The Libertarian Christian Podcast

Deceiving others for a living - oh wait! That's politicians. Doug is on a comic kick! In this episode, comic magician Doc Dixon unwittingly exposes Doug's affinity for dark humor. Just kidding. This fun and lively interview takes us behind the scenes with the guy who fooled Penn and Teller (link below). And Doc even comedically corrects the idea that magic is deceiving others. Doc Dixon chats with Doug Stuart about being a (Reformed) Christian libertarian and comic magician. Dixon has been featured on Penn & Tell's Fool Us, and successfully fooled them. Like many of us, Dixon came to libertarianism during the Ron Paul Revolution and the libertarian view of economics and monetary policy. Dixon talks about the natural compatibility between Christianity and libertarianism. They shift topics to discuss Dixon's career choice as a magician. Dixon demystifies professional magic by pointing out that it's a learned skill like anything else. How do magicians decide to share their secrets? (And how much is already "out there" thanks to the Internet). What's the community of magicians like? Do they get together to learn from each other? and much more! Of course, the performance is personal and we get to hear how his personality comes out in his work. Do some Christians believe magic deceiving others and so off limits for us? Dixon has a perfect response for this - "there's an unintended hubris there." Not even Las Vegas, in Dixon's view, are the magic shows really superstitious or occult-like. (Though that's not to say everything in Vegas is that innocent.) Dixon and Stuart take a few (more than a few) friendly jabs at one another throughout. So sit back and enjoy this more lighthearted episode of the Libertarian Christian Podcast. Main Points of Discussion: 00:00 Introduction 02:36 How does Doc Dixon identify? Comedian or Magician 04:38 Doc Dixon's Christian background and how he came to faith 06:10 What led you to Ron Paul? 09:13 Do you believe Christianity and libertarianism is naturally compatible 11:42 Do you incorporate libertarianism into you shows? 16:25 How do you become a magician? 20:08 Magician cocktail parties? 23:16 Are Las Vegas magicians dabbling in the occult in their performances? 27:25 Workshopping magic with other magicians 30:35 Is incorporating humor a part of who you are? 34:26 Dark humor? 37:12 People in other fields you admire? 42:48 Magic over Zoom? How does that experience work? 45:18 Concluding thoughts, Libertarianmagician.com? Resources Mentioned: Dox Dixon's website: https://docdixon.com Libertarianmagician.com Forthcoming Magician Doc Dixon FOOLS Penn & Teller on Penn&Teller: Fool Us: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaDnY5q_mxg ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Doug Stuart chats with Lou Perez, speaking as a comedian, about his new book, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore: On the Death and Rebirth of Comedy. Perez offers a "behind-the-scenes" of the creative journey for his new book, as well as experiences in the life of professional comedy - especially in today's highly charged and political climate. Lou Perez was the Head Writer and Producer of the Webby Award-winning comedy channel, We the Internet TV. During his tenure at WTI, he made the kind of comedy that gets you put on lists and your words in the Wall Street Journal: "How I Became a 'Far-Right Radical.'" In addition to producing sketch comedy, stand-up, and opinion writing, he's also host The Lou Perez Podcast. Perez details some of the back story to his book. He remarks about how his publisher gave him complete creative freedom to "write the book you want." Perez saw this is a unique opportunity to write about things important to him and the problems he saw brewing about community. He also commented about his experience in 2020 and 2021 when several big names in comedy passed away and the effect that had on him. Don't miss all this and more in our latest episode. Main Points of Discussion: 00:00 Introduction 03:25 Perez's intrigue with the connection between anarchism and Christianity 05:54 What was the purpose of writing That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore 09:35 Creative, Editing, and Publication process 14:25 The mutual respect and community among fellow comedians. 17:26 What's it like to "bomb" a show? 20:40 What's going wrong with comedy today? 23:46 At what point do you old back from? (Dark humor) 32:51 Is Donald Trump funny? 34:45 Do your kids understand your humor? 36:53 What other things have you done besides stand up? 39:11 The fight you had on Twitter 42:30 Concluding Remarks Resources Mentioned: Lou's website: https://www.thelouperez.com/ Lou's Wallstreet Journal Article: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-i-became-a-far-right-radical-11609370135 Buy the Book! https://www.amazon.com/dp/1637582455 ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Doug Stuart was invited by Aaron Harris onto the Decentralized Revolution Podcast. Doug and Aaron spoke in depth about a number of topics relevant to libertarianism, Christianity, and speaking to the left about issues of concern to them. How do we present libertarianism to our leftist friends? They're concerned with things that are easy to write off, but to what end should write them off, and are we missing an opportunity? Stuart and Harris dive into some interesting topics including covid, love of neighbor, social sins (social justice), the Marxist tendency to weaponize people and ideas that actually need serious consideration, the destruction of the family, democracy, and so much more. Main Points of Discussion 00:00 Introduction 05:55 On Covid restrictions from a Christian perspective 15:50 Supporting social justice while opposing the left's solutions 24:26 Define social justice 29:42 How do we talk about real solutions to real social problems? 37:46 Democracy as an impulse to control 41:50 How do we open the eyes of our leftist friends? 47:44 The destruction of the family 52:23 Why is the left disconnected from the systemic injustice of central banking and monetary policy? 53:45 What is the aversion to learning economics? 59:33 How are the different libertarian factions responding to issues of social justice? 1:05:51 What are good resources for understanding and evaluating social justice? 1:10:06 Fascination with Jordan Peterson and his non-theological analysis of Scripture 1:16:54 Closing Resources Mentioned Is Social Justice Compatible with Christianity? https://libertarianchristians.com/2022/07/01/social-justice-christian-libertarianism/ What About Social Justice? https://libertarianchristians.com/2021/07/20/episode-232/ Critical Race Theory with Phil Magness https://libertarianchristians.com/2022/02/16/critical-race-theory-phil-magness/ Book Review: John McWhorter's Woke Racism https://libertarianchristians.com/2022/03/02/book-review-john-mcwhorters-woke-racism/ Ep 294: Awake, Not Woke: Noelle Mering Helps You Respond to Progressive Ideology https://libertarianchristians.com/2022/09/30/episode-294/ ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Doug talks to Bonnie Kristian about her new book titled, Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community. She is concerned with the unhealthy skepticism corrupting culture. Bonnie Kristian (MA, Bethel Seminary) is a seasoned journalist who writes on foreign policy, religion, criminal justice, urbanism, civil liberties, electoral politics, and more. Her column, "The Lesser Kingdom," appears in print and online at Christianity Today, and she is the author of A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today. Her work has also been featured in other outlets, including The Week, USA Today, CNN, Politico, and Time. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband and twin sons. Bonnie Kristian believes there is a crisis impacting the church that we are only just now becoming aware of. What is it? Not so much a "misinformation" problem as it is a combination of overwhelming information and few skills for processing through it. The constant bombardment of information is a relatively new phenomenon in human history. And it doesn't begin with the advent of the Internet, but with the advent of the television. For most of human history, information has been passed down actively through oral and written mediums. Since the television, it became something visual and passive. Kristian first noticed the problem when interviewing pastors about their concerns impacting the church. Pastors noted a discipleship problem wherein people were only exposed to preaching for one to two hours a week, verses the near constant news and commentary bombarding airwaves during the rest of the week. But it wasn't simply the passive receipt of information, but also a change in habits and behavior including unhealthy skepticism corrupting culture. Kristian notes specific characteristics that are particularly troubling including, time use/management, the mixed quality of available information, the inability to critically assess and evaluate that information, and also, the manner in which media and the news industry produced their content. People began trusting media less, but consuming it more. This shift away from trusting news sources comes from what Kristian believes is a myth. Namely, the idea the corporate media is consciously and maliciously lying to the audience to further a subversive agenda. Kristian, a journalist herself, raises the point that journalists are still trained to avoid writing to support political agendas and parties. (Though she doesn't deny this happens in some cases either). She believes are fair critiques to be made of journalism today, and she addresses those in her book. However, the main driver of news and commentary seems to rest in click bate. How do you get people to click on your link? Kristian points out the old model of advertising-financed news sources doesn't work anymore. But people are willing to pay for their news either. So in some sense, our own behavior of clicking on the most provocative titles, rather than search for and evaluating trustworthy content. Another contributing factor to this unhealthy skepticism is the "death of expertise." Kristian borrows this phrase from author Tom Nichols who points out a problem that expertise is closely tied to an ideal. Its the notion there is an ideal that has "died" and so expertise with it. While we have plenty of examples of misuse of expertise, Kristian wants to emphasize the alternative is untenable. That is, that being completely self-sufficient in our own knowledge of expertise is not possible. When purchase good or services, we're looking for the best quality. That requires expertise. When we drive across a bridge, we expect it won't collapse. That requires expertise. Kristian laments that subject-matter experts have a bad habit of not staying in their lane. But that problem also results from people not recognizing the lane they ought to be in. Main Points of Discussion: 00:00 Introduction 02:04 Why is unhealthy skepticism corrupting culture? 06:19 Why should Christians be concerned with tribalism, misinformation, conspiracy theories, etc. 11:12 What characteristics are particularly troubling? 14:02 How does our online activity affect our offline behavior? 19:03 Why the shift away from trusting media 27:43 Is click-bait contributing to the problem? 30:42 What the death of expertise & democratized knowledge? 36:09 How do non experts navigate the information minefield? 39:59 Why do we love conspiracy theories? 47:42 Concluding thoughts Resources Mentioned: http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/untrustworthy/411490 https://www.bonniekristian.com/ ★ Support this podcast ★

