2.26.25 America’s role on the world stage, World Tour, and God’s sovereignty in the midst of tragedy

Summary

The World and Everything In It: Episode Summary Episode Title: America’s Role on the World Stage, World Tour, and God’s Sovereignty in the Midst of Tragedy
Release Date: February 26, 2025
Host: WORLD Radio (Lindsay Mast and Nick Eicher)

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I. America’s Role on the World Stage: Washington Wednesday

Budget Blueprint and Legislative Progress

The episode opens with a discussion on the recent legislative achievements of House Republicans. House Republicans narrowly passed a budget blueprint, marking a significant step toward fulfilling President Trump's "America First" agenda.

• Emma Frayer highlights the passage:
  “House Republicans last night narrowly passed a budget blueprint, a crucial step toward delivering on President Trump's agenda.” [01:01]

• Mike Johnson provides voting details:
  “The ayes are 217, the nays are 215. Majority voting in the affirmative. Concurrent resolution is adopted.” [01:08]

Trump’s Economic and Foreign Policy

The budget blueprint sets the foundation for Trump’s comprehensive bill aimed at enhancing national and border security, extending tax cuts, and reducing spending. This move initiates a multifaceted legislative process involving intricate negotiations with the Senate.

• Emma Frayer outlines the broader implications:
  “But there is more work left to do to pass what President Trump has called his one big beautiful bill.” [01:23]

US-Ukraine Economic Agreement

A pivotal development includes an economic agreement between the United States and Ukraine, focusing on access to rare earth minerals. This deal aims to mend strained relations between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

• Mike Johnson comments on the strategic significance:
  “So what we're doing is now we're saying, look, we want to be secured, we want to get that money back.” [02:05]

• Emma Frayer adds potential diplomatic outcomes:
  “And President Volodymyr Zelensky could meet with Trump in Washington this week to sign the deal.” [02:16]

UK’s Increased Defense Spending

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a rise in the UK’s defense budget from 2.3% to 2.5% of GDP, signaling a response to changing global security dynamics and upcoming talks with President Trump.

• Nick Eicher reflects on the broader implications:
  “As the nature of that conflict changes, as it has in recent weeks, it brings our response into sharper focus, a new era that we must meet, as we have so often in the past.” [02:49]

Shifts in White House Press Pool

Press Secretary Caroline Levitt announced reforms to the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA), aiming to diversify media access beyond traditional outlets to include new and less conventional media sources.

• J.D. Vance underscores the shift in media dynamics:
  “House press pool will be determined by.” [03:54]

Testimonies and Judicial Decisions

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear cases challenging buffer zones around abortion facilities, upholding existing regulations that limit protests and other activities near these centers.

• Kristen Flavin summarizes the court’s stance:
  “The court declined two lawsuits from pro-life plaintiffs… The high court's decision lets those perimeters stand.” [05:19]

II. World Tour: International Developments

Sudan’s Power-Sharing Agreement

In Sudan, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) reached a government charter with other armed groups, aiming to establish a new nation based on justice, equality, and secularism. However, neighboring Egypt has expressed concerns about territorial safety.

• Suleiman Sandal, RSF supporter, remarks:
  “She says the charter embodies the people's wish to build a new country founded on justice, equality and secularism.” [14:04]

Indonesia’s Student Protests

Thousands of Indonesian students protested against government budget cuts that impacted education and public amenities, highlighting rising food and fuel prices.

• Rahman Hakim, student protester, states:
  “Food and fuel prices are rising while education has become more inaccessible.” [14:04]

Romania’s Fugitive Arrest

Romanian authorities successfully detained Mohamed Amra, a fugitive French prisoner involved in a deadly escape that led to international manhunts. The arrest has been hailed by French President Emmanuel Macron as a significant achievement.

• Prosecutors commented on Amra's criminal background:
  “He was also facing investigation for other offences, including attempted organized homicide and a kidnapping that resulted in death.” [14:04]

Venezuela’s El Sistema Anniversary

Venezuelan youth orchestrated a free concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of El Sistema, a network of youth orchestras aimed at providing free classical music education. Despite facing allegations of propaganda and misconduct, the program continues to serve over a million children.

