Dare to Think | Mere Liberty Podcast

To challenge and rethink our paradigms for understanding society, by applying Reformed theology and philosophy to politics, religion, and culture, in order to encourage individual freedom and responsibility within our own spheres of influence. Mere Liberty is about liberty at its most fundamental core. It’s stripping away the rhetoric that we’ve become accustomed to hearing and challenging the paradigms that face us today. Mere Liberty is not about politics per se, rather it’s about the philosophies (and theology) behind the problems presented in politics and culture. Challenging the manner in which we see these problems will push us to think beyond mere political solutions that in effect isolate us from own responsibility, and eschewing responsibility means relinquishing our associated freedoms.

Deciphering the Libertarian Party's Position on Abortion: Key Points Unpacked 04/01/2024

Nancy Pearcey Explains The Toxic War on Masculinity 03/04/2024

Nancy Pearcey Explains The Toxic War on Masculinity | SUMMARY - Nancy Pearcey Explains The Toxic War on Masculinity | TIP JAR: In this episode of Dare to Think, Kerry Baldwin interviews Professor Nancy Pearcey about her book, The Toxic War on Masculinity. This book is not intended to take sides in cultural-religious debate between Complementarianism and Egalitarianism. Instead, Pearcey examines a socio-historical perspective of the phenomenon known as "toxic masculinity" and whether Christianity or secularism is responsible for it. Pearcey finds a number of surprising examples throughout history, and also today from prominent sociological and psychological marriage researchers. Pearcey's book is more of an academic apologetic written for educated layman, instead of a popular piece. Join me, Kerry Baldwin, with Nancy Pearcey, as we Dare to Think about the Toxic War on Masculinity Read my review of Pearcey's book at | MAIN POINTS OF DISCUSSION | 00:00 Introduction 01:20 What is the main problem the book is trying to solve? 04:47 What has been the cause for controversy surrounding the book? 09:01 The "Good" man versus "Real" man scripts 12:13 The "Andrew Tate" phenomenon of masculinity & classical Christian schools 14:09 How Christian men are absorbing the secular ("real man") script 15:02 Research for Christian men splits into two different groups: devout versus nominal 17:22 Brad Wilcox on Christian marriages 19:57 Nominal Christian men marriage and divorce stats 21:47 Percentage of nominal to devout Christian men is 50/50 23:24 Fatherless boyhood: a problem of no-fault divorce or Industrialization? 25:23 How did we lose involved fathers? 27:50 Is there a way to flex the workplace so fathers are no longer absent from the family? 29:02 The impact of fatherlessness hits boys harder than girls 30:24 The impact of father substitutes 31:44 How the 1950s model of the household cant possibly be the Biblical ideal 33:28 Closing | RESOURCE LINKS | Follow Nancy Pearcey on Social Media Visit Nancy Pearcey's Website and purchase her book! (Preferred by author) Or on Amazon (Affiliate Support for Dare to Think Podcast) | SUPPORT DARE TO THINK | LibertySeminar.com /episode/index/show/mereliberty/id/30156273

Nurturing Thoughtful Minds: The Socratic Method and the Liberty Seminar for Critical Thinking 02/03/2024

