This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
In recent years, accusations of “white Christian nationalism” have become a staple of Democratic attacks on Republicans. At the same time, a growing number of progressive politicians are openly invoking Christianity to defend their own policy positions, a trend that has received comparatively little scrutiny from mainstream media.
CNN’s March 8 series premiere <a href="https://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2026/02/17/cnns-pamela-brown-reports-in-the-rise-of-christian-nationalism-for-the-whole-story-with-anderson-cooper/">on Christian nationalism</a> reflects this imbalance, focusing almost entirely on right-leaning politicians and leaders while giving little attention to progressive figures who similarly frame their policy agendas in religious terms.
Consider Texas state representative and U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico, a Democrat who frequently presents progressive politics as the natural expression of Christianity. Through speeches, interviews, and social media posts, Talarico argues that his policy views on immigration, economic justice, and social issues flow from his faith.
<a href="https://youtu.be/_jOGPvMftb8?si=YwtH1XcKEt1869ra">A clip from Talarico’s appearance</a> on Joe Rogan’s podcast went viral after he cited Genesis 2:7 — which says God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life” — to defend his support for abortion.
When Republicans cite Scripture to justify their opposition to abortion, they are often accused of blurring the line between separation of church and state. No such accusations followed Talarico’s remarks, even though <a href="https://thedailytexan.com/2025/09/22/u-s-senate-candidate-delivers-sermon-at-local-church/">he delivered a sermon</a> last year declaring that “Christianity is both spiritual and political because politics is just another word for how we treat our neighbors.”
He’s not the only one. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear recently <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/02/11/media/ky-gov-andy-beshear-blasted-for-citing-the-bible-to-defend-transgender-treatments-for-kids/">said on &#8220;The View&#8221;</a> that he supports transgender treatments for minors because his faith tells him that “all children are children of God.” Earlier this year, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/01/war-empathy-hillary-clinton/685809/">wrote in the Atlantic</a>, referencing Matthew 25 in an effort to criticize conservative figures who warn against what they call “toxic empathy.”
Taken together, these examples point to a broader shift in American politics: Religious language is increasingly being deployed as a political tool across the ideological spectrum. Religion has always played a role in American political life, but the modern Left has only recently begun invoking it with the same frequency and explicitness that Republicans have long employed.
There’s a good reason this religious strategy is reemerging specifically on the Left. Secular moral language alone ultimately fails because it lacks a deeper foundation beyond shifting cultural mores. Appeals to concepts such as equity, fairness, or social justice can persuade, but they rarely command the same instinctive authority that religious language still holds. Appealing to Jesus or Scripture places political arguments within a moral framework that many Americans, even those who are not particularly religious, still recognize and respect.
Democrats, however, rarely receive the same criticism for doing so. For example, when Talarico says Christians have a duty to take their faith “from the sanctuary to the streets” to love their neighbors well, he is applauded. But when Christian Republicans such as former Vice President <a href="https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2016/10/04/kaine-and-pence-talk-faith-final-moments-vice-presidential-debate/">Mike Pence say</a> faith “shapes my vision of the world and my vision of public policy,” they’re pegged as pushing Christian nationalism. 
For decades, Republican politicians have appealed to Christianity to frame issues such as abortion, marriage, and religious liberty as moral imperatives rather than policy preferences. What’s different today is that both sides are doing it — some genuinely, some in a way that&#8217;s politically calculated to tap into a particular demographic of voters. 
For example, when the Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security placed Bible verses over flashy social media posts about pursuing illegal immigrants, the move appeared like a deliberate attempt to provoke political opponents. Likewise, Talarico sparked controversy in another Rogan segment by suggesting that Mary, the mother of Jesus, could have aborted Jesus had she not consented when the angel Gabriel appeared to her, a claim many viewed as less theological and more political. 
The reason the “religion tool” works is not difficult to see. As American politics becomes increasingly — yet subjectively — moralized, religious language is a powerful shortcut to sway hearts and minds. 
When a policy position is framed as a Biblical mandate, disagreement can be portrayed not merely as political dissent but as a failure of moral character or disobedience to a soul-level imperative. Even in an increasingly secular culture, the moral authority of religion still carries weight, especially when it’s convenient for one’s political ends.
The dynamics of social media amplify it all. Progressively-coded viral posts portray Jesus as a “brown Palestinian illegal immigrant,” implying that modern immigration enforcement stands in direct opposition to Christianity itself. In some small corners of the pro-Trump internet, followers push quasi-religious suggestions with memes portraying the president as a divinely chosen defender of America. 
In both examples, complex policy debates are distilled into false moral narratives absent serious discussion of law, history, or public policy. When Scripture is reduced to a collection of slogans, cherry-picked verses, or partial narratives in service of partisan agendas, there’s a problem.
Faith has always shaped American public life, and it is natural for citizens to want their moral convictions reflected in public policy, whether those convictions are religious or secular. That is not Christian nationalism, regardless of which side it is on. But people of faith should be willing to call out leaders who twist or selectively deploy Scripture for political ends, whether Democratic or Republican. 
***
Ericka Andersen is the author of &#8220;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Freely-Sober-Rethinking-Alcohol-Through/dp/1514013363/">Freely Sober: Rethinking Alcohol Through the Lens of Faith</a>&#8221; (InterVarsity Press, 2026)
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Texas State Representative Talarico Holds Primary Election Night Event

