5.19.26 Iran’s hope, safety laws for Texas camps, celebrating America’s Christian heritage, and marking a historic baptismal pool

Summary

Podcast Summary: The World and Everything In It — May 19, 2026

Episode: “Iran’s Hope, New Texas Camp Safety Laws, Celebrating America’s Christian Heritage, and a Historic Baptismal Pool”

Host: WORLD Radio

Released: May 19, 2026

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1. Episode Overview

In this multifaceted episode of The World and Everything In It, the hosts deliver timely coverage of global and domestic news, focusing on U.S.–Iran tensions, significant new safety regulations for Texas summer camps, a patriotic religious rally marking America’s 250th anniversary, and the commemoration of a historic outdoor baptismal pool in Mississippi. The episode features interviews, expert analysis, on-the-ground reporting, and thoughtful commentary.

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2. Key Discussion Points & Insights

A. U.S.–Iran Tensions: Diplomatic Crossroads

Segment Start: [06:46]

• Background:
  President Trump postponed a planned military strike on Iran after the urging of Gulf leaders—Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar—amidst ongoing economic pressure and stalled negotiations.
• Expert Analysis:
  Interview with Cliff May, President of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, on why Iran remains unwilling to make concessions and the likely endgame of current tensions.
• Key Insights:
  • China’s involvement is likely minimal ([07:32]; Cliff May: “Will Xi Jinping do anything about either of those? ... I don't think he will.”)
  • Iran sees itself in a long-term holy war with the West, making a true peace unlikely.
  • Despite heavy U.S. strikes during the 2025 12-Day War, Iran is rearming, digging deeper bunkers (“Pickaxe Mountain”) and is still capable of significant retaliation.
  • Economic sanctions (“Operation Economic Fury”) are hurting Iran but have not destabilized the regime.
  • Public impatience in the U.S. is noticed by Iran and may encourage continued resistance ([11:38]; Cliff May: “Absolutely, I think so. ... There's movements in Congress right now to start to say, let's stop this war. It was a mistake.”)
• Notable Quotes:
  • “They believe themselves to be jihadis... This war began 1400 years ago. There’s no way they can sit down and say, oh, let's negotiate peace...” – Cliff May ([08:18])
  • “The end game is the collapse of the regime. The end game should be... that the Strait of Hormuz becomes an international waterway.” – Cliff May ([13:44])

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B. Texas Summer Camp Safety Legislation

Segment Start: [14:14]

• Background:
  New Texas laws were enacted after a deadly flood at Camp Mystic killed 27 people, leading to the “Heavens 27 Camp Safety Act.”
• Key Provisions:
  • Camps must have evacuation plans, not just shelter-in-place.
  • Requirement for redundant warning systems, specifically demanding fiber-optic internet as a backup (problematic for rural camps).
  • After pushback and lawsuits from rural camps, the state allowed alternatives like Starlink or wireless internet ([17:19]).
• Stakeholder Perspectives:
  • Parents’ Grief & Testimony:
    • Hadley Hannah’s mother shared her 9-year-old’s enthusiasm and tragic loss ([15:12]; “I love this place.” … “died because there was no plan.”).
  • Camp Operators:
    • Paul Biles of Tejas Camp: Fiber requirement is “just unrealistic when there's definitely other options available...” ([16:59])
  • Regulatory View:
    • Henrietta DeHart of the American Camp Association explained the value and challenge of policy specifics ([18:14]; “Getting granular in that can be problematic in any law.”)
• National Implications:
  11 other states are reviewing or strengthening their own camp safety laws.

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C. Rededicate250: Celebrating America’s Christian Heritage

Segment Start: [19:51]

• Event:
  Thousands gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. for “Rededicate250,” blending patriotic celebration with Christian worship as part of government-sponsored 250th anniversary events.
• Contentious Issue:
  Some media and critics label the event as “Christian nationalism,” sparking debate about the blending of religion and state.
• Event Highlights:
  • Scripture readings, worship music, personal testimonies.
  • Key speakers included House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, both publicly sharing their Christian faith.
• Debate Over “Christian Nationalism”:
  • Classic Patriotism vs. Nationalism:
    • Hillsdale College President Larry Arne: “Freedom of religion was first fully realized in the United States... That is the sense in which it's Christian Nation.” ([22:59])
  • Direct Responses:
    • Pastor Robert Jeffress: “If being a Christian nationalist means loving Jesus Christ and loving America, count me in.” ([22:26])
  • Personal Faith & Pluralism:
    • Spectator Tammy Howard: “...if they don't like it, then that's fine as long as... they have their views, I have mine.” ([23:46])
• Survey Context:
  A Pew survey found most Americans see religion as positive in public life, but 79% say churches shouldn’t endorse political candidates.

