Ruth Institute Statement on the US Supreme Court Ruling on Obergefell v. Hodges
The Ruth Institute opposes the short-sighted decision of the US Supreme Court mandating that every State remove the gender requirement from their marriage laws. This decision undermines the natural right of every child to know the identity of their own parents, and as far as possible, to be in a relationship with and to be […]
Summit Leadership Conference: CA 2015, Part 1
(June 23, 2015) Dr J traveled to Biola University to speak at the Summit Leadership Conference for high school and college students, she’s about to give a two-part talk on "The Sexual Revolution and its Victims.", Part two is in the next podcast–stay tuned! There was a Q&A session afterward, too–it’s available for download over at the Ruth Refuge.
Death by Contraception
posted by Jennifer Roback Morse The Sexual Revolution: most people equate it with fun and freedom. At the Ruth Institute, we are convinced that the Sexual Revolution = destruction + heartbreak. We have identified 12 Survivors of the Sexual Revolution: people who have been harmed by this toxic ideology, who have lived to tell their […]
Two Things Pope Francis Will NOT Say in His Encyclical on the Environment
by Jennifer Roback Morse This article was first published at The Daily Caller on January 9, 2015 and at aleteia.org, January 10, 2015. Pundits left and right have been jockeying for position in anticipation of Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment. This is quite amazing, considering that even the publication date hasn’t been published yet! I do not know what he is going to say. Neither, dear reader, does anyone else whom you are likely to read. However, I can tell you two things that he will certainly NOT say. And those two unsaid things have the potential to speak volumes, if only we will listen. 1. He will certainly NOT say that overpopulation is the cause of any environmental problem. This old trope will be completely absent from the Holy Father’s document. 2. He will certainly NOT say that contraception, abortion or sterilization, voluntary or involuntary, are necessary components of any comprehensive solutions to environmental problems. Think about what the environmental movement would look like without those two claims. People who want to protect the landscape or wildlife could be part of the environmental movement in good conscience. I like birds. I like birdwatching. About 15 years ago, I tried joining the local chapter of the Audubon Society. I thought it would be fun. But I could not stand the constant left-wing political preening that dominated this particular local chapter. I have often felt sad about that. I might have had an enjoyable time and they might have learned something from having an outlier in their midst. So now, suppose a large contingent of pro-life Catholics started going to the meetings of their local Audubon Society or Sierra Club or Nature Conservancy. A bunch of us walk in and say, “We are here because we are good Catholics. Our Holy Father Francis told us we should protect the environment. We want to help with the local beach clean-up project or recycling project. I’ve brought three of my kids along to help. My pal here has brought four of his kids. Where do we start?” The te
Acton 2015: The Family and the State
(June 19, 2015) Dr J traveled to Grand Rapids, MI to speak at Acton University on several topics related to the market, the state, and the family. This is her third talk, "The Family and the State.", Her first and second talks are up in our podcast stream–check them out if you missed them! There’s also a podcast of the Q&A session afterward over in the Ruth Refuge.
Acton 2015: The Family and the Market
(June 18, 2015) Dr J traveled to Grand Rapids, MI to speak at Acton University on several topics related to the market, the state, and the family. This is her second talk, "The Family and the Market.", Her first talk is up in our podcast stream, and her third one is coming up next–stay tuned! There’s also a podcast of the Q&A session over in the Ruth Refuge for you to check out.
Acton 2015: An Economic Way of Thinking
(June 17, 2015) Dr J traveled to Grand Rapids, MI to speak at Acton University on several topics related to the market, the state, and the family. This is her first talk, "An Economic Way of Thinking;", it’s one of the core requirements for Acton University attendees. Dr J has been an Acton fellow since the founding of the program. Her other two talks are coming up in the next podcasts–stay tuned! There’s also a podcast of the Q&A session over in the Ruth Refuge for you to check out.
