Monday, December 25th, in the year of our Lord 2017
By Adam McManus
The Chinese Communist Party Bans Christmas
The Chinese Communist Party strikes again.
As it banned Chinese Communists from celebrating Christmas, the leaders likened the celebration to “spiritual opium” for members of the atheist party, reports Radio Free Asia.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation Accuses Trump of Assaulting the First Amendment
The Freedom From Religion Foundation put out a full-page ad in The New York Times accusing President Donald Trump of the separation of church and state, reports The Christian Post.
The atheist group laughingly claims that Trump is carrying out an “all-out assault on the First Amendment.”
Ironically, the co-president of the God-denying organization, Dan Barker, once was a self-described conservative evangelist who shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ. On this Christmas Day, pray that God would convict Dan Barker of his hostility to the Babe in Bethlehem.
Psalm 14:1 is clear: “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”
Delayed United Flight Passengers Receive a Special Christmas Performance
When a United Airlines flight was delayed while it was preparing to leave for Virginia, a flight attendant and two musicians decided to give their fellow passengers some holiday cheer.
The flight was on the runway at Denver International Airport for half an hour because of a small accumulation of snow on Thursday.
In order to raise everyone’s spirits inside the plane, the trio sang a rousing rendition of “Jingle Bells” with one passenger playing mandolin and the flight attendant playing the ukulele.
The video is sure to put the makeshift musical group on the nice list this year.
Pennsylvania Family Persecuted for “Jesus” Sign
A Pennsylvania family was ordered by their homeowner’s association to take down their Jesus Christmas display after one of the neighbors reported it as offensive, reports FOX43. Behind a nativity scene with the Christ child snuggled in the manger, Mark and Lynn Wivell of Adams County featured a simple sign with one word: “Jesus” in red letters, highlighted with white Christmas lights.
Last Sunday, the HOA claimed the display was a sign, not a decoration – which is a violation of the rules, USA Today reported. The Wivells refuse to budge.
Welcome to politically correct America where the lone God-hater gets to squelch the freedom of Christians.
Michigan High School Students Purchase New Work Boots for Beloved Custodian
Students at Garden City High School in Michigan pitched in to purchase a Christmas present of a brand-new pair of work boots for their beloved custodian, Brian Junk, who has worked there for 10 years. And it brought him nearly to tears as he explained he really needed a new pair of shoes.
Student Kenna Hermanson, who took a video of the moment, wrote this in a note, “Thank you for everything you do and [for] making the school day more enjoyable for everyone.”
2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Becki Svare Rejects the American Consumerism of Christmastime
And finally, Becki Svare has made a radical decision: She won’t buy any more Christmas presents because she eschews the consumerism that has overtaken the celebration of the birth of Christ.
The Washington Post reports that each family member draws a name from the hat and instead of buying gifts for each other, they had to come up with a meaningful experience to share with their designated person. Suggested price: $25.
Svare’s children took their aunts kayaking. Her brother took his 9-year- old nephew for a ride on his Harley-Davidson, then out for sushi and a trip to the local reptile center.
This holy season, retail analysts say there has been a discernible shift in gift-giving as Americans think beyond traditional presents. Nearly 40 percent of shoppers plan to give gift cards, event tickets or other “intangible” gifts.
Christi Chartrand, a home health-care worker in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, said that for years, she and her husband maxed out their credit cards to buy mountains of toys. “And we found that our kids were just so ungrateful. It never seemed to be enough. They would open their presents and then say, ‘Now what?’”
The turning point came, she said, when her son unwrapped a present from an aunt. “He looked at her and said, ‘A book? That’s it?’ ”I was so mortified and said, ‘This has to change.’ ” The following year, they settled on the three-gift compromise.
If you’ve adopted a unique strategy for celebrating the birth of Christ in your home including Christmas gift giving, please email me. I’d like to possibly feature your family’s approach for Wednesday’s newscast. Send your feedback, including your full name, city and state and phone number, to Adam@TheWorldView.com.
Closing Line
And that’s The World View in 5 Minutes on this Friday, December 22nd in the year of our Lord 2017. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldView.com. I’m Adam McManus. Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
Print stories
Irish Government Demands that Amnesty International Return Donation which Funded “My Body My Rights” Campaign
George Soros is in big trouble.
The Irish government is demanding that Amnesty International must return his $160,964 donation which funded the “My Body My Rights” campaign to repeal Ireland’s ban of abortion.
Christian Headlines reports that Ireland’s finance laws bar foreign donors from giving to groups that seek to sway elections or public policy.
Four Pakistani Christians Sentenced to 80 Lashes
As four Pakistani Christians were taking communion at the time of their arrest in house churches on May 13th , 2016, authorities arrested them on charges of consumption of alcohol. On September 10th, 2016, they were sentenced to 80 lashes each, reports the Pakistani Christian Post.
Their appeal against this sentence remains outstanding.
