In this special holiday episode of the Libertarian Christian Podcast, host Doug Stuart is joined by guests Cody Cook and Alex Bernardo to discuss the must-read books to add to your shopping list this season. Whether you're looking for fiction, theology, or social commentary, we’ve got you covered!

Doug's Selections:

• Faithful Politics, by Miranda Zapor Cruz
• Letters to my Palestinian Neighbor, by Yossi Klein Halevi
• The Ferryman, by Justin Cronin
• Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity, by Peter Attia

Cody's Selections:

• By Water: The Felix Manz Story, by Jason Landsel, Sankha Banerjee, et al
• Losing Our Religion, by Russell Moore
• How to Be an Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi (not recommended)
• The End of Race Politics, by Coleman Hughes
• Hutterite Confession of Faith, by Peter Riedemann
• Sin and Its Remedy in Paul, edited by Nijay Gupta & John K. Goodrich
• Paul and the Language of Faith, by Nijay Gupta

Alex's Selections:

• Jesus and his Promised Second Coming, by Tucker Ferda
• The Ethics of Money Production, by Guido Hülsmann
• A Theory of Capitalism and Socialism, by Hans-Hermann Hoppe

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Doug Stuart chats with Aaron Day, a seasoned entrepreneur, investor, advisor, author, and political activist with nearly three decades of experience across various cutting-edge sectors. Aaron, who is a fellow at the Brownstone Institute and Chairman/CEO of the Daylight Freedom Foundation, shares his journey through the liberty movement and his experiences that shaped his critical stance on Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs).

Aaron details three pivotal radicalizations in his life, starting with his exposure to the crony nature of venture capital, the devastating impact of government regulations on his healthcare company, and his involvement with the Free State Project that led him towards cryptocurrency and blockchain as tools for resisting centralized control.

The discussion takes a deep dive into the current threat posed by CBDCs, how they could usher in a global social credit system, and limit financial competition. Aaron warns of the erosion of freedoms through increased financial surveillance and control, advocating for the use of alternative currencies like cryptocurrency, gold, and silver to maintain financial sovereignty. He emphasizes a DIY approach to financial independence, discussing practical steps in adopting cryptocurrencies and gold-backed debit cards.

The episode also explores the problematic nature of venture capitalism, revealing its reliance on taxpayer money and political connections, which Aaron argues distorts true capitalist ideals. He scrutinizes the current financial regulatory system, highlighting how it restricts investment opportunities to the wealthy and protects established interests.

Aaron also touches on the concept of a single global currency backed by energy credits, linking it to broader trends in financial control and environmental agendas. His analysis offers a sobering view on the future of financial systems and the critical need for vigilance and noncompliance.

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Doug Stuart is joined by guests Alex Bernardo and Cody Cook for an engaging conversation that spans the spectrum of libertarian electoral strategies, internal divides within the movement, and how libertarians can effectively communicate their message to diverse audiences.

Alex Bernardo elucidates the reasoning behind libertarian support for specific candidates, drawing attention to the significance of state electoral votes and strategic voting. Using Kentucky as an example, he discusses why a vote for Thomas Massie may be more impactful than a throwaway presidential vote. He also touches on the potential of third-party candidates to reshape the political landscape. Drawing from Apostle Paul's approach to evangelism, Alex underscores the necessity of tailoring libertarian messaging to different groups. 

Cody Cook weighs in on the concept of voting for the "least painful" candidate and voices concerns about focusing too narrowly on individual platform aspects. The dialogue explores "respectability politics" and the importance of libertarians maintaining respectful yet substantive conversations across splits within the movement.

A notable segment of the episode includes a discussion about Alex inviting Zach Weisszmuller and Jeremy Kaufman to voice their perspectives on the Mises Caucus and the broader libertarian movement. Alex and Cody engage in a candid back-and-forth about political, stylistic, and strategic differences, as well as the cultural divide.

Race and ideology also come under the microscope, with Alex reading from Hans Hermann Hoppe to highlight right-libertarian views on egalitarianism versus left-libertarian policy focuses. Cody fears the implications of self-segregation and advocates for a color-blind philosophy rooted in individuality.

This conversation covers contentious issues like open borders, the potential for the libertarian movement to align with traditional conservative figures, and the perils of anti-intellectual populism. The episode examines both radical and mainstream outreach strategies, analyzing their effectiveness in growing the libertarian base.

