Podcast Summary: Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey

Episode: 1309 | Is Alysa Liu a Designer Baby?
Date: February 26, 2026
Host: Allie Beth Stuckey (Blaze Podcast Network)

Overview

This episode of Relatable centers on the complex origin story of Olympic figure skating champion Alysa Liu, focusing particularly on the ethical questions surrounding surrogacy and IVF from a Christian conservative perspective. Host Allie Beth Stuckey also takes a broader look at healthy patriotism, discussing how Christians can love their country while maintaining their primary allegiance to biblical doctrine. The episode weaves in Liu’s achievements, her family background, and related cultural trends, including pointed commentary on China’s surrogacy practices and US-China relations. The second half of the episode transitions into an enthusiastic discussion of American patriotism and the cultural meaning of supporting Team USA during the Olympics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Alysa Liu's Olympic Triumph & Origin Story (06:10–15:00)

• Alysa Liu’s Athleticism:
  Allie highlights Alysa Liu’s extraordinary grace and athleticism, celebrating her gold medal win and the joy she brings to the sport.

  “She was incredible, an absolute champion, such a joy to watch... the way that she moves, the way that she dances... athletic, fun and a little sassy, and very youthful without losing the elegance.”
  (09:30)

• Liu's Unusual Family Structure:
  Liu was born via IVF and surrogacy, raised by single father Arthur Liu, a Chinese political refugee. All siblings share similar origins, with eggs from anonymous donors and surrogates involved.

  “When you purchase a child, and that really is the most accurate way to say that, purchase a child via surrogacy... you are purchasing the eggs of one woman and then renting the womb of another woman... It’s actually encouraged that you don’t have a pre-existing personal relationship many times with these egg donors and these surrogates because it gets very emotionally messy.”
  (16:55)

2. Ethical Analysis of Surrogacy and IVF (11:30–20:00)

• Commodification of Children:
  Allie critiques the process as adults prioritizing their desires over child welfare, purposely “cutting children off from half their biological reality.”

  “We as Christians don’t believe that any means necessary are justified in satisfying even a good desire... When we intentionally create children to rob them of a mother or a father, we are stealing from them something that is necessary for their healthy development, and it’s wrong.”
  (18:30)

• Contrast with Adoption:
  Emphasizes the distinction:

  “Adoption redeems a broken situation; surrogacy creates that broken situation.”
  (19:10)

• Designer Babies and Gene Selection:
  Arthur Liu selected white women as egg donors for a “diverse gene pool,” further highlighting the objectification of children.

  “That should just kind of make your skin crawl a little bit… creating these designer babies out of a catalog, objectifying these little people.”
  (21:10)

3. Global Surrogacy Trends & China Angle (27:00–33:00)

• China’s Surrogacy Silk Road:
  Detailed discussion of a real case where a wealthy Chinese couple in California used surrogacy to have 26+ children, aiming for US citizenship and influence.

  “How many steps do you have to take to avoid the God-ordained function of husband and wife creating and protecting children? How many women do you have to pay to make up for the role that one mom fulfills?”
  (28:45)

• International and Legal Impacts:
  China’s domestic ban on surrogacy contrasts with a demand for international surrogacy, involving “medical assistance” travel agencies and significant profit for both Chinese and US intermediaries.

  “America is absolutely the wild, wild west when it comes to fertility treatments.”
  (32:35)

• Commodification Tied to Trafficking:

  “Every surrogacy circumstance actually fuels this worldwide, extremely lucrative scheme that is going on here... basically indistinguishable from worldwide trafficking.”
  (25:20, 32:45)

4. Cultural Commentary on Designer Babies (34:00–36:30)

• Reddit Thread on Designer Babies:
  Allie quotes Redditors reflecting on being designer babies or egg donors, echoing themes of parental pressure and objectification:

  “She treated me like an investment, not a child, and it sucked... I think it’s more common among parents who use sperm and egg donation because they know exactly what they paid for and want to feel like they got their money’s worth.”
  (35:45)

• Christian Anthropology vs. Eugenics:
  Christianity’s foundational principle is the Imago Dei—that all people have worth as image bearers of God, in contrast to historical or modern attempts to value people for their genetics or utility.

