Podcasts about advance religious freedom

In this episode of American Thought Leaders, we sit down with Pastor Bob Fu, who escaped persecution in China twenty years ago to found China Aid, a Texas-based Christian nonprofit promoting religious freedom for all. We discuss the reasons for Pastor Fu’s involvement in the newly formed Committee on the Present Danger: China, which seeks to educate about the “existential threat” the Chinese communist party poses to America and the rest of the free world. We also look at why 2018 was one of the worst years for religious persecution in China in decades, and how the newly formed Coalition to Advance Religious Freedom in China is trying to address this.

The Christian Outlook – July 27, 2019 Greg Clugston of SRN News talks with U.S. Ambassador at Large for Religious Freedom Sam Brownback about the Second Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom. Frank Sontag speaks with David Curry, CEO of Open Doors USA, talk about the help they provide to believers in nations where simply being a Christian can be life-threatening. Georgene Rice and Lois Anderson of Oregon Right to Life discuss Planned Parenthood and abortion politics in the nation today. Georgene Rice talks with Max McLean who is portraying C.S. Lewis on stage. They discuss what makes C.S. Lewis' presentation of the Gospel tangible to so many people. Greg Laurie and Dave Spiker talk with J. D. Greear, current president of the Southern Baptist Convention about Geear's book, “Above All: The Gospel is the Source of the Church’s Revival.” John Hall and Kathy Emmons invite Costi Hinn, the nephew of the television evangelist Benny Hinn, to share about how the prosperity gospel twists the true Gospel and takes advantage of both the poor and rich. Costi tells his story about why and how he left Benny Hinn’s mafia-like ministry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, the State Department held their second annual Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, which turned out to be the largest human rights gathering in the history of the State Department. Nearly 200 foreign delegations and over a thousand of government representatives, religious leaders, survivors of religious persecution and members of civil society convened to discuss the challenges of religious persecution and promote the fundamental human right of religious freedom. In addition to the formal meetings at State, there were over 80 side events hosted by various non-profits, foreign embassies, and coalition groups. The ERLC hosted the only side event on North Korea and its religious liberty and human rights violations. Jeff Pickering, Chelsea Patterson Sobolik, and Steven Harris discuss their experiences from the Ministerial, highlights from the ERLC's side event and new documentary film, Humanity Denied. Resources from the Conversation ERLC short film | Humanity Denied: Religious Freedom in North Korea ERLC podcast | Olivia Enos on North Korea, nuclear summits, and the persecuted church ERLC podcast | Kenneth Bae, Not Forgotten ERLC article by Travis Wussow | What it's like to follow Jesus in North Korea ERLC article by Joe Carter | 5 Facts about North Korea and its Dictatorial Regime Memoir of Nadia Murad | The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic State State Department | About the Ministerial

Last week, the State Department held their second annual Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, which turned out to be the ...

Last week, the State Department held their second annual Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, which turned out to be the ...

Last week, the State Department held their second annual Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, which turned out to be the largest human rights gathering in the history of the State Department. Nearly 200 foreign delegations and over a thousand of government representatives, religious leaders, survivors of religious persecution and members of civil society convened to discuss the challenges of religious persecution and promote the fundamental human right of religious freedom. In addition to the formal meetings at State, there were over 80 side events hosted by various non-profits, foreign embassies, and coalition groups. The ERLC hosted the only side event on North Korea and its religious liberty and human rights violations. Jeff Pickering, Chelsea Patterson Sobolik, and Steven Harris discuss their experiences from the Ministerial, highlights from the ERLC’s side event and new documentary film, Humanity Denied. Resources from the Conversation ERLC short film | Humanity Denied: Religious Freedom in North Korea ERLC podcast | Olivia Enos on North Korea, nuclear summits, and the persecuted church ERLC podcast | Kenneth Bae, Not Forgotten ERLC article by Travis Wussow | What it’s like to follow Jesus in North Korea ERLC article by Joe Carter | 5 Facts about North Korea and its Dictatorial Regime Memoir of Nadia Murad | The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic State State Department | About the Ministerial

Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News world religion reporter, joins Boyd to discuss the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom at the State Department to discuss the movement of religious liberty and the state of religious liberty across the globe. Boyd Matheson, Opinion Editor at Deseret News, takes you inside the latest political happenings. Bringing an elevated conversation on the principles that drive this country and make Utah a great place to thrive and live. Listen weekdays 12:30 to 1 pm at 1160 AM and 102.7 FM, online, or on the app. https://kslnewsradio.com/

Whether it is in word or deed, senior members of President Trump’s administration are proving to be strong advocates of the importance of religious liberty. Learn more at FirstLiberty.org/Briefing. Two public appearances by senior members of the Trump Administration show the Administration’s fundamental commitment to religious liberty.  And it’s more than just words. In answer to a question from a reporter, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pointed out the administration’s foreign policy when it comes to religious freedom.  He said, “Because it’s at the heart of all the freedoms that every individual should have, right?” Former Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker spoke at length about the importance of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act at the Heritage Foundation on Religious Freedom Day.  He explained, “RFRA promotes authentic tolerance—because RFRA makes a solemn promise to the people of this nation that we can find a place for them, regardless of who they are, and regardless of their beliefs.” Both of these agencies have backed those words up with action.  The Trump State Department hosted a “Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom” in 2018 and plans are underway for another in 2019.  The DOJ has issued guidance on religious liberty to all executive agencies, launched its “place to worship” initiative that protects houses of worship, and been active in litigating violations of religious liberty. Whether it involves matters of foreign policy or domestic relations, it is good to see an executive branch committed to defending religious liberty in both word and deed. To learn how First Liberty is protecting religious liberty for all Americans, visit FirstLiberty.org.

The Trump Administration has been a stalwart defender of Americans' religious liberty. From repealing the HHS mandate, to protecting religious rights in the workplace, and especially the appointment of justices and judges who respect the first amendment, the “more” that was promised by the President after that initial executive order has been delivered. However, the Administration's actions concerning religious freedom outside the United States is not as impressive as its talk. Last summer's Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom featured spellbinding rhetoric delivered by a “Who's Who” of people who've devoted their lives to the cause of religious freedom. The ministerial culminated in a statement called the “Potomac Declaration,” which stated, among other things, that “Religious freedom is universal and inalienable, and states must respect and protect this human right.” Remember the scene in the movie “Braveheart,” in which Mel Gibson's William Wallace delivers a barn burner of a speech to Scottish forces, whereupon Stephen, his Irish lieutenant, asks, “Fine speech. Now what?” While Wallace had an answer for Stephen, unfortunately the same cannot be said of the current administration, as WORLD magazine recently reported. “Under [the Trump] administration,” WORLD told its readers, “refugee admissions have plunged to historic lows, with persecuted Christians in the Middle East suffering from the fallout.” Just how low? “The number of Middle East Christians admitted into the United States in 2018 fell by a staggering 98 percent from 2016. Christians from countries that Open Doors ranked highest for religious persecution saw a 76 percent decline from 2016 to 2018.” So far, the downward trend is continuing in 2019. In the first months of this year, “30 Iranian Christians, 25 Iraqi Christians, and zero Syrian Christian refugees” had been admitted to the United States. As the saying goes, these low numbers aren't a bug of the system, they're a feature. According to one former administration official, the architect of White House immigration policy, Stephen Miller, once said that he “would be happy if not a single refugee foot ever again touched American soil.” Whatever you make of the truthfulness of that story, the truth of the refugee story remains: Unless the U.S. is willing to admit persecuted religious minorities as refugees, the Potomac Declaration, as well as all those great speeches by those amazing leaders at the Ministerial are nothing but empty noise. Think about it: The countries represented at the Ministerial didn't need to be admonished not to persecute religious minorities. The Potomac Declaration wasn't directed at them. It was directed at Iraq, where the dire situation facing Christians is at least partly due to our invading and destabilizing the country. It was directed at Iran, Pakistan, and Syria and other countries on Open Door's list. Unfortunately, these are the least likely places to take the Potomac Declaration to heart, which leaves us with the question, “Now what?” At least part of the answer has to be for the United States to admit people fleeing religious persecution as refugees. Otherwise we're sending a clear message to their persecutors hat we don't mean what we say about religious freedom. As WORLD says, this administration “runs the risk of growing disillusionment among Christians for whom their persecuted brethren is a key concern.” Christians have enjoyed nearly-unprecedented access to the White House, to administration officials and many of the promises made to us have been kept. Unfortunately, the promise to aid persecuted Christians around the world has not been kept. We see our persecuted brothers and sisters caught up in the middle of what is a very necessary larger debate over immigration. The administration could both secure the border and help refugees under religious persecution. And if it did, it would be a huge political win. But even more important, with each year setting new records for religious persecution and martyrs around the world, it's the right thing to do.   http://www.breakpoint.org/2019/04/breakpoint-christian-refugees-need-a-new-home/   Resources Left behind Harvest Prude | WORLD | March 28, 2019 Religious liberty report card: The Trump administration's first year Travis Weber | Family Research Council | January 12, 2018 Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom Potomac Declaration Share Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor | U. S. Department of State | July 26, 2018

