Tuesday, May 17th, in the year of our Lord, 2016.
By Kevin Swanson
His mercies are new every morning! The Supreme Court vacated a lower court ruling on the Little Sisters of the Poor contraception case. Turning the case back to the lower courts, the Supremes recommended more accommodation for the Catholic nuns’ requests that they not be forced to pay for abortions and abortifacients. The justices wanted to avoid a 4-4 split decision, specifically stating: “The court expresses no view on the merits of the cases. In particular, the court does not decide whether petitioners’ religious exercise has been substantially burdened.” Stephanie Barclay, a legal counsel for the Becket Fund, told The World View that this decision by the Supreme Court is a victory for Christians in America, at least for now: “The Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision that is a big win, not just for the Little Sisters, but for all of the religious ministries that are litigating these cases right now and for all Americans. The Supreme Court protected the Little Sisters and the ministries before it, and it said that the government cannot impose its massive fines on them that would be millions and millions of dollars a year. They’re protected from that.”
Northern Ireland will remain pro-life for now after last week’s elections. Bernadette Smythe from the Precious Life organization claims a 2.9% drop in Sinn Fein’s support, which is a hopeful sign that the country is still supporting life.
Queensland in Australia has conserved pro-life laws from the 19th century, but this may be about to change. Robert Pyne, an independent member of Parliament, introduced a bill a few days ago to legalize abortion for all three trimesters. Just last month the Queensland Supreme Court ruled in favor of allowing an abortion for a 12-year-old girl because the pregnancy was too stressful for her.
There have been nearly 300 instances of attacks on Christians by Muslims in German refugee camps, according to a new report from the German branch of Open Doors USA. The report revealed that 86 Christians had been physically attacked by Muslim refugees or staff, and 70 others said that they had received threats on their lives.
Here is the promise of God for all His children who are oppressed, from Psalm 140:12: “I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted and justice for the poor.”
The Target boycott continues to boil. With over a million consumers taking their business elsewhere, Business Insider reported that the number of customers who normally shop at Target has fallen from 42 to 36 percent. Their statement also said that the brand is “at its lowest point in 2 years.”
Both North Carolina and Texas are fighting back against Obama’s transgender bathroom mandate for all government schools. The North Carolina statement protested the directive as “social experimentation” on students, and the Texas statement termed the order “blackmail.”
Duck Dynasty reality star Phil Robertson told Sean Hannity on Fox News that he’s backing Trump for president because he’s a Republican and more likely to support the pro-life position. Robertson says that it is sin “that’s killing America. It’s not a political fix we need; it’s a spiritual one.” Amen!
Christianity Today has released a story on alleged sexual abuse and multiple affairs that took place in the Bangladesh mission from 1961 to 1989. The mission, under the auspices of the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism, has identified at least 23 victims of the abuse (mostly missionary kids). This adds to the horrific stories of abuse that have surfaced from missionary boarding schools in Senegal and Guinea.
Proverbs 25 puts it well: “Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.”
The pleas from New York City’s Mayor Bill DeBlasio to boycott Chick-fil-A are not working. The New York Post reports that Chick-fil-A, only open six days a week, is outselling McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, and Subway, with an average sales per store of $3.15 million a year. The Christian-owned restaurant is planning to open twelve more stores in New York this year.
Captain America: Civil War has taken in almost a billion dollars in the box office just two weeks after being released. The Christian-based website MovieGuide.org recommends extreme caution for language (28 profanities and obscenities) with a positive, redemptive message about law and liberty.
“Fear the LORD your God . . . by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life . . . that your days may be long” (Deuteronomy 6:2).
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The Top Ten Job-Killing Companies in America include Carrier, a company that produces refrigerators and air conditioners. Carrier is now moving its work to Mexico. Meanwhile, Wal-Mart also made the list after closing numerous stores due to an increase in online shopping.
And that’s the World View in Five Minutes.