5.23.25 Culture Friday, reviews of two weekend releases, and feedback from listeners

Summary

Podcast Summary: The World and Everything In It – May 23, 2025

The World and Everything In It is a leading news program from WORLD Radio, consistently ranked among Apple Podcasts' top 100 News shows. This listener-supported podcast delivers essential headlines, in-depth field reporting, insightful interviews, and expert analysis, all grounded in biblical principles. The May 23, 2025 episode, titled "Culture Friday, reviews of two weekend releases, and feedback from listeners," offers a comprehensive overview of current events, cultural discussions, and community interactions.

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Headlines and Key News

Fatal Shooting of Israeli Embassy Staffers At the outset, Ken Covington reports on a tragic incident involving the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington, D.C. The Justice Department has officially charged 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez with multiple federal crimes, including first-degree murder for the deaths of 30-year-old Yaron Levzinski and Sarah Milgram. Interim Washington District Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated, “[00:53] the suspect gunned them down in cold blood as the couple left an event at a Jewish museum.”

Nick Eicher adds depth to the coverage, emphasizing the targeted nature of the attack: “Yaron and Sarah weren't the victims of a random crime. The terrorists who cruelly gunned them down did so for one reason and one reason alone” ([01:31]).

President Trump's Legislative Agenda: The "Big Beautiful Bill" The episode shifts focus to the legislative arena, where Ken Covington discusses the US Senate's deliberation on President Donald Trump's proposed bill, referred to as the "big beautiful bill." House Speaker Mike Johnson celebrated its passage in the House, urging the Senate to expedite its approval: “[02:10] I encourage our Senate colleagues to think of this as a one team effort… and get it to the president's desk by July 4.”

The bill encompasses permanent 2017 tax cuts, elimination of taxes on tips, enhanced border control, and national security measures. While Republicans laud it as a comprehensive legislative triumph, Democrats criticize it as “a bill that was already rotten to the core and made it even worse” ([02:37]).

US-Iran Nuclear Talks In international affairs, Ken Covington reports on US Special Envoy Steve Wytkopf’s ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran in Rome. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt noted, “[02:59] that President Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about a potential deal.” The situation remains precarious as Iran approaches weapons-grade levels of enriched uranium, heightening global tensions.

Supreme Court Ruling on Religious Charter School A significant judicial decision is highlighted as the US Supreme Court, through a 4-4 split decision, effectively blocks the establishment of the nation’s first publicly funded religious charter school in Oklahoma. Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself, allowing the lower court ruling to stand. The case debated whether taxpayer funds could support a religious educational institution, stirring debates on school choice versus the separation of church and state ([03:06]).

Biden-Era Regulation on Abortion Accommodations Further legal developments include District Judge David Joseph’s ruling against a Biden-era regulation mandating employer accommodations for workers seeking abortions. Judge Joseph determined that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission overreached its authority, as the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) does not explicitly include abortion services ([04:07]). While the abortion-related provisions are vacated, the remainder of the PWFA regulations remains intact.

Make America Healthy Again Commission Report Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveils the inaugural report from the Make America Healthy Again Commission, focusing on the root causes of rising chronic illnesses among children. The commission identifies factors such as ultra-processed, nutrient-poor diets and excessive screen time as primary contributors. Nick Eicher summarizes, “[05:09] It's common sense that ultra processed, nutrient poor food contributes to chronic disease,” emphasizing the need for prioritizing exercise and healthy nutrition over medical interventions ([05:22]).

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Culture Friday Segment

Introduction and Donor Drive Hosted by Myrna Brown and Nick Eicher, the Culture Friday segment delves into student questions from the World Journalism Institute (WJI) at Dort University. The hosts also announce a new donor drive, encouraging listeners to support the next generation of journalists. Nick humorously explains the donation matching: “[07:55] Every new gift given today, every new gift is going to be tripled” ([08:35]).

Student Questions and Discussions

1. Godly Masculinity in the Modern Day

   • Question by Caleb Heffern, Taylor University: “What does godly masculinity look like in the modern day?”
   • Response by John Stonestreet: Stonestreet emphasizes that masculinity should not be conflated with toxicity. He references Scripture to outline that men are created to improve the world, cultivate virtues, and prioritize love for God and others. He asserts, “[10:39] If we cultivate those virtues with the right priorities in mind, that will emerge” as true masculinity.

2. Shift Toward High Church Denominations

   • Question by Sarah Atkins, UNC Chapel Hill: “Why are young Christians moving from low church denominations to more traditional high church denominations like Anglicanism and Catholicism?”
   • Response by John Stonestreet: Stonestreet attributes this shift to a search for stability and doctrinal grounding amidst modern chaos. He notes, “[12:10] There is a stability of doing something that the church has always done from the beginning,” highlighting the appeal of traditional liturgical practices and enduring creeds.