How can Christians love their neighbors (especially members of family and church) who are falling into the progressive ideology of so-called wokism? Noelle Mering helps you respond to progressive ideology in her new book, Awake, Not Woke. Noelle Mering is a Fellow at Washington DC based think tank the Ethics and Public Policy Center where she co-directs the Theology of Home Project. She is an editor for Theology of Home, co-author of the Theology of Home book series, and the author of Awake, Not Woke: A Christian Response to the Cult of Progressive Ideology. She studied philosophy and theatre at Westmont College in California and did graduate work in philosophy at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Noelle and her husband live in Southern California with their six children. Mering joins Doug Stuart to discuss her work in navigating the intricacies of and foundations for the social implications of woke / progressive ideology. They discuss the characteristics of the woke movement, what it means to be woke, the role of language and why the pronoun issue is so central to change. Mering also explains some of the more philosophical foundations including Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel's influence on Karl Marx, and why it cannot be denied that wokism is a cultural twist on Marxism (ie. Cultural Marxism). Mering also explains why this isn't movement isn't actually new, but has been hidden in plain sight through a generational lag. The apparent ubiquity of woke ideology because the fruit of seeds planted decades ago. Mering also offers quite a bit of helpful perspective when interacting with well-intentioned people falling for this ideology vs the "militant true believers" of wokism, as well as the fact this really is, at its core, a deeper spiritual battle concerning our religious beliefs, meta narratives that inform our lives and provide meaning, and why capitulation is no longer an option. Mering brings some clarity of terms like "whiteness" and "white supremacy" and that these things have very little to do with skin color. If you've had questions about these ideas, this is a great episode which parses out the very Christian idea of love of neighbor and walking along the suffering, while not giving into the destructive ideologies that are attacking our society at its very roots. Main Points of Discussion: 00:00 Introduction 01:50 What does it mean to be “woke?” 03:08 What the characteristics of the woke movement? 05:52 The role of language and power dynamics in the woke movement 09:50 More than a culture war: Attack on truth and meaning 14:20 What are the philosophical origins of the woke movement? 16:17 How do we parse out working out knowledge from the danger of the philosophical foundations? 19:24 Are popular Marxists/Socialists not phased by mortality under communism because it’s “just progress?” 20:55 How does Hegel influence Karl Marx? 24:25 Generational lag and the ubiquity of the seeds of woke ideology 29:22 The difference between well-intentioned people and the militant true believers: how Christianity has fallen victim. 35:26 Tolerance is thrown out the window; it’s about division 39:08 Whiteness; white supremacy - doesn’t have to do with skin color 42:08 Is there a vantage point that “intersectionality” does provide? 47:23 Beyond the sexual revolution in the woke movement and “funneling” children into sexuality; “innocence perpetuate hierarchy.” 52:11 Is there hope in fighting against this? 53:38 Closing Resources Mentioned: https://www.noellemering.com/ https://theologyofhome.com/ https://www.amazon.com/Awake-Not-Woke-Christian-Progressive/dp/1505118425/ ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Doug Stuart interviews former public school teacher, Angela Harders. Harders is author of the book, "Tales of a Toxic Teacher: Exposing the Cycles of Abuse Within Our Schools". Harders discusses her dreams and intentions when she first began teaching, and how quickly those dreams were squelched by the public school system. Many teachers like her share similar experiences, and Harders is calling out the public education, not as "broken" but as operating as it's designed. People who become teachers usually do so because they envision a better world for kids through their education. But reality soon rears its head "within the first 5 minutes" of starting a job as a teacher. Harders explains how the public education system churns out traumatized kids and pass them through to be "society's problems." Not only is the system abusive, but the impact of the abuse cultivates kids who become abusive themselves. Harders, a public school teacher for 12 years, even describes how the zeros she gave one continually absent student were mysteriously changed to 60% (just passing) without her knowledge or consent. Harders rebuffs the tired criticism that public education is "broken." It's not, she says, it operates as expected. Which is to say that it's intended to create submissive, compliant, factory-worker-type followers, ready for employment and trained to never question assigned authority. The complaints, however, that teachers are not given adequate supplies or leeway to be a creative teacher is all true. She had to get creative with her field trips so that students could make some tangible connection to otherwise foreign ideas that even we might take for granted. For example, she describes taking her students to a baseball game so they could understand the assigned reading which involved baseball. Hardships for students abound, but so also do hardships for teachers. As a Spanish teacher, one student asked her why he should care about learning Spanish when he was expected to die by the time he was 18. The public education system is also rife with structural problems, says Harder. The compulsory aspect coupled with the cultural tendency to think of school as glorified babysitting is traumatic. We've all heard the stories of the kids who cry for the parents on the first day (first week, really) of school. Being separated from their parents, at this age, is not normal, and shouldn't be normalized. And yet, it is. Harders challenges parents about the education paradigm by noting that the state usually spends about $15k per student. Would you pay $15k for an education experience like this? No, of course not. But Harders says, the cost is even higher than that. That cost being, the unravelling of the social structure designed for raising the next generation: the family. Harders, a divorce from an abusive marriage, also discovered the hallmarks of abusive relationships are all found within the public school system, and that system often creates what is known as a trauma bond. Where the abused ardently defends their abuser and excuses the abuse. So Harders left the public school system and now promotes unschooling, or what she calls Peaceful Worldschooling. She emphasizes the need to de-school, which means to take active steps to undo the damage done by the public education system. Peaceful worldschooling fits hand in glove with concepts like peaceful or gentle parenting, self-directed or interest-based learning, and using real life as a guiding "curriculum" to ignite the interests and passions of children. Indeed, making manifest the dream she and most teachers have going into this career field. Listen to all this and more right here. Main Points of Discussion: 00:00 Introduction 03:12 Tales of a Toxic Teacher by Angela Harders 04:47 How quickly did you come to realize were a toxic teacher? 09:22 Public education is not broken 10:34 How did you overcome the design of public education? 12:15 Hardships of students; hardships of teachers 18:03 Structural problems built into the system 23:52 Connections to abuse 28:25 Leave-school, De-school, Un-school (Peaceful Worldschool) 34:16 State education compliance 40:46 Ahhh! Won't my kid just play video games all day?! 44:10 Concluding Thoughts Resources Mentioned: https://peacefulworldschoolers.com/ https://www.facebook.com/PeacefulWorldSchoolers https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG0XFHxKs6DSDHdQluUNgqg https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Toxic-Teacher-Exposing-Schools/dp/1733428550 Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Kerry Baldwin guest hosts and interviews Melissa Broudo. Broudo is the co-founder and co-director of the Sharmus Outlaw Advocacy and Rights (SOAR) Institute. She has been part of the sex-worker-rights and harm-reduction movements since the late 1990s, co-founding SOAR to further policy, advocacy, and capacity-building efforts that support the rights of sex workers and survivors of human trafficking. Can Christians support decriminalizing prostitution? Our knee-jerk response may be an automatic, "no, of course not!". Yet, many (not all) reasons favoring decriminalizing prostitution are towards ends that Christians do desire, namely, mitigating human trafficking, focusing and improving civil governance on actual acts of aggression, and making it easy to leave the profession when someone wants to. Broudo highlights some key distinctions of terms including the differences between sex work, prostitution, and trafficking, as well as the important distinction between decriminalization and legalization. Many Christian organizations seeking to rescue victims of sex trafficking are enticed by something called the Nordic Model - where only the demand side of the sex trade criminalized. Meaning, only the purchase of sex legally prohibited, not the sale of it. Broudo touches on a number of problems stemming from actions taken by law enforcement in the name of "rescue." Other problems include government violations of personal data, encryption, freedom of Internet platforms, and the like that we discuss. Baldwin and Broudo also touch on concepts such as bodily autonomy and agency and even how our disagreements on abortion might be set aside on our more common ground related to the concerns raised about women and sex more generally. Portions of our interview were cut out for the sake of time, but included information about the successes of decriminalization in New Zealand and (formerly) in Rhode Island. Is there a connection between stigma of prostitution and purity culture? Baldwin and Broudo discuss the manner in which the state (both judicial and law enforcement) handle rape cases for women (prostitutes or not) the feminist mentality that all women are essentially victims, and finally the connection to some beliefs held by Evangelical purity culture types. Rape is the one violent crime in the United States where a judge will consider whether a woman "invited" the violence against her. Law enforcement has historically ignored crimes against prostitutes using the acronym NHI to indicate "no humans involved." Radical feminists, who oppose decriminalization or legalization, view all sex work as exploitative and disregard the possibility a woman would consciously and voluntarily do this kind of work as a profession. Christian teaching emphasizes that we not confuse or complicate our speech - that we let our ‘yes’ simply mean ‘yes’, and our ‘no’ mean ‘no’. (Matt 5:37) But are young girls and women taught how to say 'no' and is that 'no' honored by our culture? We close with a brief discussion on economics and why the Nordic model fails on that front. If you've had questions about issue and have wanted an honest response from a Christian perspective, you'll find this interview both informative and challenging. We also address some tough questions raised by thoughtful Christians against decriminalization. Disclaimer: As you can probably tell from the title, the following episode contains themes of a sexual nature. The Libertarian Christian Institute advocates and endorses a Christian sexual ethic, namely that sexual intimacy is a gift from God, to be enjoyed only within the bounds of heterosexual marriage. Our guest does not share this same view. However, this is an opportunity to discuss topics relevant to Christian libertarianism, that are also topics weighing heavy on minds of many Christians, to include sex trafficking, sexual abuse, and how our society and government treats women overall. As a consequence, this discussion may not suitable for everyone. Main Points of Discussion: 00:00 Disclaimer 02:23 Why should Christians care about decriminalizing sex work? 05:09 Definitions of terms: sex work, trafficking, prostitution 08:05 Why is it important to understand these distinctions? 10:15 Decriminalization vs legalization: what is the difference 13:47 EARN IT Act & SESTA/FOSTA 19:11 Do we know how many women/girls are trafficked vs how many voluntarily participate? 23:43 Legal-rights element from a libertarian perspective - self-ownership, non-aggression, bodily autonomy 32:49 Problems with the Nordic model 45:40 Tough questions from conservative Christians 1:02:07 Stigma: by the state, feminism, and purity culture (No humans involved) 1:19:47 Economics: why is it illegal to sell what a woman can give away for free? 1:29:30 Concluding thoughts Resources Mentioned https://decriminalizesex.work/ https://decriminalizesex.work/why-decriminalization/ Case against the Nordic Model (criminalize demand only) htt