Nurturing Thoughtful Minds: The Socratic Method and the Liberty Seminar for Critical Thinking mereliberty.com/040 TIP JAR: Summary Welcome to Dare to Think, where we challenge & and rethinking prevailing paradigms. In today's episode, we delve into the relaunch of the Liberty Seminar, a course designed by Kerry Baldwin to cultivate the invaluable skill of thinking well using the Socratic method. Our guests, Mike Leavitt, Jacob, and Kerry Baldwin, engage in thought-provoking discussions on the significance of critically thinking and challenging existing beliefs. We'll explore how the Socratic method can be applied in diverse areas of life, from theology and education to personal growth and professional development. Join us as we learn about the power of asking the right questions and embracing the freedom of thinking well. Main Points of Discussion 00:00 Introduction 01:06 What is the Liberty Seminar and what is it trying to accomplish? 05:05 What is the Socratic Method? 06:02 Is the Socratic method just about asking questions? 08:14 What is critical thinking and why is it on the decline in society today? 10:56 If tests don't demonstrate learning, then how do we know we're learning? 11:59 Why AI is not taking over reasoning 12:46 What do you get from the course, the Liberty Seminar 16:12 Real life applications: non-academic trade skills building 17:42 Real life applications: improve parenting skills and communication with your teen and adult children 19:05 Real life applications: professional soft skills development 19:26 Real life applications: study of doctrine and theology 21:43 How critical thinking is an effective response to manipulation 24:16 Why is courage implied when choosing to learn to think well 27:29 Objection: Christians who believe philosophy or reasoning is a distraction or will lead you away from the truth 32:56 How has Socratic Practice helped Kerry in her own life? 35:48 How does the Liberty Seminar helpful for intuitive thinkers or those who naturally pursue their passions and interests? Resource Links To get more information visit or Original interviews: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/how-socratic-thinking-can-aid-christians-in-faith-and-politics-w-kerry-baldwin/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-197-thinking-well-and-the-liberty-seminar/id1506671648?i=1000643384563 /episode/index/show/mereliberty/id/29784703

DTTNM - Ep 39 What's Going on in New Mexico? 11/10/2023

A First Person Perspective of the First Battle of Loc Ninh, Vietnam 04/04/2023

A First Person Perspective of the First Battle of Loc Ninh, Vietnam Summary - A First Person Perspective of the First Battle of Loc Ninh, Vietnam TIP JAR: mereliberty.com/038 My father died a two weeks ago today, March 21st. It was expected, as he suffered for many years from COPD. In 2011, he composed a brief memoir. This was meant as catharsis for therapy we was receiving for PTSD he had suffered from his service in Vietnam. Prior to this, and for my whole life to this point, all we knew about my dad was that he had “shell shock” from time Vietnam - and so we didn’t talk about it. In his memory, I’ve put that memoir to narration. Initially, this has been planned only for my family. But as I dug into his story a bit, I realized, that my father was part of a major battle that has historical significance. And so, with permission from my mother, I’m publishing it here for my listeners. I’ve snagged a description from Wikipedia about the battle and it’s context. It reads: “The First Battle of Loc Ninh was a battle during the Vietnam War that occurred between 29 October and 7 November 1967, fought by the Viet Cong, Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), Civilian Irregular Defense Group (a military program developed by the CIA of South Vietnamese to counter Viet Cong), and the United States Army. The battle was part of the Operation Shenandoah II campaign. This battle represented the first time that North Vietnamese Communists (headquartered in South Vietnam) had coordinated attacks from different divisions, and was intended as "rehearsal" to experiment with urban-fighting techniques to be used for the Tet Offensive. Their operational goals were in part, to draw US and ARVN forces away from the cities in an upsurge of activity, in preparation for the Tet Offensive the next year. The Tet Offensive was a major escalation and one of the largest military campaigns of the Vietnam War. It was launched on January 30, 1968 by forces of the Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese against the forces of the South Vietnamese Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), the United States Armed Forces and their allies. It was a campaign of surprise attacks against military and civilian command and control centers throughout South Vietnam. The name is the truncated version of the Lunar New Year festival name in Vietnamese, Tết Nguyên Đán, (tet win dawn) with the offense chosen during a holiday period as most ARVN personnel were on leave. The purpose of the wide-scale offensive by the Hanoi Politburo was to trigger political instability, in a belief that mass armed assault on urban centers would trigger defections and rebellions." The First Battle of Loc Ninh, instigated by the North Vietnamese against South Vietnamese and the US, resulted in what was considered an American and South Vietnamese victory. This is my father’s recollection of that story. Main Points of Discussion 00:00 Introduction 04:06 Part 1: David Baldwin enlists in the US Army 11:34 Part 2: David Baldwin deploys to Vietnam 16:58 Part 3: The battle and related skirmishes 29:53 Part 4: David Baldwin reassigned to An Loc 34:30 Part 5: David Baldwin returns rotates home 37:54 Part 6: Discharge and the beginning of a new life 43:06 Part 7: Postscript by David B. Baldwin received the Bronze Star with Valor on February 27, 1968 Resources Mentioned /episode/index/show/mereliberty/id/26407662

