Listen Now: Liberty Lost

Summary

Liberty Lost: A Deep Dive into Forced Adoptions in Evangelical America

Introduction to Liberty Godparent Home

In the episode titled Liberty Lost, host TJ Raphael unravels a harrowing true story set against the backdrop of evangelical America. The narrative centers around the Liberty Godparent Home, a secluded facility located on the campus of Liberty University. Officially, the home purports to assist pregnant teens in making pivotal decisions about their futures—whether that involves parenting their child or opting for adoption. However, beneath this facade lies a more sinister agenda aimed at enforcing religious conformity.

Case Study: Abby and Nathan

At the heart of this story are Abby, a 16-year-old girl from a devout evangelical family, and Nathan, her 19-year-old boyfriend. When Abby becomes pregnant, her parents swiftly remove her from her home, believing that her actions are a profound sin against God. Abby is subsequently placed in the Liberty Godparent Home, ostensibly to receive guidance.

A pivotal moment unfolds as Abby and Nathan prepare for a life-altering ceremony. Abby reflects on her emotions, stating, “I wanted to look good and be a good old southern girl like I [did].” (02:00) Nathan, equally tense, ensures every detail is perfect, emphasizing the pressure they face to conform to traditional Southern Christian norms.

The Forced Adoption Ceremony

The ceremony itself is a calculated display of control and coercion. Abby describes the event as a form of punishment: “I was being punished and being told I wasn't worthy of getting to be the one who had him be his mother.” (03:28). Nathan adds to the gravity by condemning the ritual: “This ceremony, this fucking joke.” (04:35).

During the ceremony, Abby and Nathan are compelled to hand over their newborn son to a pre-selected Christian couple. This act is cloaked in religious rhetoric, with Abby’s mother expressing extreme disapproval: “I want to burn this place down.” (04:06). The couple receiving the baby symbolizes a broader effort to impose a specific religious and moral framework on young parents.

Historical Context and Modern Resurgence

Raphael draws parallels between the events at Liberty Godparent Home and historical practices from the 1950s and 60s, where young women facing unwed pregnancies were often coerced into secret adoptions. “It's a celebration of something that was part of American life for decades back. ... The truth is, it's still happening all over America.” (04:35).

In today’s post-Roe America, there is a disturbing resurgence of these practices. The modern-day iterations are part of a strategic effort by certain evangelical groups to reshape the country in God's image, reinstating rigid family structures and exerting control over individuals' reproductive rights.

Ideological Motivations Behind the Practice

Central to the operation of facilities like Liberty Godparent Home is an unwavering commitment to traditional Christian ideologies. A Christian ideologue within the episode asserts: “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 period outside of marriage.” (05:10).

This ideology drives the enforcement of strict reproductive controls, ensuring that motherhood aligns with their religious beliefs about family and morality. The ultimate goal is to produce children within a “godly” framework, free from what they perceive as sinful influences.

Personal Accounts and Emotional Impact

The personal toll on individuals like Abby and Nathan is profound. Abby expresses a deep sense of loss and violation: “I just watched them holding him and felt empty inside.” (04:09). Nathan echoes her sentiments, highlighting the emotional and psychological manipulation at play: “This ceremony is a celebration of something that was part of American life for decades back.” (05:10).

Abby's resistance is particularly noteworthy. Despite the immense pressure, she maintains, “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.” (05:27). Her defiance exemplifies the struggle between personal agency and institutional control.

Conclusion: Resistance and the Fight Against the System

Liberty Lost sheds light on a disturbing aspect of modern evangelical practices, where the reproduction and upbringing of children are subjected to rigid ideological controls. The episode underscores the resilience of individuals like Abby who, despite overwhelming odds, strive to reclaim their autonomy and protect their children from forceful adoption.

As Raphael poignantly summarizes, the battle against such systems is not just about individual freedom but also about preserving the diverse fabric of American society against coercive ideological mandates. The story of Abby and Nathan serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing tensions between personal rights and institutional religious doctrines.

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Notable Quotes:

• Abby (02:00): “I wanted to look good and be a good old southern girl like I [did].”
• Abby (03:28): “I was being punished and being told I wasn't worthy of getting to be the one who had him be his mother.”
• Nathan (04:35): “This ceremony, this fucking joke.”
• Abby's Mother (04:06): “I want to burn this place down.”
• Christian Ideologue (05:10): “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.”
• Abby (05:27): “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.”

This comprehensive exploration of Liberty Lost offers listeners an in-depth understanding of the coercive practices within certain evangelical communities, highlighting both the historical context and the personal struggles of those affected.

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]

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