When Faith And Politics Start Speaking The Same Language

Christianity

Faith

Upstream

Lights! Camera! How-dee!
The city of Los Angeles is losing film and TV productions at an alarming rate. That opens up new opportunities for cities to prove that La La Land can hunker down just about anywhere.
Take Nashville, for instance. Other non-L.A. destinations have made their mark as production hubs — think Atlanta, Georgia, and Toronto. Now, it may be Nashville’s turn in the spotlight.
The Tennessee locale is known as a country music Mecca. More recently, it’s welcomed a growing group of filmmakers who clamor for its talented locals, rich cultural history and, yes, a lower price tag than the City of Angels.
Think “9-1-1: Nashville,” Showtime’s “George &amp; Tammy,” Nicole Kidman’s “Holland” and the upcoming “Scarpetta” (Prime Video), Netflix’s “Ruth &amp; Boaz,” and a film opening Feb. 20, “I Can Only Imagine 2.”
<div id="attachment_1047423" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1047423" class="size-large wp-image-1047423" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Nashville-911-864x576.jpg" alt="Ryan Murphy Television. User Error Productions. 20Th Television." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Nashville-911-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Nashville-911-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Nashville-911-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Nashville-911-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Nashville-911-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Nashville-911-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Nashville-911.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Nashville 911. Ryan Murphy Television. User Error Productions. 20th Television.</div>
The sequel to the sleeper 2018 hit revisits how MercyMe became a Christian music sensation, and the struggles lead singer Bart Millard (John Michael Finley) had following his breakthrough hit.
Co-Founder of Kingdom Story Co. and co-director of the film Andrew Erwin, a pioneer in the faith-based film space, tells The Daily Wire why he tackled the sequel.
“It’s the movie that you didn’t know you needed,” he says. The first film appeared to wrap Bart Millard’s story up, but the singer and his fellow musician Tim Timmons — played by Milo Ventimiglia in the film — suffered subsequent tragedies that made a follow-up film make sense.
<div id="attachment_1047439" style="width: 875px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1047439" class="size-large wp-image-1047439" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Milo-Mercy-Me-865x576.jpg" alt="Photo by Jake Giles Netter/Lionsgate/Jake Giles Netter/Lionsgate - copyright 2026 Lionsgate" width="865" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Milo-Mercy-Me-865x576.jpg 865w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Milo-Mercy-Me-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Milo-Mercy-Me-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Milo-Mercy-Me-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Milo-Mercy-Me-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Milo-Mercy-Me-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Milo-Mercy-Me.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px" />Jake Giles Netter/copyright 2026 Lionsgate</div>
And Nashville has proven to be particularly welcoming to Christian artists. That wasn’t the case back in Los Angeles, Erwin said.
“There’s a group of us that started doing faith stories 15, 20 years ago, and we were all struggling to get our feet under us,” Erwin says. “We could literally end any dinner party in L.A. by saying we were faith film guys. They would instantly get a fake phone call and walk out of the meeting.”
Entertainment culture started to swing in their spiritual direction.
“Something has shifted in the past 10 years, particularly in the last five … there has been an appetite for hope. Stories of faith were considered cheesy. Now, they’re counter-culture, rebellious. It’s kind of punk rock.”
<div id="attachment_1047343" style="width: 394px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1047343" class="size-large wp-image-1047343" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2261337233-384x576.jpg" alt="NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - FEBRUARY 12: Andrew Erwin attends the &quot;I Can Only Imagine 2&quot; Nashville Premiere at The Fisher Center for the Performing Arts on February 12, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)" width="384" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2261337233-384x576.jpg 384w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2261337233-200x300.jpg 200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2261337233.jpg 683w" sizes=" (max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" />Jason Kempin/Getty Images</div>
What better place than Music City to sing from their storytelling hymnals?
“There’s been a real freedom here,” says Erwin, who even bumps into fellow filmmakers at church. “You don’t have to apologize for us being able to do things that we believe.”
“For whatever reason, a group of actors and writers and directors and producers are all finding (Nashville),” he continues. “I can’t give a reason why … we just feel like we’re supposed to be here.”
“I Can Only Imagine 2” filmed exclusively in Nashville, save a critical sequence shot at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheater. The veteran filmmaker was initially hesitant to lean so heavily on Nashville, but the film’s team assuaged those fears.
“We had been worried if the crews were strong enough … it was the best crew I ever had … the most cheerful, the most team-oriented, the least amount of divas, blue collar, everything you aspire to,” he says.
He still wants the state to beef up its incentive programs to grow that crew base and keep it steadily employed.
Nashville has an Oscar-winning benefactor on its side: Kidman is eager to make movies closer to her <a href="https://www.realtor.com/news/celebrity-real-estate/nicole-kidman-keith-urban-kids-divorce-custody-home/">Tennessee home</a>. 
<div id="attachment_1047431" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1047431" class="size-large wp-image-1047431" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Kidman-holland-1024x425.jpg" alt="Photo by Courtesy of Prime/Courtesy of Prime - copyright Amazon Content Services LLC" width="1024" height="425" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Kidman-holland-1024x425.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Kidman-holland-300x125.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Kidman-holland-768x319.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Kidman-holland-1536x638.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Kidman-holland.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Courtesy of Prime/Courtesy of Prime &#8211; copyright Amazon Content Services LLC</div>
Plus, newer studio space is helping smooth this transition. <a href="https://www.nashvillescene.com/arts_culture/coverstory/nashville-film-industry/article_b76671a9-cee1-44e5-84cb-6f30cf4fa99a.html">Recent Nashville-area additions</a> include Vu Studios in West Nashville, Worldwide Stages in Spring Hill, and Skyway Studios.
Erick Goss, CEO of the Christian streaming platform Minno, says Nashville has a cultural advantage.
“People recognize there’s a real creative community here in Nashville [already] with Christian and country music, a real appreciation of the arts,” says Goss, who established his kid-focused company in the city seven years ago.
“It’s not like institutions have moved here, but talent has moved here,” Goss says. “It’s different than Seattle or L.A. There’s a real sense of pride and civic nature here … people love what Nashville stands for and want to be a part of it.”
Some pieces of the Hollywood-like puzzle are still missing, he says.
“There are really world-class storytellers here in Nashville. They don’t necessarily have access to capital in the way they need,” he says.
Goss brings a wealth of experience to Minno, including time spent at Amazon and in the U.S. Military. He praises Nashville as having the “highest caliber” of talent he’s seen. What’s missing? Major tech companies that can complement the city’s blossoming production.
<div id="attachment_1047341" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1047341" class="size-large wp-image-1047341" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2261145346-864x576.jpg" alt="NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - FEBRUARY 13: (L-R) Tim Timmons, Milo Ventimiglia, Bart Millard, John Michael Finley and Trace Adkins attend Lionsgate's &quot;I Can Only Imagine 2&quot; Night at The Grand Ole Opry on February 13, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Lionsgate)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2261145346-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2261145346-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2261145346-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2261145346.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Lionsgate</div>
“What company will aggregate and bring that talent together?” he asks. “We need more talented operators coming into the systems, creating companies that execute really well,” he says, noting that Erwin’s “I Can Only Imagine 2” arrives courtesy of his partnership with Lionsgate, an established film studio.
The key to creating the next L.A.-style production hub is simple, Goss says.
“Get the best projects, the best people, and the best money together. That’s happening. We’re beginning to see these things coalesce [in Nashville],” he says.
Erwin says it helps to believe in both the city and a Higher Power.
“There’s an emboldening that happens when you realize you’re not alone. I can really stay true to the stories I’ve felt called to tell and not have to apologize for it because there are a lot of others who believe what I believe,” Erwin says. “It’s been amazing to see people of faith just find Nashville.”
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic, and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
This article has been updated for clarity.