3. Managing Media Consumption Responsibly

   • Question by Grace Mackey, Palm Beach Atlantic University: “How would you encourage your readers and listeners to manage their media consumption responsibly, specifically regarding news and social media?”
   • Response by John Stonestreet: Stonestreet advises adopting a Sabbath lifestyle to create tech-free spaces, promoting reflection, prayer, and meaningful conversations. He echoes Neil Postman’s concerns about media overconsumption, stating, “[15:37] Over consumption is a problem,” and recommends disciplined media habits to maintain spiritual and mental well-being.

4. Christians and Warfare

   • Question by Katherine Munson, University of Montevallo: “How should Christians think and pray about wars, especially when Christians serve on both sides for patriotic reasons or by compulsion?”
   • Response by John Stonestreet: Stonestreet explores the complexity of Christian involvement in warfare, referencing historical figures like Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He emphasizes the importance of praying for those involved and striving to act righteously even when conscripted, concluding, “[20:38] Encourage him that whatever his hand finds to do, he does it all for the Lord” ([21:33]).

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Movie Reviews

Live-Action Remake of Lilo and Stitch Colin Garbarino reviews Disney’s live-action adaptation of the beloved 2002 animated film. He notes that while the remake stays true to the original's spirit and introduces a true villain, it lacks some of the original's magical sparkle and cinematic quality. "This new Lilo and Stitch is a competent remake with nice tweaks, but it's lacking some sparkle" ([24:16]). However, it remains a suitable choice for families seeking nostalgic and fun entertainment.

Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning Garbarino also examines the eighth installment of the Mission Impossible franchise, titled Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning. Serving as a culmination of the series, the film intertwines multiple plotlines and pays homage to the franchise’s 30-year legacy. Despite Tom Cruise’s commendable stunt work and the film’s ambitious scope, Garbarino critiques it for being overly long and convoluted. “[27:42] This isn't impossible. At its best, the Final Reckoning is a bloated adventure with too many plot lines and characters” but remains a spectacle for fans.

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Listener Feedback

Corrections and Acknowledgments The hosts address minor errors from previous broadcasts, such as the misreported value of a donated jet and the mispronunciation of a Vietnamese surname. Listener Eric Anderson commended the podcast for its humility in acknowledging mistakes, stating, “If all our faults were counted, who among us would stand?” ([30:18]).

Listener Messages

• Amelia Nguyen: Appreciates the Vietnam War stories, relating them to her father's heritage.
• Laura Laster: Praises the coverage of the "Take It Down Act," highlighting its focus on societal improvement.
• John Piewitz: Agrees with previous commentaries on the biblical view of work and references David Bonhoeffer’s insights on productive endeavors.
• Duncan Holmes: Shares a personal reflection on caregiving, finding solace in the podcast’s segment coinciding with his late wife’s birthday.

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Announcements and Acknowledgments

Cordell Prize Writing Competition The episode promotes the Cordell Prize, a writing competition for journalists aged 18-29 focusing on faith and suffering. Participants are encouraged to submit published stories that highlight individuals overcoming adversity while maintaining their Christian faith. “[33:05] Cordell Prize submissions due by May 30th. Just visit wng.orgcordell for more information.”

Team Recognition The hosts extend gratitude to the extensive team behind the podcast, acknowledging contributors, producers, editors, and supporting staff who ensure the program’s quality and reach.

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Conclusion This episode of The World and Everything In It masterfully navigates a diverse array of topics, blending hard-hitting news with meaningful cultural discussions and heartfelt listener interactions. Anchored in biblical values, the podcast continues to inform, educate, and inspire its audience, fostering a community grounded in faith and truth.

Transcript

[Myrna Brown]

Good morning. Today on Culture Friday, student questions from our World Journalism Institute collegiate course at Dort University.

[Nick Eicher]

Also today, can Disney make a live action movie that fans will approve of? Is that even possible? World's Colin Garbarino on that. And I need you to trust me one last time. Another Mission Impossible. And later, your listener feedback for May.

[Myrna Brown]

It's Friday, May 23rd. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Myrna Brown.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Iger.

[Myrna Brown]

Up next, Ken Covington with today's news.

[Ken Covington]

The Justice Department has charged the suspect in the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy staffers with multiple federal crimes. Interim Washington District Attorney Jeanine Pirro, murder.

[Myrna Brown]

In the first degree for the murder of 30 year old Yaron Levzinski, a.

