12.12.25 Australia’s social media ban, a documentary about a deadly conflict, and contemplating God’s faithfulness through unlikely people

Summary

Podcast Episode Summary

The World and Everything In It — December 12, 2025

Main Theme:
This episode covers Australia's new social media ban for children, theological debate stirred by Kirk Cameron, transformation in mainstream journalism, a review of a groundbreaking true crime documentary, and a biblical reflection on God's faithfulness through unlikely people.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Australia’s Nationwide Social Media Ban for Children

[06:52–11:35]

• Overview:
  Australia has enacted a strict law banning all social media accounts for individuals under 16. This regulation, one of the country’s most sweeping technology laws, applies broadly—irrespective of whether use is in school or at home.
• Enforcement:
  Social media platforms face fines up to US $30 million for non-compliance.
• Rationale:
  “For many years, the world has allowed the idea that the Internet can have different rules from real life, that somehow it can be a free space unregulated by any of the values by which we govern ourselves.” — Annika Wells, Communications Minister [07:14]
• Reactions:
  • Families who lost children to cyberbullying and predation attended the law’s unveiling.
  • Teens interviewed by major outlets insist they’ll find workarounds—using VPNs, sibling accounts, or face scan fraud. 75% of teens polled doubt the ban will work.
  • “We are not expecting flawlessness... We are playing the long game.” — Julie Inman, eSafety Commissioner [08:34]
• Cultural Impact & Analysis:
  John Stonestreet, Colson Center president, argues that the ban recognizes social media’s detrimental effects on teens, particularly girls. He suggests the law’s “bite”—massive fines—compels platforms to genuinely police underage use.

  “Social media is bad for teenagers and... really, really bad for young teenage girls. All of that is so overwhelmingly proven that there’s not a whole lot else to say... Cutting this off is way better. You’re not gonna fix a kid’s identity crisis in our culture until you fix the family. But good heavens, let’s stop the one thing that’s pumping more poison into their veins than really anything else.”
  — John Stonestreet [10:06]

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2. Kirk Cameron's Theological Controversy: Annihilationism

[11:35–16:19]

• Issue:
  Actor and Christian public figure Kirk Cameron recently espoused “annihilationism”—the belief that the wicked will be destroyed entirely, not subjected to conscious eternal torment in hell. This position has long been at odds with most confessional Christian traditions.

  “I used to hold the position of conscious eternal torment because that’s just what I was taught by people that I love and trust. I’ve learned that there are other positions, and a very robust argument can be made for conditionalism or annihilationism, as Edward Fudge posits ... it fits the character of God in my understanding more than the conscious eternal torment position.”
  — Kirk Cameron [12:15–12:30]

• Hosts’ Reflections:
  • Theologians throughout church history have vigorously debated the nature of hell, with John Stott, among others, expressing similar doubts.
  • Stonestreet sees this as a serious—but not heretical—struggle, reflecting the tension within scripture itself between God's extravagant grace and sobering judgment.

  “If you don’t feel the tension... between that sort of thing and this sort of description of divine judgment, then you’re not taking the scripture seriously. Because that tension is there in the scripture.”
  — John Stonestreet [14:20]

  • Ultimately, the hosts note the core question: Can the Bible be understood plainly on this issue, or is there doctrinal ambiguity that Christians must wrestle with?

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3. Journalism and Trust: Bari Weiss, Tony Dokoupil, and Legacy Media

[16:19–20:53]

• Backstory:
  Tony Dokoupil, recently named anchor of CBS Evening News, was previously censured by CBS leadership for pressing Ta-Nehisi Coates on his presentation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

  “The content of that [book’s] section would not be out of place in the backpack of an extremist... Why leave out that Israel is surrounded by countries that want to eliminate it? Why not detail anything of... Intifada, the cafe bombings, bus bombings, the little kids blown to bits? ...Is it because you just don't believe that Israel in any condition has a right to exist?”
  — Tony Dokoupil [16:58]

• Significance:
  Now, under Bari Weiss’s leadership, Dokoupil’s appointment is seen as an effort to restore trust in legacy media.
• Analysis:
  • Stonestreet argues that viewer trust is a deeper problem than personnel, yet moves like this matter significantly in newsrooms where “personnel is policy.”

