Equipped for Life Podcast

Josh's favorite Christian apologist, Dr. Randal Rauser, joins the show. Randal describes himself as "progressively Evangelical and generously Orthodox." Josh asks him about open-mindedness, his observations about the pro-life movement, when it's appropriate to call leaders out publicly, and the difference between an "agitation apologetics model" and an "agreement apologetics model." While Josh doesn't agree with everything Rauser believes, that's not the point, and this isn't a debate episode. Josh found this to be a good opportunity to listen to the views of a very careful thinker in spite of the fact that they don't agree on everything within the abortion debate. Related Links: Randal Rauser's website: https://RandalRauser.com Randal's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Randal_Rauser Randal interviews Josh about the state of the abortion debate: https://youtu.be/zRQuuTh8YxI Randal debates Trent Horn on abortion: https://youtu.be/TCK_Pu4lf8A Randal's book, "Jesus Loves Canaanites" https://randalrauser.com/book/jesus-loves-canaanites ERI Blog: "Abortion Images: A Case for Disagreement without Division" http://bit.ly/2uJWRcI Equal Rights Institute Website:  https://EqualRightsInstitute.com Equal Rights Institute Blog:  https://Blog.EqualRightsInstitute.com Equipped for Life Course:  https://EquippedCourse.com Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass: http://SidewalkCounselingMasterclass.com Chapters: 00:00: Introduction and thoughts on intellectual honesty 07:33: On trying to convince people to be open-minded 11:20: Defining what it means to be a “Progressive Evangelical” 15:05: What would he say to more conservative Christians who are concerned about Progressive Evangelicals?  17:30: How would Randall describe his views on abortion? 23:20: What are his observations about the pro-life movement from outside of it? 27:26: What advice would he give to pro-life leaders? 29:45: A discussion on when it's appropriate to call other leaders out in public for poor behavior 40:35: What practical things can people do if they want to transition from agitative apologetics to more of an agreement apologetics model? 42:52: Final thoughts on deception and transparency Host: Josh Brahm Guest: Dr. Randal Rauser Audio/Video Editors: Josh Brahm Publisher: Ellen Campbell

Josh Brahm and Monica Snyder have an open conversation about biology, philosophy, and how they interact with persuasion in the abortion debate. Monica has a STEM background so she and Josh compare notes on how STEM professionals and philosophers feel about each other, and why many of them are arrogant.  They also discuss: - How arrogance, confidence, and impostor syndrome often interact with each other;  - The pros and cons of using big words;  - Whether biology vs. philosophy are more likely to change minds on abortion; - “Should we prioritize our arguments more based on whether they are influential, emotionally compelling, logically sound, or other factors?”  - Steps anyone can take to become more rational. Related Links: Secular Pro-Life: https://SecularProLife.org SPL posts about changing from PC to PL: https://secularprolife.com/becomingprolife SPL's “No. embryos aren't parasites” video: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=5461153773924066 ERI's article "Abortion Images: A Case for Disagreement without Division" http://bit.ly/2uJWRcI Equal Rights Institute Website:  https://EqualRightsInstitute.com Equal Rights Institute Blog:  https://Blog.EqualRightsInstitute.com Equipped for Life Course:  https://EquippedCourse.com Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass: http://SidewalkCounselingMasterclass.com Host: Josh Brahm Guest: Monica Snyder Audio/Video Editor: Josh Brahm  Publisher: Ellen Campbell

Monica Snyder shares a very emotional story about going undercover in a late-term abortion facility in Washington DC while being 28-weeks pregnant. She talks about what was harder than she expected and the perspective she gained about the employees at the clinic. She also helps Josh understand some things he had never heard about some post-abortive women, and responds to the most frequently asked questions and challenges from both sides of the abortion debate regarding this video.  Editor's note: As you may remember from a previous editor's note, we had technical problems on this recording day that went undiagnosed until later because I didn't think we needed to wear the headphones this time. I did the best I could to fix it, but it's way below my standards. Thank you for your patience.  Related Links:  Watch the video Live Action released from this day: https://youtu.be/_6bqFOnUsfg Learn more about Justice for the Five here:  https://paaunow.org/justiceforthefive  Watch Josh's emotional interview with Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising's Terrisa Bukovinac and Lauren Handy: https://www.youtube.com/live/_8uDzYhrvXY?feature=share Read Monica Snyder's piece for the Washington Times about this story: https://bit.ly/3HxXwEv Read a similar piece Monica wrote for the Secular Pro-Life blog: https://bit.ly/3NASyuA Read this Secular Pro-Life Interview: How Gabriela became a sidewalk counselor outside the clinic where she had her abortion: https://bit.ly/3VCA1A7 Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass: http://SidewalkCounselingMasterclass.com Equal Rights Institute Website:  https://EqualRightsInstitute.com Equal Rights Institute Blog:  https://Blog.EqualRightsInstitute.com Equipped for Life Course:  https://EquippedCourse.com Host: Josh Brahm Guest: Monica Snyder Audio/Video Editor: Josh Brahm  Publisher: Ellen Campbell

Josh Brahm gives an update on what we've been working on at ERI, including recent speaking trips in Europe, progress on Equipped for Life Academy, and hiring our new administrator. Chapters: 00:00 Why Josh is in Paris 03:16 Cool story from England conference 06:08 Emily update from Denmark 09:13 Equipped for Life Academy update & a question for you 13:57 Replacing Jen 20:11 Equipped for Life Academy update continued Related Links: Equal Rights Institute Website:  https://EqualRightsInstitute.com Equal Rights Institute Blog:  https://Blog.EqualRightsInstitute.com Equipped for Life Course:  https://EquippedCourse.com Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass: http://SidewalkCounselingMasterclass.com Performers: Josh Brahm & Emily Albrecht Audio/Video Editor: Josh Brahm Publisher: Ellen Campbell

Recorded in late 2022, Monica Snyder from Secular Pro-Life joined Josh to film a few episodes on what the pro-life movement should be doing right now. It took us a while to get back to regular podcast editing due to a TON of travel, but everything they said is still relevant.  The discussion includes:  - What do we mean when we use the term “pro-life movement” in this particular discussion? - Lots of ideas for things that pro-life people can do to fight abortion. - 4 “unforced errors” Josh is warning pro-lifers to avoid. - Choosing our terms carefully depending on the context. Learn more about Secular Pro-Life (and follow them on social media) here:  https://secularprolife.org Note: Monica referenced Amazon Smile, which was recently discontinued, because we filmed this late last year.  Related links: Check out Secular Pro-Life's collaborative website: https://HowToBeProLife.com Check out Secular Pro-Life's “The Abortion Debate Index”: https://SecularProLife.org/Index ERI deep dive podcast on the Dobbs oral arguments: https://www.youtube.com/live/Wxt4AhbUfjc ERI Statement: Should Women Be Prosecuted for Illegal Abortions? https://bit.ly/3OT8lTD ERI Podcast: Defining the Word “Abortion” Will Change Your Dialogues (with Dank Pro-Life Memes) https://bit.ly/3hs7mbH Secular Peo-Life Blog: ACOG has spoken: 13 phrases we no longer are supposed to use regarding abortion: https://bit.ly/3JTry6g ERI Blog: Why Pro-Life People Should Watch “After Tiller”: https://bit.ly/40no9Ui Equal Rights Institute Website:  https://EqualRightsInstitute.com Equal Rights Institute Blog:  https://Blog.EqualRightsInstitute.com Equipped for Life Course:  https://EquippedCourse.com Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass: http://SidewalkCounselingMasterclass.com Host: Josh Brahm Guest: Monica Snyder Audio/Video Editor: Josh Brahm  Publisher: Ellen Campbell

Recorded in late 2022, Monica Snyder from Secular Pro-Life joined Josh to film a few episodes on what the pro-life movement should be doing right now. It took us a while to get back to regular podcast editing due to a TON of travel, but everything they said is still relevant.  The discussion includes: - The five state amendments the pro-life movement lost in the midterms, and why we lost them. - Does the CA amendment actually mean that infanticide is being legalized? - Where is the American public on abortion? What do we know? - The difference between how Josh and Monica reacted to the Dobbs decision. Learn more about Secular Pro-Life (and follow them on social media) here: https://secularprolife.org Editor's note: There's a little electrical hum noise in one of the microphones that we didn't catch that day because we haven't had that issue before and decided to record without headphones. Oops! Won't make that mistake again. We've minimized it as much as possible, but there's no way to totally take it out. Sorry about that. Related Links: Emily Albrecht on MSNBC: http://bit.ly/3ZDUTrR Podcast: Behind-the-Scenes: Emily Discusses Abortion With NARAL President on MSNBC: http://bit.ly/3zGu5wm Podcast: What New Research Tells Us About Persuasion: http://bit.ly/33GsFkl

Josh explains how some upgrades to our podcast equipment will save us time editing the episodes later and how that will affect our listeners. (This will make even more sense if you watch it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2cqGMIgp9mM There's a short 2-minute summary, and then a longer "nerdier" version for those who are interested. We have some great podcasts coming out soon, but our production schedule has been thrown off by suddenly needing to find and train a new Administrator. New episode comes out tomorrow though! Thank you for your patience! Chapters: 00:00: The short "TLDR" version 02:36: The nerdier version about the equipment 07:17: Thank you for making this possible Related Links: Equal Rights Institute Website:  https://EqualRightsInstitute.com Equal Rights Institute Blog:  https://Blog.EqualRightsInstitute.com Equipped for Life Course:  https://EquippedCourse.com Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass: http://SidewalkCounselingMasterclass.com

Josh Brahm was invited to answer questions about abortion late last year at Fusion City Church in Kannapolis, NC. Pastor Brian Duncan had preached on abortion the week prior and asked Josh to help field the questions that came from the congregation afterward.  *Sorry for the bad audio during the intro. I forgot to grab the better audio before I formatted the SD card. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 03:19 Pastor introduces Josh 04:05 Josh summarizes the origin of his pro-life work 05:25 Pastor Brian on self-defense and the right to life 07:40 What if the mother's life is at risk? 11:34 But isn't every pregnancy potentially life-threatening? 17:19 What about cases of rape or incest? 20:24 How would you respond to the argument that the unborn aren't biologically human until they become a fetus? 23:33 "If someone should have the choice to use drugs or have multiple sexual partners, should they also not have the choice to have an abortion?" 26:38 How would you respond to a pro-choice Christian who says this: "My personal issue with the entire Roe v. Wade overturn was not so much the abortion aspect but the loss of bodily autonomy for me and my sisters and daughters.  If the movement wasn't so rooted in the dirty word of abortion, I think many people would have an easier time thinking of Pro-Choice as having a choice over one's body which everyone has and almost everyone exercises to some degree.  People choose to eat a vegan diet or a carnivore diet, both with very different reactions in the body.  People choose to drink energy drinks despite the consequences of heart damage.  People choose to be vaccinated or not, both with varying outcomes.  People choose to smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol.  People choose to give their boy child a circumcision or not, way before the child is 'self-aware', both offering varying outcomes.  Saying "my body, my choice" is not pro-murder.  It is pro-autonomy, and I have no issues with that whatsoever." 31:43 What are some areas where pro-life people sometimes don't follow their logic to their natural conclusion? 34:01 Final thoughts Related Links: Refuting “Abortion as Self-Defense” Fusion City Church The full-service video Pastor Brian's previous sermon on what it means to be pro-life Equal Rights Institute Website Equal Rights Institute Blog Equipped for Life Course Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass Host: Pastor Brian Duncan Guest: Josh Brahm Audio/Video Editor: Josh Brahm Publisher: Jen Westmoreland

