America

SPOTLIGHT: Sociology Professor On Importance of Marriage for Healthy, Happy Children

Jenna Smith — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 10:24:33 +0000

Written by Jenna Smith

In this episode of the Spotlight podcast, we’re highlighting remarks from Dr. Brad Wilcox during the Illinois Family Institute’s 2025 Marriage & Family worldview conference, hosted by Belmont Bible Church in Downer’s Grove.

Dr. Wilcox serves as director of the National Marriage Project & professor of sociology at the University of Virginia. He’s the author of several books including “Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Form Strong Families, & Save Civilization.”… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: Marriage, America, & the Pursuit of Happiness

Jenna Smith — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 20:11:30 +0000

Written by Jenna Smith

Today we’re highlighting remarks from Dr. Brad Wilcox during the Illinois Family Institute’s 2025 Marriage & Family worldview conference, hosted by Belmont Bible Church in Downer’s Grove.

In Part One of this Two Part series, Dr.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: The Movement That Lies to America

Jenna Smith — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 19:28:05 +0000

Written by Jenna Smith

It’s the gay. . .movement that lies to the American public. They will accept if your child identifies as bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, gender queer, polyamory — but they won’t accept if a gay kid decides, ‘hey, I’m gonna leave this lifestyle.’

Peter LaBarbara is President of the Center for Morality & Americans for Truth, a national group dedicated to exposing the homosexual, bisexual, transgender activist agendas. Labarbara discusses with Monte how Trump’s Administration has affected their cause.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: Live Up to America’s God Given Freedoms with Anni Cyrus

Alyssa Sonnenburg — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 10:00:23 +0000

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

As a young girl, Anni Cyrus was sold as a child bride in Islamic Iran. Because of the courage of her grandmother, Anni was able to escape the horrors that she faced at the hands of Islam and make her way to America– to freedom.

As a legal American citizen, Anni Cyrus is now a human rights activist that speaks out against the horrors and oppression that Islam brings.

In this special episode, Anni specifically addresses Christians in America and how they can embrace their God-given freedoms.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: How Did Our Founders View Freedom?

Alyssa Sonnenburg — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 10:00:09 +0000

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

How did our Founders view freedom?

In this episode of Spotlight, former Illinois state representative, Peter Breen, tackles this question.

Peter Breen is the executive Vice President and Head of Litigation for the Thomas More Society, a non-profit national public interest law firm that is dedicated to restoring respect in law for life, family, religious liberty, and election integrity.

In his speech, Breen proves that the Founders not only tolerated Christianity, but they also directly promoted it.… Continue Reading

Raja Krishnamoorthi and the CCP

Alyssa Sonnenburg — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 11:00:20 +0000

Written by Paul Hurst

Upon reading a recent article in The Diplomat, written by Illinois Democrat Congressman, Raja Krishnamoorthi, I wanted to present some analysis and context to what he shared.

Congressman Krishnamoorthi was considering whether competing with the Chinese Communist Party meant “kicking it when it’s down.” His answer was, “No,” and he instead offered up his 4 Ps of “people, production, partnerships, and protection” and advocated for American “self-examination.”

Let’s unpack this.… Continue Reading

Indicted for Being American (Self Evident #53)

Jenna Smith — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 11:39:52 +0000

In this episode, Jenna, Alyssa, and Eliana are honored to interview Chaplain Steven Lee and his attorney, David Shestokas. Pastor Lee is currently under indictment (along with former President Donald Trump and others) from the state of Georgia for “interfering and tampering” with the 2020 presidential election.

To support reverend Lee, consider donating to his givesendgo fund.… Continue Reading

This is Self Evident (Self Evident #1)

Jenna Smith — Mon, 02 May 2022 14:00:10 +0000

Hail and well met! Welcome to the inaugural episode of Self Evident!

Hosts Jenna, Eliana and Kenna introduce themselves and why they decided to begin a podcast together. They–by discussing and dismantling subjects prevalent in the Western culture–want to make truth self evident again. Their goal is to to make current cultural events and worldview issues relatable to generation z, and point all those listening to the Gospel and what the Bible says.

Eliana’s website

Kenna’s blog: Good Clean Reads

Follow Self Evident on Facebook!… Continue Reading

“We Should Not Be Ashamed of Our History” (Illinois Family Spotlight #257)

Benjamin D. Smith — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 05:55:05 +0000

On this edition of Spotlight, the Reverend C.L. Bryant urges Americans to “push back and stand up against the tyranny that is encroaching upon our civil liberties.” Speaking with Monte Larrick, he stresses that individual freedom and our right to self-governance are in jeopardy. Rev. Bryant recounts his experience growing up in Shreveport, LA in the midst of the civil rights movement and contrasts it with the message that proponents of Critical Race Theory are touting today.… Continue Reading

“Critical Grace Reality” (Illinois Family Spotlight #250)

Benjamin D. Smith — Tue, 11 May 2021 05:51:06 +0000

Ever wonder why most secularists seem perpetually angry? Consider the possibility that they are trying to be justified by works–dry bones trying to walk around all by themselves. This phenomena is especially evident in Critical Race Theory (CRT), where people are either prompted to feel like they are the chosen “race,” or are told that they are inherently evil and can only be saved by keeping the “antiracist” law. There is no grace in CRT, only judgement and condemnation.… Continue Reading

“Looking to Rebuild A Pro-Family Civilization” (Illinois Family Spotlight #247)

Benjamin D. Smith — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 05:01:30 +0000

America was founded on the principles of the Scriptures, which contain the prescription for the family unit. Joining Monte Larrick to discuss the absolute necessity of a strong biblical family (one man, one woman–in covenant till death–with many children) for healthy civilization is Dr. Allan C. Carlson, the founder of the World Congress of Families. Monte and Allan discuss the role the biblical family played in the foundation of America, and the problem of familial deterioration all over the world.… Continue Reading

Robert Spencer: Why I Wrote a Book About American History

Benjamin D. Smith — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 09:00:34 +0000

Written by Robert Spencer

Advance copies of my latest book, Rating America’s Presidents: An America-First Look at Who Is Best, Who Is Overrated, and Who Was An Absolute Disaster, arrived today, and it is available for preorder now. It is the first book I’ve published in 10 years that wasn’t about some aspect of Islam, and only the second out of 20 books I’ve written that doesn’t deal with some aspect of jihad, Sharia, and related issues.… Continue Reading

PODCAST: Bitter, Shortsighted Never-Trumpers Harming America

Benjamin D. Smith — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 05:15:32 +0000

Those who refuse to vote for President Trump because they find his tweets and temperament off-putting are small-minded, myopic, self-indulgent traitors to America. They are indulging their antipathy for Trump and their personal vindictiveness at the expense of America’s future.

There is a loathsome campaign afoot by Never-Trumpers/RINOs/Establishment Republicans (aka the D.C. swamp) to bequeath to the next generation a country of far more oppression, far less liberty, far greater educational indoctrination, a darker economic future, and more threats domestic and foreign.… Continue Reading

PODCAST: President Trump’s Mt. Rushmore Speech & the Left’s Unhinged Response

Benjamin D. Smith — Wed, 08 Jul 2020 05:15:48 +0000

The juvenile, unhinged, and dishonest responses to President Trump’s magnificent Mt. Rushmore speech on July 3, 2020 reveal exactly what patriots are up against. President Trump began his speech by reminding all who call America home of the reason for the existence of the monument at Mt. Rushmore, the reason why America is unique among nations, and the reason so many still want to call America home:…

“Freedom Also Bears Responsibility” (Illinois Family Spotlight #205)

Benjamin D. Smith — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 09:00:19 +0000

On this edition of spotlight, multiple interviews are featured to discuss a range of related issues. The first guest is Kelly Shackelford, the president of First Liberty Institute, he discusses the court situation in America with Monte. The next is John Stonestreet to discuss the precarious state of abortion in America, especially Roe v. Wade.

The second half of this spotlight features Dr. Del Tackett and David Shestokas. Dr. Tackett talks about responding to our cultural storm and David Shestokas brings wisdom from America’s founding documents, especially as we exit a shutdown and celebrate the nation this weekend.… Continue Reading