[Ken Covington]

Foreign official and official guest of the United States. And another first degree murder charge for the death of Sarah Milgram, as well as charges of murder of foreign officials. Prosecutors say 31 year old Elias Rodriguez gunned them down in cold blood Wednesday night as the couple left an event at a Jewish museum. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday.

[Nick Eicher]

Yaron and Sarah weren't the victims of a random crime. The terrorists who cruelly gunned them down did so for one reason and one reason alone.

[Ken Covington]

He wanted to kill Jews, according to his charging documents. Rodriguez later confessed to the crime and told investigators he did it for Palestine. The US Senate will now decide the fate of President Trump's so called big beautiful bill, which addresses his top legislative priorities. House Speaker Mike Johnson took a brief moment to celebrate the bill's passage in the House Thursday morning after a marathon overnight session. But he wasted no time urging the Senate to do the same.

[Nick Eicher]

I encourage our Senate colleagues to think of this as a one team effort as we have and to get it over the line ultimately and finished and.

[Ken Covington]

Get it to the president's desk by July 4. Right now, it makes the 2017 tax cuts permanent, eliminates taxes on tips. It also addresses border control and national security. President Trump and Republicans call it a beautiful bill. Democrats, though, describe it differently. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer House Republicans.

[John Stonestreet]

Took a bill that was already rotten to the core and made it even worse.

[Ken Covington]

Democrats accused Republicans of pushing through tax cuts for the rich. US Special envoy to the Middle East Steve Wytkopf is traveling to Rome today for a fifth round of nuclear talks with Iran. White House press Secretary Caroline Levitt told.

[John Stonestreet]

Reporters this deal with Iran could end in two ways. It could end in a very positive diplomatic solution or it could end in.

[Nick Eicher]

A very negative situation for Iran, the.

[Ken Covington]

White House says President Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday about a potential deal. Iran is believed to be a short, technical step away from weapons grade levels of enriched uranium. The US Supreme Court has effectively shut down plans for the first publicly funded religious charter school in the country in a rare 44 split decision. Justice Amy Coney Barrett sitting out the justice has allowed a lower court ruling to stand blocking a Catholic charter school in Oklahoma. The case centered on whether taxpayer money can fund a religious charter school. Supporters argued that it expanded school choice, while critics said it blurred the line between church and state. The decision applies only to Oklahoma and does not set a national precedent. And a federal judge has struck down part of a Biden era regulation that required employers to accommodate workers seeking abortions. World's Benjamin Eicher has more.

[John Stonestreet]

District Judge David Joseph ruled that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission overstepped its authority by mandating such accommodations. The commission interpreted the Pregnant Workers Fairness act, or pwfa, to include abortion as a related medical condition requiring employer accommodations. But the judge found that Congress did not explicitly include abortion in the PWFA and that the commission lacked the authority to expand the law's scope. While the decision vacates the abortion related provisions, the rest of EEOC's PWFA regulations remain in effect. The ruling came in response to lawsuits filed by two states along with Catholic organizations. For World I'm Benjamin Eicher Health and.

[Ken Covington]

Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Has unveiled the very first report from his Make America Healthy Again Commission. The panel was tasked with finding root causes of rising chronic illnesses in children and developing a strategy to reverse the trend. And Kennedy says many of its findings should really come as no surprise.

[Nick Eicher]

It's common sense that ultra processed, nutrient poor food contributes to chronic disease. It's common sense that excessive screen time.

[Ken Covington]

And isolation lead to anxiety and depression, especially in children.

[Nick Eicher]

It's common sense that exercise and healthy food should come before prescriptions and surgery.

[Ken Covington]

The report also looks at corporate influence in shaping public health policies, particularly in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The Make America Healthy again commission has 80 days from the report's release to develop a strategy to address those issues. I'm Kent Covington and straight ahead, johnstonestreet answers questions from our World Journalism Institute on Culture Friday plus World's Colin Garberino reviews two movies opening this weekend, this Is the World and everything in it.

[Myrna Brown]

It's Friday, the 23rd of May. We are on campus this week and next at Dort University up in Sioux Center, Iowa. And we're glad to have you along for today's edition of the World and everything in it. Good morning. I'm Myrna Brown.

[Nick Eicher]

Hey, good morning. I'm Nick Eicher. Our radio and TV teams have been up here. This the news and magazine team. They are headed up this weekend. We're working with 32 talented young men and women, helping them to learn to honor Christ in their journalism careers with skill and faithfulness. Now, this is always, and I just need to say this, this is the most exhilarating and exhausting two weeks of the year for me. I love it, though. It's good for the heart to meet these young people. How's that slogan go? The newborn baby is God's opinion that life should. You know, I think of faithful Christian students much in the same way. A very positive sign about the future. And I have to tell you, it's an honor to be a part of it.