Show Notes:

• Alex's interview with Zach Weissmuller
• Alex's interview with Jeremy Kauffman

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Dr. Michael Rectenwald is a former Marxist joining Doug Stuart to explain The Great Reset. Dr. Rectenwald is the author of twelve books, including The Great Reset and the Struggle for Liberty: Unraveling the Global Agenda (Jan. 2023), Thought Criminal (Dec. 2020); Beyond Woke (May 2020); Google Archipelago: The Digital Gulag and the Simulation of Freedom (Sept. 2019); Springtime for Snowflakes: “Social Justice” and Its Postmodern Parentage (an academic’s memoir, 2018); Nineteenth-Century British Secularism: Science, Religion and Literature (2016); Academic Writing, Real World Topics (2015, Concise Edition 2016); Global Secularisms in a Post-Secular Age (2015); Breach (Collected Poems, 2013); The Thief and Other Stories (2013); and The Eros of the Baby-Boom Eras (1991). (See the Books page.)

In this episode Dr. Rectenwald fleshes out questions explaining the connection between Marxism and woke ideology, and that connection to Klaus Schwab's Great Reset, a plan with the World Economic Forum to monopolize the world economy. The discussion highlights some key point including the seemingly innocuous nature of the gateway ideologies to Marxism - namely, social justice, anti-racism, etc. If you've been interested in understanding more about the Great Reset, listen to this episode and consider purchasing Dr. Revtenwald's book.

 

Main Points of Discussion:

00:00 Introduction

01:03 How did you come to reject Marxism and embrace libertarianism?

04:00 Connection between Marxism and "Wokism"

06:03 Can exploitation explain certain kinds of oppression? Was Marx 100% wrong?

10:30 Why can't a Marxist see the state as an oppressive institution? 

12:56 Is there a kind of social justice that isn't 'woke' or Marxist?

16:11 Woke Capitalism? The Long March - the Socialist takeover of the economy.

24:43 The Great Reset: What is it? 

29:20 The coordination of propaganda shrouded under the cloak of inevitability.

34:43 How to respond to the charge the Great Reset is a conspiracy theory? 

40:43 Conspiracy Theorists echoing an anti-Semitic trope?

42:00 Are you optimistic? What's your proposed solution?

44:03 Please buy the book directly from Michael - get a signed copy

 

Resources Mentioned:

https://www.michaelrectenwald.com/

Buy directly from his bookstore here: https://www.michaelrectenwald.com/apogee-bookstore

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Dr. Norman Horn speaks with Stephen Kent, author of the book, “How The Force Can Fix The World." Kent's book explores the libertarian themes, and the relevance Star Wars has to Christianity. The guys then break into spoilers about the new series, Andor.

 

Main Points of Discussion

00:00    Introduction

01:35    About Stephen Kent

03:16    Christian influences on Kent (and Star Wars?)

04:56    Purpose in producing the book - political polarization and enmity

07:26    Inserting your opponents as being The Empire or The Rebellion

10:14    Chapter on humility and common values

17:20    Matthew 18 - childlike faith

22:06    The Death Star and Luke Skywalker

24:57    SPOILER ALERT!

Talking about new Star Wars productions: Andor

 

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In this episode, Doug Stuart speaks with Dr. Paul D. Miller about Christian nationalism. Dr. Paul D. Miller is a Professor in the Practice of International Affairs at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. See his profile here. Miller published the book, The Religion of American Greatness: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism. Stuart and Miller begin with the general sentiment about "love of country" and conclude with why this means we should oppose Christian nationalism. But, of course, Christian nationalism in America raises important question about racism.

Miller gives reasoned, incisive response without the typical polemics that tend to go along such a controversial topic. He helps listeners think about the difference between personal sentiment of racism, and the backdrop of racialized issues and language, without appealing to woke ideology. Was race really a motivator for electing Barak Obama? Why CN is more culturally motivated than politically motivated, and why the crossover from culture to politics is happening none-the-less.

Christians against Christian nationalism should be the sentiment shared by Bible-believing liberty-lovers. Ideas about American equivalence to Israel is simply bad doctrine. Desires to resurrect so-called "Christendom" is also based on an arguably unbiblical ideology of establishmentarianism. If you've been looking for an honest and rational conversation about Christian nationalism, then please listen to this episode and considering purchasing Miller's excellent book.