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D. Commemorating a Historic Baptismal Pool in Mississippi

Segment Start: [25:43]

• Spotlight:
  Little Bahala Baptist Church’s 170-year-old outdoor baptistery, possibly the oldest in the region, now marked by a state historical sign.
• Historical Value:
  • Over 1,000 baptisms took place in the pool from 1850–1977 ([30:20]; Glenn Foster).
  • The Foster family has maintained the site across five generations.
• Preservation Efforts:
  The Mississippi Department of Archives and History processed and installed a marker, culminating in a well-attended, moving dedication.
• Memorable Moment:
  • Don Wallace’s dedication prayer: “Thank you for every soul who has stepped into these waters, for every tear of repentance, and for every song of joy that has echoed in this sacred place...” ([30:36])

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E. Cal Thomas Commentary: The Limits of Diplomacy with Iran

Segment Start: [31:36]

• Cal Thomas reflects on Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s meeting with Pope Leo XIV about the Iran crisis.
• Main Argument:
  Diplomatic appeals for peace may fall flat when facing regimes fundamentally uninterested in conciliation.
• Historical Parallels:
  Compares the situation with past U.S. stances toward militant Islam and the Soviet Union, emphasizing the importance of “moral clarity.”
• Notable Quotes:
  • “Diplomacy works when both sides ultimately want stability. But history is filled with regimes that interpret conciliation not as goodwill, but as weakness.” – Cal Thomas ([32:34])
  • “History suggests evil rarely retreats simply because it is asked politely to do so.” – Cal Thomas ([34:22])
  • Marco Rubio: “...this is the first American president actually trying to do something concrete about it [Iran]” ([33:29])

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3. Additional Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Tragic Yet Hopeful Animal Story:
  A great horned owl, rescued from a cement mixer, is rehabilitated and released thanks to an unusual feather-grafting procedure. ([24:26])
• Election Coverage:
  Brief update on key Senate primary races in Alabama and Kentucky, with Trump-endorsed candidates and implications for Georgia as well. ([04:30])
• Rail Strike in New York:
  Major disruptions as Long Island Railroad workers continue their strike; federal mediation is underway. ([05:23])

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4. Timestamps for Major Segments

| Segment | Start Time | |-------------------------------------------|------------| | U.S.–Iran Tensions & Cliff May Interview | [06:46] | | Texas Camp Safety Law | [14:14] | | Rededicate250 Celebration | [19:51] | | Owl Rescue Story | [24:26] | | Mississippi Baptismal Pool | [25:43] | | Cal Thomas Iran Commentary | [31:36] |

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5. Conclusion

This episode offers a deeply insightful and multifaceted look at crucial international and local issues, balancing hard news, expert voices, personal stories, and spiritual reflection, all with a tone of sobriety, thoughtfulness, and hope. Whether discussing geopolitics, legislative reform, public faith, or historic preservation, the program grounds its analysis and storytelling in both human experience and Christian worldview.

Transcript

[Mary Reichert]

Good morning. The effort to make summer camps safer could shut some down.

[Pete Flores]

We cannot change what happened, but we can change how we prepare.

[Lindsay Mast]

Also today, why Iran refuses to make serious concessions. We'll talk to an expert and Faith and politics at Rededicate250 in Washington later, a tiny church preserving a historic landmark.

[Glenn Foster]

1003 people from 1850 to 1977 have been baptized in this baptismal pool.

[Lindsay Mast]

And world commentator Cal Thomas on the difficulty of diplomatic deal making.

[Mary Reichert]

It's Tuesday, May 19th. This is the world and everything in it from listeners supported world radio. I'm Mary Reichert.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. Good morning.

[Mary Reichert]

Up next, Kent Covington with today's news.

[Kent Covington]

President Trump pulled the plug Monday on a US Military strike against Iran that was set for today. Three Gulf leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates personally appealed to Trump to hold off. They say serious talks with Tehran are now underway. Trump told reporters at the White House,

[President Donald Trump]

I put it off for a little while, hopefully, maybe forever, but possibly for a little while because we've had very big discussions with Iran and we'll see what they amount to.

