Participants: Lincoln Steed (Host), Melissa Reed
Series Code: LI
Program Code: LI000236A
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00:22 Welcome to the Liberty Insider.
00:24 This is the program bringing you news, views 00:26 discussions, analysis and up-to-date information on 00:29 religious liberty events in the United States 00:32 and around the world. 00:33 My name is Lincoln steed, editor of Liberty Magazine. 00:36 And my guest on the program is Melissa Reid. 00:40 You are director of the North American 00:43 Religious Liberty Association. 00:45 Yes and-- 00:47 That's what its long, that's why we call NARLA. 00:48 Yes, for that-- since we are in we have brief show 00:50 we will go the brief title which is NARLA. 00:52 Right, so from now on it's NARLA. 00:53 For now, yes. 00:55 And I also have the opportunity 00:57 and the pleasure to be able to work with you 00:59 at Liberty Magazine as associate editor there. 01:01 It's a two different hats 01:04 in the same area in the same department. 01:05 And now our-- it's really in some ways 01:08 under the Liberty umbrella. 01:11 Right. 01:12 So we are-- its variations on the theme. 01:14 Yeah. 01:15 And I'm glad to have this variation here today. 01:18 I am too. 01:19 But let me explain to our viewers what NARLA is. 01:21 Yes, give them a little background on NARLA. 01:23 Right. 01:24 So it's actually an opportunity for church members 01:27 or for any religious liberty advocates 01:29 to become involved-- personally involve 01:31 in the religious liberty ministry. 01:33 You know as I mentioned before we're both involved 01:36 in the publication of Liberty Magazine 01:38 which is a real not only do we encourage individuals 01:43 to subscribe to the magazine themselves 01:45 and educate themselves and you know 01:47 stay abreast of religious liberty trends 01:50 and the history of religious freedom both here 01:54 and United States and overseas. 01:56 But the magazine-- we also encourage to be a sharing tool. 02:00 NARLA gives individuals an opportunity to sort of 02:03 get their hands dirty with the religious freedom ministry. 02:06 And I keep referring to it as a ministry 02:08 'cause I really feel like it is. 02:10 You know, the reason why the Seventh-day Adventist Church 02:13 has published Liberty Magazine since 1906 02:16 and the Sentinel even previously before that 02:19 is because it's so core to our message, to our ministry. 02:23 And you're really talking now about 02:25 Seventh-day Adventist Church 02:27 which I think most viewers of 3ABN 02:31 having inclined that the Church is here. 02:34 But we need to qualify it a little bit 02:36 I think with Liberty and NARLA. 02:38 Liberty Magazine very early on 02:41 while it exemplifies or personifies 02:44 Seventh-day Adventist thinking on religious liberty 02:47 and even is consistent with their eschatology and 02:50 understanding of what will happen at the very end of time. 02:52 It is very much aimed and intended for non-Adventist 02:57 and indeed non-church civil leaders. 02:59 Right. 03:01 NARLA is a little bit more targeted, isn't it? 03:03 Yes, absolutely. 03:05 Its very much reference 03:06 to the Seventh-day Adventist Church 03:08 and its membership based are low. Yes. 03:10 I don't think you're ready to say that you will turn away 03:12 any body that want's to be part of NARLA. 03:14 Not exactly, we're thrilled 03:16 and that's why I said any one 03:17 who is a religious freedom advocate 03:19 we love to have them involved. 03:20 Let me I'm gonna plug the website a couple of times 03:22 during our show today but religiousliberty.info 03:26 is the NARLA website. 03:28 We also have a really active Facebook page. 03:31 And so I would encourage individuals 03:32 to visit both of those sites for more information. 03:36 But yeah, it's a real community I feel like. 03:39 For individuals, you know, 03:40 we have the Seventh-day Adventist Church 03:42 has an individual who is the legislative liaison 03:45 on Capitol Hill in United States. 03:48 From our head quarters. Exactly. 03:49 For a world emphasis even though it's with the United States. 03:52 Right and we are working in Silver Spring, Maryland 03:54 which is, you know, near were all of the, you know, 03:56 the federal legislation happens and every thing. 03:59 But we need individuals to be the eyes and ears of 04:02 what's going on in their local community. 04:04 You know on a state level, in their, in their own town 04:08 a lot of times the things that are happening, 04:10 you know, in your community council 04:13 or your school board affect your life much more than 04:16 legislation that's happening on Capitol Hill 04:18 or not as or legislation that's not happening 04:21 as we said here in the midst of a government shut down. 04:23 It's just a matter of communication I mean, 04:25 it's just jumping to another country 04:26 well we'll talk about perhaps on another program. 04:29 But this very recently that Seventh-day Adventist Church 04:32 discovered by chance that one of its members 04:34 in Pakistan have been on trail for a couple of years 04:38 and just been convicted blasphemy. 04:41 Yes. We didn't even know. 04:42 Oh, my goodness. 04:43 Well if they've been NARLA member in his local church 04:45 that have instantly told-- 04:46 Absolutely. Told Liberty, wouldn't they? 04:48 Yeah, so it's a horrific story and I think we will probably 04:51 would devote entire episode to that some point. 