• Ane Roja Andrade, young performer, shares her experience:
  “Despite my nerves, it was a privilege to be in the front row and to have such an opportunity to perform.” [14:04]

III. Personal Tragedy: Patty Moran’s Story

Rachel Moran’s Tragic Death

Patty Moran shares her heartbreaking experience of losing her 37-year-old daughter, Rachel Moran, who was murdered by an illegal migrant from El Salvador. This personal tragedy has propelled Patty into activism against illegal immigration.

• Patty Moran expresses her grief:
  “I've lost other family members. But nothing compares to the pain that you feel when you lose a child.” [20:50]

Legal and Immigration Challenges

Victor Antonio Martinez Hernandez, the suspect, was apprehended after multiple attempts to cross into the U.S. He had an Interpol warrant and connections to organized crime.

• Mark Krikorian, from the Center for Immigration Studies, emphasizes the need for strict enforcement:
  “Enforcing the border, enforcing immigration laws inside the country… is the only way you can minimize the likelihood of criminal aliens preying on Americans.” [22:34]

Patty’s Advocacy and Faith

Patty has testified before Congress and met with President Trump, advocating for stronger immigration controls to protect American families. Her faith has deepened through this ordeal, recognizing God’s sovereignty amid tragedy.

• Patty Moran reflects on her faith:
  “God was sovereign over all things. He has a right to say when our life starts and when our life ends, no matter how tragic it may be.” [24:48]

IV. Technology and the Church: AI’s Impact

Artificial Intelligence in Modern Worship

Emma Waters explores the dual-edged nature of AI in the church’s mission. While AI can supplement church activities, such as translating the Bible or aiding missions, there is a risk it may become a substitute, potentially leading to idolatry.

• Emma Waters discusses AI’s role:
  “AI in all its various forms is a powerful tool, but it must remain that just a tool.” [26:51]

Case Studies of AI in Churches

Examples include a Catholic church in Switzerland using an AI Jesus to answer theological questions and Protestant churches experimenting with AI-generated services. These initiatives highlight the thin line between helpful technology and the potential for spiritual disconnection.

• Brian Johnson warns of AI’s future:
  “AI will soon surpass human cognition… AI is the ultimate fulfillment of humanity's quest for God.” [29:36]

Theological Implications and Warnings

Referencing Psalm 115:4-8, Waters warns against creating idols through technology, emphasizing that reliance on AI could mirror ancient forms of idol worship.

• Emma Waters cites scripture:
  “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands… Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them.” [30:00]

Balancing Technology and Faith

While AI offers valuable tools for spreading the gospel and enhancing church operations, Christians are urged to ensure that technology remains subordinate to spiritual truth and community.

• Emma Waters concludes:
  “Christians should not be afraid to deploy such technology to spread the gospel… all while ensuring that AI does not become a new form of idolatry.” [31:25]

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Conclusion

This episode of The World and Everything In It delves into the complexities of America’s evolving role on the global stage, highlighting legislative strides, international agreements, and shifting defense strategies under President Trump’s administration. The World Tour segment provides a panoramic view of significant events across Sudan, Indonesia, Romania, and Venezuela, illustrating the diverse challenges and cultural milestones worldwide.

A poignant personal narrative from Patty Moran underscores the human cost of illegal immigration, intertwining with broader policy discussions on national security and border enforcement. Additionally, the exploration of AI’s influence on the church prompts listeners to reflect on the integration of technology within faith communities, advocating for a balance that honors spiritual integrity.

Through comprehensive reporting and insightful commentary, this episode offers listeners a nuanced understanding of current affairs, grounded in both political analysis and personal stories, all while affirming the sovereignty of God amidst global and personal tragedies.

Transcript

[Lindsay Mast]

Good morning. Today on Washington Wednesday, contemplating how President Trump's vision for America first should play out.

