Podcast Summary

The Determined Society with Shawn French

Episode: Remembering Charlie Kirk with Dr. Gina Loudon
Date: September 24, 2025
Host: Shawn French
Guest: Dr. Gina Loudon

Episode Overview

In this emotionally charged episode, Shawn French and Dr. Gina Loudon come together for an honest and heartfelt conversation in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s tragic assassination. They reflect on Kirk’s legacy, wrestle with grief, and discuss bigger cultural issues around faith, family, masculinity, and the impact of radical social changes on children and society. The episode is deeply personal, spiritual, and direct, often circling back to the need for grace, courage, and connection in the face of growing evil and division in America.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. Remembering Charlie Kirk and Processing Grief

• Impact of Loss: Both Shawn and Dr. Loudon underscore the profound sadness and shock felt after witnessing the assassination of Charlie Kirk and its ripple effects on his family and followers.
  • “There was a human life that we saw leave right before our eyes. I think what we saw with Charlie Kirk was mortifying…what pains me so much is the hatred that's going out in the media.” — Shawn (00:01, 03:07)
• Kirk’s Faith-Fueled Mission: Dr. Loudon frames Charlie as someone driven by biblical wisdom, determined to share his “secret sauce” of fulfilled living rooted in faith.
  • “Charlie would say it's a tale as old as time. Evil hates good. If you are good, you will be persecuted in this life. It's the promise of scripture…he wanted everybody to know…He did that so well.” — Dr. Loudon (01:00, 04:19)
• Dealing with Heavy Grief: Shawn opens up about his struggles with anxiety and fear for his own family, revealing how the tragedy hit home.
  • “I'm struggling right now…I'm having a hard time shaking the fear of my wife and my three children going off to school every day…It's just so hard…” — Shawn (11:52)

2. Spirituality, Evil, and the State of America

• Culture of Division and Violence: Both speakers point to recent tragedies, contending that the era is defined by evil vs. good and that people must actively choose their focus.
  • “Evil's always going to hate good…That's why our hearts yearn for something much bigger.” — Dr. Loudon (04:19)
• Seeking Solace in Faith: Gina advocates focusing on what’s righteous, lovely, and good, citing scripture as a guide through horror and uncertainty.
  • “The Bible is really clear about how we're supposed to digest all of this bad information. And it says, focus on that which is good, which is pleasant, which is beautiful…” — Dr. Loudon (07:14)
• Honest Grief and Emotional Vulnerability: Listeners are encouraged to feel their grief, regulate emotions, and seek connection, rather than running from hard feelings.
  • “Grief comes in waves…God gives us the grieving process to cleanse us and bring us back to Him.” — Dr. Loudon (14:28)
  • “I literally went and cried because I was so terrified.” — Shawn (13:50)

3. Family, Parenting, and Schooling

• Homeschooling and “Holding Their Hearts”: Dr. Loudon makes a passionate case for homeschooling, arguing it’s not just about shielding but about connection and value transmission.
  • “The most important thing about homeschooling isn't even shielding your children…it's holding onto their hearts.” — Dr. Loudon (19:56)
  • “Once you have their hearts, it's very hard for someone else to wrestle that away…” — Dr. Loudon (22:00)
• Protecting Childhood and Socialization Myths: Both critique the trope that homeschoolers lack socialization, citing family dinners, extracurriculars, and resilience as counterpoints.
  • “There's some socialization in schools that I don't want my children to be around…” — Shawn (26:03)
• Imperfection in Parenting: They stress that mistakes are inevitable, and model honest, open communication as the best path—perfection isn’t the goal.
  • “None of us are perfect. We make mistakes consistently…it's super important as a parent because you want your children to know that it's okay to make a mistake.” — Shawn (36:04)
  • “If you can be two things—kind and honest…that goes with our children, too. Sometimes we don't want them to see our mistakes…but it's very important to own that…” — Dr. Loudon (36:30)

4. Critique of Modern Culture and Education

• Masculinity and Radical Feminism: Loudon blames much of the “emasculation of men” and family decline on radical academic feminism and cautions parents to stay vigilant and consider alternatives.
  • “Radical feminism has done all sorts of horrible things to pollute young minds…no school is immune.” — Dr. Loudon (09:52, 19:56)
• Monitoring Cultural Influence: They discuss the omnipresence of media and social media, urging parents to stay engaged and limit negative influences where possible.
  • “My kids call it doom scrolling...sometimes I'll look at my phone like, oh my God, I've been on this way too long.” — Dr. Loudon (14:28, 28:15)
  • “There's a 12 year old…who got on social media that day and saw the actual video that you can't see on mainstream media.” — Shawn (29:52)

