Dare to Think | Mere Liberty Podcast w/ Kerry Baldwin

Nuevo México enfrenta desafíos en términos de delitos violentos, delitos contra la propiedad, educación, acceso a la atención médica y estabilidad económica. A pesar de ser un "estado azul", históricamente los demócratas en Nuevo México han estado a favor de la Segunda Enmienda y han tenido pocas leyes de control de armas. La mayoría de la población de Nuevo México es hispana, siendo los nuevomexicanos el resultado de matrimonios mixtos entre españoles o mexicanos y nativos americanos. Nuevo México tiene una historia compleja, que incluye conquistas religiosas violentas y matrimonios mixtos de españoles y nativos americanos. La mayoría de los nuevomexicanos se encuentran en el medio del espectro político y están listos para un cambio real, ya que están cansados del duopolio bipartidista.

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

Summary – Exploring Foster Adoption with Dox Dixon There are many avenues of adoption and are mostly associated with adopting unwanted unborn babies. But what about foster adoption of already born children? What is the process of foster adoption like, what considerations should prospective adoptive parents consider? And what are some myths about it? Join me, Kerry Baldwin with Doc Dixon, as we Dare to Think about what it will take for women to choose life. Featured Guest Bio | Doc Dixon Doc Dixon. I’m a magician, comedian & speaker. From corporate events, trade shows, to resorts in Cancun & private events — even 2 shows at The White House, appearing on The Late Late Show with James Corden and FOOLING magic legends Penn & Teller on Penn & Teller:Fool Us — I bring a special mix of amazement and hilarity that makes events successful. I’m humbled to say, that’s not just my opinion, but the opinion of my clients for the past 30 years from here in my home near Atlanta, Georgia to across the country. Main Points of Discussion 00:00 Introduction 01:24 About Doc Dixon and how he became a Reformed libertarian 07:09 The experience and process of being an adoptive family 16:58 The struggles of foster adoption 24:42 Why adoptive parents shouldn’t be viewed as heroes 32:55 Closing thoughts Resources Mentioned https://docdixon.com/ Doc Dixon on Mike Huckabee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kv_uhEI1V8I Doc Dixon on Penn and Teller: Fool Us https://youtu.be/YaDnY5q_mxg Mere Liberty Monthly Membership https://mereliberty.com/membership/monthly/ Kerry Baldwin’s work on abortion https://mereliberty.com/abortion

full episode https://youtu.be/OB9Xf8pPzbk

Full episode https://youtu.be/OB9Xf8pPzbk

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

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mereliberty.com/035

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mereliberty.com/035

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

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

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

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

Want to learn how to have better conversations about difficult topics? I teach online classes in critical thinking using the Socratic method to middle school, high school, and adults. VISIT: https://mereliberty.com/membership/courses/