Welcome to the Liberty Insider,
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this is a program bringing you
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news, views,
discussion, analysis,
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up to date information
on religious liberty,
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events and developments in
the US and around the world.
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My name is Lincoln Steed,
editor of Liberty Magazine,
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a magazine
published continuously now
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for well over a 100
years, 110 years plus, actually.
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My guest on this program
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and welcome, Steig Westerberg.
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Thank you, Lincoln.
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CEO and founder of Altoserv,
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one of several very successful
companies that you've founded.
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Yes.
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But I wanna talk
with you about something
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that you're in the
process of setting up.
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Called the American
Religious Liberty Institute.
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Yes.
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And you've got
me pretty fired up
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about the possibilities here.
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And I'm certain that something
big is gonna come from this.
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Tell me what your vision is?
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I think so as well,
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I'm really excited
about where this is going,
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but where we're
starting the tenants,
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the grass roots of it is that
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we want individuals
to begin participating
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in the crafting of legislation.
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So the intent here is to
get into the process early,
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don't wait for
laws to be enacted
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that we then realize
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greatly constrict
our religious freedom
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and we have to
litigate them in the courts.
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The courts are
filled with activist judges,
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it's a long process,
it's an expensive process,
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I don't feel it's
a friendly process.
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Often not, no. Yeah.
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Now, you know,
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we have a
religious liberty department
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for the Seventh
Day Adventist Church,
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some other churches have it.
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Yes.
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The Baptist Joint
Committee operates
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at least for a part
of the Baptist community,
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so things are being done...
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Liberty magazine
goes out to inform.
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Absolutely.
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And I think that's baseline
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that we have to have
an educated populous.
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Yes.
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Our church has,
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in Washington as well as
some other state governments,
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but in Washington,
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we have a full time
legislative liaison,
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who keeps an eye
on some legislation
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and communicates with them.
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Yeah.
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We're trying as you
well know, of recent years
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in our church to
motivate the court laity,
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the church
members to become involved
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and to do something.
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Yeah.
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That's in its
infancy I have to admit.
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Yes.
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And I think your idea
slots nicely in a way,
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in between what's being done...
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Well, it does.
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Because we have
people wanna do something
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and they'll go to
programs and now and then,
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we'll take them to
see legislators but a,
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sort of, an ad
hoc limited thing.
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And, of course, on the level
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where we have the
legislative liaison,
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they're, sort of,
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to use a bad word but
in the best way I hope,
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they're, sort
of, like a lobbyist.
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Yes.
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Not to bribe anyone...
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Right.
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But to communicate our views
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so that we can
inform legislators...
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Yeah, and that's...
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But there's a need for
what you're talking about...
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Yeah.
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Very practical involvement
in the actual process...
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Yeah.
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That produces legislation.
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You know, elected
officials listen to the people
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who vote them into office.
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Oh.
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Okay, and often times,
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Christians kinda sit back
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and don't inject
themselves into that process
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and we want them to do that.
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And in order to empower them
in that process of doing it,
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we want to make
it simple and easy.
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Many people
don't feel comfortable
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talking with a
senator or congress men
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about their view point.
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They're worried
about how to phrase it,
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they're worried
about coming across, like,
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they're ignorant or
perhaps have a view point that
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is well intentioned
but not fully formed
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and how will they be received.
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How did they even
get to this person,
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you know what?
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There's multiple
phone numbers to call,
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you're always gonna get some aid
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who answers the phone...
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Let's say, Washington office...
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Yeah. The state offices.
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Yeah, and multiple
offices around their districts.
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It's true, yeah.
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And so the intent here is
to first of all, in one place,
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aggregate legislation that...
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And this is all pending, right?
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These are not laws
that are already enacted,
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so it's pending legislation,
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aggregated at a federal
level and a state level.
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Maybe, pending is
even the wrong word
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from what I know,
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maybe, just
legislative proposals.
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Because there's a whole process
of different committees...
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Yeah.
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Before it ever gets to the floor
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for actual voting,
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in fact, most
never make it that far.
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You're right.
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But the early you catch it,
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well, stop it if
you wanna stop it
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or effect what
it turns out to be.
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Yes.
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As it goes through that process.
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And that's the intent
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and so by aggregating it
in this one particular place,
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people, first of all,
we need them to sign on,
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go to arlinstitute.org,
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sign up, give us
your email address.
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We're in the middle of
crafting this back into that
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empowers all this
capability but once...
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Rotate that if
someone wanted to...
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Yeah, that's
right, ARL Institute...
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American
Religious Liberty Institute,
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ARL Institute...
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Institute.org.
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All right, then, .org.
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Yeah, yeah.
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That's pretty simple,
I could remember that.
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Very, very simple
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and we just need
an email address.
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And the intent here is
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that we're gonna have watch list
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and we're gonna
have action list.
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And so when it comes
time for an action list,
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what that means is
that now is the time
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to let your representative
know your opinion on that
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on that particular
piece of legislation.
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And so that's why we
need the email addresses
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so that we can tell
people, now is the time,
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we'll send out an action alert.