  “The personnel change at CBS News is so dramatically upside down and different than it was just yesterday... If [Weiss] can pull that off ... what an interesting thing. And I think you'll see it in the ratings because it's clear that the American people don't trust anybody.”
  — John Stonestreet [19:01]

  • The hosts question whether it’s possible to return to an era where media provided a commonly trusted narrative in American public life.

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4. Documentary Review: The Perfect Neighbor

[22:08–27:14]

• Film:
  The Perfect Neighbor — Netflix documentary, winner of the Critics Choice Association’s Best Documentary award.
• Story Summary:
  Chronicles the 2023 shooting of Adika Owens, a Black woman, by white neighbor Susan Lawrence in Florida. The story unfolds entirely through police bodycam footage, 911 calls, and archival tapes—without interviews or narration.
• Key Insights:
  • The neighborhood feud, marked by repeated conflict over an empty lot, culminates in tragedy after years of police complaints and escalating tension.
  • Lawrence’s self-justifying narrative—“I’m like the perfect neighbor. You barely ever see me.” [25:05]—juxtaposes with her continual police involvement.
  • The documentary raises questions about Stand Your Ground laws and societal dynamics that lead to such violence, but does so indirectly, respecting viewers’ intelligence.
• Notable Quote:

  “The archival footage is stitched together seamlessly, which makes watching The Perfect Neighbor an eerily compelling experience. Viewers feel like they’re getting an unfiltered look at the facts of the case.”
  — Colin Garbarino, reviewer [25:43]

• Thematic Depth:
  The film is praised as a “masterclass in argument through storytelling”—raising issues of prejudice, civil society, and the risks of current self-defense laws.

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5. Advent Reflection: God’s Faithfulness Through Unlikely People

[27:19–32:10]

• Source:
  Reading from Peter Mead’s devotional “Pleased to Dwell.”
• Biblical Insight:
  Recounts the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew, emphasizing the inclusion of outcast women (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba) as evidence of God’s grace.
• Key Themes:
  • Even the “question marks” in Jesus’ lineage prove that God can work through brokenness and social scandal.

  “These women have a huge question mark banner fluttering over their integrity. Yet they highlight God’s grace, which is powerful enough to overcome the stain of sin. From broken people like us comes Jesus the Christ to heal people like us.”
  — Peter Mead [28:42]

  • The narrative of Joseph’s quiet obedience, the Magi’s global recognition of the King, and God’s faithfulness even through exile and violence.
  • Sublime focus: “Emmanuel, God with us—not just near us, but with us, like in Nazareth with us.” [31:28]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• John Stonestreet on Government Action:
  “Basically, we have a government that has recognized that [social media] is a source of evil.” [10:32]

• Kirk Cameron on Hell:
  “It is to die and it is to perish, not live forever in an eternal barbecue.” [12:49]

• On Restoring Media Trust:
  “It’s clear that the American people don’t trust anybody.” — John Stonestreet [20:05]

• Advent Reflection:
  “The Son of God is willing to carry this lowliest of labels. It is all part of God’s plan. Emmanuel, God with us.” — Peter Mead [31:38]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [06:52] — Introduction to Australia’s social media ban
• [09:20] — John Stonestreet discusses the social and spiritual logic of the ban
• [11:35] — Kirk Cameron’s comments on annihilationism and theological debate
• [13:31] — Scriptural and historical context on the doctrine of hell
• [16:19] — Media trust segment; Tony Dokoupil’s arc and Bari Weiss’s approach
• [22:08] — Review and analysis of “The Perfect Neighbor” documentary
• [27:19] — Advent devotional: God’s faithfulness and the genealogy of Jesus

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Podcast Tone

• Language: Conversational, reflective, grounded in Christian perspective
• Mood: Thoughtful, analytical, empathetic

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This summary captures each main segment, contextualizes key issues explored, highlights memorable quotes, and provides timestamps for reference—offering a comprehensive overview for listeners and non-listeners alike.

Transcript

[A]

Good morning. Today on Culture Friday, two former journalism pariahs are now trying to claw back the trust Americans have lost in the media. Also, Kirk Cameron's theological adventure.

