Welcome to the Liberty Insider. 00:00:26.49\00:00:28.66 This is a program that brings you news, views, 00:00:28.69\00:00:31.06 discussion, analysis, and information 00:00:31.09\00:00:34.10 that you need to know on religious liberty events 00:00:34.13\00:00:37.07 in the US and around the world. 00:00:37.10\00:00:39.23 My name is Lincoln Steed, editor of Liberty Magazine. 00:00:39.27\00:00:42.90 And my guest on this program is Ed Woods III. 00:00:42.94\00:00:46.88 You've been on another program before and as well as that 00:00:46.91\00:00:50.58 I've dealt with you for a long time, 00:00:50.61\00:00:52.88 a man of great insight. 00:00:52.91\00:00:54.78 Your position, just to set things in context? 00:00:54.82\00:00:57.69 I'm the Public Affairs Religious Liberty director 00:00:57.72\00:00:59.62 for the Lake Region Conference 00:00:59.65\00:01:01.36 and also have the dubious distinction 00:01:01.39\00:01:03.32 of representing who I call my brothers 00:01:03.36\00:01:04.96 because they're all men of the regional PARL, 00:01:04.99\00:01:07.66 Public Affairs Religious Liberty Conference 00:01:07.70\00:01:10.07 directors' council. 00:01:10.10\00:01:11.43 And we're going through a name change 00:01:11.47\00:01:13.77 where we're coming in the conscious 00:01:13.80\00:01:15.14 and justice council but love the brothers. 00:01:15.17\00:01:18.57 We represent across United States regional work. 00:01:18.61\00:01:21.58 And through nine regional conferences 00:01:21.61\00:01:23.28 but also in Pacific Union with the regional department 00:01:23.31\00:01:25.68 with Elder Virgil Childs, so the North Pacific Union 00:01:25.71\00:01:28.38 working with Elder Byrd Duman at the present moment. 00:01:28.42\00:01:32.32 Just a great time and also representation 00:01:32.35\00:01:34.16 with Oakwood University with Dr. Dedrick Blue, 00:01:34.19\00:01:37.23 the dean of theology there so want to thank 00:01:37.26\00:01:39.16 Dr. Leslie Pollard, the president 00:01:39.19\00:01:41.16 for making sure that we have representation. 00:01:41.20\00:01:43.97 Okay. 00:01:44.00\00:01:45.33 We've got all acknowledgments, 00:01:45.37\00:01:46.70 this is sounding like an Emmy's. 00:01:46.74\00:01:48.17 Emmy's no more winning thing 00:01:48.20\00:01:49.67 but, you know, I always get cooperation. 00:01:49.70\00:01:53.07 You got to get cooperation. 00:01:53.11\00:01:57.41 The thing, you know, we talked a little about 00:01:57.45\00:01:59.15 Public Affairs Religious Liberty, 00:01:59.18\00:02:00.98 it really, you know, talks about 00:02:01.02\00:02:03.12 who we are as Christians, as individuals, and you know, 00:02:03.15\00:02:07.16 one of the things that you're appreciative of is 00:02:07.19\00:02:11.03 no one can do anything by themselves. 00:02:11.06\00:02:13.93 And we have to acknowledge that 00:02:13.96\00:02:15.30 everyone had had help. 00:02:15.33\00:02:16.67 I mean, I didn't know how to walk by myself, 00:02:16.70\00:02:18.03 didn't know how to eat by myself, 00:02:18.07\00:02:19.40 I didn't even know how to bath by myself, 00:02:19.43\00:02:20.77 someone had to help me. 00:02:20.80\00:02:22.14 Yeah. That's true. 00:02:22.17\00:02:23.51 With our Public Affairs and Religious Liberty ministry, 00:02:23.54\00:02:26.04 you know, with all the different things 00:02:26.07\00:02:27.91 that have happened, you know, just recently, 00:02:27.94\00:02:30.88 the big thing we're talking about at the break 00:02:30.91\00:02:32.38 was what happened at Las Vegas, you know. 00:02:32.41\00:02:34.68 I know. We really need to mention that. 00:02:34.72\00:02:36.15 It's not a religious liberty event 00:02:36.18\00:02:37.79 but religious liberty as it's practiced, 00:02:37.82\00:02:41.19 that it's advanced by proponents like us, 00:02:41.22\00:02:43.09 it doesn't operate in a vacuum. 