George and Hillary speak to Seventh-day Adventists

By Alexander Carpenter (hat tip to Heather May on the myspace heads up)

Here you go - yes, you matter just like everyone else, but for different reasons, namely health care and religious freedom. 

Comments

[Dick Larsen]

They can both read off telepromters.

[Heather May]

does this prove the theory that men utter half as many words as women? ha ha.

okay, "bravo" to Adventists who keep themselves informed, especially about topics that interest me, like religious freedom!

[Tyronell Biggs III]

This is exactly what the church should have been doing - reaching across the bridges. Why does this so-called Spectrum publication always have to diss what the church is doing?

If Spectrum has got it, bring it. Otherwise Spectrum should go pound sand.

[Dr. Thomas J. Zwemer]

Tyronell

The issue is not dissing the SDA Church as much as it is one of anti-ecclesiology. Just as soon as man forms an institution that institution is his or her baby. Recall Abraham pleading with God: “Oh that Ishmael might live before thee.” Gen. 17: 18. Or the conclusion of Caiphas” “It is better than one man die than a whole nation perish.” John 11:50. Paul F.M Zahl puts it this way: “In my opinion, it is not too strong to say that the church, as a human institution, treads over its servants in its ‘original-sin-fee-zone’ of self-protection and its possession of full rights and privileges.” ( Page 229 Grace in Practice Eerdmans 2007)

Barnhouse and Martin did the Seventh-day Adventist Church a great favor. The Church in return did its sons and daughters a great disservice. A number of sincere Christians are trying to sort through the rubble of the past 25-50 years. Both apologists and critics have enough baggage to lead to repentance. We all need to remember than church membership is no entitlement to heaven. Nor is the rejection of any of Christ’s servants a sign of Grace. The Spectrum agenda is to agree and/or disagree without being disagreeable. Tough job when some are so provocative. We need to remember Jesus Christ needs no defense and any defense of man’s institutions is folly if God is not in it!

[Alexander]

What?

Sorry but I have to stick up for the Spectrum community.

First, I'm not sure what's a diss above - in fact, the Spectrum Blog is proud of our health care and support for separation of church/state.

And while in DC this summer, I met many great Adventists: Derek Douglas, James Standish, Roy Branson, Chuck Sandefur, Cliff Goldstein, Gil Burnham (where are the women?) building and walking (not just reaching?) across those bridges.

As anyone can see from the various views expressed of late over origins, people who read Spectrum do bring it. . .often in a thoughtful way.

[Johnny]

Dick- you have to admit that Clinton's speech, apart from being longer, had much more awareness and acknowledgments of our Adventist particulars. I especially liked her Sabbath reference.

It comes across strongly that our work with her on workplace religious freedom legislation has made a lasting impression.

Kudos to the NARLA folk for their work!

Also, I agree with Tom and Alex. Obviously.

[Jon]

Are we supposed to feel special for these kudos from politicians?
Dissecting them for "meat" so as to vote "properly" in the next election?
They were both full of platitudes--as said so eloquently in the first post.

I am at a loss as to how I am "supposed" to feel about both. They are quite random.

Enlighten me?

[Dick Larsen]

Johnny - I wouldn't try to deny that many complementary things said in both clips. It's just that I get hung up on the idea that political spin persons are hired to recognize groups. Speeches are written, time slots for filming are scheduled, maybe the script is read while the make up crew does their work. One or two takes and a bit of editing and it's done. Send it to the group it would interest. And of course maybe it's not that way at all.

[Darius]

Cute. The ONLY thing of note here is that Clinton obviously has a more astute writer. The Sabbath reference was priceless. So glad I'm not in US to have to make choices between either of them.

[JWright]

W's tie is crooked. It bugs me.

[Darius (statrei)]

I notice that we have another Darius besides me and this one is from Australia. This may make for some interesting attributions in the future.

[Michael Peabody]

Thanks for linking to these videos online. NARLA focuses on building bridges in order to protect the religious freedom of ALL peaceful people of faith.

Speaking of the church's religious liberty work, Hillary Clinton said in a speech, "If religious freedom is to thrive in the 21st century, the United States must be a leader in that effort. And there is no group that has been more focused on the issue of religious liberty than the Seventh Day Adventist Church. You and the other faiths represented here, the other denominations present, understand something that is still not accepted, that we can thrive as a community of faith and faiths if we are given the opportunity, and if more nations understand that part of America's strength, its progress, and its success is not just that we have a great free market system, not just a government created by our founders who understood as much about human nature as they did about setting up governments, which is why they put in checks and balances, but because we have always cherished that space between economic activity and public governmental activity. That space where most of life takes place, the space of family, the space of faith, the space of associations, the space of religion and speech, the space where each one of us can become all we were meant to be to live up to our God-given potential."

You might be interested in reading the full text of speeches that Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. John McCain gave at NARLA events.

McCain (2006) http://www.churchstate.org/article.php?id=146

Clinton (2005)
http://www.churchstate.org/article.php?id=41

Michael Peabody
Executive Director, NARLA-West (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah)

[Bob Dylan]

A particularly relevant verse for everyone out there to take seriously to heart is "Ye shall know them by their fruit (works)".