What Is Happening With Regime Change In Iran- Foundations Of Freedom Thursday: Its Foundations of Freedom Thursday, a special day of the week where we get to answer questions from you, the listeners! Always answering your questions from constitutional principles! Tune in today as we answer your most pressing questions!

Air Date: 09/12/2019

On-air Personalities: David Barton, Rick Green, and Tim Barton

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Transcription note:  As a courtesy for our listeners’ enjoyment, we are providing a transcription of this podcast. Transcription will be released shortly. However, as this is transcribed from a live talk show, words and sentence structure were not altered to fit grammatical, written norms in order to preserve the integrity of the actual dialogue between the speakers. Additionally, names may be misspelled or we might use an asterisk to indicate a missing word because of the difficulty in understanding the speaker at times. We apologize in advance.

Be At All Times Armed

Thomas Jefferson said, “The constitutions of most of our states, and of the United States, assert that all power is inherent in the people that they may exercise it by themselves that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed. That they are entitled to freedom of person, freedom of religion, freedom of property, and freedom of press.” 

Rick:

Welcome to the intersection of faith and the culture it is WallBuilders Live. Where we’re talking about today’s hottest topics on policy, faith, the culture, other things that affect you and your family, your backyard, your community, the state, and our nation. 

All of those topics though we address them from a biblical historical and constitutional perspective. 

Biblical, Historical And Constitutional Perspective

When you take those three perspectives; when you look at what history teaches, you’ll know what works what doesn’t work. 

We can learn from those things when you look at what the Bible teaches us: the greatest wisdom ever in the history of the world, of course. 

It’s God giving us the answers to every issue in life. 

Sometimes we just don’t look close enough so that we can then apply it to what’s happening today. Sometimes we even think it’s outdated or doesn’t apply to some of the things in our particular culture, but the Bible has answers for every question and every issue of the day.

Of course, that constitutional perspective. We love diving into the foundational principles that made America the greatest nation in history “€” knowing that constitutional perspective helps us to apply that Biblical and historical perspective to what’s happening in our nation right now; in this particular culture.

We’re here with David Barton, America’s premier historian, and our founder at WallBuilders.

My name is Rick Green. I’m a former Texas legislator and thrilled to be a part of this program and get to serve with these guys. 

Tim Barton is our third in this little trio. He is the president of WallBuilders and a national speaker, and pastor. We’re looking forward to being able to bring you great interviews as well. 

But today we’re not going to have interviews. We’re actually gonna take your questions on whatever issue you’d like to ask.

It may be about the founding fathers, the historical perspective, or it may be about applying a biblical perspective on a particular issue.  

You can send those questions to [email protected] WallBuilders.com. That’s [email protected].

Our Websites

 At our website WallBuilders.com, you can get a lot of great tools for yourself and your family that will equip and inspire you. Then at Wallbuilderslive.com our second website, that’s specifically for our radio program, you can get archives the programs. 

You go back several weeks if you missed a program and you’d like to listen to it, you can do it right there at Wallbuilderslive.com. 

Make A Donation

Also at Wallbuilderslive.com, please consider making a donation. Check out that donate button. Think about becoming one of the listeners that support WallBuilders Live. 

We call it a listener-supported program, which requires supporters that are listening to support and we do. 

We have tons of you across the nation that do that. Thank you for making those contributions. Many of you do it just a one-time contribution once in a while.

If you make monthly contributions that help us plan and expand; however, you’d like to do it.

If you would please consider becoming a partner in this program, and donating right there at Wallbuilderslive.com, we would greatly appreciate it. 

Our First Question

Alright guys, let’s dive into those questions.

The first one is coming from Dubai. I don’t know if we’ve ever had a question on WallBuilders Live from Dubai now. I don’t know if it’s Dubai in the Middle East or Dubai in some city in America, but that’s just what it says in my e-mail form here.

So the question is simple: why is the U.S. not pushing for regime change in Iran? 

Good question guys, why are we not pushing for regime change in Iran?

Why Are We Not Pushing For Regime Change In Iran?

