Right to Life Radio

It's Life Report's 150th episode, and Trent Horn is back in studio to discuss how pro-lifers should respond when their discussion of abortion gets down to the "metaphysical basement:" why are human beings valuable in the first place?  Why should pro-lifers be concerned with answering the question “Why do humans matter?” How do pro-life advocates often answer the question? The imago dei is probably the most controversial or least understood reason, how do you understand this reason? Why shouldn't pro-lifers just quote Psalm 139, Jeremiah 1:5 and similar verses to pro-choice people? Can abortion be considered immoral even without reference to God? What do you do if a pro-choice advocate says that you’re imposing your religion on everyone else? Are there some inherent problems with Don Marquis' "future like ours" argument? Trent Horn is the Coordinator of Respect Life Leadership Support at the Diocese of Phoenix. To learn more about Trent, visit DiocesePhoenix.org. Watch other Life Report episodes with him at prolifepodcast.net/tag/trent-horn.

Trent Horn begins the show with a discussion of what a philosophy is (and isn't) and talks about why pro-life advocates need to study the discipline of philosophy. Issues Trent touches on that need philosophical reflection include: Why is killing wrong? What is a person? Do people have a right to control their own bodies? Are morals relative or objective? Trent then surveys the major philosophical contributions to these issues. (Singer, Marquis, Warren, Thomson, Finnis, Noonan, Schwartz, Beckwith, Kaczor, Tooley.) Finally, he shares how understanding philosophy has helped him have gracious conversations with pro-choice advocates. Trent Horn is the Coordinator of Respect Life Leadership Support at the Diocese of Phoenix. To learn more about Trent, visit DiocesePhoenix.org.

Pro-life philosopher Trent Horn explains how some pro-choice arguments don't seem so crazy if you view them through the lens of Judith Jarvis Thompson's violinist analogy instead of an anti-personhood worldview. This is very important, because we want to understand where pro-choice people are coming from, and in my experience, more and more of them are coming from a bodily rights case and not only an anti-fetal-personhood view. Trent Horn is the Coordinator of Respect Life Leadership Support at the Diocese of Pheonix. To learn more about Trent, visit DiocesePheonix.org. Watch other Life Report episodes with him at http://prolifepodcast.net/tag/trent-horn. More Life Report episodes responding to bodily rights arguments can be found here: http://prolifepodcast.net/tag/bodily-rights

Notre Dame law student and former Life Report guest John Gerardi joins Josh Brahm and Jonathan Keller in the studio to discuss the Supreme Court's "Obamacare" decision. Josh opens the show by focusing on how this legislation promotes abortion and tramples on religious liberty. This includes a brief explanation of why "ella" should definitively be considered an abortifacient, and not merely a contraceptive. Josh also discourages people from making baseless claims about Chief Justice Roberts' intelligence or intentions. Afterwards, John Gerardi gives a careful analysis of the decision, including what constitutional issues were examined.  The show ends with a discussion of what pro-lifers can do to fix things. Note from Josh: After this episode finished shooting, we stayed on the air for over an hour continuing the discussion and responding to questions from our live stream audience. We will be releasing that footage in sections over the next week or two, so keep checking ProLifePodcast.net for regular updates, or subscribe to our RSS feed.

Listen to WGSO talk show host Jeff Crouere interview Josh Brahm, asking the following questions: You believe that if they communicate the pro-life position properly, that any pro-life person can go toe-to-toe with any pro-choice advocate, is that right? Don't we see a reduction of abortions across the country? What is it within the pro-choice message that you can find common ground with? You still want to see Roe vs. Wade overturned, right? What would that look like on a national level? California is definitely a hostile state to pro-life causes. Does it help that there's such a large influx of Latino people who are often Catholic, and thus, pro-life? Won't ultrasounds have a dramatic impact on this issue? Is adoption an area where both pro-life and pro-choice people can find common ground? Do you think abortion-minded women realize that there are couples available to adopt their baby? Callers: "I think it's horrible that the government is using abortion as a political way to control people." "I don't think we should try to find common ground with someone who thinks it's okay to kill a baby!" "The abortion rate is going down because RU-486 isn't being counted."

Josh Brahm interviews local student Jillian and her mom. After interviewing Josh and Kyle, Jillian wrote a paper and gave a pro-life speech to her entire class, and got very positive feedback from her teacher as well as her fellow students. Even more impressive: Jillian is just 14-years-old. Listen to her story here.

