Welcome back to the second hour
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of this Preparation for
Independence Day program.
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As you know,
Liberty and Liberty Insider
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and religious
liberty is something
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that we treasure
very much here in America.
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And you should too,
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but so many of
our audience members
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really don't think about liberty
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on a day by day basis.
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We kind of go to
work, go to church,
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if we can do that,
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and participate in
life in the altered way
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that COVID-19 has
brought it to our platform.
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However, when we don't think
of how important liberty is,
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life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness.
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Life and happiness
has cradled liberty
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in the center.
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This is something
that's so significant,
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and every one of us on
one way, either socially,
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economically,
politically or religiously
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are going to be impacted
by the topic of liberty.
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Once again, if
you're just joining us,
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I have Lincoln Steed.
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Good to have you
here, Lincoln. Always good.
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You know, your
mom must have known
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Abraham Lincoln somewhere
along or heard about him,
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because what a name
you have to be involved
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in this kind of environment.
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Can I dispel that name?
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I was named after a
silver spoon they had
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that was a Lincoln brand
and they liked it was written.
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But Lincoln is a very, you
know, there's Lincolnshire,
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the town of Lincoln in England,
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and Lincoln
green for Robin Hood.
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So you do have some...
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But that said,
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I've always
admired the US history
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and the best things
of the United States.
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And, you know,
the best in the US
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is the best in the world,
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it doesn't mean
it's a perfect country
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or the only free country,
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but the aspirations
of the US are inspiring.
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Wow.
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Well, before we dive
into the second hour,
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we always like good music
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and right now, Yvonne
Shelton is going to sing
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this wonderful
song called "America."
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And what an appropriate
song for this time of the year.
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As you hear the song, as
you listen to the lyrics,
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think about the
role that you can play
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as an American citizen
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to reflect the
character and the place
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that Jesus Christ
would have us to stand.
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America!
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America!
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We are one
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Yes, we are one
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United under God and flag
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We are one
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We stand for right
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And we will fight
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To protect this land of ours
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America.
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We the people of
the United States
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in order to form a
more perfect union,
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establish justice,
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ensure domestic tranquility,
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provide for the common defense,
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promote the general welfare
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and secure the
blessings of liberty
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to ourselves and our posterity,
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do ordain and
establish this Constitution
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for the United
States of America.
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America!
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America!
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We are one
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Yes, we are one
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United under God and flag
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We are one
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We stand for right
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And we will fight
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To protect this land of ours
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America.
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We hold these
truths to be self-evident,
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that all men are created equal,
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that they are
endowed by their creator
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with certain inalienable rights,
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that among these
are life, liberty,
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and the pursuit of happiness.
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America!
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America!
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We are one
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Yes, we are one
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United under God and flag
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We are one
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We stand for right
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And we will fight
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To protect this land of ours
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America.
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Please join me.
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I pledge allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America
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and to the republic
for which it stands,
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one nation,
under God, indivisible,
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with liberty
and justice for all.
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America!
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America!
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We are one
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Yes, we are one
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United under God and flag
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We are one
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We stand for right
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And we will fight
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To protect this land of ours
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America
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America
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America
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God shed His grace on thee
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And crown thy
good With brotherhood
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From sea to shining sea
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And crown thy good
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With brotherhood
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From sea
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To
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Shining sea
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Oh, America,
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America
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God bless America!
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Amen.
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That's a Fourth of July song.
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Thank you so much, Yvonne.
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America, we are one.
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Now that is a
prayer that we're praying
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because right now
that's what we need in America,
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we are one,
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and how is that
going to be accomplished?
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Whose oneness agenda
are we going to follow?
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We'll talk about that briefly.
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And as a Christian,
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as a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian,
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we know that the
agenda of the Bible,
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the agenda of Jesus
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in the
understanding of Bible prophecy
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should serve to keep us in
the connection as being one.
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But, Lincoln, you
know that America has a...
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We have a checkered history.
00:08:08.25\00:08:10.22
But we have a valid beginning.
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Let's talk about that briefly.
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Why did the Lord
raise up America?
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Well, that's terminology,
00:08:16.16\00:08:19.69
I wouldn't directly
say the Lord raised it up,
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but the Lord used the
formation of this new land,
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separate from the old,
old world to be a shelter
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for many
dissidents of different types.
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Some of them
were just freebooters,
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political dissidents,
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but there was a
pattern of people.
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In the post Reformation era
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where there was
still persecution,
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there was a pattern
of different dissidents,
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usually, Protestants,
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but even some Catholic groups
that came across to get away
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from the
persecutions of the old world.
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So it became a shelter.
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And it was more of a blank sheet
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not
demographically the Indians...
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Right, the Indians were here.
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But it was a blank sheet.
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You know, there was
no overall government.
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They had to form as an ancillary
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at first to the British system.
00:09:09.38\00:09:10.91
But eventually it
became a uniquely American way
00:09:10.95\00:09:13.28
of looking at the
future of mankind.
00:09:13.31\00:09:16.42
It's a very aspirational country
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and constitution.
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You know, it's not by accident
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that it talks
about a new world order.
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Matter of fact,
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I want to just share this
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the preamble to
the Constitution,
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we the people of
the United States,
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and this would,
Danny just said that,
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but I think that in
the context of the music,
00:09:33.40\00:09:35.94
in order to form a
more perfect union,
00:09:35.97\00:09:38.51
establish justice,
ensure domestic tranquility,
00:09:38.54\00:09:42.61
provide the common defense,
promote the general welfare
00:09:42.64\00:09:45.28
and secure the
blessings of liberty
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to ourselves and our posterity,
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do ordain and
establish this Constitution
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for the United
States of America.
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That's the ideal.
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That's the ideal.
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How are we doing?
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Give us a report card.
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Well, we're not doing
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nearly as good as we would like,
00:10:00.70\00:10:02.26
and that's, that's
the human condition.
00:10:02.30\00:10:04.03
Right.
00:10:04.07\00:10:05.40
You know, we
damned correctly Communism
00:10:05.43\00:10:08.50
for not living up to its ideal.
00:10:08.54\00:10:10.11
You know, if you read
the Communist manifestos,
00:10:10.14\00:10:12.04
and I'm hardly a Communist.
00:10:12.07\00:10:13.41
Right.
00:10:13.44\00:10:14.78
But you know, there's
some fine aspirations,
00:10:14.81\00:10:16.61
you know, the brotherhood
of mankind and so on.
00:10:16.64\00:10:18.48
It fell down on human greed
00:10:18.51\00:10:20.02
and the
dictatorship of the people
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and so, you
know, just collapsed.
00:10:23.99\00:10:25.55
But similarly, you know,
00:10:25.59\00:10:27.16
our find experiment is
fallen on the rocks now
00:10:27.19\00:10:30.49
and then because of...
00:10:30.53\00:10:32.46
If you study US
history, big business,
00:10:32.49\00:10:34.76
robber barons and so on,
00:10:34.80\00:10:36.53
because of
rapacious attitudes out west
00:10:36.56\00:10:40.64
and, you know, the
blood thirst to get the land,
00:10:40.67\00:10:43.30
the gravitas of
the Indians and so.
00:10:43.34\00:10:45.01
You know, there's
a lot of down things
00:10:45.04\00:10:46.44
on the US,
00:10:46.47\00:10:47.81
but what's
redeemed that to this point
00:10:47.84\00:10:50.11
is these enduring words
that were well thought out,
00:10:50.15\00:10:53.95
they were not perfect men,
00:10:53.98\00:10:55.72
but they'd seen the
problems with the old world.
00:10:55.75\00:10:58.22
They were severing
their ties with England,
00:10:58.25\00:11:02.09
and the claims of the monarchy.
00:11:02.12\00:11:04.89
And I have a
great burden of history.
00:11:04.93\00:11:06.43
You can't understand
00:11:06.46\00:11:07.80
unless you know
the English Civil War,
00:11:07.83\00:11:09.26
the Puritan role
in it, John Milton's,
00:11:09.30\00:11:13.20
he wrote many books
but he wrote one book
00:11:13.23\00:11:15.70
on The Tenure of
Kings and Magistrates
00:11:15.74\00:11:17.97
explaining why
they killed the king.
00:11:18.01\00:11:20.58
Jefferson
quotes directly from it
00:11:20.61\00:11:22.51
in the
Declaration of Independence,
00:11:22.54\00:11:25.48
which put a
theological cast to it,
00:11:25.51\00:11:27.42
because in England
they had rejected the king
00:11:27.45\00:11:29.58
who claimed that he
was ordained by God.
00:11:29.62\00:11:31.65
They were
challenging God himself
00:11:31.69\00:11:34.76
to put the king down.
00:11:34.79\00:11:36.12
So it was necessary
00:11:36.16\00:11:37.49
in the
Declaration of Independence
00:11:37.53\00:11:39.43
to invoke a higher
power in their separation.
00:11:39.46\00:11:43.60
And that's fine
00:11:43.63\00:11:44.97
because I do
think God wants us to,
00:11:45.00\00:11:48.57
you know, not to
be ruled by other men,
00:11:48.60\00:11:50.64
as Senator Ashcroft
00:11:50.67\00:11:55.14
once attorney
general used to sing,
00:11:55.18\00:11:57.31
you know, there's
no king but Jesus.
00:11:57.35\00:12:00.75
That's right.
00:12:00.78\00:12:02.22
You know, the
America can embrace that.
00:12:02.25\00:12:04.35
We didn't put George
Washington in as king.
00:12:04.39\00:12:07.36
The power
resided with the people,
00:12:07.39\00:12:09.09
but the people's power
came from a creator God,
00:12:09.12\00:12:11.59
that's very plainly enunciated.
00:12:11.63\00:12:13.56
So that, that's
a high aspiration
00:12:13.60\00:12:16.23
falls down over and over again.
00:12:16.26\00:12:18.17
But as of this point,
00:12:18.20\00:12:19.70
we have not repudiated
00:12:19.73\00:12:21.84
the word that Ellen White uses,
00:12:21.87\00:12:23.20
but not repudiated
these principles yet.
00:12:23.24\00:12:25.47
That's right.
00:12:25.51\00:12:26.84
Probably never burned
the document but we may,
00:12:26.88\00:12:29.54
I hope, not soon,
00:12:29.58\00:12:31.01
come to a point where
we go another direction
00:12:31.05\00:12:33.18
and just sort of wave a sensor
over that and say, holy words,
00:12:33.21\00:12:36.69
but you know,
this is what we do now.
00:12:36.72\00:12:38.55
Because you know
that in the context of,
00:12:38.59\00:12:40.72
I don't want to think
of this as being near,
00:12:40.76\00:12:42.82
our near future.
00:12:42.86\00:12:44.49
But when martial
law is instituted,
00:12:44.53\00:12:46.73
when any kind of
domestic control is instituted,
00:12:46.76\00:12:50.33
well, I can't yell,
00:12:50.37\00:12:52.07
well this is my
right or that's my right.
00:12:52.10\00:12:53.87
You put your finger.
00:12:53.90\00:12:55.24
Martial law is not so much
that the military is around
00:12:55.27\00:12:57.01
and it's dangerous times.
00:12:57.04\00:12:58.37
But constitutional
guarantees disappear.
00:12:58.41\00:13:01.48
You have less
rights and are gone,
00:13:01.51\00:13:03.35
and to some degree
00:13:03.38\00:13:05.28
that's always
implicit in western law.
00:13:05.31\00:13:07.98
I've really been
bothered over the years
00:13:08.02\00:13:10.95
as we've pushed
different religious legislation
00:13:10.99\00:13:13.62
to protect our rights.
00:13:13.66\00:13:16.06
Like
00:13:16.09\00:13:17.43
the Workplace Religious
Freedom Restoration Act
00:13:17.46\00:13:23.53
was a good one.
00:13:23.57\00:13:24.90
But like all that
legislation at the end, it has,
00:13:24.93\00:13:27.54
this is your right
in the law and so on
00:13:27.57\00:13:29.40
unless there's a compelling
governmental interest.