[Kent Covington]

Meanwhile, the US Naval blockade of Iranian ports is still choking Iran's ability to sell oil, its single biggest export. And that squeeze has reportedly cost Iran nearly $5 billion in revenue since April. White House principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly.

[Lindsay Mast]

President Trump holds all the cards. They have been absolutely decimated militarily. They're now being strangled economically by Operation Economic Fury. And now they're more isolated than ever, she said.

[Kent Covington]

President Trump's red line stays the same. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. Trump posted on social media Monday his words, a deal will be made. But he has also told the Pentagon to be ready for another full scale assault on a moment's notice if talks fall apart. The FBI and police in San Diego are still investigating what drove two teenage gunmen to attack a mosque on Monday. Police say the two suspects, ages 17 and 19, drove to the Islamic center of San Diego, opened fire and killed three men before driving off. Police arrived within four minutes. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wall, our

[Scott Wall]

initial officers that got on scene did not engage with the suspects in the parking lot. They began to make entry into the Islamic Center. They observed three deceased bodies outside of the center.

[Kent Covington]

The dead included a mosque security guard who Wall says helped keep the death toll from being worse. All the children at the mosque school were safe. Investigators say they found anti Islamic writings in the suspect's car.

[Scott Wall]

Because of the Islamic center location, we are considering this a hate crime until

[Kent Covington]

it's not the shooters took their own lives a few blocks away in a stopped vehicle. The Trump administration has set aside $1.7 billion for Americans who say the previous Justice Department wrongly targeted them. This stems from Trump dropping a $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over his leaked tax returns. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche calls it the anti weaponization fund. Anyone who claims political targeting can apply. Officials have not laid out specific eligibility rules or payout amounts, leaving that to a governing commission, trump told reporters at the White House.

[President Donald Trump]

They're getting reimbursed for their legal fees and the other things that they had to suffer.

[Kent Covington]

President Trump himself is not eligible. Democrats are blasting the fund Senate Minority

[Scott Wall]

Leader Chuck Schumer Donald Trump has added a nearly $2 billion slush fund for his MAGA allies to his wish list of pet projects he wants to fund with taxpayer dollars.

[Kent Covington]

A five member commission picked by Blanche will decide who gets paid. The fund runs through December 2028. Voters and a half dozen states head to the polls today to choose Republican and Democratic candidates for November's midterm elections. World's Harrison Waters has more on the top races.

[Harrison Waters]

Voters in Alabama and Kentucky will select candidates to replace outgoing Republican senators Tommy Tuberville and former Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. President Trump has endorsed loyalists from the House of Representatives running for both seats. He's also endorsed a candidate running to unseat Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie. Massie has often voted against his party on expanding government spending and last year forced a vote to release Department of Justice files on Jeffrey Epstein. Meanwhile, Georgia Republicans hope to flip the seat of Democrat Senator Jon Ossoff, who narrowly won a special election in 2020. One name not on that ballot is outgoing Governor Brian Kemp, who many expected to run for Senate but instead is stumping for one of five Republicans in the running. If no candidate gets more than 50% of votes, the top two will advance to a runoff election in June. Reporting for World, I'm Harrison Waters.

[Cliff May]

What do we want?

[Kent Covington]

Bullhorns replacing the normal sounds of trains rumbling into stations in New York and rail workers are still marching with picket signs as Long island railroad strike continues. Five unions and the railroad's parent agency are back at the bargaining table, pushed there on Sunday by the Federal National Mediation Board. Marathon negotiations ran past 1:30 in the morning without a deal. A quarter of a million daily commuters are starting their week on buses as New York governor Kathy Hochul runs shuttles from six Long island stations. But the engineers union vice president James Lewis told CNN that talks are, in his words, much more promising today than yesterday. I'm Kent Covington. And coming up, new camp safety laws after tragic deaths last summer. And later, commentator Cal Thomas on the difficulty of diplomatic dealmaking. This is the World and Everything In It.

[Mary Reichert]

It's Tuesday, the 19th of May. So glad to have you along for today's edition of the World and Everything In It. Good morning. I'm Mary Reichard.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. First up, an 11th hour reprieve. President Trump announced he's postponed a massive military assault on Iran scheduled to launch today. Trump says he called off the strike at the direct request of the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar. They report that serious negotiations are finally underway.

[Mary Reichert]

Well, joining us now is Cliff May. He is the president of the foundation for Defense of Democracies and before that, a journalist who covered the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Cliff, good morning.

[Cliff May]

Good morning. Good to be with you.