We've received hundreds of messages and comments about Emily's appearance on MSNBC last week! By popular demand, Josh and Emily are joined by Tim Hull to discuss the behind-the-scenes story of how Emily ended up discussing abortion with the President of NARAL on national television live from NBC studios in New York City!  In this episode, Emily will share the story of her trip to 30 Rockefeller Plaza, including insights into what she chose to say (and not say!) on air and how she was treated by MSNBC. Josh, Emily, and Tim will also watch the MSNBC segment together, reacting to the pro-choice arguments made and providing additional talking points pro-lifers can use to respond. If you'd like to watch MSNBC's published version of the segment, you can do so at the link below! https://on.msnbc.com/3gCfDi1 Related Links: Diane Greene Foster & Katrina Kimport for Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health: Who Seeks Abortions at or After 20 Weeks? https://bit.ly/3zDTt5O Katrina Kimport for Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health: Is third-trimester abortion exceptional? Two pathways to abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy in the United States: https://bit.ly/3WCzkXR Secular Pro-Life: Responding to 7 pro-choice claims about embryonic hearts: https://bit.ly/3UgUSan Secular Pro-Life: Later Abortion landing page: https://bit.ly/3gTuu7V Secular Pro-Life: Embryonic Hearts: https://bit.ly/3TXQSvN Equal Rights Institute Website:  https://EqualRightsInstitute.com Equal Rights Institute Blog:  https://Blog.EqualRightsInstitute.com Equipped for Life Course:  https://EquippedCourse.com Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass: http://SidewalkCounselingMasterclass.com Hosts: Josh Brahm & Emily Alrbecht Guest: Tim Hull Audio/Video Editor: Tim Hull & Josh Brahm Publisher: Jen Westmoreland

NOTE: For some technical reason this episode didn't publish on podcast feeds before, so we're posting it now. Scroll down to catch the second part of this series in episode 67. Thanks! Jonathon Van Maren joins the podcast to discuss what is going on with a hostile anti-abortion group called Abolish Human Abortion (AHA). This is the first of a two-part series. In this episode, Jonathon discusses AHA's origin, their slander of the pro-life movement, how they are not Wilberforce-style abolitionists, and how they're attempting to rewrite their history now. Related Links: Josh Brahm: AHA Attacks Justice For All for “Not Treating Abortion Like Sin” Jonathon Van Maren: How “Abolish Human Abortion” Gets History Wrong - Part 1 Jonathon Van Maren: How “Abolish Human Abortion” Gets History Wrong Again - Part 2 YouTube: Debate: Pro-Life Incrementalism vs Abolitionist Immediatism (Gregg Cunningham vs. T. Russell Hunter) We referenced Dr. Michael New's research on the effects of pro-life legislation. While much of his work is behind various paywalls, he helpfully sent a link to a 2018 policy analysis he wrote for the Charlotte Lozier Institute, where he summarized the academic research on the impact of pro-life laws: https://bit.ly/3o4Ek6m Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:01 Josh on the pro-life unity happening in this episode 02:43 Why we're talking about AHA 08:37 AHA's origin 27:21 The difference between critiquing in good faith and bad faith 31:42 Problems with AHA-supported legislation 33:10 Pro-life victories and AHA's slander 38:09 Why are abortion rates down? 39:44 Straw-manning or unintelligent? 40:59 "And then what?" 42:29 They're not Wilberforce-style abolitionists Jonathon Van Maren is the Communications Director for the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform. His writings have been translated into more than six languages, and published in the National Post, National Review, First Things, The European Conservative, The Federalist, The American Conservative, The Stream, the Jewish Independent, the Hamilton Spectator, Reformed Perspective Magazine, among others. His insights have been featured on CTV, Global News, and the CBC, as well as over twenty radio stations. He regularly speaks on a variety of social issues at universities, high schools, churches, and other functions in Canada, the United States, and Europe.

Josh and Emily share interesting stories from their last two semesters of campus outreach, and some of the trends they're noticing among pro-choice college students.  This is part two of the series, and includes the story of protesters apologizing to us, why we might change the way we promote Emily's speeches, the creative ways the pro-choice students at St. Olaf are now countering our outreaches there, an innovative pro-life response to a Jainist, and an improved response to people who bite the squirrel bullet! Then they discuss trends and recommendations for future pro-life outreaches. Josh and Emily share interesting stories from their last two semesters of campus outreach, and some of the trends they're noticing among pro-choice college students.  This is part two of the series, and includes the story of protesters apologizing to us, why we might change the way we promote Emily's speeches, the creative ways the pro-choice students at St. Olaf are now countering our outreaches there, an innovative pro-life response to a Jainist, and an improved response to people who bite the squirrel bullet! Then they discuss trends and recommendations for future pro-life outreaches. Related Links:  Abortion Dialogue on Campus: Outreach Stories and Trends  - Part 1: https://youtu.be/_u6nAL0FTjk How One Student Group Radically Changed Their Campus Culture: https://youtu.be/lAsOzyg7M2c The Equal Rights Argument: https://youtu.be/louYc-9cvE0 How Josh Should Have Dealt with a Hostile Audience in Canada: http://bit.ly/2CSiGMd Firebombings and Vandalism: Planned Parenthood Must Condemn Jane's Revenge: https://bit.ly/39qxANC How Should Conservatives Respond to the Disturbing Trend of Campus Censorship? http://bit.ly/2JOr1Gr Six Ways I've Seen Pro-Choice People Try to Censor Pro-Lifers: http://bit.ly/2vhr8ib Abortion and Medical Necessity: Improving the Pro-Life Approach:  https://bit.ly/3eepkCj ERI LIVE - What Should I Say in a Post-Roe America?  https://youtu.be/0eGpYM1I-5Y Defining the Word "Abortion" Will Change Your Dialogues (with Dank Pro-Life Memes): https://youtu.be/A8TVroArQLw A Simple Change That Instantly Communicates a Nuanced Approach to the Abortion Debate: http://bit.ly/2ufnjgM Why I Changed My Pro-life Elevator Pitch: https://bit.ly/3NERrrE Abortion Images: A Case for Disagreement without Division: http://bit.ly/2uJWRcI Godwin's Law Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law Equal Rights Institute Website:  https://EqualRightsInstitute.com Equal Rights Institute Blog:  https://Blog.EqualRightsInstitute.com Equipped for Life Course:  https://EquippedCourse.com Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass: http://SidewalkCounselingMasterclass.com Co-Hosts: Josh Brahm & Emily Albrecht Audio/Video Editors: Joshua Head & Josh Brahm Publisher: Jen Westmoreland

Josh and Emily share interesting stories from their last two semesters of campus outreach, and some of the trends they're noticing with respect to abortion dialogue among pro-choice college students.  This is part one of a two-part series, and includes the story of a young woman who chewed Josh out in Wisconsin, how Emily varies her "elevator pitch" based on who she's talking to, the way Josh thinks about swearing at outreach, and more! Related Links: How One Student Group Radically Changed Their Campus Culture Equal Rights Institute Website Equal Rights Institute Blog Equipped for Life Course Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass Co-Hosts: Josh Brahm & Emily Albrecht Audio/Video Editor: Joshua Head & Josh Brahm  Publisher: Jen Westmoreland

It's the question we're asked more often than any other, and we want to answer it carefully. The question is, "What should I do about the pro-life activist near me who is being difficult? Should I approach them differently than I do my dialogues with pro-choice people?" Josh and Emily invited ERI Lead Editor Andrew Kaake and Secular Pro-Life's Executive Director Monica Snyder on the show for a two-part discussion on the way they think about responding to online comments, eight common types of difficult pro-life people, and how you can respond to them. Click here to listen to part 1: https://blog.equalrightsinstitute.com/responding-to-8-types-of-difficult-pro-lifers-with-monica-snyder-andrew-kaake-part-1/ Note: Sorry for the occasional distortion with Josh and Emily's mics. They've had a good six-year run, but we're replacing them before the next time we record (the mics, not Josh and Emily). We also had technical issues with Monica and Andrew's video streams due to technical issues. All of their audio is here, but the video is missing. Related Links: Secular Pro-Life https://secularprolife.org AHA: The Anti-Abortionists Who Fight Other Pro-Lifers (with Jonathon Van Maren - Part 1) AHA Fails to Understand Pro-Life History (with Jonathon Van Maren - Part 2) Abolitionists Are Going to Get People Killed, and the SBC Just Helped Them Fellow Pro-Lifers: Please Stop Sharing This Straw Man Meme ERI Bodily Rights Materials Landing Page https://equalrightsinstitute.com/bodilyrights Speech: Monica Snyder on Deconstructing Three Pro-Choice Myths http://secularprolife.org/myths/ Speech: Monica Snyder speaks at the Dobbs #EmpowerWomenPromoteLife rally https://youtu.be/vPOCw6BaHTQ SPL post asking why people became pro-life Should Pro-Lifers be Snarky? (with Dank Pro-Life Memes) Equal Rights Institute Website:  https://EqualRightsInstitute.com Equal Rights Institute Blog:  https://Blog.EqualRightsInstitute.com Equipped for Life Course:  https://EquippedCourse.com Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass: http://SidewalkCounselingMasterclass.com Chapters: 00:00: Introduction 01:24: Type 5: The Ones Who Are Hurting the Movement 11:17: Type 6: The Ones Who Don't Understand the Argument... 25:53: Type 7: ...Or the People Making the Argument... 33:36: Type 8: ...Or the People Getting the Abortions 47:27: How can pro-life advocates encourage members in these categories to think or act differently? 1:09:19: Are we being hypocritical for pointing out difficult types of pro-lifers? Co-Hosts: Josh Brahm & Emily Albrecht Guests: Monica Snyder & Andrew Kaake Audio/Video Editor: Chapter One Films & Josh Brahm Publisher: Josh Brahm