5. The Power of Small Moments and Legacy

• Cherishing the Everyday: Emotional moments center around the importance of small, mundane family rituals and memories—carrying a child to bed, breakfasts, family dinners—as the core of both parenting and legacy.
  • “It's the little moments in between that we take completely for granted until they're gone…” — Dr. Loudon (42:20)
  • “I would give anything to go back when my son was a baby, because I wasn't the father that I am now…” — Shawn (43:35)
• Grace—For Ourselves and Others: Loudon extends grace to herself, her children, even the family of the killer—reminding everyone that God’s grace is central to healing and perspective.
  • “Remember, God also said, I give you my grace. My grace is sufficient for you.” — Dr. Loudon (45:27)
• The Limits of Parental Control: Gina reflects empathically on the mother of Kirk’s killer, suggesting that even “perfect” parents can’t guarantee adult children’s choices.
  • “Her Facebook page looked like something out of a Disney movie…All we can do as parents is do our best.” — Dr. Loudon (45:27)

6. How Do We Heal as a Society?

• Spiritual Warfare and Personal Responsibility: Loudon asserts that America’s “fix” can only come through spiritual renewal, truth-speaking, and personal involvement in children’s moral upbringing.
  • “We don't have the luxury of not being involved in our government. We don't get the government we want. We get the government we deserve.” — Dr. Loudon (52:03)
• Active Spiritual Life and Memory: She advocates for scripture memorization, writing prayer journals, and making faith a daily practice—a key part of her family’s legacy.
  • “I just did a 17 book series on helping young little hearts memorize scripture, because I believe that scripture memory is so important…” — Dr. Loudon (53:56)
  • “You court [God] back with prayer…it's about what you write in this journal that I think will solidify your love letters, your love story with Jesus…” — Dr. Loudon (53:56)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

On Dealing with Tragedy and the Media (00:01, 03:07)

“There was a human life that we saw leave right before our eyes…what pains me so much is the hatred that's going out in the media. I respected that he was speaking his truth, trying to help other people…I just feel this is such a big loss. I don't care. Left, right, middle, doesn't matter.”
— Shawn

On Faith and the Nature of Evil (01:00, 04:19)

“Charlie would say it's a tale as old as time. Evil hates good. If you are good, you will be persecuted in this life. It's the promise of scripture…He wanted to share what he knew…He did that so well.”
— Dr. Gina Loudon

Honest Confession of Parental Fear (11:52)

“I'm having a hard time shaking the fear of my wife and my three children going off to school every day. It's really, really hard, and it's heavy.”
— Shawn

The Homeschooling Epiphany (19:56)

“The most important thing about homeschooling isn't even shielding your children…it's holding onto their hearts.”
— Dr. Gina Loudon

Cherishing Family Moments (42:20)

“It's the little moments in between that we take completely for granted until they're gone. And then they're the moments we wish we could go back to the most.”
— Dr. Gina Loudon

On Grace for Imperfect Families (45:27)

“My grace is sufficient for you…the moments where we begin to think about our past or things that we've done, those are the scriptures to go to. It's the scriptures about grace and God's very strong word to us and very strong advice to us to accept that grace.”
— Dr. Gina Loudon

On Moving Forward as a Society (52:03)

“Charlie isn't going to be replaced. Charlie is going to be multiplied. And that's why you have to listen so carefully for your call in the midst of this…We don't get the government we want. We get the government we deserve.”
— Dr. Gina Loudon

Notable Timestamps

• [00:01 – 04:19] — Opening reflection on Charlie Kirk’s loss, impact, and the nature of evil vs. good
• [11:52] — Shawn’s emotional account of parental fear and vulnerability
• [14:28 – 19:56] — Counseling through grief, doom-scrolling, and the Sabbath
• [19:56 – 25:39] — Homeschooling, societal indoctrination, and “holding hearts”
• [26:03 – 32:11] — Realities and misconceptions of homeschooling, socialization
• [36:04 – 43:35] — Imperfection as parents, authenticity, importance of small family moments
• [45:27 – 50:39] — Grace, story of the killer’s family, empathy
• [50:56 – 53:56] — How to fix America: spiritual solutions, practical steps, and legacy projects
• [53:56 – 57:24] — Scripture memory, journals, and creating a lasting faith legacy

Final Thoughts

This episode is a masterclass in vulnerability, faith, and practical philosophy during times of tragedy and social upheaval. It provides comfort, challenge, and concrete steps for listeners longing for healing, connection, and purpose—within their families and the broader culture. Shawn and Dr. Loudon never shy from hard questions or tough emotions, offering listeners both solace and a practical call to action: to build strong families, live with courage and authenticity, and lean into goodness through faith and grace, even in the darkest of times.