Exploring Foster Adoption with Doc Dixon 03/06/2023

Inspiring Women to Choose Life with Emily Berning 02/07/2023

Inspiring Women to Choose Life with Emily Berning mereliberty.com/036 TIP JAR: Summary - What Will it Take For Women to Choose Life with Emily Berning What would it look like for us to take seriously the reasons women give for getting abortions? Some of the loudest prolifers believe that considering reasons why women get abortions will somehow give credence to the pro-choice cause, and thus the legality of abortion. Some of the loudest prochoicers believe women aren’t exercising their agency if they aren’t choosing abortion. There are numerous unintended consequences for this, not the least of which is the overwhelming sense that the abortion debate is entirely intractable. But what if we decided to listen? What if women seeking abortion were behaving rationally? What if they don’t see abortion as an exercise of free choice, but of no other choice? What if political pundits and fringe extremists do not speak for women with unplanned pregnancies? What if by listening we Let Them Live? Join me, Kerry Baldwin with Emily Berning, as we Dare to Think about what it will take for women to choose life. Main Points of Discussion 00:00 Introduction 01:25 About Emily Berning 07:07 How does the mission of Let Them Live help women to choose life? 09:07 What is the cost of motherhood? 11:17 Do women want to choose abortion? How the economy is negatively impacting the decision to choose life 13:34 How does the overturn of Roe v Wade impact how we help women with unplanned pregnancies? 17:15 How does politics get in the way of helping women? 20:43 The negative stigma associate with single motherhood 21:54 Pushback from Christian apologists who believe financial help is tantamount to bribery 24:22 Why is Let Them Live something both sides can support? 26:52 How is Let Them Live different from other pro-life organizations? 30:08 What is the process Let Them Live actually uses to support women in need? 33:33 Responding to requests for help on social media 34:55 What are the monthly financial goal and how do donors keep track of use of donations 38:37 Closing remarks Resources Mentioned Let Them Live Mere Liberty Monthly Membership Kerry Baldwin's work on abortion /episode/index/show/mereliberty/id/25830270