00:13:29.44\00:13:32.24
When there's a pressure,
00:13:32.27\00:13:34.31
all the chips are in
the government will say,
00:13:34.34\00:13:37.21
"Well, this is we
have to do this, "
00:13:37.25\00:13:39.21
and it's gone,
00:13:39.25\00:13:40.58
but that should
be kept a variant.
00:13:40.62\00:13:43.92
And we shouldn't acknowledge
that that resides there,
00:13:43.95\00:13:46.09
but be aware.
00:13:46.12\00:13:47.46
Right, it
shouldn't be the first,
00:13:47.49\00:13:48.82
it shouldn't be the first,
00:13:48.86\00:13:50.19
it should be the last
on the possible options
00:13:50.23\00:13:51.89
till we know it.
00:13:51.93\00:13:53.26
That by appealing
to a higher power,
00:13:53.29\00:13:56.90
the amendments which are add-ons
00:13:56.93\00:13:59.23
to the Constitution
00:13:59.27\00:14:00.60
and the
condition of its passage.
00:14:00.64\00:14:01.97
They're not immaterial,
I mean, they are central,
00:14:02.00\00:14:03.87
but they are amendments.
00:14:03.91\00:14:05.97
You know, those
things are important
00:14:06.01\00:14:08.84
not because the
government gave them,
00:14:08.88\00:14:10.61
it recognized them.
00:14:10.65\00:14:12.61
Kennedy said that,
he made a statement
00:14:12.65\00:14:14.78
and people were very concerned
00:14:14.82\00:14:16.15
when John F. Kennedy
was becoming president
00:14:16.18\00:14:17.85
because he was Catholic.
00:14:17.89\00:14:19.39
You know, I was just old
enough to remember the panic,
00:14:19.42\00:14:21.52
even at the
distance shore in Australia,
00:14:21.56\00:14:23.63
I think I was
about 12 at the time.
00:14:23.66\00:14:25.09
I want to just
say for the record,
00:14:25.13\00:14:26.46
I was very, very young,
00:14:26.49\00:14:27.83
I wasn't in the
double digits yet,
00:14:27.86\00:14:29.70
but I remember, I mean, I
have a great sense of memory.
00:14:29.73\00:14:32.53
I don't
remember the speech then,
00:14:32.57\00:14:33.90
but I went back
00:14:33.94\00:14:35.27
because my mom bought the 33 LP
00:14:35.30\00:14:38.84
of all of John
Kennedy's speeches,
00:14:38.87\00:14:41.01
and I still have
it to this very day
00:14:41.04\00:14:42.48
when he has a
very studious picture
00:14:42.51\00:14:44.31
that looks very presidential,
00:14:44.35\00:14:45.68
very solemn and
humble on the cover.
00:14:45.71\00:14:47.72
And I was listening and
he talked about he said,
00:14:47.75\00:14:50.02
"How freedom is not something
that is offered by the state,
00:14:50.05\00:14:53.92
but it's our right
given to us by God."
00:14:53.96\00:14:56.32
And he said, "I vow not to allow
00:14:56.36\00:14:58.16
my religious convictions
to interfere with my..."
00:14:58.19\00:15:01.73
I think he said "aspirations."
00:15:01.76\00:15:03.10
I think he said,
"I will not allow
00:15:03.13\00:15:04.47
a priest or prelate
to tell me what to do."
00:15:04.50\00:15:05.83
And right exactly.
00:15:05.87\00:15:07.20
And I must tell
you a little ominously
00:15:07.24\00:15:09.84
without naming names,
because I don't remember them.
00:15:09.87\00:15:11.77
But there was a statement
from the US Catholic bishops
00:15:11.81\00:15:14.54
a couple of election cycles ago,
00:15:14.58\00:15:16.34
that they said
00:15:16.38\00:15:17.71
they'd made a
mistake with Kennedy
00:15:17.75\00:15:19.08
and not holding
him to account on,
00:15:19.11\00:15:20.52
that they would not
make that mistake again.
00:15:20.55\00:15:22.35
Right.
00:15:22.38\00:15:23.72
And you know,
00:15:23.75\00:15:25.09
and let's go ahead
and point this out.
00:15:25.12\00:15:26.45
We all know, when we
look at the biblical scenario,
00:15:26.49\00:15:28.99
that's the thing
that really makes
00:15:29.02\00:15:30.53
liberty important.
00:15:30.56\00:15:31.89
Now, let me put this, this way.
00:15:31.93\00:15:34.93
We may stop in many
restaurants on our way
00:15:34.96\00:15:36.97
to our destination by car,
00:15:37.00\00:15:38.73
but we never
forget our destination.
00:15:38.77\00:15:40.64
And as Seventh-day Adventists,
00:15:40.67\00:15:42.00
we understand the
biblical narrative
00:15:42.04\00:15:43.37
as best as God
described it to us
00:15:43.41\00:15:44.74
and praise the Lord for
Ellen White's inspiration
00:15:44.77\00:15:46.64
and understanding
for behind the curtain.
00:15:46.68\00:15:48.64
But if we forget
that, we can be distracted.
00:15:48.68\00:15:51.71
Let's talk about
some of those distractions
00:15:51.75\00:15:53.78
that could somehow sidetrack
the purpose for the church.
00:15:53.82\00:15:57.05
Because right now
we're living in the,
00:15:57.09\00:15:58.65
you know, the
COVID-19 environment,
00:15:58.69\00:16:00.02
whether to wear a
mask or not to wear a mask,
00:16:00.06\00:16:01.92
and then we have
the political unrest
00:16:01.96\00:16:03.29
on the other side,
00:16:03.32\00:16:04.66
and the social injustices
and pull down the statues
00:16:04.69\00:16:06.70
or leave them up,
00:16:06.73\00:16:08.06
or change all the laws
or leave them in place.
00:16:08.10\00:16:10.47
There's a very hot
stove sensitivity today.
00:16:10.50\00:16:14.80
And what's the
danger for the church
00:16:14.84\00:16:16.94
in getting involved
in a lot of these issues?
00:16:16.97\00:16:18.44
You asked the question,
00:16:18.47\00:16:19.81
you know what was
said to early Adventists
00:16:19.84\00:16:22.38
in regard to this type of thing
00:16:22.41\00:16:24.15
that we need to
keep our eyes fixed
00:16:24.18\00:16:25.65
to Seventh-day Adventist,
00:16:25.68\00:16:27.02
a movement brought
into being prophetically
00:16:27.05\00:16:29.65
to proclaim the
nearness of Christ's return
00:16:29.68\00:16:31.45
but more importantly,
00:16:31.49\00:16:32.82
to prepare ourselves and others,
00:16:32.85\00:16:34.49
that's the solidarity,
00:16:34.52\00:16:35.86
that's the group think on this.
00:16:35.89\00:16:38.86
It's not just
for us to get there,
00:16:38.89\00:16:40.33
it's against many others
to just share the good news.
00:16:40.36\00:16:44.43
And Ellen White warned on this
and she says that, you know,
00:16:44.47\00:16:50.51
that we really
cannot forget present truth,
00:16:50.54\00:16:55.91
that was the term she used.
00:16:55.94\00:16:57.28
Things that relate
00:16:57.31\00:16:58.65
to what we're
called to proclaim.
00:16:58.68\00:17:00.48
Now as
Christians, if you have the,
00:17:00.52\00:17:02.95
I think the Bible says
00:17:02.98\00:17:04.32
have the bowels
of Christ did you,
00:17:04.35\00:17:05.69
in other words,
deep seated sentiment
00:17:05.72\00:17:07.06
as Christ said,
00:17:07.09\00:17:08.42
when He wept over
Jerusalem and helped them.
00:17:08.46\00:17:10.53
We have to be
responsive to the poor,
00:17:10.56\00:17:13.36
to the maligned,
00:17:13.40\00:17:15.50
and we're not pushing a
gay agenda, but it shouldn't.
00:17:15.53\00:17:20.67
It should trouble us
deeply to see a few years ago
00:17:20.70\00:17:23.54
and Matthew Shepard strung up
00:17:23.57\00:17:25.11
on a wire fence
there in Colorado.
00:17:25.14\00:17:28.54
Right.
00:17:28.58\00:17:29.91
I mean, that's an inhuman act.
00:17:29.94\00:17:31.45
We should argue for
the protection of people
00:17:31.48\00:17:33.48
regardless of
what they're doing.
00:17:33.52\00:17:35.18
That's right.
00:17:35.22\00:17:36.55
It's a spiritual
matter to bear with them
00:17:36.58\00:17:38.75
to change their lives,
00:17:38.79\00:17:40.36
and anyone
that's doing something
00:17:40.39\00:17:42.02
that's outside of biblical norm,
00:17:42.06\00:17:43.76
but you can't force them,
but we should defend them.
00:17:43.79\00:17:46.36
We should defend
even the criminal,
00:17:46.39\00:17:49.00
you know, these police
killings can easily morph into,
00:17:49.03\00:17:54.94
you know, bad cops, good person.
00:17:54.97\00:17:56.71
Right. It's a bit vague.
00:17:56.74\00:17:59.27
You know, there's criminality
00:17:59.31\00:18:01.08
that the police as law
agents are responding to,
00:18:01.11\00:18:04.51
but are they allowed,
00:18:04.55\00:18:06.31
are they called to use
deadly force to drop ahead?
00:18:06.35\00:18:09.55
Of course, no.
00:18:09.58\00:18:10.92
So we need to...
00:18:10.95\00:18:12.29
Balance it or try to...
00:18:12.32\00:18:13.69
I think speak and
defend the powerless,
00:18:13.72\00:18:16.19
the Bible says at the
widows and the orphans.
00:18:16.22\00:18:18.49
Of course, we should be sensible
00:18:18.53\00:18:19.86
in those things.
00:18:19.89\00:18:21.23
But as a movement,
we can't major in that,
00:18:21.26\00:18:24.77
as Jesus didn't major
00:18:24.80\00:18:26.57
in the abuses of
the Roman occupation.
00:18:26.60\00:18:28.47
It was horrific.
00:18:28.50\00:18:29.84
If you know anything
00:18:29.87\00:18:31.21
about how Rome
kept law and order.
00:18:31.24\00:18:32.57
Yes, they had Pax Romana peace,
00:18:32.61\00:18:34.64
was a peace of the
dead a lot of the times
00:18:34.68\00:18:36.21
and inflexible
laws and you know,
00:18:36.24\00:18:38.21
they would make things work,
00:18:38.25\00:18:39.58
the roads went down,
00:18:39.61\00:18:41.12
you know, the freeways
were branching out over.
00:18:41.15\00:18:44.15
But it was an unjust system.
00:18:44.19\00:18:46.19
Jesus said very
little other than,
00:18:46.22\00:18:48.06
you know, here's a fox.
00:18:48.09\00:18:49.96
You know, He was
aware of the situation
00:18:49.99\00:18:51.59
but He was for the kingdom.
00:18:51.63\00:18:53.19
And present truth means
that Seventh-day Adventists
00:18:53.23\00:18:56.30
and all other Christians
00:18:56.33\00:18:57.83
that will pick up this movement
00:18:57.87\00:19:00.30
because we're a
movement, not a structure.
00:19:00.34\00:19:02.80
A structure is to
protect this movement now
00:19:02.84\00:19:04.77
in a time of relative peace,
00:19:04.81\00:19:06.81
but we should be
focused on the kingdom,
00:19:06.84\00:19:08.64
present truth.
00:19:08.68\00:19:10.01
That's the
message of the moment.
00:19:10.05\00:19:11.98
Right, if we lose our focus
00:19:12.01\00:19:13.92
and put all of our
finances and energies
00:19:13.95\00:19:17.52
into areas that are not unjust,
00:19:17.55\00:19:19.79
these are just issues
that need to be addressed.
00:19:19.82\00:19:22.42
But we should not allow it
to be the major focus, yeah.