Only Imagine

Hollywood Heads South: Music City’s Faith-Based Film Boom

Bible

Entertainment

Film

Hollywood

Movies

Nashville

Tennessee

For most of my adult life, I thought I knew exactly what my family would look like.
Two kids is the cultural norm now. That’s the number most people plan for, budget for, and feel comfortable defending. Two fits neatly into modern life. Two feels responsible. Two feels safe.
But I didn’t grow up in a family of two kids.
I came from a family of three. And because of that, three always felt right to me. Three felt full. Three felt lively. Three felt like the right amount of chaos and connection. So when my wife and I started our family, I assumed we’d land there — not to make a statement, but because it was the model I knew and loved.
For a long time, that plan held.
But I was also very clear about one thing: I would never have a kid in my 40s.
That was the line. The boundary. A promise I made back when 40 felt distant and theoretical — something older people dealt with.
Then I turned 40.
And a few weeks ago, my wife and I welcomed our fourth child into the world.
What I’ve learned, slowly and humbly, is that many of the promises we make when we’re younger are less about wisdom and more about fear.
Fear of sacrifice. 
Fear of inconvenience. 
Fear of losing control over a life we’ve worked hard to build.
Our culture feeds those fears relentlessly. It is engineered for comfort, speed, and personalization. It trains us to ask one question above all others: What do I get right now?
Children ask a different question.
They ask: What are you willing to give, over and over, for something that won’t pay you back today?
In that sense, kids are the ultimate form of delayed gratification.
They require sacrifice upfront — years of it. Sleep. Freedom. Money. Flexibility. Control. There is no way to sugarcoat that. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying or trying to sell you something.
But the reward comes later. Slowly. Quietly. Compounding over time.
The first time your toddler reaches for your hand in a crowded room. 
The first time your child looks to you for moral clarity. 
The first time siblings defend one another without being asked. 
The moment you realize you are no longer the center of your own universe — and feel relief instead of loss.
This is what our culture never explains: sacrifice is not the enemy of happiness. Selfishness is.
A society addicted to instant gratification struggles to understand children, because children force adults to play the long game. They demand patience. They require faith — not just religious faith, but faith in the future. Faith that what you are building today will matter tomorrow.
That’s why having a big family today feels almost rebellious.
Birth rates are collapsing. Marriage is delayed or avoided. Children are framed as “lifestyle constraints” rather than blessings. Entire industries exist to convince young people that adulthood is something to postpone indefinitely.
And yet, there is a truth no one likes to say out loud because it cuts against the narrative.
No one — absolutely no one — who loves their kids ever says, “I shouldn’t have had that child.”
People regret jobs. 
They regret cities. 
They regret relationships. 
They regret wasted years chasing empty validation.
But parents do not sit at the end of their lives wishing they had fewer children. They wish they had more time with them.
At 40, with four kids, I don’t feel old.
If anything, kids keep you young. They pull you into the present. They keep you moving. They force you to laugh when you’d otherwise brood. They remind you that joy is often loud, messy, inconvenient — and worth it anyway.
And then there is the gift that often goes overlooked: siblings.
Watching siblings grow up together is one of life’s quiet miracles. They fight. They forgive. They learn loyalty, compromise, and love — not from lectures, but from living shoulder to shoulder.
Long after parents are gone, siblings remain.
They are the ones who know your childhood stories. Who remember your parents’ voices. Who will sit beside you at hospital beds and holiday tables. Who will help one another bury the people who once tucked them in at night.
In a world that prizes radical independence, siblings teach something far more enduring: you are not meant to do life alone.
And yes, one day, God willing, these children will flip the script. They will care for us the way we once cared for them — not out of obligation, but out of love forged through years of shared sacrifice.
Which brings me to faith.
From the beginning, Scripture tells us, “Be fruitful and multiply.” Not as a burden, but as a blessing. Children are not described as liabilities, but as arrows, as gifts, as signs of hope.
Faith teaches us that the point of life is not comfort, but calling. Not consumption, but creation. Not hoarding time, but giving it away for something eternal.
That doesn’t mean every family looks the same. It doesn’t mean everyone is called to the same path. But it does mean we should be honest about what leads to meaning — and what leads to emptiness.
For my wife and me, welcoming a fourth child at 40 was not reckless.
It was faithful.
Faith that love multiplies when shared. 
Faith that sacrifice produces joy. 
Faith that the future is worth investing in, even when it costs us something now.
In a culture obsessed with shrinking horizons, we chose to expand ours.
And if I’m being honest, part of that choice is simple.
I’m trying to make heaven crowded.
* * *
Gates Garcia is the host of the YouTube show and podcast “We The People.” Follow him on Instagram and X @GatesGarciaFL.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Father holding her newborn baby

I Said I’d Never Have A Child In My 40s. Then I Turned 40 And Had My Fourth.

Children

Family Values

Fathers

Parenting

The Daily Wire&#8217;s newest host Matt Fradd is launching the &#8220;new era&#8221; of his show &#8220;Pints With Aquinas&#8221; on The Daily Wire on Monday.
&#8220;I am so excited about this new era of Pints With Aquinas with The Daily Wire, and I&#8217;m especially excited about how many more people it&#8217;s going to reach,&#8221; Fradd told his audience.
&#8220;I can&#8217;t wait to show you guys the list of guests we have coming up,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I can&#8217;t wait to show you the brand new studio we built, it&#8217;s really lovely. It&#8217;s going to be as good as it&#8217;s ever been. Better, I hope.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/hosts/matt-fradd?utm_campaign=fradd&amp;utm_medium=paid&amp;utm_source=googlesearch&amp;utm_content=na_traffic&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23434102972&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiA1JLLBhCDARIsAAVfy7hmqY536cRTLi3tQO60J1ihDWAogt6HUkPniSGlvKg10jSfdwSIaRQaApblEALw_wcB">WATCH MATT FRADD&#8217;S PINTS WITH AQUINAS</a>
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The first episode of Fradd&#8217;s long-form interview show features Dr. Brant Pitre for a conversation about the historical evidence that supports the Bible.
Fradd invited his followers to share the episode with &#8220;everybody who is not yet convinced of the reliability of the Bible and the divinity of the Lord Jesus,&#8221; and predicted it &#8220;will be life-changing for many.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/big-news-pints-with-aquinas-is-joining-the-daily-wire-in-2026?elementPosition=0&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Articles+by+Matt+Fradd&amp;rowType=Square+Carousel">MATT FRADD: WHY WE&#8217;RE JOINING THE DAILY WIRE IN 2026</a>
Fradd&#8217;s show has been running since 2016 and his catalogue features more than 500 episodes, many of which are now available on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/hosts/matt-fradd?utm_campaign=fradd&amp;utm_medium=paid&amp;utm_source=googlesearch&amp;utm_content=na_traffic&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23434102972&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiA1JLLBhCDARIsAAVfy7hmqY536cRTLi3tQO60J1ihDWAogt6HUkPniSGlvKg10jSfdwSIaRQaApblEALw_wcB">The Daily Wire</a>. Among the episodes available are a conversation with filmmaker Nick Stumphauzer on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/pwa-251205?elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">fighting porn addiction</a>, an exploration of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/pwa-ep-550?elementPosition=9&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">why Muslims are finding Christianity</a>, and a sit-down with prominent Catholic priest Fr. Mike Schmitz that touches on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/pwa-ep-549?elementPosition=10&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">rising interest in Catholicism among young people today</a>.
Fradd announced on Monday that his show will now feature two episodes a week on Daily Wire.
&#8220;Our mission stays the same, to preach Christ and invite people into the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church.&#8221;