David:

We are. We’re pushing hard for regime change but what we’re doing is; we’re making sure we don’t try to have a regime change in a military sense. That we’re threatening to go in and militarily do that. 

The reason is Iran is the center of the Shia branch of Islam. The Shia branch is the more militant, the more aggressive, the more fighting. The more terroristic-(if you will)centered. 

So much of the terrorism that you see around the world come from the Shia branch of Islam. And Iran is heavy hardcore, Shia. That is kind of like the center; that’s ground-zero for Shia. 

So if we were to make a frontal attack of any kind, to push for regime change in Iran, then Shia’s across the world would rise up to defend their brothers in Iran. 

We Are Pushing For Regime Change Internally

What we’re pushing for is regime change internally. We’re making things so miserable in Iran economically. What we’re doing with boycotting them; what we’re doing is punishing nations. France is a huge ally of Iran.

France makes bouquets of money on sending things to Iran. So now we’re actually punishing France, and putting economic sanctions on France for helping Iran. 

We’re isolating Iran, and that creates a situation where you’ll have an internal change. That’s what it needs to be.

If it’s seen as being an external thing; in other words, if conditions get so miserable in Iran that the people can’t live, they’re taking all this money putting it into war into nuclear development, and the people are starving then that’s where you’re going to see the people themselves rise up and have a revolution against their leaders. 

And that’s the type of regime change that you have to have with Iran. 

If we do anything other than that looks like a frontal assault, then you’re going to see consequences across the world against Western nations, Western beliefs, Western entities, Western people, Americans, etc. 

So that’s really what’s behind it. But we’re pushing hard.

Things Could Be Happening Beneath The Surface

Tim:

This is something worth noting too that when you look at a lot of our interactions with nations; just because it seems like President Trump has a good relationship with North Korea or with China doesn’t mean that things aren’t happening underneath the surface; to put pressure on those nations to change some of their operations. 

When it looks like President Trump maybe has a fine relationship with Putin when they meet together or whoever it is. You pick any leader; that’s not always an accurate reflection of what is going on. 

So even the way the question was worded: why aren’t we pushing for a regime change? My first thought was, how do we know we’re not?

Rick:

Yeah, you got it tipsy up off the presupposition, I was like yeah why aren’t we? Instead of going are we, or are we not?

You Don’t Always Want To Show All Your Cards Publicly

Tim:

Right. This is where, even politically, you don’t always want to show the other side all of your cards. You don’t always make it public.

This is something that sometimes President Trump has taken heat for. He’s made decisions, and he hasn’t always explained why. Really if we’re getting the right results, you don’t always have to explain all the details to me necessarily. 

I don’t have to know that as long as it’s going the right direction. 

This is where if you’re playing cards, you don’t show the other side all the cards in your hand. You want to protect those: so that you know what you’re doing, how you’re doing it, and you know the advantage you have. 

France Is Getting A Little Upset

This is where we look at some of the other nations. 

Dad, as you mentioned, even France is getting a little upset. 

Well, the bottom line was: we said OK Iran if you’re doing all this terrorism stuff, we’re not going to do business with you. We’re not going to support you. We’re not gonna send money your way, and the people that are doing business with you we’re probably not gonna do as much business with them. 

As you’ve mentioned dad, it is punishing these nations? No. These nations are choosing to go into a place we’ve already indicated we’re not going to support. If you choose the Iranian side then, we’re just not going to have the same level of business interactions we did. 

It’s not that we’re punishing them, we’re spanking them or beating them over the head. We’re not abusive in this sense, that’s not what punishment means. 

It simply is: if you’re to do terrorism or if you’re an Asian who is partnering with Iran when they’re doing it terrorism, and we know Iran does terrorism, then we’re just not going to have the same level of business with you. 

So you get to choose: do you want our business or would you rather side with Iran? 

This is where France is upset because they have a lot of relationship with Iran. They do a lot of stuff together. And they are not very happy. That’s fine. You don’t have to be happy. 

There’s A Lot More Than The Public Always Knows

This is where again President Trump has a lot more going on – the administration the White House, Congress, however, you want to go down the list of people involved in some of these scenarios. There’s a lot more than the public always knows. 