00:19:22.46\00:19:24.16
Well, the proof
of the pudding...
00:19:24.19\00:19:25.53
You're right,
00:19:25.56\00:19:26.90
for the proof of the
pudding for Adventist.
00:19:26.93\00:19:28.26
If you examine our history,
00:19:28.30\00:19:29.96
the Adventist
Church as an organization
00:19:30.00\00:19:31.83
was formed exactly at
the time of the Civil War.
00:19:31.87\00:19:35.74
And Ellen White writing
00:19:35.77\00:19:37.31
to this relatively
small membership there.
00:19:37.34\00:19:41.21
She was unequivocal.
00:19:41.24\00:19:42.58
She said that God's punishment
is resting on the south
00:19:42.61\00:19:46.01
for its embrace of slavery.
00:19:46.05\00:19:47.38
That's right. She
made a direct moral issue.
00:19:47.42\00:19:50.15
But as they formed up,
00:19:50.19\00:19:52.09
that's exactly when they decided
00:19:52.12\00:19:54.06
they would be non-combatants.
00:19:54.09\00:19:56.36
Because they were not formed,
00:19:56.39\00:19:57.93
they were not
called to fight that war.
00:19:57.96\00:20:00.20
Right.
00:20:00.23\00:20:01.56
They could decry that injustice,
00:20:01.60\00:20:03.37
but they were on
the kingdom road.
00:20:03.40\00:20:06.97
And present truth
demanded a major focus
00:20:07.00\00:20:11.01
about returning Christ's
return and preparing for them.
00:20:11.04\00:20:13.17
That's right.
00:20:13.21\00:20:14.54
And while we address issues
00:20:14.58\00:20:15.91
that are unjust on racial sense,
00:20:15.94\00:20:18.21
the social sense,
00:20:18.25\00:20:19.61
these issues that
are bringing inequality,
00:20:19.65\00:20:21.85
we should be
supportive of equality.
00:20:21.88\00:20:24.32
We're not called to be silent.
00:20:24.35\00:20:25.69
I think that we
should be touched.
00:20:25.72\00:20:27.96
As it says
00:20:27.99\00:20:29.32
touched by a
feeling of the infirmity.
00:20:29.36\00:20:31.76
And Jesus as He did
00:20:31.79\00:20:33.13
in the story of
the Good Samaritan.
00:20:33.16\00:20:36.77
We cannot be
the religious leader
00:20:36.80\00:20:38.47
on our way to church
00:20:38.50\00:20:39.83
that sees the
injustices across the street.
00:20:39.87\00:20:42.57
We cannot be the Levi
the priest of Caesars.
00:20:42.60\00:20:45.24
And we have to be the
Samaritan that says, okay,
00:20:45.27\00:20:47.81
what can we do to relieve
the suffering and do our part,
00:20:47.84\00:20:50.75
but then we have to as He did,
00:20:50.78\00:20:52.21
notice the part of the
story that we often forget.
00:20:52.25\00:20:54.72
He said, "Okay, I'm going to pay
00:20:54.75\00:20:56.18
whatever his bill is required,
00:20:56.22\00:20:59.05
but I'm going to leave him here,
00:20:59.09\00:21:00.42
you take care of him."
00:21:00.46\00:21:01.89
And we don't know
00:21:01.92\00:21:03.26
what the
Samaritans did after he left,
00:21:03.29\00:21:05.43
but he didn't stay at
the hotel with the guy.
00:21:05.46\00:21:07.96
So I'm making this point here.
00:21:08.00\00:21:09.46
We don't stay at the hotel.
00:21:09.50\00:21:11.80
We don't even know
if it really happened.
00:21:11.83\00:21:13.40
It's an allegorical parable.
00:21:13.44\00:21:17.17
But the whole point of it
brings out this idea that...
00:21:17.21\00:21:19.41
But there's any
number of possibilities,
00:21:19.44\00:21:21.31
but it's a
wonderfully engaging model
00:21:21.34\00:21:25.25
of how we should treat
other people, of course.
00:21:25.28\00:21:28.45
And Jesus
speaking to the religious.
00:21:28.48\00:21:30.02
So in other words,
as you are religious,
00:21:30.05\00:21:32.09
don't ignore these,
00:21:32.12\00:21:33.46
take care of the
world of the fatherless,
00:21:33.49\00:21:35.09
deal with the
issues that are unjust,
00:21:35.12\00:21:36.52
but don't allow that
because here's the challenge.
00:21:36.56\00:21:40.30
We could become a distraction
00:21:40.33\00:21:42.43
and almost create a
wall between other people
00:21:42.46\00:21:44.43
even listening to
us by lengthening...
00:21:44.47\00:21:47.77
And we also can
inadvertently stumble
00:21:47.80\00:21:49.87
into political,
partisan political action.
00:21:49.90\00:21:53.34
And the warning was early on,
00:21:53.38\00:21:54.71
given to Seventh-day Adventist
00:21:54.74\00:21:56.08
to avoid partisan
political activity.
00:21:56.11\00:21:59.71
That's the key word, partisan.
00:21:59.75\00:22:01.35
I've said it on
this program before.
00:22:01.38\00:22:03.49
I listen to
stuff out of Washington
00:22:03.52\00:22:04.89
all the time I hear a politician
00:22:04.92\00:22:06.76
saying on some issue.
00:22:06.79\00:22:08.12
I'm not being political on this.
00:22:08.16\00:22:09.86
Well, you can't help
being, it's a political issue.
00:22:09.89\00:22:12.19
What he means is
I'm not being partisan.
00:22:12.23\00:22:15.56
And in the church
and church members,
00:22:15.60\00:22:17.93
at least acting for the
church, the body of believers,
00:22:17.97\00:22:21.80
you can't afford to be partisan.
00:22:21.84\00:22:23.17
If nothing else, I've
seen it in some countries,
00:22:23.20\00:22:25.57
you tilt toward one
party or one regime,
00:22:25.61\00:22:28.71
then they leave
00:22:28.74\00:22:30.08
and the others
treat you as the enemy.
00:22:30.11\00:22:31.61
You've unduly polarized
the situation field so...
00:22:31.65\00:22:34.12
That's why it's important.
00:22:34.15\00:22:35.48
I want to bring
this out right now,
00:22:35.52\00:22:37.12
to Christians in general,
00:22:37.15\00:22:38.55
but specifically
00:22:38.59\00:22:39.92
to Seventh-day
Adventist Christians.
00:22:39.95\00:22:41.29
It's very important
that as church members
00:22:41.32\00:22:43.43
we come to church on Sabbath
00:22:43.46\00:22:44.79
or even whatever
day during the week
00:22:44.83\00:22:46.16
when we meet on
Wednesday nights,
00:22:46.19\00:22:47.53
or we have social gatherings,
00:22:47.56\00:22:48.90
that we do not take
that opportunity to decry
00:22:48.93\00:22:53.03
and to push
00:22:53.07\00:22:54.40
any particular
political opponent
00:22:54.44\00:22:56.71
or proponent
00:22:56.74\00:22:58.07
because as you
just made a point,
00:22:58.11\00:22:59.44
very significant.
00:22:59.47\00:23:00.84
When the person we
favor leaves office,
00:23:00.88\00:23:03.41
what other bandwagon
are we going to get on now?
00:23:03.45\00:23:05.58
And how relevant
are we going to be seen
00:23:05.61\00:23:07.38
by the people that we ostracized
00:23:07.42\00:23:09.92
when our favorite
political leave from the office.
00:23:09.95\00:23:12.09
Now in a country in Africa,
our church has a huge problem
00:23:12.12\00:23:16.09
because there's a
leadership challenge.
00:23:16.12\00:23:18.39
One group of
leadership belong to one tribe
00:23:18.43\00:23:20.66
and one run with the government
00:23:20.70\00:23:22.83
and they're
enemies from another tribe
00:23:22.86\00:23:25.63
and they're using
00:23:25.67\00:23:27.20
all of the power
of the government
00:23:27.24\00:23:29.64
against the church,
00:23:29.67\00:23:31.01
but it's really for a
factional personal interest,
00:23:31.04\00:23:32.74
nothing to do with theology,
00:23:32.77\00:23:34.48
but you can destroy an hamstring
00:23:34.51\00:23:38.91
permanently a church operation
with this partisan thinking.
00:23:38.95\00:23:42.12
You can.
00:23:42.15\00:23:43.49
Let's talk about
the Johnson Amendment.
00:23:43.52\00:23:45.92
This is something
that's come up often.
00:23:45.95\00:23:47.29
It's very relevant.
00:23:47.32\00:23:48.66
Yeah, with COVID we've
heard a little about it,
00:23:48.69\00:23:50.26
but it's still percolating on.
00:23:50.29\00:23:52.19
Early on in his
administration, the President,
00:23:52.23\00:23:55.53
anxious to please and placate
his religious right births,
00:23:55.56\00:24:00.20
showed everyone
00:24:00.24\00:24:01.57
that they would work immediately
00:24:01.60\00:24:03.07
for the repeal of
the Johnson Amendment.
00:24:03.10\00:24:06.88
And I think outside
religious liberty circles,
00:24:06.91\00:24:09.28
not many people are aware of it,
00:24:09.31\00:24:10.65
but it dates back to
Lyndon Johnson's time
00:24:10.68\00:24:13.78
in Congress.
00:24:13.82\00:24:15.15
And he had a
difficult reelection campaign
00:24:15.18\00:24:18.22
at one point.
00:24:18.25\00:24:19.59
And a number of groups
00:24:19.62\00:24:20.96
including some
church groups opposed him.
00:24:20.99\00:24:23.53
And like a lot of
political leaders,
00:24:23.56\00:24:25.16
he kept the list of enemies.
00:24:25.19\00:24:27.00
So after the battle was over,
00:24:27.03\00:24:28.63
he decided and followed through
00:24:28.66\00:24:32.17
on putting an
amendment on a bill,
00:24:32.20\00:24:34.57
which is how a lot
of stuff gets through,
00:24:34.60\00:24:36.64
you tack it on
00:24:36.67\00:24:38.01
almost in the
middle of the night.
00:24:38.04\00:24:41.28
And the Johnson
Amendment got through
00:24:41.31\00:24:42.71
which forbids churches
and other nonprofits or so on
00:24:42.74\00:24:47.15
from engaging in
overt political activity,
00:24:47.18\00:24:49.72
which is consistent
with the Constitution anyway,
00:24:49.75\00:24:51.89
but it's spelled out very plain.
00:24:51.92\00:24:53.69
And there's a catch 22 on this.
00:24:53.72\00:24:56.22
Because we've said
before the churches
00:24:56.26\00:24:58.83
by the separation
of church and state,
00:24:58.86\00:25:00.40
the First Amendment
shouldn't be involved
00:25:00.43\00:25:02.36
in political activity.
00:25:02.40\00:25:04.10
It's really wrong anyway.
00:25:04.13\00:25:05.73
But it's also not great
00:25:05.77\00:25:08.60
to have the government
mandating church activity,
00:25:08.64\00:25:11.94
restricting them consciously.
00:25:11.97\00:25:13.74
So this administration
are determined to undo it,
00:25:13.78\00:25:17.51
and undoing it this way
00:25:17.55\00:25:19.61
will mean that they
are giving a green light,
00:25:19.65\00:25:21.75
in fact, overt encouragement
00:25:21.78\00:25:23.65
in the most blatant
form for the churches
00:25:23.69\00:25:26.49
to become
political action groups.
00:25:26.52\00:25:28.92
That's the sad part of it.
00:25:28.96\00:25:30.86
Unambiguous
00:25:30.89\00:25:32.23
to bring in
candidates into the church
00:25:32.26\00:25:33.80
to promote their agenda
from the pulpit for the church
00:25:33.83\00:25:36.73
to raise money
00:25:36.77\00:25:38.10
for that party
or that candidate.
00:25:38.13\00:25:39.90
Now they've tried this before.