[B]

And today we change a generation. Today we change a culture for the better.

[C]

Australia's ban on social media accounts for kids. We'll talk about it with John Stonestreet later. Colin Garberino reviews an award winning documentary on true crime.

[A]

All the kids has problems with this lady.

[C]

And part two of our Advent series.

[A]

It's Friday, December 12th. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Myrna Brown.

[C]

And I'm Nick Icker.

[D]

Good morning.

[A]

Up next, Ken Covington with today's news.

[E]

A fight over the direction of the U.S. health care system is heating up once again on Capitol Hill.

[B]

On this vote, the A's of 51, the nays of 48, 3/5 of the senators duly chosen and sworn not having voted in the affirmative. The motion is not agreed to.

[E]

A pair of dueling health care measures failed to pass in the Senate. With Affordable Care act subsidies set to expire this month, a Democrat authored bill would have extended the COVID era tax credits for three years. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer how can Republicans.

[B]

Look themselves in the mirror knowing they have to go back home and tell people over the holidays, I voted to send your premiums up?

[E]

But Republicans say Democrats just blocked a better plan. Senate Majority Leader John Thune if it's really about affordability, let's focus on affordability.

[B]

And driving down insurance premiums. What the Democrats are doing is continuing to drive them up and giving the money to the insurance companies.

[E]

The GOP plan would have replaced the expiring subsidies with payments sent to Americans Health Savings accounts. New unemployment claims rose last week, raising fresh questions about the job market. The labor department says about 236,000 people applied for jobless benefits. That was up sharply from the week before and higher than expected. Some of that jump likely reflects holiday related swings around Thanksgiving. And the Trump administration argues that the labor market remains resilient, pointing to historically low layoff levels and steady consumer spending. Even so, hiring has slowed, making it harder for people out of work to find new jobs. And the unemployment rate climbed to 4.4%, the highest level in four years. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he has a message for President Trump, who's been calling for Kyiv to hold new presidential elections.

[B]

We can try to hold elections. Ukraine is not hiding from democracy, but to make elections possible, there must be a security component and America can help with this the most. If there is a need for elections now, there must be a ceasefire, at least during election.

[E]

Zelensky's message came one day after he handed over his proposed revisions to a U S backed peace plan to end the war in Ukraine. White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt said President Trump is aware of the revisions, but offered no further comment. She added that Trump may send representatives to Europe for meetings on Ukraine, but only if there's a real chance of signing a peace agreement.

[B]

The president is extremely frustrated with both.

[F]

Sides of this war and he is.

[C]

Sick of meetings just for the sake of meeting. He doesn't want any more talk. He wants action.

[B]

He wants this war to come to an end.

[E]

Zelensky previously said any deal ceding Ukrainian land to Russia is off the table. Not yet clear what revisions Ukraine has made to the plan. Caroline Levitt also sounded off last night on the release of a Salvadoran national from immigration detention. A federal judge ordered the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia as his legal fight continues. U.S. district Judge Paula Zinnis ruled that immigration authorities lacked a clear legal basis to continue holding him after he was returned to the United States earlier this year. Levitt says the Trump administration is appealing the White House.

[B]

The administration opposed this activism from a judge who is really acting as a judicial activist, which we've unfortunately seen in many cases across the country. Abrego Garcia is present in our country illegally.

[C]

He is a proven human trafficker.

[B]

He is a proven gang member.

[E]

Abrego Garcia's lawyers dispute those claims. Kilmar has lived in Maryland for years with his American wife, but he is not a legal resident. His he entered the country illegally in 2011, but an immigration judge later shielded him from deportation. The Trump administration detained and deported him in error earlier this year. A legal battle has continued since then. U.S. and Japanese forces are stepping up joint air drills as tensions with China continue to rise in the region. World's Benjamin Eicker has more American B52.

[D]

Bombers flew alongside Japanese fighter jets this week in exercises near Japan's western airspace. Officials say the drills highlight the strength of the U s Japan alliance and their readiness to respond to growing security threats. The flights came just days after Chinese military aircrafts locked radar on Japanese jets, a move often seen as a warning or preparation to fire. The drill also came after Chinese and Russian bombers flew together near Japan, prompting Tokyo to scramble fighters.

