Your Spouse Leaves You and The State Takes Possession of Your Kids. What Next?
Since 2004, Bai Macfarlane has been upholding the dignity of marriage in light of no-fault divorce. Under no-fault divorce, the party that still loves his or her spouse and wants to keep the family together is virtually defenseless. Mary’s Advocates is a voice for faithful spouses, and provides resources to equip those in positions of authority and influence to encourage reconciliation and denounce marital abandonment and unjust separations. This episode is also available as an audio podcast. More resources &, readings after the cut. Bai spoke in Rome for Human Life International Rome about the marriage crisis and the Code of Canon Law. Her paper was distributed to the delegates at the Synod of Bishops. Mary’s Advocates work has been publicized by Homiletic and Pastoral Review, National Catholic Register, the United Stated Conference of Catholic Bishops, and LifeSite News. She’s been a radio guest on Relevant Radio, Ave Maria Radio, and EWTN. Before marriage, Bai earned earned a bachelor of science from the University of Notre Dame. She was a stay-at-home mom raising four children under the age of 12 just prior to beginning her marriage work. Readings &, Resources Mary’s Advocates, marysadvocates.org defending marriage against accusation of invalidity in tribunal cases is marysadvocates.org/research/catholic-annulment Rejoice Marriage Ministries, rejoiceministries.org "The Divorce Court Nightmare,", Dr J Show featuring Dr. Stephen Baskerville The Gift of Self, A Spiritual Companion for Separated and Divorced Faithful to the Sacrament of Marriage, by Maria Pia Campanella Charlyne Cares: A Daily Devotional, by Charlyne A. Steinkamp Primal Loss: The Now-Adult Children of Divorce Speak, by Leila Miller ‘Impossible’ Marriages Redeemed, by Leila Miller Marriage and Equality, by Jennifer Johnson Ruth Institute’s 2019 Summit Dr. Stephen Baskerville on government complicity in easy divorce: "How No-Fault Divorce Empowers the State", author Leila Miller on Children of Divorce: "The Lifelong Imp
AUDIO: Your Spouse Leaves You and The State Takes Possession of Your Kids. What Next?
Since 2004, Bai Macfarlane has been upholding the dignity of marriage in light of no-fault divorce. Under no-fault divorce, the party that still loves his or her spouse and wants to keep the family together is virtually defenseless. Mary’s Advocates is a voice for faithful spouses, and provides resources to equip those in positions of authority and influence to encourage reconciliation and denounce marital abandonment and unjust separations. Listen This is an audio podcast of The Dr J Show. Full video episode is available here. Readings and resources below cut. Bai spoke in Rome for Human Life International Rome about the marriage crisis and the Code of Canon Law. Her paper was distributed to the delegates at the Synod of Bishops. Mary’s Advocates work has been publicized by Homiletic and Pastoral Review, National Catholic Register, the United Stated Conference of Catholic Bishops, and LifeSite News. She’s been a radio guest on Relevant Radio, Ave Maria Radio, and EWTN. Before marriage, Bai earned earned a bachelor of science from the University of Notre Dame. She was a stay-at-home mom raising four children under the age of 12 just prior to beginning her marriage work. Readings &, Resources Mary’s Advocates, marysadvocates.org defending marriage against accusation of invalidity in tribunal cases is marysadvocates.org/research/catholic-annulment Rejoice Marriage Ministries, rejoiceministries.org "The Divorce Court Nightmare,", Dr J Show featuring Dr. Stephen Baskerville The Gift of Self, A Spiritual Companion for Separated and Divorced Faithful to the Sacrament of Marriage, by Maria Pia Campanella Charlyne Cares: A Daily Devotional, by Charlyne A. Steinkamp Primal Loss: The Now-Adult Children of Divorce Speak, by Leila Miller ‘Impossible’ Marriages Redeemed, by Leila Miller Marriage and Equality, by Jennifer Johnson Ruth Institute’s 2019 Summit Dr. Stephen Baskerville on government complicity in easy divorce: "How No-Fault Divorce Empowers the State", author Leila Miller on Children of Divorc
Ruth Inst. Happy BLM Moving Away from Anti-Family Rhetoric
“Given renewed support for the family during an election year and after the COVID lockdown, even a radical group like Black Lives Matter has toned down its anti-family advocacy,” said Ruth Institute President Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse, Ph.D.