[Kent Covington]

Before we can help any others, we need to be healthy again.

[Emma Frayer]

We're not healthy.

[Nick Eicher]

Also today, news from around the world on world tour and later, the issue of illegal immigration became tragically personal. For one mom.

[Patty Moran]

I couldn't be there to protect my daughter. But by speaking out, I'm hoping to show people that we need to make change to protect American families.

[Nick Eicher]

And world opinion's commentary on harnessing technology for the good of the church.

[Lindsay Mast]

It's Wednesday, February 26. This is the world and everything in it. From listener supported World Radio, I'm Lindsay Maz.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Icar. Good morning.

[Lindsay Mast]

Time for news. Here's Kent Covington.

[Emma Frayer]

House Republicans last night narrowly passed a budget blueprint, a crucial step toward delivering on President Trump's agenda.

[Mike Johnson]

The ayes are 217, the nays are 215. Majority voting in the affirmative. Concurrent resolution is adopted.

[Emma Frayer]

It's a big win for Republicans and House Speaker Mike Johnson. But he explains that this is not the final step.

[Nick Eicher]

This resolution itself contains no policies. It is a framework only and it's the product of months and months of work.

[Emma Frayer]

But there is more work left to do to pass what President Trump has called his one big beautiful bill. It would address his national and border security priorities and extend trillions in tax cuts while also cutting spending. Last night's vote kicks off what figures to be a weeks long process to hammer out the details and then merge it with the Senate's package. The United States and Ukraine have agreed to the framework of a big economic deal to include US Access to rare earth minerals in Ukraine.

[Mike Johnson]

So what we're doing is now we're saying, look, we want to be secured, we want to get that money back.

[Emma Frayer]

It's an agreement that could go a long way to help repair a rift between President Trump and Ukraine's president. And President Volodymyr Zelensky could meet with Trump in Washington this week to sign the deal.

[Mike Johnson]

I hear that he's coming on Friday. Certainly it's okay with me if he'd like to, and he would like to sign it together with me.

[Emma Frayer]

Zelensky had pushed for security guarantees to be a part of any deal for mineral rights and other resources. But it's unclear if any such assurances will be in the agreement. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the UK Is ramping up defense spending. His announcement comes ahead of a meeting tomorrow at the White House with President Trump. Starmer suggested that he sees a changing security landscape in light of US Talks with Russia to end the Ukraine war.

[Nick Eicher]

As the nature of that conflict changes, as it has in recent weeks, it brings our response into sharper focus, a new era that we must meet, as we have so often in the past.

[Emma Frayer]

Together and with strength. The UK currently spends 2.3% of gross domestic product on defense. That will go up to 2.5%. President Trump has been pressing European leaders to step up their defense spending. A big shake up in the White House press briefing room, Press Secretary Caroline Levitt said Tuesday, I am proud to.

[K.T. McFarland]

Announce that we are going to give.

[J.D. Vance]

The power back to the people who.

[K.T. McFarland]

Read your papers, who watch your television.

[J.D. Vance]

Shows and who listen to your radio stations.

[Emma Frayer]

For decades, the White House Correspondents association, or WHCA for short, has largely decided which members of the media are invited to cover White House events or travel aboard Air Force One. But Levitt says moving forward, the White.

[J.D. Vance]

House press pool will be determined by.

[Kent Covington]

The White House press team.

[Emma Frayer]

The WHCA has long been an exclusive group of mostly legacy media power players. The group's current president is MSNBC senior political analyst Eugene Daniels. Levitt says legacy news outlets will still be invited, but the administration will open more access to less traditional and new media outlets and reporters. Former Hamas hostage Noah Agramani spoke out Tuesday about her experience. She told world leaders at the United nations headquarters that she was held in unimaginable conditions.

[K.T. McFarland]

I was injured and needed medical help, but of course I got nothing. No doctors, no Red Cross, nothing.