[Mary Reichert]

Really glad you're here. Well, to start off with, let's touch briefly on the president's trip to China last week. What can you tell us about what effect those talks might have on the war with Iran?

[Cliff May]

I don't think they'll have much effect on the war with Iran. Now, President Trump said that Xi Jinping told him he didn't think that the regime in Iran should have sovereignty, should keep possession, have tollboards on the Strait of Hormuz, which is international waterway. That's nice that he said that. He said he didn't think that the regime should have nuclear weapons. That's nice that he said that. Will Xi Jinping do anything about either of those? I'm very dubious that he will. I don't think he will.

[Lindsay Mast]

Well, Axios reports that President Trump said that the clock is ticking and floated the possibility that they are going to get hit much harder. Do you see this being different from the last few weeks of proposals and warnings and resulting in more military conflict?

[Cliff May]

I think there's a good chance of it and I think it's warranted that there be more military pressure on this regime because the regime at this point has really given away nothing. It's been very tough. I think you need to understand who these people are. They believe themselves to be jihadis. In other words, they are fighting a holy war against America and the west, against Judeo Christian civilization. This war began 1400 years ago. There's no way they can sit down and say, oh, let's negotiate peace, but they can do a truce to give them time to rearm and so they could be more pliable. But they're not. There yet we can discuss why, but they are not at the point where they are saying, okay, we'll make some serious concessions. They're not there.

[Lindsay Mast]

Well, let's go ahead and discuss that. Why?

[Cliff May]

Well, a couple of reasons. One is I don't think we understood how many weapons they had in their arsenal. We had the war last year, the 12 day war, June of 2025. I think at the end of that, President Trump thought we whacked these guys good, they won't want to do this again. That was not their response. The response was, okay, we got whacked good. So now we need to make hundreds, thousands more missiles, more drones for the next round. They hit Fordo, where we had an underground enrichment facility to make uranium for nuclear weapons. We need to dig deeper. And they began to do that under what's called Pickaxe Mountain. We're going to dig so deep that B2s dropping massive ordnance penetrators can't reach us. In other words, they said after the 12 day war, we're going to build back better. And so I don't doubt that what Admiral Cooper and General Kane are saying when they say we got 80% of their missiles, but 80% means they got 20% left. That could be a thousand. That could be a lot. I do think, in addition to what's going on, the economic strangulation campaign, sometimes known as Operation Economic Fury, we also need to resume Operation Epic Fury or some new version of that, to destroy military targets and perhaps to destroy, let's call them, leadership targets again until we get back to people in power who are more willing to make serious concessions.

[Mary Reichert]

Well, Cliff, let's talk about the people of Iran right now. You've written that maximum pressure on this regime means maximum support for the Iranian people. So how much are they feeling that support right now, you think?

[Cliff May]

I think not much. If they're getting weapons from anybody and ammunition and training and coordination, I'm not aware of it. I think they want to be liberated, and I think they'll suffer a lot of serious sacrifices in order to get to have that. But I don't think they're getting the maximum support they hoped yet. They would like to see this regime not saved even in a weakened and crippled state, which is not nothing. That's an achievement from an American point of view. I think they would like to see this regime collapse so they have the at least the opportunity to have decent leaders, which they haven't had for the past 47 years.

[Lindsay Mast]

Cliff, I want to talk a little bit about the American demands on Iran. Do you think the public impatience from Trump signals vulnerability to Iran?

[Cliff May]

Absolutely, I think so. If, and I think they are. They're reading the American press and they're looking at Congress. There's movements in Congress right now to start to say, let's stop this war. It was a mistake. If you're in the regime, you think, you know what, maybe we can count on them. Also, if you read in a lot of the media, you'll see, oh, this war's not going well. It's going very well for the regime. They're doing much better. We. We're not. Even though they've lost. You know, if you think about it, I mean, imagine if this regime had eliminated the president and the secretary of state and dozens of his deputies. I mean, you would say they're losing. This regime is hurt, for sure. But of course, they are willing to make sacrifices. Martyrdom is a noble aspiration, after all. And surrender is not. Capitulation is not. Not to the infidels. So, yes, I do think the regime is getting some encouragement from. From our side.

[Mary Reichert]

You mentioned Operation Economic Fury and Operation Epic Fury. If negotiations do fail, what's that going to look like, you think?