00:25:39.93\00:25:41.97
Some years ago, there was a move
00:25:42.00\00:25:43.51
pushed by D. James Kennedy
00:25:43.54\00:25:45.01
and a few others
for the Jones Bill,
00:25:45.04\00:25:47.64
they called it.
00:25:47.68\00:25:49.01
And their view was
unbind the churches,
00:25:49.04\00:25:51.98
they felt the
churches were being bound
00:25:52.01\00:25:53.78
by not being able to enter
the political fray, you know.
00:25:53.82\00:25:56.89
And the irony was
that in the interim,
00:25:56.92\00:25:59.25
there was the...
00:25:59.29\00:26:01.69
I'm forgetting the sponsors,
00:26:01.72\00:26:03.06
but there was the
campaign reform act
00:26:03.09\00:26:06.13
that limited the ability
00:26:06.16\00:26:07.90
to give money to
political parties.
00:26:07.93\00:26:10.37
And that's been
short circuited now
00:26:10.40\00:26:12.03
with these PAGs,
00:26:12.07\00:26:13.40
Political Action Groups
00:26:13.44\00:26:15.00
where they can
get unlimited money,
00:26:15.04\00:26:17.24
but the Jones Bill failed,
00:26:17.27\00:26:19.84
and now this is the end run
00:26:19.87\00:26:21.68
with the repudiation
of the Johnson Amendment.
00:26:21.71\00:26:24.25
But amazingly, with
this open intention,
00:26:24.28\00:26:27.32
and the President, you
got to give him his dues.
00:26:27.35\00:26:30.22
He gets one way or another
what he wants by and large,
00:26:30.25\00:26:33.12
but somehow he
hasn't pushed this through.
00:26:33.15\00:26:36.12
A year or two ago,
it was put on a bill,
00:26:36.16\00:26:41.00
where it would have repudiated
00:26:41.03\00:26:42.36
and they never
made an announcement,
00:26:42.40\00:26:43.87
but I listened
late the night before,
00:26:43.90\00:26:46.20
there was a little announcement
that had been pulled.
00:26:46.23\00:26:48.64
I don't know why,
00:26:48.67\00:26:50.01
but they pulled it
at the last minute.
00:26:50.04\00:26:51.37
So as far as I know,
00:26:51.41\00:26:52.87
it still hasn't actually
been formally repudiated.
00:26:52.91\00:26:56.85
But probably the
intention is more input,
00:26:56.88\00:27:00.65
whether or not it gets through.
00:27:00.68\00:27:02.22
Right, the indicator is...
00:27:02.25\00:27:03.59
It shows what's really going on.
00:27:03.62\00:27:05.25
There's the
hungering for political power,
00:27:05.29\00:27:08.26
and also the government
money which come with it.
00:27:08.29\00:27:11.06
Which goes back to the phrase
as a man thinketh, so is he.
00:27:11.09\00:27:14.60
I may not follow
through on the act,
00:27:14.63\00:27:16.23
but this is what
I really want to do.
00:27:16.26\00:27:18.00
And I'm gonna push
the edge of that envelope.
00:27:18.03\00:27:20.80
I'm not saying
that I'm doing this
00:27:20.84\00:27:22.50
because I repeal the amendment.
00:27:22.54\00:27:24.47
But my activities are saying,
I stand firmly against it.
00:27:24.51\00:27:28.21
You know, when we,
00:27:28.24\00:27:29.58
I travel quite
a bit on the road,
00:27:29.61\00:27:30.95
and I was in different churches,
00:27:30.98\00:27:32.31
so many different denominations
00:27:32.35\00:27:33.68
when I was with
the Heritage Singers
00:27:33.72\00:27:35.18
and to travel
was still something
00:27:35.22\00:27:36.55
that we've done.
00:27:36.58\00:27:37.92
But usually when,
whenever a church leader
00:27:37.95\00:27:39.59
and this is
something that I can't do
00:27:39.62\00:27:40.96
even as a pastor.
00:27:40.99\00:27:42.32
I can't tell my church
members as citizens of America,
00:27:42.36\00:27:46.56
this is what you
need to vote for,
00:27:46.59\00:27:48.43
this is who you
need to vote for,
00:27:48.46\00:27:50.33
this is why you need to vote.
00:27:50.37\00:27:52.07
When I do that,
00:27:52.10\00:27:53.44
I am literally
infringing on their religious,
00:27:53.47\00:27:56.57
I can't say not
to vote or to vote
00:27:56.60\00:27:58.54
or don't support
or to support but...
00:27:58.57\00:28:01.04
And you're breaking your trust.
00:28:01.08\00:28:02.48
I'm breaking my trust.
00:28:02.51\00:28:03.85
The churches is given certain...
00:28:03.88\00:28:06.98
Got to be careful,
00:28:07.02\00:28:08.35
I would say
concessions from the State
00:28:08.38\00:28:09.72
because of its
independent status,
00:28:09.75\00:28:11.29
its higher role.
00:28:11.32\00:28:14.82
But if you use that to
pursue a political agenda,
00:28:14.86\00:28:18.19
you're thoroughly compromising
the church leadership role.
00:28:18.23\00:28:22.26
That's why the First Amendment
00:28:22.30\00:28:23.63
and I'll read this briefly here,
00:28:23.67\00:28:25.00
somebody inevitably
be watching the program,
00:28:25.03\00:28:27.54
I'd say, I don't even know
what the First Amendment is.
00:28:27.57\00:28:30.11
Well, here it is.
00:28:30.14\00:28:31.47
The Congress shall make no law
00:28:31.51\00:28:33.51
respecting an
establishment of religion,
00:28:33.54\00:28:36.75
or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof
00:28:36.78\00:28:40.82
or abridging the
freedom of speech
00:28:40.85\00:28:44.69
or of the press.
00:28:44.72\00:28:46.05
I was going to say,
read the second half.
00:28:46.09\00:28:48.22
You know, this is amazing.
00:28:48.26\00:28:49.59
We're seeing these
things chisel away.
00:28:49.62\00:28:51.16
Right now, as anyone
knows that's been trod now.
00:28:51.19\00:28:54.60
It's not being chiseled away.
00:28:54.63\00:28:56.46
It's being sledge hammered away.
00:28:56.50\00:28:58.57
The freedom of
speech or of the press,
00:28:58.60\00:29:02.00
or the right of the
people to peaceably to assemble,
00:29:02.04\00:29:07.64
and to petition the government
for a redress of grievances.
00:29:07.68\00:29:11.25
This First...
00:29:11.28\00:29:12.61
You've got on the,
how we responded COVID
00:29:12.65\00:29:14.38
and the demonstrations,
they're all wrong.
00:29:14.42\00:29:16.35
It's all right here.
00:29:16.38\00:29:17.72
This, the First
Amendment, not the 15th.
00:29:17.75\00:29:20.19
This is not way down there
tucked away in the back drawer.
00:29:20.22\00:29:23.09
This is, let's start
up with the amendments,
00:29:23.12\00:29:24.46
that's the first one.
00:29:24.49\00:29:25.83
And I repeat
00:29:25.86\00:29:27.20
if people don't
know the history.
00:29:27.23\00:29:28.56
These
amendments were a condition
00:29:28.60\00:29:29.96
of most of the states of
the 13 colonies together.
00:29:30.00\00:29:33.50
They made it a condition
of signing the Constitution
00:29:33.54\00:29:36.04
of this beatitude.
00:29:36.07\00:29:37.41
Right, every one of the states.
00:29:37.44\00:29:38.77
They weren't material,
00:29:38.81\00:29:40.14
this was central
to the whole of it.
00:29:40.18\00:29:41.51
That's why it's number one.
00:29:41.54\00:29:42.88
You know, we always say
00:29:42.91\00:29:44.25
keep the main
thing the main thing.
00:29:44.28\00:29:45.61
When the main thing is in place,
00:29:45.65\00:29:46.98
and the other things
don't fall off the line.
00:29:47.02\00:29:49.45
It's like saying,
well, it's beautiful car
00:29:49.48\00:29:51.12
but it has no engine in it.
00:29:51.15\00:29:52.55
This is the engine of the way
00:29:52.59\00:29:53.99
that our society
should be framed.
00:29:54.02\00:29:57.23
So watch this,
Congress. Let's break it up.
00:29:57.26\00:29:59.59
Congress shall make no law
00:29:59.63\00:30:01.26
respecting an
establishment of religion.
00:30:01.30\00:30:02.63
No law.
00:30:02.66\00:30:04.00
Thank you. No law.
00:30:04.03\00:30:05.47
Okay, talk about that
00:30:05.50\00:30:06.84
because you're in
that particularly.
00:30:06.87\00:30:08.20
Well, to be hands off,
00:30:08.24\00:30:09.57
they're not in
the religion business.
00:30:09.60\00:30:11.74
The best you can come up
with is the religious right do,
00:30:11.77\00:30:16.41
as that was
passed by the Congress,
00:30:16.44\00:30:20.62
individual states still
were doing the contrary.
00:30:20.65\00:30:24.35
They had
established churches and so on,
00:30:24.39\00:30:25.95
but it soon sorted itself out
00:30:25.99\00:30:28.72
and after the
Civil War irrevocably so.
00:30:28.76\00:30:32.39
So this is the default
setting for the Republic.
00:30:32.43\00:30:36.63
Now law on religion.
00:30:36.67\00:30:39.20
So I can't say Congress favors
Protestant evangelicalism,
00:30:39.23\00:30:43.64
I can't say favors a Baptist
or Seventh-day Adventists
00:30:43.67\00:30:46.37
or Catholicism.
00:30:46.41\00:30:47.74
Congress can't make
any law in favor of...
00:30:47.78\00:30:50.05
And the backup to that,
00:30:50.08\00:30:51.91
because it's
challenged as I said
00:30:51.95\00:30:53.38
by some of the
religious activists.
00:30:53.42\00:30:55.82
The backup is the
other religion clause.
00:30:55.85\00:30:57.75
And I should
remember the article number.
00:30:57.79\00:31:00.02
But it says there shall be
00:31:00.06\00:31:01.39
no religious test
for public office.
00:31:01.42\00:31:04.09
So religion's off the table.
00:31:04.13\00:31:05.96
Right.
00:31:05.99\00:31:07.33
But we have seen, oh, I
think maybe over the last,
00:31:07.36\00:31:11.37
I would say, in my recollection,
00:31:11.40\00:31:14.57
Jimmy Carter on
forward, because Jimmy Carter,
00:31:14.60\00:31:17.24
he was hailed for
his Christian stance.
00:31:17.27\00:31:21.04
But then it
really became prominent
00:31:21.08\00:31:22.78
when Reagan came into office.
00:31:22.81\00:31:24.55
It was very much prominent,
00:31:24.58\00:31:25.91
but we know back then
00:31:25.95\00:31:27.38
that was when
the religious right
00:31:27.42\00:31:28.82
and the Moral
Majority were very,
00:31:28.85\00:31:30.65
you know, hands on in America.
00:31:30.69\00:31:32.79
And it took a
number of presidents
00:31:32.82\00:31:34.16
to get to where we are today.
00:31:34.19\00:31:35.76
But the other thing
apart by this prohibited...
00:31:35.79\00:31:37.69
Where are we
today? Tell me where we?
00:31:37.73\00:31:39.06
Well, the whole thing
00:31:39.09\00:31:40.43
about prohibiting the freedom...
00:31:40.46\00:31:41.80
Now the freedom
characterizes it.
00:31:41.83\00:31:43.16
Well, let me okay,
00:31:43.20\00:31:44.53
since I'm a
guest on the program.
00:31:44.57\00:31:47.34
Yes, the other day,
did we, he was asking me.
00:31:47.37\00:31:49.64
Let me give you...
00:31:49.67\00:31:51.24
I was on a TV program once
00:31:51.27\00:31:52.61
and I asked
00:31:52.64\00:31:53.98
one of the other
guests the question.
