287: Do Polls Tell the Truth? - Rebroadcast
Life Matters
In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston explores the idea of popular opinion polls. At election time, the media will often present what they claim to be public opinion on the issue of abortion. It is critically important to understand that, very often the general, and unspecific nature of the terms used does not often reflect a valid view of public opinion. More specifically, generic feelings about “choice”, support for Roe, or reproductive freedom do not accurately reflect the average American’s view of abortion particulars. Brian examine’s the current habit for many...
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313: Local Elections Matter - Rebroadcast
Life Matters
In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnson explains the importance of elections, each and every election. More importantly, he focuses on the power of your vote the further down the ballot you go. On a statewide level, your vote is a drop in the bucket. But as various jurisdictions get smaller, the number of voters also gets dramatically smaller and this is why local elections are so important. In order to have candidates for the state legislature, or for Congress, you must draw from people with some degree of political experience. Most people who run for these...
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324: Election 2024
Life Matters
In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnston explains the real issues that are at stake. Brian warns listeners of the dangers of popular media culture. He reminds us that Orwell‘s purpose in writing “1984” was actually to portray how the average person responds to a dominant media culture, dedicated to influencing and controlling society. But there are deeper issues that matter, issues that the media either ignores, misrepresents, or intentionally attacks. In order to be truly responsible for ourselves, our lives, our family, and if we believe in God, responsible to our Maker,...
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323: Global Warming
Life Matters
In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnston takes a deep dive into real science. He takes a deep dive into simple grade school science, of basic earth science, basic astronomy as taught in sixth grade, and the common sense science that any fifth or sixth grader can understand. The issue we must clearly destroy, and which is probably the most insidious and clever at this moment, is the whole idea of man-made global warming. The president of the United States and many internationalists have proclaimed that man-made global warming is the single, in fact the only, true dispositive threat...
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322: The Actual Debate
Life Matters
In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnston takes an even deeper dive into the real significance of the recent presidential debate. Previously, he explored the debate through the eyes of Fox News host, Shannon Bream and United States Senator from Pennsylvania, John Fetterman. But both of those commentators from right and left were dealing with a very facile, surface analysis, particularly focusing on the significance of Joe Biden‘s performance. But that is what EVERY media outlet has focused on - every Republican and even Democrat pundit has made America focus on that topic. And...
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321: It's Not About Lucidity. It's About Policy
Life Matters
In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnston examines the real implications of the recent presidential debate. Interestingly, he agrees with Pennsylvania Democratic senator, John Fetterman. In an interview with Fox News' Shannon Bream, Fetterman points out that he himself was in apparent mental collapse and his debates with candidate, Dr. Oz of television fame were complete failures due to Fetterman’s slurring and confused use of language. It turns out that Fetterman went on to actually win the election by several points. Brian points out that the real issues of the most recent...
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320: Doctors Are The Issue, Not Babies
Life Matters
Who has choice? It’s not women! It was only doctors who were authorized to kill, to decide when to kill and what procedures to use. Yes, in Roe v. Wade choice was given only to doctors. In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnston explorers the confusion that many individuals have regarding what happened onJanuary 22, 1973. The Roe v. Wade decision is actually quite direct and explicit. There is no right of a woman to a woman’s own body. Justice Blackmun, the author of Roe, was not giving women the right to do whatever they want, whenever they want, and especially with a very difficult...
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319: How A Republic Works with Scott Peotter
Life Matters
In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnston discusses the actual nature of how a republic works. It works by representing the people through elected representation. These representatives exist at every level of government and through diversified jurisdictions . Brian interviews Scott Peotter, a long-time pro-life advocate who has served in local jurisdictions and has enforced just laws on the most local levels, including city council. In July 2023, Gavin Newsom attempted, in his role of governor, to force the Temecula school board to promote LGBTQ doctrines and accept...
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318: SB 1196 with Alex Schadenberg
Life Matters
In this episode of Life Matters, Brian interviews Alex Schadenberg of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition. They discuss in depth the recent failure of California Senate Bill 1196 by Senator Blakespear. The irony is that the bill was not defeated by pro-life efforts. The bill was actually attacked by other pro-death organizations, lobbyist and legislators. Why would other pro-death advocates attack this measure? The prospects of passage in the California legislature are very good - the progressive Democratic Party holds a super majority in both houses. The governor would’ve gladly signed off,...
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317: Understanding Why the United States Founders Used Natural Law
Life Matters
In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston explains the importance of not being religious in our attempts to change the laws to protect innocent human life. Johnston reminds us that America’s founders were themselves deeply religious individuals, but they understood that many of them had disagreements within their own theologies - differences in doctrine. The answer to this difficult challenge was actually found in the formation of other republics throughout history. A republic asserts that there is more than simple voting and majoritarianism in making law. Votes must be...
info_outlineIn the second part of our episode on natural law as a legal predicate, Brian explains at length why Christians should be the most comfortable with this idea - instead of insisting that their theology be the predicate for approaching the issue of life in America’s laws.
Using raw political power to pass a measure that conforms with our religion is not actually an exercise in just law or a recognition of higher law. it is an acknowledgment that, “if we have the votes, we can pass this law“.
What if a political group passes laws on this foundation? It is in essence, the exact predicate used by the Taliban or any other religious group throughout history. It is exactly what gave rise to many of the political disagreements in Europe in the centuries before America’s founding. Americas Founders did not invoke ‘natural law’ unintentionally.
As most individuals who are involved in the right-to-life movement are of some Christian faith background, Brian takes an in-depth look at the Scriptures. They both explain, and in fact, command, this approach to viewing life and the law.
God uses nature to instruct us.
The Sermon on the Mount and its appeal to consider flowers, birds, and nature itself is at the heart of much of Christ’s teaching. His parables from everyday life stood in great contrast to the religious platitudes of the religious leaders who demanded that religious practices were the way to understand God.
But the scriptures themselves indicate that there are deeper things at work.
Romans 1:20 , “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” It is nature itself that proclaimed God‘s presence and nature, Gods higher law principles are made evident through the things that are seen.
Psalm 8 and Psalm 19 make extensive reference to astronomy and how, for believers, it is actually presented as instruction in God’s nature and God‘s ways.
However, very few take the time to “consider deeply” what they see when they see the stars. “Seeing” is not the same as understanding or contemplating, or “considering.” And it is these latter, contemplative verbs that are indeed used in scripture.
As Jesus Himself made evident to the Pharisees, they did not live a practically applied spiritual life, they are pursuing religious precepts and traditions. “It is the traditions of men that make void the word of God.” Religion is stifling, and most people intuitively know that when they look at the religion of others. Being able to apply it to ourselves is the hardest part.
Jesus was very explicit with His own followers, and is blunt in Luke 12:56 - 57. He pointed out that they could indeed recognize objective reality in nature and come to valid conclusions, and yet they were not taking the time to think more deeply about the spiritual challenges of their own time.
“You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don’t you know how to interpret the present times? And why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?“
It is critically important for the pro-life movement to understand its foundation in natural law, as instruction for us and for how we deal with others.
It is also critically important for all Christians to understand their obligation to spend time with God and in the nature which He has created for us to help understand Him.
It’s not that we need to be classical scientists, but we should examine closely God’s creatures in creation and contemplate, dwell on, think deeply about, how it impacts our day-to-day lives.
In fact, the scripture seems to indicate that is one of the purposes of creation: and creation is waiting for us to do OUR job. “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.“ (Romans 8:19)
There is little doubt that for us to come to better understanding of ANYTHING we must consider it deeply. Nowhere is that clearer than in natural law, and the right to life.