Just because we don’t see something like a frontal assault, just because you don’t see somebody being very vocal about this, doesn’t mean it’s not happening on some level somewhere.

David:

Well, a couple of things I’d point to in the news just to help people interpret it differently than what we think is: why in the world is Iran now seizing all these tankers that are going through the Gulf? Why are they? 

It’s because we have so shut down their ability to have oil, to use oil, to process it, to make money off it. They’re just an isolated island now. So, they’re going out and having to steal oil and steal tankers from elsewhere hoping to be able to sell it to get some income coming in. That’s part of what’s behind it. 

Individual Sanctions On The Foreign Minister Of Iran

Then also, the Trump administration has put individual sanctions on the foreign minister of Iran. Now, individual sanctions allowed them to seize his assets which are in a number of banks. He had a couple billion, and they’ve seized those assets individually from him. 

When the G7 recently met in Europe, what happened was France, now reluctantly, boycotting and shutting down stuff with Iran. You saw the foreign minister come to the G7, not invited, just to meet with the leaders from France to say you got to help us. You got to do something to restore it. 

There’s Little Evidence Like That

The pressure is there. There’s a lot of little evidence like that, the foreign minister having to go to try to get France back on board with them. Or the tankers being seized because we’ve so crippled their oil industry. 

Those are all indications that the pressure is working and that it’s getting very uncomfortable for Iran and people in Iran, which contributes to the possibility of a regime change.

Rick:

Quick break, guys. We’ve got more questions coming up when we come back on WallBuilders Live. It’s Foundations of Freedom Thursday. Stay with us.

 Greatest Political Privilege

President Calvin Coolidge said, “The more I study the Constitution, the more I realize that no other document devised by the hand of man has brought so much progress and happiness to humanity. To live under the American Constitution is the greatest political privilege that was ever accorded to the human race.”

Moment From American History 

This is Tim Barton from WallBuilders with another moment from American history.

The Reverend James Caldwell was a famous minister during the American War for Independence. His sermons taught liberty and God’s opposition to tyranny. 

The British hated him and tried to kill him. So, for his own protection, he would actually take loaded pistols with him into the pulpit and lay them beside his Bible as he preached. In the 1780 Battle of Springfield, the Americans ran out of wadding for their guns which was like having no ammunition. 

Pastor Caldwell ran inside a nearby church and returned with an armload of Watt Hymnals, the pages of which would provide the much-needed wadding.

He took this great Bible-based hymnal, raised in the air, and shouted to the troops,” Now put to watts into them, boys!” This pastor’s ingenuity saved the day for the Americans.

For more information or Pastor James Caldwell and other Colonial Patriots go to WallBuilders.com

Questions of Power

Thomas Jefferson said, “In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.”

Rick:

Welcome back to WallBuilders Live, Foundations of Freedom Thursday. Taking your questions today. Send them in if you’d like us to cover it on the air. Your questions can be e-mail right now to [email protected] WallBuilders.com. That’s [email protected] WallBuilders.com.

Julie did exactly that. Her question is this: I’ve heard that at one time in America, it was illegal for Muslims to run for office. Is this true? If so, when did it change? 

David, Tim, was it illegal for Muslims to run for office at any time in American history?

Was It Illegal For Muslims To Run For Office At Any Time In American History?

David:

Interesting question. It depends on how you define illegal.

I don’t know of any law that says if you’re Muslim, you can’t run. But I do know a number of laws that said you have to be a Christian hold office. So I guess, the effect would be that.

For Perspective

I know that sounds really strange in today’s culture that you’d have that kind of requirement. Let me see if I can sit this in a certain kind of perspective. 

We have today what is called homeowners associations, that say if you move into this neighborhood, this is what we want in our neighborhood. 

For example, right around the set of WallBuilders, there’s a homeowner association that says if you build a house here; we want it to be a brick, and it has to be a minimum of sixteen hundred square feet. Here’s what we require for the space you have to have in your front yard. 

