Participants:
Series Code: LI
Program Code: LI000372A
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00:26 Welcome to the Liberty Insider.
00:28 This is a program that brings you news, views, 00:31 discussion, analysis, and information 00:34 that you need to know on religious liberty events 00:37 in the US and around the world. 00:39 My name is Lincoln Steed, editor of Liberty Magazine. 00:42 And my guest on this program is Ed Woods III. 00:46 You've been on another program before and as well as that 00:50 I've dealt with you for a long time, 00:52 a man of great insight. 00:54 Your position, just to set things in context? 00:57 I'm the Public Affairs Religious Liberty director 00:59 for the Lake Region Conference 01:01 and also have the dubious distinction 01:03 of representing who I call my brothers 01:04 because they're all men of the regional PARL, 01:07 Public Affairs Religious Liberty Conference 01:10 directors' council. 01:11 And we're going through a name change 01:13 where we're coming in the conscious 01:15 and justice council but love the brothers. 01:18 We represent across United States regional work. 01:21 And through nine regional conferences 01:23 but also in Pacific Union with the regional department 01:25 with Elder Virgil Childs, so the North Pacific Union 01:28 working with Elder Byrd Duman at the present moment. 01:32 Just a great time and also representation 01:34 with Oakwood University with Dr. Dedrick Blue, 01:37 the dean of theology there so want to thank 01:39 Dr. Leslie Pollard, the president 01:41 for making sure that we have representation. 01:44 Okay. 01:45 We've got all acknowledgments, 01:46 this is sounding like an Emmy's. 01:48 Emmy's no more winning thing 01:49 but, you know, I always get cooperation. 01:53 You got to get cooperation. 01:57 The thing, you know, we talked a little about 01:59 Public Affairs Religious Liberty, 02:01 it really, you know, talks about 02:03 who we are as Christians, as individuals, and you know, 02:07 one of the things that you're appreciative of is 02:11 no one can do anything by themselves. 02:13 And we have to acknowledge that 02:15 everyone had had help. 02:16 I mean, I didn't know how to walk by myself, 02:18 didn't know how to eat by myself, 02:19 I didn't even know how to bath by myself, 02:20 someone had to help me. 02:22 Yeah. That's true. 02:23 With our Public Affairs and Religious Liberty ministry, 02:26 you know, with all the different things 02:27 that have happened, you know, just recently, 02:30 the big thing we're talking about at the break 02:32 was what happened at Las Vegas, you know. 02:34 I know. We really need to mention that. 02:36 It's not a religious liberty event 02:37 but religious liberty as it's practiced, 02:41 that it's advanced by proponents like us, 02:43 it doesn't operate in a vacuum. 02:44 And we know that events like Las Vegas 02:47 and before it, Charlottesville 02:49 and some of these terrorist events in Europe. 02:53 These are changing the landscape radically, 02:56 both how people think about religious 02:59 and civil liberties generally and you know, 03:02 how we're able to practice religiously. 03:04 That is possible probably by public affairs. 03:06 You know, one of the things that we're seeing more 03:07 from North America is, you know, are more statements. 03:10 You know, we are praying. 03:12 And you know what, for me now, Lincoln, 03:14 I know we'll talk about the Johnson Amendment 03:16 and the partnership with the Baptist Joint Commission, 03:19 it's a start. 03:21 And you know, I have to learn how to be patient 03:24 and as I embark upon my AARP card, 03:28 I have to learn how to be patient 03:29 but there is also a time for action. 03:32 And so consider where we are, at least that 03:35 we're acknowledging these things 03:36 and offering prayer as a start, and so I wanna say that, 03:40 however, we do need to have some action 03:44 and our millennials are pushing us, you know, 03:47 to action in this church, you know. 03:49 I don't know what the right action is, 03:51 you know, in terms of moving but we had 58 people 03:55 who have lost their lives, you know, there could be more 03:58 'cause I'm not sure where some people are 03:59 in terms of hospital 04:01 and more than 500 people who were injured. 04:03 And something that's worth remembering here. 04:05 I mean, any injury and any damage is, 04:09 of course, an outrage 04:11 but the special ammunition and the size of this weaponry, 04:16 I heard that the doctors are just flabbergasted 04:19 that the damage that these wounds 04:21 have inflicted on people. 04:23 I don't know whether they are holding those bullets 04:25 but these aren't just holes through an arm and so on. 04:28 These are just tearing away parts of bodies. 04:31 So these horrific injuries on those that survived. 04:35 Well, speaking about the bullets, 04:37 you haven't liked me. 04:38 I didn't know the type of bullets. 04:40 I'm going through my news feed on my phone, 04:45 you know, at first it was 20 and it just kept growing. 04:48 The injures was 200 and it kept growing. 04:51 And I just saw some stories, you know, 04:54 a couple was just married a little bit over a year, 04:56 you know, I mean... 04:58 It's incredible human tragedy. It is. 05:00 You put names with faces. 