Large Fire at London Zoo
A large fire at London Zoo killed a 9-year- old aardvark named Misha and four meerkats on Saturday, while several staff were treated for smoke inhalation, reports Yahoo News.
It took 72 firefighters more than three hours to bring the fire under control, after it broke out in the Animal Adventure cafe and spread quickly to an adjacent shop.
New York City Boosts Security Around Churches for the Christmas Weekend
New York City police boosted security at area churches for the Christmas weekend after a California man was arrested for allegedly planning to bomb a busy San Francisco tourist destination in the name of Islamic State, reports ABC7.
Trucks were not allowed in parts of Midtown and on both Fifth and Madison Avenues, and there will be security at churches, particularly St. Patrick’s Cathedral, as they used new radiation detection devices and even explosive detection K-9 teams for the precautionary measure.
Last week, Islamic State supporters threatened to launch a terror attack in Washington, DC and New York on Christmas, featuring a propaganda poster which depicted Washington’s National Cathedral in flames.
E. Scott Lloyd Faces Heavy Criticism for Pro-Life Actions
E. Scott Lloyd, a pro-life advocate appointed to President Donald Trump’s administration, continues to face heavy criticism for trying to protect minor girls and their unborn babies from the violence of abortion, reports The Christian Post.
After the ACLU sued on behalf of several pregnant illegal immigrant minors in an effort to force the government to help facilitate their abortions, Lloyd, who is the Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement under the Health and Human Services Department, asserted that the government was not going to be a party to the murder of the unborn baby. He boldly said he could not support abortion because an abortion is “violence against an innocent life.”
Sadly, despite Lloyd’s efforts to save the girl and her child, the girl aborted her unborn baby after the ACLU won a judgment in her favor.
The Abortion Pill Reversal
Facing intense political pressure from abortion activists, a major licensing agency stood its ground this week and delivered a major victory for women facing unexpected pregnancies throughout the nation, reports Life News.
In a written letter sent Dec. 19, the California Board of Registered Nursing notified Heartbeat International that it can now grant continuing education units to nurses who study a life-saving process known as Abortion Pill Reversal. That’s good news for future mothers who change their mind after taking the first pill in a two-step chemical abortion regimen known as mifepristone (RU-486) or “the abortion pill.”
In the past five years, more than 400 mothers have successfully rescued their babies through an emergency progesterone treatment that has been used for more than 50 years to prevent miscarriages.
Backed by a network of more than 350 medical providers, the Abortion Pill Reversal hotline (1-877- 558-0333)—staffed with licensed medical professionals—answers over 50 calls per month from women who want to keep their baby after having started the chemical abortion pill process.
Secular Scientist Realizes Data Misinterpretation of Previous Claim
A secular scientist has egg on his face.
Last year, Jack Szostak of Harvard University published a paper in Nature Chemistry in which he claimed that he and his colleagues had figured out a way to get RNA to replicate itself. Darwinian evolutionists believe RNA, a nucleic acid present in all living cells, were some of the first molecules to form on the Earth and give rise to living things.
But for that to happen, the RNA would have had to somehow reproduce on its own without requisite enzymes that would not have evolved yet.
Szostak claimed to have facilitated RNA self-replication in his lab, but earlier this month, he said one of his colleagues, Tivoli Olsen, realized they had misinterpreted the data when she could not reproduce the original experiment’s results, reports Christian Headlines.
Ohio Bill to Protect Down Syndrome Babies Becomes Law
An Ohio Senate Bill 164 to protect unborn babies with Down Syndrome from abortion became law today as Republican Governor John Kasich signed the legislation into law. The measure bans abortions on babies with Down syndrome and it follows bans in North Dakota and Indiana
Thank Governor Kasich here.
Quite a contrast to the disturbing August report on CBS that Iceland had “eradicated Down syndrome” since 100% of mothers who receive a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome for their pregnancy abort their child.
Atlanta Fire Chief Claims he was Fired Because of Christian Beliefs
Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran claims he was fired due to his Christian beliefs and that his First Amendment rights were violated. And a court has just vindicated him, reports Christian Headlines.
Cochran’s book that started this firestorm, “Who Told You That You Were Naked?”, was written by Cochran in an effort to help Christian men become better husbands and fathers. However, the City of Atlanta was upset that the fire chief did not seek prior permission to write it, and was especially perturbed that Cochran affirmed the biblical notion that homosexuality is an abomination to God.
Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Kevin Theriot said, “This ruling benefits not only Chief Cochran, but also other employees who want to write books or speak about matters unrelated to work. Atlanta can no longer force them to get permission or deny them permission just because certain officials disagree with the views expressed.”
Fewer Americans Turning to Prayer This Holiday Season
Americans are feeling stressed during the holidays — and year-round. Notably, fewer Americans are turning to prayer, reports USA Today.
Only 29 percent of Americans polled said they pray to relieve stress, a gradual but consistent decline since the high of 37 percent recorded in 2008.
Today, the two most popular ways to relieve stress are listening to music (47 percent), and exercising (46 percent).