It’s like if you’re going to be part of this community, here’s what we want in this community. You got to realize that when the colonies were founded, they weren’t founded as open colonies.

There were charters of land given to specific groups that said we want to go here for this specific purpose, and so that charter was given to them. 

When you look at things like the Puritans, it’s not that the Puritans said anybody in the world could come be part of the Puritans and colony. They said no. 

In this particular colony, if you want to be part of this colony, this is what we believe and what we’re looking for. Now if you don’t like that, there’s a lot of other land, go start your own colony. 

They Are Like Homeowners Associations

So as you look at the various colonies, you see that they are kind of like homeowners associations. 

They say here’s the type of people we’re looking for, here are the beliefs we’re looking for. 

For example, when you look at the early constitutions of the states; when they move away from being British holdings to just being states and what became the United States. If you look at, for example, North Carolina they said we will not allow Catholics to hold any office in North Carolina at all. 

The Catholics Like Monarchies

Now, you can say well that’s a Catholic bias. Yes, it is, but it’s a political bias. Not a religious one because at that point in world history, Catholics were the ones who are backing all the monarchs. They didn’t like Republican forms of government who were elected leaders. 

They’re the ones; Mary Queen of Scots, the king of France, the king of Spain, and the King of Italy. It was Catholics who did not like if you will, representative democracies. They liked monarchies.

That’s why you had that requirement, if you’re coming to North Carolina, we don’t want people who support monarchies coming here. If you were in Delaware, it was very evangelical Christian sounding; the profession of faith in Jesus Chris,t and belief in the scriptures being inspired, and the New Testament, etc. 

If you were in Maryland that required a belief in God; to be part of Maryland, you couldn’t hold office unless there was a belief in God. 

If you go to Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania said well there’s got to be a belief in God and in the inspiration of the Old and New Testament. So, all these states kind of set their own standards. 

North Carolina Ratification Convention

Now, there was not a national standard. That’s why in the North Carolina Ratification Convention, you have James R. Dale who was later appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court by George Washington; he talked about whether Muslims could be elected in America. He said that they can be. You’ve got different state requirements, but they can be.

Here’s what James R. Adel said at the Ratification of the U.S. Constitution. So this is part of the questions being raised and ratified.

Here’s his response: it’s objected to the people of America may perhaps choose representatives who have no religion at all, and that pagans and Muslims may be admitted into offices. 

But it is never to be supposed that the people of America will trust their dearest rights to persons who have no religion or religion materially different from their own. He goes on to say look if you elect Muslims, it is because the people in America want that.

At this point in time in history, that’s not what the people of America want. 

Now, We Have Open Muslims In Congress

Well, we’re at a different point now, and we have open Muslims in Congress. The people in Minnesota, and the people in Michigan, etc. That’s what they want, and that’s what they elected to Congress. 

So it’s not that there was necessarily an overt law that says if you’re a Muslim, you can never hold office because there were some states with no requirements. 

That’s what James R. Dale was talking about. You’re going to elect people who have the beliefs that you have. 

The states I mentioned, and in other states, they set forth their beliefs, and that’s what they’re looking forward. It’s a homeowner’s association if you will. 

This is the people we want moving into our neighborhood. This is what we believe. This is why we founded this neighborhood. 

And so, I really don’t know of any law that says if you’re Muslim, you can’t hold office. But I do know of a lot that said here’s who we want in this state or in this area. And there were states with no position, and that’s what James R. Dale was talking about with Muslims and others.

Rick:

Alright, guys, we got more questions coming up. We’re gonna take a quick break. Stay with us. You’re listening to WallBuilders Live on Foundations of Freedom Thursday.

Liberties and Freedom Are Worth Defending

Samuel Adams said, “The liberties of our Country and the freedom of our civil Constitution are worth defending against hazards. And, it is our duty to defend them against all attacks.”

Biographical Sketches 

Hi friends! This is Tim Barton of WallBuilders.This is a time when most Americans don’t know much about American history or even heroes of the faith. I know, oftentimes as parents, we’re trying to find good content for our kids to read.