[E]

For World I'm Benjamin Eicher, A nighttime airstrike in western Myanmar destroyed a hospital, killing dozens. The attack happened late Wednesday in an area controlled by the Arakan army, an ethnic armed group fighting the military. Government rescue officials say a jet dropped two bombs, one hitting a hospital recovery ward, the other landing nearby, killing at least 34 people and wounding about 80 others. Myanmar's military government did not immediately comment on the strike. I'm Kent Covington. And straight ahead, CULTURE Friday with John Stonestreet. Plus, a review of an award winning true crime documentary, this Is the World and Everything In It.

[A]

It's Friday, December 12th. Glad to have you along for today's edition of the World and Everything in It. Good morning. I'm Myrna Brown.

[C]

And I'm Nick Icar. It's CULTURE Friday. Today. We begin with a big story out of Australia, where the government there has just put in place what it calls one of the biggest changes in the history of the country, a nation nationwide ban on all social media accounts for children under age 16. Annika Wells is communications minister.

[B]

For many years, the world has allowed the idea that the Internet can have different rules from real life, that somehow it can be a free space unregulated by any of the values by which we govern ourselves.

[C]

So what that means is no Instagram, no TikTok, no Snapchat, no YouTube accounts, nothing. And this is not just a rule that will be effect in schools. It's for the entire country and it is the law. Platforms can be fined up to US$30 million if they fail to remove underage.

[A]

Accounts at the unveiling of the law were the prime minister, government officials and families who lost children to cyberbullying and online predation. Parent advocate Wayne Holdsworth.

[E]

Our kids that we've lost haven't died in vain because today they'll be looking.

[F]

Down, very proud of the work that we've all done.

[A]

Meanwhile, teenagers told both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal they plan to ignore the ban entirely using VPNs, older siblings accounts or face scan workarounds. Three quarters of Australian teens say they don't think the ban will work.

[C]

Australia's eSafety commissioner is Julie Inman.

[A]

GR we are not expecting flawlessness. We've built in allowances for that. These isolated cases of teenage creativity, circumvention, spoofing and other ingenious ways people will inevitably push boundaries, will continue to fill newspaper pages, but we won't be deterred. We are playing the long game.

[C]

And then there's the other debate. Some analysts arguing that banning kids from these platforms does not fix the danger deeper problem that social media has become the default environment where young people form identity, relationships, even their sense of self. Joining us now, John Stonestreet, the president of the Colson center and host of the Breakpoint podcast. John, good morning.

[B]

Good morning.

[C]

Well, John, how do you see this is Australia recognizing something that's true about the formative power of technology, that these platforms really do shape kids in ways that families cannot overcome?

[B]

Well, I don't think they're recognizing it. I think a lot of people have recognized that. I'm not even sure that's a debate anymore, that social media is bad for teenagers and it's especially bad for young teenagers, and it's really, really bad for young teenage girls. I mean, all of that is so overwhelmingly proven that there's not a whole lot else to say about it. The question is, will people actually act on it? And here the nation of Australia has acted on it, and not just by kind of passing this law, because not a lot would be done if the law were there, but the fines would not be there. And the fines directed at the companies themselves to take care of policing their own platforms. That really has, I think, another level of bite. Because we know that platforms can do more than they have been doing. And the fact that this requires them to do more. I mean, consider, for example, pornography websites, where basically all these websites have to do. And there's no real penalties that are enforced on these companies if their method of. And, and by the way, the method is just basically a gate. It allows people to lie and to say whatever they want and there's no penalty. This adds a penalty that adds bite. So I think it's really interesting to see. Now, will teenagers try to get around it? Of course. Will fewer teenagers do it? Because this is in place and yes, and basically we have a government that has recognized that this is a source of evil. Is social media the only thing to blame for the radical identity crisis that inflicts Western young people? Of course not. But it is the most direct source of a particular type of confusion, sexual confusion, gender identity confusion, and other things. And it's been a source of self harm. So listen, cutting this off is way better. You're not gonna fix a kid's identity crisis in our culture until you fix the family. But good heavens, let's stop the one thing that's pumping more poison into their veins than really anything else.