05:02 And although people might not see it 05:04 as a religious liberty, it's a huge public affairs issue. 05:08 I mean, especially in Las Vegas, 05:10 as you know Dr. Carlton P. Byrd 05:12 and Breath of Life is about to start 05:14 evangelistic series in Las Vegas. 05:18 I mean, so this is a backdrop. 05:20 So, you know, this is our hope, you know, maybe people... 05:22 It could help. 05:23 Maybe trigger, you know, there's unfortunate tragedy 05:26 might trigger but, you know, people that get their numbers, 05:31 but people need to remember, these are people. 05:33 They have names, they have spouses possibly, 05:36 they have brothers, they have fathers, 05:38 they have siblings, they have cousins. 05:40 And what this unfortunate tragedy does for me 05:44 from a Public Affairs and Religious Liberty, 05:46 it speaks to the value of people 05:50 who Christ has created. 05:52 Same thing with flint in the water crisis, you know, 05:54 unimaginable, unbelievable. 05:56 I still can't believe it happened. 05:58 How people were fundamentally... 05:59 All community poisoned. 06:01 Fundamentally ignored. 06:04 And now that you're talking about 06:05 an honor roll student 'cause we have a church out there, 06:08 were from honor roll student to now special need. 06:11 I mean, can you imagine going through, 06:14 I think it was, oh, how many, 06:16 152 bottles of water a day 06:21 for a family of four people. 06:24 Four people? 06:25 I mean you're looking at cooking, washing, cleaning, 06:29 I mean, I'm imagining how granted 06:31 things have gotten better. 06:32 But initially, you know, in terms of the turn around, 06:34 but it's gonna take... 06:36 You don't know the impact that this is going to have 06:38 for kids for a decade. 06:40 I don't really know that a lot of our viewers even know, 06:42 even in the US are particularly 06:44 aware of the flint water crisis. 06:45 Flint water crisis. 06:47 Well, that's, you know, basically happened. 06:48 I've read a number of articles on it. 06:50 Articles on it. 06:51 And the health follow through 06:54 or lack of health is horrendous. 06:56 It is toxic. 06:57 It isn't just, it doesn't just make people sick, 07:00 it destroys their neurological systems. 07:02 You know, obviously the States being, you know, 07:04 hold accountable in the States there you know towards... 07:06 And before that, wasn't that love canal, 07:08 remember the love canal? 07:10 I don't know about the love canal. 07:11 It's another toxic waste thing 07:13 where a whole community were poisoned. 07:16 Here we think is just Bhopal in India. 07:18 Right, this happened right here on US soil. 07:21 Industrialization, just like taking drugs, 07:24 personally medicine but industrialization 07:26 is poisoning communities. 07:28 Yeah, but what happened here was, you know, 07:30 it was a mandate to switch the water line 07:32 from the safe to back into the river 07:35 and add lead in the pipes. 07:37 And as you know, very unfortunate, they didn't, 07:39 they were under a state of pointed emergency management, 07:41 so they didn't have local control. 07:43 I mean, Google it because we don't have time 07:45 to go through the whole thing 07:46 but basically, they were poisoned. 07:50 I mean, to sum it up, and right now 07:51 there is legal action, they're on the courts, 07:53 criminal actions, you know, being taken place right now. 07:56 But I mean, you got to give credit 07:59 to Adventist community services because, I mean, 08:01 they were out there both Michigan Conference 08:04 and Lake Region in terms of doing that. 08:06 But, I mean, just the bottles of water, 08:08 just hearing the stories, I mean, I have two kids, 08:12 you know, I can't imagine. 08:14 You know, what are they going to do? 08:16 You know, I mean, not just for today, tomorrow. 08:17 I mean, I saw somebody in tears 08:20 because they thought they were a poor parent 08:22 because they couldn't protect their child. 08:25 And having our response to show that we care, 08:29 you don't mean something but this isn't a sprint, 08:31 this is a marathon. 08:33 You know, do you have to still check in and see 08:36 what's happening because people feel, 08:39 because they're marginalized, economically disadvantage 08:43 that people don't care about them. 08:45 Well, I think what this shows 08:47 and you can relate this generally 08:48 and even through religious liberty. 08:50 This shows that there might be disasters like Texas and so on. 08:54 But after a week, the attention moves on 08:56 but the problem isn't so over. 08:59 And there was some mention of the pipe problem 09:01 and all at the time but it's gonna be years. 09:04 I mean, technically until that whole water system 09:07 is replaced, it's not gonna be safe. 09:08 Right. 09:10 And the infrastructure is not there to do that. 09:12 And with religious liberty, the same thing, 09:14 you know, you have a legal problem. 09:17 I think it' solved now. 09:18 But the ramifications ripple on for years and years. 09:22 And often hit up with other issues 09:24 and it gets worse and worse, and then, 09:26 next thing get out the tidal wave. 09:28 And so that also really talked about our responsibility 09:31 as it relates to public affairs. 09:33 And we can't solve everything. 