[Cliff May]

Continue the strangulation, Continue the blockade of ports. As it is right now, the regime is losing what would be like 400 to $500 million a day. Cargill island is where the tankers load up on the oil. That's not happening at this point. President Trump so far has been careful. This may not continue much longer in that, for example, on Carg island, we bombed out the military infrastructure, but not the oil infrastructure. Why not? Because President Trump would like to leave in place as much as possible for a new and better regime so that they're not impoverished. For years, he has tried hard, and he hasn't so far to hit anything that is. That would really make civilians suffer.

[Lindsay Mast]

So you've said wars of choice can prevent threats from metastasizing. So, last question here, and as briefly as you can tell us, if President Trump really decides time is up and orders bombers back to Iran, what's the endgame?

[Cliff May]

Look, the end game is the collapse of the regime. The end game should be, and I think it's important that the Strait of Hormuz becomes an international waterway, and we enforce that and don't let them. I do think that the US can rise to the occasion. I don't think the regime in Iran, now crippled, can or should win this conflict.

[Mary Reichert]

Cliff May is the president of the foundation for Defense of Democracies Cliff, thanks so much.

[Cliff May]

Thank you guys.

[Mary Reichert]

Coming up next on THE WORLD and everything in it, Texas camps prepare for summer under tough new rules New state

[Lindsay Mast]

safety requirements took effect after last summer's deadly flooding at camp mystic killed 25 campers and two counselors. But camp operators say some of the changes are unrealistic. World's Mary Munsey reports.

[Mary Munsey]

When Carrie Hannah was a little girl, she spent parts of her summer at Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp in Hunt, Texas, near the Guadalupe River. When Hannah had little girls, she wanted them to go there, too.

[Hadley Hannah]

I met my best friends there, learned how to be a good sport and grow spiritually.

[Mary Munsey]

Hannah told the Texas legislature about her 9 year old daughter Hadley's excitement at drop off last year.

[Hadley Hannah]

Once I convinced them to come outside and take one last selfie and tell me goodbye, hadley jumped down from the porch and started cartwheeling her way to her cabin. She heard me laughing, stopped, turned around, threw her hands in the air and screamed, I love this place.

[Mary Munsey]

Hadley died in the flooding at Camp mystic last summer. The Guadalupe river has seen some major floods, but last year's broke every record. Afterward, investigators determined the camp safety plan was inadequate even though the camp passed inspection just two days before the flood.

[Hadley Hannah]

Our precious, hilarious, kind, caring, silly, loving little girl who always wanted to help others died because there was no plan,

[Mary Munsey]

lawyer and investigator Casey Garrett testified as well. There was a shelter in place plan.

[Lindsay Mast]

There was not an evacuation plan for

[Mary Munsey]

wind sheltering in place was no longer viable in Texas. Summer camps must have emergency plans to be licensed. Shelter in place counts as a plan. State Senator Pete Flores.

[Pete Flores]

We cannot change what happened, but we can change how we prepare for and respond to the next emergency.

[Mary Munsey]

In September, the legislature passed what's known as the Heavens 27 Camp Safety act, named after the 27 children and counselors who died at Camp Mystic. Camps are now required to have an evacuation plan that every person at the camp knows. It also requires redundant warning systems, specifically fiber optic Internet as a backup. That requirement raised alarms for rural camps. Fiber is too expensive for some, and others are so far off the beaten path that Internet companies wouldn't install it.

[Paul Biles]

We also want to keep campers safe and so but there's not a one size fits all solution.

[Mary Munsey]

Paul Biles is the director of Tejas Camp and Retreat center in Texas. His camp and several others filed a lawsuit to remove the fiber optic requirement.

[Paul Biles]

We don't like to put a price tag on, you know, safety and things like that in the sense of, oh, we're not going to do that because it costs too much. But for many rural camps, a bill like that is their yearly revenue. And so to be able to expect them to pay for something like that is just unrealistic when there's definitely other options available that would serve the same needs.

[Mary Munsey]

Some of those options could include Starlink and wireless Internet. Biles and his lawyers believe nearly half of the 360 camps licensed last year did not have fiber optic Internet. Many of those now have it, but Biles thinks about 50 were struggling to get it in time for the deadline and would have been unable to open. But the state of Texas struck a deal this month. Camps that maintain redundant Internet services and meet the law's other requirements will be allowed to open without fiber optic Internet. What happened in Texas has set off preventative action elsewhere. Henrietta Hart is the CEO of the American Camp Association.

[Henrietta DeHart]

There are currently 11 other states that are looking at strengthening their emergency planning laws along the lines of what Texas did.