Everyone has been talking about the tragic case of a 10-year-old who was raped, became pregnant, and driven across state lines to get an abortion. Even President Biden referenced her story in public. Multiple ERI followers have asked us how pro-life people can answer questions about this story without sounding like a moral monster. Josh and Emily invited licensed mental health counselor Robin Atkins to discuss the story with us. Our conversation included the rules regarding public discussion of patient information, particularly in CHINS cases, and the damage done if the rules are violated as well as how pro-life people should talk about this story. Robin is a licensed mental health counselor, specializing in reproductive issues. She also has a philosophy degree. She spent four years doing home-based therapy with the Department of Children's Services. She's a pro-life advocate with an atypical perspective on some of the issues surrounding abortion. Related Links: The source that Robin read from about laws governing confidentiality in CHINS cases: Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2022). Disclosure of confidential child abuse and neglect records. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau. Reprotection: https://www.reprotection.org/ ERI Podcast with Reprotection She Found His Grace Abortion Recovery (Serena Dyksen) https://www.shefoundhisgrace.org Book: She Found His Grace: A True Story Of Hope, Love, And Forgiveness After Abortion: https://amzn.to/3v7TRHv Responding to 8 Types of Difficult Pro-Lifers (with Monica Snyder & Andrew Kaake - Part 1) Here are the medical studies we referenced regarding young pregnancies: Too much too young? Teenage pregnancy is not a public health problem: https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/31/3/552/629768 What's so bad about teenage pregnancy? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12457546/   Why I Changed My Pro-life Elevator Pitch: https://bit.ly/3NERrrE “Abortion is Healthcare”: A Misogynistic Non-Argument: http://bit.ly/2oYPP5k ERI resources on responding to the question of rape: https://blog.equalrightsinstitute.com/rape/ Previous episodes with Robin Atkins:  A Different Perspective: Adoption vs. Foster Care vs. Abortion: https://youtu.be/yChl-sReTP0 Mental Health and Informed Consent in Abortion: https://youtu.be/E4Pn_wf5kSU A Mental Health Counselor on Psychology in Debate: https://youtu.be/sZDIVOKJ6hE Bonus Discussion about Whether Sidewalk Counselors Should EVER Bring Up Adoption: https://youtu.be/HaUJMcEgpcQ Chapters 00:00 Introducing Robin and this story 06:23 CHINS cases and why the fact checkers got this story so wrong 35:14 Can abortion treat the trauma of rape? 53:31 Examining an apparent contradiction in what Robin said about how Ohio treats these crimes 57:36 Is it actually more physically dangerous when a young person is pregnant? 1:19:02 How should abortion laws treat a situation where a doctor claims that their patient has a life-threatening pregnancy?   1:27:26 How should pro-life people talk about cases like this? Disclosure: The book above is an Amazon affiliate link. This means that, at zero cost to you, ERI will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

The days after Roe v. Wade's overturning have been riddled with confusion, panic, anger, protests, and misinformation. There has never been a more important time for pro-life advocates to provide clarity, explain what overturning Roe v. Wade really means, and describe how we want to see our society move forward. Josh, Emily, and Andrew went live on YouTube and Facebook to help you think clearly and respond effectively to the most contentious issue of the moment. After summarizing what the Dobbs decision did, the staff pull the curtain back on what their experience was like on the day that Dobbs came out, and their emotional reactions to the situation since. Then they discuss the question of whether pro-lifers should be even trying to get into dialogues right now, given the heated emotions right now. Finally they respond to these commpm pro-choice arguments right now: - Back-alley abortions - Pro-lifers don't care about babies after they're born - Handmaid's Tale - "This is a step back 50 years for women's rights" - "People will still get abortions anyway!" - "You're going to force women to die from tubal pregnancies. Are doctors really not allowed to do live-saving procedures?" - The maternal mortality rate in Mississippi - "Justice Thomas' concurrence proves that they're coming after same-sex marriage and birth control next!" - "You can't force people to donate organs. Women have less bodily autonomy than corpses now." - "You want to throw women into jail." - "Women will be prosecuted for miscarriages." Finally the staff discuss the three steps for the pro-life movement now before taking questions from the audience.

It's the question we're asked more often than any other, and we want to answer it carefully. The question is, "What should I do about the pro-life activist near me who is being difficult? Should I approach them differently than I do my dialogues with pro-choice people?" Josh and Emily invited ERI Lead Editor Andrew Kaake and Secular Pro-Life's Executive Director Monica Snyder on the show for a two-part discussion on the way they think about responding to online comments, eight common types of difficult pro-life people, and how you can respond to them. Note: Sorry for the occasional distortion with Josh and Emily's mics. They've had a good six-year run, but we're replacing them before the next time we record (the mics, not Josh and Emily). We also had technical issues with Monica's video stream due to technical issues. All of her audio is there, but the video is missing sometimes. Related Links: Secular Pro-Life: https://secularprolife.org Monica Snyder for Secular Pro-Life: “Nine months of inconvenience.” https://bit.ly/3MvqDs4 First episode of our two-part podcast with Jonathon Van Maren on AHA: https://youtu.be/0SvNYXQqvuM 00:00 Introducing the guests and topic 02:49 Opening comments 09:28 ERI/SPL's policies on responding to comments 18:58 8 Types of Difficult Pro-Life People... 19:39 Type 1: The Ones With Only One (Unpersuasive) Argument... 26:08 Type 2: The Ones Who Need to Stop Saying This, Now! 38:20 Type 3: The Ones Who Are Very Out of Touch with Reality 47:20 Type 4: The Ones Who Really Frustrate Monica Co-Hosts: Josh Brahm & Emily Albrecht Guests: Monica Snyder & Andrew Kaake Audio/Video Editor: Chapter One Films & Josh Brahm Publisher: Jen Westmoreland

In this podcast, two authors discuss recent research regarding fetal pain: John Bockmann, co-author of "Reconsidering Fetal Pain" (2020) and Dr. Bridget Thill, MD, MS, author of "Fetal Pain in the First Trimester" (2021). Bridget and John graciously typed out a full transcript of this episode that includes a ton of links to sources of the factual statements they made in this episode. Here's a link to the five slides Bridget Thill discussed, including working links to the sources in the footnotes: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/equippedforlife/Thill_Fetal_Pain_PowerPoint_slides_PDF_3.pdf (Opens PDF) Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:47 Background on fetal pain and "Reconsidering Fetal Pain" 10:47 Keys to this unlikely, productive collaboration 13:39 Fetal pain: Advances in understanding 16:30 Current science and treatment of fetal pain 19:47 Cortex needed for pain? 22:40 Are fetal responses to pain just reflexes? 27:10 How did we get fetal pain so wrong? 29:52 A lack of compassion or a lack of understanding? 33:30 Recognition of fetal pain 38:19 Correlation with behavior, not overreliance on hypotheses 41:02 Pain assessments are calibrated to patient response, not brain imaging 42:10 Correlation with clinical behavior 42:56 Specialized pain assessment tools for different stages of development 45:23 Fetal Pain 101 45:45 Slide 1: An Evolving Understanding of Pain 46:33 Slide 2: Development of Fetal Pain Pathways 47:36 Slide 3: Responses to Pain in Fetus & Extremely Preterm Infant

This is a continuation of Josh's conversation with Gary Freeman on crossing the racial divide in pro-life work. In this episode they discuss the high abortion rate in the African-American community and why that is, and how we should think about the debate over Planned Parenthood being an allegedly racist organization. Learn more about Major League Dad here: https://www.MajorLeagueDad.org Related Links: Alan Guttmacher Institute article that Josh referenced: "Abortion and Women of Color: The Bigger Picture" Audio recording of Josh's "Planned Parenthood Unveiled" presentation from before ERI, including his explanation of why Planned Parenthood is not a racist organization: https://bit.ly/3s2kjRb (Direct MP3 link) Audio recording of a Q&A session from another recording of the "Planned Parenthood Unveiled" presentation with more discussion on the racism question: https://bit.ly/3vTS9Jb (Direct MP3 link) Live Action's investigation on Planned Parenthood systematically covering up sexual abuse: https://bit.ly/38DBu4U ERI's coverage of the Center for Medical Progress videos: https://bit.ly/3OISPKf Live Action's investigation into "racially-motivated donations": https://bit.ly/3MIvyq3 Angela Franks' book "Margaret Sanger's Eugenic Legacy: The Control of Female Fertility": https://amzn.to/3FeSR8t (affiliate link) Josh Chatraw's book "Telling a Better Story: How to Talk About God in a Skeptical Age": https://amzn.to/3snHjun (affiliate link) Chapters: 00:00 The way pro-life people tend to talk about this statistical disparity 5:07 What is going on with the African-American abortion rate? 8:42 Is the Alan Guttmacher Institute right that the higher unintended pregnancy rate among African-Americans is part of the puzzle? 11:41 Is Walter Hoye right when he says that abortion is less stigmatized in the African-American community? 16:06 Why Gary doesn't use the word "privilege" in the way it often is used 17:03 Josh summarizes some of the reasons pro-lifers tend to call Planned Parenthood a "racist organization" and his take 22:58 Gary's response 26:40 Acknowledging examples of real racism in the abortion industry 27:45 How pro-life people could better help these people not choose abortion 29:37 Considering Live Action's racism investigation 34:15 Considering Margaret Sanger 45:19 Should pro-lifers talk about Margaret Sanger in order to get African-Americans to distrust Planned Parenthood? 48:41 Why pro-lifers should be careful how they talk about Planned Parenthood with pro-choice people Host: Josh Brahm Guest: Gary Freeman Audio/Video Editor: Andrew Kaake & Josh Brahm Publisher: Jen Westmoreland Disclosure: The books above are Amazon affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, ERI will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the links and finalize a purchase.

This is a continuation of Josh's conversation with Gary Freeman on crossing the racial divide in pro-life work. In this episode they contrast Gary's position with those who say that you can't be pro-life unless you agree with them on other social issues, why people in black churches are distrustful of Gary as soon as he calls himself "pro-life", and how the church could have possibly made Black Lives Matter irrelevant. If you haven't listened to the first part of this conversation, do that first for this section to make sense in context. Learn more about Major League Dad here: https://www.MajorLeagueDad.org Chapters: 0:00: Contrasting what Gary's saying with the pro-choice people who say that you can't be pro-life unless you agree with them on the death penalty, animal cruelty, etc. 10:27: "Are you saying I have to become a Democrat in order to have pro-life views?" 16:00: Why people in black churches are distrustful of Gary as soon as he calls himself "pro-life". 20:53: How the old way of responding to "you're only pro-life if you do X" doesn't work anymore. 25:15: What should white conservatives take from Black Lives Matter and what should they not? 30:39: How the church could have possibly made Black Lives Matter irrelevant. 35:35: What could both the white church and black church have done better after George Floyd was killed?