04:54 But yeah, so NARLA again is a real opportunity 04:57 for a dialogue between our selves 05:00 and religious freedom advocates there in their local church 05:03 in their community and the way that we seen that represented 05:07 we have several regional chapters 05:09 and have first for few years in the south 05:12 and the California area. 05:15 We actually even have a Spanish speaking chapter 05:18 and Los Angeles but this past year 05:22 or this school year that's just beginning here up 05:25 I'm really excited to see a couple of college student 05:29 chapters sprout up on their own initiative. 05:31 These individuals have contacted us, 05:33 then very excited we've seen that about an 05:37 Oakwood University in Alabama and also now just have-- 05:41 I just have come back form a meeting at San Francisco 05:44 with some students who are just 05:45 who are there in the San Francisco Bay Area 05:50 working for the local Seventh-day Adventist 05:52 conference doing evangelism work 05:54 but they've religious freedom is a real personal burden to them. 05:58 What do you think is the attraction for them? 06:01 What do they appear ready to do or 06:03 what do they want to do for religious liberty? 06:05 What's the key for this view? 06:07 Right, well, human rights 06:09 I think is a big issue for individuals. 06:11 I know it was for when, you know, 06:13 when I was a college student just injustice 06:17 really terrors at the hearts of 06:19 I think young people as they, 06:20 they are becoming their own individuals. 06:22 Yeah, people have a great sense of fairness. 06:23 Yes. 06:24 Or unfairness as they say that they don't like that. 06:26 Yes, and so in having this conversation 06:29 with these individuals I think, you know, I heard them 06:32 really wanting to be advocates 06:34 for those who do not have a voice. 06:36 We talk to by human trafficking a bit 06:39 which is unfortunately a big issue 06:40 in the San Francisco Bay Area. 06:43 And again you know the religious freedom issues 06:45 we talk about just really being an advocate 06:50 for the community member and they're also-- 06:52 these are all-- these individuals that 06:54 I was speaking to our visitors to those community 06:56 they're there transient, you know, 06:58 be in the area for a couple of years 07:01 and so they actually recognize that they are not experts. 07:05 They want to have relationships 07:07 with both the community leaders and the community members 07:11 and identify the need. 07:13 They don't want to come in and say, 07:14 here is what we were going to do for your community. 07:15 So they want to be capitalist in the community-- 07:16 Exactly. Which is very good? 07:17 Yeah. 07:18 And it's a great opportunity to establish relationships 07:22 with both community members and community leaders 07:26 so then should be there an issue arise in the future 07:29 with a religious freedom issue for may be church member 07:31 or for a church ourselves 07:33 then we have already have that establish relationship. 07:35 We've already done positive things in community. 07:38 So I think it's a real opportunity 07:40 and I'm really excited to see it happen. 07:43 I certainly want to ask viewers to 07:45 remember these small local chapters 07:47 particularly our student members. 07:48 You know, we want to encourage their passion 07:51 and their initiative so much certainly 07:53 remember them in prayers they undertake that their share. 07:56 Absolutely, and it's good that as you say that 07:58 they are interested in civil liberty issues, civil rights. 08:03 Yes. 08:05 And as we said in another program 08:08 one very clear tendency in the United States 08:11 is to emphasis corporate rights either of the church or of 08:15 even corporations over the individual 08:18 and yet there is an incredible 08:22 may be diminishing is the wrong idea 08:23 because most of the people don't see it 08:24 but the structural shift away from individual liberty. 08:28 So if these young people apply 08:30 what I can remember when I was young, 08:32 you know back in Vietnam war ear, 08:35 that was what stirred young people I know that. 08:36 Yeah, and it's certainly-- So if we can get them 08:39 moving and it could make a great difference 08:40 'cause that's were there is immediate threat. 08:42 Yes. 08:43 Some of these more traditional religious liberty court cases. 08:46 Yes, they're important but I think they flow on 08:49 from these under lying attitudes about 08:52 civil liberties generally. Right. 08:54 And so a threat was dealt with early on 08:55 you wouldn't see some of those things. 08:57 And what did we see Christ when He was here on earth, 08:59 His ministry, He dealt-- you know 09:02 the majority of His time was spent 09:04 ministering to the needs of the individual 09:06 the poor and the downtrodden. 09:07 And that's what He spent, you know most of His time doing. 09:11 And so I think it's certainly reflection of, 09:14 you know, and of the commitment 09:17 to the Christian faith of these individuals as well so. 09:20 Yeah this is a new emphasis really for us. 09:23 Well, NARLA is a nominal organization, 09:26 it's been sitting there for 09:28 longer than you and I been around 09:30 I mean, not just on the job but been around period. 09:33 Absolutely. 09:34 It's not really been active and we'd Liberty Magazine, 09:37 we've had legal interventions and so on. 09:40 Lot of people have raised money and done good things 09:43 but we really haven't mobilized individuals 09:46 particularly within the church but as you say we can go beyond. 09:49 Right. 09:50 I think we need to get ground swirl of concerned individuals. 