Former Life Report co-host Carrie Guy was beloved by many fans. She brought something different to the show, as a youth pastor and a post-abortive pastors kid.  She had to leave the show last year when she had baby, but she's come back for a special episode to share her story that includes having an abortion as a teen, her recovery process later, and ultimately helping other post-abortive women.  Carrie also talks about how the modern church is doing responding to the abortion issue as well as tips for talking to pregnant women who are considering abortion.  Learn more about Carrie and invite her to speak to your group at http://www.CarrieGuy.com

Josh Brahm responds to listener mail from a fan who's veterinarian co-worker thinks life begins at birth. Got a question for Josh? Email it to Josh@ProLifePodcast.net.

Eric Scheidler, Executive Director of Pro-Life Action League and Matt Yonke, PLAL Communications Director join Josh via Google+ to discuss the HHS mandate and what pro-lifers can do to stand up for religious freedom via public rallies on June 8th. Topics covered: - What is the HHS mandate? - Why should Christians be concerned about it? - Is this issue about religious liberty or contraception access? - Exactly how does the HHS Mandate violate the First Amendment? - What's being done to fight the HHS Mandate, and where does public protest fit in? - What were the results of the Stand Up For Religious Freedom Rally on March 23rd? - Why hold another Stand Up Rally on June 8th? - What is the next step if the Supreme Court rules against us on "Obamacare?" Related Links: - Look up the nearest rally near you: http://StandUpForReligiousFreedom.com - Learn more about Eric and Matt's work at the Pro-Life Action League: http://ProLifeAction.org - Read the full letter from Notre Dame's president to his staff about the lawsuit against "Obamacare:" http://goo.gl/sDUAM

Scott Klusendorf is a travelling pro-life speaker who interacts with all the big advocacy groups, as well as Pregnancy Care Centers. He has a unique perspective about the position pro-life advocates are in to make their case right now in history, as well as some observations about Right to Life of Central California that he requested to share in a special Life Report episode.

Josh Brahm retracts his argument in a recent Life Report episode that Ray Comfort begged the question during his 180 interviews.

There are some Christians and even pastors who believe the Bible's silence on abortion means that we should not speak up about the issue. Scott Klusendorf from Life Training Institute deals a devastating blow to this argument. Topics covered: - Should pro-lifers defend their view with Psalm 139, Jeremiah 1:5 and others like it? - A better biblical argument for the pro-life position; - Responding to the argument that biblically speaking, life begins at "first breath;" - Responding to the Mosaic law about fighting men that accidentally cause a premature delivery; - Responding to that weird passage in Numbers 5 with a priest giving a suspected pregnant adulteress a potion that may result in an abortion; - Responding to the argument that God is the "greatest aborter of history" because so many unborn children die in miscarriages; - The inherent exegetical danger of modern Christians using directives from Mosaic law or the Old Covenant. - Evaluating Mark Driscoll's statement that 2nd-trimester John the Baptist leaping in the womb in response to 1st-trimester Jesus is a great biblical argument for the personhood of the unborn child. For more Scott Klusendorf, check out his website: http://ProLifeTraining.com Watch or download the Mark Driscoll sermon Josh referred to here: http://marshill.com/media/luke/mary-elizabeth

Josh facilitates a discussion with Life Training Institute's Scott Klusendorf and RLCC's Jonathan Keller on pro-life voting principles. Topics discussed include: - the current political reality the pro-life movement is in;  - the different nuances to voting for someone in the Senate, House, and Executive branches; - voting for third-party candidates; - the meaning of the word "pragmatic;" - are all "social justice" issues equivalent? For more Scott Klusendorf, check out his website: http://ProLifeTraining.com

Josh, Liz and Andrew begin a two-episode discussion of the popular pro-life documentary, "180," by Ray Comfort and Living Waters Publications. The Life Report team discuss both what they liked about the movie, and then they debate the things they didn’t like. Topics covered in part two include whether or not Ray Comfort begged the question during his interviews and how pro-lifers should use this movie

Josh, Liz and Andrew begin a two-episode discussion of the popular pro-life documentary, "180," by Ray Comfort and Living Waters Publications. The Life Report team discuss both what they liked about the movie, and then they debate the things they didn’t like. Topics covered in part one include the value of taking more time with people and allowing them to "put the puzzle together themselves," and whether or not 180 should be considered a "training film" for pro-life people.