Dare to Think | Mere Liberty Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

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On this episode of Dare to Think, host Kerry Baldwin delves into the complex history of the Libertarian Party's stance on abortion rights. In her exploration, Kerry highlights key shifts in the party's platform over the decades, shedding light on the diverse perspectives within the Libertarian Party.

As she navigates through the party's evolving positions on abortion, Kerry addresses the recent removal of the abortion plank from the platform, which has sparked debates among delegates who hold varying views on abortion.

With a focus on the nuances of the party's stance and the implications for both pro choice and pro life libertarians, this episode offers an in-depth analysis of a contentious issue within the Libertarian Party.

Join Kerry as she discusses the ongoing philosophical debate and its potential impact on the future of Libertarianism.

00:00 Introduction and history of the abortion plank

06:44 Historical LP stance on abortion shows division.

09:47 Delegate supports removing abortion plank.

11:02 Dallas Accord: Libertarian Party for all libertarians.

14:30 Silence on abortion: Threat to women's rights?

18:43 Authoritarian policies infringe on reproductive rights.

23:02 Libertarian platform silent on abortion for consistency.

24:58 Podcast promoting critical thinking and membership benefits.

| SUMMARY - Nancy Pearcey Explains The Toxic War on Masculinity | 

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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 https://mereliberty.com/041 

| 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

• https://twitter.com/NancyRPearcey
• https://www.facebook.com/NancyRPearceyAuthor

Visit Nancy Pearcey's Website and purchase her book! (Preferred by author)

• https://www.nancypearcey.com/ 

Or on Amazon (Affiliate Support for Dare to Think Podcast)

• https://amzn.to/3wzDPcX 

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Summary | Is the Billy Graham Rule Above Reproach?

What do I mean by this question? It’s been suggested by many holding to biblical sexual ethic that the Billy Graham Rule is a prudential “rule of thumb” intended to mitigate the temptation for sexual sin.

But is this true? As I’ve discussed and interacted with Christians over the years, I’ve found there two basic interpretations of this rule. Either it’s a blanket, hard and fast rule, or it’s a good thing to consider in particular circumstances with particular people. The former interpretation comes from Billy Graham himself, and the latter comes from an assumption made about the content of the rule. This assumption is simply wrong.

Making prudential boundaries for oneself, to be used in particular circumstances with particular people is not at issue in this episode. By it’s very definition, boundaries require an act of discernment. The Billy Graham Rule, on the other hand, requires forgoing discernment and is from motivations that demonstrate it’s a rule not above reproach, and therefore un-Christian.

Main Points of Discussion

00:00 Introduction

01:27 What is the Billy Graham Rule and a thought experiment.

06:13 What does it mean to be “above reproach?”

11:38 Why Billy Graham created his rule and its implications

15:47 What the Billy Graham Rule is not

18:55 Concluding thoughts

Resource Links

What is the Billy Graham Rule? (According to Billy Graham) https://billygraham.org/story/the-modesto-manifesto-a-declaration-of-biblical-integrity/

Billy Graham Rule https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Graham_rule

Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) Biblical Qualifications of Elders https://www.opc.org/OS/html/V3/4e.html

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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/

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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.

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

Are Libertarians Pro-Choice?

Faith Seeking Freedom: Libertarian Christian Answers to Tough Questions by Dr. Norman Horn, Doug Stuart, Kerry Baldwin, and Dick Clark

Kerry Baldwin's Theory of Abortion archive

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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.

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

Original episode of John Stossel on Abortion

Avens O'Brien, Feminists for Liberty

Restorative Justice

Libertarian Party Removes Abortion Plank from Platform

https://mereliberty.com/membership?utm_source=show+notes&utm_medium=link&utm_id=DTT

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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.

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

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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: Rethinking a Reformed Christian View of Culture

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.

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: https://sites.google.com/site/ideolog/

Follow Gregory Baus on Academia, Facebook, and YouTube
https://independentscholar.academia.edu/GregoryBaus
https://www.facebook.com/gregory.baus
https://www.youtube.com/c/reformational

[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

What is Reformed Anarchism?
https://www.academia.edu/44884160/What_is_Reformed_anarchism

Dialogue with PCA Pastor Nate Xanders on Reformed Anarchism
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwrDNUO5MDu-56FIiArhzVisvc1TayOFS

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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?

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: https://sites.google.com/site/ideolog/

Follow Gregory Baus on Academia, Facebook, and YouTube
https://independentscholar.academia.edu/GregoryBaus
https://www.facebook.com/gregory.baus
https://www.youtube.com/c/reformational

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?

What is Reformed Anarchism?
https://www.academia.edu/44884160/What_is_Reformed_anarchism

Dialogue with PCA Pastor Nate Xanders on Reformed Anarchism
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwrDNUO5MDu-56FIiArhzVisvc1TayOFS

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It's very easy to think of libertarianism and the principle of self-ownership as being an extreme form of individualism. In fact, cynics of libertarian thought chide libertarians for being atomistic, selfish, egotistical, and the like. While any student of libertarian philosophy knows these accusations are baseless, other self-described libertarians may have difficulty relating ideas like self-ownership to relationships. 

This is for any kind of relationship - whether platonic, romantic, or more indirect like with the state. Antony Sammeroff and Kerry Baldwin dialogue about the importance of good communication skills, why most of us don't have them, what the consequences have been on a societal scale, and how we can start making changes for the good. 

Antony Sammeroff co-hosts the Scottish Liberty Podcast and has featured prominently on other libertarian themed shows including The Tom Woods Show, Lions of Liberty, School Sucks Podcast, and many more. His book Universal Basic Income — For and Against (with a foreword by Robert P. Murphy) is available in paperback and on Amazon Kindle. Subscribe to his Substack here: https://psychosocial.substack.com/ 

Placating People by Antony Sammeroff

6 Reasons Why People Communicate ... Can You Name Them?  by Antony Sammeroff

Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships by Marshall Rosenberg (Affiliate Link)

How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber

Who's Pulling Your Strings?: How to Break the Cycle of Manipulation and Regain Control of Your Life by Dr. Harriet Braiker

Harsh Nazi Parenting Guidelines May Still Affect German Children of Today by Anne Kratzer 

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