[A]

Well, John, actor Kirk Cameron is in the news this week. Cameron's known for Growing Pains, Fireproof, and the Left behind movies. He's facing criticism for some heterodox theological views. In a recent podcast with his son, Cameron rejected the traditional Christian teaching of eternal conscious punishment of those who reject Christ. He's embraced a controversial view that's called annihilationism, the belief that those who die without Christ are simply destroyed rather than tormented forever. Here's how Cameron put it.

[F]

I used to hold the position of.

[B]

Conscious eternal torment because that's just what.

[E]

I was taught by people that I love and trust.

[F]

I've learned that there are other positions.

[E]

And a very robust argument can be.

[F]

Made for conditionalism or annihilationism, as Edward Fudge posits here.

[E]

And it fits the character of God in my understanding more than the conscious eternal torment position, because it brings in.

[F]

The mercy of God together with the justice of God. It doesn't leave judgment out.

[B]

It is just.

[F]

But it also fits with the Old Testament picture of the fate of the wicked, which is to be destroyed. It is to die and it is to perish, not live forever in an eternal barbecue.

[A]

Theologians from Augustine to Calvin to modern day confessional churches have long taught otherwise, that the Bible describes punishment as both eternal and. And conscious. That's the view of the Westminster Confession of Faith. It's also the teaching of Roman Catholic, Orthodox and most Protestant traditions. Yet here's a professing Christian with generational influence. John, is this a cause for concern?

[B]

You know, I saw a lot on this this week, and Kirk Cameron is not the first conservative theological voice to struggle with the idea of conscious eternal punishment. I mean, you'd be surprised at some of the prominent theological voices that have embraced this kind of a view. One being John Stott, you know, who might be the last generation's greatest pastor theologian. And so I was really interested to see where this reasoning comes from. The debate about what exactly hell is, is more robust in church history than a lot of people understand or a lot of people give credit for. But it's the conscious part really, that has, I think, a lot of consequences here, because that has to do with something that the Bible clearly seems to teach, that the righteous will go to this eternal, conscious fellowship with God and the wicked will be in an eternal. I mean, you know, it doesn't use those words, but it certainly seems to describe that kind of an existence. And now we're getting at something like, I get the tension. And if you don't feel the tension really between the extravagant grace and love that is described and attributed to God in Holy Scripture through Christ Jesus, the free gift of salvation, the surprising people that end up being accepted by Christ like the thief on the cross. If you don't feel the tension between that sort of thing and this sort of description of divine judgment, then you're not taking the scripture seriously. Because that tension is there in the scripture. It's very much there in the scripture. And you also have a description of a new heavens and new earth, basically where God's creation is restored. My 8 year old asked me about this the other day, unrelated to Kirk Cameron. Well, you know, if there is a new heaven and new earth, will there be a new hell? That's what he asked me, which I thought was a really great question. And I was like, well, no. And he's like, well, is everything being made new? And, and that's a tension in, in Scripture. When you understand that narrative that the Bible describes from Genesis to Revelation. I don't think this is a sign that Kirk Cameron has, you know, lost the faith or is headed into heresy. Struggling with the kind of punishment that the Bible describes is a big deal, mainly because it points back to whether the Bible in its plain reading can be understood by us. So that to me is the bigger question because the Bible does seem, in its plainest, straightforward way, to describe an eternal existence of the wicked under the wrath of God. And it is because of what we understand about that that we understand what Jesus endured on the cross on our behalf. And so a lot of these theological themes really are connected and it's important to understand that.

[C]

Well, John, the big media story this week is at cbs. The network just named Tony decouple as the new anchor of the CBS Evening News. It is one of the most visible jobs in American journalism, the home of Walter Cronkite. And you know what makes this story remarkable, I think, is the arc that got Tony decouple here. Just a year ago, he was censured by CBS leadership for an interview in which he dared to challenge Ta Nehisi Coats for the way that Coats portrayed the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Let's listen to just a bit of that.