Tragedies of the Sexual Revolution the Focus of Ruth Inst. Ambassador Training
June 18, 2020 For Immediate Release For More Information: media@ruthinstitute.org As part of its 2020 Summit for Survivors of the Sexual Revolution (July 17-18), the Ruth Institute will offer exclusive training at its “It Takes a Family to Raise a Village” Ambassador’s Conference on July 17, 8:30 AM to 4 PM, in Lake Charles, LA. […]
Milestone Reached: State Dept. Commission Receives Petition to Make the Family Great Again
February 25, 2020 For Immediate Release For more information, contact media@ruthinstitute.org. Ruth Institute Founder and President, Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse, Ph.D., announced: “February 21st we reached a milestone when we presented our Make the Family Great Again petition to Mary Ann Glendon, Chairman of the State Department Commission on Unalienable Rights and former US Ambassador […]
Pro-family groups ask US ‘Commission on Unalienable Rights’ to fight for parental rights
October 22, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) — Ruth Institute Founder and President Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse, Ph.D., welcomed the news that the Commission on Unalienable Rights will begin its work with two public meetings, October 23 and November 1, at the State Department in Washington, D.C. PETITION: Ask President Trump to Make the Family Great Again! […]
The American Psychological Association Promotes “Consensual Non-Monogamy and Relationship Anarchy”
(July 26, 2019) Dr J is once again Todd Wilkin’s guest on Issues, Etc. They’re discussing the American Psychological Association’s promotion of "consensual non-monogamy and relationship anarchy,", which just…sound great, don’t they? Listen
Catholic Culture Conference 2019: Understanding the Sexual Revolution
(May 31, 2019) Dr J is one of the speakers at the Spiritual Life Center’s Catholic Culture Conference in Wichita, Kansas. This is the first of three talks she’s giving at the annual gathering, and it’s entitled, "Understanding the Sexual Revolution.", The Q&A session after this talk is also available for listening or download here. Stay tuned for her other talks from the conference, coming right up in our podcast stream. Listen to the talk | Listen to the Q&A
Be a happier parent – or laugh trying
It’s one way to have happy kids, a new book points out. by Mary Cooney and Betsy Kerekes This article was first published May 7, 2019, at Mercatornet.com. There is no doubt that parents today face tremendous challenges. Sometimes these challenges are overwhelming and stressful. Parents of young children and teens will appreciate Betsy Kerekes’ […]
The Current Word on Ruth’s Survivors’ Summit!
(April 16, 2019) Dr J is once again Kathleen Benfield’s guest on her radio show "The Current Word.", They’re discussing the Ruth Institute’s upcoming Surivivors Summit! Come join us April 26 and 27th in Lake Charles, Louisiana for our annual conference.
Victims of Divorce (Children and Abandoned Spouses) to Speak at Ruth Institute Survivors’ Summit
For more information contact: Rachel Golden info@ruthinstitute.org The Ruth Institute’s Summit for Survivors of the Sexual Revolution (April 26-27 in Lake Charles, LA.) will include survivors of divorce, among them adult children of divorce and abandoned spouses. Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse, Ruth Institute Founder and President, noted: “Many pro-family advocacy groups do not address divorce. But normalizing divorce is where the Sexual Revolution started. By undermining the sanctity of marriage, divorce set the stage for all of the attacks on the family that followed.” The Summit will include first-hand testimony from Christy Fitzgerald (an Adult Child of Divorce), Al Chlupacek (who stood for his marriage despite spousal desertion) and Kristi Davis (both an Adult Child of Divorce and a victim of spousal desertion who still tried to save her marriage). Expert Speakers at the event include: Dr. Stephen Baskerville, Professor of Government at Patrick Henry College, speaking on “How Does the State Benefit from Your Divorce?” Leila Miller, author of Primal Loss: The Now Adult Children of Divorce Speak. The Divorce Reform panel includes: Jeff Morgan – Divorce Reform Advocate and Ruth Institute Activist of the Year, speaking on Divorce Reform in Texas Christopher Brennan, Esq. – Attorney and Adult Child of Divorce Matt Johnston – Strategist and Adult Child of Divorce According to the National Center for Health Statistics (part of the Centers for Disease Control), in 2016, there were 827,261 divorces in the United States, with 44 states and the D.C. reporting. That’s almost one-third of the reported marriages which took place that year. Altogether, there are an estimated 45 million children of divorce. Additionally, 70% of divorces include a reluctant partner who’d like to stay married. Less than 15% of divorces in a recent study were classified as “high conflict.” “Ending a non-abusive marriage is a tragedy with multiple victims — children deprived of a parent, abandoned spouses and, often, the spouse who initiates divor
Acton 2018: The Sexual State &, the Divorce Ideology
(June 22, 2018) This year’s Acton University is coming to a close–this is the last of Dr J’s three talks this time around. This year her three talks are all themed "The Sexual State"–they highlight how various ideologies ingrained in our culture are products of and further the aims of the toxic sexual revolution. This is her third and final talk, entitled "The Sexual State and the Divorce Ideology.", Listen Powerpoint slides from this presentation are also available.
