Life Matters

317: Understanding Why the United States Founders Used Natural Law

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston explains the importance of not being religious in our attempts to change the laws to protect innocent human life. Johnston reminds us that America’s founders were themselves deeply religious individuals, but they understood that many of them had disagreements within their own theologies - differences in doctrine. The answer to this difficult challenge was actually found in the formation of other republics throughout history. A republ...

316: Euthanasia Expansion

In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnston explores the rapid expansion of medical killing - euthanasia. The pattern for euthanasia advocates is to first establish a right to “assisted suicide” - a form of voluntary euthanasia – and imply that there will be protections from any abuse, and that there will be no expansion of medical killing. California Senate Bill 1169 by Senator Blakespear demonstrates again that once the idea of legalized medical killing is established, it is impossib...

315: In Vitro Fertilization

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston examines the February 2024 decision of the Alabama Supreme Court regarding in vitro fertilization. The issue of in vitro fertilization (IVF) is not a new debate, but sadly, media coverage has over simplified and reduced a deeper analysis. The issue of manipulating human beings and playing God by creating, and then destroying human lives, has grave and dramatic implications for all of society, many of which are being ignored. First an...

314: Nationalization of Euthanasia

In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnston examines the pressure in 2024 to legalize assisted suicide nationwide in the United States. Many nations have now adopted assisted suicide throughout their borders, including Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, France, in many others. The American euthanasia movement had attempted to do this through the courts, but in 1994 the Glucksberg decision by the United States Supreme Court announced there was no national “legal right” to ...

313: Local Elections Matter

In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnson explains the importance of elections, each and every election.  More importantly, he focuses on the power of your vote the further down the ballot you go.  On a statewide level, your vote is a drop in the bucket.  But as various jurisdictions get smaller, the number of voters also gets dramatically smaller and this is why local elections are so important.  In order to have candidates for the state legislature, or for Congress, you must draw ...

Life Matters 37th Anniversary Special

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston reminiscences on Life Matters beginning in 1987, on its expansion, and the many friends and allies that have brought it to this point 37 years later. Life Matters began on radio station station KCBC the 50,000 Watt (The highest wattage allowed by the FCC ) flamethrower station covering northern California. It was the northern California cornerstone for the Bott Broadcasting Network. Life Matters with Brian Johnston gradually expanded t...

312: Red-Blue-Choice-Overturn

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston examines the real implications of Roe v. Wade, the fact that language is being used to trick people into thinking that the abortion debate has been settled - when in fact, it is only just begun in seriousness. Brian examines how the media uses semantics and semiotics – the study of signs and symbolism - to confuse the American public. The issue of red state versus blue state is but one example of how symbols are presented as truth to t...

311: Life Film Fest international

Life Fest Film Festival is a very unique film festival from Hollywood California. Film festivals are an important part of the entertainment industry. This is where new filmmakers get their start and old filmmakers try out new ideas. Many film festivals are either geographically based, for example, Cannes, France or Park City and many are thematically based. Life Film Fest is an important aspect of the movie industry, and supported by many industry insiders, because of its unique and impo...

310 - Euthanasia In Canada

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston explains the growing embrace of euthanasia in western culture. Listeners of Life Matters understand that the Right to Life debate is a debate about whether the law should allow the killing of innocent human lives. Today, after the impact of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, medical killing has become widespread in the United States and accepted under the law. This is not simply in the act of human abortion. Numerous states have legalized ...

309: The Real Meaning of the Dobbs Decision

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston examines what is really at stake in the issue of the Dobbs Decision. Many pro-life individuals errantly believe that the Roe v. Wade decision started the abortion debate in the United States, and that somehow the Dobbs Decision has resolved the debate. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Dobbs Decision was an apology by the Supreme Court, that it should NEVER have entered into the realm of making laws. The Supreme Court itse...

308: The Dobbs Decision Did NOT End The Abortion Debate!