Decriminalizing Sex: Where Prostitution Meets Purity Culture 01/02/2023

Decriminalizing Sex: Where Prostitution Meets Purity Culture Hyperlinked show notes found at mereliberty.com/035 TIP JAR: Summary - Decriminalizing Sex: Where Prostitution Meets Purity Culture An odd twist in my research on a libertarian theory of reproductive rights (and abortion), I've had to dive into how the criminal justice system treats the crime of rape. In doing so, I've been led to what might appear to be very strange. The parallels between the culture surrounding illicit sex work and evangelical purity culture. I cannot say where any causal relations lay between the two, only that they appear to be, strikingly, correlated. And correlated in such a way that Christians in particular must pay attention and take heed. In this episode, I seek to break down the legal concerns regarding sex work and prostitution, and the connections to human trafficking. The connection to human trafficking is difficult given the prevalence and nature of trauma. I wrote a review of Dr. Gabor Mate's work on trauma in a documentary called, The Wisdom of Trauma. One aspect he addresses are the reasons why women will prostitute themselves and it seems to stem exclusively from trauma. But, when it comes to dealing with traumatized people, there is a principled disagreement about how to deal with sex workers with trauma: use the legal violence of the state to rescue women, penalize women, or only in response to violence done against them. But there might be another way to deal with trauma, trafficking, and voluntarily choosing to prostitute oneself. And that lays in education concerning sex and intimate relationships. I've found a strong correlation between the views of men and women by "Johns" and "primps" and the view of men and women in evangelical purity culture. Have evangelicals unwittingly set the stage for sex trafficking and prostitution? I think there's good reason to believe that American evangelicalism contributed to the problems some evangelicals are trying to now fix, regarding sexual violence. The popular view by Christian anti-human trafficking organizations is to embrace the Nordic model - make the men behave! Use the threat of legal violence to make bad men behave better. But does this work? I also explain why the nature of economics will not allow for legal violence to "deter" bad behavior. And why this necessitates decriminalizing sex work if we're going to improve societal and legal views concerning women and sex. DISCLAIMER: While this episode is aimed at supporting decriminalizing sex work, it is not an endorsement of sex work as morally legitimate. I hold and maintain a Christian sexual ethic (sex is designed by God only for heterosexual marriage relationships), though I believe evangelical "purity culture" is an unbiblical, anti-Christian view. Main Points of Discussion 00:00 Introduction Ep. 292: Decriminalizing Prostitution: Can Christians Support it? 01:45 Definitions: 'sex work', 'prohibition', 'prostitution', trafficking' 04:04 Why is it important to understand these distinctions 05:46 Difference between 'decriminalization' and 'legalization' 07:58 Explanation of legalization; Nevada vs Rhode Island 09:08 The feminist argument against decriminalization (Nordic model) 09:55 Clip from Julie Bindell's opening statement at the Soho Forum 13:43 "The bleakest view of masculinity" 14:50 Do we know how many sex workers are trafficking vs voluntarily participating? 16:24 Clip from "Sold in America" - a "John's" view of women in purchasing sex 17:41 Evangelical Purity Culture Detour 18:09 Does 'rape culture' exist? 19:28 Nancy Pearcy: how "nominal" evangelical men skew divorce and domestic violence data in the church 23:01 What does evangelical purity culture have to do with decriminalizing prostitution? 27:08 What the so-called "experts" told evangelical women about how to have a good Christian marriage 27:33 Quotes cited by Shelia Wray Gregorie's, The Great Sex Rescue 31:55 Ontological distinctions between men and women don't require a predator/prey relationship 33:39 Connecting the stigma of sex in purity culture to the stigma found in legal prohibition of prostitution 34:21 Legal denial of basic human rights - No Humans Involved 36:22 The unjust handling of sexual violence by our criminal justice system 40% of police officers perpetrate domestic violence in their own homes. 37:41 Are victims of rape stigmatized because of prostitution, or is prostitution stigmatized because of certain views about women, already discussed? (Connection to spiritual manipulation of religious values) 41:57 The perpetual victim status of women - propagated by feminists and patriarchalists 43:17 How do we change society to value women and children, abhor the evils done against them, and still maintain a system of justice? 43:59 Misunderstanding economic demand is resulting with failure and unintended consequences 46:39 In countries that have the Nordic model, no decrease in demand but an increase in antisocial behavior 50:18 Compare to New Zealand - decriminalized sex work in 2007 51:05 Why Christians should care about decriminalizing sex work - even while we don't endorse it. 52:12 Let our yes mean yes, and our no mean no - justice requires it. 52:58 Concluding thoughts - what decriminalizing prostitution means for Christian teaching about a biblical sexual ethic. Additional Resource Links /episode/index/show/mereliberty/id/25458549

Reformed Libertarians with Gregory Baus 12/05/2022

Reformed Libertarians with Gregory Baus TIP JAR: Summary - Reformed Libertarians with Gregory Baus Today I’m announcing a new podcast that I’ve been working on and will be co-hosting. Many of you know that I’m a Reformed Christian who is also libertarian. But what you may not realize, is the extent to which my libertarian views are grounded in the Reformed faith. For the past years, I’ve been one of the only Reformed libertarians with a major platform. This has created a challenge to me to provide content on seemingly disparate topics, but this takes away from my ability to focus in the topics I’m better known for and would prefer to refine my focus on. So today, I’m making an announcement about this new project with my friend and colleague, Gregory Baus. I will be co-hosting this new podcast, in addition to this podcast, Dare to Think - which will only get better. I’m excited about the opportunities. Join me, Kerry Baldwin with Gregory Baus, as we Dare to Think about introducing libertarianism to the Reformed world. Main Points of Discussion 00:00 Introduction 01:26 How we came to start the Reformed Libertarians Podcast; Previous episodes with Gregory Baus on culture 02:56 What's the purpose of having a Reformed perspective of libertarianism; Definition of libertarianism 04:48 Typical Objections: "Profit over people" or "Do whatever we want"; Austrian Economic Theory; "If we care about human life, society, this warrants coercing groups to get along"; Principles of justice, morality, conception of human nature, nature of society and how it operates 10:14 Didn't John Calvin believe in using the magistrate to enforce Christianity? Reformed churches came to confess disestablishmentarian 13:42 What about Christian Nationalism? Mixture of more or less precise of Christian Nationalism create confusion and rejects the best Reformed Covenant Theology 16:28 Is libertarianism is a viable idea to begin with? When is the optimal time explore the ideas of freedom and prosperity? Shouldn't we just make the best out of the system we have? Overton Window: a set of ideas which are "thinkable." 21:23 Not a political commentary podcast; Mission of Reformed Libertarians Resource Links Reformed Libertarians Christians for Liberty Network Libertarian Christian Institute Become a monthly member for as little as $5/mth /episode/index/show/mereliberty/id/25204383