LAR: The Divorce Ideology
(May 26, 2018) Dr J is one of the speakers at the Asociación LAR México conference in Monterrey, Mexico. Now in their 9th year, the theme this time around is "The Challenges of the Family Today.", Dr J gave three talks, this is the second one, on "The Divorce Ideology.", Check out our podcast stream for the other two. Lar, which means "home", in Spanish, is part of the larger IFFD, the International Federation for Family Development.
Freedom Readers: The Government’s Duty to Marriage
(March 14, 2018) Dr J is speaking to Freedom Readers, a project of Grove City College’s Center for Vision &, Values. Her topic is "The Government’s Duty to Marriage: A Not-Exclusively Biblical Approach.", Check out our podcast stream if you missed yesterday’s talk to one of Grove City’s classes, and stay tuned for Q&A afterward.
From Grove City College: The Government’s Duty to Marriage
(March 13, 2018) Dr J is speaking to a class of students at Grove City College near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her topic is "The Government’s Duty to Marriage: A Not-Exclusively Biblical Approach.", Stay tuned for Q&A afterward, and tune in for tomorrow’s talk in the same vein to Freedom Readers, a project of the college’s Center for Vision &, Values.
Healthy Actions and Expectations Before Saying "I Do"
(January 8, 2018) Dr J is speaking with John Rustin on his radio show, Family Policy Matters. The topic is healthy actions and expectations before saying "I do,", and they touch on specifics regarding cohabitation, weddings, divorce, and marriage.
When suicidal, the psychiatrist told me, "The problem is you’re still a virgin."
It all probably started in high school when I became bulimic. I thought I was the only one in the world with this terrible compulsion. Now I know that 4 of the 6 daughters of my family engaged in bulimia during their teens. I also now know that my father was engaged in porn and […]
Finding Mr. (or Mrs.) Right
This article was first published at Fathers for Good on November 23, 2016. New book outlines Catholic plan for marriage If the “101 Tips” of this handy little book could be summed up in a few words, they would be: Know thyself. The wisdom of Socrates holds true today, though the modern dating scene may […]
Pocket-Sized Pointers for Picking a Partner (Review: “101 Tips for Marrying the Right Person”)
by Lindsay Wilcox This article was first published November 8, 2016 at atxcatholic.com. Today’s review is of a short book, so this will be a short review. Following on the heels of their successful book 101 Tips for a Happier Marriage , Jennifer Roback Morse and Betsy Kerekes have released a guide for getting to […]
Live-in Boyfriends and Domestic Violence against Children
(November 8, 2016) Dr J is once again Todd Wilkin’s guest on Issues, Etc. They’re discussing domestic violence against children, specifically in situations involving a live-in boyfriend or other unrelated adult. Listen
Book Review: 101 Tips for Marrying the Right Person
by Terri Kimmel This article was first published on October 24, 2016, at CatholicLane.com. In today’s electronic world of tweets and status updates, communicating with brevity is everything. 101 Tips for Marrying the Right Person: Helping Singles Find Each other, Contemplate Marriage, and Say I Do by the Ruth Institute’s Jennifer Roback Morse and Betsy […]
Does the Family Have a Future? (Part 1)
(October 13, 2016) Dr J travels to Smithfield, Rhode Island to speak at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church on the theme "Does the Family Have a Future?", Addressing over 100 people, she describes why the family is the basis of society. Stay tuned for the second part of her talk or head over to our Ruth Refuge for the Q&As after each talk. Listen
Women’s lib is a lie. You can’t have it all.
I am a survivor of the sexual revolution. I wasted my entire child bearing years on sex. It started in the early 70’s when I was 16 and lost my virginity to a 22-year-old. I got high and gave away my heart and wept. It started a whirlwind of relationships. Sex was powerful! I was […]
Darwinism, Contraception, and the Decline of Manhood
By Ryan MacPherson, a Ruth Institute Circle of Experts member Book Review: The Decline of Males, Lionel Tiger (New York: Golden Books, 1999) This article was first published at hausvater.org. Why would a confessional Lutheran (who recognizes that God created humanity male and female, instituted marriage, and designed the one-flesh union for procreation) want to read a book written by an evolutionist who claims that Darwin’s theory of sexual selection is the key to interpreting the breakdown of the American family? If the evolutionist is Dr. Lionel Tiger, a Rutgers University anthropologist, and the book is The Decline of Males, then the answer is simple: his insightful analysis offers lessons that transcend the gap between Darwinian assumptions, which fundamentally contradict Scripture, and the confessional Lutheran worldview, which proclaims that God “impressed upon [human] nature” a “divine ordinance” for marital procreation (Apol. XIII (XI), 7, 12). Tiger differs from many scholars. He identifies the root of America’s culture war over “family values,” with its recurring “battle of the sexes,” not in politics, not in religion, not in any particular ideology, but rather in biology. He argues that male and female bodies, and the social behaviors that typically go with them, have evolved over millions of years to perfect a mammalian reproductive cycle in which offspring are preserved by males who care for pregnant and lactating females. The introduction of modern contraception in the 1960s, however, radically altered the human social environment. Biology—slow to evolve—is struggling to catch up. The result is social chaos, involving an escalation of single motherhood and absent fatherhood. A confessional Lutheran would want to correct Tiger’s evolutionary presuppositions with the doctrine that God the Creator designed human nature in such a way that “a husband should labor to support his wife and children … that a wife should bear children and care for them.” (AC XXVI, 10) The interesting thing is that many of Tig
Making the Case for Marriage: Acton 2016
(June 16, 2016) It’s that time of year again–Dr J is at Acton University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She’s been with the conference since the beginning, and yesterday she gave one of the foundational lectures designed to orient religious leaders in basic economic concepts. This lecture is on "Making the Case for Marriage."