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston explores the recent elections and the losses of November 7, 2023. Those losses for pro-life Issues and candidates can be attributed directly to the Dobbs Decision.  The Dobbs Decision was not understood by most pro-life individuals. The Dobbs Decision was not, in fact, a victory for the pro-life movement.  It did not “overturn“ Roe versus Wade. It was the Supreme Court apologizing for Roe v. Wade, and saying it’s not going to get invol...

306: Are We Saving A Democracy or Saving a Republic?

In this episode of Life Matters, Brian focuses on the very specific nature of a very specific political party: the Democrat Party of the United States. He finishes with a comparative and contrastive look at the striking difference between a Democracy and a Republic. As an explanatory template, he uses a recent publication from a Democrat Party operative and New York Times contributor, Terry Golway. The book is, Machine Made; Tammany Hall and the Creation of Modern American Politics. Whil...

304: Natural Law vs. Religious Law - Part 2

In the second part of our episode on natural law as a legal predicate, Brian explains at length why Christians should be the most comfortable with this idea - instead of insisting that their theology be the predicate for approaching the issue of life in America’s laws.  Using raw political power to pass a measure that conforms with our religion is not actually an exercise in just law or a recognition of higher law. it is an acknowledgment that, “if we have the votes, we can pass this law“....

302: Identical Twins - Aren’t!!!!

In this extraordinary episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnston explores the biological miracle of twinning. More to the point, he explains in detail how even identical twins are not identical. The twins can share exactly the same DNA, but God still makes each of us unique, even individual “identical twins.” The bottom line is that human beings are not merely naked apes or mammalian animals. Human beings are spiritual beings first and foremost. While there are some aspects of secular science...

300: The Deeper Meaning of Dobbs

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston takes a straight-forward look into what the overrule of Roe v. Wade actually means for our nation and our state. He reads from the decision and cites several other matters of court precedent, including Doe v. Bolton. Johnston explains that not a single baby is protected in the language of the Dobbs decision. Instead, the Court simply apologizes and declares they will now let the American people again regulate abortion, and do so through ...

299: 2022 - The Year In Review

The year 2022 was an extraordinary year for life. Roe versus Wade was overturned through the Dobbs decision of the United States Supreme Court. The Court was very clear, however, that it is a narrowly-drawn decision. Instead of doctors being the arbiters of when an abortion is appropriate (which was the conclusion of Roe and Doe), under Dobbs, “the regulation of abortion has been returned to the people themselves, through their elected representatives.”  This decision underscores the work ...

298: Interview From Life Fest Film Festival 2022

In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnston conducts an interview with Laura Lehmus, a Finnish director, currently residing in Germany. This interview is part of a series, exploring the Life Fest Film Festival. Life Fest is that unique film festival, dedicated to honoring those films which underscore the significance of an innocent human life, and in particular the seemingly insignificant life. For 12 years, Life Fest has been conducted from Hollywood, California. It has drawn filmma...

297: Elections and the Media: Fall 2022

This episode of Life Matters explores the net results of the 2022 elections. In particular, the challenge is the dominant media narrative that somehow the pro-life issue lost in 2022 when, in fact, quite the opposite took place.  With the overturn of Roe v. Wade there were 12 states that passed pro-life legislation.  In each of those states the signing governors were affirmed and reelected. It has been suggested that somehow pro-lifer‘s are physically involved in harming individuals, or ...

296: Life Fest Film Festival 2022

In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnston gives a brief history of the Life Fest Film Festival which has been held in Hollywood, California for 12 years! This is the first of a special iteration of Life Fest which will be entirely visible from your home. All films and workshops, all breakout sessions will be available to you directly, and a special season pass is available for your viewing in the weeks after Thanksgiving.  The program contains interviews with Vanna White, Kevin Sorbo...

295: The Further Down The Ballot, The Greater Your Voting Power

Every Life Matters episode makes itself applicable to the immediacy of the news and the times, but simultaneously, Mr. Johnston explains the times in their context.  He underscores the evergreen and important principles that are needed in these times.  This episode is the penultimate episode leading up to November elections, 2022. Brian underscores the many misunderstandings that pro-life individuals have come to, and how those misunderstandings, once clarified and then acted on, could hav...