00:31:54.01\00:31:55.34
And the compeer said,
00:31:55.38\00:31:56.71
"I'm the one that
asks the question."
00:31:56.75\00:31:58.08
Okay, well, let me
give... But I'm really.
00:31:58.11\00:31:59.45
Okay, but he
watches. You're right.
00:31:59.48\00:32:00.82
Someone asked me,
00:32:00.85\00:32:02.18
who's the king of
the north and I said,
00:32:02.22\00:32:03.55
I'm not going to
answer that, you say.
00:32:03.59\00:32:04.92
Right.
00:32:04.95\00:32:06.29
So here's the point,
00:32:06.32\00:32:07.66
I should not
00:32:07.69\00:32:09.02
as a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian
00:32:09.06\00:32:10.39
say to a Muslim,
00:32:10.43\00:32:11.76
you don't have
the right to practice
00:32:11.79\00:32:13.13
your religion in America.
00:32:13.16\00:32:14.50
I shouldn't say
to the Buddhists,
00:32:14.53\00:32:15.86
I don't agree with you,
00:32:15.90\00:32:17.23
and I'm going to
do everything I can
00:32:17.27\00:32:18.60
to prevent you from
practicing your religion.
00:32:18.63\00:32:19.97
I can't do that.
00:32:20.00\00:32:21.34
And I cannot appeal
to the Congress to say,
00:32:21.37\00:32:22.70
I don't like what he believe,
00:32:22.74\00:32:24.07
so stop him from teaching that.
00:32:24.11\00:32:25.44
But the hidden
or not the hidden,
00:32:25.47\00:32:26.81
the unspoken
agenda at the moment,
00:32:26.84\00:32:28.18
is that after 9/11
00:32:28.21\00:32:29.54
particularly America
has developed an aversion
00:32:29.58\00:32:32.78
to Islam in the
order it represents,
00:32:32.81\00:32:34.42
it's not particularly religious,
00:32:34.45\00:32:36.79
but they've got
this vague inkling
00:32:36.82\00:32:38.22
that it's a
threatening religion.
00:32:38.25\00:32:39.59
Extremely.
00:32:39.62\00:32:40.96
So that I
believe has given impetus
00:32:40.99\00:32:44.59
to this exclusive empowerment
00:32:44.63\00:32:47.06
of a certain
part of Christianity,
00:32:47.10\00:32:50.07
not even all Christianity.
00:32:50.10\00:32:51.43
Right.
00:32:51.47\00:32:52.80
And then now, what about freedom
00:32:52.83\00:32:54.17
or abridging the
freedom of speech,
00:32:54.20\00:32:56.91
or of the press?
00:32:56.94\00:32:59.27
And we're the logo
that, I'm telling you,
00:32:59.31\00:33:02.84
back in the Bush administration,
00:33:02.88\00:33:05.35
people have
forgotten, I think already.
00:33:05.38\00:33:07.75
Because, you know, we
were a new cycle people
00:33:07.78\00:33:10.22
and, you know,
whatever we see on TV,
00:33:10.25\00:33:11.65
and then it's gone.
00:33:11.69\00:33:13.02
But when President
Bush was inaugurated,
00:33:13.05\00:33:15.02
remember, it was in the context
of a very disputed election.
00:33:15.06\00:33:18.29
And he wanted to do the
walk along Pennsylvania Avenue.
00:33:18.33\00:33:21.33
And they started
throwing things on him.
00:33:21.36\00:33:22.76
So he got in the car
and sped to the White House.
00:33:22.80\00:33:24.70
It was very nasty situation.
00:33:24.73\00:33:27.50
Hanging chad and pumpkin.
00:33:27.54\00:33:28.87
And I can't
endorse, it was horrible.
00:33:28.90\00:33:30.37
He was the leader
and he needed respect.
00:33:30.41\00:33:33.14
But as a consequence of that,
00:33:33.17\00:33:34.81
progressively,
they restricted speech.
00:33:34.84\00:33:36.64
And it came to the point
00:33:36.68\00:33:38.58
where you were not
allowed to demonstrate
00:33:38.61\00:33:40.58
anywhere near the president.
00:33:40.62\00:33:41.95
They would rope off an area
as a mile or two away sometimes
00:33:41.98\00:33:45.32
from where the president was.
00:33:45.35\00:33:46.72
And they would call
it the free speech zone.
00:33:46.76\00:33:49.29
Or the freedom from speech zone.
00:33:49.32\00:33:51.09
Well, that's what it
was, but free speech zone.
00:33:51.13\00:33:53.86
I mean, the
perversion of language
00:33:53.90\00:33:55.56
and that's where you
could say whatever you want
00:33:55.60\00:33:57.63
and howl against
the government policy.
00:33:57.67\00:33:59.53
But not near.
00:33:59.57\00:34:00.90
Well, you know, we
were already crossed
00:34:00.94\00:34:02.50
a few barriers in
nullifying that right.
00:34:02.54\00:34:08.34
I call it erosion.
00:34:08.38\00:34:10.01
You know, things don't,
00:34:10.05\00:34:11.91
you know, rocks
don't fall off of mountains
00:34:11.95\00:34:13.82
because it just big set,
all of a sudden became loose.
00:34:13.85\00:34:17.09
He was a problem
on the Supreme Court
00:34:17.12\00:34:18.79
but Scalia who is dead now.
00:34:18.82\00:34:21.32
I heard him speak a few times
00:34:21.36\00:34:22.69
and he spoke truth now and then,
00:34:22.72\00:34:24.09
and he said that he had voted
00:34:24.13\00:34:25.89
for the right of the
individual to burn the flag.
00:34:25.93\00:34:28.96
And I don't think
00:34:29.00\00:34:30.33
the Supreme Court
passed such a thing now.
00:34:30.37\00:34:31.70
No.
00:34:31.73\00:34:33.07
But he made that comment
00:34:33.10\00:34:34.44
that just because
you find it distasteful
00:34:34.47\00:34:36.54
doesn't mean you
should restrict it.
00:34:36.57\00:34:37.91
That's really the proof
of free speech particularly.
00:34:37.94\00:34:40.84
You have to allow
people to say something
00:34:40.88\00:34:43.08
that you find
grossly objectionable.
00:34:43.11\00:34:45.75
That's when the
free speech is proven,
00:34:45.78\00:34:47.95
not when they're
murmuring on irrelevancies.
00:34:47.98\00:34:50.79
And I don't say that, no,
00:34:50.82\00:34:52.15
it's when it's in
your face and you're hated.
00:34:52.19\00:34:54.22
But we're already to the point
00:34:54.26\00:34:55.79
where that's not
acceptable in this.
00:34:55.82\00:34:57.39
I think in the pre-discussions,
00:34:57.43\00:34:59.59
we were talking about
how sometimes of late,
00:34:59.63\00:35:02.56
that sort of speech
will quickly get the idea
00:35:02.60\00:35:04.93
that we say that
you're not an American,
00:35:04.97\00:35:06.80
you're an enemy.
00:35:06.84\00:35:08.17
That's sort of
language ends badly in my view.
00:35:08.20\00:35:10.97
A few years ago,
I wrote an editorial
00:35:11.01\00:35:14.34
where I put a Turner
phrase and I still like,
00:35:14.38\00:35:16.88
and I had even Michael
Moore, the filmmaker emailed me.
00:35:16.91\00:35:20.52
He says, "I think
00:35:20.55\00:35:21.88
you've got a little
bit too far on that.
00:35:21.92\00:35:23.39
But I stick with it."
00:35:23.42\00:35:25.12
I said the difference
00:35:25.15\00:35:26.79
between the
hate radio, hate talk
00:35:26.82\00:35:29.59
on often Right
Wing Radio in the US
00:35:29.62\00:35:32.59
and the hate talk
on the radio in Rwanda
00:35:32.63\00:35:35.23
that preceded the killing
is one of degree, not of kind.
00:35:35.26\00:35:42.10
'Cause I hear,
it's usually Right Wing,
00:35:42.14\00:35:43.87
but it's, I can't say
that it's one or the other.
00:35:43.91\00:35:46.68
But they'll portray
their political enemies
00:35:46.71\00:35:48.71
as non-Americans, as
enemies of the country,
00:35:48.74\00:35:51.31
as sympathizes with
whoever enemy we've got.
00:35:51.35\00:35:54.12
And, you and I might
understand that it's rhetoric,
00:35:54.15\00:35:56.99
but there's an
element of any country
00:35:57.02\00:35:58.99
that they take that
to heart, oh, enemies.
00:35:59.02\00:36:02.16
And you know, we had it in,
00:36:02.19\00:36:03.53
we're talking about the
origins of this country,
00:36:03.56\00:36:05.13
something that's
not known very well.
00:36:05.16\00:36:08.50
Benjamin
Franklin, one of the icons,
00:36:08.53\00:36:10.63
he had his home burned down
00:36:10.67\00:36:12.33
because the mob believed
00:36:12.37\00:36:13.70
he was against the
American Revolution.
00:36:13.74\00:36:16.97
And he escaped with his life.
00:36:17.01\00:36:18.34
But later he was rehabilitated.
00:36:18.37\00:36:20.31
That's not a good
thing to be cast as an enemy
00:36:20.34\00:36:23.35
of the wonderful ideals
00:36:23.38\00:36:25.25
that should
characterize the United States.
00:36:25.28\00:36:27.22
America is not a nationality,
a particular ethnic group,
00:36:27.25\00:36:32.69
America is a melting pot.
00:36:32.72\00:36:34.39
It should be a dream.
00:36:34.42\00:36:35.76
It should...
00:36:35.79\00:36:37.13
right, not a nightmare.
00:36:37.16\00:36:38.49
Unfortunately, and
we are living in a very,
00:36:38.53\00:36:40.40
you know,
volatile social climate
00:36:40.43\00:36:42.53
that has
reconstruction of the social,
00:36:42.56\00:36:44.97
economic,
political, and eventually,
00:36:45.00\00:36:47.50
everything that
comes before religion
00:36:47.54\00:36:49.54
definitely affects religion.
00:36:49.57\00:36:51.57
When I was growing up
as a Seventh-day Adventist,
00:36:51.61\00:36:54.34
I'm a fourth generation
and studying the prophecies
00:36:54.38\00:36:56.78
we're talking about or
having them given to me
00:36:56.81\00:36:58.61
when I was studying.
00:36:58.65\00:37:00.28
I remember a lot of talk
times almost paranoid about,
00:37:00.32\00:37:03.95
watch out
00:37:03.99\00:37:05.32
when the United States
has constitutional conventions
00:37:05.35\00:37:08.56
and rethinks the Constitution.
00:37:08.59\00:37:10.23
That's when a Sunday
law. I heard that, yeah.
00:37:10.26\00:37:12.46
I don't really
believe that anymore.
00:37:12.49\00:37:14.10
We don't need a
change in the Constitution
00:37:14.13\00:37:17.03
to bring about such a thing.
00:37:17.07\00:37:18.60
The word is repudiate.
00:37:18.63\00:37:19.97
But I have never
before read and heard
00:37:20.00\00:37:24.67
as much active discussion
00:37:24.71\00:37:26.31
and bending about the
need for a new Constitution.
00:37:26.34\00:37:31.05
There are many top magazines,
00:37:31.08\00:37:34.08
and for in the United States now
00:37:34.12\00:37:36.58
that are actively discussing,
00:37:36.62\00:37:37.95
maybe we need to
redo the document.
00:37:37.99\00:37:41.56
And so the danger there
00:37:41.59\00:37:42.92
is not so much
narrowly Sunday law.
00:37:42.96\00:37:45.13
I think the danger
00:37:45.16\00:37:46.49
is just the whole
experiment going off the rails.
00:37:46.53\00:37:49.13
It is because you're not talking
00:37:49.16\00:37:50.50
about just a day of worship,
00:37:50.53\00:37:51.87
you're talking
00:37:51.90\00:37:53.23
about the
framework of a society.
00:37:53.27\00:37:54.60
Like think about,
what's our society?