Jack Lloyd, a libertarian voluntaryist who's been promoting the liberty message for over 15 years, speaks about his new book, The Definitive Guide to Libertarian Voluntaryism. He provides an introductory explanation to this and other terms including the anarcho-distinctives: anarcho-capitalism, anarcho-communism/socialism, and why he prefers the term libertarian voluntaryism. Like many libertarians, Lloyd grounds his views in the libertarian principles of self-ownership and non-aggression, but seeks to add an additional layer in the voluntaryist element, namely, answering the question of how we make manifest consent and account for what he calls ethical apartheid. Lloyd describes a more psychological understanding of how we got to this point with the state and civil governance. He identifies public schooling as a primary source of real, legitimate trauma in the lives of Americans, which results in very real problems in our decision making processes as we become adults. This underlying problem, Lloyd believes, explains why it usually takes a psychological shock to "wake people up" to the reality of what is happening with government and society today. Lloyd insists that we can't be "lukewarm" in our messaging; it's either the hot and energizing or cool and refreshing messaging that motives people to rethink things and take action toward different goals. In addition to these foundational principles, Lloyd touches on some other topics important to libertarians: animal rights, environmentalism, and children's rights. While many of us have emotional attachments to our pets and other animals for any given number of reasons, Lloyd explains how an ethical system concerning human justice cannot meaningful translate to one upholding a category of animal rights. Certainly, this isn't to say that animals should be treated poorly, but that it doesn't fit into a framework of justice in consistent way. More broadly, problems arising from environmental concerns are best handled in terms of specifying particular property rights, rather than painting in broad strokes. Lloyd also mentions children's rights. As a former juvenile defense attorney and government school teacher, Lloyd has a passion for children and the trauma, however unwittingly, they're put through as children and the impact that has on their adulthood. He's also sober-minded in approaching the relationship between parent's and children's rights, being careful to adhere consistently with the libertarian principles of self-ownership, non-aggression, and taking into account their developing capacity to meaningful consent. This includes regarding children as self-owners in their own right, not chattel property, but that their parents have the highest claim of guardianship, not the state. Finally, Lloyd doesn't want to leave people hanging with the answer to "how do we get there?" How do we achieve a voluntaryist form of civil governance? He briefly explains his idea of not-for-profit government, and taxation is not the proper way to fund it. Main Points of Discussion: 00:00 Introduction 01:22 What is Libertarian Voluntaryism? 06:44 What are the foundational axioms of Libertarian Voluntarism? 10:36 How do we maximize the reach of our liberty message? 14:36 How radical do we have to be in our messaging as libertarians? 19:28 What about animal rights and the NAP? 25:04 Can a libertarian voluntarist be an environmentalist? If so, how? 29:36 Do we owe a duty of non-aggression to other humans yet to be born? 33:38 What about the children? 38:34 What is the not-for-profit government model? 41:12 Concluding Thoughts Resources Mentioned: - volcomic.com - thepholosopher.com (Jack's wife's site) - The Definitive Guide to Libertarian Voluntaryism ★ Support this podcast ★