294: Your Vote Can Make Laws - The Supreme Court Must NOT

Each and every Life Matters podcast is designed to equip listeners for very specific and detailed understanding of particular aspects of the fight to protect innocent lives. This episode of Life Matters, recorded in October 2022, addresses itself to a very specific and ongoing issue in this fight for life. It focuses on the election coming to an end on November 8th.  It gives a much deeper, detailed explanation and understanding of the significance of this and future elections when it come...

293: October Is Election Month

In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnston pointedly focuses on elections in 2022. This is the first election since the overturn of Roe versus Wade. Because of that, the disposition of the elected representatives will be of considerable importance.  As usual, Brian goes into extraordinary depths to help individuals understand the details of the Right To Life fight for legal protection of the innocent.  First, Brian explains the history of PACs. PACs were formed in the 1980s in respons...

After Roe, Only Your Vote Can Protect Babies!

Commissioner Johnston explores the first election after the overturn of Roe versus Wade. Brian goes in depth into why this election, and in fact, every subsequent election, will require a vibrant and knowledgeable pro-life electorate. Brian explains that it is in fact the laws that have been at stake all along. That Roe versus Wade was significant only in that it overturned the laws of all 50 states. The laws had protected both mothers and babies up until January 22, 1973. When Justice Bla...

291: The Power of Your Vote Is the Power of the RTL

n this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston explains why it’s important to understand the nature of Roe v. Wade, and the fact that it gave all authority only to doctors, an authority that the Constitution says is that of the states.   Life and death legal decisions are to be determined state by state and by the legislators of that state. Many pro-life individuals errantly believe in the media version of Roe - declaring that Roe v. Wade gave women the right to choose, or gave wome...

290: Your Vote Now Can Protect Lives

In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnston is joined by Karen Roseberry - district Director for the California Prolife Council. Karen is also the crisis pregnancy center coordinator for California ProLife communications. The focus of today’s discussion is on how to protect innocent babies after the overturn of Roe v. Wade. As listeners to this program know, many Americans, and even many pro-life Americans, do not fully understand what Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton did.  It gave all ...

288: Will the New Laws Punish the Perpetrators?

With the overturn of Roe v. Wade and the implementation of the Dobbs Decision, each state will now have the authority to create new laws protecting innocent human life. But there are some dangers, and we must consider well how these laws are to be presented. Most importantly, we must realize that every abortion has two victims: obviously the child, but the mother herself is a victim of the act of abortion. As discussed and examined in depth in my book: “Evil Twins: Roe and Doe - How the ...

288: Public Opinion Polls - Part II

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston returns to the subject of public opinion polls and Americans’ real attitudes regarding the legalization of human abortion. Johnston reminds us that we must focus on what the right to life debate is.  It is not about emotions, or feelings, how much we like babies, or our personal religious upbringing.  Very specifically, it is a legal question, as all questions of “rights” actually are.  It is essential to understand that this debate ...

287: Do Polls Tell the Truth?

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston explores the idea of popular opinion polls. At election time, the media will often present what they claim to be public opinion on the issue of abortion. It is critically important to understand that, very often the general, and unspecific nature of the terms used does not often reflect a valid view of public opinion. More specifically, generic feelings about “choice”, support for Roe, or reproductive freedom do not accurately reflect ...

286: The Threat of Making Crisis Pregnancy Centers Illegal

The right to life movement is built on the idea that there is a higher law which determines what laws are just or unjust.  All Republics operate under this idea of higher principles existing above immediate desires and majoritarian ‘seizure’ of the legal moment.  An appeal to, “The laws of nature and of nature’s God,” is the predicate for America’s laws being just . This idea has, of course, been under concerted attack.  But with the passage of he Dobbs Decision, the principle has literall...

285: Dobbs’ Recognition of Constitutional State Authority to Protect Life

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston examines the meaning of the right to life. Why does this have to be about the law? Where did this right to life come from? Did it begin at America’s founding, or is it a deeper, more widely recognized, universal truth  - a self evident truth - that everyone should take the time and interest to deliberate?   The American founders strongly felt this was so. They proclaimed to the world that they would form a new form of government that a...