[Emma Frayer]

The Israeli military rescued her last summer. She went on to beg leaders to do everything possible to see that the current ceasefire is extended.

[K.T. McFarland]

The deal must go on in full and completely. In all the stages. My partner Avinatan Orr and many other hostages are only supposed to be released in the second stage of the deal.

[Emma Frayer]

Phase one of the ceasefire is set to expire this weekend. The U.S. supreme Court has refused to hear cases challenging so called buffer zones around abortion facilities. World's Kristen Flavin has more.

[Kristen Flavin]

The court declined two lawsuits from pro life plaintiffs claiming local regulations in Illinois and New Jersey violate their First Amendment rights. Those regulations set perimeters around abortion facilities, restricting protests, prayers or counseling. The high court's decision lets those perimeters stand. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented, with Thomas arguing a 25 year old precedent allowing the so called buffer zones should be overturned. For World I'm Kristen Flavin.

[Emma Frayer]

And I'm Kent Covington. Straight ahead, U.S. conservatives wrestle with America first priorities while also standing up to totalitarianism around the world. This is the world and everything in it.

[Lindsay Mast]

It's Wednesday, 26th February. Glad to have you along for today's edition of the World and Everything In It. Good morning. I'm Lindsay Mast.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Iger. Time now for Washington. Wednesday, on the campaign trail, Donald Trump presented himself as the candidate ready to recalibrate America's priorities from energy to immigration. A month into the new administration, activists from across the country gathered to celebrate the 2025 Conservative political action Conference. President Trump was there with them.

[Mike Johnson]

Over the past month, we've confirmed an all star team of warriors, patriots, visionaries and put the America first agenda into action.

[Lindsay Mast]

I see already conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle east and beyond are testing that America first strategy on the global stage. That's a welcome change to conservatives, even if they don't all agree on America's role. Washington bureau reporter Leo Braceno has more.

[Mike Johnson]

I'm with Trump. Gotta stop to kill him.

[Kent Covington]

Robert Vareschi, a veteran, came to CPAC last week with a hat full of military pins and concerns about U.S. involvement in foreign wars.

[Mike Johnson]

Zelenskyy. We sent him 350 billion bucks. Nobody knows where it is. Yeah, I'm with Trump on that.

[Kent Covington]

Gotcha.

[Mike Johnson]

Negotiated settlement there. Sanctions against Russia, tighten the sanctions on Iran, and we gotta trade with China.

[Kent Covington]

Gee, yeah, right.

[Mike Johnson]

Reciprocal tariffs.

[Kent Covington]

Many Americans share Vareshi's concern that the United States is overextending itself in foreign conflicts. Trump ran for reelection on a commitment to get the US out of the business of global policeman.

[Nick Eicher]

I think our country is a mess right now, a mess of corruption so deep we couldn't have imagined it.

[Kent Covington]

Ed Young is a TikTok influencer and Trump advocate who attended cpac. He says America's cultural and governance problems should be addressed before intervening in international conflicts like the war in Ukraine.

[Nick Eicher]

We've done an awful lot for them.

[Kent Covington]

Yeah.

[Nick Eicher]

But it's time we take care of our own nightmare that we've got here.

[K.T. McFarland]

Sure.

[Kent Covington]

Young's friend Michael O'Neill agrees. Before we can help any others, we.

[J.D. Vance]

Need to be healthy again.

[Emma Frayer]

We're not healthy.

[Kent Covington]

Former President Joe Biden used to describe the United States his enormous resource commitments to Ukraine as a moral imperative. Here he is speaking at the NATO summit in September.

[Mike Johnson]

When Russia invaded Ukraine, we could have stood by and merely protested. But Vice President Harris and I understood that that was an assault on everything this institution is supposed to stand for. And so my direction, America stepped into the breach, providing massive security and economic and humanitarian assistance.

[Kent Covington]

Three years after Russia invaded Ukraine. Many conservatives want to see more results from the aid we sent. And at cpac, they applauded speakers who framed conflicts overseas with a mind towards how the U.S. interests are served or not served. Here's Vice President J.D. vance answering questions about developments and talks to end the Russia Ukraine war.