Scott Horton, director of the Libertarian Institute and editorial director of Antiwar.com, joins Dr. Norman Horn to discuss war and the U.S Government's failed foreign interventionism. They discuss several key current events, including ongoing tensions between Israel and Palestine, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and whether China is truly poised to be the next world power. Horton illuminates the history behind the recent violence in the Gaza Strip that killed 44 people, including 15 children, and injuring 311. The history of the Israel-Palestine conflict is muddled with intentionally confusing narratives since the State of Israel was established in 1947. Horton makes clear that this involved a violent cleansing of about 750,000 Palestinians to maintain a 80/20 Israeli political majority. Palestine has been under Israeli control since 1967. Horton also references 2005 where then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon disengaged the Gaza Strip, but did so to prevent any further discussions of a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. Dr. Horn draws out the connection with Horton about how US foreign aid has contributed to the destruction of nations, both in Palestine and across the world in numerous conflicts, including the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and South Asia. Horton brings into focus the reality that Israel really keeps picking fights and then gets the US involved to do the dirty work. Israel's PR campaign in America involves continuing to persuade American evangelicals that God wants them to support poor Israel. Let's not forget China! Many have wondered if the Communist Party in China is in a position to become the next world power. Scott Horton says no! He explains China's own military position and how it's ill-equipped to fulfill the monumental task of becoming a dominating global power militarily. Horton explains how America was only in position to become a global power after World War II due to our economic wealth. Other nations in the world had been pummeled (comparatively) by the war. While America may have had some greater moral high ground at the end of WWII, they certainly exhausted it in the past several decades, turning it into a moral hazard. The US Government also had to paint perpetually new narratives to sell its foreign interventionism to the American people. They milked the post-WWII victory for all they could while simultaneously becoming the very monster they said they were fighting: global authoritarianism. You can only "keep the peace" if you ignore all the violence. - Scott Horton Listen to this episode especially if you haven't been in the loop on foreign affairs. It is an eye-opening episode that should leave you embracing an end to all entangling alliances, as founders like George Washington insisted. Main Points of Discussion: 00:00 Introduction 03:04 About the Libertarian Institute 05:14 Israeli bombing of Gaza Strip 14:24 Why foreign aid destroys nations 21:50 The history of the US Govt continually switching sides in the Middle East 27:09 Russian invasion of Ukraine and who really provoked it 30:20 Why were their no negotiations for peace? 36:56 What should we do about the war hawks? 41:05 Stopping the flow of aid and diplomatic support to Israel 45:50 Is China the next world power? 1:00:50 How the state drives wedges between peaceful people 1:06:45 Closing comments Resources Mentioned: Libertarian Institute Anti-war Radio Antiwar.com ScottHorton.org Scott's Books: Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism The Great Ron Paul: The Scott Horton Show Interviews 2004–2019 Hotter Than the Sun: Time to Abolish Nuclear Weapons Scott Horton interviews Daniel Ellsberg, Seymour Hersh, Gar Alperovitz, Hans Kristensen, Joe Cirincione, and more. ★ Support this podcast ★