[Mary Munsey]

DeHart says Texas needed to update its laws and other states do, too. But too much detail can make it untenable.

[Henrietta DeHart]

The details around, you know, having redundant communication systems, training and rehearsing where appropriate, your emergency plans, you know, things like that, that level of specificity was helpful. Getting granular in that can be problematic in any law.

[Mary Munsey]

DeHart says summer camp laws vary from state to state and parents should do their homework.

[Henrietta DeHart]

But but camps would not be in business if they didn't pay attention to the safety of the campers that were in their care. Folks are in this business because they believe in youth development. They're trying to make a change in the world.

[Mary Munsey]

Texas is still in the process of making sure every camp meets the updated licensing requirements as camps prepare to start welcoming kids by the end of this month. Reporting for World I'm Mary Muncie.

[Kim Henderson]

Additional support comes from Peace International, serving South Sudan's refugees by educating children, empowering women and equipping pastors. Peaceint.org from Reformation Bible College, where theology shapes every calling. [e-mail] and from Eyewitness Ride to Freedom. Three friends, one simulation trapped in history during the Freedom Rides now on all major platforms or eyewitnesspod.com

[Lindsay Mast]

up next, a patriotic rally in the nation's capital. The doubled as a Sunday worship service. Thousands gathered on the National Mall to pray, worship and reflect on the Christian roots of the United States.

[Mary Reichert]

The event, called Rededicate250, was one of a number of government sponsored celebrations commemorating the 250th anniversary of the founding of this nation, but some critics call it a sign of Christian nationalism. Here's world's Juliana Chan Erickson with the story.

[Kent Covington]

Story we welcome you and we welcome

[Scott Wall]

Jesus into this house. Amen.

[Juliana Chan Erickson]

Sunday's Rededicate 250 had all the makings of an ordinary church service. It had personal testimonies and scripture reading.

[Mary Munsey]

And the king stood by the pillar

[Cliff May]

and he made a covenant before the

[Juliana Chan Erickson]

Lord, preaching about the need for God and a relationship with Jesus.

[Cliff May]

God met me there not because I deserve it, but because he is merciful.

[Juliana Chan Erickson]

And thousands of Christians singing and lifting their hands in worship. Many had come from all over the country, missing their own church service for a different sort of worship event. Ken Sims from Bethel, North Carolina, attended and describes himself as a follower of Jesus.

[Kent Covington]

We're just hoping to experience an awesome

[Cliff May]

time in prayer and fellowship.

[Juliana Chan Erickson]

But pastors weren't the only ones talking about God and Christian faith.

[Pete Flores]

My humble assignment here today is to bring us straight to the the Lord in a prayer of rededication. Would you join me in that? Would you join me in that?

[Juliana Chan Erickson]

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson led the crowd in prayer. And Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina reflected on his personal Christian faith.

[Tim Scott]

I'm talking about the one that saved my life, Jesus, my king, my Lord and my everything.

[Juliana Chan Erickson]

Scott and other people politicians also spent time discussing another idea that America has been destined to be a Christian nation.

[Tim Scott]

The principles contained in the Declaration of Independence are saving principles. Can I get an amen? Saving principles. Stand by those principles. Be true to them on all occasions, in all places, against all.

[Juliana Chan Erickson]

Some pastors also shifted from talking about love for God to talking about the Founding Fathers.

[Glenn Foster]

These leaders who loved our country and loved our God would be called Christian nationalists today.

[Juliana Chan Erickson]

Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, addressed critics who said this event blurred the line between separation of church and state.

[Glenn Foster]

If being a Christian nationalist means loving Jesus Christ and loving America, count me in.

[Juliana Chan Erickson]

Crowds cheered. But some exercised caution about using the term Christian nationalist.

[Larry Arne]

You have to be clear about the relationship.

[Juliana Chan Erickson]

Larry Arne is president of Hillsdale College and says historically Americans have held large prayer gatherings like these both in crisis and celebration. He said Sunday's event was no different. But he added that being a Christian nation doesn't necessarily mean converting everyone. It also means giving citizens the right to choose.

[Larry Arne]

Freedom of religion was first fully realized in the United States of America, and the founders took great pride in that. See? And they thought that was a natural, rational thing to do and also a Christian thing to do. That is the sense in which it's Christian Nation.