[Nick Eicher]

The President believes this, and he's absolutely right. Peace is in the interest of Russia, it's in the interest of Ukraine, it's.

[Emma Frayer]

In the interest of Europe.

[Nick Eicher]

But most importantly, peace is in the interest of the American people, and he's.

[Emma Frayer]

Going to fight for it for the remainder.

[Kent Covington]

Jeff Culp came to CPAC from New Jersey with his fiance, both of them sporting MAGA hats. He says the US should not have to play global policemen for countries facing challenges should be their own governments, but they're mostly corrupt.

[K.T. McFarland]

So that's the problem we have.

[Emma Frayer]

It's all over the world.

[Kent Covington]

Others view America first through a more mainstream Republican lens. Former White House official K.T. mcFarland spoke during a breakout session on Israel.

[J.D. Vance]

I was President Trump's deputy national security advisor, but before, before that, I was in the Nixon for Reagan administration, working for Henry Kissinger.

[Kent Covington]

In 1983, President Ronald Reagan put America's rivalry with the Soviet Union in moral terms.

[Mike Johnson]

So in your discussions of the nuclear freeze proposals, I urge you to beware the temptation of pride, the temptation of blithely declaring yourselves above it all, and label both sides equally at fault, to ignore the facts of history and the.

[Emma Frayer]

Aggressive impulse of an evil empire, to simply call the arms race a giant.

[Mike Johnson]

Misunderstanding, and thereby remove yourself from the.

[Emma Frayer]

Struggle between right and wrong and good and evil.

[Kent Covington]

I asked McFarland how the US can confront authoritarian nations like Russia and China while also putting itself first.

[J.D. Vance]

And I also think that President Trump is a businessman. He understands the power of markets. The United States is the largest market in the world, right? So other countries, including China, need to sell stuff to us all a whole lot more than we need to buy stuff from them. That gives us enormous leverage.

[Kent Covington]

Trump is also using economic leverage in negotiations with Ukraine. On Saturday, he spoke at CPAC and said the U.S. should see some sort of return on the billions of dollars in foreign aid invested in the front lines of Ukraine.

[Mike Johnson]

Europe gave it in the form of a loan. They get their money back. We gave it in the form of nothing. So I want them to give us something for all of the money that we put up, and I'm going to try and get the war settled and I'm going to try and get all that death ended. So we're asking for rare earth and oil, anything we can get.

[Kent Covington]

Economic self interest also appears to be a key component in conversations about what's next for Gaza. Trump has called for the United States to take over the contentious region, suggesting that it could be turned into something new with American control. But is that an America first idea? Here's former White House official McFarland well.

[J.D. Vance]

And now this is interesting because so every time there have been these Middle east wars, right, there's rubble, then it gets rebuilt, aid comes in, and then the bad guys move right back in to distribute the aid. So they just perpetuate, perpetuate, perpetuate. So President Trump is saying, let's break the cycle.

[Kent Covington]

For McFarland and others, replacing that cycle with economic leverage and peace negotiations serves not only American interests, but other nations as well.

[J.D. Vance]

America first is when the countries of the world are fighting each other and when President Trump is standing with Israel. That is America First.

[Kent Covington]

That's it for Washington Wednesday. Reporting for World I'm Leo Bruceno in National Harbor, Maryland.

[Emma Frayer]

Additional support comes from the Joshua Program at St. Dunstan's Academy in Virginia. A gap year shaping young men through trades, farming, prayer. St. Dunstansacademy.org From Compelled podcast Ron Husband was a legendary Disney animator. Before that, he explored UFOs, lost cities and Jesus. Compelled Podcast and from Dort University, student musicians at Dort enjoy opportunities to discover, develop and share the gift of music and bring glory to God until all is made new.

[Lindsay Mast]

Coming up next on the World and Everything In It World tour with our reporter in Africa, Onise Adua.