00:02:43.12\00:02:44.89 And we know that events like Las Vegas 00:02:44.93\00:02:47.63 and before it, Charlottesville 00:02:47.66\00:02:49.76 and some of these terrorist events in Europe. 00:02:49.80\00:02:53.80 These are changing the landscape radically, 00:02:53.84\00:02:56.64 both how people think about religious 00:02:56.67\00:02:59.17 and civil liberties generally and you know, 00:02:59.21\00:03:02.54 how we're able to practice religiously. 00:03:02.58\00:03:04.25 That is possible probably by public affairs. 00:03:04.28\00:03:06.05 You know, one of the things that we're seeing more 00:03:06.08\00:03:07.68 from North America is, you know, are more statements. 00:03:07.72\00:03:10.82 You know, we are praying. 00:03:10.85\00:03:12.65 And you know what, for me now, Lincoln, 00:03:12.69\00:03:14.66 I know we'll talk about the Johnson Amendment 00:03:14.69\00:03:16.42 and the partnership with the Baptist Joint Commission, 00:03:16.46\00:03:19.16 it's a start. 00:03:19.19\00:03:21.00 And you know, I have to learn how to be patient 00:03:21.03\00:03:24.10 and as I embark upon my AARP card, 00:03:24.13\00:03:27.97 I have to learn how to be patient 00:03:28.00\00:03:29.87 but there is also a time for action. 00:03:29.90\00:03:32.77 And so consider where we are, at least that 00:03:32.81\00:03:35.18 we're acknowledging these things 00:03:35.21\00:03:36.68 and offering prayer as a start, and so I wanna say that, 00:03:36.71\00:03:40.68 however, we do need to have some action 00:03:40.72\00:03:44.39 and our millennials are pushing us, you know, 00:03:44.42\00:03:46.99 to action in this church, you know. 00:03:47.02\00:03:49.62 I don't know what the right action is, 00:03:49.66\00:03:51.86 you know, in terms of moving but we had 58 people 00:03:51.89\00:03:55.46 who have lost their lives, you know, there could be more 00:03:55.50\00:03:58.17 'cause I'm not sure where some people are 00:03:58.20\00:03:59.63 in terms of hospital 00:03:59.67\00:04:01.00 and more than 500 people who were injured. 00:04:01.04\00:04:03.71 And something that's worth remembering here. 00:04:03.74\00:04:05.57 I mean, any injury and any damage is, 00:04:05.61\00:04:08.98 of course, an outrage 00:04:09.01\00:04:11.18 but the special ammunition and the size of this weaponry, 00:04:11.21\00:04:16.55 I heard that the doctors are just flabbergasted 00:04:16.58\00:04:19.39 that the damage that these wounds 00:04:19.42\00:04:21.52 have inflicted on people. 00:04:21.56\00:04:23.93 I don't know whether they are holding those bullets 00:04:23.96\00:04:25.83 but these aren't just holes through an arm and so on. 00:04:25.86\00:04:28.66 These are just tearing away parts of bodies. 00:04:28.70\00:04:31.23 So these horrific injuries on those that survived. 00:04:31.27\00:04:35.84 Well, speaking about the bullets, 00:04:35.87\00:04:37.21 you haven't liked me. 00:04:37.24\00:04:38.57 I didn't know the type of bullets. 00:04:38.61\00:04:40.28 I'm going through my news feed on my phone, 00:04:40.31\00:04:45.15 you know, at first it was 20 and it just kept growing. 00:04:45.18\00:04:48.68 The injures was 200 and it kept growing. 00:04:48.72\00:04:51.72 And I just saw some stories, you know, 00:04:51.75\00:04:54.32 a couple was just married a little bit over a year, 00:04:54.36\00:04:56.93 you know, I mean... 00:04:56.96\00:04:58.29 It's incredible human tragedy. It is. 00:04:58.33\00:05:00.40 You put names with faces. 00:05:00.43\00:05:02.46 And although people might not see it 00:05:02.50\00:05:04.93 as a religious liberty, it's a huge public affairs issue. 