Libertarian Christian Ben Lewis joins Doug Stuart to discuss a Christian view of Bitcoin and monetary policy. Lewis explains some fundamentals of Bitcoin technology and properties and characteristics of real money and how our fiat currency system not only fails us in a practical sense, but also in a moral sense. Bitcoin is a decentralized technology with a fixed supply, both very important to maintain both the value and prevent monopolization. It uses open source software which is a proven way of building trustworthy source code. Like gold (and precious metals) Bitcoin has the properties and characteristics of real money: scarcity, verifiability, transportability, durability, and fungibility. Lewis points out that Bitcoin does these things better than gold. Lewis also explains how goods become money, a process from being collectibles, to stores of value, to a medium of exchange and unit of account. Doug and Ben draw out moral implications of using fiat money versus real money, discussing how decentralized currencies are fundamental to Christian ethics. Lewis appeals to Scripture to make his case using passages like Leviticus 19:36 and Proverbs 11:1. He points out that inflation (debasement of currency) was a problem in the Roman empire and these passages are specifically referencing the value of mediums of exchange used through the ancient world. What's the time horizon for implementation of Bitcoin as a medium of exchange? It's hard to say, says Lewis, but gives several examples of Christians can use Bitcoin right now to support international Christian ministries. If you're new to Bitcoin or want compelling Christian reasons for adopting it, then please listen to our interview, Honest Scales and Balances: Ben Lewis and the Christian View of Bitcoin. Main Points of Discussion: 00:00 Introduction 01:28 What is Bitcoin? 03:57 Can you trust the code? 09:20 When does Bitcoin become money? 16:50 Money as a means of choosing what we value 19:35 Petrodollar as an international tool of manipulation 20:59 Why should Christians care about monetary policy and Christian life? 29:30 How long will it take for Bitcoin to replace fiat currency? 34:00 Real world funding of Christian ministries - Afghanistan 36:00 Where and when can you find Ben Lewis? 37:24 Closing thoughts - honest scales and balances Resources Mentioned: Find Ben Lewis on his new blog, lewisb.me Impoverished Afghan women are receiving emergency aid in crypto as the Taliban limits cash withdrawals and millions go hungry by Joshua Zitser, Business Insider Thank God for Bitcoin: The Creation, Corruption and Redemption of Money by Jimmy Song, et al Ep 225: Thank God for Bitcoin, with Jimmy Song Ep 242: A Conversation with Jimmy Song ★ Support this podcast ★

