COMPLETE LIBERTY

As a believer, I was basically "reared" in a very conservative denomination where pretty much everything you did that resulted in any kind of pleasure was sin.  It was an unreflective Church that did not really think through many issues.  I went to seminary and began learning.  I used my critical thinking faculties and developed them as well as taking some undergrad philosophy classes.  All the Christians I know subscribe to the conservative mantra.  They want to restrict gays, drug use, drinking, abortion (sorry, I agree with that one), etc, and they normally listen to the voices of organizations like Focus on the Family.  They would love to see the conservative "daddy state" where everyone's behavior is controlled.  They are often vigourously involved in politics and love using the power of the state to acheive their ends.  I don't think its because they hate freedom, rather I think it is that they have been brainwashed for too long and don't understand what liberty and self-ownership are.
The problem is that Christianity really isn't about forcing your morality onto other people, though many Christians engage in this behavior (e.g. Moral Majority, Focus on the Family, etc.).  I've also heard Christianity mischaracterized and ridiculed by different libertarians which I think is wrong.  Libertarian atheists often treat Christianity and Christian theology way different than they would treat opposing political philosophies.  They tear down the straw man version of Christianity rather than what orthodox theologians teach, contemporary theologians like Berkhof, Grudem, James White, Greg Bahnsen, John Frame, Cornelius Van Til, etc.  As believers, we are not to FORCE anyone to believe, rather we simply share the Gospel.  Sharing the Christian Gospel is no different than advocating for libertarianism if you think about it. I believe Christians using the power of the state to enforce morality are wrong.  The Scriptures do not call us to do that.  What we are called to do is spelled out in Matthew 28:18-20 and it has nothing to do with using state power to enforce a morality.
As a Christian libertarian, I stand for a person's right to be gay and get married or serve openly in the army.  I stand for people being able to consume whatever drug they choose, and for people being able to use their own property how they choose.  Do I have a moral disagreement with certain things...yes...but then I am called to share the Gospel and that person is free to accept or reject it.  I'm not to judge them.  I am not called to utilize aggression or the state to modify behavior.  More Christians need to be educated on what libertarians believe and what the goals of truly free society really are. More libertarian atheists need to rethink some of their criticisms as well, stop attacking ignorant fundamentalists (I disagree with them too!) and using that as a model of Christianity.  I think that a truly free society is something that both Christians and atheists can work towards together because religion has no place in a discussion of politics.

In this episode I cover the Appendix - Parenting Styles: The Relevance of Culture, Class, and Race in the book Unconditional Parenting: Moving From Rewards And Punishments To Love And Reason by Alfie Kohn
http://www.unconditionalparenting.com/up/

Love is both a feeling and a need
Collectivistic cultures tend to minimize or even disfavor self-interest and self-actualization, which leads to repressed feelings, e.g., of resentment and depression

When parents spank children, they inflict pain and induce fear in them, i.e., fear of parental "authority," which sends a really confused and contradictory message to them about their own individuality and choice--and it perversely mixes notions of love with violence. Basically, violating the rights of children doesn't help them flourish.

Lenient parenting methods are just as lopsided as punitive parenting methods. They don't teach children respectful ways to express feelings and get needs met, while meeting the needs of others. It's important for parents to express their feelings in relation to their unmet needs, and be advocates for getting their needs met as much as children do.

Many thanks to Alfie Kohn for putting such a book of useful information about parenting into the world. May the memes of unconditional parenting spread far and wide, so that adults learn that there are life-enriching, win/win ways to get needs met in families, and children therefore grow up healthy and happy. :)

Youth Voices on Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution
http://www.goodradioshows.org/peaceTalksL84.htm

Marshall Rosenberg 6-09 When Authority Destroys Creativity from NVC Training Course
http://www.amazon.com/Nonviolent-Communication-Training-Course/dp/1591794439

bumper music "Joyful Wonder" by Ott
http://www.ottsonic.net/

Direct download: Episode_154_-_Unconditional_parenting_part_fifteen.mp3