[Myrna Brown]

Mm. I'm the same way. I'm the same way. In fact, I'd like to see someone try and keep me away from this.

[Nick Eicher]

Won't be me.

[Myrna Brown]

I just love these kids. And we can call them kids. Nick, lots of people are kids to us at this point, right?

[Nick Eicher]

Yeah. Listen, my kids are older than these kids.

[Myrna Brown]

Yep. Same for me. Well, it's a busy, busy time here at World. Not only with WJI going on, but we're entering giving season. And today we kick off a one week new donor drive.

[Nick Eicher]

You know, it's interesting, Myrna, thinking about investing in the next generation of journalists, as we're doing here. I think this is a really good theme for what we're doing with the new donor drive. We've got longtime World donors investing in the next generation of dark. What they're doing is they're saying, hey, every single new gift given today, every new gift is going to be tripled. A first time donor puts in a dollar. A long time donor puts in two. So one becomes three. And beware journalists doing math. Sorry, but we thought about this. 1 becomes 3, 50 becomes 150, 100 becomes 300. I think you get the idea.

[Myrna Brown]

Oh, yeah. And to sweeten the offer, we know that many listeners save up this Friday program for. And we don't want you to be listening on Saturday, for example, and saying, oh, oh, no, I missed out. Well, we are accounting for that reality and offering today and up to the time the clock strikes midnight and becomes Monday again.

[Nick Eicher]

Here's what we're asking. If you've never given before to World, let's make this the year that you do. And today and this launch weekend, every new gift gets tripled. Each dollar becomes three. So no better time than the present to cast a big vote of confidence for sound journalism grounded in facts and biblical truth. Now, your support keeps this program going. It supports World Watch. It supports World magazine and our faithful news gathering team working for you every day. It's our longtime donors giving right alongside our very newest one. So let me give you a special address. I hope you'll visit. This will make it a lot easier to keep track. Wng.orgnewdonor that's the place.

[Myrna Brown]

Wng.orgnewdonors and thank you for making trustworthy, biblically grounded journalism possible. Well, it's Culture Friday. John Stonestreet joins us now. John, of course, is president of the Colson center and host of the Breakpoint Podcast. Good morning to you, John.

[John Stonestreet]

Good morning.

[Nick Eicher]

Well, John, we have four WJI students all lined up with very good questions. How's that sound?

[John Stonestreet]

I'm ready. Let's give it a shot.

[Nick Eicher]

Hi, John, My name is Caleb Heffern.

[John Stonestreet]

And I am a student at Taylor University.

[Nick Eicher]

And my question for you today is what does godly masculinity look like in the modern day? Masculinity has kind of been taken over, I feel like, as a word to something that's only meant to be bad. And so how do we embody godly principles as a man, especially for someone going into the world as a young adult?

[John Stonestreet]

Well, since this is a Culture Friday segment, I'm tempted to go down the rabbit hole of why we are seeing trends of young men more and more young men becoming religious again. Coming back to faith, I was talking to a group of folks just this morning about this. It's funny, I'm old enough to remember when we were worried that young men didn't have an attention span, that they were playing video games and couldn't think longer than a tweet. Now they're listening to three hour podcast on really oftentimes pretty deep subjects. So to me, there's some good news here to be found. But you're right, Listen, I think a lot of masculin has for a decade or more been portrayed as toxic, things that aren't toxic at all. And there are moments when that becomes obvious at times when you need a man to be heroic, when you need a man to self sacrifice, when you need a man to be strong and a disciplinarian. And so listen, I think we need to start with design. What did God create men for? And before we know what a man should do, we need to know what a man is for. And I think the fundamental thing that is communicated in Scripture, in the creation narrative is that all humans but men in a particular way, were created to leave things better than they found them, to be fruitful, to multiply, to make things flourish. So immediately that turns our attention from looking inside and instead looks at turning outward. How do I invest in others? How do I turn my attention first and foremost to loving God and then from the perspective of loving God, then loving others. Now, of course, what Scripture says is that he empowers us to do that. So when we are related well to God, then he actually equips us with the Holy Spirit. And the whole gospel is a gospel of renewal and redemption and resurrection. And so all these rewords point us back to what God intended by creation. So we're not saved to become less male. We're saved to become truly and fully male. There's also, I think, some wonderful wisdom. Through the ages of the cultivating of virtues. We've kind of substituted values for virtue, as if having the right beliefs somehow is the same thing as loving the right things. But we have to cultivate the right loves, the love for truth, the love for justice, the loves that actually do contribute to the rest of the world. And then that has to shape how we then engage. And I think if we cultivate those virtues, in the end will have the kind of courage that portrays true masculinity. Chesterton said courage is the testing point of all the virtues. And hopefully, if we cultivate those virtues with the right priorities in mind, that will emerge. Hi, John. My name is Sarah Atkins. I'm a student at UNC Chapel Hill. And I just wanted to ask you. From what I've seen, there has been a movement of young Christians going from more low church denominations, such as Baptist, toward more traditional high church church denominations like Anglicanism and Catholicism. And I was wondering, why do you think that is? Well, I'm tempted to make a joke about the Tar Heels as a Duke basketball fan, but I will not do that.