00:37:54.64\00:37:55.97
I mean, I'm generalizing,
there's wonderful people,
00:37:56.00\00:37:58.54
wonderfully
balanced, knowledgeable,
00:37:58.57\00:38:00.51
but in the main we're a society
00:38:00.54\00:38:02.68
that are bred on
television sitcoms,
00:38:02.71\00:38:06.01
TV games, almost
an alternate reality.
00:38:06.05\00:38:12.69
Gross ignorance on history,
00:38:12.72\00:38:15.06
gross ignorance
on all that serve,
00:38:15.09\00:38:18.26
I doubted so now,
00:38:18.29\00:38:19.63
but in the past
only I think it was 6%
00:38:19.66\00:38:22.46
can name the sitting president.
00:38:22.50\00:38:25.33
So it is not a
greatly informed populace
00:38:25.37\00:38:28.04
and you only have to
read the founding fathers
00:38:28.07\00:38:30.81
at some length to
know that they believe
00:38:30.84\00:38:32.21
that an educated moral community
00:38:32.24\00:38:35.38
were the only
ones that were safe
00:38:35.41\00:38:36.75
to address this experiment to.
00:38:36.78\00:38:40.45
So if we were to come
up with a new Constitution,
00:38:40.48\00:38:43.22
what would they come up with?
00:38:43.25\00:38:44.59
This is the
Hunger Games mentality,
00:38:44.62\00:38:46.55
the latest film
00:38:46.59\00:38:47.92
which is ominous to the extreme,
00:38:47.96\00:38:49.29
which is widely
circulated is the...
00:38:49.32\00:38:53.90
What is it called?
00:38:53.93\00:38:55.26
The...
00:38:55.30\00:38:56.67
Anyhow the idea...
00:38:56.70\00:38:58.03
I'll come to you in a moment.
00:38:58.07\00:38:59.67
It's a film that once a
year, there's a period of time.
00:38:59.70\00:39:04.81
I think it's one day
00:39:04.84\00:39:06.17
where you get to
kill whoever you want,
00:39:06.21\00:39:09.24
take care of business,
00:39:09.28\00:39:10.61
it's not
illegal to kill someone.
00:39:10.65\00:39:11.98
Yeah, I saw the
commercial for that.
00:39:12.01\00:39:13.35
It's kind of like a Purge.
00:39:13.38\00:39:15.75
The Purge. Purge.
00:39:15.78\00:39:17.12
Yeah. The Purge. Yeah.
00:39:17.15\00:39:18.49
Now, I don't believe
00:39:18.52\00:39:19.85
that just because it's
the film it's going to happen.
00:39:19.89\00:39:21.22
Even the idea...
00:39:21.26\00:39:22.59
But at the best of times,
00:39:22.62\00:39:25.09
Jules Verne
00:39:25.13\00:39:26.46
and other
science fiction writers
00:39:26.49\00:39:27.83
have incorporated
00:39:27.86\00:39:29.20
what they see is
developing trends.
00:39:29.23\00:39:30.57
They've written it down
and then in a feedback loop,
00:39:30.60\00:39:32.47
it sort of feeds
the development, right?
00:39:32.50\00:39:36.20
It's long since
in a rearview mirror
00:39:36.24\00:39:38.24
that that the book 1984,
00:39:38.27\00:39:41.14
written in 1948,
00:39:41.18\00:39:43.35
which spoke of a
dystopian big brother future,
00:39:43.38\00:39:46.11
we've passed that.
00:39:46.15\00:39:47.88
It was very insightful,
00:39:47.92\00:39:49.25
so I don't dismiss
Hunger Games and the Purge.
00:39:49.28\00:39:52.75
I think...
00:39:52.79\00:39:54.12
The massaging of the mindset...
00:39:54.16\00:39:55.49
They're reading
sort of a debauch process
00:39:55.52\00:39:59.93
come from all
these horror movies
00:39:59.96\00:40:01.56
and so on.
00:40:01.60\00:40:02.93
It appeals to
people more than before.
00:40:02.96\00:40:05.17
You know, the strange thing
about that if somebody who,
00:40:05.20\00:40:07.84
and we have this
irrational mindset
00:40:07.87\00:40:10.57
that's accompanying a
lot of the political dogma
00:40:10.61\00:40:12.51
that's infiltrating the church.
00:40:12.54\00:40:14.94
That's why I need to
make this point very clearly
00:40:14.98\00:40:17.41
for those watching and
listening to the program.
00:40:17.45\00:40:19.45
It is very relatively
important for a Christian
00:40:19.48\00:40:22.32
to maintain
connection with the Bible,
00:40:22.35\00:40:25.19
because the only book
that can maintain sanity
00:40:25.22\00:40:27.69
about how a
person's life should be.
00:40:27.72\00:40:29.79
You know, for example,
love your neighbor as yourself.
00:40:29.82\00:40:32.56
You don't hear that
being a spouse today.
00:40:32.59\00:40:34.96
If we had people that are,
00:40:35.00\00:40:37.90
"religious in their
framework of their politics,"
00:40:37.93\00:40:41.00
say, you know what?
00:40:41.04\00:40:42.37
We may not agree
with our neighbor,
00:40:42.40\00:40:43.74
but love your
neighbor as yourself.
00:40:43.77\00:40:45.77
By this shall all men know
00:40:45.81\00:40:47.18
that you're My disciples
by your love for one another.
00:40:47.21\00:40:49.58
If we begin to
espouse these principles,
00:40:49.61\00:40:51.75
then people will begin to
say, you know, you're right.
00:40:51.78\00:40:53.65
I cannot treat my
brother or my neighbor that way
00:40:53.68\00:40:56.65
regardless of his
convictions religiously,
00:40:56.69\00:40:58.62
his race, his ethnic background,
00:40:58.65\00:41:00.49
his country of origin
or his financial status.
00:41:00.52\00:41:03.16
These are the
principles of Christianity
00:41:03.19\00:41:04.83
that makes liberty a
significant important.
00:41:04.86\00:41:07.46
It's the foundation of it.
00:41:07.50\00:41:08.83
And I tried to
incorporate that earlier too.
00:41:08.86\00:41:10.93
What we aiming at is not
to get ourselves to heaven,
00:41:10.97\00:41:14.60
in going to heaven,
take other people with us.
00:41:14.64\00:41:16.20
Take other people with us.
00:41:16.24\00:41:17.57
And the Bible's plain,
00:41:17.61\00:41:18.94
you know, it's loving
your neighbor as yourself.
00:41:18.97\00:41:20.78
And if we ostracize people
00:41:20.81\00:41:22.14
because we
disagree with the ideology,
00:41:22.18\00:41:24.08
I have good friends
00:41:24.11\00:41:25.45
that don't agree
with me politically.
00:41:25.48\00:41:26.82
They don't agree
with me doctrinally,
00:41:26.85\00:41:28.18
but we meet every week.
00:41:28.22\00:41:29.55
And we've talked
together, we pray together,
00:41:29.58\00:41:30.92
we read the Bible together.
00:41:30.95\00:41:32.29
And in this way I'm able to
00:41:32.32\00:41:34.06
and they are able to
express in their own lives.
00:41:34.09\00:41:37.13
You know, I say,
okay, you pray today,
00:41:37.16\00:41:38.86
or you pray today?
00:41:38.89\00:41:40.23
And my good friends
don't believe what I believe
00:41:40.26\00:41:42.76
and don't necessarily stand
on the same political platform.
00:41:42.80\00:41:45.40
But we say
00:41:45.43\00:41:46.77
this was really moving statement
00:41:46.80\00:41:48.40
that the good friend of mine,
00:41:48.44\00:41:50.01
Senator, he's a
Republican Senator.
00:41:50.04\00:41:52.87
He said,
00:41:52.91\00:41:54.24
"You know, it feels so good
00:41:54.28\00:41:55.61
to have a person
like you in my corner
00:41:55.64\00:41:57.15
that I could turn
to and have pray for,
00:41:57.18\00:41:58.81
pray with me."
00:41:58.85\00:42:00.18
We, this is the
ideal of America.
00:42:00.22\00:42:02.12
We should disagree on things
00:42:02.15\00:42:04.25
that don't make us disagreeable.
00:42:04.29\00:42:06.32
But we should maintain
00:42:06.35\00:42:07.69
a condition of
Christianity in that.
00:42:07.72\00:42:10.33
Something that
we've already test
00:42:10.36\00:42:11.69
on this worth restating.
00:42:11.73\00:42:13.06
I believe it's long been true.
00:42:13.09\00:42:15.36
But now it's almost
overwhelmingly true,
00:42:15.40\00:42:18.30
that as Christians,
00:42:18.33\00:42:20.30
perhaps closer
00:42:20.34\00:42:21.67
to the time of
trouble than before
00:42:21.70\00:42:23.77
and with the kingdom beyond,
00:42:23.81\00:42:25.77
we need to have our minds fixed,
00:42:25.81\00:42:28.21
knowledgeable about God,
00:42:28.24\00:42:29.81
emotionally connected to God
00:42:29.84\00:42:31.51
and where the
reality is not always clear.
00:42:31.55\00:42:35.72
This disinformation, ad
nauseum floating around us.
00:42:38.75\00:42:42.96
There is, it's not just lying.
00:42:42.99\00:42:45.29
There's another
reality being pushed on people
00:42:45.33\00:42:48.46
on YouTube and the other things,
00:42:48.50\00:42:49.83
you can even see a video.
00:42:49.86\00:42:51.20
It can be manufactured
almost from nothing.
00:42:51.23\00:42:53.54
I can say what you didn't say.
00:42:53.57\00:42:55.60
And I believe
sooner rather than later,
00:42:55.64\00:42:59.37
we're even going to see
things like, for example,
00:42:59.41\00:43:03.75
this is a rough
version of what's coming,
00:43:03.78\00:43:06.38
but they've been youth concerts
00:43:06.41\00:43:07.75
where Michael Jackson
did, has danced on stage.
00:43:07.78\00:43:11.75
And from a distance,
00:43:11.79\00:43:13.39
they can't tell
because it's a projection.
00:43:13.42\00:43:14.89
Hologram.
00:43:14.92\00:43:16.26
But I believe those
things are increasing
00:43:16.29\00:43:18.66
so rapidly,
00:43:18.69\00:43:20.03
they'll be believable
00:43:20.06\00:43:21.40
unless you come
literally detach it.
00:43:21.43\00:43:24.63
And so the
deceptions are on every hand,
00:43:24.67\00:43:26.84
every hand
00:43:26.87\00:43:28.20
and then as well as that group
psychology is being practiced.
00:43:28.24\00:43:31.77
And I hate to say it,
but I'm not making this up.
00:43:31.81\00:43:34.91
I've read a number of times,
00:43:34.94\00:43:36.91
that some public
figures not just at the moment,
00:43:36.95\00:43:39.08
in the last couple of decades.
00:43:39.11\00:43:40.52
They're studying the writings
00:43:40.55\00:43:42.98
of some of the
master manipulators
00:43:43.02\00:43:44.69
of the 20th century.
00:43:44.72\00:43:46.49
You know, Goring, as stated,
00:43:46.52\00:43:48.92
is quoted quite a lot
00:43:48.96\00:43:50.29
about how you can
deceive the masses and so on.
00:43:50.33\00:43:52.09
So this manipulation
where you create an emergency,
00:43:52.13\00:43:56.43
disorient people,
00:43:56.46\00:43:57.80
then throw in something
they would otherwise reject.
00:43:57.83\00:44:00.90
Right, it's called
the Hegelian dialectic...
00:44:00.94\00:44:03.00
I didn't want to use the term...
00:44:03.04\00:44:04.37
Okay.
00:44:04.41\00:44:06.68
George Hegel, that's it.
00:44:06.71\00:44:08.14
I've used, I've told
people about that before.
00:44:08.18\00:44:11.58
It's the ability to
create three options.