09:52 Absolutely, I agree with you. 09:55 You know I talked about earlier in the show 09:57 that Liberty Magazine is been around since 1906. 10:00 Well, the National Religious Liberty Association 10:03 came about right in that same time period as well 10:06 and became the International Religious Liberty Association 10:11 which you know deals of course 10:12 with international religious liberty issues. 10:14 IRLA still exist and does great fantastic work 10:18 but this North American Religious Liberty Association, 10:20 I think it was in the 1980's is that correct 10:22 that there or 1990's that were sort of revived. 10:25 Late 90's. Late 90's, okay. 10:27 When I came into the job of editing Liberty Magazine 10:31 the number of the regional people 10:33 was still talking about it 10:34 one and particular Adrian Westney. 10:36 Yes. 10:37 He just took it on himself he just never gave up. 10:38 We need to restart, we need to restart it. 10:40 Which is fantastic and again-- 10:41 And it has been. Yes. 10:42 And you will carry that on I think very well. 10:44 Well, thank you. 10:45 It's certainly something, you know, 10:47 that I enjoy working with these individuals. 10:49 Again I know this happens a lot for you as well as 10:52 you know we do a majority of our work here in the office 10:56 but then on the weekends particularly on Sabbath mornings 10:58 we're able to go out and be with local church members 11:02 and it's really as blessing to worship with 11:06 and interact with like minded individuals. 11:08 There are people that are excited and passion 11:10 about the issues that we spend our, you know, 11:12 our work days doing and so it really is exciting. 11:16 We certainly would love to see 11:18 additional NARLA local chapters pop up. 11:21 Well, we will it's not a wish, it's a reality. 11:23 It's going to be a reality. 11:25 Well, I want to invite viewers, you know, 11:28 to look around in your community identify 11:30 some other like minded individuals. 11:33 We had there gentleman I believe we did a segment on him 11:35 last year in Oklahoma City. 11:37 You remember you went for there NARLA chapter 11:39 dedicational Oklahoma City. 11:41 He actually went to all of the local churches 11:44 in his community again you know 11:46 you just state at the capital of his state. 11:48 He was very interested in doing advocacy work on a state level. 11:51 We saw a real need there. 11:53 And so he would go and visit all of the local churches 11:55 I think there was 14 or 15 in that congregation 11:59 and just invite individuals say, here, 12:01 you know, introduce him selves as I'm a like minded 12:04 you know I'm looking for like minded individuals 12:06 people that are passionate about it. 12:08 And identifying those and finding 12:10 the need within the community. 12:11 Again on a national level NARLA isn't going tell you 12:15 here what you need to advocate on behalf of. 12:17 You can identify the needs in the community 12:19 and you can build those relationships 12:21 and identify those, you know, 12:22 sort of key players in your community. 12:24 And we know how important 12:25 that man has already been in that, 12:27 that Oklahoma area, one man. 12:29 Yeah, absolutely. 12:30 And whether it's NARLA in this case now 12:34 but any social change in recent years 12:36 I have noticed that she is the one person. 12:38 My father used to work heading up 12:40 the temperance movement for our church 12:42 so I had some interesting contacts 12:43 and I remember Candy Lightner, 12:45 Mothers Against-- 12:46 I think it was Candy Lightner, Mothers Against Drunk Driving. 12:48 Yes, yes. 12:49 They made a huge effort in awareness of drunkenness 12:52 and teen deaths and legal shifts as a result 12:55 all because of one woman that was really 12:58 stirred up about in her case 13:00 I think it was her daughter that was killed. 13:01 Yes. 13:03 But I just see that over and over again we talk 13:05 about it even in our office on Liberty Magazine. 13:08 We depend a lot once a year 13:10 on a Seventh-day Adventist Church 13:11 it's to support the magazine. 13:13 Most of them don't, way they do 13:15 whether it's a large or small churches nearly always 13:18 one person that makes the difference. 13:19 If there's one true believe there they will go around 13:22 they'll talk up the other people they'll organize it 13:25 and great things happen. 13:26 Yes. 13:27 So yeah, we live in a world where there is 13:28 what seven billion people and I've often mentioned 13:31 when I went to India where there is a lot of people, 13:34 you know, it just overwhelming to see 13:36 so many people there. 13:39 But in reality that those trouble 13:41 is small individuals in a large world 13:45 but its still an individual that makes a difference. 13:47 It starts with an army of one as they say. 13:49 Absolutely, absolutely. 13:51 And that's what you are depending on 13:52 what NARLA isn't it. Absolutely. 13:53 NARLA has started from nothing 13:54 it's now safely began. 13:57 But the world is open, 13:58 open to a religious liberty activism. 14:01 Yes, we have a really exciting weekend this last year 14:05 we do very Religious Liberty summit 14:07 in the Washington DC every, 14:10 excuse me in the Washington DC area every year 14:13 and it was just really fun we got-- 14:15 It was a good summer then I see the time go by. 14:17 We will come back, we'll pick up on it. 14:18 So stay with us and we will come and continue 14:20 this discussion of NARLA summit 14:22 not to long ago. |
Revised 2014-12-17