“It is proper to take alarm at the first experiment on our liberties. We hold this prudent jealousy to be the first duty of citizens and the noblest characteristic of the American Revolution. The freemen of America did not wait till usurped power had strengthened itself by exercise and entangled the question in precedents. They saw all the consequences in the principle, and avoided the consequences by denying the principles.”
Tag: religious liberty
Proposed Missouri gun law expanding concealed carry to churches violates religious liberty, say clergy
Clergy in Missouri are objecting to legislationthat would remove the requirement that individual Concealed Carry Weapon permits first obtain the permission from their pastor before carrying concealed weapons in church and require signage if churches do not permit concealed carry.
Op-Ed: What is a Christian Nation?
I think we have to start at the most basic point – what do we mean when we say “Christian nation?” Part of what makes the notion of a Christian nation unworkable is that I don’t think Christians in America (or anywhere else for that matter) could ever agree on what a Christian nation should be. If Christians can’t agree on what it is, how could the ever actualize it? In some of the comments on left on the Facebook page, some have noted that a Christian nation is impossible because of Christ’s statement that his kingdom is not of this world. (John 18:35-37) While this argument has merit, I mention it only to make the point that it would be hard to actualize a Christian nation if you had a contingent of Christians saying that having a nation is against the very premise of Christianity. In order to address the idea of what a Christian nation is, we have to define both what a nation is and what it means to be Christian.
RLTV Podcast: The Rock v. The Gates and the Role of the Remnant
A presentation by Michael Peabody at the Corona Seventh-day Adventist Church – February 4, 2012.
Karel Nowak: A Legacy of Religious Liberty (Spectrum Magazine)
Shortly before I left the work at the GC office I had an opportunity to sit down with Karel and ask him what he would say to the person who would replace him.
Adventist Church Selects New UN Liaison
From Adventist News Network – The Seventh-day Adventist Church has selected Ganoune Diop, a theologian and multi-linguist, as its new voice at the United Nations. Former mission study centers director will also contribute to IRLA 12 Aug 2011, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States Bettina Krause/IRLA/ANN The Seventh-day Adventist Church has selected Ganoune Diop, a theologian and multi-linguist,…
Article18: Norway — Personal Reflections on the Origin of a Tragedy
The fact of the matter is that the demon of terrorism is one that will practice whatever religion it must to satisfy its craving for violence. Terrorism knows no religion that it can’t corrupt. Violence can find a home in any religion, any belief system, be it Muslim, Christian, or Sikh and it is not partial to any one in particular, despite the ramblings in the media.
Discernibly Proactive: History of Adventist Involvement in Public Policy
[T]he leaders of the Church need to place a much higher priority on being involved in the public sphere, finding ways to be discernibly proactive while keeping the larger constitutional and prophetic pictures ever in focus. There are times to remain neutral, but we also need to be a serious player, not isolationists or sideliners.
VIDEO: President Obama on Church and State
Obama on Church and State Obama explains the importance of church-state separation in a variety of ways. What it comes down to is; In a diverse democratic society, any proposed policy must justify itself via the benefits we ALL see, rather than via arguments that only hold true to people who have one certain religious…
High School Sophomores Answer Question “How Would You Feel If Your Religious Freedom Was Taken Away?”
As their final assignment for the play, I had students respond to the question, “How would you feel if your religious freedom was taken away?” The responses varied, in both length and reaction. Nearly all of the teenagers in the class are self-described Christians, but their approach toward religion varies from conservative evangelical to tolerant progressives to near-agnostic. Their reactions to a potential scenario in which they were not allowed to practice religion freely ranged from the pragmatic to conformist to vigilant resistance.