Participants: Lincoln Steed (Host), Melissa Reid
Series Code: LI
Program Code: LI000315B
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00:05 Welcome back to the Liberty Insider.
00:07 Before the break 00:08 with NARLA executive director Melissa Reid, 00:12 and shame on you if you don't know 00:14 what NARLA was because it means you wasn't, 00:15 weren't watching-- 00:17 Didn't watch the first half of the show. 00:18 But NARLA is the North American Religious Liberty Association. 00:20 Yes. 00:22 And Melissa Reid is executive director. 00:23 We were talking generally about NARLA 00:26 and getting more particular about the need 00:28 to involve young people on college campuses. 00:31 Absolutely. 00:32 Well, you know, I'm really impressed about 00:37 when I see young people get involved. 00:39 We talked a little bit about their enthusiasm 00:41 and their passion but they also have 00:42 really great ideas that, 00:44 you know, and ways to sort of share the message 00:48 or grow the movement in way 00:49 that I really would never have though of or identified. 00:53 And so they're are great resource too. 00:56 And so, I don't think I shared the website before which is 00:59 www.ReligiousLiberty.info. 01:02 Not .com .info. So ReligiousLiberty.info. 01:06 And so, if you would like to become involved 01:09 or even establish a religious liberty chapter 01:12 in your community or on your campus, 01:15 please do contact us. 01:17 Another way for individuals-- 01:18 Please, that's a request. Yes. 01:21 We want the million of people out there 01:23 that potentially can watch this program 01:26 for them to respond and, you know, you could have 01:28 tens of thousands of little local groups 01:33 doing something practically and taken together, you know. 01:36 We hear about cells all the time 01:38 in the negative sense Al-Qaeda and all the rest of it. 01:41 They're destroying the world. 01:42 And there's not many people really 01:44 but their cell system increases their power. 01:47 Why not for something very good 01:49 literally have this ground root cell linkage 01:54 where just a few people here and a few people here 01:56 but together they can move legislative mountains 02:00 and change public attitudes for the good. 02:02 Absolutely. 02:03 It's just like our little organized church plants 02:05 that we are, you know, 02:06 we are doing across the United States. 02:10 And the other thing is, 02:12 you know, some people do not live in areas 02:15 where there are lot of other like minded believers, 02:17 they're in, you know, sort of more of an isolated situation 02:20 or, you know, they just even if, you know, 02:23 they want to connect with other communities, 02:25 with other outside individuals. 02:27 I remember as a young person being very interested 02:29 and I grew up in a small town 02:30 and I wanted to know what else was out there, 02:32 what else was out there. 02:33 And if there were other people 02:35 who were, you know, sort of seeing the world 02:37 or thinking the same things that I wasn't. 02:39 So we actually have hired on a social media coordinator, 02:42 someone who is actually working with Liberty 02:44 as well as with NARLA, 02:45 and again coordinating that message 02:47 in the sort of partnership. 02:49 And so, Facebook is a great way to be involved 02:53 in the NARLA community without, you know, 02:57 if you don't have a particular chapter 03:00 or it's just sort of, you know-- 03:02 Share information. Sharing information. 03:03 Dynamic Facebook work. Absolutely. 03:05 So, if you go to Facebook, facebook.com/narlafreedom, 03:11 so narlafreedom, facebook.com or you can just look up, 03:14 North America Religious Liberty Association 03:16 on Facebook and you can do the same, 03:18 you can find Liberty Magazine on the same 03:21 and sort of find a community of readers there as well. 03:23 But, so that's a real way, you know to-- 03:27 Let me ask you an interesting question. 03:29 I don't even know how you will answer this. 03:30 Okay. 03:32 NARLA began in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 03:35 structurally we know that. 03:37 Is it designed to be self-limiting 03:40 or is it open for anyone? 03:42 Well, the way that it's designed 03:44 is that we adhere to the principles 03:46 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church 03:47 and we take positions that are consistent 03:49 with the Seventh-day Adventist Church's positions. 03:51 On religious liberty related? On religious liberty. 03:53 Not on, it's not a-- 03:55 It's not a theological organization. 03:57 Theological other than there is an underlying 03:59 biblical theology of religious liberty of course. 04:01 Yes, absolutely. 04:02 So, it's not sectarian or it's not denominational? 04:06 Exactly. 04:07 And so we look to the church's position on particular, 04:11 you know, social issues 04:13 or religious liberty related issues 04:15 and then, you know, advocate in consistent manner. 