Participants:
Series Code: LI
Program Code: LI000346A
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00:26 Welcome to the Liberty Insider,
00:28 this is a program bringing you 00:29 news, views, discussion, analysis, 00:32 up to date information on religious liberty, 00:34 events and developments in the US and around the world. 00:38 My name is Lincoln Steed, editor of Liberty Magazine, 00:42 a magazine published continuously now 00:45 for well over a 100 years, 110 years plus, actually. 00:49 My guest on this program 00:51 and welcome, Steig Westerberg. 00:52 Thank you, Lincoln. 00:54 CEO and founder of Altoserv, 00:57 one of several very successful companies that you've founded. 01:00 Yes. 01:01 But I wanna talk with you about something 01:03 that you're in the process of setting up. 01:04 Called the American Religious Liberty Institute. 01:07 Yes. 01:08 And you've got me pretty fired up 01:10 about the possibilities here. 01:13 And I'm certain that something big is gonna come from this. 01:16 Tell me what your vision is? 01:18 I think so as well, 01:20 I'm really excited about where this is going, 01:23 but where we're starting the tenants, 01:26 the grass roots of it is that 01:28 we want individuals to begin participating 01:32 in the crafting of legislation. 01:36 So the intent here is to get into the process early, 01:40 don't wait for laws to be enacted 01:43 that we then realize 01:44 greatly constrict our religious freedom 01:47 and we have to litigate them in the courts. 01:50 The courts are filled with activist judges, 01:52 it's a long process, it's an expensive process, 01:55 I don't feel it's a friendly process. 01:58 Often not, no. Yeah. 01:59 Now, you know, 02:01 we have a religious liberty department 02:02 for the Seventh Day Adventist Church, 02:03 some other churches have it. 02:05 Yes. 02:06 The Baptist Joint Committee operates 02:08 at least for a part of the Baptist community, 02:10 so things are being done... 02:12 Liberty magazine goes out to inform. 02:14 Absolutely. 02:16 And I think that's baseline 02:17 that we have to have an educated populous. 02:18 Yes. 02:20 Our church has, 02:22 in Washington as well as some other state governments, 02:27 but in Washington, 02:28 we have a full time legislative liaison, 02:31 who keeps an eye on some legislation 02:33 and communicates with them. 02:35 Yeah. 02:36 We're trying as you well know, of recent years 02:38 in our church to motivate the court laity, 02:43 the church members to become involved 02:46 and to do something. 02:47 Yeah. 02:48 That's in its infancy I have to admit. 02:50 Yes. 02:51 And I think your idea slots nicely in a way, 02:54 in between what's being done... 02:56 Well, it does. 02:57 Because we have people wanna do something 02:58 and they'll go to programs and now and then, 03:01 we'll take them to see legislators but a, 03:04 sort of, an ad hoc limited thing. 03:06 And, of course, on the level 03:09 where we have the legislative liaison, 03:11 they're, sort of, 03:13 to use a bad word but in the best way I hope, 03:15 they're, sort of, like a lobbyist. 03:16 Yes. 03:18 Not to bribe anyone... 03:19 Right. 03:21 But to communicate our views 03:22 so that we can inform legislators... 03:24 Yeah, and that's... 03:25 But there's a need for what you're talking about... 03:26 Yeah. 03:28 Very practical involvement in the actual process... 03:30 Yeah. 03:32 That produces legislation. 03:34 You know, elected officials listen to the people 03:37 who vote them into office. 03:38 Oh. 03:39 Okay, and often times, 03:41 Christians kinda sit back 03:43 and don't inject themselves into that process 03:46 and we want them to do that. 03:48 And in order to empower them in that process of doing it, 03:52 we want to make it simple and easy. 03:55 Many people don't feel comfortable 03:58 talking with a senator or congress men 04:01 about their view point. 04:02 They're worried about how to phrase it, 04:04 they're worried about coming across, like, 04:08 they're ignorant or perhaps have a view point that 04:13 is well intentioned but not fully formed 04:15 and how will they be received. 04:17 How did they even get to this person, 04:19 you know what? 04:20 There's multiple phone numbers to call, 04:22 you're always gonna get some aid 04:24 who answers the phone... 04:25 Let's say, Washington office... 04:26 Yeah. The state offices. 04:28 Yeah, and multiple offices around their districts. 04:30 It's true, yeah. 04:31 And so the intent here is to first of all, in one place, 04:36 aggregate legislation that... 04:40 And this is all pending, right? 04:42 These are not laws that are already enacted, 04:44 so it's pending legislation, 04:46 aggregated at a federal level and a state level. 04:49 Maybe, pending is even the wrong word 04:51 from what I know, 04:52 maybe, just legislative proposals. 04:55 Because there's a whole process of different committees... 