Give Me Liberty with Ryan Helfenbein

Republicans need to stop making excuses and start listening. Voters cared about affordability. They cared about the price of gas and groceries. They cared about being dragged into another foreign war. Those were the issues Donald Trump won on in 2024. Democrats ran on them in 2026. The lesson is painfully obvious: deliver for the American people, or someone else will promise to.

Texas is on the front lines of the battle for America’s future. On this episode of Give Me Liberty, Ryan sits down with Chad Prather to discuss what’s happening in the Lone Star State and what it will take to preserve its identity for generations to come.From the immigration crisis and the changing demographics of Texas to the growing influence of Islam and Hinduism, they examine the cultural and political shifts reshaping one of America’s most important states. With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, the stakes couldn’t be higher.Can Texas hold the line, preserve its heritage, and remain a stronghold of American identity? And what must conservatives do to ensure the Lone Star State doesn’t lose what made it great?The battle for Texas is a battle for the future of America.

Originally recorded live at Freedom Uncensored 2025, this conversation is more timely than ever.Islam is not just a religion—it’s a comprehensive worldview with political, cultural, and civilizational ambitions. In this episode, Ryan Helfenbein sits down with Andrew Sedra to unpack the growing influence of Islam in the West and how Western elites, blinded by political correctness and multicultural ideology, are enabling a quiet cultural conquest.As these questions become increasingly urgent, we’re revisiting this conversation and inviting you to join us for Freedom Uncensored, October 23–24 at Liberty University, for two days of bold conversations on faith, freedom, and the future of Western civilization.Don’t miss it. Get your tickets today!

Why are so many young men and women struggling to find love, purpose, and meaningful relationships? Bethany Miller joins Ryan Helfenbein for a wide-ranging conversation about Gen Z, digital culture, toxic empathy, the breakdown of dating and marriage, and the growing divide between men and women. They discuss the cultural forces shaping young Americans, including social media, unrealistic expectations, victimhood, pornography, gaming, loneliness, and the ways young men and women have been taught to view one another. Bethany argues that the answer isn't for men and women to turn against each other. Men need women. Women need men. Both were created by God with different strengths, responsibilities, and virtues—and both have a role to play in rebuilding families and society. They also discuss:• Why empathy can become destructive when it isn't ordered by truth• The cultural reaction to the Lindsay Clancy case• Why young women and men are struggling with unrealistic expectations about relationships• The loneliness and purpose crisis facing young men• Why the church needs to talk more openly about dating, marriage, sex, and culture• The importance of duty, responsibility, service, and purpose• Why young men need opportunities to become providers, protectors, and leaders• Why women need to cultivate virtue rather than simply demand more from men• How social media is reshaping Gen Z's understanding of reality and relationships• Why Christians need to reclaim culture rather than allow secular culture to disciple the next generation. Ultimately, this conversation is about recovering a vision of human flourishing rooted in God's design: men and women are not enemies. We were made for each other.

Jon Harris joins Ryan Helfenbein for a wide-ranging conversation about the history of the Religious Right, the fracturing of the conservative coalition, and the growing temptation among some Christians to burn down the political system rather than work within it. Jon explains how evangelicals went from being largely sidelined by the Republican establishment to having a meaningful seat at the political table—and why he believes Christians should be careful before throwing that influence away. They discuss:• How the Religious Right emerged in the 1970s and 1980s• Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Ronald Reagan, and the rise of the Moral Majority• How Donald Trump changed the relationship between evangelicals and the Republican coalition• The growing divide within the conservative movement• The danger of accelerationism and “burn it all down” politics• Why Christians should recognize political gains without compromising personal virtue• Why virtue and religious faith are foundational to a free society• Why politics is the “art of the possible”• The importance of Christians becoming informed, getting involved, and building better institutions• Why Christians should not “throw away the ladder” when there is still an opportunity to climb. Ultimately, this conversation is about more than elections. It is about whether Christians will patiently build, preserve what has been gained, and cultivate the virtue necessary for a free society. Jon Harris is the author of Against the Waves: Christian Order in a Liberal Age and host of Conversations That Matter.

Why do Christians care so much about what Hollywood does with Aslan? In C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, Aslan is not merely an allegory for Christ, he is Lewis’s imagined Christ figure in the world of Narnia. So when Hollywood reimagines one of the most explicitly Christian characters in modern literature, Christians should pay attention. On this episode of the Give Me Liberty Podcast, Ryan Helfenbein sits down with conservative Christian creator and host Kangmin Lee to discuss the controversy surrounding the upcoming Chronicles of Narnia adaptation and what it reveals about the broader battle over Christian culture. They discuss:• Why Aslan matters to the Christian imagination• Why changing Aslan’s character is more significant than a typical Hollywood “race swap” or “gender swap”• C.S. Lewis, Christianity, and the meaning behind Narnia• Why Christians should fight for truth, goodness, AND beauty• The decline of Christian influence in Western culture• Why stories, music, art, and architecture shape how we understand the world• Charlie Kirk’s legacy and the importance of authentic Christian faith• What “Christ is King” actually means—and what it looks like to submit to Christ as Lord. This conversation is ultimately about much more than a movie. It is about whether Christians will preserve the stories, traditions, beauty, and truth that have shaped Western civilization—or surrender them to a culture that increasingly rejects their Christian foundations. Watch, share, and subscribe to the Standing for Freedom Center for more conversations on faith, freedom, culture, and truth.

One year ago, America lost Charlie Kirk. In this special anniversary episode of the Give Me Liberty podcast, Ryan Helfenbein sits down with Christian apologist Dr. Frank Turek, one of Charlie’s mentors and close friends, to remember Charlie’s life, faith, courage, and enduring legacy. But this conversation goes beyond remembering Charlie. It gets to the deeper battle he spent his life fighting: the war on reality. Charlie understood that truth is real because God is real. He knew that our identity, our rights, our morality, and our understanding of the world cannot ultimately be grounded in feelings, preferences, or political power. They must be grounded in reality, and ultimately, in the God who created it. Charlie may be gone, but the truth he defended remains. And as Christians, we know how the story ends: Christ has already won. Learn more about Frank Turek’s new book, The War on Reality, at thewaronreality.com.

Artificial intelligence is changing everything, from how we learn and work to how the next generation searches for answers about identity, relationships, and even faith. Ryan Helfenbein sits down with Troy Miller, President and CEO of the National Religious Broadcasters, to discuss the growing dangers and opportunities surrounding AI. As young people increasingly turn to artificial intelligence for companionship, guidance, and answers to life's biggest questions, Christians must confront a critical question: What does it truly mean to be human? From social media addiction and parenting to the Imago Dei and the future of the Church, this conversation explores why AI must remain a tool, not a replacement for human relationships, wisdom, community, or God. Can artificial intelligence mimic humanity? Yes. Can it replace what God created? Never.

Lindsay Clancy’s case is not a story about whether mental illness exists. It is a story about whether we still believe evil is real. We can acknowledge postpartum mental illness without pretending it automatically erases moral responsibility for murdering three children.

What compels someone to spend a lifetime proclaiming the gospel?On this episode of Give Me Liberty, Ryan Helfenbein sits down with legendary evangelist Ray Comfort, founder of Living Waters, to hear the remarkable story behind his new autobiography, Compelled: My Story.Ray shares how he went from growing up in New Zealand with virtually no Christian influence to becoming one of the world's best-known evangelists. He explains why the fear of God, the reality of hell, and the urgency of eternity should motivate Christians to boldly share the gospel.Ray also discusses his approach to evangelism, overcoming fear, using God's law to expose sin, the importance of preaching the full gospel, his experiences speaking at Turning Point USA events, and why Christians must take the Great Commission seriously.*Like*, share, & subscribe* for more!*Follow Us!*https://twitter.com/@freedomcenterluhttps://instagram.com/freedomcenterluhttps://facebook.com/@freedomcenterluVisit us at https://standingforfreedom.com*REGISTER FOR FREEDOM UNCENSORED 2026!*https://standingforfreedom.com/events/freedom-uncensored/