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Men, don&#8217;t rely on a woman&#8217;s Hinge profile to tell you what she wants out of a relationship. Lead, and date with the intention of marriage. 
At this year&#8217;s Turning Point USA America Fest, The Daily Wire&#8217;s Isabel Brown sat down with four Gen Z ladies who made that message loud and clear when it comes to what conservative women want out of a relationship: &#8220;Put a ring on it.&#8221;
“Waiting over five years to put a ring on the finger is not right,&#8221; Sophie Fuller said during The Daily Wire Dating Panel.
In a world where having a deep dating roster is considered a flex, conservative Gen Z ladies are dating for marriage (For non-Gen Z readers who don’t know what a dating roster is, it&#8217;s where people have multiple guys or girls to choose from, instead of dating someone exclusively). 
Dating for marriage means the girls aren&#8217;t going for just anyone. The four told Brown they want a Godly man, who is strong in his beliefs both spiritually and socially.
“We don&#8217;t have men who are strong in their convictions,&#8221; Katie Toepfer told Brown. &#8220;I think social media has had a huge impact on that.”
Caitlyn Harris is 19 and engaged to a man who did things more traditionally. He asked for her number instead of her Snapchat and took her to church.
&#8220;It was important to him before we even really started to date that I met his church family,&#8221; Harris said.
What? There are still people out there who want to do things the old-fashioned way? Settle down? Have some kids? Raise a Godly household? Turns out, a man of faith is the top characteristic the women on the panel are looking for in their future spouse, starting as early as high school. 
“I hope high school boys realize girls are paying attention to this,” Elle Anderson, TPUSA High School Student of the Year, said. “We are paying attention to how you treat your family.”
The four girls all agreed that God is the center of marriage. 
“You are connected to God more when you are married,” Fuller said. 
Wise women all around at this year&#8217;s AmFest.
Brown reminded the four ladies that what they are looking for in a marriage is exactly why Charlie Kirk emphasized marriage and family to young men so much. Kirk wanted marriages built the way God intended them to be, which is the man leading and loving his wife the way God loved the church. 
“It&#8217;s been an incredible journey being led by someone who wasn’t afraid to lead,” Brown said about her own marriage. 
So men, less focus on rizz and more focus on raising the bar when it comes to relationships. Flowers and cards are nice, but Gen Z women made it clear on the dating panel that they want something more meaningful. 
“I am so excited to see the younger half of Gen Z have such a huge heart for marriage and family,&#8221; Brown said. 
Conservative women want to get married, have children, and build a legacy. 
 &#8220;The truth is more than anything you will ever do, more than your college diploma, more than your job promotions … the greatest legacy you will ever &#8230; leave behind is how you love your family and being able to raise and shepherd this next generation,” Brown said.

The Daily Wire Dating Panel

Gen Z Ladies Talk Dating At AmFest: ‘Put A Ring On It’

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“Cheers” and “Frasier” fans recognize Kelsey Grammer as a major Hollywood star. But beyond just being a celebrity, Grammer is also known for his willingness to be openly conservative – and unapologetically Christian – in liberal Hollywood.
In a recent interview with “Morning Wire,” Grammer discussed his new film, “The Christmas Ring,” 
 a faith-inspired holiday movie written by Christian author Karen Kingsbury that also pays tribute to American veterans.
The movie includes roughly 100 real-life veterans and active-duty service members, which Grammer said was intentional. “It was just an opportunity to salute the troops,” he explained during the interview, noting how the story is rooted in sacrifice, tracing back to “World War II, D-Day … dropping behind enemy lines.” The actor said it’s meant to “[commemorate] their sacrifice a little bit and the continuing sacrifice of service members.”
Grammer emphasized that the film is meant to send a simple message: “We didn’t reinvent the wheel or anything. But it’s a nice story about redemption and love and forgiveness and about Jesus.”
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That theme has become more common in Grammer’s work, including his portrayal of Chuck Smith in the 2023 Christian drama film “Jesus Revolution.” Grammer said he didn’t actively seek out faith-based roles, but rather that they seem to find him at the right time.
“The night before I read the script … I was sitting there in a kind of a quiet reverie … wondering what was next for me,” he told Morning Wire. “And I said, ‘I just wanna do something that means something, that has some meaning.’ And the next morning, that script came.”
“I’m a believer,” Grammer said of his faith. “I don’t go around proselytizing … but I would never deny Christ. I would never deny Him.”
While Grammer said he’s not strictly doing Christian-themed projects, he’s “quite happy” the role came up.
Reflecting on the messy, broken lives depicted in “Jesus Revolution,” Grammer framed the story through a theological lens. “Well, that’s what Jesus is for,” he said. “That’s why he came along.”
He described the world Christ was born into as violent and chaotic under Roman rule, noting that “God chose to send a baby to save the world,” calling it “pretty fascinating.”
“We get to watch it … every year at Christmas, we get to see the same story told again and again … it&#8217;s our story.”
Despite Hollywood being largely hostile to religion, Grammer said the industry is catching on to the majority of their viewers having faith. “Most of the people in America actually still really like God and Jesus,” he said, noting how there’s a “hunger” for these types of films.

Kelsey Grammer

‘It’s Our Story’: Kelsey Grammer Says Americans Are Hungry For Faith-Based Films

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Actor Kirk Cameron has spent the last several years bravely engaging in the culture war. 
Despite a history in Hollywood, however, the “Growing Pains” alum has been doing battle in public libraries. In an interview with The Daily Wire&#8217;s “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251224-member-exclusive?elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+Show+Episodes+Carousel">Morning Wire</a>” released on Wednesday, Cameron discussed why he believes the fight begins with young people.
Cameron said it was becoming a father and that really got him thinking about these issues. “Once you become a dad, and now I’m a grandfather, I’m beginning to think legacy,” he told Morning Wire. “I’m beginning to think of how can I help my children succeed and win.”
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For Cameron, that meant investing in “the moral spiritual health of my children and my grandchildren” by creating content that does not “bend with the political winds.” He pointed to beloved figures like Mr. Rogers and asked, “Who’s our guy today who’s gonna do that?&#8230; If not me, then who?”
This inspired Cameron to launch Brave Books and the children’s television series “Adventures with Iggy and Mr. Kirk.” He described reception as divided along the Right and Left political spectrum. 
“Well, it depends on who you ask,” Cameron said of the reception. “The drag queens don’t like the books much. And the libraries that support progressive agendas don’t like me entering much.”
Cameron recounted being denied access to roughly 50 public libraries, including those that host drag queen story hours, because, he was told their “values don’t align.” 
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“I thought the rules were… diversity, equity, and inclusion,” he said. “Why do you exclude me? Why not diversity of thought instead of this monoculture that the kids are getting?”
When libraries ultimately reversed course after being threatened with legal action, Cameron said the response from families was overwhelming. “Thousands of parents and grandparents showed up and said, ‘Thank you. We don’t want this other stuff, but we’re being marginalized and silenced.’”
Critics often frame Christian values as inherently discriminatory. Cameron rejected that premise outright. “Every view is inherently discriminatory,” he said, “particularly the progressive inclusive view, as I experienced.”
The TV star quipped that he’s been “run over by the tolerance bus several times.”
“If someone’s coming at you with a sign that says ‘love everybody,’ be careful,” Cameron added. “They might whack you over the head with it.”
Cameron told Morning Wire that the root of the problem is conflicting worldviews. “There are ideas that lead to liberty and blessing, and then there’s ideas that don’t,” he said. The TV star said his own values are “the value set of Moses that’s been around for thousands of years and produced the world’s greatest civilizations.”
Cameron said he’s been encouraged by recent changes in the culture. “Three years ago we were being locked out of public libraries,” he said. “This last year we were invited by the Library of Congress… so that we could read these same books.”
“Whoever rocks the cradle rules the future,” Cameron said of inspiring the youngest generation. “Whoever gets to tell the kids the bedtime stories… you’re shaping the next generation’s hearts and minds.”