00:05:04.97\00:05:08.10 I mean, especially in Las Vegas, 00:05:08.14\00:05:10.07 as you know Dr. Carlton P. Byrd 00:05:10.11\00:05:12.14 and Breath of Life is about to start 00:05:12.17\00:05:14.94 evangelistic series in Las Vegas. 00:05:14.98\00:05:18.91 I mean, so this is a backdrop. 00:05:18.95\00:05:20.45 So, you know, this is our hope, you know, maybe people... 00:05:20.48\00:05:22.58 It could help. 00:05:22.62\00:05:23.95 Maybe trigger, you know, there's unfortunate tragedy 00:05:23.99\00:05:26.49 might trigger but, you know, people that get their numbers, 00:05:26.52\00:05:31.06 but people need to remember, these are people. 00:05:31.09\00:05:33.63 They have names, they have spouses possibly, 00:05:33.66\00:05:36.53 they have brothers, they have fathers, 00:05:36.56\00:05:38.30 they have siblings, they have cousins. 00:05:38.33\00:05:40.84 And what this unfortunate tragedy does for me 00:05:40.87\00:05:44.14 from a Public Affairs and Religious Liberty, 00:05:44.17\00:05:46.71 it speaks to the value of people 00:05:46.74\00:05:50.45 who Christ has created. 00:05:50.48\00:05:52.08 Same thing with flint in the water crisis, you know, 00:05:52.11\00:05:54.68 unimaginable, unbelievable. 00:05:54.72\00:05:56.52 I still can't believe it happened. 00:05:56.55\00:05:57.99 How people were fundamentally... 00:05:58.02\00:05:59.35 All community poisoned. 00:05:59.39\00:06:01.06 Fundamentally ignored. 00:06:01.09\00:06:04.19 And now that you're talking about 00:06:04.23\00:06:05.59 an honor roll student 'cause we have a church out there, 00:06:05.63\00:06:08.43 were from honor roll student to now special need. 00:06:08.46\00:06:11.77 I mean, can you imagine going through, 00:06:11.80\00:06:14.44 I think it was, oh, how many, 00:06:14.47\00:06:16.47 152 bottles of water a day 00:06:16.50\00:06:21.64 for a family of four people. 00:06:21.68\00:06:24.01 Four people? 00:06:24.05\00:06:25.38 I mean you're looking at cooking, washing, cleaning, 00:06:25.41\00:06:29.35 I mean, I'm imagining how granted 00:06:29.38\00:06:30.99 things have gotten better. 00:06:31.02\00:06:32.35 But initially, you know, in terms of the turn around, 00:06:32.39\00:06:34.52 but it's gonna take... 00:06:34.56\00:06:35.99 You don't know the impact that this is going to have 00:06:36.02\00:06:38.16 for kids for a decade. 00:06:38.19\00:06:40.13 I don't really know that a lot of our viewers even know, 00:06:40.16\00:06:42.23 even in the US are particularly 00:06:42.26\00:06:44.57 aware of the flint water crisis. 00:06:44.60\00:06:45.93 Flint water crisis. 00:06:45.97\00:06:47.30 Well, that's, you know, basically happened. 00:06:47.34\00:06:48.80 I've read a number of articles on it. 00:06:48.84\00:06:50.37 Articles on it. 00:06:50.41\00:06:51.74 And the health follow through 00:06:51.77\00:06:53.98 or lack of health is horrendous. 00:06:54.01\00:06:56.44 It is toxic. 00:06:56.48\00:06:57.81 It isn't just, it doesn't just make people sick, 00:06:57.85\00:07:00.02 it destroys their neurological systems. 00:07:00.05\00:07:02.95 You know, obviously the States being, you know, 00:07:02.98\00:07:04.55 hold accountable in the States there you know towards... 00:07:04.59\00:07:06.39 And before that, wasn't that love canal, 00:07:06.42\00:07:08.16 remember the love canal? 00:07:08.19\00:07:10.03 I don't know about the love canal. 00:07:10.06\00:07:11.39 It's another toxic waste thing 00:07:11.43\00:07:13.29 where a whole community were poisoned. 00:07:13.33\00:07:16.06 Here we think is just Bhopal in India. 