 

Main Points of Discussion:

00:00 Introduction

02:28 The complexity behind the question, "do you love your country?"

03:36 Guarding against love of country becomes idolatry

05:57 Why this book now? The Religion of American Greatness: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism

08:10 Nationalism as a reactionary response to rapid socio-economic change

09:29 Is "our first black President" really about race?

12:15 "Sublimated" racism - racialized vs racism

15:05 Info about the book and main thesis - trilogy of Christian political theory

16:44 The belief that our nation has a specific fixed cultural identity - Anglo-protestant

18:10 Who are the major intellectuals advocating for Christian nationalism? What are their strongest arguments?

19:42 How much of this depends on the idea the Founders wanted to found a Christian nation?

20:50 Why would Christians want to defend nationalism beyond the cultural element?

21:54 The desire to resurrect "Christendom."

22:35 Invokes sexual revolution, but this isn't really about our national identity

23:18 Biblical theology of nations - kinship vs political entity

25:02 Israel is not a template for what a nation should be

26:48 Critique of Stephen Wolfe's book

27:57 Tribalism vs personal identity - what similarities qualify for the tribe?

30:10 Is it fair for the media to caricature all discussion on CN as race-baiting, or a dog whistle for white nationalism?

32:21 Effectively opposing nationalism - be a patriot (against nationalism)

33:51 Is Trump a nationalist? American greatness, not liberty

35:52 "America's Heritage" has a lot of baggage for different people - rhetorical vagueness is the tool of every politicians; weaponizing the past

37:08 Concluding thoughts

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In today's episode, Doug Stuart and Norman Horn are grilled by Matthew Bellis in a game of "Would You Rather ...?" From pancakes vs waffles, to Tom Woods vs Bob Murphy, to Matthew's meager attempt to ferret out Norm's and Doug's heretical tendencies, you'll find out more about these guys than you ever cared to. Enjoy our last episode of 2022 before we get back to the serious stuff in the New Year.

 

Main Points of Discussion:

00:00    Introduction

02:24    ... be painted red or blue for the rest of your life?

03:02    ... dogs or cats?

04:09    ... pancakes or waffles?

04:43    ... triskets or saltines?

05:14    ... coffee or tea?

06:47    ... Wonder Woman or Captain Marvel?

08:25    ... lose your sight or lose you memories?

10:00    ... give up air conditioning or internet?

11:03    ... have a full time maid or a full time chef?

12:01    ... 11ft tall or 1ft tall?

13:26    ... royalty 1000 years ago or middle class Canadian today?

14:32    ... nothing but Hallmark movies or nothing but Horror movies?

16:42    ... rat or snake hiding in your room?

18:23    ... a year at war or a year in prison?

18:44    ... get rid of taxes or get rid of world hunger?

19:55    .. for your dad ... Tom Woods or Bob Murphy?

21:48    ... Joe Rogan or Dave Smith?

22:20    ... John Stossel or Dave Rubin?

23:58    ... Matt Walsh or Ben Shapiro?

25:12    ... Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh?

26:10    ... Saint Augustine of Hippo or Pelagius?

27:03    ... Saint Nicholas or Arius

27:56    ... SBC or PCUSA?

29:01    ... Methodist or Annabaptist

30:03    ... dinner with Al Mohler or play ping-pong with Benny Hinn

 

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In today's episode, Doug Stuart chats with Neil Shenvi, a PhD in Theoretical Chemistry, about his work in Christian apologetics. If you think there's a disconnect between his education and his work, he explains a bit about that in the opening to the episode, as well as the basis for new found expertise in critical theory. Shenvi's concerns about the influence of critical theory rests in the influence (and resultant damage) to orthodox Christian doctrine by ideas developed by critical theorists. He offers a history of the philosophical discipline; many ways to discern the mechanics of it, how to think through and address the moving target certain nomenclature creates, and much more.

If you know very little about the topic, or believe it's not as bad some say it is, this episode gives a great bird's eye view making connections you might not have previous thought to consider. Shenvi has a very gracious demeanor and way about speaking on this topic; he's sensitive to certain topics of valid concern (racism, abuse, etc), while recognizing the necessary distinctions and why this particular ideology is such a poison. Shenvi is apolitical in his approach. He comes at this with no agenda about politics or political theory.

