This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:13 – 10:51) Liberal San Francisco Considers Murder Charges for Drug Dealers? What Has Happened? Reality Sets In as Death Toll MountsSome D.A.s are fighting fentanyl with murder charges. Why San Francisco will join them by LA Times (Hannah Wiley)Ads were supposed to make Gascón’s challengers stand out. So why do they all look the same? by LA Times (Sonja Sharp)Will Voters in San Francisco Go for a Different Kind of Mayor? by The New York Times (Heather Knight)Part II (10:51 – 15:41) A Sad, Telling Story in Oregon: State Reckons with Increased Death and Devastation in the Aftermath of Drug DecriminalizationOregon Rethinks Drug Decriminalization by The Wall Street Journal (The Editorial Board)Part III (15:41 – 25:25) ‘All the Lonely People’: New Friendship App Highlights Loneliness EpidemicCan a friendship app cure loneliness? by The Financial Times (Bethan Staton)Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.

This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:13 – 09:00) Welcomed Back into the Arms of Vladimir Putin: The Merchant of Death Returns to Russia in Brittany Griner ExchangeViktor Bout’s Release Is Hailed in Russia as a Kremlin Victory by New York Times (Richard Pérez-Peña)Part II (09:00 – 16:11) A New Morality of Hostage Takers: Why the U.S. (And Other Democratic Nations) Will Get the Short End of the Stick in Government International Hostage SituationsU.S. Reluctantly Embraces New Era of Hostage Diplomacy by Wall Street Journal (Aruna Viswanatha and James T. Areddy)Part III (16:11 – 18:48) ‘A Role Model and Inspiration to LGBTQI+ Americans’: The Political Pressure on the Biden Administration That Led to the Swap for Brittany GrinerBrittney Griner Swap Puts Spotlight on Americans in Russia by New York Times (Valerie Hopkins, Anatoly Kurmanaev and Jonathan Abrams)Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, December 8, 2022 by The White HousePart IV (18:48 – 28:55) There’s a New “Independent” in the Senate? Kyrsten Sinema Changes Political Affiliation — But This Is an Unfolding Story, With Interesting WrinklesKyrsten Sinema Switches to Independent, Complicates Democratic Control of Senate by Wall Street Journal (Eliza Collins and Lindsay Wise)Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.

DOCUMENTATION AND ADDITIONAL READING
PART 1
(0:0 – 13:30):
──────────────────
Supreme Court Blocks Biden Administration’s Vaccine — With Big Constitutional Issued at Stake

NEW YORK TIMES (ADAM LIPTAK)
Supreme Court Blocks Biden’s Virus Mandate for Large Employers

PART 2
(13:31 – 16:25):
──────────────────
Elections Have Consequences: The Dark Legacy of Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, Whose Term Ends Tomorrow

PART 3
(16:26 – 18:25):
──────────────────
Is it biblical to pay pastors? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners Of The Briefing

PART 4
(18:26 – 21:30):
──────────────────
May Christians serve as organ donors? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners Of The Briefing

PART 5
(21:31 – 23:46):
──────────────────
How should Christians handle cremains? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners Of The Briefing