:30.68
Continuously, no interruptions.
00:25:30.69\00:25:31.66
Exactly, you know,
there was a precursor,
00:25:31.67\00:25:33.63
the sentinel
publication before that,
00:25:33.64\00:25:35.42
you know, there
was in the 1890s.
00:25:35.43\00:25:37.54
And Liberty has been
supported continuously,
00:25:37.55\00:25:40.85
you know, right up until,
00:25:40.86\00:25:42.36
until now by the
faithful donations
00:25:42.37\00:25:45.31
and support of lay
people who are committed
00:25:45.32\00:25:48.68
to the ministry
of religious freedom.
00:25:48.69\00:25:50.14
And so, I really
appreciate that, you know,
00:25:50.15\00:25:52.91
that there are individuals
who recognize exactly
00:25:52.92\00:25:56.10
what you're saying that
the, it's not, you know,
00:25:56.11\00:25:58.17
the reaction to the,
to the flashy headlines
00:25:58.18\00:26:00.88
or something like that,
00:26:00.89\00:26:02.06
but it's a long term
commitment to, you know,
00:26:02.07\00:26:05.73
holding, standing firm to
our, you know, disbeliefs.
00:26:05.74\00:26:08.72
And that dollar or
those $10 or the $1000
00:26:08.73\00:26:11.44
will never be more
effective than now, right.
00:26:11.45\00:26:13.84
You know, the U.S lost its
AAA rating a few weeks ago.
00:26:13.85\00:26:17.90
It might lose, it might be
down to AA ratings shortly.
00:26:17.91\00:26:21.19
The inflation may kick in.
00:26:21.20\00:26:22.95
There were just
so many imponderables
00:26:22.96\00:26:25.04
on the financial wealth.
00:26:25.05\00:26:26.02
In Europe, their
economy is collapsing.
00:26:26.03\00:26:30.13
Australia was pretty
good when we were there,
00:26:30.14\00:26:31.71
but who knows,
it's a global village,
00:26:31.72\00:26:34.83
somebody famously said.
00:26:34.84\00:26:36.41
And the "Money can
vanish in a moment."
00:26:36.42\00:26:38.42
Sure, I really do
encourage those watching today,
00:26:38.43\00:26:42.25
to be supportive of the annual
Religious Liberty Campaign.
00:26:42.26\00:26:45.47
Visit our website
www.libertymagzine.org,
00:26:45.48\00:26:49.23
and keep this
ministry active and alive.
00:26:49.24\00:26:52.36
Have you ever wondered
00:26:54.03\00:26:55.00
what it's like to be
on my side of the camera?
00:26:55.01\00:26:59.13
There are some lights
that admittedly on occasion
00:26:59.14\00:27:01.95
can become a little hot.
00:27:01.96\00:27:04.22
Other times when we think
on the reality of thousands
00:27:04.23\00:27:08.24
and maybe millions of
you out there watching,
00:27:08.25\00:27:11.01
it's possible to get a little
nervous and self-conscious.
00:27:11.02\00:27:14.61
But I really would like
to invite you onto this side.
00:27:14.62\00:27:18.47
When I did a promotional
video for Liberty Magazine
00:27:18.48\00:27:22.28
for this coming
year as I do every year,
00:27:22.29\00:27:24.26
but when I did this last one I,
00:27:24.27\00:27:27.12
I on this same set,
00:27:27.13\00:27:29.24
I sat there with an
empty seat in the guest place
00:27:29.25\00:27:33.04
and I opened the
program and I said,
00:27:33.05\00:27:34.94
no guests this time, I want you
00:27:34.95\00:27:37.12
to be sitting here with me
00:27:37.13\00:27:39.58
as we talk about
Religious Liberty Concerns.
00:27:39.59\00:27:42.61
And what we're doing
with Liberty Magazine,
00:27:42.62\00:27:45.16
of course, in
conjunction with 3ABN,
00:27:45.17\00:27:47.04
but it's the
magazine itself goes out.
00:27:47.05\00:27:49.70
We want you to be a
partner in what we're doing.
00:27:49.71\00:27:53.37
It's important to see
that this is a shared endeavor
00:27:53.38\00:27:57.13
that we're serving our Lord,
00:27:57.14\00:27:59.56
we're serving a
spiritual reality
00:27:59.57\00:28:01.33
and protecting
religious freedom.
00:28:01.34\00:28:03.81
For Liberty Insider,
this is Lincoln Steed.
00:28:05.49\00:28:08.93