[K.T. McFarland]

We start today in Sudan, Egypt's southern neighbor, where members of a paramilitary force have signed a government charter with other armed groups and political allies. The Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, have been fighting against the Sudanese military since April 2023 for control of the country. The conflict has displaced more than 12 million people. The IRSF now controls most of the western Darfur region and parts of the Cordofin region. Suleiman Sandal is one of the IRSF supporters who attended the signing ceremony. He says the charter embodies the people's wish to build a new country founded on justice, equality and secularism. The agreement also called for a democratic state with a single national army, but still carved room for armed groups to exist. The Sudanese army has condemned any formation of a parallel government. Egyptian Foreign Minister Bader Abdelati also rejected the agreement. He says that Egypt does not take the territorial safety of Sudan lightly. Next to Indonesia, thousands of students crowd at the streets last week in several cities to protest against the government's budget cuts. President Prabowo Subianto's administration has slashed travel and amenities for government workers. Authorities have also reallocated funds from the education and health sectors to fund other projects, including a free lunch program for school children. University student Rahman Hakim joined the protest in the capital city of Jakarta. He says food and fuel prices are rising while education has become more inaccessible. Next we head to Ukraine's southern neighbor on the Black Sea. In Romania, authorities have detained a fugitive French prisoner who staged a deadly escape nine months ago and sparked an international manhunt. Romanian police detained Mohamed Amra during an operation near a shopping center in the country capital city of Bucharest. He was extradited to France on Tuesday. The 30 year old was serving a burglary sentence when armed assailants helped him escape from a prison convoy in Normandy last May. Two guards died during his escape. Amra was also facing investigation for other offences, including attempted organized homicide and a kidnapping that resulted in death. Prosecutors said he also has connections to organized crime syndicates in Marseille and possibly heads a drug trafficking network. French President Emmanuel Macron hailed his arrest as a tremendous success. He also thanked his European colleagues in French forces for persevering on the case. We wrap up today in Venezuela where over 4,000 young musicians staged a nearly two hour free concert to mark a key anniversary. This year marks 50 years since the founding of a network of youth orchestras known as El Sistema or the System. Jose Antonio Abreu began the program in 1975 to offer free classical musical education to children. It's grown since then and produced some world renowned musicians like the Los Angeles Philharmonic, music director Gustavo Dudamel. 19 year old Ane Roja Andrade was among the performers. She says despite her nerves, it was a privilege to be in the front row and to have such an opportunity to perform. The government funded program has faced accusations, accusations of serving as a propaganda scheme for Venezuelan authorities. It has also faced allegations of sexual harassment from some former participants, though other former students defend the group. El Sistema currently serves more than a million children in Venezuela. That's it for this week's world tour. Reporting for World I'm Onize Odua in Abuja, Nigeria.

[Lindsay Mast]

Today is Wednesday, February 26th. Thank you for turning to World radio to help start your day. Good morning. I'm Lindsay Mast.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eicher. Next up on the WORLD and everything in at a personal tragedy and political controversy. The Trump administration has been working to step up deportations to keep a campaign promise. Trump officials say their initial focus is on deporting illegal migrants who threaten public safety and national security.

[Lindsay Mast]

For one Maryland woman, this issue is brutally personal. Her name is Patty Moran. Her 37 year old daughter Rachel Moran was murdered and the suspect facing trial is an illegal migrant from El Salvador. World senior writer Emma Frair met with Patty Morin to find out how she's managed the unspeakable grief.

[Kristen Flavin]

Patti Morin is a soft spoken grandmother and former homeschooling mom of six. But in August of 2023, she suffered a horrific tragedy that thrust her into the national spotlight.

[Emma Frayer]

Our deepest sympathies, our prayers go out to Rachel's entire family. Anyway, we're joined now by their mother.

[Kristen Flavin]

Her daughter Rachel, who had five children of her own, was murdered while walking on a local trail. Patty brought a framed photo of Rachel along to our interview. She'd wrapped it in plastic to protect it from the rain outside.