00:44:11.61\00:44:16.35
You have the thesis,
you have the antithesis,
00:44:16.38\00:44:19.99
and then you have the synthesis.
00:44:20.02\00:44:21.82
Try to say those words 10 times.
00:44:21.86\00:44:23.66
So here's my
particular view, my thesis,
00:44:23.69\00:44:26.33
here's my antithesis
opposed to my thesis.
00:44:26.36\00:44:29.10
And here's my synthesis.
00:44:29.13\00:44:30.47
I have your vote
and I got your vote.
00:44:30.50\00:44:32.73
And we are, I mean, honestly,
00:44:32.77\00:44:35.00
if we think that
any politician sits
00:44:35.04\00:44:36.91
in that powerful a seat,
00:44:36.94\00:44:38.57
and doesn't use some
form of manipulation,
00:44:38.61\00:44:40.88
that's why it's important
and I want to reiterate this,
00:44:40.91\00:44:43.04
it's important for
Christians to hold a Bible
00:44:43.08\00:44:46.28
as the higher book of esteem
above any political agenda.
00:44:46.31\00:44:50.22
Not that we should be silent
00:44:50.25\00:44:51.59
about issues
that we don't support.
00:44:51.62\00:44:52.95
And we can pray,
in fact, not can,
00:44:52.99\00:44:54.69
should pray for all the leaders.
00:44:54.72\00:44:56.89
We should be morally
and spiritually supportive
00:44:56.93\00:45:01.70
of their potential
to help the situation.
00:45:01.73\00:45:06.74
And now we have,
00:45:06.77\00:45:08.10
let's talk about
briefly dominionism?
00:45:08.14\00:45:09.47
We talked about that briefly,
00:45:09.50\00:45:10.84
because this is
something that's direct...
00:45:10.87\00:45:12.21
Well, it's an interesting.
00:45:12.24\00:45:13.58
Well, I mean, if people think
00:45:13.61\00:45:16.78
that the rise of
Islamic fundamentalism
00:45:16.81\00:45:19.21
because of the
stresses of modernization
00:45:19.25\00:45:21.38
in the Middle East
is unique to that area,
00:45:21.42\00:45:23.49
they've missed something
00:45:23.52\00:45:24.85
because we've seen
the same thing in the US.
00:45:24.89\00:45:27.52
You know,
modernization is advancing
00:45:27.56\00:45:29.76
as quickly here as anywhere.
00:45:29.79\00:45:32.56
And so back, I'm not
sure if it's the 60s or 70s...
00:45:32.59\00:45:35.80
In the 60s, yeah.
00:45:35.83\00:45:37.17
Yes, Rushdoony came up
00:45:37.20\00:45:40.00
and, of course, he
was not in a vacuum
00:45:40.04\00:45:41.37
that was also the period
00:45:41.40\00:45:42.74
of Francis Schaffer
and the L'Abri retreat
00:45:42.77\00:45:49.54
and the big
formation of activism
00:45:49.58\00:45:52.45
against abortion and so on.
00:45:52.48\00:45:53.85
But Rushdoony
developed a whimsical idea,
00:45:53.88\00:45:57.65
but turned to toxic
00:45:57.69\00:45:59.32
that maybe in this
land of promise, this,
00:45:59.35\00:46:02.22
and this is the
toxic thing in America,
00:46:02.26\00:46:04.06
in exceptional America
00:46:04.09\00:46:05.43
that sort of not
bound by the norms,
00:46:05.46\00:46:07.30
because it's God's own country,
00:46:07.33\00:46:09.10
that here to really
live up to the promise
00:46:09.13\00:46:11.57
we need to
establish in this country
00:46:11.60\00:46:14.67
an Old Testament economy,
00:46:14.70\00:46:16.67
regulated and ruled by
the norms and instructions
00:46:16.71\00:46:20.94
given under a
theocracy in the Old Testament.
00:46:20.98\00:46:25.51
But he never made it
clear who would speak for God.
00:46:25.55\00:46:29.38
But, you know, it's
laid out very rigorous.
00:46:29.42\00:46:33.19
For example, they would be
a little transitional period
00:46:33.22\00:46:38.06
I think was six
months, but after that,
00:46:38.09\00:46:40.00
there would be mandatory death
00:46:40.03\00:46:41.76
for immoral
behavior like adultery,
00:46:41.80\00:46:46.63
mandatory death
for homosexuality,
00:46:46.67\00:46:49.10
and ominously for Adventist
00:46:49.14\00:46:51.01
mandatory death
for Sabbath breaking,
00:46:51.04\00:46:54.31
in other words, not
keeping Sunday worship.
00:46:54.34\00:46:57.58
And at first,
00:46:57.61\00:46:59.01
when a few non-believers
or a cynics read that,
00:46:59.05\00:47:02.32
they're sort of crazy.
00:47:02.35\00:47:04.32
But he's plugged
away and linked in
00:47:04.35\00:47:06.76
to this
developing political stream
00:47:06.79\00:47:09.82
at first Protestantism,
00:47:09.86\00:47:11.19
and then a linkage with
elements of Catholicism.
00:47:11.23\00:47:14.46
And I've noticed over the years,
00:47:14.50\00:47:17.37
his brother and his
son-in-law rather Gary North
00:47:17.40\00:47:20.04
who's carried on the movement,
00:47:20.07\00:47:21.50
he's very often with the groups
00:47:21.54\00:47:23.47
that meet with the
different presidents
00:47:23.51\00:47:24.84
in Washington.
00:47:24.87\00:47:26.21
So he has a voice, as
some variant people say,
00:47:26.24\00:47:28.61
he has a seat at the table.
00:47:28.64\00:47:31.05
And it's
developed that dominionism
00:47:31.08\00:47:33.65
is a pretty
rigorous far out thing
00:47:33.68\00:47:35.58
for most people.
00:47:35.62\00:47:36.95
But it's morphed
into not dominionism,
00:47:36.99\00:47:38.92
Christian reconstructionism.
00:47:38.95\00:47:40.49
It's morphed into dominionism,
00:47:40.52\00:47:42.82
which is sort
of a light version.
00:47:42.86\00:47:44.96
That's right.
00:47:44.99\00:47:46.33
But it's a heavy
application, as we said earlier,
00:47:46.36\00:47:49.56
of what is in the Bible
00:47:49.60\00:47:50.93
that God gave Adam
custody of the animals.
00:47:50.97\00:47:55.74
He was to name them,
used to tilt the garden.
00:47:55.77\00:47:57.74
He was the one
00:47:57.77\00:47:59.17
who was given the
trust of this new creation.
00:47:59.21\00:48:01.48
But dominionism takes it
to a more authoritarian level
00:48:01.51\00:48:06.28
where it's the direct
ownership of the faithful,
00:48:06.31\00:48:10.25
and it just hit me in some ways
00:48:10.29\00:48:11.85
that sort of like John
Calvin's privileged chosen.
00:48:11.89\00:48:17.76
But these people then
have the right to order
00:48:17.79\00:48:20.90
the resources
God gave it to them.
00:48:20.93\00:48:22.96
They will decide,
00:48:23.00\00:48:24.33
you know, what's
mine and what's done here
00:48:24.37\00:48:26.07
that they're not
so much caring for it,
00:48:26.10\00:48:28.10
as is the one that farms it out.
00:48:28.14\00:48:31.67
So it's the
control of this country
00:48:31.71\00:48:34.04
by the elect, a Protestant view.
00:48:34.08\00:48:38.48
And this ideology,
00:48:38.51\00:48:40.48
now a lot of times
00:48:40.52\00:48:41.85
there may be those
watching the program that said,
00:48:41.88\00:48:43.28
I've never heard that
term before, dominionism.
00:48:43.32\00:48:45.75
Well, it actually pops up
a lot in Christianity today,
00:48:45.79\00:48:48.36
for example, just
any magazine like.
00:48:48.39\00:48:50.59
So when you hear
religious leaders say,
00:48:50.63\00:48:52.16
it is our right to
control the government,
00:48:52.19\00:48:54.80
the church should be
the voice of America.
00:48:54.83\00:48:57.63
That is the aftermath.
00:48:57.67\00:48:59.70
That is the clarion
call of dominionism.
00:48:59.73\00:49:02.00
And dominionists believe,
00:49:02.04\00:49:04.17
we could just do your homework.
00:49:04.21\00:49:06.11
Dominionists believe
00:49:06.14\00:49:07.48
that the only reason
00:49:07.51\00:49:08.84
for the existence
of the Constitution
00:49:08.88\00:49:10.25
is to give the church
complete control of the state.
00:49:10.28\00:49:12.71
And that's a reality,
00:49:12.75\00:49:14.08
that's an ideology
that if you look at history,
00:49:14.12\00:49:15.92
and you know, and I know
and if you've been watching,
00:49:15.95\00:49:18.12
when the church was
in charge of the state,
00:49:18.15\00:49:20.86
take me back to the Dark Ages.
00:49:20.89\00:49:22.22
That's just
a... That's a sample.
00:49:22.26\00:49:23.59
Well, where it falls down,
00:49:23.63\00:49:24.96
you know, the theocracy
wasn't the democratic system.
00:49:24.99\00:49:28.53
God ruled directly in the sense
00:49:28.56\00:49:31.33
that He spoke transparently
through Moses at first,
00:49:31.37\00:49:37.41
and then prophetic
leaders, and it was clear,
00:49:37.44\00:49:40.48
but you know, under a
modern day dominionism
00:49:40.51\00:49:42.68
I have to take on faith
00:49:42.71\00:49:44.08
that that leader
now speaks for God
00:49:44.11\00:49:46.18
that they have
any connection at all.
00:49:46.21\00:49:48.28
In fact, the
chances are overwhelming,
00:49:48.32\00:49:50.75
that is someone
00:49:50.79\00:49:52.12
in their private view of
religion and human nature
00:49:52.15\00:49:55.12
being what it is,
00:49:55.16\00:49:56.49
it morphs instantly
00:49:56.52\00:49:57.86
toward a religious dictatorship.
00:49:57.89\00:49:59.69
That's right.
00:49:59.73\00:50:01.06
So Revelation 13,
00:50:01.10\00:50:02.43
you know, astrophysicist
Neil DeGrasse Tyson said,
00:50:02.46\00:50:04.73
and this is a term I...
00:50:04.77\00:50:06.10
When I heard this, I
couldn't let it get by.
00:50:06.13\00:50:07.47
He says, "One of
the dangers we face
00:50:07.50\00:50:09.14
is to know
enough about a subject
00:50:09.17\00:50:11.11
to think you were right,
00:50:11.14\00:50:12.47
but not enough of that
subject to know we're wrong."
00:50:12.51\00:50:15.01
I thought that
was an amazing topic
00:50:15.04\00:50:16.38
because you have a lot of people
00:50:16.41\00:50:17.75
that are in that
paradigm of religious thinking.
00:50:17.78\00:50:19.68
And they say, well,
00:50:19.71\00:50:21.05
this is what's best
for you as a citizen.
00:50:21.08\00:50:22.75
Where do you
see this all headed?
00:50:22.78\00:50:24.32
In the context of Revelation 13,
00:50:24.35\00:50:26.09
we know where the Bible told us,
00:50:26.12\00:50:27.96
but where do you see
this great country headed?
00:50:27.99\00:50:32.26
Well, there's so many angles,
00:50:32.29\00:50:33.70
but I do believe
there's going to be
00:50:33.73\00:50:35.13
a religious revival
00:50:35.16\00:50:38.90
that of a mixed type.
00:50:38.93\00:50:42.40
COVID, yet, it's amazing.
00:50:42.44\00:50:44.87
I haven't heard much
of a call by any group,
00:50:44.91\00:50:48.84
to sort of prayer and fasting
and repentance as a nation
00:50:48.88\00:50:52.45
and a move toward godliness.