Josh and Emily went live last Friday with Lauren Handy and Terrisa Bukovinac from Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU) to discuss the story people around the world are talking about, and get answers to the questions everybody is asking. Lauren and Terrisa were incredibly open and shared a lot of information that hasn't been released before. If you want the most extensive interview and discussion of this story, then this is where you can get it. CONTENT WARNING: This is the most somber discussion we've ever put out. There is no way to talk about this situation without it being graphic and disturbing, and frankly, it would be inappropriate to try to gloss over the difficult parts of this story. Beyond descriptions of what was found, we played a four-minute video that PAAU created (with their permission) for the press conference. Josh broke down multiple times during this live stream, commenting that it's the worst video he's ever seen. If you have a personal history with abortion, please consider whether it would be healthy for you to watch or listen to this one. Chapters: 00:00: Introduction 19:58: Lauren and Terrisa share their story 36:29: GRAPHIC video 42:00: Josh asks questions 1:44:13: Emily responds to other pro-choice assertions, five takeaways, and Q&A

This is the first of a three-part series of conversations with Josh and Gary Freeman, a former guest on our podcast. In this episode they discuss Gary's new ministry, on relationships being key to white and black people understanding each other better, as well as the need to serve people well in spite of cultural differences. Learn more about Major League Dad here: https://www.MajorLeagueDad.org Chapters: 05:02 Why Gary is choosing to focus his ministry on local needs, instead of national work 9:59 Setting the stage for this episode 13:07 Where Gary is politically 17:24 Where Josh is politically 20:55 Why does there have to be a "black church"? 33:12 On white and black people understanding each other more through relationship 48:04 On the need to serve people well in spite of cultural differences Josh's speech on relational apologetics: https://youtu.be/ndO3nByqVrM  

While at our AirBnb in Washington, D.C. we filmed a set of podcasts with Emily, Jacob, and Meredith Maloley. Meredith helped Emily run the pro-life club at St. Olaf, and now volunteers as an ERI Club Coach and works at a Pregnancy Resource Center. In this episode they discuss the most common myths that organizations like NARAL and Planned Parenthood spread about pregnancy centers. They then finish by talking about the most helpful (and least helpful) things pro-lifers can do to help PRCs. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 2:02: Myth #1: Pregnancy centers are fake medical clinics 7:12: Myth #2: PRC's coerce or manipulate women into not having abortions 20:42: Myth #3: PRC's are only pro-birth 28:58: What is actually helpful for the average pro-lifer to do for a PRC, and what should they not do?

While at our AirBnb in Washington, D.C. we filmed a set of podcasts with Emily, Jacob, and Meredith Maloley. Meredith helped Emily run the pro-life club at St. Olaf, and now volunteers as an ERI Club Coach and works at a Pregnancy Resource Center. In this episode they discuss what pro-life advocates ought to know about how PRC's work behind the scenes, Meredith's journey from ERI-style college dialogues to counseling at a PRC, and comparing and contrasting her methods with Jacobs. Learn more about Jacob's techniques with the Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass!

Jacob interviews Missy Stone, CEO of Reprotection, a new organization that helps pro-life advocates protect women and children from harm by investigating and closing down dangerous abortion providers. In this interview you will learn about how Reprotection works, the many government agencies that regulate abortion facilities, a few crazy stories, and how to get information to Reprotection so they can do what they do best while you stay focused on sidewalk counseling. Chapters: 00:00 Introducing Missy and Reprotection 14:52 Why clinics are often poorly maintained and run by sub-optimal doctors 17:42 What Reprotection does 21:57 The government agencies involved in regulating abortion facilities and why bad reports are sometimes ignored 30:49 A success story 38:00 A horror story from Florida 58:54 How you can send tips to Reprotection and what they're looking for 1:08:05 Why Reprotection was launched after initial testing Learn more about Reprotection at: https://Reprotection.org Contact Reprotection at Info@Reprotection.org

Josh Brahm shares why the podcast was on hiatus for three months, our surprising success on TikTok, and the top 5 videos, podcasts, and articles of 2021. Chapters: 00:00: Intro and why we haven't published podcasts lately 05:35: Surprisingly fast success on TikTok! 08:22: Top 5 videos of 2021 13:30: Top 5 podcasts of 2021 17:35: Top 5 articles of 2021 21:22: Top 3 legacy articles read during 2021 24:56: Equipped for Life Academy plans Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@equalrightsinstitute Top five videos of 2021: 1: Integrity, Hypocrisy, and Witness: Learning from the Failures of Ravi Zacharias: https://youtu.be/siCmqKtoR0o 2: Unpacking Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman's Pro-Choice Arguments: https://youtu.be/Jut3puiZwCU 3: Pastors, You Can Reduce Abortions in Your Church | Pro-Life Theology in Practice: https://youtu.be/szw8ASoUZGw 4: The Supreme Court Abortion Case: Your Questions, Answered: https://youtu.be/Wxt4AhbUfjc 5: Sealioning: The Fastest Way to Shut Down Dialogue: https://youtu.be/BoZ3YYJryrQ Top five podcasts of 2021 1: AHA: The Anti-Abortionists Who Fight Other Pro-Lifers (with Jonathon Van Maren - Part 1): https://youtu.be/0SvNYXQqvuM 2: REPLAY: The Supreme Court Abortion Case: Your Questions, Answered: https://youtu.be/Wxt4AhbUfjc 3: A Comedian Shares Tips for Using Humor in Dialogue: https://youtu.be/QVY-Fx8DTbM 4: AHA Fails to Understand Pro-Life History (with Jonathon Van Maren - Part 2): https://youtu.be/5BwphTDXnOk 5: Muslim Intellectual Debunks Pro-Choice Islamic Scholars (with Dr. Javad Hashmi): https://youtu.be/4DKXWOKhjeE Top five articles of 2021: 1: Refuting Pro-Choice Memes (two new categories and some additional images): http://bit.ly/2K35CZJ 2: The Texas Heartbeat Law: An Overview: https://bit.ly/3zHhdUv 3: Abolitionists Are Going to Get People Killed, and the SBC Just Helped Them: https://bit.ly/3h8t6Lh 4: Fine-Tuning the Responsibility Objection: A Reply to David Boonin: https://bit.ly/3g1Sd33 5: Sealioning: The Fastest Way to Shut Down Dialogue https://bit.ly/3lQ7TYf Top 3 legacy articles: 1: Is Abortion 14 Times Safer Than Childbirth? http://bit.ly/32AyyyC 2: Ben Shapiro's Response to Abortion in the Case of Rape: http://bit.ly/2r1zQzG 3: Our Experience at the OMSI Prenatal Exhibit Displaying Real Preserved Children: http://bit.ly/2rTRQw8 ERI's Mission, Vision, and Values: https://EqualRightsInstitute.com/mission-vision-values Help make the Equipped for Life Academy possible: https://EqualRightsInstitute.com/donate

Josh Brahm and Emily Albrecht discuss pull the curtain back and talk about what ERI has done in the last year before announcing our biggest project of 2022! Finally we take questions from the live viewers. Thanks to apologist Tim Hull for hosting the live stream! Help us reach our goal and make next year's project a reality at https://EqualRightsInstitute.com/Donate.  Thank you so much!

Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization is widely considered to be the most important Supreme Court Case on abortion in nearly three decades. We want you to understand what's happening in real-time and equip you with tools to discuss it effectively. ERI staff members Josh Brahm, Andrew Kaake, and Emily Albrecht listened live to the oral arguments, and went live the next evening to share their perspectives and answer your questions! This is the case everyone will be talking about, so prepare yourself to have productive dialogues about it! Thanks to Tim Hull for hosting the live stream! Links Mentioned: Bookmark this fetal pain study! More on the amazing story behind this study at this great post from Secular Pro-Life ERI Blog - Arguing From Equality: The Personhood of Human Embryos Here's a landing page with lots of resources from ERI on responding to bodily autonomy arguments: https://equalrightsinstitute.com/bodilyrights ERI Blog - Pro-Lifers Aren't “Forcing” Women to Stay Pregnant Quick Response #7: Banning Abortion Forces Women to Stay Pregnant ERI Blog - Is Abortion 14 Times Safer Than Childbirth? ERI Blog - Why Viability Is the Least Plausible Definition of Personhood Stand to Reason Podcast - Tim Barnett with Josh Brahm: These Are the Best Arguments Against Abortion