Kirk Cameron

Kirk Cameron: Why Helping Children ‘Succeed And Win’ Matters More Than Ever

Kirk Cameron Discusses Faith, Children’s Media, And Winning Back The Culture

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We are at a critical moment in our shared history. A moment that calls for moral clarity and an unwavering commitment to justice. 
Christians around the globe are facing a genocide. And while President Donald Trump champions religious liberty in Syria after hosting the former al-Qaeda fighter-turned-president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and declares <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/2025/11/trump-deserves-credit-for-focus-on-nigerian-christians/">Nigeria</a> a “country of particular concern” because of the slaughter of Christians, we cannot be naive.
Christian persecution is already here in America. Our nation is becoming a dangerous place for faithful believers to live.
We must stand up now for the persecuted not only as individuals but as a united front for our brothers and sisters around the world.
Policymakers, churches, and ordinary citizens have a moral responsibility to ensure our nation remains a beacon of hope and freedom for all, especially those persecuted for their faith.
I know something about persecution and the price of freedom. I grew up in Communist Romania, where the freedoms we now experience in America were stolen from its citizens. Speaking the truth meant imprisonment, torture, and even death. The government sought to control every thought, every word, every breath. That’s why I became a political refugee and found a new home in America in 1988.
A <a href="https://www.cato.org/blog/new-poll-74-worry-americans-could-lose-our-freedoms-were-not-careful">2024 Cato Institute survey</a> found that nearly 74% of Americans worry that if we’re not careful, Americans could lose their God-given freedoms and liberties. An out-of-control regime can gradually build persecution against Christians, making small, incremental changes that could go unnoticed until it is too late. I know. I lived it.
In Communist Romania, Nicolae Ceaușescu’s regime controlled religious organizations by appointing loyal leaders, restricting activities, and nationalizing properties. Atheism was promoted through education and propaganda, portraying Christianity as outdated. Religious groups faced pressure to align with state policies, with non-compliance leading to imprisonment, job loss, or death.
The legacy of this persecution continues to shape the religious landscape in Romania today.
While the extent and nature of persecution differ significantly between Communist regimes and contemporary American society, there are parallels in the experiences of marginalization, pressure to conform, and struggles for expression. The challenges faced by Christians today often manifest initially in social and cultural pressures rather than outright physical persecution. And we are beginning to see signs of it here.
That’s why I’m joining the “<a href="https://www.washingtonpolicyinstitute.org/events/persecuted-and-prevailing-addressing-christian-persecution-in-the-modern-world/">Persecuted and Prevailing”</a> panel on December 4, 2025, at the Museum of the Bible to promote the truth, amplify our voices, and push for legislative action to support Christians.
As a human rights attorney in Communist Romania, I defended Christians, experiencing firsthand America’s crucial support. Congressmen Frank Wolf and Christopher Smith met with me often to discuss my cases, raising awareness among U.S. policymakers and the public about Romania’s dire situation. Their efforts drew media attention to the plight of Romanian Christians under the thumb of Communism, creating urgency for supporting persecuted believers.
Wolf’s actions shaped U.S. foreign policy to prioritize religious freedom, and the global impact included co-sponsoring the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/114/plaws/publ281/PLAW-114publ281.pdf">International Religious Freedom Act</a> (IRFA) of 1998, which established a framework to combat religious persecution worldwide and monitor and recommend policies. The Congressman also backed resolutions condemning persecution in Iran, Sudan, North Korea, and China, reinforcing human rights as a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy.
Now it’s our turn to carry the torch forward. Citizens who have the freedom to advocate for change must pressure policymakers to strengthen global religious liberty.
We are the voice for the persecuted who suffer in silence worldwide. If we fail to speak about oppression, like what I and many others endured in communist Romania, it will most certainly take root here. This generation needs to understand the fragile nature of freedom and the courage it takes to preserve it.
Using our voice and Constitutional rights to petition our government is the only way to protect our freedom and stand for truth. If we don’t use our voice today, we risk being silenced tomorrow.
When truth is distorted, freedom fades. Pray for discernment in a world clouded by lies. Live boldly, speak the truth in love, for true freedom flows from God’s presence, which has been with America since its founding. Remember, if God’s presence fades, so will our freedom.
* * *
<a href="https://www.virginiaprodanbooks.com/">Virginia Prodan</a> is an international human rights attorney, best-selling author of the memoir “<a href="https://virginiaprodanbooks.com/get-the-book-2/">Saving My Assassin</a>,” and host of the “<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/courageous-leadership-with-virginia-prodan/id1590554517">Courageous Leadership with Virginia Prodan</a>” podcast. She serves as an ambassador on the President’s Council for National Religious Broadcasters, a member of the Advisory Board of the American Christian Leaders for Israel, and an Allied Attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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I Escaped Communist Romania. I Recognize The Early Signs Of Religious Persecution.

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Thanksgiving is a time when families thrive, and our conservative movement can learn key lessons from this uniquely American tradition as we move forward together.
Let’s begin with what’s best about the day: a shared table, familiar laughter, and the quiet grace of gratitude. Gratitude is not the fruit of harmony; it is the seed. Traditions renew; children grow up knowing the laugh of a cousin; and an uncle regales with stories of where the family came from. The mystic chords of memory, those invisible threads that bind generations, grow stronger and endure.
Thanksgiving is meant to be practiced. The meaningful work of breaking bread with people who vote differently, pray differently, and have different points of view preserves more than a holiday tradition. Amongst people you don’t always like but with whom you share a deep bond is where public deliberation starts — a practice foundational to American self-government. We keep the muscle memory of belonging to something larger than ourselves.
What’s true for our families is, of course, also true for our conservative movement and the nation we all endeavor to save.
Ronald Reagan is often remembered for saying, &#8220;All great change in America begins at the dinner table.” What is left out, however, is the line that follows: “So, tomorrow night in the kitchen, I hope the talking begins. And children, if your parents haven&#8217;t been teaching you what it means to be an American, let &#8217;em know and nail &#8217;em on it. That would be a very American thing to do.&#8221;
Let the talking begin this week — and let our conversations be an invitation to those we love to once again find unity in our purpose, first as families and then as a nation. At Heritage, we’ve started this family conversation, centered around four questions plain enough to ask around the dinner table and significant enough to guide a movement and save a republic:
What does it mean to be a flourishing American family?
What does it mean to honor the dignity of work and secure the future of free enterprise?
What does it mean to have true national security?
What does it mean to be an American citizen?
At Heritage, we have a point of view, confident in our thinking and our institution’s 52 years of robust intellectual history. We believe that united, good-faith conservatives will engage in this discussion. We are also certain we know what a restored America looks like:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Marriage and family celebrated, not ignored or mocked.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Work dignified, wages rising, and two incomes a family choice, not a necessity.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Borders secure, military strong, enemies deterred.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Children learning truth — not ideology — in educational institutions that parents control.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Faith respected, civic virtue restored, patriotism the norm.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Government limited, debt shrinking, freedom expanding.</li>
</ul>
We call this Heritage 2.0 inside our organization, where every colleague contributed to its creation. We present it to you as our battle plan to save America.
Let there be no mistake; we are taking back Washington to save America. That puts a target on us — from the uniparty, the entrenched bureaucracy, and the deep state. Now may be a suitable time to reiterate with clarity our message to the purveyors of the status quo: Bring it on.
We sweat not for the elites, but for everyday Americans. We toil not to be keyboard warriors but to chart a course of national renewal. The future of conservatism — a fusion of old and new right — will succeed when we return power to the people.
Today’s populism didn&#8217;t emerge in a vacuum. It arose from failed leadership, calcified institutions, and elites who prioritized bureaucracy over everyday Americans. The people aren&#8217;t seeking minor fixes; they&#8217;re challenging the very credibility of the system, and often, they&#8217;re spot on. This ought to inspire our movement!
The clearest path to returning power to the people is through a wholehearted rejuvenation of federalism. We will never lose sight of the many millions who feel the weight of the world on their shoulders. More than any organization across the country, Heritage is fully engaged in the work required to ensure a free, self-governing people can raise families and engage in community and commerce with peace, principles, and prosperity.
Of course, the people will decide our future, as President Trump last week noted, appealing to the beauty of our American system. We are clear-eyed that our effort comes at a time of cultural and civic strain. But we’ve been here before. My friend and predecessor Ed Feulner wrote in his book The March of Freedom that conservatism is “a broad social movement of diverse but reinforcing beliefs, gathering travelers on the same journey — pilgrims who argue over the topography of their promised land but move in the same direction.”
As Vice President Vance also said, the forces arrayed against conservatives of all stripes have massive resources, and there is a point where infighting becomes counterproductive.
So, let us pull up chairs at the family table. Let us channel that turbulent passion and refine it with cool reason through public deliberation. Let us all be builders of a better America. Just as we will nurture the family tree through open dialogue, let us build America’s next 250 years under a thriving canopy of vibrant, interconnected branches rooted in self-governance.
Our Heritage is our future. Through it, together, we will save the republic and secure its future.
* * *
Kevin Roberts, Ph.D., is president of the Heritage Foundation.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
* * *
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Thanksgiving, The Family Table, And A Playbook For The Work Ahead