 

Main Points of Discussion:

00:00 Introduction

01:15 About Neil Shenvi

03:12 How Christians begin expressing wokism and the common trajectory

07:03 What is critical theory?

09:04 How culture effects economics - the connection to Marxism

11:15 How does post-modernism relate to critical theory?

14:11 The convergence of critical theory and post-modernism (and the significance of this)

16:31 Robin DeAngelo is critical race theorist??

18:07 Academics and activists

20:10 Difference between critical theory and critical race theory?

22:18 James Lindsey's connection of critical theory to neo-Marxism?

25:49 Christians going woke are "just trying to deal with the poor and oppressed"

29:55 How lived experience can be wrongly interpreted

32:48 The woke have a "double consciousness" - lived experience is only valid for those liberated from their (white) blindness.

35:32 Wokeness is internally coherent even if it's realistically incoherent

37:48 Are there any ideas that are redeemable about crt?

42:00 there are some isolated ideas that are valid truth claims

42:43 Error in identifying problems, or just a matter of solutions?

46:55 Interest convergence theory?

50:39 CRT's biggest enemy is liberalism

52:00 Shenvi's book reviews and his professional writing

54:51 Concluding thoughts

 

Resources Mentioned:

https://shenviapologetics.com

 

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In this episode, Doug gives us a glimpse of our sister podcast, Faith Seeking Freedom. This podcast is part of the Christians for Liberty Network and also the companion podcast to our book, Faith Seeking Freedom: Libertarian Christian Answers to Tough Questions. LCI Founder, Dr. Norman Horn, is the host of the FSF podcast, and he answers some common questions we get about the differences between libertarianism and conservativism, progressivism, and liberalism. Check it out, and tell us what you think.

 

Main Points of Discussion:

00:00      Introduction

02:36      How libertarianism is different from conservativism

05:49      How libertarianism is different from progressivism

09:52      How libertarianism is different from liberalism

 

Resources Mentioned:

Christians for Liberty Network: christiansforliberty.net

Faith Seeking Freedom Podcast: https://libertarianchristians.com/shows/faith-seeking-freedom-podcast/

 

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A literal fireside chat with Doug Stuart, Norman Horn, Jacob Winograd, and Matthew "I'm on fire!" Bellis. How the guys were influenced by popular personalities. How Jacob was converted to the Mises Caucus from "the left". Is democracy really all that bad? What is nationalism? Listen in as the guys let loose and catch fire... literally!

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Standing in for Doug Stuart is LCI's founder, Dr. Norman Horn. With him today is professor David Rose from the University of Missouri. Dave Rose is a Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He has served as the Department Director of Graduate Studies and as the Department Chair. He received his Ph.D. in Economics in 1987 from the University of Virginia.

His primary areas of research interest are behavioral economics, political economy, and organization theory. He has published scholarly articles in a wide range of areas. His work has been funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, the HFL Foundation, the Earhart Foundation, and the John R. Templeton Foundation. He is currently in his second term on the U.S. Civil Rights Commission. In 2008 he received the St. Louis Business Journal’s Economic Educator of the year award.

You might have heard of ESGs (environmental social governance) from various climate change advocates. David Rose helps us understand what ESGs are and their relationship to stakeholder theory. Rose then contrasts the practice of ESGs (including their historical precedence) with business ethics illustrating for us some inherent problems. Rose explains the social benefits of maximizing profit, why this is a net good for society, and it proves to be a boon philanthropically. Another problem Rose highlights is in business ethics itself. Not only are few university students taking this course, but people who should not be in the position are the ones teaching the subject. (No surprise!)

This episode is a great introduction to the topic of environmental social governance and why we should pay attention to these practices.

 

Main Points of Discussion:

00:00 Introduction

01:45 Environmental Social Governance - what is it?

04:43 History of "corporate responsibility" (stakeholder's theory) compared to ESG - how did we get here?

08:33 The evolution of business ethics and current problems

13:41 Is a business firm a moral agent? The personification problem; The evolutionary theory of firms

19:10 Why ESG proves to be a profound problem on the social effect of business firms

20:45 The effect of ESGs on pension funds

24:25 Why does the firm need to be philanthropic when people can do that on their own? (demonizing profit)

30:19 The "decades of greed" correlate with the most philanthropic time in American history; How can we understand that ESG will harm this?