284: They Lied About Roe Then. They Are Lying About Roe Now. And They Are Lying About Dobbs

The media that supports abortion (which is a large portion of popular media), has always misrepresented what Roe versus Wade did. Roe versus Wade never gave women the authority to kill their children. Roe versus Wade never ‘freed women to do as they wish.’ Justice Blackmun’s words were explicit, and Brian quotes directly from Roe, “…the court has never recognized such a right.” Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg herself, in trying to explain Roe to radical feminists, reiterated that the decision ...

283: National Right to Life Convention, 2022

The scope, the breadth, the depth, the width, of the right to life movement... In this episode of Life Matters, Brian shares interviews from the National Right Life Convention, 2022. It was during this convention that the Dobbs Supreme Court decision was handed down. More specifically, Brian spends time exploring the fact that the right to life impacts all aspects of our life and society. While there is a conscious effort by elites in our culture to define ‘choice’ as meaning ‘abortion,’...

282: The Two Justices Jackson

It is somewhat ironic, as the new Supreme Court Justice Jackson is being sworn in, I marvel that so few Americans know of the previous Justice Jackson of the Supreme Court. He was one of the more brilliant and insightful,  and truly judicious individuals to have served in that capacity - Justice Robert H. Jackson.  Justice Robert H. Jackson is the only individual to have served in all three of the highest levels of American Jurisprudence. He served as Solicitor General of United States, At...

281: Dobbs and California

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston explains the actual meaning and significance of Dobbs, the recent and powerful decision of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. The Dobbs Supreme Court decision does not ban a single abortion. What it simply does is give back to each state government what the Roe v. Wade decision took away, the ability for each state to practice its duty and “compelling state interest to protect the lives of the innocent” within their own borders...

Alert! - Reaction to the Dobbs Decision

On June 24th, the United States Supreme Court issued its Dobbs Decision which overturned Roe versus Wade.  Sadly, very few people understood Roe versus Wade.  Roe versus Wade prohibited individual states from protecting the unborn child before birth. States have a compelling state interest, a duty, to have laws that will protect lives.  States couldn’t do that under Roe.  Now, states are free to protect the lives of the child in the womb.  The states are going to have to decide to do it. ...

280: Relativism On The Right Too!

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston continues in his incisive examination of the creep of relativism into the pro-life movement. In an earlier episode Brian explained how the social teachings of the Seamless Garment, a common Roman Catholic misunderstanding of the place of the abortion issue, has led to great confusion and destruction. While many seamless garment advocates suggest that they will elevate abortion as a dominant topic of all the social issues, it in fact ma...

278: The Seamless Garment Ideology

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston pulls back the covers the relativistic social teaching that has crept into the pro-life movement called “The Seamless Garment.” Also referred to as “the consistent life ethic“ The seamless garment asserts that the right to life of unborn children is merely one of many life issues and that a focus needs to be spent on all of the plethora of these issues.  Contrary to adding to the protection of innocent life, the seamless garment has ...

279: NRLC Warning Regarding Public Demonstrations In Wake of Dobbs Decision

In this episode, Brian brings an important warning from the National Right to Life Committee.  On May 9, 2022, Carol Tobias, president of the National Right to Life Committee, urged all supporters, members, and affiliates of National Right to Life to refrain from ANY public demonstration of support or opposition to the results of the Dobbs decision, which is expected shortly. Brian, reenforces and explains how the California affiliate has actually stopped three different events in the mont...

277: Elections - Spring 2022 and Onward

In this Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston examines the elections of Spring of 2022 in California. Most importantly, he delves into how the principles that need to be applied there, also apply everywhere that citizens have the freedom to vote. Brian puts particular emphasis on understanding the nature of the electoral and civic system under which an individual lives.  As election processes now vary from state to state, there are better ways to analyze the ballot and vote on candidates, rath...

276: Your Government is being stolen: California & Throughout The United States

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston takes the opportunity to examine California’s unique situation in the cultural battle now raging across the nation and the world. Few Californians fully realize that our form of government has been dramatically changed through extreme alteration of our method of voting and tallying votes.  But this is only one aspect of the very serious attack on our state’s form of government and our nation’s form of government. Justice Clarence Thoma...