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Through four books now, fans of Andrew Klavan’s Cameron Winter novels have wondered if the assassin-turned-poetry professor would conquer his inner demons and realize his life’s great ambition: becoming worthy of a good woman’s love. In his fifth outing, After That, the Dark, readers may at last have their answer.
This installment finds Winter continuing to flirt with faith — literally. The object of his affection, therapist Gwendolyn Lord, is a committed Christian, and her belief in the spiritual realm prompts Winter to wonder whether his latest case is bringing him in contact with the demonic. 
When Winter first meets Gwendolyn in the third book of the series, The House of Love and Death, he tells her of his “strange habit of mind&#8221; that leads him to obsess over crimes that don’t make sense. Remembering this, now that Cam has, thanks to therapy, overcome his guilt and self-loathing enough to ask her out on a date, Gwendolyn shares the story of an “impossible murder.”  
After a mental breakdown leads him to slaughter his wife and baby, upstanding Tulsa man Owen McKay is confined to a jail cell and under constant video surveillance when he’s found dead of a single bullet to the heart. The authorities preposterously rule his death a suicide, but it’s obvious to Winter they’re covering up evidence.
Just as he’s decided to solve the classic locked room mystery to impress Gwendolyn, he gets word of a similar murder in Connecticut. Once again, a loving husband and father is overcome by dark impulses that seem completely out of character. Is technology or something even more malevolent driving these violent breaks? And are there other ordinary family men out there at risk of committing similar crimes? 
Klavan tells me part of the fun of writing this novel was contrasting Gwendolyn’s faith with Cam’s agnosticism as they consider motives for the killings. “Cam’s absolutely crazy about Gwendolyn from the first minute he sees her in one of the earlier books,” Klavan shares, “but at the same time, she&#8217;s saying things that make him feel like he doesn&#8217;t know what she&#8217;s talking about. Every time she says, ‘Well, maybe it&#8217;s a problem with demons,’ he&#8217;s thinking, ‘What on earth is this woman?&#8217; But at the same time, he&#8217;s swept away by her. So he&#8217;s trying to take it seriously.”
As Cam continues to hunt for clues, he discovers the killers may have been possessed by a more artificial form of intelligence — one that’s learned to take advantage of ordinary human predilections for evil. 
Klavan says that if he were starting out writing today, he would focus on science fiction for the simple reason that while technology is moving faster than ever and challenging our culture’s moral boundaries like never before, ultimately, it is still our own virtue, or lack of it, that shapes how we use the tools the best and brightest minds invent. 
“It&#8217;s never the technology. It&#8217;s always the people,” Klavan says. “People always say, ‘We&#8217;ve got to regulate this.’ But you can’t regulate technology. You regulate what people do because people do evil things. And so, everything we create has a possibility to do something good and has a possibility to do something bad. And people being what they are, those who want to do bad with them are kind of ahead of the game.”
This focus on the fallen nature of man occupies Winter’s mind, too, as he considers his service to his country and weighs the assassinations he once considered patriotic. 
“No country can really be good, can it?” he thinks. “They’ve all got people in them. And you know what they’re like.” At the same time, he is coming to understand that the inability of a country and its people to be all good doesn’t erase their noble and worthy aspects. He even begins to realize that his protective instincts may redeem his own lethal past—the one that has so plagued his psyche during his sessions with therapist, Margaret: if taking up killing again means protecting Gwendolyn.
“Cam had a major breakthrough in the fourth book,” Klavan explains. “He really deals with the past that has had its grip on him, and he’s now he&#8217;s free, and we&#8217;re going to see what he&#8217;s like when he gets rid of all this baggage. I mean, here&#8217;s a guy who walks into mortal danger cool and calm. He&#8217;s a courageous guy, yet he cannot bring himself to call this girl on the phone, because he knows she matters. He knows she&#8217;s not just another girl. He knows that this is something important. And so when he finally works up the courage and does it, it is a genuine catapult into his own future. And so I think that this is the book where Cam becomes fully himself.”  
And a Cam who is fully himself may have to return to the work he once did so well—removing opposition. But this time, he will do it not for duty. Not for country. But for love.

Andrew Klavan, After That, the Dark

Winter In Love: In New Book, Andrew Klavan’s Tortured Detective Finally Gets The Girl