  “It was Christianity that burst on the scene and said, no, that’s not how we’re valuing people’s worth... All people are made in God’s image. I don’t care how old you are, I don’t care where you come from... you matter.”
  (36:10–37:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Surrogacy Ethics

• “Surrogacy creates that broken situation. Sperm selling creates the broken situation. Egg selling creates the broken situation...” (18:45)
• “None of us has the right to have a child. Children are people. They’re image bearers of God. They’re not something that we are entitled to be able to create by any means necessary.” (23:30)

On International Surrogacy and China

• “This is a part of... birth warfare that is happening from the CCP at the United States... They get citizenship because they’re born here. They go back to China later... and they’re able to do that with dual citizenship. This is a huge problem.” (26:25)

On Designer Babies and Parental Pressure

• Redditor: “As a designer baby myself via sperm selling... the intense pressure my mother put on me to live up to my potential pretty well killed whatever potential I might have had to be a star. She treated me like an investment, not a child, and it sucked.” (35:45)

On Christian Understanding of Children

• “How we create the matter human, how we gestate them matters, how we raise them matters, how we view them matters, how we talk about them matters.” (37:15)

Transition: Patriotism and the Olympics

Celebrating Team USA and What It Means (37:15–41:00)

• Allie revels in the US men’s hockey gold, highlighting Jack Hughes’ iconic post-win image—teeth knocked out, draped in the flag:

  “Knocked out teeth draped in the American flag with his fist in the air. Just amazing. I mean this needs to be on the cover of Time Magazine.” (37:44)

• Expresses how both conservative and even some progressive athletes can come together in gratitude for U.S. opportunities:

  “I don’t expect these athletes to agree with me on everything... as a conservative who loves America, that’s all I want to see.” (39:53)

Memorable Quotes on Patriotism

• Jack Hughes (hockey player):

  “This is all about our country right now. I love the USA. I love my teammates. That’s unbelievable...” (36:58)

• On Wavering Patriotism:
  Allie critiques athletes who publicly hesitate to embrace representing the US, calling such responses “wishy washy and weak” and arguing:

  “It’s understood that you are representing what you love and are grateful for about your country, the foundational principles, the country that has given you the opportunity to become an incredible athlete and to be unapologetic about that.” (41:23)

Critical View on Modern Lack of Unity

• “If you’re in therapy and your biggest problem is that you don’t like who’s in office and you don’t know how you feel about rooting for the United States in the Olympics—wow, we might need to go back to an agrarian society for a little bit so people don’t have so much time on their hands.” (42:05)

Healthy Christian Patriotism (47:25–56:30)

How Should Christians Love Their Country?

• Patriotism is equated to gratitude and proper stewardship, not chauvinism or idolatry:

  “For me, I see it as gratitude. I see it as pride—not in the unhealthy and sinful sense of, ‘oh, Americans are innately better than other people’... but just grateful and just acknowledging what an incredible blessing and privilege it is to have been born here.” (47:29)

• Biblical directives to “seek the welfare of the city” (Jeremiah 29:7) and pray for leaders (1 Timothy 2:1–2) are emphasized as models for engagement and stewardship, not disengagement:

  “That is one form of patriotism that Christians want to represent, is praying for our leaders, no matter if it’s a Republican or a Democrat. And yes, I believe being grateful for, in a healthy sense, proud of the country in which God has providentially placed you.” (50:45)

Balancing Love of Nation with Ultimate Allegiance

• Cites Aquinas’ and Augustine’s frameworks for ordered loves and peace, arguing that focusing on family and nation doesn’t mean hating outsiders but rather obeying God’s order for protection and responsibility.

• Concludes by reiterating her commitment to advocating for children, the vulnerable, and applying biblical truth to public and political life—even at the cost of controversy or criticism.

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Alysa Liu’s Background & Athletic Career: 06:10–12:30
• Surrogacy and IVF Ethics Explained: 12:40–21:00
• Designer Babies and Parental Desires: 21:10–27:00
• China, Surrogacy, and Policy Concerns: 27:10–33:00
• Reddit on Designer Babies: 34:00–36:30
• Christian Anthropology and The Imago Dei: 36:10–37:30
• US Olympic Patriotism—Hockey Win: 37:35–41:00
• Athletes’ Wavering Patriotism and Public Reaction: 41:00–45:00
• Christian Approach to Patriotism—Theological Frameworks: 47:25–56:30

Summary Conclusion

This episode synthesizes sharp cultural critique and biblical reflection. Allie Beth Stuckey moves from a nuanced celebration of Alysa Liu’s achievement to a deep dive into the under-discussed ethical minefield of surrogacy, designer babies, and commodification of children. She warns Christians not to allow Olympic euphoria or narrative success stories to cloud moral clarity. In the episode’s second half, Allie uses the Olympics as a springboard for discussing what real, Christlike patriotism should be: rooted in gratitude, stewardship, advocacy for the vulnerable, and above all, loyalty to biblical truth, even against cultural pressure.

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