35:17 There's no virtue in spending someone else's money

37:48 Profit is a signal you've served someone else well

39:27 Practical advice to build awareness for ESG and problems in society

41:48 Concluding thoughts

 

Resources Mentioned:

Common Sense Society https://www.commonsensesociety.org

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Former Libertarian Party Vice-Presidential candidate, Spike Cohen joins Doug Stuart for a discussion about politics, faith, and libertarian activism. Cohen, raised as a Messianic Jew, recounts some of his personal journey in and out of faith. Cohen explains how he became a libertarian and some significant moments in America's recent history where the left and right were very close to unifying on common cause. He then describes how he's come to understand the single most important issue that affects all others is the monopolization of the monetary system through the Federal Reserve. Responsibility for nearly ever grievance against societal problems and government can be laid squarely at the feet at the central bankers. 

Spike Cohen goes on to address some key issues with the broader freedom movement, including the ongoing divide between pragmatists and idealists. He describes this as "our own duopoly" explaining that both sides need each other and maintaining the divide is handicapping our ultimate goal. He's organized a non-profit called You are the Power, dedicated to grassroots municipal level activism with an effective approach. Cohen highlights one story about Pastor Moses and the city of Gastonia, NC that shutdown his homeless shelter, apparently, to secure tax dollars to finance government homeless programs. Finally, he answers the toughest question about how can possibly have a perfect relationship with his wife, Tasha.

 

Main Points of Discussion:

00:00    Introduction

01:33    How Spike Cohen became a libertarian

04:16    Personal journey with faith and libertarianism

09:49    The brief moments where the left and right were unified in their prophetic voice against empire

16:29    The Federal Reserve and control of the money system as the single most important topic

22:20    How big is your libertarian tent?

25:58    Libertarian messaging post-pandemic

31:00    Advice to libertarians embarrassing themselves on social media

34:01    “You are the Power” - Grassroots activism

38:46    Pastor Moses in Gastonia, NC - Homeless shelter shutdown

42:14    How do we get people interested in activism?

45:55    How do you have a perfect relationship with your wife?

48:32    Concluding thoughts

 

Resources Mentioned:

Spike Cohen: You Are the Power https://www.spikecohen.com/

 

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In this episode, Doug Stuart is joined by Dick Clark, co-author of Faith Seeking Freedom, to discuss questions related to a Christian's employment or service to the state.Clark is an attorney who is employed by the Nebraska Legislature. He describes himself as an anarcho-capitalist, or radical libertarian, and so not a "beltway libertarian." Clark takes you through his thought process for what sorts of positions, jobs, offices, that someone can do in a particularly Christian way - that is, aligned with our calling as Christians. He also explains why some jobs should be considered off limits for the Christian.

 

Main Points of Discussion:

00:00    Introduction

01:46    What does Dick Clark do in government?

05:25    What kind of libertarian are you?

07:55    What is the difference between governance and government (the state)?

12:15    Is local government closer to obtaining the consent of the governed?

15:26    What system do we have and is it good? bad?

19:23    How does our calling as Christians ground how we participate in government?

22:24    Is it Christian to repeal welfare programs?

28:20    Would you work for a rival politician?

31:28    Can Christians participate in law enforcement?

42:53    Concluding Thoughts

 

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In this episode, Doug Stuart speaks with Nilay Saiya, author of The Global Politics of Jesus: A Christian Case for Church-State Separation. They discuss the two primary ways Christians approach politics and what those errors are. Nilay discusses these approach in juxtaposition to so-called "Christian Nationalism." He posits a third approach which he believes is aligned with historic Two Kingdoms theology and borrows from Catholic social teaching. He called this approach, Prophetic Witness. Nilay Saiya is assistant professor of public policy and global affairs at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. His research concerns the influence of religion on global politics. He is author of the book Weapon of Peace: How Religious Liberty Combats Terrorism (2018). He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame.

(Re-Mastered for Re-Issue.)