00:50:52.48\00:50:54.22
But this type of thing,
00:50:54.25\00:50:57.55
in the degree that
the Middle Ages saw,
00:50:57.59\00:50:59.32
were a sizable
percentage of the population
00:50:59.35\00:51:01.26
is at risk of imminent death
leads to huge introspection,
00:51:01.29\00:51:05.26
huge fanatical
religious activity,
00:51:05.29\00:51:09.03
and many people
going back to basics
00:51:09.06\00:51:11.63
and seeking the Lord.
00:51:11.67\00:51:13.03
So I think when that develops,
00:51:13.07\00:51:14.70
we will see people
00:51:14.74\00:51:17.11
rediscovering
their true faith in God,
00:51:17.14\00:51:19.41
others being
pulled toward recognizing
00:51:19.44\00:51:22.74
that God alone can save them.
00:51:22.78\00:51:24.88
And then also those
who have a religious agenda
00:51:24.91\00:51:28.12
but not a true faith
00:51:28.15\00:51:29.48
trying to seize control
and push their faith and other,
00:51:29.52\00:51:32.22
so it's a great dividing time
00:51:32.25\00:51:34.32
which, of course,
the Bible speaks about,
00:51:34.36\00:51:35.82
but I think it's
sociologically inevitable.
00:51:35.86\00:51:38.93
As, you know, as I
say, in the Islamic world,
00:51:38.96\00:51:42.13
that's what's happening.
00:51:42.16\00:51:43.60
Islam has been
reasserted in a way.
00:51:43.63\00:51:47.34
Remember, Islam has
been like Catholicism,
00:51:47.37\00:51:49.74
they are born a Muslim,
00:51:49.77\00:51:51.11
they haven't all read the Quran
00:51:51.14\00:51:52.71
and mastered them
00:51:52.74\00:51:54.08
but you know,
they've not internalized it.
00:51:54.11\00:51:56.54
So when the society
comes under some stress,
00:51:56.58\00:52:00.42
people will turn
back to their religion
00:52:00.45\00:52:01.88
and they find it
in different ways.
00:52:01.92\00:52:03.45
And someone is fanatical
00:52:03.49\00:52:04.92
can quote the
worst things to them
00:52:04.95\00:52:06.76
and rally the activists
00:52:06.79\00:52:08.96
and other people are going
00:52:08.99\00:52:11.53
to a more
spiritual type of Islam.
00:52:11.56\00:52:14.16
And there's a war
within the Islamic world,
00:52:14.20\00:52:15.66
I can tell you,
00:52:15.70\00:52:17.03
between those who
are of personal faith
00:52:17.07\00:52:19.53
and those that want
to use this as a fist
00:52:19.57\00:52:21.24
against society and
against their enemies.
00:52:21.27\00:52:23.64
That will happen here
in the Christian West.
00:52:23.67\00:52:27.41
But we've got a
little further to go
00:52:27.44\00:52:29.08
to be reawakened
00:52:29.11\00:52:30.45
because we've been desensitized
00:52:30.48\00:52:31.88
by the whole
secular movement, I think.
00:52:31.91\00:52:33.78
That's why I'm so
glad for certain phrases.
00:52:33.82\00:52:36.79
And this is more than a phrase,
Jesus said this word Himself.
00:52:36.82\00:52:40.76
In Matthew 24:14,
00:52:40.79\00:52:42.12
"In the midst of
all of this quagmire,
00:52:42.16\00:52:43.93
in the midst of
all this dust storm
00:52:43.96\00:52:45.93
of political,
secular, social, economic,
00:52:45.96\00:52:50.10
protests, religious uncertainty,
00:52:50.13\00:52:52.17
financial instability. "
00:52:52.20\00:52:53.54
Jesus said,
00:52:53.57\00:52:54.90
"And this gospel of the
kingdom will be preached
00:52:54.94\00:52:56.50
in all the world as a witness
00:52:56.54\00:52:57.87
to all nations and
then the end will come."
00:52:57.91\00:53:00.14
If that text wasn't there,
00:53:00.18\00:53:01.51
I would say how is
this going to wind up?
00:53:01.54\00:53:03.68
Is it going to happen?
00:53:03.71\00:53:05.05
Are we going to get to the point
00:53:05.08\00:53:06.41
of being able to do this?
00:53:06.45\00:53:07.78
Well, yes,
00:53:07.82\00:53:09.35
I think there's some moments
of opportunity yet to come.
00:53:09.38\00:53:13.82
But, you know, I
personally don't buy the idea
00:53:13.86\00:53:16.09
that some mythical
moment when everybody will know.
00:53:16.12\00:53:18.96
People are coming and going now.
00:53:18.99\00:53:20.33
And I think
00:53:20.36\00:53:21.70
in the
satisfactory sense already,
00:53:21.73\00:53:24.33
the knowledge of Christ
has gone to the known world
00:53:24.37\00:53:27.30
several times over
went in one lifetime,
00:53:27.34\00:53:30.64
and with the media now,
00:53:30.67\00:53:32.01
you know, there
could be a moment of test
00:53:32.04\00:53:34.68
when true call
could sort of flesh out.
00:53:34.71\00:53:38.35
And I hope that will happen.
00:53:38.38\00:53:39.75
But basically,
00:53:39.78\00:53:41.12
we have to work out our
own salvation and witness.
00:53:41.15\00:53:43.49
And Jesus said,
remember, He said,
00:53:43.52\00:53:45.22
you know, it's not given to
you that know these seasons,
00:53:45.25\00:53:47.02
not given, you
know, feel survived.
00:53:47.06\00:53:49.52
How it all works
out, the dynamics of it.
00:53:49.56\00:53:53.36
It says, God's not
willing that any should perish.
00:53:53.40\00:53:56.77
But I think it's
abundantly obvious
00:53:56.80\00:53:58.67
that we're at the end point.
00:53:58.70\00:54:00.67
That's the real point.
00:54:00.70\00:54:02.04
And the US founded
on great principles
00:54:02.07\00:54:04.44
also is arriving at its endpoint
00:54:04.47\00:54:06.54
for this experiment.
00:54:06.57\00:54:07.98
It could morph
into a second promise,
00:54:08.01\00:54:10.88
but very likely like Rome,
00:54:10.91\00:54:13.85
when you're
financially, and morally,
00:54:13.88\00:54:16.02
and societally dissipated,
00:54:16.05\00:54:17.92
then, you know, the
dragon comes at that point.
00:54:17.95\00:54:21.46
You know, I want to make sure
00:54:21.49\00:54:22.82
that our listening
and viewing audience
00:54:22.86\00:54:24.19
has information that
they need to get in touch
00:54:24.23\00:54:26.49
with Lincoln Steed.
00:54:26.53\00:54:27.86
You know, Liberty
Magazine is something
00:54:27.90\00:54:29.50
that you can make available
to your local thought leaders,
00:54:29.53\00:54:32.47
whether congressional,
whether political,
00:54:32.50\00:54:35.34
if somebody in your community
00:54:35.37\00:54:36.81
or in the broader
effect of your influence
00:54:36.84\00:54:40.54
needs to make
decisions about your tomorrow,
00:54:40.58\00:54:43.71
Liberty Magazine,
00:54:43.75\00:54:45.08
Liberty Insider is
one that you should have.
00:54:45.11\00:54:47.22
And LibertyMagazine.org
00:54:47.25\00:54:49.18
is where you can go to
find out more information,
00:54:49.22\00:54:51.79
you can find out older editions
00:54:51.82\00:54:55.26
and many of the issues
that we just touched on today.
00:54:55.29\00:54:57.09
Back into the 70s even.
00:54:57.13\00:54:58.53
Way back into the
70s, Liberty magazine...
00:54:58.56\00:55:00.53
That's when we
started electronic type.
00:55:00.56\00:55:02.13
We can't go
further back than that.
00:55:02.16\00:55:03.50
You can't go back
further than that.
00:55:03.53\00:55:04.87
But I think that's...
00:55:04.90\00:55:06.23
If there's ever a time
00:55:06.27\00:55:07.60
that political leaders
need to read this magazine,
00:55:07.64\00:55:10.04
you can do your part
00:55:10.07\00:55:11.41
and you don't
have to say to them,
00:55:11.44\00:55:12.77
well, here's what
you need to pay for it.
00:55:12.81\00:55:14.61
Make it a gift to
your local congressman,
00:55:14.64\00:55:16.18
to your local
senator, to your local mayor,
00:55:16.21\00:55:18.65
and educate those
who are in the position
00:55:18.68\00:55:21.68
to impact your future.
00:55:21.72\00:55:23.32
Few thoughts as
we wind up this hour,
00:55:23.35\00:55:24.69
these two hours.
00:55:24.72\00:55:26.05
What an hour, we
covered quite a bit of things.
00:55:26.09\00:55:27.42
I know it goes quick.
00:55:27.46\00:55:28.79
Yes, it goes very quickly.
00:55:28.82\00:55:30.16
What can you say
00:55:30.19\00:55:31.53
to those who are listening
and watching this program?
00:55:31.56\00:55:32.89
Well, I used to
listen to HMS Richards,
00:55:32.93\00:55:36.30
a great radio ministry
00:55:36.33\00:55:38.83
of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:55:38.87\00:55:40.20
and at the end in
a mellifluous voice
00:55:40.24\00:55:41.84
which neither you nor I know.
00:55:41.87\00:55:43.71
Now, you have more than me.
00:55:43.74\00:55:45.07
He would say,
"Have faith in God,
00:55:45.11\00:55:46.44
dear friend, have faith."
00:55:46.47\00:55:48.34
We do need to see
that amid the storms
00:55:48.38\00:55:51.21
God is protecting
and in a limited way
00:55:51.25\00:55:54.88
because He's
trying to prove a point
00:55:54.92\00:55:56.25
that evil is working its way up,
00:55:56.28\00:55:57.62
but God is guiding events.
00:55:57.65\00:55:59.62
And I was speaking
to D. James Kennedy,
00:55:59.65\00:56:02.69
as I mentioned earlier,
00:56:02.72\00:56:04.06
and we spoke at great length
in his office and he told me,
00:56:04.09\00:56:06.90
he says, "I used to
believe in the secret rapture."
00:56:06.93\00:56:09.06
But he says, "I don't anymore,
00:56:09.10\00:56:10.43
he says, because under
that God does not clearly win."
00:56:10.47\00:56:13.64
And God needs to be
clearly seen to win.
00:56:13.67\00:56:17.11
And out of this chaos,
00:56:17.14\00:56:18.67
I believe God will be
seen to be victorious,
00:56:18.71\00:56:22.54
goodness will triumph
00:56:22.58\00:56:24.25
and a new eternal kingdom,
00:56:24.28\00:56:25.81
not a reborn America,
00:56:25.85\00:56:27.52
but a reborn mankind
and an Eden will appear.
00:56:27.55\00:56:30.69
Well, I'll end the
program with this thought.
00:56:30.72\00:56:32.79
Isaiah 46:9-10,
00:56:32.82\00:56:34.86
"Remember the
former things of old,
00:56:34.89\00:56:36.49
for I am God and
there is no other,
00:56:36.52\00:56:38.13
I am God and
there is none like me,
00:56:38.16\00:56:40.53
declaring the end
from the beginning
00:56:40.56\00:56:42.46
and from ancient times,
00:56:42.50\00:56:44.43
things that are not yet done,
00:56:44.47\00:56:46.13
saying, I will
do all my counsel."
00:56:46.17\00:56:48.74
You know, thank
you so much, Lincoln.
00:56:48.77\00:56:50.11
It's always good
to have you here.
00:56:50.14\00:56:51.57
Always great to have you here.
00:56:51.61\00:56:53.11
And, friends, we're praying
that this time of the year,
00:56:53.14\00:56:55.58
this July 4th will
bring you a liberty in Christ
00:56:55.61\00:56:58.68
that you have
never known before.
00:56:58.71\00:57:00.62
Continue praying for us,
00:57:00.65\00:57:02.18
and we look forward
to seeing you again.
00:57:02.22\00:57:04.75
God bless you.
00:57:04.79\00:57:06.12