[Nick Eicher]

Well, we'd have to tee you up then, John. That's a technical foul.

[John Stonestreet]

I think what you're noticing here, Sarah, is accurate. I just want to point out, though, this is something that people have been noticing for a while. And when you actually look at the numbers, it's not just folks going from low church to high church, or less liturgical to more liturgical, although it is. It's just a whole lot of movement going on. And some by the way, coming not out of a low church, but coming out of no church. And that's what they're gravitating towards. There is a stability of doing something that the church has always done from the beginning. There is a stability of not just saying, we're a church of the Bible, but actually reading the Bible as a church, as liturgical congregations so often do. There is a stability amidst the postmodern chaos and confusion of a creed that kind of grounds your feet into truths. And you're not looking for, how does this apply to me? Or how can I experience this in a new way? But just no matter what the experience is that we're going through either as individuals or as a civilization, there's solid ground. I believe in one God, the Father, that Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son. You know, I mean, these are truths that transcend times and transcend cultures. And there's a reaction, I think, at some level to the constant need for innovation that draws people to this way. So I think that's. That maybe explains the front door. We still have to have a conversation at some point in many of these denominations about the back door. And of course, we want to distinguish between those congregations that say the creeds and believe them and those that say the creeds and don't believe them or make up new creeds. Right. Which is a whole lot of conversations to be had about mainline denominations. Hi, John.

[Nick Eicher]

This is Grace Mackey from Palm Beach Atlantic University.

[John Stonestreet]

It seems to me like over consumption.

[Colin Garbarino]

Of media is a problem.

[Nick Eicher]

So as a professional in media, how would you encourage your readers and listeners.

[John Stonestreet]

To manage their media consumption responsibly?

[Nick Eicher]

More specifically, news and social media consumption?

[John Stonestreet]

Grace, it's a great question. And if I could channel the professor from the lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe when he said, Plato. Plato. It's all in Plato. I'll say Postman, Postman. It's all in Neil Postman, who warned about this when it came to newspapers and the emerging entertainment society that was being driven by television. And what you kind of have to do is think about, okay, what are those dangers? And there's a couple of things. Number one is that it would drive an ethos of style over substance. Second, that it would make us completely captivated by news that was happening in another part of the world and make us not engaged in our own backyards. So what do we do? You know, I. We talk a lot on Culture Friday about culture through the lens of habits. We have to have different habits. You have to be weird, and the weird has to Be not having that same sort of media diet that everyone else does over consumption is a problem. Second, over consumption, if you don't have strong foundations is a real problem. I mean, I had the same conversation years ago with praise and worship leaders. In other words, just because you are really good at playing the guitar doesn't mean you should make up your own theology and put it in your songs and then make people sing it. But the separation that we've done at the church between those who are kind of celebrities and the need for those celebrities to have theology is a real problem. So that's really the conversation, I think for producers you also have. The conversation for consumers is that we need different habits as well. I would really recommend a Sabbath lifestyle, not just days, although I think a 24 hour Sabbath from social media is probably a really, really good habit to start now. But Sabbaths when you're at the dinner table, sabbaths when you're in the car and have the opportunity to either reflect or pray or learn or have a conversation. And these are different habits. Sherry Turkle, who's not a believer, you know, warned about this years ago and talked about the need for sacred space where you just have tech free parts of your life. I mean, that's to me a bare minimum. The last thing I'll say is just this. One of the things that's very important when it comes to any kind of cultural analysis is that the loudest thing in culture often is not the most significant. The Most dangerous ideas, C.S. lewis said, are not the ones that are argued, but the ones that are assumed. And I think the most dangerous ideas in culture and the most significant stories and the most prominent and important trends within a cultural setting are not the loudest but the ones that are normalizing our beliefs in particular ways. And so having that discernment when everyone's chasing to be the loudest will make you different as well. Hi John. My name is Katherine Munson. I attend the University of Montevallo. My church is currently praying for a missionary who could be drafted by the Russian army any day. So my question is how should Christians think and pray about wars? Especially when there are Christians serving on both sides for patriotic reasons or by compulsion. Oh man, what a fascinating question. It would be interesting if we weren't talking about a real person here. And that's the thing, is this is a real life situation. And what I mean by real life is when we remember that the Christian faith deals with public truths. And one of those is that the reason there is a draft to the Russian army to begin with is that there is a lack of children because they have been inflicted by the demographic crisis that we talked about on this program before. And you know, that has real world consequences when you have a, a leader like Putin who wants to take your people to war. But that's another question for another time. The quick one is, is that this is really hard. You know, Jesus spoke to a Roman soldier and did not say, the only way to follow me is to get out of the army. Neither did Paul. And now you're talking about people who clearly were involved in a state force that wasn't driven, you know, by Christianity or by doing it the right way. The conversation of just war developed through Christian history and Christian influence. Where you started wrestle with, oh, not just on pragmatic terms can we win this, but should we be engaged in this war? And then once you are engaged, how should we be engaged so more closely to modern times? You have a guy like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who led a underground seminary and school for the Confessing Church and some of his former students who he kept in touch with all the way through. You can see some of their correspondence and letters and papers from prison. He wrote to them about what it means to be co opted at that point in the German army and they did not have a choice. And it's fascinating to listen to him say, go be the best German you can be. But for him that also meant don't be the best Nazi you can be, because that's not being the best German you can be and you might even get in trouble with it. So I think that there is a lot of space when you do not have kind of the choice and you're conscripted into that. But can you actually obey and do the right thing in the process? Of course there are other views on this that say you can't at all. I'm not a pacifist for a lot of reasons, but there is a Christian tradition there, so there's a lot of reading to be done in this space. I think what you could do is encourage him that whatever his hand finds to do, he does it all for the Lord and you pray to that end. And in the middle of being perhaps co opted into something that isn't ultimately just and is full of problems, that he can do it in the right way and point people to God as he does it.