If you remember back in the Bible, the Book of Hebrews it has the Faith Hall of Fame, where they outlined the leaders of faith that had gone before them.

Well, this is something that as Americans we really want to go back and outline some of these heroes not just of American history, but heroes of Christianity and our faith as well. 

I wanted to let you know about some biographical sketches we have available on our website. One is called, “The Courageous Leaders Collection” and this collection includes people like Abigail Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Francis Scott Key, George Washington Carver, Susanna Wesley, even the Wright brothers. 

There’s a second collection called, “Heroes of History” in this collection you read about people like Benjamin Franklin, Christopher Columbus, Daniel Boone, George Washington, Harriet Tubman, the list goes on and on. 

This is a great collection for your young person to have and read. And, it’s a providential view of American and Christian history. This is available at WallBuilders.com.

Greatest Political Privilege

President Calvin Coolidge said, “The more I study the Constitution, the more I realize that no other document devised by the hand of man has brought so much progress and happiness to humanity. To live under the American Constitution is the greatest political privilege that was ever accorded to the human race.”

Does The Power Of Government Come From God and Not The Governed?

Rick:

Welcome back to WallBuilders Live, Foundations of Freedom Thursday. 

Our next question is coming from Meridian. Idaho. Christian’s question is about the Declaration of Independence.

The Declaration of Independence says the government derives its powers from the consent of the governed. But Scripture says that governments are instituted by God.

So wouldn’t the powers of government come from God, not from the consent of the governed? Could you please explain how the founders reconciled these ideals.

Alright, guys, so we got a basic question here. No question the Declaration says that we get our rights from God, and then we institute government.

Therefore those powers of government come from us, so is it possible to be both: it’s a God-given power to have government, but he wants it to come through us? Would that be the right way to look at that?

There Were Different Kinds Of Government In The Bible

Tim:

Yeah. One of the things that’s worth noting is that God created the institution of government, but there were many different kinds of government that you see even throughout Scripture.

There were times when the Israelites were oppressed under a pharaoh, or they were under a king. Then they wanted a king as everybody else had a king, and so they had kings.

But there were also times when they had prophets that were leading them. There were judges that were leading them.

There were times when Jethro came to Moses and said Moses; you’ve got way too much that you’re trying to do leading these millions of people. 

They Had A Republican Form Of Government

You need to choose out from among your leaders of 10, 50, 100, 1000. Elect them and place them over people as leaders. So they had elections. 

You see this in Deuteronomy 1, Deuteronomy 16 and Exodus is 18. This was what was known as the republican form of government. 

Even though the institution was ordained by God, we can talk about the sovereignty of God where God can raise up a nation and tear one down. God can raise up a government, and he can take it down. 

Certainly, God is in control, and yet God allows the freedom of choice for individuals. This is where for the Founding Fathers, we talked about in our nation, that we weren’t going to have an oppressive dictator who was going to violate our God-given rights. 

So, we were going to elect officials who would recognize our God-given rights which is part of the Declaration. It says to secure our rights, which is why governments existed. It’s not a dichotomy that the Founding Fathers believed that we elected our officials as opposed to God is the one who creates government. 

The Founding Fathers Believed That Government Existed

They believe that government existed. The founding fathers were not into anarchy. 

They weren’t trying to throw off government. They were trying to throw off a bad government and establish a good government. Totally different concept from saying we are rebelling against government. 

They were not rebelling against government. This is why reading the Declaration; there were 27 grievances, 27 problems they specifically identified that the king was violating. This is what they believed they were their God-given rights. 

Even in the Declaration, when they talk about life, liberty, and property; those very things were being violated in many conditions under those 27 grievances identified in the Declaration. 

Let’s Choose Leaders Who Will Protect Those God-Given Rights

So, when you look at the Declaration, it’s not a contrast of the idea that God created government, or God institutes governments, or God raised them nations. 

It’s just that in America, we thought well let’s choose leaders who will protect those rights that God has given. 

Therefore, we will not have a tyrannical dictator who is not giving us the freedoms and the rights that God has given us “€” not allowing those rights to be politically protected and recognized. 