Former Congressman Frank Wolf joins Don Kroah to discuss the first-ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, recently hosted by the U. S. Department of State.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christian Outlook – August 18, 2018 Pastor Dave Watson, sitting in for Kevin McCullough, along with Alliance Defending Freedom’s Jake Warner look at the Colorado Civil Rights Commission’s defiance of the U.S. Supreme Court’s favorable ruling in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case. Don Kroah and Dr. James Dobson look at the increasing difficulty of getting out the Christian message. Kevin McCullough and Alison Centofante, Director of Alliance relations at Alliance Defending Freedom, examine the U.S Food and Drug Administration horrific efforts to obtain human fetal tissue from aborted human babies. Former Congressman Frank Wolf joins Don Kroah to discuss the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, recently hosted by the U. S. Department of State. Eric Metaxas asks Greg Laurie to explain the controversy that surrounded one of his more popular crusades. Craig Roberts invites pastor Chip Ingram to explain the need to slow down and love on those around you. Bob Burney looks at a college professor’s concept plan to have students grade themselves.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this summer of international religious freedom, Matt Hawkins and Travis Wussow visited the State Department to speak with Ambassador Sam Brownback then welcomed Commissioner Kristina Arriaga to the ERLC Leland House. Brownback serves as Ambassador at large for International Religious Freedom and Arriaga serves as Vice Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. The U.S. officials give an update on Pastor Andrew Brunson, the Christian detained in Turkey. The conversations come as a wrap up to the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom. Article | State Department hosts a first-ever Ministerial on Religious Freedom Article | American pastor imprisoned in Turkey transferred to house arrest Podcast Episode | Meet the staff of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Article | What you need to know about the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Article | What is the Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act? ERLC | Resources on International Religious Freedom Guest Bios Sam Brownback was sworn in as Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom on February 1, 2018. He served as Governor of Kansas from 2011 to 2018, U.S. Senator from 1996-2011, and a U.S. Representative in the House of Representatives from 1995-1996 from Kansas. While a member of the Senate, he worked actively on the issue of religious freedom in multiple countries and was a key sponsor of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. Kristina Arriaga was first appointed to the Commission on May 13, 2016 by Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI). Arriaga has worked on the defense of Freedom of Religion or Belief in the United States and internationally for over 20 years as Advisor to the United States delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Commission, an appointee to the Civil Rights Commission, and as the Executive Director of a U.S.-based public interest law firm that defends all religious traditions. iTunes | Google Play | Stitcher | Tune in

Following last week’s Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom at the U.S. Department of State, Rev. Susan Hayward discusses the worldwide uptick in religious discrimination in recent years—which particularly impacts minority communities—and how religion shapes conflict and peace around the world.