[Nick Eicher]

John Stonestreet is president of the Colson center and host of the Breakpoint Podcast. John, thank you. I love this time of year. I bet you do too.

[John Stonestreet]

I do. These are great questions, as they always are, and I guess we'll get to another batch of them next week.

[Ken Covington]

Additional support comes from Dort University, whose online, MBA and MPA programs prepare leaders for lasting impact. Dort University, until all is made new. And from water's edge, Kingdom Investments, personal investments that build churches. 4.75% APY on a six month term.

[Nick Eicher]

Watersedge.com invest today is Friday, May 23rd. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning, I'm Nick Iger.

[Myrna Brown]

And I'm Myrna Brown. Coming next on the World and everything in it, what's coming to theaters this Memorial Day weekend, here's Colin Gammarino on Disney's live action remake of Lilo and Stitch. And Tom Cruise's latest Mission Impossible movie.

[Colin Garbarino]

This Memorial Day weekend, movie theaters are offering a couple of new films that could have broad appeal. First up, we have the live action remake of Disney's 2002 animated film, Lilo and Stitch. A film about a mischievous Hawaiian girl who adopts a chaotic space alien.

[Nick Eicher]

Yeah, let's put this one back.

[John Stonestreet]

Lilo, come here, sweetie. You know, we do have better dogs.

[Myrna Brown]

Like, way better.

[John Stonestreet]

Not better than him.

[Colin Garbarino]

She can talk dogs.

[John Stonestreet]

No, can't talk dogs. Can't talk. Lilo.

[Colin Garbarino]

Just like in the 2002 animated feature, Stitch is a dangerous science experiment whose ship crash lands in Hawaii. In order to blend in with his surroundings, he gets himself adopted by a six year old Lilo. Ever since their parents died, Lilo's big sister Nani has been trying to keep their family from falling apart. Lilo has her own behavior problems, and adding Stitch to the mix creates absolute mayhem. How's it going?

[Nick Eicher]

Look, David, I got a dog.

[Myrna Brown]

You sure has a dog.

[John Stonestreet]

Yeah.

[Nick Eicher]

Ruff.

[Colin Garbarino]

Despite Stitch's unsuccessful attempts to fit in, the family has other problems. The United Galactic Federation has sent two agents to arrest Stitch and bring him home. Of course, these two bumbling aliens prove even more inept than Stitch at navigating human society.

[John Stonestreet]

Oh, brilliant. Is it too late to vaporize the planet?

[Nick Eicher]

Fingers always on the trigger, ma' am.

[John Stonestreet]

No, no, I'm joking.