In this episode Muslim intellectual Dr. Javad Hashmi refutes pro-choice arguments made by famous Islamic scholars. Javad reacts to multiple videos in this episode, so to watch this episode on YouTube, click here: https://youtu.be/4DKXWOKhjeE Otherwise, there are links to everything he references in the description below. Javad T. Hashmi is a board-certified emergency physician, former Fellow of Medical Ethics at Harvard Medical School, and a PhD candidate in the Study of Religion (Islamic Studies) at Harvard University. In addition to his medical training, Dr. Hashmi holds a bachelor's and master's degree in Arabic & Islamic Studies from U.C. Berkeley and Harvard respectively. Related Links: Watch or listen to the first episode with Javad: https://bit.ly/3AWjGv3 AltMuslimah: "I am a Muslim Woman and I chose to Have an Abortion" https://bit.ly/2X39thw Dr. Irving in International Journal of Scoiology and Social Policy: "When do Human Beings Begin? 'Scientific' Myths and Scientific Facts" https://bit.ly/3DyQR8H The statistics on why women have abortions was quoted from Abort73.com/s U.S. Abortion Statistics page, which is quoting the Guttmacher Institute's 2004 survey of 1,209 post-abortive women https://bit.ly/3v7qbJ7 (Abort73) https://bit.ly/3DxJput (Guttmacher Survey Table - PDF) Hamza Yusuf: "When Does a Human Fetus Become Human?" https://bit.ly/3BAPWnV YouTube clip #1: Abortion in Islam | Animation https://youtu.be/B6iUY1kks-s Dr. Omar Suleiman: Islam and the Abortion Debate: https://bit.ly/3lEPtvq YouTube clip #2: Islamic Ruling On Abortion due to Medical Reasons https://youtu.be/yY6n7glG6Y0 YouTube clip #3: Is Abortion permissible in Islam or not? - Sheikh Assimalhakeem https://youtu.be/-Z6DygN6IJI BeautifulIslam.net (South Asia article): Abortion and Doctor's Situation https://bit.ly/2YIAE1G Islam Question & Answer: Ruling on aborting a pregnancy in the early stages https://bit.ly/2YSpLuv YouTube clip #4: The Ruling on Abortion | Mufti Abu Layth https://youtu.be/SU9McOtBDT8 Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice: Islam and Reproductive Choice https://bit.ly/3FUhJSO ERI Bodily Rights landing page: https://EqualRightsInstitute.com/BodilyRights/ Follow Javad at https://twitter.com/DrJavadTHashmi 00:00 Introducing Javad 02:13 Muslim opinion polls on abortion 03:34 Javad's view vs. how Muslims typically think about abortion 06:35 Josh clarifies Javad's view 10:06 How science intersects with the abortion debate 10:45 Why women have abortions 13:09 Javad's more liberal views on women's rights within Islam 16:00 Wrapping up on statistics 17:02 Another pro-life Muslim scholar 18:22 Introducing YouTube clip #1 19:50 On Muslims believing the soul is breathed into the fetus at 120 days after conception 22:01 Next clip 22:09 On Muslim clerics not permitting abortion for financial reasons 25:04 Next clip 25:21 Muslim leaders sometimes say they are more pro-life than they actually are 26:23 Next clip 26:33 Responding to rape and fetal deformity exceptions 30:47 Next clip 31:13 More essentially pro-choice policies of Muslim clerics 31:52 Different Muslim views of ensoulment 36:59 Dr. Suleiman calls his position "neutral", but is it really? 39:12 Next clip (including setup) 40:59 On Muslim cleric's misrepresentation of Catholics on life of the mother exceptions 43:43 On common inconsistencies in Muslim's views on abortion 45:29 Responding to the viability argument 47:15 Javad on pointing Muslims toward Christian philosophy 47:49 Next clip 48:15 More inconsistency 48:30 Next clip 51:53 This Muslim cleric says that 80 days after conception matters! 54:26 Pro-choice issues from even conservative, traditionalist Muslims in South Asia 55:37 More pro-choice positions from a conservative Muslim website 56:58 Setting up clip from a "bad boy" liberal Muslim making weak pro-choice arguments 58:15 Next clip 1:00:36 Responding to "I'm not going to force my views on others" argument 1:02:27 Responding to "nobody chooses abortion lightly" 1:05:07 Next clip 1:08:04 Responding to the "gradations of life" idea 1:13:09 Quick reviews of other Muslim videos and articles 1:18:34 Bodily autonomy arguments 1:27:55 What caused Javad to begin reconsidering his views on abortion? Host: Josh Brahm Guest: Dr. Javad T. Hashmi Audio/Video Editor: Chapter One Films & Josh Brahm Publisher: Jen Westmoreland

This is the first of a two-part series with Muslim intellectual Dr. Javad Hashmi. In this episode Josh interviews him about his journey from pro-choice to pro-life and how Muslims think about moral culpability and human value. They spend the rest of the episode having an impromptu nerdy philosophy debate about personhood. Javad T. Hashmi is a board-certified emergency physician, former Fellow of Medical Ethics at Harvard Medical School, and a PhD candidate in the Study of Religion (Islamic Studies) at Harvard University. In addition to his medical training, Dr. Hashmi holds a bachelor's and master's degree in Arabic & Islamic Studies from U.C. Berkeley and Harvard respectively. Chapters: 00:00 Introducing Javad 01:30 Javad's story from pro-choice to pro-life 04:35 A primer on American Muslim politics 09:46 Javad's story continued 14:06 On compassion for post-abortive women 16:12 Thinking through the complexities of moral culpability and abortion 19:40 The role (or lack thereof) of religion in the abortion debate 26:44: What Muslims think about "first breath" and human value? 33:43 More on the Muslim view of human value 45:51 Javad interacts with how ERI staff think about personhood Related links: Pro-Life Apologetics: The Equal Rights Argument: https://youtu.be/louYc-9cvE0 Equal Rights Institute Website: https://EqualRightsInstitute.com Equal Rights Institute Blog: https://Blog.EqualRightsInstitute.com Equipped for Life Course: https://EquippedCourse.com Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass: http://SidewalkCounselingMasterclass.com Host: Josh Brahm Guest: Dr. Javad T. Hashmi Audio/Video Editor: Chapter One Films & Josh Brahm Publisher: Jen Westmoreland

Robin Atkins is back to discuss mental health, informed consent, abortion risks, the level of counseling in abortion facilities, and more. Robin is a licensed mental health counselor, specializing in reproductive issues. She also has a philosophy degree. She spent four years doing home-based therapy with the Department of Children's Services. She's a pro-life advocate with an atypical perspective on some of the issues surrounding abortion. Related Links: Refuting “Abortion as Self-Defense” (video): https://youtu.be/B2TakKSUawA Refuting “Abortion as Self-Defense” (article): https://bit.ly/32fHZWi Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present: https://amzn.to/3e8Mjvw American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists or AAPLOG (for abortion risks): https://aaplog.org/ You can learn more about the Turnaway Study here: https://turnawaystudy.com Listen to our first episode with Robin Atkins to hear her thoughts on the Turnaway Study: https://bit.ly/3uUUelI Watch Josh Brahm's faulty pro-life arguments speech: https://bit.ly/2VrhYSm Contact Robin @TruthAgape on Twitter: https://twitter.com/truthagape Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:34 Why tokophobia cases are increasing 4:13 How can people learn to advocate for themselves better with their doctors? 5:34 How informed consent relates to the abortion debate 9:38 Is it wrong for pro-life ultrasound laws to require internal ultrasound procedures? 12:04 Is it anti-free-speech to require doctors to say things required by a pro-life informed consent law? 16:40 How satisfied are you with the informed consent bills that pro-lifers pass? 19:04 How would you respond to the clinic worker who says they're just there to provide the service their client wants? 22:39 Should there be screenings before an abortion? 24:10 Assessing the level of counseling and/or care given to women in abortion facilities 28:16 Where should people go for the most accurate explanation of abortion risks? 29:42 What would it take for a clinic worker to become qualified to give anything called "counseling" to the client? 31:26 What are the accurate risk factors for abortion? 38:04 Is the abortion causing these symptoms or are women who were already more likely to experience these post-abortion symptoms having abortions? 41:38 On minors having abortions 47:25 On pro-choice women using women who are suffering as a shield, and how pro-lifers should respond to her 50:39 On abortion in the case of rape Disclosure: The book above is an Amazon affiliate link. This means that, at zero cost to you, ERI will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

Robin Atkins is back to discuss psychology in debate. Robin is a licensed mental health counselor, specializing in reproductive issues. She also has a philosophy degree. She spent four years doing home-based therapy with the Department of Children's Services. She's a pro-life advocate with an atypical perspective on some of the issues surrounding abortion. Related Links: Listen to our first episode with Robin, on adoption vs. foster care vs. abortion Dialogue Tip: Tell Them That They Can't Offend You We referenced our mutual friend Petra Wallenmeyer who is now a writing intern at ERI, as well as the Content Director for the Human Defense Initiative. Read her articles here. Our first Humor in Dialogue podcast A Comedian Shares Tips for Using Humor in Dialogue Should Pro-Lifers be Snarky? (with Dank Pro-Life Memes) Charisma on Command YouTube channel Brant Hanson's book, "Unoffendable: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better" Disclosure: The book above is an Amazon affiliate link. This means that, at zero cost to you, ERI will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 02:00 Defining communication 03:44 Navigating debates, in-person and online 05:53 Clarifying the labels "speaker" vs "listener" 08:25 How do you help someone who is constantly offended by the other side? 13:36 Ideology-driven vs. topic-driven debate 17:31 How do you get past people's defenses? 20:03 Should our primary goal be to change minds? 24:49 Timing and empathy matters 26:27 On anecdotal evidence and miscarriage 31:54 On benevolent trolling and the use of snark 43:31 When is it time to end an unproductive conversation? 47:25 If self-awareness is important, how can people who aren't self-aware discover and work on that? 49:11 Why is civil discourse so low right now, and what can do we about that? 59:27 What is it you'd like people to take from the "Unoffendable" book?

This is a companion discussion to our first episode with Robin Atkins, "A Different Perspective: Adoption vs. Foster Care vs. Abortion", which you can watch here: https://youtu.be/yChl-sReTP0 The primary question being discussed is whether sidewalk counselors should NEVER bring up adoption, or whether they should RARELY bring up adoption. Both Jacob and Robin would change each other's minds in small ways during this discussion!

Robin Atkins is a licensed mental health counselor, specializing in reproductive issues. She also has a philosophy degree. She spent four years doing home-based therapy with the Department of Children's Services. She's a pro-life advocate and has very interesting thoughts on the topic of abortion. This is the first of three episodes with Robin. In this episode, Robin discusses the differences between newborn adoption, foster care, and abortion. Related Links: Listen to the bonus discussion Jacob Nels had with Robin Atkins about whether sidewalk counselors should EVER bring up adoption: https://youtu.be/HaUJMcEgpcQ Previous ERI Podcast with Jacob Nels - "Why Sidewalk Counselors Should Not Recommend Adoption" You can learn more about the Turnaway Study here: https://turnawaystudy.com VIDEO: Pastors, You Can Reduce Abortions in Your Church | Pro-Life Theology in Practice ARTICLE: One Thing Every Pastor Can Do to Prevent Abortions in Their Congregation Purchase "Alarmist Gatekeeping" by Dr. Deborah Garratt Contact Robin @TruthAgape on Twitter Chapters: 00:00 Announcement about bonus discussion 02:20 Introducing Robin 04:54 The ERI podcast episode Robin disagreed with 07:05 Common ground about adoption 09:45 The purpose of foster care 10:16 Problems and potential solutions 16:34 Should all foster kids be reunited with their bio parents? 18:27 Foster care issues continued 19:03 Safe haven babies 24:16 The damage done to the foster community from pro-choice people 25:25 The Turnaway Study 30:11 Do all women instantly regret their abortion? 33:51 Clarifying how foster care works 38:56 Eugenics and adoption 42:26 Children's rights and consent 50:07 Does abuse happen in foster care as often as people think? 54:34 Reforms that would improve the newborn adoption system 59:55 Why sidewalk counselors shouldn't bring up adoption (at least most of the time) 1:02:59 How churches could respond to unwed pregnancy better 1:11:17 Contrasting adoption and foster care with abortion Disclosure: The book above is an Amazon affiliate link. This means that, at zero cost to you, ERI will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