Shane Rosenthal and the Humility of Healthy Skepticism 11/07/2022

Shane Rosenthal and the Humility of Healthy Skepticism TIP JAR: Shane Rosenthal | Featured Guest Shane Rosenthal is the founder and host of The Humble Skeptic podcast which seeks to explore the beliefs and ideas that shape our lives. He was one of the original creators of the White Horse Inn radio broadcast, which he also hosted from 2019-2021. Shane was one of the authors of the book Defending the Faith: Essays on Apologetics and has been a frequent contributor over the years to Modern Reformation magazine. He is a graduate of Cal-State Fullerton (B.A. Humanities) and Westminster Seminary California (M.A. Historical Theology), and resides with his family in St. Louis. Summary - Shane Rosenthal and the Humility of Healthy Skepticism Amid all the tribalism and polarization we see today, Christians could learn something from The Humble Skeptic Podcast. Shane Rosenthal, host of the Humble Skeptic Podcast, joined me to discuss this new project, and the value of thoughtful and reflective Christians. We discuss a number of things, including the problem of the left-right paradigm that appears in politics, religion, and culture. How do we discuss tough issues especially with people who are defensive (or offensive) in their ideas. Rosenthal highlights his pilot episode, wherein he describes the experience of digging into the truth of a story his dad told him about Billy Joel, before Joel was famous. Rosenthal's skepticism was not motivated by distrust, but by curiosity and wonderment. We discuss the twists and turns of the process of thinking through a matter, as well as the reality of coming face-to-face with our own ignorance, a key feature of the Socratic Method which I use in my courses. Rosenthal wants people, Christians in particular, to recognize the value in becoming reflective thinkers, toward the pursuit of truth, for the love of God and neighbor. Rosenthal's gentle temperament, and childlike wonderment will inspire you to embrace the humble skeptic in you too. Join me, Kerry Baldwin, with Shane Rosenthal, as we Dare to Think about the humility of healthy skepticism. Main Points of Discussion 00:00 Introduction 01:28 Shane Rosenthal's background and concept for the Humble Skeptic Podcast 08:13 The fear of asking and receiving questions and what critical thinking is 15:17 Seeking to understand; digging into facts; evaluating information 25:13 Seeking to understand ... our own emotions in relation to facts, truth 32:18 What to do when you have unanswered questions and no good resources? 39:54 Concluding thoughts Resource Links Shane's Substack The Humble Skeptic Podcast Support the Humble Skeptic Podcast https://www.givesendgo.com/humbleskeptic /episode/index/show/mereliberty/id/24901125

