Thursday, August 4th, in the year of our Lord 2016

By Kevin Swanson and Jonathan Clark

Christians in India Under Increasing Attack

With over 30 anti-Christian attacks per month, Christians in India suffer nearly daily incidents of rape, murder, and assault, according to Christian Today. Since 2014, India has moved up from #28​ to #17 on the “Open Doors World Watch List.” Hindu nationalists are behind much of this rising persecution. For the last four decades,The Tide global radio ministry has been broadcasting the Gospel into India. The World View spoke to Don Shenk, director of The Tide, about Christian persecution in India.

“The radio programs actually are doing more to bring people to know Christ. They do also act as an encouragement for believers that are there. And so many of them when they hear about Christ it encourages them to endure the persecution that they’re facing.”

Chinese Couple Refuses to Have Abortion Despite Government Pressure

The Chinese government is pressuring Mrs. Zhong who is eight months pregnant to have an abortion. Christian Headlines reports that​ Mr. and Mrs. Zhong both have a child from a previous marriage and didn’t think China’s two-child policy applied to them. However, the government is threatening them financially. Both parents hold government jobs, and fines for violating the two-child policy can reach $39,000. In the face of this pressure, the Zhong family steadfastly chooses life over death. The World View spoke to Reggie St. John with Women’s Rights Without Frontiers about the Zhong family.

“If we love God, we have to care about what He cares about. And He cares about China, absolutely just as much as He cares about the United States. We have freedom of speech here, so everybody is free to start an organization or join an organization that has a loud voice about whatever issue you care about. That’s not the case in China. They do not have freedom of speech there, and people who try to speak out against the government can end up getting detained, and tortured, and even killed. That’s why it’s important for people to care about China; it’s important for people to help people who cannot help themselves, and to care about what God cares about.”

Russian Christians Intend to Keep Preaching the Gospel Despite Ban

Christians in Russia say they will continue to preach the Gospel despite President Vladimir Putin’s ban on evangelism outside of state-sanctioned churches. According to the Slavic Centre for Law and Justice, a new method of missions and evangelism will need to be developed in Russia. Please pray for our Russian brothers and sisters in Christ as they “obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29)

Trump Says He Will Oppose Pornography

​Donald Trump, the ​Republican presidential nominee, signed a pledge from ​the ​anti-porn organization Enough is Enough, according to Relevant Magazine. If elected, Trump said he will back efforts against the widespread problem of pornography. Christian conservatives are still concerned that Trump appeared on the cover of Playboy magazine, a copy of which he keeps framed in his office.

Rachel Held Evans Endorses Hillary Clinton

Another popular evangelical blogger is endorsing Hillary Clinton for president. Rachel Held Evans calls herself pro-life, but she’s still telling pro-life Christians to get behind Hillary Clinton despite her commitment to pro-abortion policies.

Proverbs 28 says, “They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.”

American Family Association Encourages Boycotting Target During Back-to-School Sale

The American Family Association has encouraged families to avoid Target for their children’s back-to-school shopping. The retail giant counts on big back-to-school sales, but the AFA wants families to send Target a “strong message” by spending their money elsewhere because of​ their transgendered bathroom policy. In addition to their 1.4 million signatures supporting the boycott of Target, the AFA hopes to collect another million signatures from Christians who will boycott Target this summer.

ISIS Denounces Those Who Say Islam is a Religion of Peace

In a recent issue of their jihadist publication called Dabiq, ISIS denounced Pope Francis and others who claim Islam is a religion of peace. Pope Francis has insisted that ISIS is not waging a religious war, but a war of interest, money, and power. However, the Islamic State states that, “This is a divinely-warranted war between the Muslim nation and the nations of disbelief.”

French Government Will Fund Mosques

Mosques in France will now be funded by the French government. According to Prime Minister Manuel Valls, the purpose is to eliminate overseas financial support from extremists. The issue of taxpayer-funded mosques has resurfaced due to recent terror strikes in France.

Psalm 72 speaks of Jesus Christ. . . “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, Those who dwell in the wilderness will bow before Him, Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; All nations shall serve Him.”

Private Company Receives Approval to Go to the Moon

Moon Express is now the first private company to receive approval from the United States to go to the moon, according to CNN Money. Moon Express is competing for Google’s Lunar XPrize for​ at least $20 million for the first company to reach the moon before the end of 2017. The winner must land a pod on the moon, send it 500 meters across the surface of the moon, and send HD video back to earth. The cost of the trip is just under $10 million. That’s far less than the original price tag of the lunar missions at $1 billion.

Sign Petition to End Forced Abortion in China

To sign a petition for the end of forced abortion in China, please visit the Women’s Rights Without Frontiers website (http://www.womensrightswithoutfrontiers.org/index.php?nav=sign_our_petition).

Pope Francis Speaks on Gender Identity

Pope Francis addressed the issue of gender identity this past week while speaking to bishops in Poland. According to Fox News, the Pope said, “God created man and woman, God created the world this way… and we are doing the opposite.” Pope Francis further lamented how schools teach children to choose their own gender.

“So God created man in his own image… male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27)

The Pope Creates Commission to Consider Possibility of Women Deacons

Apparently, gender is not that important for Pope Francis when choosing deacons. Christian Today reports the Pope has created a new commission to evaluate the possibility of women deacons in the Catholic church. The possibility of women priests, however, is not under discussion, according to the Vatican.

And that’s the World View in Five Minutes.