Jonathon Van Maren joins the podcast for the second part of a discussion on what is going on with a hostile anti-abortion group called Abolish Human Abortion (AHA). In this episode, Jonathon discusses the history of the pro-life movement and why it needs to be understood, AHA's "Free the States" strategy, and what pro-life organizations and sidewalk counselors should do about them. Related Links: Jonathon Van Maren: How “Abolish Human Abortion” Gets History Wrong - Part 1 Jonathon Van Maren: How “Abolish Human Abortion” Gets History Wrong Again - Part 2 ERI Podcast: "Should Women be Prosecuted if Abortion Becomes Illegal?" "Defenders of the Unborn" by Dr. Daniel K. Williams "Abortion Rites" by Marvin Olasky "Operation Rescue" by Randall Terry "Wrath of Angels: The American Abortion War" by Jim Risen & Judy Thomas Debate: Pro-Life Incrementalism vs Abolitionist Immediatism (Gregg Cunningham vs. T. Russell Hunter) If you want to see Abolish Human Abolition's account of who they are to assess it on its own terms, read "The Five Tenets of Abolitionism" on the AHA webpage Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 04:12 Understanding the history of the pro-life movement 12:50 Why didn't the rescue movement succeed? 19:30 Will simply calling abortion "murder" end it? 20:17 Why the pro-life movement needs to understand it's own history 21:37 Is Jonathon doing the same thing as AHA does by critiquing them? 24:25 Would their "Free the States" strategy work? 28:48 Does AHA support throwing aborting women in jail? 36:28 How AHA's strategy seems defined by being simplistic 41:26 Reacting to Hunter exclaiming how sick he is of abortion 43:02 What should sidewalk counselors do when "abolitionists" are preventing them from saving babies? 54:03 Should pro-life organizations distance themselves from AHA? Jonathon Van Maren is the Communications Director for the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform. His writings have been translated into more than six languages, and published in the National Post, National Review, First Things, The European Conservative, The Federalist, The American Conservative, The Stream, the Jewish Independent, the Hamilton Spectator, Reformed Perspective Magazine, among others. His insights have been featured on CTV, Global News, and the CBC, as well as over twenty radio stations. He regularly speaks on a variety of social issues at universities, high schools, churches, and other functions in Canada, the United States, and Europe. Equal Rights Institute Website: https://EqualRightsInstitute.com Equal Rights Institute Blog: https://Blog.EqualRightsInstitute.com Equipped for Life Course: https://EquippedCourse.com Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass: http://SidewalkCounselingMasterclass.com Host: Josh Brahm Guest: Jonathon Van Maren Audio/Video Editor: Chapter One Films & Josh Brahm Publisher: Jen Westmoreland Disclosure: The books above are Amazon affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, ERI will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the links and finalize a purchase.

Emily pulls back the curtain to explain the ways that her club leaders established a good working relationship with their administration, dealt with vandalism, connected with the pro-choice club, and more! 00:00 Introduction 02:11 Coaching other clubs 04:26 Managing a club's image 07:24 Dealing with vandalism 29:36 The importance of outreach 31:03 Campus rules for outreach 46:34 Explaining why you do outreach 47:48 Be transparent 54:55 The pro-choice club on campus 1:13:22 When in doubt... 1:18:38 If a club wants advice... Related Links: Email Emily at: Emily@EqualRightsInstitute.com How One Club Changed Their Campus (Extended Interview with Emily Albrecht) Emily’s First Outreach Mistakes Emily’s First Dialogue Mistakes Here's the meme Josh referenced toward the end: Trying Kombucha for the First Time

Now that she has talked about the initial outreach mistakes the Oles for Life club at St. Olaf made, Emily discusses their initial dialogue mistakes. Toward the beginning, she blows Josh's mind by explaining how many of their member's musical backgrounds made it easier for them to critique each other without anyone's feelings getting hurt. (We bet this same thing applies to lots of artists and others too.) Chapters: 00:00 Introducing the topic; 01:39 Mistake #1: Not knowing your strengths and weaknesses; 14:36 Mistake #2: Making dialogues formulaic; 20:39 Mistake #3: Not being willing to stand on the facts; 24:35 On handing people better pro-choice arguments; 30:05 Mistake #4: Forgetting that 'clarity is our friend'; 33:20 Why pro-choice people can misunderstand the 'trot out a toddler' technique; 38:00 Bearing as much burden of proof as possible; 40:08 Mistake #5: Struggling to end the conversation. Refuting “Abortion as Self-Defense”: https://bit.ly/32fHZWi When They Bite the Bullet: http://bit.ly/34Z9Rw2

Our regular listeners have heard by now about the great successes of Oles for Life, the pro-life student club at St. Olaf College. In this episode, Emily Albrecht pulls the curtain back to share five mistakes their club made when they began doing outreach. This episode will be followed by one on specific dialogue mistakes they made during their outreaches. Chapters: 00:00 - Introducing the topic; 03:11 - Outreach at St. Olaf; 04:39 - Mistake #1: Fear of starting to do outreach; 15:11 - Mistake #2: Poorly designed outreach table; 28:53 - Mistake #3: Struggling to start conversations; 34:33 - Mistake #4: Not being ready to explain their purpose; 40:45 - Mistake #5: Not being intentional about who is at the table. Related Links: How One Club Changed Their Campus (Extended Interview with Emily Albrecht): https://bit.ly/30JAfdd or https://youtu.be/HoSwkt1wFdY Abortion Images: A Case for Disagreement without Division: http://bit.ly/2vli3Ja Here are links to some example dialogues we've recorded: Josh Brahm and Rebecca Haschke at Students for Life Conference: https://youtu.be/tSKfxYHSarU?t=1690 Example Dialogues: Pro-Life Tim and Pro-Choice Rachel: http://bit.ly/2O8eFIH Example Dialogues: Pro-Life Josh and Pro-Choice Tim: http://bit.ly/354n72x Example Dialogues: Pro-Life Rachel and Pro-Choice Tim: http://bit.ly/2KjM7uz Responding to the Astute Observation That I Am a Man: http://bit.ly/2vV31tA

Josh Brahm interviews comedian Josh Harris about how he got into sidewalk counseling, how he uses humor on the sidewalk, and some practical tips for you to use to add more humor and friendliness to your conversations about abortion! Chapters: 0:00 Introducing Josh Harris; 03:23 How a Comedian Began Sidewalk Counseling; 08:45 Humor in pro-life dialogues; 13:00 Combining humor with compliments; 31:36 Practical tips for becoming funnier; 40:33 Clean comedians to check out for inspiration; 42:41 More practical tips; 47:53 Friendliness in dialogue; 49:47 Links and a final tip; 55:31 What does it take to master apologetics? Our previous episode on humor in dialogue: http://bit.ly/34Zregc You can find Josh Harris' comedy at: https://FunnyJosh.com Josh Harris' online comedy classes: http://OnlineComedyClasses.com Learn more about Josh Brahm's stories of relational apologetics by watching this talk he gave at a church: https://youtu.be/ndO3nByqVrM ERI's core values: https://bit.ly/3tN8Ggc Here's how we describe humor in that list: "We believe laughter is a gift that enriches the human experience and helps to create an instant connection between people of different walks of life, which is why we have chosen to incorporate it into our content and work environment. While we take our work very seriously, we try to not take ourselves too seriously." Host: Josh Brahm Guest: Josh Harris Audio/Video Editor: Shawn Shroyer & Josh Brahm Publisher: Jen Westmoreland

Josh Brahm and Jacob Nels, ERI's Sidewalk Counseling Trainer, finish reacting to videos sent in by Rebekah Dyer while sidewalk counseling. If you haven't seen part one yet, please watch that first for more context: https://youtu.be/rqdQO_nFsGg PARENTAL ADVISORY NOTE: Unlike the previous episode, the videos we review in this episode include very strong language. We chose not to censor it. If you listen to our podcast around your kids, this is probably one to use headphones on. As he did before, Jacob reviews the videos Rebekah sent in with Josh, talking about what Rebekah did well, anything else he would have done, as well as commenting on the behavior of the private security officer. Because the videos were filmed outside on the street, it's kind of hard to understand what everyone is saying. This might be a better podcast to watch, because we made captions for the videos there: https://youtu.be/9JCKTN3DI0o Timecodes: 0:00 Introduction; 02:49 Clip 1; 3:26 Clip 1 commentary; 8:04 Clip 2; 10:04 commentary; 11:53 Clip 3; 12:21 commentary; 12:34 Clip 4; 13:14 commentary; 14:15 Clip 5; 15:22 commentary; 21:09 Clip 6; 21:22 commentary; 22:28 Clip 7; 22:49 commentary; 23:23 Clip 7; 23:34 commentary; 24:29 Clip 8; 24:52 commentary; 25:22 Clip 9; 26:07 commentary; 28:04 Clip 10; 28:45 commentary; 29:20 Clip 11; 29:45 commentary; 31:52 Clip 12; 31:59 commentary; 32:44 Clip 13; 33:13 commentary; 35:02 Final thoughts. ERI Blog: "Don’t Be Too Nice" http://bit.ly/2vPMDX4 If you're a sidewalk counselor in need of legal advice, we strongly recommend Alliance Defending Freedom: https://www.adflegal.org/contact-us Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass: http://SidewalkCounselingMasterclass.com ERI Website: https://EqualRightsInstitute.com ERI Blog: https://Blog.EqualRightsInstitute.com Equipped for Life Course: https://EquippedCourse.com

Josh Brahm brings Jacob Nels, ERI's Sidewalk Counseling Trainer, to react to videos sent in by Rebekah Dyer while sidewalk counseling. Rebekah works with Justice For All, but separate from that does sidewalk counseling and has benefitted from our Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass. Rebekah has had multiple run-ins with police and private security officers while counseling near an abortion facility in California that is part of a strip mall. Jacob reviews the videos she sent in with Josh, talking about what Rebekah did well, anything else he would have done, as well as commenting on the officer's behavior. We split this into two episodes because of the length. NOTE: Because the videos were filmed outside on the street, it's kind of hard to understand what everyone is saying. This might be a better podcast to watch, because we made captions for the videos there: https://youtu.be/rqdQO_nFsGg Timecodes: 0:00 Introduction of Jacob and Rebekah Dyer's situation; 13:28 Clip 1; 13:45 Clip 1 commentary; 18:37 Clip 2; 18:45 commentary; 19:23 Clip 3; 19:54 commentary; 20:13 Clip 4; 20:30 commentary; 20:46 Clip 5; 21:34 commentary; 23:36 Clip 6; 24:11 commentary; 25:00 Clip 7; 25:45 commentary; 27:56 Clip 7; 32:09 commentary; 35:20 Clip 8; 37:44 commentary; 38:08 Clip 9; 38:26 commentary; 41:29 Clip 10; 42:45 commentary; 43:06 Clip 11; 43:14 commentary; 45:34 Clip 12 (The rest of these were filmed on a different day a few weeks later); 46:35 commentary; 49:59 Clip 13; 50:44 commentary; 51:17 Clip 14; 51:25 commentary; 52:41 Clip 15; 53:27 commentary; 54:54 Clip 16; 55:30 commentary; 55:56 Clip 17; 57:08 commentary.