Is the Billy Graham Rule Above Reproach? 10/17/2022

Restorative Justice and Christianity with Kathleen McGoey 09/30/2022

Restorative Justice and Christianity with Kathleen McGoey TIP JAR: Summary | Restorative Justice and Christianity with Kathleen McGoey Kathleen McGoey is a trainer and facilitator of Restorative Justice Practices & Conflict Transformation. She has Master's in International Peace & Conflict Studies from the University of Innsbruck, Austria, and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame. Kathleen is the former Executive Director of Longmont Community Justice Partnership (LCJP), where she oversaw community restorative justice programs in partnership with police and schools. Kathleen co-authored The Little Book of Restorative Teaching Tools (Good Books, 2020) and runs RestorativeTeachingTools.com, a free online collection of activities for teaching restorative practices. McGoey joins me to introduce the idea of restorative justice to my Reformed Christians audience. We discuss the concepts, principles, roots, and practice of restorative justice. How it's been successfully integrated with, and sometimes replacing, the criminal legal system, as well as adoption of the principles in various schools as a means of conflict resolution. Most importantly, we discuss it's efficacy not only one it's own merit, but by comparison with the obvious failure of the current criminal legal system. Join Kerry Baldwin with Kathleen McGoey as we Dare to Think about Restorative Justice and Christianity. Main Points of Discussion 00:00 Introduction 01:27 What is the purpose of restorative justice? 05:22 How restorative justice aims at healing relationships in addition to providing restitution. 13:18 Is restorative justice effective at producing deterrence and reducing recidivism? 21:54 Devil's advocate questions: why should I care about rehabilitating criminals? 27:00 Are there some people restorative justice won't work for? 33:02 Is restorative justice a solution for domestic violence and similar abuses? 39:33 What are the roots of restorative justice, and are they compatible with Christianity? 44:14 Summary/Conclusion Resource Links Restorative Justice Tools https://restorativeteachingtools.com/ The Little Book of Restorative Teaching Tools: Games, Activities, and Simulations for Understanding Restorative Justice Practices (Justice and Peacebuilding) https://amzn.to/3UNUjpr Hire Kathleen! https://www.kathleenmcgoey.com/ How to Love Your Enemy: A Restorative Justice Story (Free the People Documentary) https://freethepeople.org/how-to-love-your-enemy-a-restorative-justice-story/ /episode/index/show/mereliberty/id/24539988

Reformed Christians Discuss a Libertarian View of Abortion 08/27/2022

Reformed Christians Discuss a Libertarian View of Abortion Summary | Reformed Christians Discuss a Libertarian View of Abortion TIP JAR: See all links at mereliberty.com/030 Since 2020, Christians (in particular, but certainly Christians more broadly) have been faced with real questions about the proper, God-ordained role of civil governance, love of neighbor, liberty of conscience, and human flourishing. One major issue at the forefront is that of abortion and reproductive rights. Kerry Baldwin joins "Chortles" and "Wresby" on Presbycast, a Confessionally-Reformed Christian podcast to discussion libertarianism and the libertarian view of abortion in particular. In this episode, you'll hear a brief introduction to what's been happening with the liberty movement, news from within the Party, including the removal of the Abortion plank from the party platform. You'll also get an introduction to Kerry Baldwin's pro-life view of abortion. Discussion centers around the need for asking a different set questions from the ones conventional pro-lifers have been accustomed to discussing. These questions include: how do we actually account for abortion as murder in a legal sense? How is the legal question distinct from the economic element? What exactly is being banned in states across America right now? (It's not what you think it is). What constitutes justice for crime, and particularly abortion? ... and more! If you're new to these ideas or have been persuaded that libertarians are default pro-abortion advocates, you may find this episode interesting and (hopefully) compelling. Baldwin is in the process of formalizing her arguments in a libertarian theory of reproductive rights for submission for peer review. Join Kerry Baldwin with Presbycast as we Dare to Think about a libertarian view of abortion. Main Points of Discussion 00:00 Introduction 01:29 What is the state of the liberty movement and Libertarian Party? 06:30 Why Reformed Christians can/should embrace libertarian philosophy and the principles of liberty? 14:38 Why should Reformed Christians care about a libertarian view of abortion? 22:10 What is the pro-life libertarian argument? 27:25 What about fallen humanity, materialism, or libertine ethics? 37:41 Would a libertarian view of abortion outlaw is as murder? 49:25 What is libertarian view of overturning Dobbs v Jackson and overturning Roe v Wade? 52:02 Summary/Conclusion Resource Links by Dr. Norman Horn, Doug Stuart, Kerry Baldwin, and Dick Clark Subscribe to Monthly Email List: Become a monthly member: /episode/index/show/mereliberty/id/24180891