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Daily Wire podcast host Isabel Brown released a special tribute episode in honor of Charlie Kirk’s birthday on October 14, which included interviews with some of the best voices in country music, including recording artist Cole Swindell.
The 42-year-old Grammy Award nominee says he’s never been the same since learning about the tragic loss of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The “She Had Me at Heads Carolina” singer opened up to Brown about how the news inspired a soul-searching look at his own life and ultimately led him to write the emotional song, “Make Heaven Crowded.”
“I was getting ready to go on the road,” Swindell said, recalling the moment he found out Kirk had been assassinated. “Me and [my wife] Courtney and our brand new baby girl, we were just laying around and talking and we had the news on and all of a sudden she got a text from a friend that told us the news. We’re like, no way, no way. And so we flipped on the news and we&#8217;re following it and it&#8217;s just the feelings … I don&#8217;t know that you can actually put what you were feeling into words other than just couldn&#8217;t believe it. It was just a shock and sad, scared, mad, just a lot of it.”
“We just celebrated our first wedding anniversary as a husband. Just had our first kid as a father. I think it hit everybody a little different,” Swindell added.
For many, Charlie Kirk’s death marked a cultural moment &#8212; but Swindell said for him, it served as a spiritual reckoning.
“I hate that something like this had to happen,” he told Brown. “I feel like bad things happen and it brings us all together and then we slowly drift back apart, and this is just something that I think a lot of us drew the line. This is it. I mean, a guy just got assassinated for believing how I believe, except for he was a little more bold about it. And I think that’s what got me.”
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Swindell described feeling convicted about how he was living his own life, including how much he talked about his beliefs.
“It made me look in the mirror. Somebody that&#8217;s living like I should be living and spreading the word as a Christian, what I should be doing with the platform that I have,” he said. “I just think a lot of us are fed up with feeling like we can&#8217;t say how we believe. I mean, there’s no harm in that. And like I said, I&#8217;m a loving person, I&#8217;m not judgmental. I kind of stay out of the way and do my own thing and try to be good to people, and that&#8217;s just not good enough anymore. I have to influence other people to be good to people.”
Swindell said he never met Charlie Kirk personally, but said he’s been learning more about him every day.
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“Even this song … I happened to run across a clip of Erika [Kirk] the first time she spoke after, and that really is what hit me the hardest. I’d heard ‘make heaven crowded,’ I’d seen the phrase, but it never hit me like when I watched her say that. ‘Charlie, you alongside Jesus, doing what you always wanted to do, ‘make heaven crowded.’”
For Swindell, those words turned into a tribute. “You keep seeing the word &#8216;revival,'&#8221; he said. “And I believe it. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. If there’s ever a chance for us to stand up and to keep this going, we cannot lose this feeling right now. It just feels like everybody knows that we’ve gotta do something. And Charlie is a huge part of that.”
Swindell reflected on Kirk’s well-known passion for strong families, something that has taken on new meaning for him since becoming a husband and father. “I have chills, because that is something I see him talk about: get married, have kids,” he said. “And I don&#8217;t know that until you do that, you really understand. Now I understand why he was saying that. Even just the getting married part for me, that took me a little longer. But once I&#8217;ve done it, it&#8217;s like, man, I wish I would have found this sooner.”
He went on, “Then you have kids, and we just had our first little daughter two months ago, and just, my gosh. I mean, now you wanna go tell people you have to do that. There&#8217;s nothing else like it. No matter what you do for a living, what you&#8217;ve accomplished, it does not, I mean, looking into her eyes, knowing that nothing else matters. Why would you not want to share that with people? Why would you not want people to feel that?”
That conviction became the heart of his new song, a spontaneous release that wasn’t planned, but felt led by God.
“I just put out an album in June,” Swindell went on. “I had no plans of putting music out, but obviously nobody had any plans of this happening. Just to write a song that was something that was on my heart.”
He continued, “I’ve literally been praying and praying about just personally, do I still need to do this? Can I, should I hang it up, be a dad? And like I said, the song, the reaction, I think it was the Lord telling me, look, your career is not over, you&#8217;re just not going any further without me. My wife told me that, and I believe it.”
Swindell described how the song’s impact has gone far beyond what he expected. “To play it live and to see the reaction now, to see the American flags, the freedom shirts start showing up in the crowd, it’s just, it’s real. And man, like I said, this song is, if it helps one person, if it changes one person’s heart, then it’s done its job, I feel like.”
For Swindell, the song isn’t about career milestones or chart performance. It’s a mission statement. “This literally is to honor Charlie and to spread Jesus everywhere we can,” he said. “That’s why I do believe I have a platform, and just people that do … just use it for good.”
He hopes others will take that challenge seriously.
“Anytime I’ve ever taken a chance and written something I was scared to maybe put out there, you find out there’s so many other people that feel just like you. And until you take that step and put that out there, you may never know,” he said. “There’s so many people out there hurting that need it, and they may look up to you. And the fact that, you know, if you can ever let them know, like, hey, I’ve been through stuff, too. That’s all we’re trying to do. We’re trying to connect through music.”
“I think that’s what I’m called to do from here on out,” Swindell added.
Brown&#8217;s tribute episode on what would have been Kirk&#8217;s 32nd birthday, titled &#8220;A Life Worth Singing For,&#8221; also included insight and reflection from country star John Rich, Matthew West, Abe Parker, and Anne Wilson.

Isabel Brown and Cole Swindell

Singer Cole Swindell Tells Isabel Brown How Charlie Kirk’s Death Changed His Life

