Listen Now: Liberty Lost

Summary

Hysterical Podcast: Episode Summary - "Liberty Lost"

Release Date: June 23, 2025

---

Introduction

In the gripping episode titled "Liberty Lost," part of Wondery and Pineapple Street Studios' acclaimed series Hysterical, host TJ Raphael delves into the unsettling resurgence of maternity homes in post-Roe America. This episode spotlights the harrowing experiences of young women subjected to coercive practices under the guise of religious virtue, exploring themes of control, resistance, and the psychological impact of such institutions.

---

The Liberty Godparent Home

The narrative centers around Abby, a 16-year-old girl from an evangelical household in the United States who becomes pregnant outside of marriage—a grave sin in her family's belief system. To "protect" her and adhere to religious doctrines, Abby's devout parents confine her to the Liberty Godparent Home, a secluded facility situated on the campus of Liberty University.

Key Quote:

"In evangelical homes across the United States, sex outside marriage is a sin against God. So when Abby becomes pregnant at 16, her devout parents hide her away at the Liberty Godparent Home..."
— TJ Raphael [00:00]

The home ostensibly aims to assist pregnant teens in making pivotal decisions regarding motherhood, whether that entails raising their child or opting for adoption. However, the reality within the facility unfolds a different, more coercive narrative.

---

The Coercive Environment and Forced Adoption Ceremony

Inside the Liberty Godparent Home, Abby and her boyfriend Nathan are subjected to a manipulative ceremony designed to strip them of their parental rights. The ceremony is portrayed as a "wedding," symbolizing their forced transition from parents to relinquishers of their newborn.

Notable Scene:

Abby and Nathan, both from strict evangelical families, walk down a symbolic aisle accompanied by their newborn son. The ceremony is a facade for the adoption process, where a selected Christian couple awaits to take custody of the child.

Key Quotes:

"We walked out the doors and I was just like the grand reveal."
— Abby [02:22]

"This ceremony... it's a celebration of something that was part of American life for decades back."
— Nathan [04:35]

The atmosphere is tense and manipulative, with the families present expecting the couple to comply with the adoption, reinforcing the loss of agency over their child's future.

---

Emotional Turmoil and Resistance

Abby grapples with intense emotions ranging from disgust and horror to a profound sense of emptiness as she witnesses the taking of her son. The ceremony serves as both a punishment and a mechanism to enforce religious conformity, leaving Abby in a state of despair.

Key Quotes:

"I was being punished and being told I wasn't worthy of getting to be the one who had him be his mother."
— Abby [03:28]

"I want to burn this place down."
— Abby's Mother [04:06]

Despite the oppressive environment, Abby's internal struggle signifies the beginning of resistance against the system that seeks to control her life and choices.

---

Systemic Control and Religious Ideology

The episode underscores the entrenched religious ideologies that drive such coercive practices. A Christian ideologue elaborates on the necessity of maintaining a "godly" family structure to ensure the nation's moral fabric.

Key Quote:

"Because the true Christian home that produces successful children must be headed by a godly husband. One man for one woman for one lifetime."
— Christian Ideologue [05:10]

This perspective rationalizes the forced adoptions as a means to cultivate a society aligned with specific religious values, perpetuating a cycle of control over young women and their reproductive choices.

---

Conclusion: A Struggle for Autonomy

"Liberty Lost" paints a poignant picture of the ongoing battle between individual autonomy and institutional control within religious frameworks. Abby's journey from compliance to resistance highlights the personal cost of such coercive systems and raises critical questions about the ethical implications of enforced religious conformity.

Final Thought:

"They all saw how much I loved him. They didn't have to take him from me. They knew I didn't want them to."
— Abby [05:27]

This statement encapsulates the deep emotional scars inflicted by the Liberty Godparent Home, emphasizing the human cost behind the facade of religious duty and societal conformity.

---

Final Remarks

"Liberty Lost" serves as a powerful exposé on the dark underbelly of religiously motivated maternity homes, urging listeners to confront the lingering existence of such practices in modern America. By weaving personal narratives with broader societal critiques, the episode invites a critical examination of the intersections between faith, control, and individual rights.