We bring you the extended interview of Emily Albrecht (our newest team member!) from the recent ERI Pajama Gala. Emily explains how she got involved in the pro-life movement, and how her campus club used their training from the Equipped for Life Course to transform the culture at St. Olaf, from one where they hated pro-lifers to one where pro-lifers are respected. 0:00: Introduction; 04:34: Interview with Emily. Watch the replay of our Pajama Gala, including the primary lesson of our new Equal Rights Argument module: https://bit.ly/2JUBth3

Jordan Warfel is our guest today because he discovered a conspiracy theory that NARAL promoted in a recent virtual conference. The theory is based on a book by Ilyse Hogue that argues the pro-life movement doesn't actually care about babies, but is a front for evangelicals to bring back racial segregation. The discussion includes the horrible dialogue advice NARAL is giving, how both sides often communicate about opinion polls simplistically, and NARAL's strategy to infiltrate the Black Lives Matter movement. You're not going to want to miss this one. Chapters: 0:00: Introducing Jordan Warfel; 2:04: Explaining the conspiracy theory and several problems with it; 27:11: Evidence from the modern pro-life movement that Hogue uses to support her theory; 29:17: The NARAL conference giving the worst dialogue advice ever and a discussion of how both sides often communicate about opinion polls simplistically; 38:25: Josh makes an observation and hypothesizes a conspiracy theory of his own; 43:37: NARAL's strategy to infiltrate the Black Lives Matter movement; 46:55: Practical tips for talking to a pro-choice person who has heard this conspiracy theory that the pro-life movement is racist. Related Links: You can purchase Ilyse Hogue's book "The Lie That Binds" here if you want to read it for yourself: https://amzn.to/36vHhGh You can purchase "Fetal Beauty" by Jordan Warfel here: https://amzn.to/33zFMVw ERI: Our Take on the “AKA Jane Roe” Documentary: https://bit.ly/2O7vGDi Josh references a 9/11 truther documentary. It's "Loose Change." https://www.loosechange911.com We feel it would be irresponsible to link to "Loose Change" without linking to counter-arguments, so here are a few helpful links debunking 9/11 truther conspiracies: Popular Mechanics Investigates 9/11 Myths - FAQs: https://bit.ly/39w9RZL Screw Loose Change - Exposing the Lies, Distortions and Myths of the 9/11 "Truthers": https://bit.ly/2JtGbSm ERI: One Easy Step to Avoiding Confirmation Bias - Interview with Tangle Founder Isaac Saul: https://bit.ly/2LLK6aM Learn about QAnon: The Dispatch: The GOP’s Conspiracy Theorist Problem: https://bit.ly/39wowEl The Dispatch Podcast: GOP Flirts with QAnon: https://bit.ly/3qfZorn Politico: Trump accuses Cruz's father of helping JFK's assassin: https://politi.co/3odlZmx FTC disclosure: The two Amazon book links are affiliate links, meaning that if you click one of them and then purchase the book, ERI will receive a small percentage of the purchase at no cost to you. Host: Josh Brahm Guest: Jordan Warfel Audio/Video Editors: Chapter One Films & Josh Brahm Publisher: Jen Westmoreland

It's our first podcast with Emily Albrecht, the co-president of St. Olaf Students for Life and our next speaker/writer/coach! Josh and Emily discuss the recent HBO film "Unpregnant" because there are themes taught in this movie that may influence some of your conversations with pro-choice people who have seen it. ***SPOILER ALERT*** If you would like to watch the film before listening to our commentary, we invite you to do that. We will discuss the entire plot in this episode. 0:00: Introducing Emily; 3:32: Introducing the film and our initial reactions to it; 7:05: Summarizing the plot of the movie; 10:03: How pro-life people are portrayed in the movie; 27:34: Why pro-choice students hated St. Olaf Students for Life's original name; 33:22: Why it would be wrong to kidnap abortion-minded women or kill abortion practitioners, and Josh vents about the actual state of religious liberty in 2020; 45:48: An important lesson that sidewalk counselors can take from this film; 51:36: How the abortion was portrayed in the film and how the director specifically wanted to normalize abortion; 59:27: The film's attempt to argue that it should be easier to get an abortion; 1:01:16: Wait, this movie supports anti-coercion forms in abortion facilities? 1:04:00: Final commentary on the abortion scene; 1:08:00: A better argument against parental notification laws than the film made; 1:11:16: Four points of common ground we have with the film; 1:19:53: Comparing and contrasting this film with preachy Christian movies. How One Student Group Radically Changed Their Campus Culture (our first video with Emily Albrecht about the effect their club had at St. Olaf College): https://youtu.be/lAsOzyg7M2c Our Take on the “AKA Jane Roe” Documentary: https://bit.ly/2O7vGDi Reversing Roe: Exposing the Bias: https://youtu.be/dvS6m3laO8U?list=PLsN8Ay8poS-LyKVBCnsLSxW-8ZtZ4UuYC How Should Pro-Life Advocates Talk about That “13 Reasons Why” Abortion Episode? http://bit.ly/2PidtpT Why it Would Be Wrong for Pro-Lifers to Drive Abortion Clinic Vans Under False Pretenses: http://bit.ly/2m3MTCb David French: The True Extent of Religious Liberty in America, Explained: https://bit.ly/3ezAuxH Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass: https://SidewalkCounselingMasterclass.com Here's the Entertainment Tonight story Emily referenced: 'Unpregnant': Barbie Ferreira and Haley Lu Richardson on Making a Heartfelt Comedy About Abortion (Exclusive) https://et.tv/3f4RXho It includes this quote: "One thing I love about this movie is how sure Veronica is, of what her choice is, from the beginning," the director explains. "This isn't a movie about hand wringing, what decision to make. She knows what she wants, and that's very much how I felt about my abortion. It felt like the right choice for me -- I knew what I wanted to do and I did it." "I love the idea of normalizing the topic of abortion and reproductive rights but also telling a different perspective on it and how people shouldn't have to feel a certain way after getting an abortion," Ferreira adds. "There's a whole range and spectrum of emotions that happen." Josh Keefe: Why Christian Movies are BAD | The Problem with Christian Media: https://youtu.be/50_3J6Go5Ng

Josh Brahm interviews Ali Rak, an incredibly effective community organizer and activist in Maryland, to explain the nuts and bolts of how she gets people involved in contacting their political representatives in order to accomplish pro-life goals. 0:00: Introducing Ali and the topic; 13:14: Why apologetics training is important for lobbyists; 15:20: What Ali does as a lobbyist and community organizer; 38:44: Do email templates for people to send to their representatives work? 47:00: Tips for in-person meetings with legislators; 55:04: Is it possible for pro-life lobbyists to come across as too emotional when making their case? 59:23: Do you send email alerts with only one call-to-action or multiple? 1:04:08: What are the most common mistakes that lobbyists and community organizers make? 1:06:47: How do you keep people motivated? 1:10:48: How local pro-life people can work well together. 13 Extra Tips on Lobbying: https://bit.ly/3osODkt Here's the link to the full audio from the David Bereit/Josh Brahm event we referenced: http://bit.ly/2NZvwf7 One Easy Step to Avoiding Confirmation Bias: Interview with Tangle Founder Isaac Saul: https://bit.ly/2LLK6aM Contact Ali at: alexandra@charlescountyrighttolife.com

*Republishing with the correct spelling of Julie's last name.* Josh interviews Family Therapist Julie Dodson to discuss the "Showing Understanding Skill" technique she's been trained in. Pro-life advocates can use this skill to grow in their empathy and navigate conversations better, especially the ones that turn to particularly emotional aspects of the abortion debate. The four steps are: 1: Listen in a way that shows strong interest. 2: Become the other person. 3: Name thoughts, feelings, concerns/meanings, and desires. 4: Accept and make corrections graciously. Editors note: Apologies for the wonky audio on this one. Zoom did a software update and switched off the "record separate audio channels" feature, mashing all of our audio into one. So things sound kind of goofy anytime we're talking at the same time. Now we check that feature before every recording session to make sure that doesn't happen again! ------------------------- After the recording session Julie sent a few additional notes for clarity, which we're including below unedited: After reflecting on time recording the podcast, I wanted to add some information and clarifications. First, in discussing anger, we see that there is both truth-based anger and lie-based anger. If all anger was bad or if it was inherently sinful to be angry, we would not see God feeling or expressing anger. There is a righteous anger against injustice, human trafficking, or the killing of the innocent unborn, for examples. But for most of us, our anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc. against self, others, or God that is held for long periods of time is usually lie-based anger. Lie-based anger is held, not because we want to be angry, but because, deep down, we believe that it is serving a good or just purpose for us. We have heard many reasons such as the following: -“My anger protects me." -"My anger holds myself or someone else accountable." -"My anger proves ____ is not ok." -“My anger keeps me from doing that again.” We may cognitively be aware that the anger is not actually helping us, but when life gets hard or when we are in crisis-mode, we feel, react, and make decisions, not based on what we know to be true, but what FEELS true to us, that is, what we actually believe on a deeper level. *This perspective is informed by my work as a TPM mentor. You can find more information about TPM at https://www.transformationprayer.org/preparing-journey-introduction/ and about the TPM perspective about anger at https://www.transformationprayer.org/anger-in-the-ministry-session/. For additional “geeking out” about God and anger, see https://bibleproject.com/podcast/gods-hot-nose/. Second, we discussed how crisis reveals belief system and worldview. What I am NOT saying is that it is wrong to care for others or that it is wrong to have concern for the health or safety of those around us. I mean that crisis reveals where we put our trust or ultimate hope. For example, if my ultimate hope is in the planet, any piece of trash or oil spill or person that refuses to recycle may be interpreted as assault on my source of hope. If my hope is in the expectations of my future, then anything that might get in the way of what I want that future to be may also be seen an attack (ex: someone with an unplanned pregnancy). If my ultimate hope is in my health or the health of those I love, anything someone might do that threatens health, even unintentionally, may be seen as an assault. And when people are scared that their hope-source is being threatened, they often react out of anger, self-protection, or protection of others. Again, this is not to say that caring for others is wrong at all. We are called as Christ-followers to love God and others. Our reaction (internal or external), however, may give a clue to where we are placing our ultimate hope and trust. ------------------------- Related Links: The "Experience Diagram" Julie references: https://bit.ly/3iIDtE7 Here's the sermon audio Josh referenced on the topic of honor - "A Community of Honor in a Culture of Contempt" from Bridgetown Church: https://bit.ly/30R9Kmp National Institute of Relationship Enhancement: https://nire.org Jule Dodson's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julie.b.dodson You can email Julie at: julie.b.dodson@gmail.com ------------------------- Julia Dodson, MA, LMFT, is a patient advocate for Avenues for Women, a medical pregnancy resource center serving abortion-minded women and families in Frankfort, KY. She was trained in Relationship Enhancement © through her work with IDEALS of Kentucky, a non-profit counseling agency. This training and experience has shaped her style of deep empathy to connect with people from a *wide range of backgrounds and beliefs. In addition to her work with Avenues for Women, she works as a wellness coach for CAREWorks of Kentucky, which provides care and coaching in corporate settings. She is also the Director of Student Ministry with her local church. Julie holds a BA in Specialized Ministries from Mid-America Christian University (Oklahoma City, OK) and a Masters in Mental Health Counseling from Asbury Theological Seminary (Wilmore, KY). She is licensed in Kentucky as a Marriage and Family Therapist and is a certified Relationship Enhancement Program presenter. She is also certified in Child-Centered Play Therapy and Filial Therapy. Julie lives in Frankfort, KY, with Andrew, her husband of 10 years, and their dog, Carter (AKA “Dog Dog”). They are expecting their first child, a miracle with quite a story, in January, 2021.