[Patty Moran]

This is my daughter.

[Kristen Flavin]

It's one of Patty's favorites. Rachel's younger brother took the picture and those two were particularly close. Rachel's smile is radiant.

[Patty Moran]

Yeah, she was a petite little girl, but when she walked into the room, it's like she filled the whole room.

[Kristen Flavin]

Days before Rachel's disappearance, Patti left for the funeral of a grandchildren On a Sunday morning. While she was still out of town, Patty learned that Rachel was missing. A few hours later, she got a phone call.

[Patty Moran]

My son who had driven back the day before called me and he said, mom, there's a detective here that would like to speak to you. And I've lost a husband, I've lost a mother, I've lost a sibling. You know, I've lost other family members. But nothing compares to the pain that you feel when you lose a child.

[Kristen Flavin]

The police quickly identified a suspect, but it took 10 agonizing months of waiting before they finally arrested Victor Antonio Martinez Hernandez, an illegal migrant.

[Patty Moran]

The suspect that's been arrested attempted to crossed into the United States in Texas in January of 2023. And Border Patrol turned them away at the border. And then the fourth time he came in at a different part and he made his way into the United States and up to Los Angeles where he's alleged to have attacked a nine year old child and the child's mother.

[Kristen Flavin]

Police also discovered an Interpol warrant for the man's arrest in connection with the murder of a woman in El Salvador. Martinez Hernandez is one of just an estimated 8 to 9 million immigrants who crossed the border illegally during the Biden administration.

[Nick Eicher]

They took into custody and then let go over 6 million inadmissible aliens.

[Kristen Flavin]

Mark Krikorian works for the center for Immigration Studies.

[Nick Eicher]

Then there were an additional 2 million gotaways.

[Kristen Flavin]

He says the term gotaways is a term of art.

[Nick Eicher]

What it means is people that they know entered because of remote cameras, ground sensors, or in some other way their illegal entry was captured, but they themselves were not captured.

[Kristen Flavin]

Krikorian says there's also an unknown number of people who got in, but officials have no evidence to prove it. So he believes consistent enforcement of immigration law is essential.

[Nick Eicher]

Enforcing the border, enforcing immigration laws inside the country, including at work sites, including against people who are just regular, ordinary folks and not violent criminals, is the only way you can minimize the likelihood of criminal aliens preying on Americans.

[Kristen Flavin]

After Rachel's murder, Patty began speaking out about the risks of illegal migration.

[Patty Moran]

Thank you, chairman, ranking members, and congressmen.

[Kristen Flavin]

She's testified before Congress three times.

[Patty Moran]

She went on a trail in our town that's very public, very small, and we've walked it for over 25 years. She grew up walking this trail.

[Kristen Flavin]

She's even met President Trump several times. And at one point, he even offered to pay for her to get much needed cataract surgery.

[Mike Johnson]

I said, patty, get your eyes taken care of. I'll take care of it. Just get it done. I hope you got it done. Did you have them done yet?

[Kristen Flavin]

Patty plans to get the surgery after the trial of Martinez Hernandez that's scheduled to start on April 1st. She's slated to testify and doesn't want anything to get in her way.

[Patty Moran]

I couldn't be there to protect my daughter, but in a way, by speaking out, I'm hoping to protect other children from this happening and then also to show people that this pain is real and that the circumstances that have caused it are real and that we need to make changes to protect American families.

[Kristen Flavin]

Patty is fighting for the safety of Americans. But Rachel's death has also helped her understand God's sovereignty in a new way.

[Patty Moran]

Even though I have walked 50 years as a Christian, for the first time, I saw God the way Isaiah did. In Isaiah 6, in the year that King Uzziah died, he looked up and saw him sitting on a throne, high, lifted up. And in that moment, I realized that God. God was God, that he was sovereign over all things. And I just wanted to fall on my face and worship God. Not because he took my daughter or he allowed it to happen, but because for the first time, I saw God as God, that he's sovereign over all things. And because he's sovereign. He has a right to say when our life starts and when our life ends, no matter how tragic it may be.