Robby Soave is senior editor at Reason Magazine, where he writes about free speech, education and tech policy, criminal justice reform, and cancel culture, among other subjects. He's the author of Panic Attack: Young Radicals in the Age of Trump, and Tech Panic: Why We Shouldn't Fear Facebook and the Future. Robby and Doug discuss Big Tech censorship, the best way for libertarians to deal with it, whether or not libertarians should be just as concerned with Big Tech and other corporate hegemons as with government, and more. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Jacob Daniel Winograd of the "Daniel 3 Biblical Anarchy Podcast" joins us to discuss his transition from Bernie Sanders leftism to Austro/Anarcho-libertarianism, including his approach to interpreting Romans 13 in light of Romans 12. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Max Borders, Executive Director of Social Evolution, joins us to talk about how decentralization is the way out of the social mess we're in, but also how praxis is critical to personally achieving meaning in an age of dying legacy systems and emerging decentralist systems. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

The Libertarian Christian team gathered in Las Vegas for FreedomFest and hosted a breakout session where FreedomFest attendees and vendors were able to join in a lively discussion about liberty, human flourishing, women’s rights, economics, and even Critical Race Theory! If you weren’t able to attend FreedomFest, you’ll at least be able to catch the best breakout session there (at least in our opinion!). Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

We welcomed the Australian, liberty-leaning theologian/scholar Michael F. Bird, to discuss the motivators for writing his new book Religious Freedom in a Secular Age: A Christian Case for Liberty, Equality, and Secular Government. Michael shared his reflections on marriage equality in Australia, Trump's election, religious persecution, how progressive politics have become a religion, and the harm of white Christian nationalism. How do we move forward and bring about positive change in such a divided and polarized environment? Show Notes: Check out Michael, Religious Freedom in a Secular Age, and his other works! Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Mike Maharrey of the 10th Amendment Center gives his perspective on the most significant cases before the Supreme Court in 2022. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Kerry Baldwin joined us for this week's episode to discuss the topic of abortion, the recent overturn of Roe v. Wade, her recent debate regarding abortion hosted by John Stossel, and the LP's silence on the subject of abortion. The government has historically approached social issues such as these with authoritarian law enforcement; however, we delved deeper into how the restorative justice model could prevent or deal with unwanted pregnancies. Kerry challenges us to push for criminal justice reform to truly help the issue at hand. Show Notes Have you seen Kerry's debate with Avens O'Brien on John Stossel's channel? Our perspectives page has an entire collection of pertinent material on abortion and more! Faith Seeking Freedom is another great source for tough topics like these! Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

We had the privilege of getting the inside scoop with Michael Heise about some of the iconic moments in the Ron Paul presidential campaigns that converted so many to libertarianism, libertarian activism, what led Michael to establish the Mises Caucus, what it means to be a caucus, the effectiveness of grassroots movements to sway a political institution (such as the LP), and Michael's response to his interview with Nick Gillespie. Take human action and make the change you want to see! Show Notes Join the Mises Caucus and take human action! Follow Michael as he strives for liberty. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

With the recent events in Uvalde, Texas, many are disillusioned with policing as a way of maintaining "law and order." Is it wrong to distrust law enforcement? Sadly, the faults of the judicial branch are being exposed increasingly. Profiling, brutality, systemic oppression, and the culture of fear surrounding police creates a distrust among citizens. Are the police given too much power over individuals' lives? Such a position draws a state-subsidized fear and respect for cops, often leading a certain kind of individual to fill that role. How does the NAP address this issue? Show Notes We cover difficult topics like these in the FSF Podcast and our book Faith Seeking Freedom! Also, check out Rise of the Warrior Cop by Radley Balko Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

YouTuber Jose Galison, of the show "No Way, Jose!", recently brought onto his show Kerry Baldwin to discuss the difficult topic of abortion. They talked about why religion should not be the basis for the argument against abortion, Walter Block's differing views on abortion, the natural rights approach to pro-life, why Roe v. Wade is bad for women's interests and autonomy, and where/when a human gains its rights. Regardless, we should never rely upon the state to define when a person is a person or what one does with their own body. Show Notes Have you watched last week's episode on abortion? Check out Kerry Baldwin's work at MereLiberty! Our book Faith Seeking Freedom covers the topic of abortion, and more! Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Kerry Baldwin was interviewed by Keith Knight of the Don't Tread on Anyone podcast to discuss the Christian libertarian views on women's ownership over their bodies, abortion, the recent overturn of Roe v. Wade. Show Notes Check out Keith Knight - Don't Tread on Anyone, and Kerry Baldwin's work at MereLiberty! The Documentary on Restorative Justice: How to Love Your Enemy We answer a lot of these questions, and more, in our book Faith Seeking Freedom. LCI has been vigilantly covering this topic, make sure to check it all out! Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

It can be difficult to promote liberty to your social circle, which is why we decided to give you some tips on how to discuss libertarianism, especially to your Christian friends or family. Thankfully LCI has been working tirelessly since its creation to produce and provide pertinent content on the topic of Christianity and a free society! Show Notes Still have questions? Our book Faith Seeking Freedom could be the answer! Make sure to look at our Resources and Perspectives Pages. Have you heard our Faith Seeking Freedom or Libertarian Christian Roundtable podcasts? The LCC team is going to Vegas for Freedom Fest 2022! We would love your support or to see you in person! Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Ryan Ragozine from the Thinker Sensitive podcast joins us this week to talk about how he saw podcasting as a way to educate outside of a classroom, what it means to be ethical thinkers and communicators as Christians, and how sound thought and speech may help Christians diffuse society's current polarization. Show Notes If you wish to learn more about sound thinking check out Thinker Sensitive Podcast! Also, check out wh at LCI has to say about critical thinking! Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Critical Race Theory (CRT) is a hot topic in America, how should Christian libertarians view it? In some ways the narrative of CRT has some validity to it, and may be enlightening for what is going on in society; however, portions of CRT directly challenge people's rights and individual liberty. What are some takeaways, and what should we take with a grain of salt? Show Notes: Have you listened to our recent conversation with Phil Magness on CRT yet? Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