Charlie Kirk

Country Music

General

The following is an edited transcript of a speech delivered by Michael Knowles at “This Is The Turning Point with Special Guest Michael Knowles” held at the University of Minnesota on Monday, September 22, 2025.
* * *
This event was originally supposed to be a conversation between Charlie and me. Now it will be a conversation about Charlie — and what his assassination means for our country. The enemies of civilization — the assassin as well as the people who excused and cheered him on — thought that they could stop Charlie Kirk’s movement. In reality, they could not even stop his speaking tour.
I would like to begin with a prayer. Charlie had a great affinity for St. Michael the Archangel. And I think the St. Michael prayer speaks especially to our moment.
<blockquote>St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust into Hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.</blockquote>
Twelve days ago, a ruined soul assassinated one of the brightest figures of our generation. And when I say “bright,” I don’t just mean Charlie’s rhetorical skills, which surpassed those of just about everyone in public life. I don’t just mean his political genius, which led him, at just 18 years-old, to found the most significant cultural institution on the American Right; which took him to the stage of the Republican National Convention by age 22; and which brought most of the United States government, including the president, vice president, and secretary of state, to his memorial service. I’m not talking about any of his accomplishments — be they in broadcasting, publishing, coalition building, or any of the other things that Charlie mastered.
Charlie’s brightness came, not primarily from his professional accomplishments, but from his character. You didn’t have to be a personal friend of his to know it. You could see it in everything he did. There was simply a light and a levity to the man. And it was constant, even when he was stressed. Even when he was arguing. Even when he suffered setbacks. And that light and that levity stemmed from one fact: Charlie’s Savior lives.
We’re mourning Charlie right now, and it’s right to mourn Charlie. It’s right to grieve. I have no use for the happy-clappy kind of modern religion that tells us we can’t be sad when our friends die simply because we have faith in their salvation.
Death is bad. Murder is evil. People who commit murder need to be punished. People who celebrate murder need to be punished too. Death reminds us that something has gone wrong. Death was not part of the original plan. Jesus wept at the death of his friend just moments before He raised him from the dead.
We can know “that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose,” while still recognizing the difference between good and evil. We can entrust Charlie’s soul to Our Lord Jesus Christ, as Charlie always entrusted himself, while still knowing that his assassin took something from us that he didn’t have to take.
What the assassin took was not even Charlie. Charlie belongs to God, as do we all. What the assassin took from us more precisely was what we imagined Charlie’s future to be. That’s part of what makes death so shocking: the realization that our plans are not in fact guaranteed. “Man plans, and God laughs.”
“But he was going to do this.” “She was going to do that.” “We were going to speak at the University of Minnesota together.” We weren’t, actually. We do not have ultimate control over those things. Everyone who knew Charlie knew he would be president one day. But “would” is a conditional verb; “would” depends upon “ifs” that are out of our control. Charlie would have been president. But he won’t be.
In the wake of Charlie’s death, many people are presuming to declare what he would have believed about this or that issue. Not what he did believe, mind you. But what he would have believed, what he would have said if he had lived just a little bit longer.
This kind of talk is as unseemly as it is absurd. “It is appointed for men to die once, and after that the judgment.” With the exception of his beloved wife and the people very closest to him, those who would chime in for Charlie today are appropriating an authority that does not belong to them. It’s a usurpation. At best, it’s a waste of time. And one thing that Charlie never did was waste time.
He accomplished more in his 31 years than most people could accomplish in many lifetimes. His most public accomplishments were political. His most important were religious. He wanted to be remembered for his faith. He wanted to help as many souls to Heaven as he could. If you want to honor Charlie, go to church. Read the Bible. Pray. And do it now. Don’t wait. Now might be your only chance.
<div id="attachment_975885" style="width: 912px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-975885" class="size-large wp-image-975885" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356067-902x576.jpg" alt="MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 22: Attendees hold up posters of Charlie Kirk during the &quot;American Comeback Tour&quot; event at Northrop Auditorium on the University of Minnesota campus on September 22, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The event was hosted by political commentator Michael Knowles after the assassination of Charlie Kirk earlier this month. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)" width="902" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356067-902x576.jpg 902w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356067-300x192.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356067-768x491.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356067.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 902px) 100vw, 902px" />Stephen Maturen/Getty Images</div>
Many people are doing just that. I saw it myself last Sunday. You will not be surprised to learn that I attend a rather traditional church. Smells and bells and suits and ties. One thing that means is that it’s easy to tell when someone new shows up. Someone who just looked for the nearest church because he felt a sudden desire to be close to God. Someone whose “Sunday best” is usually a t-shirt and jeans.
I saw a lot of t-shirts at church last Sunday. And I was thrilled to see those t-shirts. (Next week, however, they should put on a jacket.) But I was thrilled to see those t-shirts then. Because it meant that people who had left the church were returning. People who perhaps had never been to church were showing up for the first time. And they were showing up because of Charlie.
I was one of the hundreds of thousands of people who attended Charlie’s memorial. When you count those who streamed it, I was one of over one hundred million people who watched it live. It was a remarkable event in many ways. But two things stood out in particular.
First, Charlie’s widow, Erika, gave one of the most powerful speeches I’ve ever heard. I was sitting with some of the toughest politicians in the world. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house. In just one of several arresting moments in her speech, Erika forgave the man who murdered her husband. Because Christ on the cross asked his Father to forgive his killers — because we all ask God to forgive us as we forgive those who trespass against us. At a time when half the country, it seems, minimizes, excuses, and even celebrates political violence, Erika Kirk gave us a glimpse of Calvary.
But the second most striking part of the memorial was that the leadership of our federal government spent four hours proclaiming the Gospel to the entire world. This should not have been surprising. We’re a country founded by people who called themselves Pilgrims. Our country was settled to be “a model of Christian charity.” Our government was established on the premise that our Creator endows us with rights. Our national anthem declares, “Conquer we must, when our cause it is just, and this be our motto: in God is our trust.” Seeing our national leaders proclaim the Gospel should not have been surprising. But it was. Because we hadn’t seen it in a long time. Many of us had never seen it in our lifetimes.
The memorial was perfectly Charlie: on the one hand, it was about eternity — about the truths that transcend all ages and places; on the other hand, it was eminently political — temporal, local, particular. There is no contradiction between the two. Because we’re both of those things. We’re souls, which are eternal; and we’re bodies, which are temporal.
People tend to fall into one of two errors on this subject today. They either think that politics is everything — more important than family, more important than morality, so important that we murder people over disagreements. Or they think that politics is nothing — that we should ignore policy fights and debates and keep our pure and precious hands from being sullied by the muck of practical politics. Charlie understood that both errors miss the mark. That we need to keep our eyes on eternal things — that we’re never quite at home in this world because we’re pilgrims on our way to the heavenly Jerusalem — but also that we’re political creatures in time and space. Which means that we have to do things. Which means that our faith will give a certain shape to the political community, which exists for the common good.
So what should we do now? We should forgive our enemies’ trespasses, and we should prevent our enemies from trespassing against us in the future.
Some people seem to misunderstand Christian forgiveness. They think it’s somehow contrary to criminal justice — that it means letting criminals off the hook, that it means anarchy. On the contrary, Christian forgiveness is about recognizing that vengeance belongs to the Lord, who will repay, while justice belongs to the civil authority, which does not bear the sword in vain. Erika Kirk forgave her husband’s killer, and the state of Utah will inject poison into that killer’s veins until he’s dead. There is no contradiction between these two things. 
Christian forgiveness does not demand that we allow the cruel to rape the earth. It demands that we love our enemies. And sometimes love is tough. In our personal lives, love means praying for those who persecute us. In politics, love usually means punishing the guilty, for both the protection of the innocent as well as for the betterment of the guilty. No one benefits from crime, decay, and disorder.
<div id="attachment_975889" style="width: 879px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-975889" class="size-large wp-image-975889" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356069-869x576.jpg" alt="MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 22: Political commentator Michael Knowles points to an empty chair on stage during the &quot;American Comeback Tour&quot; event at Northrop Auditorium on the University of Minnesota campus on September 22, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The event was hosted by Knowles after the assassination of Charlie Kirk earlier this month. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)" width="869" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356069-869x576.jpg 869w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356069-300x199.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356069-768x509.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356069.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 869px) 100vw, 869px" />Stephen Maturen/Getty Images</div>
We cherish the marketplace of ideas in America. In the wake of Charlie’s assassination, many are inclined merely to redouble our devotion to the “marketplace of ideas.” But this instinct misses a crucial step. We had a marketplace of ideas. The Left shot it up. If we wish to restore the healthy exchange of ideas, we need to refortify the marketplace.
Marketplaces of all kinds require rules, confidence, and common media of exchange. They require order. Liberty requires order. You can’t be undisciplined and free. You can’t be ignorant and free. That’s why we don&#8217;t let toddlers vote. 
What we must do now is reassert order. We must insist upon the acceptance of basic truths and moral goods, not as the asymptotic goal of endless debate but as the axiomatic foundation without which debate cannot occur. C.S. Lewis called these principles “the Tao.” Others call them the natural law or the first principles of practical reason. If you’ve ever studied algebra, you know that you must begin with certain axioms — premises such as a = a and if a=b then b=a. These axioms are themselves unprovable. But without assuming them, you can’t prove anything else. The same is true of politics and morality. We can’t quite prove that we should live in an ordered society, but without assuming so, we can’t prove anything else.
If our society is to function, we must foreclose certain antisocial behaviors and suicidal ideologies. We must stop, to borrow a phrase from Chesterton, &#8220;the thought that stops thought.&#8221; Practically, this means we must stigmatize certain evil ideas and behaviors, and we must ostracize people who insist upon them. More practically, this means that people who persist in such disorder should lose their social standing. In certain cases, they should lose their jobs. You can’t maintain a hospital if the nurses seek to murder half the patients. You can’t operate a school if the teachers wish death upon their students’ parents. You can’t run a restaurant if the customers expect the kitchen staff to poison them. 
There must be consequences to heal this national trauma and to re-establish a healthy politics. Those consequences require clarity of vision, courage in our convictions, and an extraordinary amount of God’s grace. I believe it can be done. You all who have come out here tonight, despite the threats from the people who would destroy our political community, have shown that you believe it can be done. The man we honor tonight gave his life in the confident hope that it can be done. 
We must never despair. We must never surrender to the forces that seek our destruction. And we must work tirelessly to ensure that this moment truly becomes a turning point for America.
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Turning Point USA’s “American Comeback Tour” Continues In Minnesota After Kirk Assassination

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