00:07:16.10\00:07:18.13 Right, this happened right here on US soil. 00:07:18.17\00:07:21.84 Industrialization, just like taking drugs, 00:07:21.87\00:07:24.74 personally medicine but industrialization 00:07:24.77\00:07:26.84 is poisoning communities. 00:07:26.88\00:07:28.48 Yeah, but what happened here was, you know, 00:07:28.51\00:07:30.41 it was a mandate to switch the water line 00:07:30.45\00:07:32.71 from the safe to back into the river 00:07:32.75\00:07:35.02 and add lead in the pipes. 00:07:35.05\00:07:37.65 And as you know, very unfortunate, they didn't, 00:07:37.69\00:07:39.82 they were under a state of pointed emergency management, 00:07:39.85\00:07:41.86 so they didn't have local control. 00:07:41.89\00:07:43.83 I mean, Google it because we don't have time 00:07:43.86\00:07:45.49 to go through the whole thing 00:07:45.53\00:07:46.86 but basically, they were poisoned. 00:07:46.90\00:07:50.00 I mean, to sum it up, and right now 00:07:50.03\00:07:51.37 there is legal action, they're on the courts, 00:07:51.40\00:07:53.64 criminal actions, you know, being taken place right now. 00:07:53.67\00:07:56.77 But I mean, you got to give credit 00:07:56.81\00:07:59.11 to Adventist community services because, I mean, 00:07:59.14\00:08:01.64 they were out there both Michigan Conference 00:08:01.68\00:08:04.15 and Lake Region in terms of doing that. 00:08:04.18\00:08:06.18 But, I mean, just the bottles of water, 00:08:06.21\00:08:08.52 just hearing the stories, I mean, I have two kids, 00:08:08.55\00:08:12.29 you know, I can't imagine. 00:08:12.32\00:08:14.36 You know, what are they going to do? 00:08:14.39\00:08:16.39 You know, I mean, not just for today, tomorrow. 00:08:16.42\00:08:17.79 I mean, I saw somebody in tears 00:08:17.83\00:08:20.66 because they thought they were a poor parent 00:08:20.70\00:08:22.60 because they couldn't protect their child. 00:08:22.63\00:08:25.20 And having our response to show that we care, 00:08:25.23\00:08:29.07 you don't mean something but this isn't a sprint, 00:08:29.10\00:08:31.94 this is a marathon. 00:08:31.97\00:08:33.58 You know, do you have to still check in and see 00:08:33.61\00:08:36.75 what's happening because people feel, 00:08:36.78\00:08:39.55 because they're marginalized, economically disadvantage 00:08:39.58\00:08:43.12 that people don't care about them. 00:08:43.15\00:08:45.15 Well, I think what this shows 00:08:45.19\00:08:47.19 and you can relate this generally 00:08:47.22\00:08:48.92 and even through religious liberty. 00:08:48.96\00:08:50.36 This shows that there might be disasters like Texas and so on. 00:08:50.39\00:08:54.40 But after a week, the attention moves on 00:08:54.43\00:08:56.87 but the problem isn't so over. 00:08:56.90\00:08:59.20 And there was some mention of the pipe problem 00:08:59.23\00:09:01.87 and all at the time but it's gonna be years. 00:09:01.90\00:09:04.81 I mean, technically until that whole water system 00:09:04.84\00:09:07.34 is replaced, it's not gonna be safe. 00:09:07.38\00:09:08.71 Right. 00:09:08.74\00:09:10.08 And the infrastructure is not there to do that. 00:09:10.11\00:09:12.08 And with religious liberty, the same thing, 00:09:12.11\00:09:14.55 you know, you have a legal problem. 00:09:14.58\00:09:17.09 I think it' solved now. 00:09:17.12\00:09:18.45 But the ramifications ripple on for years and years. 00:09:18.49\00:09:22.12 And often hit up with other issues 00:09:22.16\00:09:24.79 and it gets worse and worse, and then, 00:09:24.83\00:09:26.16 next thing get out the tidal wave. 00:09:26.19\00:09:28.16 And so that also really talked about our responsibility 00:09:28.20\00:09:31.77 as it relates to public affairs. 00:09:31.80\00:09:33.13 And we can't solve everything. 