Psst. Hey there. Yeah you. Thanks for joining us for another episode of Truth Wanted! This week, Jason Sherwood emerges from behind the ACA camera like a curmudgeonly grizzly bear in spring to join Objectively Dan!

This week’s Patron of the Week is Allegedly Dave, but we’ll need a citation before we can accept this assertion.

John’s up first with a silly reductionist argument for why abortion is the termination of human life, which is quickly dismantled by our hosts. Jason discriminates between terminating a life and terminating a pregnancy, and Dan points out that a clump of cells isn’t suffering. This is kinda irrelevant John, even if a zygote is a person, bodily autonomy is still paramount, and no, I won’t give you my kidney.

We have Kaylen calling from the Land of the Rising Sun next, and he doesn't think there’s a Biblical justification for theocracy. Both our hosts agree, and offer a few abhorrent examples from the Bible that reinforce Kaylen’s perspective.

Red’s concerned about moving to a state where it’s likely she’ll be denied healthcare, and our hosts couldn’t be more sympathetic. We’ll chat about potential solutions for this current crisis, and how this recent decision will disproportionately affect those without the means to travel for healthcare.

Loving the international callers tonight, Ricardo’s from Italy, and he’s struggling with picking your battles when having constructive conversations with theists. Dan thinks we have to examine our own motivations before we even approach using Street Epistemology to build better interactions.

Our next caller is concerned about moving to a red state in the current political climate, and we’re sympathetic. Fascist policies lead to a brain drain, learn from Nazi Germany folks. We’re all better when we’re all healthy and free.

Nick’s wondering how to talk to people who are so staunchly committed to their beliefs that they won’t consider changing their mind. How do we get through to these people? Dan throws exposure therapy out there; normalize it, plant the seed, and hope it grows. Jason thinks you oughta ask yourself, “Is it worth it?” No one’s required to be the arbiter of progressive policy Nick, but keep fighting the good fight.

Finally we have Dylan who suggests replacing our legal system with a poll system where the internet decides what’s correct. We’ve seen this episode of Black Mirror, but if you haven’t, loyal TW viewer, check it out. It was a disaster. At this point however, anything might be better than having lifetime appointments to the highest court in the land in a time of a quickly shifting moral landscape.

That’s the show tonight. It’s a dark day in the history of the United States, but activism and hope will see us through. Stay strong, vote, protest, do anything but remain silent. Catch you next week!