Hopeful Response to John Stossel on Abortion 07/29/2022

Hopeful Response to John Stossel on Abortion Response to John Stossel on Abortion | Kerry Baldwin and Doug Stuart TIP JAR: John Stossel on abortion For the past 50 years, the abortion debate has been a polarized issue with common ground on either side. This polarization has created a perfect storm that suggests a deeply divided country. A single data point gets twisted by both sides. 61% of Americans believe 1st trimester abortion (up to 13 weeks) should be legal. The pro-choice side twists this to say, "most Americans are support abortion rights." The pro-life side twists the same data point to say, "most Americans support restrictions on abortion." I don't see it this way. I think most Americans exist in a gray middle. They're the ones who say, "I'm pro-choice, but …" or I'm pro-life, but …". Most Americans intuitively recognize abortion is wrapped up in tangential issues. So, abortion is a concession, not an ideal, in the mind of most. Failure to imagine a life-affirming alternative to the status quo leads to this concession. I was recently invited to be a guest on John Stossel's show to discuss abortion, and was joined by Avens O'Brien; a pro-choice libertarian of feminists for liberty. I have a great deal of respect for John Stossel and what he does. And I appreciate the opportunity to be featured on his show and alongside O'brien. However, I think Stossel missed an opportunity. I hold that libertarianism is a true alternative to the polarized paradigm we've been stuck in. In this episode, I sat down with Doug Stuart of the Libertarian Christian Institute to discuss some important elements of the interview with Stossel that didn't make it into the final edit. Join me, Kerry Baldwin, as we Dare to Think about libertarianism changes the abortion debate. Main Points of Discussion 01:52 Background to John Stossel episode 07:02 John Stossel on Abortion in full 12:42 Opening commentary 14:03 Where do we agree? 15:09 The problem of enforcement and drug bans 16:51 A person exists inside another person 19:02 My hope and the missed opportunity 22:34 Avens O'Brien's nuances 24:15 Initial reactions to Dobbs v Jackson 28:41 Why even Christian women are worried about the overturn of Roe v Wade 31:08 Militant anti-abortion abolitionists are supporting Joe Biden's failed criminal justice legacy 32:16 Women justified in the felt threat from the state 34:01 Pro-lifers "work not done yet" - what does this mean? 35:27 What I'd like to see libertarians do moving forward Resource Links Become a Monthly Member /episode/index/show/mereliberty/id/23881998

Thinking Well in High Stakes Situations 04/02/2022

Thinking Well in High Stakes Situations Thinking Well in High Stakes Situations| Show Notes TIP JAR: Summary It's easy to believe high stakes situations - like a pandemic - create an imperative to act first. But this is false! We cannot take purposeful action, or well-reasoned action without thinking first. This is counterintuitive to most us. When we're under pressure to make a life-altering decisions, it's easy to believe a "shoot first, ask questions later" approach might work well. But especially when dealing with complex problems that affect us in various way, high stakes situations create an imperative to think first - before acting! To compound the issue, getting others to make particular decisions in similar situations means we are left with the power of persuasion. This is what makes life difficult. It's not only that we experience problems, but those problems are dynamic, and we cannot use force against others to make decisions we want them to. In this episode of Dare to Think, I've republished a discussion I had with Doug Stuart at the Libertarian Christian Institute. We're discussing the courses I teach online at mereliberty.com about how to build and develop the skills of thinking well. Join me, Kerry Baldwin as we Dare to Think about the importance of thinking well in high stakes situations. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, YouTube, Rumble, or Odysee. Main Points of Discussion 01:49 Intro; Human Action - Do groups act? 05:53 Can people do things without thinking? 09:36 What do we mean by high stakes? 15:32 High stakes decisions and imperatives to make a decision 20:25 How should we treat experts and are they making decisions for us? 27:57 Why we can't take action without thinking first? 30:20 Final thoughts Resource Links The Liberty Seminar opens for registration three times a year with each semester. Use DISCOUNT CODE DTT2022 at checkout to receive 30% off the SUMMER 2022 session. Offer expires April 17th. If you find this after the deadline, sign up for the waitlist at Waitlistees will be notified first of upcoming registration and also receive an exclusive discount just for joining the waitlist. Join my monthly newsletter! Become a monthly MEMBER and receive premium rewards /episode/index/show/mereliberty/id/22655240