[Colin Garbarino]

This live action film stays true to the spirit of the original. But it's not a shot for shot remake, which I'm happy about. This new version gives Nani and Lilo more of a support network. It also creates a true villain for the film, something the original lacked. And Maia Kealoa, who plays Lilo, is exceedingly cute.

[John Stonestreet]

Hey, I changed my mind. What's that? I like you as a Mom too.

[Colin Garbarino]

On the whole, this new Lilo and Stitch is a competent remake with nice tweaks, but it's lacking some sparkle. Despite the lush beauty of Hawaii, the cinematography isn't very cinematic. The film still resembles the straight to Disney movie it was originally intended to be. Nonetheless, Lilo and Stitch will work for families who enjoyed the original and are looking to kick off the summer with some fun. But Tom Cruise's latest Impossible Mission may be the ticket for moviegoers looking for a little more action. Impossible has long been one of my favorite franchises, so of course I was ready for the eighth installment, Mission Impossible the Final Reckoning. The seventh film came out in 2023 and ended on a cliffhanger with super spy Ethan Hunt only completing the first step of his mission to destroy a dangerous artificial intelligence. The Final Reckoning completes that story while serving as a capstone for the entire franchise.

[John Stonestreet]

Everything you were, everything you've done has come to this.

[Colin Garbarino]

Since the last movie, the rogue AI known as the Entity has become increasingly powerful. It's corrupted all digital information and humanity has lost confidence in the notion of truth. Angry crowds protest in the streets and misinformation has exacerbated geopolitical tensions. The situation becomes more dire when the Entity takes control of various countries nuclear arsenals. Who else can you call besides Ethan Hunt?

[Nick Eicher]

When the need for certainty is absolute.

[John Stonestreet]

And the odds are deemed impossible, the mission falls to him should he choose to accept.

[Colin Garbarino]

Previous Mission Impossible movies each featured a self contained mission that didn't require the audience to know what happened in previous movies. That changes with this film. You had probably better go back and watch Dead Reckoning if you haven't already. But this film doesn't merely finish the story from the last installment. It doubles down on the interconnectedness of the Mission Impossible universe. Its complicated narrative encompasses plot points and characters from the entire franchise. The Final Reckoning ends up being a tribute to Mission Impossible's 30 year history. The film even offers a nod to Tom Cruise's Top Gun movies.

[John Stonestreet]

Our lives are the sum of our choices. This is recalling your destiny. I have no regrets.

[Colin Garbarino]

This tribute has some nice moments and Tom Cruise's dedication to doing his own stunt work without the use of computer generated effects adds to the sheer spectacle of it all. But this isn't impossible. At its best, the Final Reckoning is a bloated adventure with too many plot lines and characters. Despite its near three hour runtime, it feels incomplete. The beginning is choppy and hard to follow, as if scenes were cut because the film was overly long. And most disappointingly, some of the mysteries teased in the previous film don't get resolved.

[John Stonestreet]

I need you to trust me one last time.

[Colin Garbarino]

Given its name and the desire to pay homage to the franchise's 30 year legacy, you might think this movie is the end of the road for Ethan and the Impossible Mission Force, but filmmakers haven't ruled out another installment. I would definitely welcome Mission Impossible 9, but I hope any future sequels would focus on what made some of the earlier movies so good, the blend of espionage and heist genres. And in case you're wondering, the best Mission Impossible movie is the fifth installment, Rogue Nation. I'm Colin Garberino.

[Myrna Brown]

Today is Friday, May 23rd. Good morning. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Myrna Brown.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eicher. Next up, your Listener feedback for the month of May. First up, a few corrections. We had a little problem with numbers this week in our story on the donated jet from Qatar. We over reported the value of that plane by a single letter. But that single letter went quite a long way. We meant to say the actual estimated value is $400 million, not billion. Next, in this month's wordplay on the many strange plurals in the English language, we made a mistake and flipped a few borrowed Latin singulars and plurals. We quickly corrected the segment and reposted it online. And one more Correction Today on May 13th, we mispronounced a Vietnamese surname in our story on the new pope. The priest's name from Chicago's Holy name Cathedral is actually Ton Win. That's spelled N G U Y E N but pronounced now. Remember that name.

[Myrna Brown]

Longtime listener Eric Anderson had some kind words for us on the subject of corrections. In an email he said, I am comforted by this. He went on, we are thankfully resting in the grace that comes from God through faith. If all our faults were counted, who among us would stand?

[Nick Eicher]

Amen. Thank you. So we will stand corrected for our first voice message today. This one comes from listener Amelia Nguyen. I bet you know how she spells her last name.