We had the pleasure of welcoming Kristopher Borer, the author of The Ethics of Anarcho-Capitalism, to talk about how he sought to redefine libertarianism, the unique voice used in his book, and his view of libertarianism as an ethical - rather than a political - system. With his background in engineering Kris has been gifted with a keen eye for the mechanisms that make a system, such as libertarianism, work or collapse. Show Notes: We highly recommend you give The Ethics of Anarcho-Capitalism a read! Check out Kris's website at Krisborer.com! Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Much of what is being said on the news and social media about abortion by both pro-choice and pro-life activists is just plain wrong. In this episode, three pro-life libertarian women "take the mic" to discuss some of the most common myths about abortion and to present a new way of thinking for libertarians to value both the rights of women and the unborn. While certainly compatible with Christian theology, the arguments presented herein are based on science, embryology, ethics, libertarian political theory, and free market economics. Buckle up!(Re-mastered; originally released as Ep. 122 on June 10, 2019.)Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Vance Ginn, Ph.D. - the Chief Economist at the Texas Public Policy Foundation - joined us to talk about how he found a passion for public policy, and how policy can be made in favor of a freer market. Vance also discussed his work with the White House under the Trump administration, as well as his current work in creating policy solutions for poverty relief with a focus on the private sector. Show Notes: Check out Vance, his research, commentaries, and the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Have you read through our Christian Theology of Public Policy series? Learn more about Christian libertarianism and Public Policy! ★ Support this podcast ★

Social media is a massive aspect of modern life. Like most anything else, it can be a platform for good, or it can be used for the opposite. We are forced to wonder the ways in which social media influences our lives - especially with Elon Musk's recent involvement in Twitter - and how people may use it as a tool to direct people's behavior. Regardless, social media allows people who may not have any physical-social outlet for what they believe, like libertarians, to communicate with like-minded individuals across the globe. Show Notes: Speaking of social media, follow Olivia on Twitter @olilangarica! Kerry highly recommends Bob Murphy's Lessons for the Young Economist. ★ Support this podcast ★

We were delighted to welcome back Jason Jewell, Ph.D., a previous guest on the podcast and new editor of our own journal the Christian Libertarian Review (CLR). Why is scholarship so important? Ideas that may be socio-politically irrelevant can be launched into the public eye through scholarly journals; therefore, libertarians should see the importance of such intellectual avenues - especially with peer-reviewed publications. Show Notes: CLR's 2020 Issue Our last episode with Jason Submit at CLR or check out the Mises Scholarship Conference ★ Support this podcast ★

We had the pleasure of inviting pastors Neal Karsten and Matt Schneider on to talk about what it means to be decentralized as a church or pastor, what challenges face the Church, and how they are prioritizing discipleship over building permanent churches. Show Notes: Learn more on how you can become a disciple at Pastor to Pioneer! Check out another great organization Neal and Matt work with, Biglife. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

We were joined by Dr. Mary J. Ruwart to discuss how she found libertarianism when she realized the "philanthropy" of government services were actually impairing people, what she learned about the harmful nature of regulations while working in the medical industry - which lead to the writing of Death by Regulation, and why we should not trust everything we are told buy the powers that be when it comes to our own health. Show Notes: Make sure to check out Short Answers for Tough Questions, which heavily influenced our book Faith Seeking Freedom. We also highly recommend reading Dr. Ruwart's other books! Learn more about the scary truths behind the health industry at the Informed Consent Action Network (ICAN). Follow Dr. Ruwart on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, we are sharing our recent interview on the Tom Mullen Talks Freedom podcast where we discussed how libertarianism and Christianity meld as a belief system, and some questions from Faith Seeking Freedom. Some may argue that libertarianism is based upon selfishness or isolating-individualism; whereas Christianity demands selflessness. How can one be a follower of both? Sadly, many have misunderstood the actual nature of libertarianism, and what it means to strive for liberty. Show Notes: If you haven't already, make sure to give Faith Seeking Freedom a read. Check out Tom Mullen Talks Freedom podcast! Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

We decided to react to a debate Dr. Norman Horn participated in with Dr. Allan Carlson back in 2013 on the topic of whether the state should define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. In the Bible, God defines marriage within Genesis; however, as our society shifts and changes the view of marital unions have changed. Many Christians would argue that based upon the way God intended the nuclear family to be there is a requirement for the state to uphold the integrity and morality of such an institution. But is coercion warranted to do so? Show Notes: Check out Norman's summary of the debate. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

For this week, we were joined by Kyle Mann, editor-in-chief and author at The Babylon Bee, to discuss The Babylon Bee Guide to Wokeness. We also talked about how The Babylon Bee utilizes comedy and satire as an effective way to expose hypocrisy found in "cancel" and/or "woke" culture. Though the content may make you chuckle, there are some sad truths found in the humor. Extreme movements and ideologies such as CRT and woke culture are slowly creeping into American culture, choking out our individual rights. Show Notes: Make sure to check out The Babylon Bee Guide to Wokeness. The Postmodern Pilgrim's Progress. The Babylon Bee Guide to Democracy. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

We welcomed a previous guest on our podcast, Joshua Longbrook from Our Foundations, to catch up since we last spoke before the pandemic, how he began a group in his community in reaction to COVID-19, living out the principles of agorism and libertarianism, as well as what it means to be self-reliant within a community. Show Notes: Their local agorist group. The Our Foundations Podcast. Our previous episode with Joshua. Things Mentioned by Joshua: The episode of the Tom Woods Show discussing Freedom Cells. Living Free in Tennessee. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

We were joined by filmmaker, entrepreneur, creator of the Hayek rap battles, and co-founder/CEO of Emergent Order, John Papola. He shared how the core motivation behind his work has been his family, and what it means to be a father in a country that leads the world in fatherlessness; which ultimately led him to begin working on Dad Saves America - the topic of today's episode. Show Notes: Emergent Order's Youtube See what they are doing over at Dad Saves America ★ Support this podcast ★