---

For those intrigued by this compelling story, binge all episodes of Hysterical exclusively and ad-free on Wondery+, available on the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform.

Transcript

[TJ Raphael]

In evangelical homes across the United States, sex outside marriage is a sin against God. So when Abby becomes pregnant at 16, her devout parents hide her away at the Liberty Godparent Home, a little known facility for pregnant teens on the campus of Liberty University. The home says it helps girls decide what comes next, but whether that's parenting their babies or placing them for adoption. But inside the facility, the girls hear a different message. God wants their babies to go to more deserving Christian couples. I'm your host TJ Raphael from Wondery. Liberty Lost is a startling true story of young love, coercion and defiance and the dangerous resurgence of maternity homes in post roe America. Some girls will find the strength to fight back. Others will have no choice but to give in. And some, like Abby, will turn their grief into resistance and take a stand against the system before more mothers lose their children to adoptions they never wanted. I'm about to play a clip from Liberty Lost. Follow Liberty Lost on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Nathan]

Wondering Abby and Nathan are waiting for the signal. Any moment now, the ceremony will begin.

[Abby]

You feel this tension, this unknown of what ifs.

[Nathan]

Both of them are trembling, but they've made sure to look their best. 17 year old Abby spent the morning k carefully curling her long brown hair.

[Abby]

I wanted to look good and be a good old southern girl like I.

[Nathan]

Was raised to be a 19 year old. Nathan's in a crisp white button down.

[TJ Raphael]

With freshly cropped hair.

[Abby's Mother]

The only haircut I've ever paid for in my entire life I got before that.

[Nathan]

Through the door they can hear the crowd growing. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, they're all here to see Abby and Nathan walk down the aisle. Finally it's time.

[Abby]

We walked out the doors and I was just like the grand reveal.

[Nathan]

Family and friends turn to get a better look.

[TJ Raphael]

Abby and Nathan walk side by side.

[Nathan]

In his arms, Nathan holds their son who was born just 11 days ago.

[Abby]

And I'm walking down this aisle and I remember feeling like everyone in the room wants me to be excited for this.

[Nathan]

Abby and Nathan both come from evangelical families. Their baby was born outside of God's union. And now Abby's parents have told them it's time to come correct their mistake. At the end of the aisle, a petite blonde southern woman in her mid-30s and her dark haired husband are waiting for them. Or rather, they're waiting for Abby and Nathan's son. And that's because today's celebration is not a wedding.

[Abby]

I was being punished and being told I wasn't worthy of getting to be the one who had him be his mother.

[Nathan]

And this couple waiting for them at the end of the aisle. They've been chosen to be the baby's parents, whether Abby and Nathan like it or not.

[Abby]

And so I'm disgusted in my body. Every step I take forward. I'm just horrified by what's occurring.

[Nathan]

They reach the end of the aisle, and Nathan forces himself to gently place.

[TJ Raphael]

His son in the couple's arms.

[Abby's Mother]

I remember being like, I want to burn this place down.

[Abby]

I just watched them holding him and felt empty inside.

[Nathan]

Everyone prays. Abby and Nathan and the couple pose for photos, the newborn baby between them. There's cake, gifts and speeches.

[Abby's Mother]

This is so wrong. This is, like, so dark. It's so evil. Like, this ceremony is like a fucking joke.

[Nathan]

This ceremony, this fucking joke. It's a celebration of something that was part of American life for decades back. In the 50s and 60s, young women who got pregnant out of wedlock were forced to leave their homes and then secretly place their babies for adoption. But the truth is, it's still happening all over America. And it's all part of a grand plan to reshape the country in God's image.

[Christian Ideologue]

Because the true Christian home that produces successful children must be headed by a godly husband. One man for one woman for one lifetime. And no sex pen period outside of marriage.

[Nathan]

And to make sure the nation has the right kind of mothers.

[Abby]

They all saw how much I loved him. They didn't have to take him from me. They knew I didn't want them to.

[TJ Raphael]

Binge all episodes of Liberty Lost early and ad free on Wondery. Start your free trial of Wondery in the Wondery app, Apple podcasts or Spotify.