[E]

I want to dive into the Israel, Palestine section of the book. It's the largest section of the book. And I have to say, when I read the book, I imagine if I took your name out of it, took away the awards and the acclaim, took the COVID off the book, the publishing house goes away. The content of that section would not be out of place in the backpack of an extremist. And so then I found myself wondering, why does Ta Nehisi Coates, who I've known for a long time, read his work for a Long time, very talented, smart guy. Leave out so much. Why leave out that Israel is surrounded by countries that want to eliminate it? Why leave out that Israel deals with terror groups that want to eliminate it? Why not detail anything of the first and the second intifada? The cafe bombings, the bus bombings, the little kids blown to bits? And is it because you just don't believe that Israel in any condition has a right to exist?

[B]

Mm, mm, mm. Well, I would say the perspective that.

[C]

You just outlined, there is no shortage.

[F]

Of that perspective in American media.

[C]

That's the first. All right, so this sparked a real uproar in the newsroom. Executives at CBS dressed decouple down for having fallen short of, quote, unquote, editorial standards. Now, defending him at the time was Bari Weiss's Free Press. She published leaked audio of that CBS meeting and argued that honest questioning is becoming endangered in legacy media. So fast forward to today, and now we have Bari Weiss calling the shots at cbs, and the first big move is to tap decouple. So her stated goal in naming him was to restore lost trust in mainstream media, which really seems like a very tall order, John. But what do you think about this? Do you think that appointing a journalist who refused to play the narrative game signal a real shift in the institution?

[A]

Or.

[C]

Or is viewer trust a much deeper problem than a single appointment can get at?

[B]

It's certainly deeper at this time in history and the history of journalism, particularly the last 20, 30 years, it's a much deeper problem than one appointment. At the same time, there's a couple industries in particular where personnel is policy. The personnel change at CBS News is so dramatically upside down and different than it was just yesterday. I mean, I'm just kind of thinking what it must feel like for the progressives in the newsroom, and the rest of us are like, oh, well, this is way better, you know, because I think that's one of the things that Bari Weiss absolutely understood when she first resigned her position at the New York Times was that her identifying there made a statement that she didn't want to make and that she had an ability to do something dramatically different and to change the game. And she was going to do that. And you saw how she did it by. By bringing the people that she did in the Free Press. I mean, what an interesting lineup. What an interesting diverse group of voices. You know, there's plenty of people there that I would absolutely disagree with, but they came over there because they thought that they would be able to do the job that they had always dreamed of doing. And that they could be a part of a news outlet that actually was trying to do news in the way that journalism is supposed to be done. And man, if she can pull that off at one of these kind of legacy media things, you know, what an interesting thing. And I think you'll see it in the ratings because it's clear that the American people don't trust anybody. I mean, is it even possible to even approach the good old days? If there ever was one of, you know, a common, authoritative kind of big set of media personalities that people on both the left and the right will at least listen to, that would be quite something, wouldn't it?

[A]

It. John Stonestreet is president of the Colson center and host of the Breakpoint Podcast. John, thank you. See you next time.

[B]

Thank you both.

[E]

Additional support comes from Eyewitness the Longshore, a faith based audio drama that brings history to life. Eyewitnesspod.com that's the letter I witnesspod.com from.

[B]

Ridgeaven Camp in North Carolina and Iowa.

[E]

Winter camp starts December 29th. Registration [e-mail] and from his Words Abiding in you, a podcast where listeners memorize Bible verses in each episode.

[B]

His Words Abiding in you on all podcast apps.

[A]

Today is Friday, December 12th. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning, I'm Myrna Brown.

[C]

And I'm Nick Eicher. Coming next on the World and everything in it, a true crime documentary that is earned earning national attention. The Critics Choice association last month named the Netflix original the Perfect, the best documentary of the year and gave it additional awards for directing and editing. World Arts and Culture editor Colin Garbarino is a member of the association and was one of the critics who voted for the film. He explains the reasons it stood above the rest.

[B]

With advised repeat 911. What is the altitude?

[D]

The Perfect Neighbor is a mesmerizing piece of documentary filmmaking that chronicles the events surrounding the killing of Adika Owens, a black woman shot by her white neighbor, Susan Lawrence. On June 2, 2023. Owens went to Lawrence's house, attempting to confront the neighbor over interactions with Owens children. Lawrence fired a handgun through the locked door of her home, killing Owens. But as the documentary shows, trouble had been festering for two years before that tragic night.