00:09:33.17\00:09:34.77 We can't solve everything. But we need do our best. 00:09:34.80\00:09:36.50 We have an obligation as... 00:09:36.54\00:09:37.87 But we can form the relationships 00:09:37.91\00:09:39.54 in the community to help them get the resources they need. 00:09:39.57\00:09:44.05 And that really talks about the love. 00:09:44.08\00:09:46.31 You know, new commandment I have given to you 00:09:46.35\00:09:47.72 that you love one another. 00:09:47.75\00:09:49.08 How are we showing the love? 00:09:49.12\00:09:50.45 You know, I'm not saying, on every single issue, 00:09:50.49\00:09:52.65 we got to march up to the capital 00:09:52.69\00:09:54.52 or we got to march to DC. 00:09:54.56\00:09:56.89 But flint and other marginalized communities 00:09:56.93\00:09:59.89 need to see the love. 00:09:59.93\00:10:01.86 And that's that public affairs aspect. 00:10:01.90\00:10:04.00 We love you regardless of who you are, 00:10:04.03\00:10:06.00 regardless of whether or not you become Adventist, 00:10:06.03\00:10:08.44 we are concerned about you. 00:10:08.47\00:10:11.14 You know, it's very interesting, 00:10:11.17\00:10:12.51 you know what it says, religion that doesn't care 00:10:12.54\00:10:15.44 about people's human needs, sufferings, or rights 00:10:15.48\00:10:19.85 is a spurious religion. 00:10:19.88\00:10:21.58 What's that text? What's the bible text? 00:10:21.62\00:10:23.75 True religion is this... 00:10:23.79\00:10:25.79 Well, this one actually came from man of blessings 00:10:25.82\00:10:28.59 that talks about that. 00:10:28.62\00:10:29.96 When I talked about human cause in terms of human need 00:10:29.99\00:10:32.83 suffering or rights but the Bible says... 00:10:32.86\00:10:34.86 It say, loving the brethren and caring for the widows. 00:10:34.90\00:10:37.30 Widows, right, right, right. 00:10:37.33\00:10:38.67 That's talking, and that's in Deuteronomy. 00:10:38.70\00:10:40.37 We talked about early and we'll talk about that 00:10:40.40\00:10:42.34 a little bit later but this awful thing 00:10:42.37\00:10:44.97 that talks about the love aspect is, you know, 00:10:45.01\00:10:48.04 how can you say you love God and you don't even love 00:10:48.08\00:10:50.25 your brother or your sister, 00:10:50.28\00:10:52.08 or you don't even care about them 00:10:52.11\00:10:53.45 when they are in need. 00:10:53.48\00:10:54.82 So I just believe that we've kind of missed the boat 00:10:54.85\00:10:59.45 on our Public Affairs Religious Liberty ministry 00:10:59.49\00:11:02.12 where it can no longer be about me find me 00:11:02.16\00:11:04.86 as a Seventh-day Adventist but to whosoever will. 00:11:04.89\00:11:10.37 And it's not just doing tragedies, you know, 00:11:10.40\00:11:12.87 we're really good about responding 00:11:12.90\00:11:14.50 to victims of tragedies. 00:11:14.54\00:11:16.60 But when it comes to marginalized people 00:11:16.64\00:11:19.51 on a day to day basis, you got to hit it. 00:11:19.54\00:11:21.44 How are we connecting and how are we showing them 00:11:21.48\00:11:26.25 that type of love where we're not trying 00:11:26.28\00:11:29.12 to get a benefit in terms of our statistics 00:11:29.15\00:11:32.35 but we're trying to genuinely show 00:11:32.39\00:11:34.36 that we care and that takes time. 00:11:34.39\00:11:37.46 And that's not hard work. 00:11:37.49\00:11:38.86 I call it heart work. 00:11:38.89\00:11:41.86 I mean, let's face it. 00:11:41.90\00:11:43.23 Everybody is not gonna believe you. 00:11:43.26\00:11:45.03 But tell me, I know, in Chicago, 00:11:45.07\00:11:47.04 you've made some good headway. 00:11:47.07\00:11:48.80 What are some of the connections you've made? 00:11:48.84\00:11:51.51 'Cause I drive through Chicago now and then, wonderful city 00:11:51.54\00:11:54.24 but these whole swatches of it, 00:11:54.28\00:11:57.35 I think, people are just trapped in there basically. 