275: Radical Abortion Laws Can Only Be Stopped By Voting Wisely.

In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnston interviews attorney Sheila Green regarding the current situation in California in Spring of 2022. While it is an unusual circumstance within the state, it is critically important to recognize the methods and procedures used by abortion advocates which have now become a worldwide tool.  The radicalization of political parties both in the United States and abroad has brought abortion and the killing of innocent life through infanticide and euth...

274: Open Legalization of Infanticide

In this special episode from Spring of 2022, Brian Johnston interviews Sheila Green, Esquire, Vice President of the California ProLife Council.  The California ProLife Council had filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the state in 2020 regarding the enforcement of existing law. That law, Health & Safety Code Section: 123435, specifically prohibits infanticide if a child is born alive in the course of an abortion.  The state admitted it does not enforce or investigate this law i...

273: The Right to Life: The Desire Of All Humanity

This episode of Life Matters takes on current events and the whole current waterfront of legal and political battles. Brian addresses the international flavor of the right to life and why America’s founders insisted that this premise be at the heart of America’s laws. As a nation, we continue to be a magnet for all of mankind’s hopes and desires for their lives to be affirmed and protected.  Life Matters is heard internationally via short wave radio in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle Eas...

272: Tourist Abortion And California Law

271: World Conflict and The Right To Life

In this episode, Commissioner Johnston explores aspects of current world conflicts that are in fact directly related to the right to life. The first part of the program is an interview with author Dr. Steven Mosher, whose most recent book, Bully of Asia: Why China’s Dream Is The New Threat To World Order, is now reaching best seller status. As a graduate student at Stanford in the 1970s, Dr. Mosher was the first Western social scientist allowed access to observe and document Chinese rura...

270: American Opinion On Abortion & The Common Misunderstanding of Roe v. Wade

The popular media often describes American opinion as being in favor of abortion – as “pro choice”. The media also asserts that most Americans support Roe v. Wade. But a more studied examination of the facts reveals quite the opposite.  The word “choice” is intentionally used with two simultaneous meanings: Availability of abortion for just the hard cases, in case something goes “wrong”. The other, operant definition, and that which is asserted by abortion advocates, is “abortion at any ...

269: All Politics Is Local

In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnston explains how the pro-life movement, and every political movement throughout history, has been successful: By organizing educating and motivating on the local level. The National Right to Life Committee is composed of 50 separate organizations, one in each state. In turn, each of these state affiliates are comprised of local volunteers and chapters which address the right to life issue within their own community. Brian addresses the method...

267: Civil vs. Criminal Distinctions in the Case of the Texas “Heartbeat Law”

In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnston takes an in-depth analysis of the state laws recently examined by the Supreme Court. He explains, in particular, the Texas law which authorizes private individuals taking civil action against an abortionist. While Brian‘s educational background is in comparative languages, he has worked for many years in the legal world, not only as an advocate (lobbyist) for many years in Sacramento and the various state capitols of the West, but as a young ...

266: The Implications of Right-To-Life Supreme Court Decisions

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston examines the implications of the possible overturn of Roe v. Wade. Roe v. Wade prohibited all states from legally protecting children because it did not allow prosecution of abortionist doctors. Roe v. Wade was actually the combination of two conjoined decisions Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton.  In fact Roe v. Wade did not enforce a trimester system as commonly believed, because a powerful loophole exception was placed under Doe v. Bolto...

265: Roe v. Wade May Soon Be Overturned - But Few Understand What It Does

Roe v. Wade didn’t give women anything. What it did do is give doctors the right to kill babies. “Roe really isn’t about the woman’s choice... It’s about the doctor’s freedom to practice his profession as he thinks best.It was not woman centered. It was physician centered.” - Ruth Bader Ginsburg, University of Chicago lecture May 10, 2013 The media doesn’t tell you this. Very few people understand Roe. It is in fact an amalgam of two separate decisions that were then ‘conjoined’ by the C...