[Kristen Flavin]

Reporting for World I'm Emma Frayer in Towson, Maryland, S.A.

[Nick Eicher]

Today is Wednesday, February 26th. Good morning. This is the world and everything in it. From Listener supported World Radio. I'm Nick Iker.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. Technology has lots of upsides for the church and its mission in the world. But as World Opinions contributor Emma Waters says, it's wise to be wary.

[Emma Waters]

Visibly and invisibly, artificial intelligence, or AI, is rapidly reshaping every corner of modern life, including the church. Will it serve as a tool that strengthens faith, or will it become a counterfeit deity? From the moment humanity began developing tools, there has been a pull between uses that supplement or substitute human flourishing. As Joshua Mitchell argues, supplements aid the human person to his or her natural functions, whereas substitutes weaken us by creating a dependence on something that lies beyond or at odds with ourselves. The use of AI in all areas of life, from facial recognition to ChatGPT, beckons Christians to consider how tools that begin as supplements often risk becoming substitutes. For example, during the COVID 19 pandemic, online church services and an active presence on social media enabled people to join together for worship and stay connected to the life of their church. These same tools that serve to supplement the church during the pandemic, however, may serve as a substitute for true worship and fellowship today. Similarly, Google's AI assistant may provide quick answers about what the Bible teaches on a given topic, but it cannot replace the authority and wisdom of a church community. Indeed, there are many ways AI is a supplement to the mission of the church. Imagine how AI may increase efforts to translate the Bible or aid missionaries as they lead Bible studies with those who speak different languages. Nonetheless, as churches experiment with AI technology, a few notable examples warn that the supplement can become a substitute. In one example, a Catholic church in Switzerland developed the Deos in Machina, an AI Jesus, to answer theological questions. While the AI did not hear confessions, its live depiction of Jesus in a modified confessional blurs the line between a helpful chatbot and an encounter with the living God. Similarly, Protestant churches in Germany and Texas experimented with services written entirely by AI, including the prayers, sermon, and worship music. Seriously, while these examples may seem amusing, Brian Johnson, a proponent of human longevity, believes this is just the beginning. Johnson argues that AI will soon surpass human cognition, where AI algorithms will be better at being you than you are. He believes that AI is the ultimate fulfillment of humanity's quest for God. Johnson was recently interviewed by podcaster Bari Weiss.

[Kent Covington]

I think the irony is that we told stories of God creating us. And I think the reality is that.

[Nick Eicher]

We are creating God.

[Kent Covington]

We are creating God in the form of superintelligence. And so I think the irony is that human storytelling got it exactly in reverse, that we are the creators of God, that we will create God in our own image, which is why we should probably be.

[Emma Waters]

For those familiar with what the Bible says about idols, Johnson's description of AI's potential to create God in our own image likely calls to mind Psalm 115:4,8. Quote, Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak. Eyes, but they do not see. See, they have ears, but do not hear. Noses, but they do not smell. They have hands, but they do not feel. Feet, but they do not walk, and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them. End quote. As Peter Bile argues, what religion did for the ancients, technology will do for us moderns. Johnson envisions AI as the ultimate source of knowledge. All knowing algorithms rather than divine revelation will ultimately guide humanity into a post religious and post human future. Such efforts, however, merely mirror pagan idol worship. AI in all its various forms is a powerful tool, but it must remain that just a tool. Christians should not be afraid to deploy such technology to spread the gospel and equip believers with resources they need to study scripture, all while ensuring that AI does not become a new form of idolatry. I'm Emma Waters.

[Nick Eicher]

Tomorrow the NCAA policy change takes effect aimed at barring males from competing in women's sports. But does it really? And a young small town police chief grapples with tragedy in his department. That and more tomorrow. I'm Nick Iger.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. And Jesus said to his disciples, temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come. It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea. See than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. Verses 1 and 2 of Luke chapter 17. Go now in grace and peace.