On this episode of The Critical Hour with Dr. Wilmer Leon, we'll look at the 14th Amendment and what it means in the development of civil rights. Section 1 reads in part, “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” Can this document protect us in the context of a growing surveillance state?On our second segment we discuss race, religion and politics. On July 24th Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hosted the first-ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom. Foreign Ministers and other elected and public figures from more than 80 countries attended the three-day event in Washington, DC. According to their web site the ministerial discussed outcomes to reaffirm international commitments to protect and preserve the religious freedom rights of all people. Those in attendance talked about ways to fight religious persecution and discrimination, and ensure greater respect for religious freedom for all. What does this mean and is it full of hypocrisy? GUESTS:Michael Meltsner - Former Dean of Northeastern University School of Law, Matthews Distinguished University Professor of Law, and author of With Passion: An Activist Lawyer's Life.Cornell Brooks - Civil Rights Activist, Senior Fellow at Brennan Center for Justice and New York University Law School Visiting Professor of Social Ethics, Law & Justice Movements. Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove - Activist and author of Reconstructing the Gospel: Finding Freedom from Slaveholder Religion.

In advance of this week's U.S. State Department Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, the policy team discusses ERLC's international engagement. Matt Hawkins talks with Steven Harris about his congressional testimony concerning religious liberty in Sudan. Travis Wussow and Jeff Pickering discuss their recent trip to the United Nations in Geneva. Then the team interviews Eugene Yapp, a human rights and religious freedom lawyer in Malaysia. Eugene elaborates on the cultural, political, and religious liberty landscape in Malaysia and how the American church can pray for their fellow believers in Southeast Asia. Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom: State Department Event Live Stream, Tuesday-Wednesday, July 24-25 ERLC Event: Lessons from Southeast Asia, Thursday, July 26 Congressional testimony: ERLC Policy Director Steven Harris Gives Oral Testimony before House Committee on Foreign Affairs Congressional Testimony: Protecting Civil Society, Faith-Based Actors, and Political Speech in Sub-Saharan Africa Malaysia: Religious Freedom in Malaysia Subscribe iTunes | Google Play | Stitcher | Tune in

In advance of this week’s U.S. State Department Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, the policy team discusses ERLC’s international engagement. ...

In advance of this week’s U.S. State Department Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, the policy team discusses ERLC’s international engagement. ...

On this episode of The Critical Hour with Dr. Wilmer Leon, we'll dissect Trump's message. It is reported to be in response to comments President Rouhani made earlier in the day in which he cautioned Trump about the devastation of a U.S.-Iran wartime conflict and threatened the president, telling him not to interfere with Tehran's government.“Mr Trump, don't play with the lion's tail, this would only lead to regret,” Rouhani told a gathering of Iranian diplomats, according to the state news agency IRNA…America should know that peace with Iran is the mother of all peace, and war with Iran is the mother of all wars,” Rouhani said, adding: “You are not in a position to incite the Iranian nation against Iran's security and interests."I believe President Rouhani's statement “America should know that peace with Iran is the mother of all peace…” is his way of saying, dude, get a grip and calm down.Also, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is set to host the first-ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom. Foreign Ministers and other elected and public figures from more than 80 countries are expected to attend the three-day event in Washington, DC starting this Tuesday. The ministerial is intended to discuss outcomes to reaffirm international commitments to protect and preserve the religious freedom rights of all people. Those in attendance will also talk about ways to fight religious persecution and discrimination, and ensure greater respect for religious freedom for all. What does this mean?GUESTS:Tom Porter - Scholar, activist, a true thinker and intellectual. Former Dean of Black Studies at Ohio University, former head of the King Center in Atlanta.Dr. James C. Perkins - President, Progressive Baptist Convention.

Knox Thames discusses Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom