Immorality may not be on the ropes, but it has met a worthy and surprising opponent—a conservative Jewish woman with a secular radio talk show out of Los Angeles. Her daily program draws upward of 18 million listeners.

With a Ph.D. in physiology from Columbia, Dr. Laura Schlessinger rails against abortion, adultery, and other moral ills. U.S. News & World Report called Dr. Laura, also a licensed therapist, an "expert provocateur." She can be bold, sassy, and curt when a caller asks about a moral dilemma: "On a scale of one to ten, how high on the stupid meter are you going to rate today?"

Dr. Laura's stand on volatile issues has drawn the ire of many. Although pastors would not agree with Dr. Laura's opinions on every issue, she is an ally for righteous living; she has captured the moral attention of an anything-goes culture. Leadership's Dave Goetz talked with Dr. Laura about what's behind today's interest in morality.