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We're celebrating the 300th episode of the Libertarian Christian Podcast! This episode was streamed live on Friday, November 11th, 2022. To commemorate this milestone, we announced a big new project: The Christians for Liberty Network (CFLN). This is a network of podcasts that share our mission of educating people about the intersection of faith and politics. Joining CFLN are Mike Maharrey of the Godarchy podcast, Jacob Winograd of the Biblical Anarchy (Daniel 3) podcast, and we've also launched a brand new podcast called the Reformed Libertarians podcast, with Kerry Baldwin and her co-host, Gregory Baus, who is new to LCI. In addition, LCI has re-launched Good News, Bad News, with Matthew Bellis, and the Faith Seeking Freedom podcast. We had a lot of fun with this announcement, as we also invited Doc Dixon back on as our special guest. And all the hosts took some friendly jabs at Doug Stuart, the host of our flagship show. Lots of roasting and good times were had, so enjoy the fun now if you didn't catch the livestream!

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Join Doug as he guest appears on Danial Winograd's Daniel 3 Biblical Anarchy Podcast to talk about how to read the Bible as a libertarian. Not only does Doug get into what he and LCI are up to, Doug and Jacob carry on an in-depth conversation about how many Christian libertarians misread the Bible, and how we can treat the Bible as authoritative without thinking of it like we do the constitution. Doug explains why Jesus wasn't a libertarian and how we can live in a world where the state keeps asking more from its citizens.

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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

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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

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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/

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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/

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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/

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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

 

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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) https://decriminalizesex.work/equality-model/

Scandinavian Human Rights Lawyers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4j897YLVac

Contact Melissa at melissa@dswork.org

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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

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In this episode of the Libertarian Christian Podcast, host Doug Stuart sits down with Jim Babka to dissect the allure of populist rhetoric and its impact on modern politics.

The discussion covers Project 2025, a comprehensive policy document by the Heritage Foundation, and the misconceptions surrounding its recommendations. Listeners will gain insight into Jim Babka's extensive work, including his roles at Downsized DC, the Zero Aggression Project, and his podcast "Gracearchy with Jim Babka."

The episode also touches on pressing issues such as the national debt, economic realities, and the often sensationalized conflict perpetuated by the political industrial complex. Jim shares his skepticism towards certain political claims and emphasizes the importance of economic over social issues in political discourse.

They explore how figures like Trump and Obama have harnessed populist appeal, contrasting their legacies with those of Romney, Clinton, McCain, and Biden.

Jim and Doug delve into the phenomenon of undecided voters, pondering the psychological and social factors that drive individuals to switch their political affiliations. From the impact of spin and tribal identification to the emotional investment and loss of individuality in aligning with political parties, the conversation sheds light on the complexities of voter behavior.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!).

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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!

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Mike Maharrey of the 10th Amendment Center gives his perspective on the most significant cases before the Supreme Court in 2022.

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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!

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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.

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Former Libertarian Party Vice-Presidential candidate, Spike Cohen joins Doug Stuart for a discussion about politics, faith, and libertarian activism. Cohen, raised as a Messianic Jew, recounts some of his personal journey in and out of faith. Cohen explains how he became a libertarian and some significant moments in America's recent history where the left and right were very close to unifying on common cause. He then describes how he's come to understand the single most important issue that affects all others is the monopolization of the monetary system through the Federal Reserve. Responsibility for nearly ever grievance against societal problems and government can be laid squarely at the feet at the central bankers. Spike Cohen goes on to address some key issues with the broader freedom movement, including the ongoing divide between pragmatists and idealists. He describes this as "our own duopoly" explaining that both sides need each other and maintaining the divide is handicapping our ultimate goal. He's organized a non-profit called You are the Power, dedicated to grassroots municipal level activism with an effective approach. Cohen highlights one story about Pastor Moses and the city of Gastonia, NC that shutdown his homeless shelter, apparently, to secure tax dollars to finance government homeless programs. Finally, he answers the toughest question about how can possibly have a perfect relationship with his wife, Tasha.

(Re-Mastered for Re-Issue.)

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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

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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?

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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!

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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.)

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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!

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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.

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In June 2024, Dr. Norman Horn participated in a Theology by the Pint event, where the topics of discussion were on whether a Christian can be patriotic, a nationalist, or are these things idolatry? Three participants gave opening statements, and a panel discussion with audience Q&A followed.

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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

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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.

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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!

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