Peter Rollo, founder of the website RIval Nations, joined us to discuss his growth as a believer, passion for theology, why he started RIval Nations, "Two-Kingdom Theology," Romans 13, voting as a form of violence, and what it means to be a citizen of a "rival nation." Followers of Jesus are indeed a part of a nation: The Kingdom of God. Show Notes: Make sure to subscribe to RIval Nations to hear more of what Peter has to say. Peter's article on Romans 13. Give "Voting is Violence" a read! Across The Spectrum: Understanding Issues in Evangelical Theology (mentioned by Peter as an influential read). Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

For this week's podcast we spoke with lawyer and author Dr. KrisAnne Hall of the Liberty First Society. We began our conversation by discussing Liberty First Society's recently-released documentary Non-Compliant. KrisAnne gives us a peak at the motivations and themes for the film; and how peaceful non-compliance can be an extremely powerful tool for societal change. It does not require a majority to shift history for the better, and defend our liberties. Show Notes: Make sure to give Non-Compliant a watch! Check out the Liberty First Society. We recommend you also check out KrisAnne's books. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Kerry Baldwin joins us to discuss "thinking well," what that means, why it is so important to think well - especially in times of global instability, and the dynamics behind purposeful human action. Instinct - as Kerry points out - is not a form of thinking through a situation, it is merely the initial reaction to an issue. When groups or collectives of individuals begin to make instinctual decisions rather than reasoning before acting, they are not behaving in a purposeful way. How should we as actors in the world go about making decisions in a high-stake situation? Risk can make us panic, but at that moment the best thing we can do is critically analyze the situation before making a final decision; however, as we discuss, these skills are developed over time. This is why Kerry started Mere Liberty - to help individuals of any age create better thinking habits; and therefore thinking for themselves more. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Today entrepreneur, Mississippi State Rep, and founder of the Bomgar corporation (now called BeyondTrust) Joel Bomgar discusses Prospera, a consulting firm establishing sustainable and profitable economic hubs in Honduras. Joel shows how good governance can be linked to prosperity, and why even liberty-minded people should not be scared of the word "governance." Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this week's episode, John Nantz joins us to learn more about his book, Rediscovering Republicanism: Renewing America with our Founding Vision and Values. We discuss the differences between uppercase and lowercase-r "republicanism," as well as the "American Republicanism" system, the foundational virtues that make up our country, and how intellectual-progressivism has harmed these virtues. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Dr. Phil Magness joins us to help us navigate the rather turbulent area that is Critical Race Theory (CRT). Phil is an economic historian; senior research fellow at AIER, as well as the Independent Institute; and author of multiple books concerning the intersection of race, political economy, international trade, higher education, and American history. We discuss if white individuals can be proponents or critics of CRT, if it is the only valid approach to understanding the problem of historical racial discrimination, the state's role in institutional prejudice, what a critical theory even is, post-modernism, the flawed NY Times' 1619 Project, and the downfalls of CRT in resolving modern racial issues in America. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

In today's episode we talk to advertising guru and creator of the Tuttle Twins television show, Daniel Harmon. Daniel is one of the founders of the Harmon Brothers ad agency, which has been the brains behind multiple viral ad campaigns; such as the Squatty Potty, Poo-Pourri, Purple beds, and many more. We discuss how Daniel Harmon found his love for freedom as a child in a small community in Idaho, why the Harmon Brothers saw the Tuttle Twins book collection as a great platform to show children the importance of liberty, how the show/books are not "indoctrination," and the creation process for the television series - including their groundbreaking crowd-funding that allows them to make the show. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this week's episode, Doug Stuart talks with Dr. C. Bradley Thompson; a professor at the University of Clemson, and author of America's Revolutionary Mind, which happens to be the topic of this week's podcast episode. They discuss the moral history of the American Revolution, the principles the Revolution was founded upon, how to approach the challenges of a post-truth world, and how homeschooling gives hope for the future. In this new year, are we facing a similar call to action as the founding fathers?Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, LCI is joined by the liberty movement's favorite podcaster — historian and entrepreneur Tom Woods — as we dive into constitutional history and try to answer the question, "Is the Constitution any good?" Has it actually been effective at limiting government? Is the government it creates even capable of being limited by a document? What about the heavy emphasis in U.S. politics on the Supreme Court? Would we be better off under the Articles of Confederation? Listen in as we discuss all this and more.(Re-mastered; originally released as Ep. 73 on July 2, 2018.)Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Doug Stuart and Dr. Norman Horn joined Buck Johnson on his Counterflow Podcast to talk about Faith Seeking Freedom and field some tough, interesting questions from Buck. If you didn't already catch this great episode on Buck's podcast feed, then you'll definitely want to listen to it now! Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Whether or not Christians give credence to evolutionary biology, psychologist Justin Barrett believes that the sub-field of evolutionary psychology has a lot to offer us when we it comes to thinking about human thriving. In this conversation, Justin and Doug discuss the lessons Christians can learn from this sub-field as it relates to theology and the Scriptures. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Today Jacob Daniel Winograd joins Doug to talk about the various approaches to politics within the libertarian movement, in particular the strategy of the Mises Caucus and why its emphases are likely to have better results for the sake of liberty. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

How you respond when you know the mainstream media is selling you lies and deception? What is the appropriate amount of skepticism and rejection of the narrative for a libertarian Christian? Jason Rink joins us to talk about his experience and understanding of the way the corporate press has its audience thinking in a way that supports the state and threatens the wellbeing of a properly-informed populace. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Kick off the Christmas season with a cheerful short ebook by Tom Mullen, author of An Anti-State Christmas. Not only will you learn why Tom Mullen believes Jesus was the greatest libertarian, you'll get to read his hilarious poem about Christmas Eve during an era of government control during a pandemic. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★