04:18 So conceivably 04:20 someone not even connected with any particular church, 04:24 just interested in religious freedom 04:27 and the constitutional norms 04:29 that make United States special in its claims. 04:32 They can do that. Absolutely. Absolutely. 04:34 Yes, we'd love to have, 04:35 you know, those individuals involved. 04:37 You know, one of the things that I really enjoy 04:39 about the work that we do is that very often 04:42 we are involved in religious freedom coalitions. 04:45 Meaning that we work with other faith groups 04:47 who have completely different beliefs, 04:51 spiritual beliefs than we do, 04:52 but recognize the need to be respectful 04:55 of general religious freedom and freedom of conscience. 04:58 There not just so much respectful, 04:59 I mean, that goes with it 05:01 but we have common cause on certain issues. 05:03 Common cause on certain issues-- 05:04 So, you don't have to really have an opinion 05:06 say on Buddhism, or Hinduism-- 05:09 Yes. 05:10 To meet with the representative of that religion 05:12 in common cause 05:13 say for continued workplace accommodation for faith. 05:17 Absolutely. That's absolutely is. 05:19 And a lot of our own members misunderstand that. 05:21 They're very often suspicious 05:23 of a syncretistic accommodating sort of approach 05:27 between religions which we are not involved with. 05:30 But religious liberty historically, 05:32 it's been socially and in an advocacy sense 05:37 involved with all sorts of religious 05:39 and even irreligious group, so antireligious. 05:41 Some of them antireligious. Yeah. 05:43 And the thing is, you know, it's a reflection, 05:45 I like this about, you know, the work that we do 05:49 and the organizations that we're promoting 05:50 is that we recognize, 05:53 I mean, we just sort of marrying Christ example. 05:57 Right, God's example. 05:58 You know, this is our Creator who allows us to choose 06:01 whether to server Him or not, you know, 06:03 and so for us not to be mutually, you know, 06:07 respecting of other's individual beliefs. 06:10 You know, it would be inconsistent with our faith. 06:13 I've told people usually, privately and they look at me 06:17 with little bit of scan what I've said. 06:19 You know, I don't have to believe 06:21 your religion has any mirror whatsoever. 06:22 I can find it principally purer. 06:24 Right. 06:26 Not you as an human being 06:27 but I will defend your right to believe it to the death. 06:31 I mean, that's got to be 06:32 the principle of religious liberty. 06:34 It's tied up to respect for a fellow human being 06:36 but it doesn't in any sense mean 06:38 that you find their beliefs and you got to be 06:42 and I'm hope I'm right on this 06:44 because if you need to feel warm and fuzzy 06:46 that means you won't defend 06:48 as Liberty Magazine did once at an article 06:50 where they attacked the editor on 06:52 but they're defending the right of the Santeria occult 06:54 there in Miami 06:56 to sacrifice chickens in their backyard. 07:00 Well, you know, that's pretty animistic 07:04 out of the social mainline, but the same principle applies 07:08 even though I find it sort of bizarre. 07:12 So I shouldn't have to have a spectrum. 07:15 Well, I like this religion, so I could work with them 07:17 even though I wouldn't endorse it. 07:19 It's all the same to me. 07:21 Obviously, you want to work with groups and people 07:23 that on a human dynamic will cooperate 07:27 and have the common course. 07:29 But it's not necessary that we accept or endorse 07:32 whatever these people believe. 07:34 And we have wonderful coalitions. 07:36 I know the different coalitions that our church 07:39 and religious liberty department 07:40 and now NARLA is working with, 07:42 that whole spectrum 07:43 they are not just people of faith. 07:45 Some of the organizations are calculatedly secular 07:50 and in parts of what they are doing 07:51 and may even be against some religious expression. 07:56 This is the great irony 07:57 and I've talked to you privately. 07:59 We got to be a little bit careful 08:01 because on some issues, 08:03 we might find a fellow travelers 08:05 or the seculars who really want religion 08:07 out of the public's fear 08:09 but they will defend as we do, 08:11 the separation of church and state. 08:13 So, in that issue we might find 08:15 that we are in perfect agreement. 08:17 Yeah. 08:18 And I really like that, you know, 08:21 again we can be in a coalition with someone 08:24 or some organization on one issue 08:27 and not in others. 08:29 You know, we are seeing it differently at another issue 08:31 and yet we are still, you know, work together. 08:34 Absolutely. 08:36 And I'll throw the example in that 08:37 some of our own church members forget. 08:39 One of our main pioneers Ellen White 08:42 had almost a prophetic role in the church. 08:45 She was a great activist for temperance. 