Tuesday, March 29th, in the year of our Lord, 2016.
By Kevin and Emily Swanson
Georgia’s Governor Nathan Deal announced yesterday that he would veto the controversial “Pastor Protection Act.” The bill would have provided a little protection for pastors and churches opposed to same-sex marriage. Todd Starnes from Fox News interprets this to mean that it is now open season on people of faith in the state of Georgia.
“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (Revelation 21).
Open Doors USA has initiated a petition to President Barack Obama calling for immediate action on behalf of persecuted Christians. This follows the Pakistan church bombing on Sunday that killed 30+ people and injured hundreds more. Emily Fuentes, spokesperson for Open Doors, told The World View that this attack is a stark reminder of the steep increase in worldwide persecution this year: “This attack is really just a reminder that the topic of Christian persecution really does need to be at the top of the line of priorities for our leaders here in the U.S. and throughout the Western world because it is happening in unprecedented numbers. Two years ago, we said that it was an unprecedented year in Christian persecution, and sadly this past year has equally been an unprecedented year worse than that year.” Christians can help to protect fellow believers by signing the petition at www.OpenDoorsUSA.org.
The hunt continues for the third Belgium bomb suspect. In the surveillance video, the man is seen wearing a white jacket and glasses.
A new study from the Pew Research Center reports that Christian women around the world are more vulnerable to religious attacks. Delegates from around the world at the Marcham Conference on Women and Persecution testified that Christian women are much more subject to human trafficking, forced marriage, and many other atrocities. Radicals are also targeting wives and daughters as a way of intimidating and demoralizing Christian pastors. Kate Ward, one of the delegates, said, “The greatest offense or violation one can bring to a community is to target their women and children. We see this through the countless atrocities now being witnessed by many.”
“The Lord shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor” (Psalm 72).
Bangladesh has voted to keep Islam as its state religion despite the petitions of secular activists. Violence has continued to escalate in that nation since September of last year.
The ACLU and pro-homosexual groups are suing the state of North Carolina. They are offended that legislators passed the “Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act” last week, which states that the state will not recognize transgendered people who wish to use restrooms meant for the opposite sex.
A Los Angeles Times poll has Donald Trump and Ted Cruz running neck-and-neck in California, 36% to 35%, with Kasich taking 14%. The California primary is still two months away.
The attorney general is pressuring local and state judges to ease off on prosecution of criminals, especially those of minority background. Loretta Lynch advised compliance to the demands to avoid the loss of federal funds.
“You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor” (Leviticus 19:15).
Another military defeat has been handed to ISIS in the Syrian conflict. Syria’s government finally drove ISIS out of Palmyra, a city held by the Islamic State for over a year. The victory marks a major defeat for ISIS. As the psalmist says, “How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!”
Indeed, the Lord does use the weak things of the world to confound the wise and to show His infinite wisdom. Last Thursday, we heard of a 10-year-old Alabama boy who was riding in a truck when the driver passed into diabetic shock. Little Albert Wheeler took over the wheel and continued to steer the truck for 10 miles down the highway, pursued by police officers, no less. The boy finally reached the brake, pulled over, and stopped the truck. Alabama’s law enforcement agency posted this on Facebook after the incident: ”The child’s actions may have saved the driver’s life, his own life, and the lives of others on the road at the time.”
Apparently, Apple’s encryption software isn’t as ironclad as was first thought. The FBI has announced that it has cracked the San Bernardino terrorists’ iPhone without Apple’s help. The Department of Justice will also drop its case against Apple since the FBI found its own way in.
And that’s the World View in Five Minutes.