[A]

From my understanding, everybody, all the kids, has problems with this lady.

[D]

Lawrence was at odds with most of the residents in her Ocala, Florida neighborhood, but Owens and her children who lived across the street, seemed to especially arouse her ire. Here's Lawrence talking To the police after calling them to complain about Owens.

[A]

Put your phone call. I pulled because the lady across the.

[B]

Street on the phone hit me with a sign. Her children were walking their dog on the property. Billy says, no trespassing. And they're always walking the dog.

[A]

The dog's always taking a call.

[D]

Most of the animosity seemed to stem from the fact that the home Lawrence rented was next door to an empty lot in which the neighborhood kids played. Lawrence didn't like having them play there, so she kept calling the police, even though she didn't have any legal claim to the empty lot. Here's Owens giving her perspective on the situation to the police.

[A]

First of all, before she moved there.

[B]

This big open space right here, all.

[A]

The kids, they like to play kickball, football. And it's when she moves in, I don't want y' all playing over me.

[D]

Lawrence comes across as an obsessed woman who's either delusional or trying to mislead the police. She talks like justice is on her side while she wastes the time of law enforcement officers by repeatedly calling them out to complain about the neighborhood kids. Most of the time, the police show her little sympathy.

[A]

I understand it's a nuisance, but I'd rather kids be screaming because they're out.

[B]

Here playing, playing and have a good time than stealing cars and robbing people.

[D]

So as the months pass, the altercations continue. Lawrence becomes even more delusional in her insistence that she's in the right and the law should be on her side. After she shoots and kills her neighbor, Lawrence shows little remorse, maintaining she was merely defending herself and that Florida's stand your ground law should protect her.

[B]

I don't bug anybody.

[C]

I'm a single woman.

[B]

I work some homes. You know, I've got.

[A]

I'm peaceful and quiet. I'm like the perfect neighbor.

[B]

You barely ever see me.

[D]

The film depicts a heartrending tragedy, but there are plenty of true crime stories, and most aren't known for their cinematic achievement. So what makes this film special? Well, director Geeta Gandabeer uses a groundbreaking technique to tell the story. The documentary uses nothing but police recordings, with the bulk of the scenes coming from body cam footage. Ganderbeer supplements that footage with 911 calls and investigation interviews.

[B]

I'm having parties with the neighbor's children. They come up to me and just scream like idiots.

[D]

The archival footage is stitched together seamlessly, which makes watching the Perfect Neighbor an eerily compelling experience. Viewers feel like they're getting an unfiltered look at the facts of the case. We hear Lawrence explain her actions. We hear the neighbors give their perspective. We even see the reactions of the police officers. And all along the way, we keep thinking, how could this escalate to the point of death?

[B]

And all she did was tell the.

[A]

Lady to stop yelling at her kids.

[B]

Out.

[A]

Lady yells at everybody's kids out here.

[B]

Okay, well, I mean, I wouldn't go over there anymore.

[D]

The Perfect Neighbor is rated R for language, though it's not pervasive. And of course, it's all archival. The film contains no talking heads or experts explaining the moral of the story. Even so, Ganderbeer manages to explore important themes about prejudice in civil society through this story. She questions the wisdom of the stand your ground laws that might unintentionally encourage the reckless discharge of firearms. This documentary is a masterclass in argument through storytelling, getting its point across loud and clear without stating it outright. I'm Colin Garberino.

[C]

Good morning. This is the world and everything in it. From listener supported World Radio, I'm Nick Iger.

[A]

And I'm Myrna Brown. During the season of Advent, we're ending each Friday with readings from a devotional by pastor and author Peter Mead. The title is Pleased to Dwell. It's a biblical introduction to the incarnation published by Christian Focus. We've taken the book and shaped it into four short presentations. Last week we traced the promise of a coming deliverer through the Old Testament. Today we turn to the opening chapters of Matthew and the arrival of the promised king. Here's part two.