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And it will be as
simple as the individual
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responding to that action alert,
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based upon
their mailing address,
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we're able to
immediately tell them
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who their representatives are,
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we will provide
sample language for them
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that they can choose
to modify if they wish.
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If we want to avoid
trying to dictate to a group
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that this is how
you must respond to this
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or how you must see this.
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Yes.
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And we certainly don't want to
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and I've never picked
this up from your idea.
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We don't want to,
sort of, have voter lists
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or politicians or
favorites that we support
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and we don't
support this other...
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Yeah.
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There's a thin line
and it's a clear line
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but it's a thin line
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between being improperly
politically involved...
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Yeah.
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Or integrate it into the system
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and making your voice heard
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on issues that are relevant.
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Yes. And
necessary to the community.
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And I think that the earlier
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we're able to inject
voters into that process,
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the more likely
that we're gonna have
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a positive
outcome with legislation.
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Either it never
makes it out of committee
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or the parts about it
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that would negatively impact
our ability to worship God,
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the way we believe we
should, would be removed.
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Yeah, I've told you before,
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when we first met
that it amazed me,
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one time when we were
trying to get through,
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I think it was the
Workplace Religious Freedom Act,
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which has not yet been passed.
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Yeah.
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It's one of our
goals as a church,
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but one of the
politicians made a comment
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to our liaison at that time,
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that they'd been
flooded with communications
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from their
constituency, it turned out
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that was like a dozen notes.
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Right.
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Well, I've showed you how
often people are contacting.
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Right. So it
doesn't seem like a lot.
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And it tells me
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that the
threshold is failing low
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to catch their attention.
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Yeah.
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So something
like this, you know,
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we'll never know
exactly its overall affect
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but it's certain that
it will have an effect
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because immediately...
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Yes.
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If we can coordinate a
significant number of people,
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they'll catch the attention
and their voice will be heard,
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of course, it can
always be ignored...
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It can, that's the process.
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But unlikely, that
it'll routinely be ignored
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because politicians
even the most venial
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or prejudiced ones,
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still their whole job is
to keep an ear out for...
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Yes.
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What the people
think... Yes. Yeah.
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Even if they're
wanting an argument
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as to why the they didn't do it,
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this group or these
people that send these notes.
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Yeah.
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So I really think
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it's a wonderful
inspiring concept.
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Absolutely,
and, well, thank you.
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And your
expertise already with your,
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you know, business successes,
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I think tells me
that you know exactly
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how to do this.
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Yes.
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So a lot of it
is getting feedback
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from other groups,
not just your own church,
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this is not as
a narrow sector...
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This is for all Christians.
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We want all Christians,
everybody in the US to...
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Well, I would hope...
To come sign up for this...
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I appreciate why
you would say that
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but I would hope it
would be from all people
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that value religious freedom.
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Oh, you're absolutely right.
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Obviously, within a majority
Christian community like
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America still is...
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Yes.
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There's a prevailing
Christian view point.
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Yeah.
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But any
Christian, Buddhist, Hindu,
00:09:39.54\00:09:41.24
whatever the beliefs
in religious liberty.
00:09:41.28\00:09:43.98
I would think would
support most any initiative
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that we would take,
because we're not...
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And you shared this,
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this is a fellow
believe very religiously
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but you were not
trying to force ours
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or any other view
through government.
00:09:54.82\00:09:56.42
That's correct.
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Government should respect
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and enable all true and
genuine religious practice.
00:09:59.19\00:10:02.96
It should.
00:10:03.00\00:10:04.33
And what we are trying to do
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is simply put a
hedge around our ability
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to just believe and worship God
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the way He
intended us to, right.
00:10:14.41\00:10:16.04
So it's not about
crafting legislation
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that gives us pre-emptive
rights over other religions,
00:10:18.51\00:10:22.48
it's not that at all.
00:10:22.52\00:10:23.99
It's about keeping
legislation that often times,
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is well meaning
00:10:27.96\00:10:30.46
from but at sometimes, is not...
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Well, what I see
more and more, you know,
00:10:32.66\00:10:34.80
the religious liberty is based
on certain basic principles
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and in the constitution,
it's only half an amendment...
00:10:37.90\00:10:40.64
Yeah. And a close elsewhere.
00:10:40.67\00:10:44.47
I'll repeat it again,
maybe some of our viewers,
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especially those
in other countries
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haven't heard it
recently but it says,
00:10:48.34\00:10:51.65
"Congress shall make no
law establishing religion
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nor prevent the
free exercise thereof."
00:10:55.12\00:10:57.35
Sounds simple.
00:10:57.39\00:10:58.72
Yeah, it does
sound pretty simple.
00:10:58.75\00:11:00.09
And any other ones,
is no religious test
00:11:00.12\00:11:01.46
for public offers.
00:11:01.49\00:11:02.82
Yeah.
00:11:02.86\00:11:04.19
But what I see more and
more and it's always been around
00:11:04.23\00:11:05.56
but I think it's multiplying.
00:11:05.59\00:11:07.30
There are laws that
appear fairly innocuous
00:11:07.33\00:11:10.77
that might set
certain safety standards even
00:11:10.80\00:11:13.80
or educational standards
00:11:13.84\00:11:17.81
and I think this good
indication they set up,
00:11:17.84\00:11:20.31
a little bit like
the edict with Daniel.