00:11:57.38\00:12:00.62 They are marginalized. They are marginalized. 00:12:00.65\00:12:02.48 Our administration, Dr. Clifford Jones, 00:12:02.52\00:12:05.29 and Dr. Nixon Yvonne Collins, 00:12:05.32\00:12:07.52 Eddie Evans who is a vice president 00:12:07.56\00:12:09.22 but particularly Dr. Jones and Dr. Nixon 00:12:09.26\00:12:12.49 expressed a concern, what are we going to do 00:12:12.53\00:12:15.16 because the increasing amount of murder 00:12:15.20\00:12:17.27 has taken place in Chicago. 00:12:17.30\00:12:18.70 I was there recently. 00:12:18.73\00:12:20.07 You mentioned there been a drive 00:12:20.10\00:12:21.44 by shooting just close by. 00:12:21.47\00:12:22.80 Drive by shooting close by. Of a church. 00:12:22.84\00:12:24.57 And then we said, "You know, we got to do something." 00:12:24.61\00:12:27.74 You know, obviously, unfortunately 00:12:27.78\00:12:29.11 because of the Mike Brown incident, 00:12:29.14\00:12:30.48 you know, what happened there. 00:12:30.51\00:12:32.68 You have Mike Brown, you have Laquan McDonald, 00:12:32.71\00:12:36.12 you have Tamir Rice, Philando Castile, 00:12:36.15\00:12:38.55 all these different incidents where unarmed 00:12:38.59\00:12:40.56 black men are getting shot by police 00:12:40.59\00:12:41.92 all across the country. 00:12:41.96\00:12:43.49 And so here, you know, because Mike Brown, 00:12:43.53\00:12:45.59 I believe, with Fergusson, Laquan McDonald went Chicago. 00:12:45.63\00:12:48.36 Here, it's like what can we do differently. 00:12:48.40\00:12:50.40 We might not be the mega church, 00:12:50.43\00:12:52.30 you know, our Seventh-day Adventist church 00:12:52.33\00:12:53.67 might not be the mega churches but we are one church 00:12:53.70\00:12:56.40 in variety of different locations. 00:12:56.44\00:12:58.61 What can we do differently to make a difference? 00:12:58.64\00:13:02.34 And so what we have done is we have connected 00:13:02.38\00:13:05.05 through our Public Affairs and Religious Liberty rallies, 00:13:05.08\00:13:08.05 each pastor with their district commander 00:13:08.08\00:13:12.49 so that we can strengthen police community relations. 00:13:12.52\00:13:15.49 It's kind of hard to shoot somebody 00:13:15.52\00:13:16.93 when you know somebody. 00:13:16.96\00:13:18.29 It's true. 00:13:18.33\00:13:19.66 And so how can we connect this... 00:13:19.69\00:13:21.33 The military know that. 00:13:21.36\00:13:23.06 The basic training, a lot of it is to see the enemy 00:13:23.10\00:13:25.43 as an animal not as a human being. 00:13:25.47\00:13:27.77 I've read books on this. 00:13:27.80\00:13:29.27 The statistic show that very few human beings 00:13:29.30\00:13:32.31 can look at another human being in the eye and do it. 00:13:32.34\00:13:35.24 They have to depersonalize them. 00:13:35.28\00:13:36.64 So the reverse is true to the degree that 00:13:36.68\00:13:39.15 you see people as your neighbor and a fellow human being, 00:13:39.18\00:13:42.08 something positive is going to happen. 00:13:42.12\00:13:44.09 And I guess, now that you said what the military training is, 00:13:44.12\00:13:46.82 I hope that's not how our police 00:13:46.86\00:13:48.32 are being trained. 00:13:48.36\00:13:49.72 That's another story but I still believe 00:13:49.76\00:13:51.36 there's an element of that. 00:13:51.39\00:13:52.73 We need to take a break. 00:13:52.76\00:13:54.10 We'll be back, 00:13:54.13\00:13:55.46 interesting point of the discussion. 00:13:55.50\00:13:56.83 So stay with us after a few seconds break. 00:13:56.87\00:13:58.20 Thank you. 00:13:58.23\00:13:59.57