The Briefing with Albert Mohler

Episode: Thursday, March 26, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr. delivers a profound analysis of recent legal verdicts against social media platforms, the legacy of notorious abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell, and the news of CBS Radio’s closure after nearly a century. Mohler approaches these current events with his signature biblical worldview, offering moral and cultural commentary aimed especially at Christians, parents, and church leaders.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Landmark Jury Verdicts Against Social Media Platforms

• Historic Legal Actions (00:30–09:00):
  • Mohler opens by describing how two new verdicts—one in California ($3 million) and another in New Mexico ($375 million)—hold social media platforms financially liable for harms to minors.
  • California: Case involved a young woman suing social media platforms for intentionally addictive features causing her mental harm.
  • New Mexico: Law enforcement accused platforms of failing to protect children from sexual predation, even after platforms claimed protective measures.
• Precedent and Industry Impact:
  • Mohler emphasizes, "You can draw kind of a line in history because things are going to be different from this time onward." (01:38)
  • He cautions that appeals and reversals are possible but insists, "The point is, both of these cases are game changers." (04:32)
• Vulnerability of Minors and Parental Responsibility:
  • Highlights the unique vulnerability of children and the increased legal responsibility of platforms regarding minors (08:00–09:00).
  • Encourages Christian parents and leaders:

    "You don't have to wait for all of that to take action... you should take when it comes to your own children and young people and social media." (11:15)

Reflection on Moral Change and Social Technology

• Role of Technology in Moral Shifts (06:40–09:30):
  • Explains how moral change can be catalyzed by new technologies as much as by legal or societal shifts.
  • "Sometimes moral change happens by the invention of a new technology. Sometimes it happens by a Supreme Court decision. Moral change is pushed by social mechanisms." (06:52)
• Parallel with Law and Transgender Procedures:
  • Draws a parallel to court decisions regarding sex reassignment treatments, noting the legal difference when minors are involved.

Death and Legacy of Kermit Gosnell

• Announcement and Case Review (12:30–20:00):
  • Mohler discusses the death of Kermit Gosnell, "one of the most infamous cases in American criminal history having to do with abortion and murder." (13:15)
  • Reviews how Gosnell was convicted for murder after delivering babies alive and then killing them post-delivery:

    "This doctor intentionally killed these babies outside the womb." (15:45)

  • Cites New York Times report, reading:

    "If a baby jerked an arm or drew a breath outside the womb, prosecutors said Dr. Gosnell would cut its spinal cord at the neck with surgical scissors. One trial witness said that a baby killed by Dr. Gosnell had, quote, made noises, a whine, like my baby." (16:52)

• Moral and Legal Confusion:
  • Explains the legal distinction—had Gosnell only administered drugs before birth, prosecution would have been unlikely.
  • Warns:

    "The moral urgency of abortion and even late term abortion, it's more apparent than you might want to see." (18:55)

  • Relates ongoing legal and cultural disputes around abortion, referencing a recent Georgia case where prosecution against a woman is unlikely, reinforcing societal reluctance to charge women in abortion cases.

    "We are such a morally confused people." (20:54)

• Christian Response:
  • Argues for clear biblical truth:

    "If even pro life Christians are unwilling to state the truth about this matter, how in the world can we blame the secular world for falling short?" (22:20)

  • Points to polling data resisting prosecution of women for abortion, stressing that Christian ethics should not be dictated by polls.

CBS Radio News: A Technological and Cultural Eulogy

• CBS Radio News Closure (24:30–30:30):
  • Marks the imminent closure of CBS Radio News after 99 years and explores what this means for American culture and information dissemination.

    "CBS Radio News, which had been in operation for 99 years, is going to cease operations." (24:38)

  • Traces history of news technology—from runners and telegraph, to radio’s explosive growth in the 1920s, and its society-changing influence.
  • Reminisces about the communal nature of radio-only news, the rise of live sports broadcasting (especially baseball), and the role of radio in religious and evangelistic outreach.
• The Resilience and Uniqueness of Radio:
  • Contrasts radio with TV: "You had to really be near a television to watch it... But radio, you could just hear." (22:59)
  • Champions continued relevance of AM radio, especially in societies where internet access may be restricted or controlled.

    "Virtually no one could stop [radio news]. That's why Radio Free Europe and other forms of broadcasting even into communist lands, allowed people to hear the news..." (26:35)

  • Argues for maintaining radio as a public good:

    "If nothing else, this headline comes with a reminder to us that we need to keep radio alive... the airwaves are free." (30:15)

  • Calls the end of CBS Radio news "a great loss" that will be felt long after its disappearance.

Notable Quotes and Moments

• On the Social Media Verdicts:
  "You can draw kind of a line in history because things are going to be different from this time onward." (01:38)
• To Parents and Pastors:
  "You don't have to wait for all of that to take action... you should take when it comes to your own children and young people and social media." (11:15)
• On Kermit Gosnell's Crimes:
  "This doctor intentionally killed these babies outside the womb. Okay? Now, I am not admitting in any sense that that is the most morally significant barrier. You know better than that. But it is legally important..." (15:45)
• On Legal and Moral Confusion:
  "We are such a morally confused people. The Judge basically released this woman from custody. $1 in terms of the bail. It's a ridiculous situation, but it just points to the fact that we are really up against it in terms of the fight for the sanctity of human life." (20:54)
• On Keeping Radio Alive:
  "What happens if someone gets control over the Internet? ...That's very different than a situation in which not even a dictator could keep out radio waves." (27:10) "If nothing else, this headline comes with a reminder to us that we need to keep radio alive and a big driver behind that. Remember this is that the airwaves are free." (30:15)

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Time | Segment | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:30–09:00 | Social Media Verdicts: Details, Precedent, and Parental Responsibility | | 09:00–11:15 | Vulnerability of Minors & Application to Christian Families | | 12:30–20:00 | Kermit Gosnell: Review of Crimes, Legal Distinctions, and Moral Urgency| | 20:00–23:00 | Broader Abortion Debate: GA Case & Legal Reluctance | | 24:30–30:30 | CBS Radio News Closes: History, Cultural Shifts, and the Importance of Radio |

Tone & Style

Mohler’s tone is earnest, direct, and rooted in biblical convictions. He moves fluidly from news analysis to pastoral exhortation, frequently underscoring the moral and spiritual responsibility of Christians in the face of cultural change and technological evolution.

Summary

This episode stands as a reflective and urgent commentary on the moral, legal, and technological shifts shaping contemporary society. Mohler challenges Christians not only to be informed but to act decisively in defending the vulnerable, stewarding truth, and preserving mediums (like radio) that support free and open communication in a rapidly changing world.