04:58 Yeah. 04:59 Before it ever gets to the floor 05:00 for actual voting, 05:02 in fact, most never make it that far. 05:04 You're right. 05:05 But the early you catch it, 05:08 well, stop it if you wanna stop it 05:09 or effect what it turns out to be. 05:12 Yes. 05:13 As it goes through that process. 05:15 And that's the intent 05:16 and so by aggregating it in this one particular place, 05:20 people, first of all, we need them to sign on, 05:23 go to arlinstitute.org, 05:27 sign up, give us your email address. 05:29 We're in the middle of crafting this back into that 05:32 empowers all this capability but once... 05:35 Rotate that if someone wanted to... 05:36 Yeah, that's right, ARL Institute... 05:38 American Religious Liberty Institute, 05:40 ARL Institute... 05:41 Institute.org. 05:43 All right, then, .org. 05:44 Yeah, yeah. 05:46 That's pretty simple, I could remember that. 05:47 Very, very simple 05:49 and we just need an email address. 05:51 And the intent here is 05:52 that we're gonna have watch list 05:54 and we're gonna have action list. 05:56 And so when it comes time for an action list, 05:58 what that means is that now is the time 06:01 to let your representative know your opinion on that 06:04 on that particular piece of legislation. 06:07 And so that's why we need the email addresses 06:09 so that we can tell people, now is the time, 06:12 we'll send out an action alert. 06:14 And it will be as simple as the individual 06:17 responding to that action alert, 06:19 based upon their mailing address, 06:22 we're able to immediately tell them 06:23 who their representatives are, 06:26 we will provide sample language for them 06:29 that they can choose to modify if they wish. 06:32 If we want to avoid trying to dictate to a group 06:36 that this is how you must respond to this 06:38 or how you must see this. 06:39 Yes. 06:41 And we certainly don't want to 06:42 and I've never picked this up from your idea. 06:44 We don't want to, sort of, have voter lists 06:47 or politicians or favorites that we support 06:51 and we don't support this other... 06:52 Yeah. 06:53 There's a thin line and it's a clear line 06:55 but it's a thin line 06:57 between being improperly politically involved... 07:02 Yeah. 07:03 Or integrate it into the system 07:04 and making your voice heard 07:07 on issues that are relevant. 07:09 Yes. And necessary to the community. 07:11 And I think that the earlier 07:13 we're able to inject voters into that process, 07:17 the more likely that we're gonna have 07:19 a positive outcome with legislation. 07:22 Either it never makes it out of committee 07:25 or the parts about it 07:28 that would negatively impact our ability to worship God, 07:33 the way we believe we should, would be removed. 07:36 Yeah, I've told you before, 07:37 when we first met that it amazed me, 07:41 one time when we were trying to get through, 07:44 I think it was the Workplace Religious Freedom Act, 07:46 which has not yet been passed. 07:48 Yeah. 07:49 It's one of our goals as a church, 07:50 but one of the politicians made a comment 07:52 to our liaison at that time, 07:55 that they'd been flooded with communications 07:59 from their constituency, it turned out 08:01 that was like a dozen notes. 08:03 Right. 08:04 Well, I've showed you how often people are contacting. 08:06 Right. So it doesn't seem like a lot. 08:08 And it tells me 08:10 that the threshold is failing low 08:11 to catch their attention. 08:13 Yeah. 08:14 So something like this, you know, 08:16 we'll never know exactly its overall affect 08:19 but it's certain that it will have an effect 08:21 because immediately... 08:23 Yes. 08:24 If we can coordinate a significant number of people, 08:25 they'll catch the attention and their voice will be heard, 08:28 of course, it can always be ignored... 08:29 It can, that's the process. 08:31 But unlikely, that it'll routinely be ignored 08:33 because politicians even the most venial 08:37 or prejudiced ones, 08:41 still their whole job is to keep an ear out for... 08:44 Yes. 08:45 What the people think... Yes. Yeah. 08:48 Even if they're wanting an argument 08:50 as to why the they didn't do it, 08:51 this group or these people that send these notes. 08:52 Yeah. 08:54 So I really think 08:55 it's a wonderful inspiring concept. 08:59 Absolutely, and, well, thank you. 09:00 And your expertise already with your, 09:04 you know, business successes, 09:05 I think tells me that you know exactly 09:07 how to do this. 09:09 Yes. 09:10 So a lot of it is getting feedback 09:12 from other groups, not just your own church, 09:15 this is not as a narrow sector... 09:17 This is for all Christians. 09:19 We want all Christians, everybody in the US to... 09:22 Well, I would hope... To come sign up for this... 09:23 I appreciate why you would say that 09:25 but I would hope it would be from all people 09:26 that value religious freedom. 