[John Stonestreet]

Hello World Radio. Thank you for what you guys do. I just started listening a month or two ago and it makes my drive to work a little more interesting. I've really appreciated the couple of stories about the Vietnam War that you guys have done recently. My dad was born in Vietnam, so hearing these stories has been really cool. Keep up with the good work. Thanks guys.

[Myrna Brown]

Well, glad you found us. Our next comment is from Laura Laster.

[John Stonestreet]

Hey world and everything in it team.

[Colin Garbarino]

I just want to commend you for.

[John Stonestreet]

The reporting from Leo Briceno on the Take It Down Act. It is fantastic to see world looking for ways that things can be redeemed and improved and focusing on improvement of society through reporting on the Take It down act is just phenomenal. So thank you guys for all that you do.

[Nick Eicher]

Listener John Piewitz lives in Kentucky. His comment is on last week's commentary by Eric Reed on a biblical view of work.

[John Stonestreet]

It was excellent and I agree with all that he said. I think that he could have even gone further to say that the problem of an unbiblical view of work is most often perpetrated by people in the church who tend to have this idea that religious work is more valuable than quote, unquote, secular work. I think that David Bonson also dealt with this point well in his book Full Time Work in the Meaning of Life, which I thankfully became aware of through your podcast and listened to it recently and really appreciated what he had to say about the value of all work done well and of productive endeavors. Thank you.

[Myrna Brown]

And finally this morning, one of our favorite kind of feedback when listeners hear something at just the right time. On May 7, we ran a story from Kim Henderson on caring for caregivers. A very special day for this listener.

[Nick Eicher]

Hello, this is Duncan holmes from Fredericksburg, Texas. As I make this recording, it's May.

[Ken Covington]

7Th, which would have been my dear.

[John Stonestreet]

Wife Sharon's 71st birthday.

[Nick Eicher]

How appropriate that you did this program on After Caregiving.

[John Stonestreet]

We were married 43 years. I felt like I was a caregiver as best I could be, though I.

[Nick Eicher]

Felt like I could have done a heck of a lot more when she died in October 2019.

[John Stonestreet]

It's been up and down.

[Nick Eicher]

Anyway, thank you for sharing that today with us.

[John Stonestreet]

I appreciate you all very much. And you who are widows and widowers.

[Nick Eicher]

Always lean heavy on the Lord and.

[John Stonestreet]

On people at your church.

[Nick Eicher]

Okay, God bless.

[Myrna Brown]

Thanks, Daken. Glad our program encouraged you on your wife's birthday.

[Nick Eicher]

Well, now, before we go today, that comment just now reminds me to remind you once again about the Cordell Prize. It's a writing competition for journalists between the ages of 18 and 29. It's for those who are interested in reporting on the angle of faith and suffering. Now we're looking for published stories from the last year that highlight individuals overcoming adversity while remaining steadfast in their Christian faith. Publication can be from a student or local newspaper or online publication. The piece needs to be at least 2000 words and written in AP style there are generous cash prizes for the top entries from $500 to $2,500. Cordell Prize submissions due by May 30th. Just visit wng.orgcordell for more information. We'll have a link to that page in our transcript as well.

[Myrna Brown]

Thanks to everyone who wrote and called in this month. We appreciate hearing from you. That's this month's listener feedback.

[Nick Eicher]

All right. Time now now to recognize the team that made the world and everything in it happen this week. David Bonson, Anna Johansen Brown, Craig Carter, Juliana Chan Erickson, Emma Eicher, Nathan Finn, Colin Garbarino, Carolina Lumeta, Mary Munsey, Oneise Adua, Elisa Palumbo, Mary Reichard, Jenny Ruff, Ann Shearer, Josh Schumacher, John Stone, Stone Street, Cal Thomas and our hard working students at WJI this week and next. Thanks also to our breaking news team, Lauren Canterbury, Kent Covington, Mark Mellinger, Christina Grube, Travis Kircher, Steve Klosterman and Lindi Langdon. And thanks to the guys who stay up late to get the program to you early, Benj Eicher and Carl Peetz. Harrison Waters is Washington producer, Lindsay Mast and Lee Jones filling in as features editors. Paul Butler is executive producer and Les Sillers is editor in chief. I'm Nick Iger.

[Myrna Brown]

And I'm Myrna Brown. 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. The Bible says, let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up as it fits the occasion that it may give grace to those who hear verse 29 of Ephesians, chapter 4. Our weekly reminder now to go to church this weekend to worship our Lord, to encourage others and to be encouraged as the body of Christ. And Lord willing, we'll meet you right back here on Monday. Go now in grace and peace.