[Juliana Chan Erickson]

Last week, a Pew survey noted that a growing number of Americans believe religion plays a positive role in public life. But the majority still say churches and other houses of worship should remain silent on political matters. 79% of Americans, for example, say houses of worship should not endorse political candidates. Back at the rally, Spectator Tammy Howard talked about balancing a public faith as a Christian with respect for other people's beliefs.

[Tammy Howard]

But I do speak the word of the Lord to people, and if they don't like it, then that's fine as long as I have they have their views, I have mine.

[Juliana Chan Erickson]

But, she said, it's that holding of different views that makes America an exciting place to live. Reporting for world I'm Juliana Chan Erickson.

[Tim Scott]

Glory, glory, hallelujah is truth, is marching.

[Mary Reichert]

One young owl learned a hard lesson the hard way. He got himself trapped inside a cement mixer at a construction site in southwestern Utah. While pouring concrete, workers discovered the bird. They hosed him down, wrapped him in a towel and sent him to a wildlife sanctuary. Staff spent days picking dried concrete from his feathers. But the damage left him unable to fly, silently giving delicious prey a chance to escape. So wildlife staff performed a delicate procedure called imping, that is, grafting donor feathers onto the damaged wing. After months of recovery, the moment of truth. The great horned owl lifted off, hovered for just a moment, and then disappeared soundlessly back into the wild. Older and wiser it's the world and everything in It. Today is Tuesday, May 19th. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning. I'm Mary Reichard.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. Coming next on the World and Everything in It, a sacred space. For more than 170 years, a quiet spring fed pool has helped believers make public professions of faith. Now a new historical marker is drawing fresh attention to the spot. Here's WORLD Senior writer Kim Henderson.

[Kim Henderson]

Little Bahala Baptist Church in South Mississippi has something few churches can claim, an outdoor baptismal pool. Built in 1850, the spring fed Baptistery is the oldest in the state, possibly the region. Pastor Andy Delancey showed me the site.

[Andy Delancey]

This is the old spring head. I don't know how long this has been here, but you can see the water as clear as it can be. You can see three feet deep down in there.

[Kim Henderson]

So there's a spring. And a few yards away, dug into the ground, there's a bricked baptistery. It fills with water flowing from the spring, but there is a shutoff valve. And when I visited last November, the baptistery Was empty. Men from the church were making repairs.

[Andy Delancey]

We got just a couple leaks that we want to stop that before we put a coat of sealer on this.

[Kim Henderson]

That's David Floyd. He remembers church services in this very spot.

[Andy Delancey]

Go walk right down the hill, right down to the baptism right here. There used to be a set of steps that came off down in here.

[Kim Henderson]

Floyd himself was baptized in the cool water of the pool when he was 12.

[Andy Delancey]

Summer, July, and you will come out with chill bumps all over you, I promise you.

[Kim Henderson]

But the church got an indoor baptistry in 1978. This outdoor pool is rarely used.

[Andy Delancey]

There was two baptized here, I think, in 2014.

[Kim Henderson]

Glenn Foster doesn't live in the community now, but his family members were some of the first settlers in the area.

[Glenn Foster]

About where those pine trees over there goes across at an angle is the old Choctaw Indian boundary line from the treaty of 1806.

[Kim Henderson]

The foster family owned the land around the church, and they've been informal caretakers of the baptismal pool for five generations.

[Glenn Foster]

My dad and his 10 siblings, all 11 of them were baptized in this baptismal hole right here. Touch it, it's like ice water.

[Lindsay Mast]

All the time.

[Glenn Foster]

All the time.

[Kim Henderson]

In 1980, the foster family restored the

[Glenn Foster]

grounds, hauled in 40 yards of dirt, 20 yards of pea gravel, put a fence around it, and for the last

[Kim Henderson]

four decades, they've tried to keep it looking nice. When one of Glenn Foster's cousins suggested they get a state historical marker for the baptismal pool, the family voted yes. The church approved as well. So they got the Mississippi Department of Archives and History involved.

[Caleb Ellison]

Only the state authorizes these types of markers, and what makes it distinct from other markers is that it has the green background with the magnolia at the top.

[Kim Henderson]

Caleb Ellison is a program manager for the agency. He says close to 1400 markers currently dot the state's landscape.

[Caleb Ellison]

Markers are primarily paid for and promoted by sponsors. So it's the local community that are giving us the recommendation to make the markers.

[Kim Henderson]

The sponsor submits an application. Then a team at the Department of Archives and History takes the text that's proposed for the marker and verifies it.