[F]

Opening Matthew's Gospel were provided some something of a map to show us where we are and where we've been. Matthew begins his account of Jesus the Christ by organizing history around three critical Abraham, David and the exile God called Abraham and made extravagant promises. Despite the persistent failure and sin of his descendants, God remained faithful to his promise. Then came King David and God promised him a household, a forever dynasty where his seed would reign on his throne forever. Yet the culmination of the nation's infidelity was the exile. Though even that disaster led to a glorious addition to the promised the new covenant. A covenant that offers full pardon of sin and replaces stony hearts with living ones. But if we look closely at this map, we find the great surprise, the inclusion of women. Not a usual genealogical practice in the first century. Not only that, Matthew doesn't include the women we might expect, like Sarah, Rebecca or Rachel. Instead he includes Tamar, the widow who seduces her faithless father in law. Then there's Rahab the prostitute Ruth, the Moabitess, and Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah. These women have a huge question mark banner fluttering over their integrity. Yet they highlight God's grace, which is powerful enough to overcome the stain of sin. From broken people like us comes Jesus the Christ to heal people like us. After the genealogy, the narrative continues with Joseph, a righteous man facing shattering emotional turmoil. He plans to save Mary from public disgrace by divorcing her, quietly, demonstrating great selflessness. But God's plan is far greater. An angel appears, instructing him to name the child Jesus, the one who will save people from their sins. This child is Emmanuel. God with us. Joseph chooses immediate obedience, taking Mary into his home. And facing the inevitable stigma of a sinful reputation for years to come, they can face the uncertainties because the child is Emmanuel. The story expands in scope with the arrival of the Magi. These highly educated priest sages are Gentiles, stirred by astronomical signs and Hebrew lore, looking for, in their words, the King of the Jews. They confirm that the Messianic king is not just a local event, but a global one. The focus shifts from the political capital, Jerusalem, to the lowly village of Bethlehem. The Magi's entourage, bowing in fine attire on a humble Judean floor, demonstrate that this is a king for all nations. Their gifts, gold, frankincense, reflect royalty and deity. But the inclusion of Myr offers a poignant hint of the king's future burial and death. Not everyone rejoices. The child's arrival stirs the fury of Herod, the child killer. God intervenes again through a dream, directing Joseph to flee to Egypt, fulfilling the prophecy. Out of Egypt I called my son. Powerfully weaving together the history of Israel's great persecutions, the Exodus and the exile. Herod's slaughter of the male infants in Bethlehem invokes the image of Rachel weeping for her children in Ramah. But just as Jeremiah's lament gave way to the promise of the new covenant, the despairing cry from Bethlehem gives way to the hope of forgiveness and transformed hearts, all secured by this son. Finally, God directs the family to Nazareth. Jesus grows up in nowhere Galilee, so that he will forever be called the Nazarene, the Messianic King. The Son of God is willing to carry this lowliest of labels. It is all part of God's plan. Immanuel God with us. Not just near us in some nice palace somewhere, but with us, like in Nazareth with us.

[A]

I'm Peter Meadow Sam and the crew.

[C]

Who helped to put this week's programs together. David Bonson, Mary Reichert, Jeff Palomino, Emma Eicher, Becca Bernhardt, Arsenio Orteza, Seth Trout, Hunter Baker, Onise Addua, Lindsay Mast, Janie B. Cheney, Carolina Lumeta, Mary Muncie, Grace Snell, Cal Thomas, John Stonestreet, Colin Garbarino and Peter Meadow. Thanks also to our breaking news crew, Kent Covington, Daniel Devine, Christina Grube, Travis Kercher and Steve Klosterman. And thanks to the moonlight maestros, Benj Eicher and Carl Peetz. Harrison Waters is Washington producer, Kristen Flavin is features editor, Paul Butler is executive producer and Les Sillers is editor in chief. I'm Nick Eicher.

[A]

And I'm Erna Brown. If you enjoy this podcast, help a friend find it too. Send a link to a favorite story or the whole podcast right from your app. One click helps a friend start the day the way you do and helps make the program grow. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates, inspires. The Bible says now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it, the people of old receive their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. The first three verses of Hebrews chapter eight, a reminder to attend a Bible believing church this weekend. Encourage others and let others encourage you, Lord willing. We'll be right back here Monday morning. Go now in grace and peace.