09:27 Oh, you're absolutely right. 09:29 Obviously, within a majority Christian community like 09:33 America still is... 09:34 Yes. 09:36 There's a prevailing Christian view point. 09:38 Yeah. 09:39 But any Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, 09:41 whatever the beliefs in religious liberty. 09:44 I would think would support most any initiative 09:47 that we would take, because we're not... 09:49 And you shared this, 09:50 this is a fellow believe very religiously 09:52 but you were not trying to force ours 09:54 or any other view through government. 09:56 That's correct. 09:57 Government should respect 09:59 and enable all true and genuine religious practice. 10:03 It should. 10:04 And what we are trying to do 10:06 is simply put a hedge around our ability 10:11 to just believe and worship God 10:14 the way He intended us to, right. 10:16 So it's not about crafting legislation 10:18 that gives us pre-emptive rights over other religions, 10:22 it's not that at all. 10:24 It's about keeping legislation that often times, 10:27 is well meaning 10:30 from but at sometimes, is not... 10:32 Well, what I see more and more, you know, 10:34 the religious liberty is based on certain basic principles 10:37 and in the constitution, it's only half an amendment... 10:40 Yeah. And a close elsewhere. 10:44 I'll repeat it again, maybe some of our viewers, 10:46 especially those in other countries 10:48 haven't heard it recently but it says, 10:51 "Congress shall make no law establishing religion 10:55 nor prevent the free exercise thereof." 10:57 Sounds simple. 10:58 Yeah, it does sound pretty simple. 11:00 And any other ones, is no religious test 11:01 for public offers. 11:02 Yeah. 11:04 But what I see more and more and it's always been around 11:05 but I think it's multiplying. 11:07 There are laws that appear fairly innocuous 11:10 that might set certain safety standards even 11:13 or educational standards 11:17 and I think this good indication they set up, 11:20 a little bit like the edict with Daniel. 11:22 Mm-hm. 11:24 You know, for a month everyone 11:25 had to pay homage to the king... 11:28 Yes. 11:29 They knew Daniel would pray at his window. 11:30 Yeah. 11:32 There wasn't a law that said 11:33 you can't be a Jew during that period. 11:35 Right. 11:37 That's what it was intended to do... 11:38 Yes. 11:39 Is to stop the practice of his praying to God. 11:41 And there are laws that taken at face value, look fine, 11:45 but there's a complication for a Christian school 11:49 or a building permit, say for a church. 11:51 Yeah. 11:52 And it's quite possible on occasion 11:55 that they set it up to trip up religious practice. 11:59 Well... 12:00 And we need to be wise and that's why you need, 12:02 and that's really why your information dissemination 12:05 will sort of alert 12:07 citizens who otherwise 12:09 even if they didn't read about it in the paper 12:10 which is usually not 12:12 because they're buried in some 12:14 congressional committee or something. 12:16 But if they read about it, 12:17 that would look sort of innocuous, 12:19 you know, like one of the most landmark cases recently 12:23 through the Supreme Court, of course, 12:24 it went up through the courts, 12:26 was called the 'Hosanna -Tabor' case, 12:28 it was a teacher in a Lutheran school 12:31 who was fired because she had narcolepsy. 12:33 Hmm. 12:34 But it turned out to be an incredible case 12:36 that resoundingly confirmed 12:39 that the churches 12:42 in their immediate operations are exempt 12:44 from some of these anti discrimination clauses. 12:49 Yeah. Total exemption. 12:51 You know, you have alluded to something that I think 12:53 is important to expand into and that is agencies. 12:58 Really some people call 12:59 this the fourth branch of government, all right. 13:02 The writers of the constitution didn't envision it, 13:05 it's not there and yet through the enactment of laws, 13:08 these agencies get created and they craft rules 13:14 which are treated as laws that we have to abide by, 13:17 they do it without... 13:18 They are laws but they're not legislation. 13:20 Well, exactly, so... 13:22 Well, they're regulations, they're government regulations. 13:24 That often times have serious impact. 13:26 Oh, there could be severe penalties... 13:29 Yeah. 13:30 Even a parking thing if you dismiss it often enough, 13:35 you'll end up in jail over it. 13:36 Right. 13:37 So imagine these groups that these agencies 13:41 that set rules that restrict how people, 13:45 how teachers could be certified, 13:47 how schools could be accredited, right? 13:49 Absolutely, the potential is incredible. 13:51 Yes. 13:53 We need to continue this after a short break, 13:54 stay with us and come back, 13:56 and you will hear an incredible possibility 14:00 of how you can become involved 14:02 in protecting religious liberty. |
Revised 2016-12-26