09:34 We can't solve everything. But we need do our best. 09:36 We have an obligation as... 09:37 But we can form the relationships 09:39 in the community to help them get the resources they need. 09:44 And that really talks about the love. 09:46 You know, new commandment I have given to you 09:47 that you love one another. 09:49 How are we showing the love? 09:50 You know, I'm not saying, on every single issue, 09:52 we got to march up to the capital 09:54 or we got to march to DC. 09:56 But flint and other marginalized communities 09:59 need to see the love. 10:01 And that's that public affairs aspect. 10:04 We love you regardless of who you are, 10:06 regardless of whether or not you become Adventist, 10:08 we are concerned about you. 10:11 You know, it's very interesting, 10:12 you know what it says, religion that doesn't care 10:15 about people's human needs, sufferings, or rights 10:19 is a spurious religion. 10:21 What's that text? What's the bible text? 10:23 True religion is this... 10:25 Well, this one actually came from man of blessings 10:28 that talks about that. 10:29 When I talked about human cause in terms of human need 10:32 suffering or rights but the Bible says... 10:34 It say, loving the brethren and caring for the widows. 10:37 Widows, right, right, right. 10:38 That's talking, and that's in Deuteronomy. 10:40 We talked about early and we'll talk about that 10:42 a little bit later but this awful thing 10:45 that talks about the love aspect is, you know, 10:48 how can you say you love God and you don't even love 10:50 your brother or your sister, 10:52 or you don't even care about them 10:53 when they are in need. 10:54 So I just believe that we've kind of missed the boat 10:59 on our Public Affairs Religious Liberty ministry 11:02 where it can no longer be about me find me 11:04 as a Seventh-day Adventist but to whosoever will. 11:10 And it's not just doing tragedies, you know, 11:12 we're really good about responding 11:14 to victims of tragedies. 11:16 But when it comes to marginalized people 11:19 on a day to day basis, you got to hit it. 11:21 How are we connecting and how are we showing them 11:26 that type of love where we're not trying 11:29 to get a benefit in terms of our statistics 11:32 but we're trying to genuinely show 11:34 that we care and that takes time. 11:37 And that's not hard work. 11:38 I call it heart work. 11:41 I mean, let's face it. 11:43 Everybody is not gonna believe you. 11:45 But tell me, I know, in Chicago, 11:47 you've made some good headway. 11:48 What are some of the connections you've made? 11:51 'Cause I drive through Chicago now and then, wonderful city 11:54 but these whole swatches of it, 11:57 I think, people are just trapped in there basically. 12:00 They are marginalized. They are marginalized. 12:02 Our administration, Dr. Clifford Jones, 12:05 and Dr. Nixon Yvonne Collins, 12:07 Eddie Evans who is a vice president 12:09 but particularly Dr. Jones and Dr. Nixon 12:12 expressed a concern, what are we going to do 12:15 because the increasing amount of murder 12:17 has taken place in Chicago. 12:18 I was there recently. 12:20 You mentioned there been a drive 12:21 by shooting just close by. 12:22 Drive by shooting close by. Of a church. 12:24 And then we said, "You know, we got to do something." 12:27 You know, obviously, unfortunately 12:29 because of the Mike Brown incident, 12:30 you know, what happened there. 12:32 You have Mike Brown, you have Laquan McDonald, 12:36 you have Tamir Rice, Philando Castile, 12:38 all these different incidents where unarmed 12:40 black men are getting shot by police 12:41 all across the country. 12:43 And so here, you know, because Mike Brown, 12:45 I believe, with Fergusson, Laquan McDonald went Chicago. 12:48 Here, it's like what can we do differently. 12:50 We might not be the mega church, 12:52 you know, our Seventh-day Adventist church 12:53 might not be the mega churches but we are one church 12:56 in variety of different locations. 12:58 What can we do differently to make a difference? 13:02 And so what we have done is we have connected 13:05 through our Public Affairs and Religious Liberty rallies, 13:08 each pastor with their district commander 13:12 so that we can strengthen police community relations. 13:15 It's kind of hard to shoot somebody 13:16 when you know somebody. 13:18 It's true. 13:19 And so how can we connect this... 13:21 The military know that. 13:23 The basic training, a lot of it is to see the enemy 13:25 as an animal not as a human being. 13:27 I've read books on this. 13:29 The statistic show that very few human beings 13:32 can look at another human being in the eye and do it. 13:35 They have to depersonalize them. 13:36 So the reverse is true to the degree that 13:39 you see people as your neighbor and a fellow human being, 13:42 something positive is going to happen. 13:44 And I guess, now that you said what the military training is, 13:46 I hope that's not how our police 13:48 are being trained. 13:49 That's another story but I still believe 13:51 there's an element of that. 13:52 We need to take a break. 13:54 We'll be back, 13:55 interesting point of the discussion. 13:56 So stay with us after a few seconds break. 13:58 Thank you. |
Revised 2017-10-26