00:11:20.34\00:11:22.88
Mm-hm.
00:11:22.91\00:11:24.25
You know, for a month everyone
00:11:24.28\00:11:25.61
had to pay homage to the king...
00:11:25.65\00:11:27.98
Yes.
00:11:28.02\00:11:29.35
They knew Daniel
would pray at his window.
00:11:29.38\00:11:30.72
Yeah.
00:11:30.75\00:11:32.09
There wasn't a law that said
00:11:32.12\00:11:33.46
you can't be a Jew
during that period.
00:11:33.49\00:11:35.72
Right.
00:11:35.76\00:11:37.09
That's what it
was intended to do...
00:11:37.13\00:11:38.46
Yes.
00:11:38.49\00:11:39.83
Is to stop the
practice of his praying to God.
00:11:39.86\00:11:41.36
And there are laws that
taken at face value, look fine,
00:11:41.40\00:11:45.63
but there's a complication
for a Christian school
00:11:45.67\00:11:48.97
or a building
permit, say for a church.
00:11:49.00\00:11:51.27
Yeah.
00:11:51.31\00:11:52.64
And it's quite
possible on occasion
00:11:52.67\00:11:55.04
that they set it up to
trip up religious practice.
00:11:55.08\00:11:59.31
Well...
00:11:59.35\00:12:00.68
And we need to be wise
and that's why you need,
00:12:00.72\00:12:02.08
and that's really why
your information dissemination
00:12:02.12\00:12:05.19
will sort of alert
00:12:05.22\00:12:07.79
citizens who otherwise
00:12:07.82\00:12:09.19
even if they didn't
read about it in the paper
00:12:09.22\00:12:10.83
which is usually not
00:12:10.86\00:12:12.19
because they're buried in some
00:12:12.23\00:12:14.50
congressional
committee or something.
00:12:14.53\00:12:16.26
But if they read about it,
00:12:16.30\00:12:17.63
that would look
sort of innocuous,
00:12:17.67\00:12:19.00
you know, like one of the
most landmark cases recently
00:12:19.03\00:12:23.20
through the
Supreme Court, of course,
00:12:23.24\00:12:24.74
it went up through the courts,
00:12:24.77\00:12:26.47
was called the
'Hosanna -Tabor' case,
00:12:26.51\00:12:28.58
it was a teacher
in a Lutheran school
00:12:28.61\00:12:31.45
who was fired
because she had narcolepsy.
00:12:31.48\00:12:33.52
Hmm.
00:12:33.55\00:12:34.88
But it turned out to
be an incredible case
00:12:34.92\00:12:36.69
that resoundingly confirmed
00:12:36.72\00:12:39.75
that the churches
00:12:39.79\00:12:41.99
in their immediate
operations are exempt
00:12:42.02\00:12:44.66
from some of these
anti discrimination clauses.
00:12:44.69\00:12:49.06
Yeah. Total exemption.
00:12:49.10\00:12:51.23
You know, you have alluded
to something that I think
00:12:51.27\00:12:53.44
is important to expand
into and that is agencies.
00:12:53.47\00:12:58.24
Really some people call
00:12:58.27\00:12:59.81
this the fourth branch
of government, all right.
00:12:59.84\00:13:02.74
The writers of the
constitution didn't envision it,
00:13:02.78\00:13:05.48
it's not there and yet
through the enactment of laws,
00:13:05.51\00:13:08.65
these agencies get
created and they craft rules
00:13:08.68\00:13:14.32
which are treated as
laws that we have to abide by,
00:13:14.36\00:13:17.29
they do it without...
00:13:17.33\00:13:18.66
They are laws but
they're not legislation.
00:13:18.69\00:13:20.26
Well, exactly, so...
00:13:20.30\00:13:22.20
Well, they're regulations,
they're government regulations.
00:13:22.23\00:13:24.47
That often times
have serious impact.
00:13:24.50\00:13:26.90
Oh, there could be
severe penalties...
00:13:26.94\00:13:29.10
Yeah.
00:13:29.14\00:13:30.47
Even a parking thing if
you dismiss it often enough,
00:13:30.51\00:13:34.98
you'll end up in jail over it.
00:13:35.01\00:13:36.34
Right.
00:13:36.38\00:13:37.78
So imagine these
groups that these agencies
00:13:37.81\00:13:41.52
that set rules that
restrict how people,
00:13:41.55\00:13:45.95
how teachers could be certified,
00:13:45.99\00:13:47.46
how schools could
be accredited, right?
00:13:47.49\00:13:49.42
Absolutely, the
potential is incredible.
00:13:49.46\00:13:51.69
Yes.
00:13:51.73\00:13:53.06
We need to continue
this after a short break,
00:13:53.09\00:13:54.66
stay with us and come back,
00:13:54.70\00:13:56.43
and you will hear an
incredible possibility
00:13:56.46\00:14:00.77
of how you can become involved
00:14:00.80\00:14:02.40
in protecting religious liberty.
00:14:02.44\00:14:04.14