Rowdy protestors disrupt talk in support of traditional marriage at UCSB
by Austin Yack – UC Santa Barbara on May 27, 2015 The College Fix’s exclusive video shows demonstrators chant, hoist vulgar signs ISLA VISTA – More than 20 UC Santa Barbara students disrupted the start of a talk on campus in support of traditional marriage on Tuesday night with a rowdy protest that included loud […]
A Victory for Free Speech and Children’s Rights at UC Santa Barbara
by Jennifer Roback Morse This article was first posted at Crisis Magazine on June 3, 2015. The Conservative Media brilliantly covered my presentation of the inaugural event of the Anscombe Society at the University of California Santa Barbara. The College Fix broke the story, with an on-the-ground reporter posting within hours of the event, including […]
4 Questions About Surrogacy For Conservatives Who Support Gay Marriage
Surrogate mothers (L-R) Daksha, 37, Renuka, 23, and Rajia, 39, pose for a photograph inside a temporary home for surrogates provided by Akanksha IVF centre in Anand town, about 70 km (44 miles) south of the western Indian city of Ahmedabad August 27, 2013. REUTERS/Mansi Thapliyal by Jennifer Roback Morse This article was first […]
Detroit Archdiocese to host international Courage conference in August
By Mike Stechschulte, Catholic News Service Posted in National News, on April 23rd, 2015 DETROIT (CNS) — The Archdiocese of Detroit will host an international conference this summer dedicated to exploring some of the complex challenges the Catholic Church faces in ministering to those with same-sex attraction. The Aug. 10-12 conference at the Inn at […]
World Congress of Families heading to Salt Lake City in the fall
By Dennis Romboy and Lois M. Collins This article was published on May 12, 2015, at deseretnews.com. SALT LAKE CITY — The World Congress of Families will be held in Salt Lake City Oct. 27-30, marking the first time that the international family-focused gathering has taken place in the United States. But Salt Lake City […]
Brandon Dutcher: Appreciate home teachers on teacher appreciation week
By BRANDON DUTCHER This article was first published on May 2, 2015, at tulsaworld.com. Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week, a time to celebrate the 3.5 million school teachers in this country, including some 400,000 working in private schools. But there are hundreds of thousands more teachers who also deserve our gratitude, including one who […]
Marriage Advocates Warn High Court: Children Will Suffer Most From Marriage Redefinition
by JOAN FRAWLEY DESMOND This article was first posted at ncregister.com on April 16, 2015. NEWS ANALYSIS: Churches, scholars and activists weigh in with amicus briefs as the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear oral arguments in four key cases. WASHINGTON — “Given both the unique capacity for reproduction and the unique value of homes […]
Pro-family activist: needs of children come second after gay ‘marriage’
by Charlie Butts This article was first posted at onenewsnow.com on April 27, 2015. For the sake of children, marriage should be between a man and a woman, says a pro-family activist. Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse, founder and president of the Ruth Institute, says legally redefining marriage would “redefine parenthood” to allow same-sex […]
Your Revolution is Killing Us
A review of The Sexual Revolution and its Victims by Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse By Austin Ruse This article was first posted at Crisis Magazine on May 1, 2015. It is inevitable that advocates for the Sexual Revolution will say all we need is a bit more of it. More orgasms. More sex-ed. More abortion. […]
Religious Liberty Is Not Enough
by Jennifer Roback Morse This article was first posted at Crisismagazine.com on April 29, 2015. I want to thank those who took the time to respond to my recent article, “Why Religious Liberty Arguments Aren’t Working.” Our focus at the Ruth Institute is crafting sound arguments and clarifying the proper context for their use. Religious liberty arguments are a case in point. While there is merit in religious liberty arguments, we propose a broader strategy that will help all who are engaged in this greatest struggle of our time. What I’m Not SayingI am NOT saying that lawyers like Matt Bowman and his colleagues at the Alliance Defending Freedom should stop taking religious liberty cases. I am NOT saying that advocates should stop sticking up for Christians who have been harmed. I am NOT denigrating the people who have lost their jobs, their businesses or their educational opportunities for the sake of their religious beliefs. Never in a million years. In fact, I support them all. Nor am I saying that we don’t need religious liberty. So what am I saying? A Hypothetical DialogueA Christian baker refuses to bake and deliver a wedding cake for a same-sex couple’s wedding reception, citing deeply held religious beliefs. At one time, this might have been an acceptable legal argument providing protection from prosecution under anti-discrimination laws. This appears to be no longer the case. But I’m not so interested in what will or won’t fly in a court of law. I trust the attorneys like Charles LiMandri, Jay Sekelow, Brad Dacus, Dean Broyles and all the wonderful men and women at the Alliance Defending Freedom to know their business. They know what arguments can and should be made in a court of law, under different sets of facts. I’m getting at something else. Suppose someone other than a lawyer questions the Christian baker: a news reporter or their next door neighbor or their lesbian co-worker. “Why won’t you bake and deliver this cake?” “Because my religion forbids gay marriage.” “Why does your religion forbid gay mar
Does marriage have a public purpose?