Mistaken Christian Views of Culture 03/18/2022

Mistaken Christian Views of Culture Mistaken Christian Views of Culture | Show Notes TIP JAR: Summary American Christians are no stranger to the idea of culture. But there are number of ways in which they treat the Christian's relation to culture poorly. Some mistaken Christian views of culture are derived from two broader theoretical views: Scholasticism and Theonomy. This is part two of my interview with Gregory Baus. Listen to part one here: In Scholastic views, for example, the tendency is to view culture as distinct and separate from matters of faith. This often leads to the view that secularism is not only a thing, but a thing to be wary of. It's "worldly" and therefore not something to participate in. In Theonomic views, culture is something to be conquered by counter revolution. Old testament laws are brought forward to the new covenant era as a means of enforcing "cultural Christianity" through the sword. Out of these any number of nuances emerge. But we see both this views to be erroneous. In this episode, I discuss these mistaken views with Gregory Baus, and discuss a neocalvinist view of culture. Featured Guest Bio | Gregory Baus Gregory Baus is a student of the Reformational/neocalvinist philosophy of Herman Dooyeweerd. A former international English teacher; he’s currently living in the US and writing a Master’s thesis on the topic of self-knowledge. (There’s a link to his profile in the show notes). Gregory became a libertarian anarchist in 2008 and we collaborated together on the statement, “What is Reformed Anarchism?” written in 2020 See his full profile: Follow Gregory Baus on Academia, Facebook, and YouTube Main Points of Discussion [01:52] Scholastic errors and the myth of religious neutrality [03:44] Is this secularism? [04:10] The neocalvinist view [06:43] What about 'cultural Christianity? [09:09] Theonomic errors [15:22] Is neocalvinist "transformationalism" also unbiblical? [19:57] Does Christian cultural activity matter "as living sacrifices" or is it all in vain? [25:53] Gregory mentions discussion with PCA pastor Nate Xanders on the Reformed Anarchism statement Resource Links What is Reformed Anarchism? Dialogue with PCA Pastor Nate Xanders on Reformed Anarchism /episode/index/show/mereliberty/id/22408118

Rethinking a Reformed Christian View of Culture 02/18/2022

Rethinking a Reformed Christian View of Culture Rethinking a Reformed Christian View of Culture | Show Notes TIP JAR: Summary Culture is important since it’s the second most important thing we can do as humans: love our neighbor. But how exactly does this play out. Evangelicalism has tried to create a “moral majority” through various political activities. But this politicization of our cultural activity has led to unending “culture wars.” This hyperbolic metaphor has caused divisions among political lines. What if Evangelicals got it wrong? What if norms for culture are written into the fabric of reality itself? How does Adam and Eve’s fall into sin affect these norms? And what if the conventional wisdom from leading evangelical figures – on both the left and right – have complicated the question? How should we think of culture and our activity in it? How might we challenge prevailing paradigms of culture toward a free and prosperous society? In this episode, I discuss these questions and more with Gregory Baus, my co-collaborating on the statement of principles, What is Reformed Anarchism? Featured Guest Bio | Gregory Baus Gregory Baus is a student of the Reformational/neocalvinist philosophy of Herman Dooyeweerd. A former international English teacher; he’s currently living in the US and writing a Master’s thesis on the topic of self-knowledge. (There’s a link to his profile in the show notes). Gregory became a libertarian anarchist in 2008 and we collaborated together on the statement, “What is Reformed Anarchism?” written in 2020 See Gregory Baus' full profile here: Follow Gregory Baus on Academia, Facebook, and YouTube Main Points of Discussion 1:47 Introduction to the Reformed Anarchism statement, what is meant by ‘anarchism’? 7:24 What is ‘culture’? 11:48 Why is it important to have a proper understanding of culture? 15:02 What is a Reformed Christian view of culture? 19:07 What is subjective sanctification? 23:51 Does, “be fruitful and multiply,” only refer to procreation and the family? Next episode: Common mistaken views: Scholasticism and Theonomy. And what about neocalvinism and transformationalism? Resource Links What is Reformed Anarchism? Dialogue with PCA Pastor Nate Xanders on Reformed Anarchism /episode/index/show/mereliberty/id/22130513