[Caleb Ellison]

We use our archives, but we also use newspapers. We ask the sponsors to send us information that they have themselves.

[Kim Henderson]

The making of a marker is a six month process. It happens out of state in Ohio.

[Glenn Foster]

Three feet four, something like that. I'm not exactly.

[Kim Henderson]

When I returned to the baptismal pool in April, men with shovels were trying to make a dent in the hard ground near the road.

[Glenn Foster]

There's a three foot hole there that we're going to put the post down in. We're going to put a little additional concrete there to hold the pole.

[Kim Henderson]

Glenn Foster was there along with some men from the church. The new marker was there, too, weighing in at 80 pounds, wrapped up in Foster's truck bed. When the men finished setting it in place, they covered it with fabric.

[Glenn Foster]

When we had the dedication service on the 18th, we will unveil it.

[Kim Henderson]

And two weeks later, the unveiling caused just the reaction Foster hoped for. The marker dedication drew a crowd. It was a historic event. It was a spiritual event.

[Glenn Foster]

I have counted up through all the records I have 1003 people from 1850 to 1977 have been baptized in this baptismal pool.

[Kim Henderson]

Family member Don Wallace stood before the crowd to pray.

[Don Wallace]

Thank you for every soul who has stepped into these waters, for every tear of repentance, and for every song of joy that has echoed in this sacred place. Lord, may this pool continue to be a wellspring of grace for generations to come.

[Kim Henderson]

Wallace prayed that the waters of the baptismal pool would serve as a reminder of God's unchanging love and promise of new life in Christ. It was a prayer 176 years in the making with a view toward eternity. Reporting for world I'm Kim Henderson in little Bahala, Mississippi.

[Mary Reichert]

Good morning. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported world radio. I'm. I'm Gary Reichard.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. With tensions in Iran rising and negotiations off again, on again, the debate in Washington is no longer whether Iran can be trusted. The debate is whether diplomacy alone can stop a regime determined to get nuclear weapons. World commentator Cal Thomas says history offers a clear answer.

[Cal Thomas]

Secretary of state Marco Rubio recently met with president Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican. The pope continues urging diplomacy and peace. Rubio sounded respectful but realistic about the danger posed by Iran's rulers.

[Marco Rubio]

I expressed, you know, updated them on the situation with Iran, expressed our point of view about why this wasn't important and the danger that Iran poses to the world, which is largely recognized. So obviously the, you know, the holy Father is a spiritual leader and obviously the church is always interacting on behalf of a mission for peace and a respect for all of humanity.

[Cal Thomas]

Of course, peace is always preferable. The problem comes when one side wants peace and the other side wants power. Iran's rulers have spent decades funding terror groups, brutalizing dissidents, threatening Israel and pursuing regional domination. Diplomacy works when both sides ultimately want stability. But history is filled with regimes that interpret conciliation not as goodwill, but as weakness. More than a century ago, Winston Churchill warned that militant Islam was not a fading force, but an expansionist one. Ronald Reagan understood something similar about the Soviet Union. When Reagan called it an evil empire, critics recoiled. Some advisors reportedly urged him to remove the phrase. He refused. Reagan believed moral clarity mattered more than fashionable diplomacy. And eventually the Soviet Union collapsed. Now the same debate surrounds Iran.

[Marco Rubio]

I think everybody agrees that Iran having a nuclear weapon is unacceptable except the ayatollah. So I think the question is, what do you do about it? And, you know, we've had every American president says, oh, they can't have a nuclear weapon. This is the first American president actually trying to do something concrete about it.

[Cal Thomas]

That is the question, what do you do about a regime that repeatedly cheats, kills, threatens, and expands its influence through violence? In the meeting between the Pope and the Secretary of State, the two exchanged gifts. Pope Leo gave Rubio a pen made from an olive branch. Rubio gave the Pope a crystal football. An oddly fitting exchange. One symbolized reconciliation. The other symbolized conflict. But history suggests evil rarely retreats simply because it is asked politely to do so. For World, I'm Cal Thomas.

[Lindsay Mast]

Tomorrow, Hunter Baker will be along to talk politics on Washington Wednesday. And a family seeks to rebuild after Georgia wildfires destroyed their home. That and tomorrow. I'm Lindsay Mast.

[Mary Reichert]

And I'm Mary Reichard. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. The Bible says, you, hands have made and fashioned me. Give me understanding that I may learn your commandments. Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word. I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant. Verses 73 through 76 of Psalm 119. Go now in grace and peace.