Josh interviews Gary Freeman from Care Net. They talk about how Gary went from being a preacher's kid to serving fathers in pregnancy centers, including the struggles of trying to figure out the best way to do that! 0:00: Introduction / Gary's story; 8:02: Gary starts serving men in pregnancy center work; 20:08: What Gary did to help guys open up in these situations and begin training other centers; 32:18: How Gary would explain to a new pregnancy center why they need a male staff member or volunteers to talk to the guys who come in; 36:46: What role should men have in the pro-life movement? 40:31: Why is it important for pro-life advocates to talk to pro-choice guys at outreaches instead of just women who might have abortions later? 43:53: What do you say to a guy who says he doesn't really care if she has the abortion but feels like he shouldn't get a say in it because it's a woman's issue? 46:32: How do you talk to apathetic people? 57:40: How should pro-life people support abortion-minded and post-abortive men? 1:00:23: What should we say to a male friend who got his girlfriend pregnant and is now asking for advice? 1:04:28: On Gary's work in fatherhood ministry; 1:12:19: What it's like being one of the only pro-lifers at a fatherhood event; 1:18:18: Gary explains how some pro-life people get uncomfortable with the fact that he is doing these fatherhood events; 1:23:21: The most surprising thing Gary has learned working with men. Gary Freeman is the Fatherhood and Family Program Manager for Care Net national. He's been in the pro-life world for about 8 years. He started this journey serving as the Fatherhood and Outreach Coordinator for a local pregnancy center in Raleigh, NC. He has been speaking and training pregnancy centers in serving men over that 8 years all over the country and has been doing that formally with Care Net since May 2019. Gary loves advocating for men being involved in the pregnancy center setting, and in the pro-life initiative overall. Gary is able to assist in navigating the intricate aspects of serving men specifically in the pregnancy center setting. Gary is a graduate of East Carolina University in Greenville, NC with a B.S. in Family and Community Services, and he recently graduated from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master's in Christian Studies. Gary has been married for 13 beautiful years to his wonderful wife Vinniece, and they have two awesome daughters Sariah(10) and Jordyn(4). Related Links: Connect with Gary to speak in your area: https://GaryFreemanSpeaks.com or email him at gfreeman@care-net.org or garyfreeman07@gmail.com Learn more about Care Net Why We Need Male Sidewalk Counselors

Content warning: This conversation necessarily includes some thought experiments that relate to sexual abuse, as well as the real-world example of Jeffrey Epstein. As usual, the discussion isn't graphic, but we want our listeners who are survivors of sexual assault to know that and make an informed decision of whether they want to listen to this episode or not. It's Rachel's last episode! She and Josh discuss how pro-choice people are often inclined to believe that adult women should be prioritized over fetal humans because adults have thoughts, dreams, and relationships. They offer some talking points for pro-lifers including some thought experiments that might help the conversation become more productive. Josh also tells a story about a related dialogue he had with a philosophy professor about prison reform, and how pro-life advocates tend to be primarily motivated by different things, especially when they first become passionate about this issue. Related Links: Josh references several thought experiments from Dr. Francis Beckwith's great book, "Defending Life: A Moral and Legal Case Against Abortion Choice." Use this link to purchase the book from Amazon and ERI will receive a small percentage of your purchase, at no cost to you: https://amzn.to/3hZQz09 Netflix: "Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich" Secular Pro-Life: The unlikely story of the pro-life author of "Reconsidering Fetal Pain" Evaluating Don Marquis’ Future of Value Argument There are links to Rachel's best work here.

Josh and Rachel discuss the common pro-choice phrase, "consent to sex is not consent to pregnancy" in greater detail than we covered in our recent video on the "Abortion as Self-Defense" argument. There is a version of this argument that is so strong, Rachel says she would use it if she were pro-choice! There are both strong pro-life responses to that argument, and there are also some really cringey ones, and we want to help you avoid the bad ones so you can change more minds! To see a shorter and more shareable video refuting this argument, click here: https://youtu.be/ynPtsK9r0ks Watch the full "Abortion as Self-Defense" video here: https://youtu.be/B2TakKSUawA More resources on responding to bodily rights arguments: https://EqualRightsInstitute.com/BodilyRights "Consensual Pregnancy: The Moral Permissibility of Abortion" by Maya-Frost Belansky (PDF) Secular Pro-Life: "No, I Am Not Interested In "Punishing" Women for Having Sex" Texas Trial Lawyers Association: "McDonalds' Hot Coffee Case - Read the Facts NOT the Fiction" Sophie Lewis Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMGptJXz618 Blood Donation and Bodily Rights Arguments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmBrUcpOxDw

Josh and Rachel share several observations they've recently made about what is REALLY going on when pro-choice advocates bring up the topic of rape, they may completely change the way you think about those discussions! They also include why Josh makes sure that he covers that topic in speeches in front of mixed audiences, as well as some thoughts for church youth leaders on the topic. You don't want to miss this one. Related Links: Source for the "Rape accounts for roughly 1% of abortions" stat: Alan Guttmacher Institute: "Reasons U.S. Women Have Abortions: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives" See tables 2 and 3 The Best Way to Expose Logical Fallacies: Don’t Call Them by Name Get the Common Ground Without Compromise Book Responding to the Question of Rape with Wisdom and Compassion Ben Shapiro’s Response to Abortion in the Case of Rape Video: Why I Hate Responding to the Question of Rape Relating to Relativists Effectively Responding to Moral Relativism Will Smith’s Indefensible Moral Relativism

***Reposting this podcast with fixed audio. We had a glitch when we rendered this one in Premiere Pro where it sounded fine in the program, but the rendered file had a terrible audio echo. Josh missed it because he was in a hurry and didn't check the rendered file before uploading, and then went on sabbatical. Sorry about that! Now we know to not skip that quality control check. Because of the nature of the problem we couldn't make this a perfect mix, so it's a little worse audio than usual, but the echo is gone so it's way easier to listen to now. Thanks for your patience!*** Josh Brahm and Rachel Crawford dive deeper into the pro-choice argument regarding back-alley abortions than we ever have before on ERI. Topics include understanding why this argument is particularly persuasive to pro-choice people, the most persuasive responses, several bad pro-life responses, and how some pro-abortion-choice advocates lied about this before Roe vs. Wade. A good question to ask: “Do you think like I do, that abortion is an unjust act of violence against an innocent person? If you don’t, that’s okay and we should talk about that. But I do, and so it affects the way I think about these questions. Can you think of one other example where we should keep an unjust act of violence legal to make it safer for a perpetrator to do it anyway?” Mary Anne Warren: “The fact that restricting access to abortion has tragic side effects does not, in itself, show that restrictions are unjustified, since murder is wrong regardless of the consequences of prohibiting it.” Source: “On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion,” in The Problem of Abortion, Joel Feinberg, et al, Wadsworth, 1984, p.103 Mary Calderone: “Abortion is no longer a dangerous procedure. This applies not just to therapeutic abortions as performed in hospitals but also to so-called illegal abortions as done by physicians . . . Second, and even more important, the conference estimated that 90 per cent of all illegal abortions are presently being done by physicians, trained as such; and many of them are in good standing in their communities. They must do a pretty good job if the death rate is as low as it is.” Source: “Illegal Abortion as a Public Health Problem,” American Journal of Health 50 (July I960): 949 Afred Kinsey source: Cincinnati, Ohio: Hayes Publishing Co, 1988), 169. Dr. Bernard Nathanson: “It was always '5,000 to 10,000 deaths a year,' I confess that I knew the figures were totally false, and I suppose the others did too if they stopped to think of it. But in the 'morality' of our revolution, it was a useful figure, widely accepted, so why go out of our way to correct it with honest statistics? The overriding concern was to get the laws [against abortion] eliminated, and anything within reason that had to be done was permissible.” Source: Aborting America, New York, Doubleday, 1979, 193 Dr. Christopher Tietze, chief statistician for, among others, Planned Parenthood and the CDC at the time: “Some 30 years ago it was judged that [illegal abortion] deaths might number 5,000 to 10,000 per year, but this rate, even if it was approximately correct at the time, cannot be anywhere near the true rate now. The total number of deaths from ALL causes among women of reproductive age in the U.S. is not more than about 50,000 per year. The National Center for Health Statistics listed 235 deaths from abortion in 1965. Total mortality from illegal abortions was undoubtedly larger than that figure, but in all likelihood it was under 1,000.” Source: Scientific America, volume 220 in 1969 Related Links: We referenced a graphic image of Gerri Santoro's body, who died because of an illegal abortion in 1964. Then picture is circulated in textbooks today, and it was also published in Ms. Magazine in 1973. Here's a link to the Wikipedia article about her, that includes the famous picture. Graphic picture warning, both for blood and for nudity: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerri_Santoro Abortion Images: A Case for Disagreement without Division Podcast: Should Women be Punished if Abortion Becomes Illegal? Podcast: Response to Pro-Choice Propaganda Bodily Rights Arguments Necessitate Extremism Is Abortion 14 Times Safer Than Childbirth? Video Version: https://youtu.be/LI7Zdggb8kY Fetus Tunnel Vision: 4 Reasons Pro-Lifers Need to Stop Doing This Back Alley Abortion Arguments in 5 Minutes

Josh, Rachel, and Elijah Thompson from Dank Pro-Life Memes discuss the various ways pro-life advocates tend to define the word "abortion," and how this can be confusing to pro-choice people. They also talk about tips for responding to life of the mother cases, and explain how some pro-choice advocates mean something completely different than we think when they ask about that. Related Links: “Abortion is Healthcare”: A Misogynistic Non-Argument