Today, We See Those Rights Eroding

This is one of the things that’s made America so unique is: we’ve been a nation more than any other who has recognized God-given rights. And today, we see a lot of those rights that are eroding; that is being taken away. 

It’s because when you forget where those rights come from: if there is no God, then there are no God-given rights. This is why we see the government usurping more and more of those rights, taking more and more power, and individuals have less and less control. 

We’re Just Conduits Of It

But this is the natural outflow: if there is no God, there are no God-given rights. This is what the founding fathers believe; there is a God, and He has given us rights. In our government, we’re going to elect people who protect those God-given rights. 

Rick:

That’s really the distinguishing factor of our system, right? I mean that’s what makes it different. And it’s not like we said, we’re giving the power directly from ourselves.

We didn’t create that power. 

We’re just a conduit of it. 

There’s a big difference between being the conduit of it, and being the total source of it.

That’s One Thing The Declaration of Independence Made Very Clear

David:

Yeah. That’s a huge difference, and that’s one of the things the Declaration of Independence made very clear. 

Right up front, they said look we believe there is a creator God, and we believe that the Creator God is the one who gives specific rights. 

We believe that there are inalienable rights that come from him, and therefore government is to secure what he gave us. 

Instead of saying, as France did, that people are the source of government. Powers are inherent in the people. We said no. 

God’s the source of government and powers inherent in God, and we want to line up with what he’s doing. When you look at the Declaration of Independence, those early 126 words. 

It Comes Down To Choice

We set forth a really clear recognition that God is a source of government. God is a source of rights, and we want to line up with what he’s doing, and what he wants to do. That comes down to choices. 

Tim mentioned through the Bible; we see all sorts of different forms of government. Just because God ordains something, doesn’t mean the right choices were made by the people about it. 

That’s the interesting thing about the sovereignty of God. It also goes with free choice in God’s sovereignty. He said I want Earth may be a paradise, Adam and Eve do you want that? They chose not to have that. 

We Want To Line Up With What He Wants

Throughout the Bible, you see, God says here’s what I want. What are you guys going to do with it? Well, we don’t want what you want. That’s where you get all sorts of other different stuff. 

In the Declaration of Independence, we really did say here’s what God wants. He wants government. He wants a government that protects individual rights. These are the rights he’s given in the scriptures, and he wants a government that recognizes that. We want to be a government that recognizes that. 

That is a huge, huge difference because we don’t see government is being ordained by God. Therefore, we create something different. Ours was, as Tim said. This is created by God, and we want to line up with what he wants.

Rick:

That’s a great question for our quiz for your friends and family. We encourage you to ask at the end of every Foundations of Freedom Thursday program is: where does government, just power, come from? Directly from God or through the people? 

What does the Declaration of Independence have to say about that?

We’d love for you to get engaged in these questions with your friends and family to help get them educated on these same things.

Of course, send them the link to the program so they can listen to the whole program. But if you’ll ask the questions and then go to our website at WallBuildersLive.com, we’d love to hear back from you on what they’re saying. 

Where Does Government Get Its Power?

So ask them: where does government get its power? Does it come directly from God, or does God give us the ability to decide what those specific powers are gonna be for a government? 

If you’d like to dive into more questions from our audience, you can do that by going to Wallbuilderslive.com and listen to some of those previous Thursday programs; what we call Foundations of Freedom Thursday. 

We sure appreciate you joining us on this Thursday. We appreciate you go onto that website today and considering becoming a partner of the program. 

Be Our Supporter

Be one of those listeners that supports the program. As a listener-supported program, we greatly appreciate you check that out there at Wallbuilderslive.com. There’s a donate button. It’s easy to do.

 You can make a one-time donation, or you can sign up for a monthly donation, whatever you can do to come alongside us, we greatly appreciate it.

Thanks for listening today. You’ve been listening to WallBuilders Live.

Be At All Times Armed

Thomas Jefferson said, “The constitutions of most of our states, and of the United States, assert that all power is inherent in the people that they may exercise it by themselves that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed. That they are entitled to freedom of person, freedom of religion, freedom of property, and freedom of press.”