BY JENNIFER ROBACK MORSE Posted on mercatornet.com on April 22, 2015. The Ruth Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to healing the American family from the structural injustices of the sexual revolution headed by Dr Jennifer Roback Morse, in collaboration with Sharee Langenstein, an Illinois attorney, has submitted an Amicus brief to the US Supreme […]
Refining Marriage Violates Children’s Civil Rights
Posted April 20, 2015 at americanclarion.com. SAN DIEGO, California — April 20, 2015 — The Ruth Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to healing the American family from the structural injustices of the sexual revolution, in collaboration with Sharee Langenstein, Attorney at Law in the state of Illinois, submitted an Amicus brief to the United States […]
Press Release: Redefining Marriage Creates Civil Rights Violations for Children
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Redefining Marriage Creates Civil Rights Violations for Children Ruth Institute Submits Amicus Brief to the U.S. Supreme Court SAN DIEGO, California — April 20, 2015 — The Ruth Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to healing the American family from the structural injustices of the sexual revolution, in collaboration with Sharee Langenstein, Attorney […]
Pointers for your letter to the Apostolic Nuncio
by Jennifer Roback Morse I’m not leaving this alone! If you found your way to this blog, you should write to the Nuncio in support of Archbishop Cordileone! Here are some ideas of things to say. I suggest you keep the text of your letter around 200-250 words. I would suggest you keep a balance […]
My letter to Apostolic Nuncio, Supporting Archbishop Cordileone
by Jennifer Roback Morse April 20, 2015 His Excellency, the Most Reverend Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano Apostolic Nuncio Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See 3339 Massachusetts Avenue N.W. Washington DC 20008 Dear Excellency, I am writing to convey my heartfelt support for the Archbishop of San Francisco, the Most Reverend Salvatore Cordileone. I became acquainted […]
How You Can Help Archbishop Cordileone
by Jennifer Roback Morse The Archbishop of San Francisco, Salvatore Cordileone, has been ruthlessly attacked by the Gay Left and their allies. Someone (no one seems to know who) has hired an expensive public relations firm to smear the Archbishop. The final straw was a full-page ad in the San Francisco Chronicle by “100 Catholic […]
Why Religious Liberty Arguments Aren’t Working
by Jennifer Roback Morse This article was first posted at crisismagazine.com on April 16, 2015. I am a very committed, very public advocate of marriage as a gender-based institution. Many of my fellow proponents of man/woman marriage cite religious liberty as an argument against redefining marriage. While I have great respect for those who promote this view, I must respectfully disagree with their assessment. The uproar over the Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act demonstrates that religious liberty arguments don’t work anymore. I take no pleasure in saying this. But religious liberty arguments are not compelling enough to induce our fellow citizens to sacrifice something they value, namely, sexual liberty. I can think of three reasons for this. An increasing number of our fellow citizens do not believe in any god. A substantial number describe themselves as spiritual but not religious. The American religious situation at the time of the American Founding was quite different. James Madison spoke for most when he regarded religion as “the duty which we owe to our Creator and the manner of discharging it.” When so many people do not regard themselves as having any “duty to the Creator,” the social foundation that made religious liberty appealing or even intelligible, no longer exists. So, Reason #1 why religious liberty arguments are not working: People who don’t believe in God, couldn’t give a rip whether we religious believers are inconvenienced in our religious practice. Secondly, the controversies over religious liberty are not about transubstantiation or the Trinity or predestination. We are arguing about sex: abortion, contraception, homosexuality and similar topics. Our fellow citizens have absorbed and are committed to a particular view about the meaning of human sexuality and its place in our lives. Millions of people have ordered their lives around these beliefs. They are not going to give up those views, in the absence of an attractive alternative. Reason #2 why religious liberty arguments are not
Is it ok to have sex with a robot?
by Jennifer Roback Morse (and other questions you thought you’d never hear….) So, the Christian Post asked me to comment on this question. The sum total of my answer: “I thought I had heard it all, but robot sex is too much, even for me,” Jennifer Roback Morse, founder and president of The Ruth Institute, responded. “You may […]
The Ruth Institute files a Friend of the Court brief
by Jennifer Roback Morse The Ruth Institute and I, filed a Friend of the Court brief to the US Supreme Court for the upcoming marriage cases, called Obergefell v Hodges. We are not hopeful of a good outcome in this decision. Nonetheless, we filed a brief for these reasons: To give the dissenters some ammunition. To […]
The Sexual Revolution and Its Victims: Summit Ministries
(March 11, 2015) Dr J delivered this talk at the Summit Adult Program in Colorado Springs. In it, she’s addressing 3 basic points: What is the sexual revolution? How does the marriage issue fit into its overall picture? What are we going to about it–how do we heal the culture in a lasting and Christlike way?
Evacuation from Dunkirk: a continuation of my open letter to San Diego Social Conservatives
My first letter drew some discussion on my Facebook page. That is great. I am glad. Kirk Jorgenson is not the subject of discussion here. I like Kirk. He ran a good and honorable campaign. A lot of you worked hard for him. I respect that. Evacuation at Dunkirk June 1940 But now that particular battle is over. We have metaphorically evacuated from Dunkirk. We are safely in the British Isles. Let us regroup and think about our next move.
After the Party: An Open Letter to Social Conservatives in San Diego and Beyond
On June 3, 2014, Kirk Jorgenson, came in third in a run-off style primary election for the 52nd Congressional District. He obtained 17% of the vote. Jorgenson had been the favorite of the Social Conservative community in San Diego. OK, San Diego Cultural Conservatives. Kirk Jorgenson lost his runoff race for the 52nd Congressional District. Can we talk now?
Ruth Institute and BYU Present a Conference on the Family
In association with the BYU Family Law Society, the Ruth Institute is pleased to announce the speakers for the BYU Conference on the Family Jennifer Roback Morse, Ph.D. Founder and President of the Ruth Institute A committed career woman before having children, Dr. Morse earned a doctorate in economics, and spent fifteen years teaching at […]