08:48 Was an in demand speaker 08:50 not just for her own church group 08:52 but the Millerites and then the Seventh-day Adventist 08:55 but the Women's Christian Temperance Union 08:58 and other church groups she went around talking. 09:00 Well, the WCTU were actually at the same time 09:04 fighting for a Sunday law. 09:06 She was adamantly opposed to. 09:08 But she didn't see any problem 09:09 in uniting with them 09:11 on what amounted to the prohibition circuit. 09:14 Right, and I remember her actually saying 09:16 in a letter to an individual 09:18 that it was important, you know, 09:20 that this was an opportunity to witness also. 09:23 You know, our continued involvement 09:25 in these sort of coalitions, 09:26 never had compromised our beliefs in anyway 09:29 but having that relationship and, you know, 09:31 perhaps the Holy Spirit will move individuals in that way 09:34 but again going back to the college campuses, 09:37 you know, we talked about this is sort of the time where, 09:39 where individuals are really developing 09:41 their social conscience, 09:43 but again the guidance is so important 09:45 and we talked about religious freedom 09:46 is part of our, you know, our social sphere right now, 09:50 it's in the news every day, but a lot of times 09:54 what I hear described as religious freedom 09:56 and religious liberty is on the news. 09:58 It's not really what I determine-- 09:59 Well, how I characterize it. 10:01 We've entered the phase when people, 10:03 many in this country they talk about religious entitlement. 10:06 Yes, and so-- 10:07 And that can be bad for those that don't share their view. 10:10 They want their religious views empowered 10:13 and perhaps even as we saw in high profile case, 10:16 I'm so empowered that I can actually stop you 10:18 exercising your religious views. 10:20 Yes. Yes. 10:21 One of our colleagues Brent Walker, 10:23 who works for the Baptist Joint Committee. 10:24 Again, one of the partners that we worked with for years. 10:27 He actually said, 10:29 he uses the phrase religious liberty for me 10:32 but not for thee. 10:33 You know, and it's the same sort of thing. 10:35 Yeah, and so I felt like, again these local chapters 10:39 and becoming involved in our social media community 10:42 is really a way of understanding 10:46 that this is something for everyone 10:47 and sometimes, you know, that can make us uncomfortable 10:50 but it's God's, it's the way that He has designed us. 10:54 But I do think as you work with young people in particular 10:57 and NARLA is not aids limited, you made that very clear. 10:59 Very clear, yes. 11:00 But with activating a whole new generation of young people, 11:03 that's very hopeful initiative I think. 11:07 Only good can come from that little payoff more and more 11:10 as those young people move into the mainstream. 11:12 Right. 11:13 Well, you know, if people are listening to the show today 11:15 and are at all interested, I certainly do encourage them 11:18 to visit our website, to visit the Facebook page. 11:21 And what can they do as a follower? 11:23 Yes. You know, recruit. 11:27 Well, what I'd love to see is for them 11:29 to actually come and attend one of our events. 11:31 You know, I talked a little bit 11:33 about our annual religious liberty summit that we have, 11:35 that we're holding in Washington DC every year. 11:38 That's gonna be happening this May 11:40 and I would encourage individuals 11:42 to come and join us and sort of, you know, 11:45 interact with fellow religious liberty advocates. 11:48 Hopefully learn a little bit. 11:50 Hopefully be inspired spiritually a little bit, 11:54 but I just really encourage you, you know, 11:56 pray about it and see if this is something 11:58 that you can make happen in your own life. 12:01 So, www.ReligiousLiberty.info, 12:05 info or on Facebook look for us as well. 12:10 I will remember Dr. Adrian Westney 12:13 in the many different meetings that he and I attended 12:16 invariably saying, 12:17 what about the North American Religious Liberty Association? 12:20 When can we really get behind to make it work? 12:23 Well, Dr. Adrian Westney is long dead now 12:26 which is a sad passage of a great pioneer. 12:30 But his dream is alive 12:33 and I want to tell Seventh-day Adventists that are watching, 12:35 that your church is now ready to mobilize you 12:39 for religious liberty. 12:40 I want to tell anyone of any faith, 12:42 as long as you are committed to upholding religious liberty, 12:47 the North American Religious Liberty Association 12:49 is your organization. 12:51 Join with it. 12:53 Make this a mighty army in a spiritual sense 12:56 that will proclaim liberty, 12:58 freedom from the housetops as far and as broad as we can 13:03 and be true activist to defend it. 13:06 Just speaking well of something is not always enough. 13:10 We need to do and to dare and to witness 13:13 and to write letters 13:14 and do whatever it takes to defend religious liberty. 13:18 For Liberty Insider, I'm Lincoln Steed. |
Revised 2016-04-04