What the Hook-Up Culture does to Women
(June 15, 2016) Dr J is once again Drew Mariani’s guest on his show on the Relevant Radio network. They’re discussing the effects of the sexual revolution on women.
Making Marriage Matter, Part 2
(June 9, 2016) Dr J fields questions after addressing law students participating in the Alliance Defending Freedom’s Blackstone Legal Fellowship. If you missed her talks on the family as the foundation of society and the agenda of the modern sexual revolution, check out our podcast stream.
The Case for Marriage (SWBTS), Part 2
(May 24, 2016) Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, one of the largest Southern Baptist seminaries in the world, hosted Dr. J at their annual Summer Institute, sponsored by the Land Center. This is the second part of her address to pastors and seminary professors on making the case for marriage, if you missed the first part, check out the previous podcast.
The Case for Marriage (SWBTS), Part 1
(May 24, 2016) Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, one of the largest Southern Baptist seminaries in the world, hosted Dr. J at their annual Summer Institute, sponsored by the Land Center. She addressed pastors and seminary professors on making the case for marriage.
Long and Winding Road out of the gay lifestyle: a story of forgiveness
The headline over at LifeSiteNews says this is a story out of the gay lifestyle. And so it it. But it is first and foremost an inspiring story of forgiveness and repentance. Any Survivor of the Sexual Revolution, any person seeking peace, can benefit from this article. A sample: I embarked upon an incredible […]
Keeping the Family Together
(January 22, 2016) Dr J is once again Patrick Coffin’s guest on Catholic Answers Live. Their topic: keeping the family together through the preservation of marriage. For more information on "Restoring Marriage Today,", the upcoming Catholic Answers Conference in March in San Diego, please check out their website. Hope to see you there!
The Catholic Conversation: Fallout from the Sexual Revolution
(November 17, 2015) Dr J is interviewed by Steve and Becky Green on The Catholic Conversation out of Phoenix, Arizona. They’re discussing the fallout of the sexual revolution in regard to freedom and the family broadly and children specifically.
Assessing Damage and Restoring Family Values
(October 29, 2015) Dr J is in Utah! She traveled there to be part of the 9th annual World Congress of Families. She’s speaking at their plenary panel "Assessing Damage and Restoring Family Values", on all of the different types of people who have been harmed by the sexual revolution.
Single Mothers by Choice
Are any of you single mothers, raised by a single mother, or have friends or family members who are single mothers? Are any of you Donor Conceived? Many Danish women have given up on finding the right man and are opting to raise children on their own through donor conception. What do you think of […]
How Does Divorce and Family Breakdown Affect Our Children?
(September 30, 2015) Jennifer Johnson is Molly Smith’s guest on "From the Median", to discuss how divorce and family breakdown affect our children.
The Sexual Revolution, Part 5
(September 2, 2015) Dr J is once again Todd Wilkin’s guest on Issues, Etc. They’re continuing their 6-part series on the sexual revolution: this one touches on divorce’s impact on men and the effects of the hook-up culture, among other things.
The Sexual Revolution, Part 4
(August 7, 2015) Dr J is once again Todd Wilkin’s guest on Issues, Etc. They’re continuing their 6-part series on the sexual revolution: part 4 touches on the related themes of cohabitation and divorce. Check out our podcast stream if you’re joining us in the middle of the series, and stay tuned for the rest of it.
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.
Dear Heterosexual Community: Your Kids Are Hurting, Part 2
by Jennifer Johnson, Associate Director How savvy are you about step-families? Do you understand the structural similarity between step-families and same-sex marriage? Take the Step-Family Quiz to test your knowledge.I created this quiz as an engaging way to help defenders of marriage understand the cultural blind-spot that we have about step-families. Of course anybody is […]
Great Books on the Subject of Divorce and Children
by Thomas M. Loarie (Danville, CA, USA) I became a single parent of a 13 year old son and a ten year old daughter when my wife of 16 years decided to pursue a “new” life 400 miles away from our home. I spent a great deal of time and money doing what I could […]