It’s Wednesday, February 23rd, A.D. 2022. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)
By Jonathan Clark
857 attacks against French Christians in 2021
A study by French members of parliament found attacks on people for their religious beliefs are increasing in the country.
Of the 1,659 anti-religious attacks in 2021, 857 were against Christians. Overall, attacks against people in France for their faith were up 38% last year compared with 2019.
Romain Choisnet with the National Council of Evangelicals in France said, “For a long time, anti-Christian acts consisted of damage to or theft from places of worship, which still account for most of the incidents, but physical violence is on the increase.”
Russia invaded Ukraine
On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine and ordered troops into those areas for so-called “peacekeeping” purposes.
In response, the U.S., the U.K., and 27 E.U. countries issued financial sanctions against Russia. Germany suspended the operating license of a key gas pipeline between it and Russia. And the U.S. is sending about a thousand more troops to Eastern Europe.
Norway won 16 Olympic gold medals
(audio of Olympics theme)
The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics ended on Sunday.
Norway topped the medal charts as it did four years ago and won the most gold medals ever at a Winter Olympics.
Norway won 16 gold medals and the most medals overall (37). Germany won eight gold medals, China won nine, and the U.S. won eight.
In terms of overall medal count, the Russian Olympic Committee won 32, Germany won 27, Canada won 26, and the U.S. won 25.
Columbia decriminalized pre-born baby murder up to 24 weeks
On Monday, the Constitutional Court of Columbia voted 5-4 to decriminalize the murder of unborn babies up to 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Columbia started the slide into the legalization of abortion in 2006 when it allowed the murder of unborn babies in cases of rape, the life of the mother, and malformation of a baby.
Other Latin American countries have also begun decriminalizing abortions in recent years including Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador, and Chile.
Isaiah 10:1-2 says, “Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, who write misfortune, which they have prescribed to rob the needy of justice, and to take what is right from the poor of My people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless.”
Supreme Court to hear religious liberty case
Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the case of a Christian web designer who is challenging a Colorado law that requires her to support sexually perverted lifestyles with her work.
Alliance Defending Freedom is representing web designer Lorie Smith and her company 303 Creative.
ADF General Counsel Kristen Waggoner said, “The government doesn’t have the power to silence or compel creative expression under the threat of punishment. It’s shocking that the 10th Circuit would permit Colorado to punish artists whose speech isn’t in line with state-approved ideology.”
Israel opens country, regardless of vaccine status
Israel announced it is opening the country next month to all foreigners, regardless of whether they have a COVID-shot or not.
And yesterday, the U.K. announced its “Living with COVID” plan, ending all COVID-19 restrictions.
California ready to return to normal
Meanwhile in the U.S., California became the first state in the U.S. to announce an “endemic” plan for COVID-19 response. The plan envisions finally returning to normal living.
However, dozens of COVID-19 restrictions in the state remain in place. Go figure!
Gallup: 7% of Americans self-identify as perverted
A new Gallup poll found 7.1% of Americans self-identify as living sexually perverted lifestyles.
That’s double the percentage from 2012.
86% of Americans still identify as heterosexual.
Members of Gen Z, between the ages of 10 and 25, were the most likely to identify as LHBT at 20.8%, up from 10.5% in 2017.
Churches are essential
And finally, more states are advancing bills to acknowledge churches as essential.
During the past two years of COVID-19 restrictions, churches and pastors have been threatened with fines and imprisonment for meeting in violation of the restrictions while many businesses were allowed to remain open.
On Tuesday, the Arizona State House voted to pass the Religion is Essential Act. The bill now heads to the state’s Senate.
In South Carolina, a Senate subcommittee approved a bill last week to protect churches meeting during a pandemic.
Romans 13:3 says, “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.”
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Wednesday, February 23rd, in the year of our Lord 2022. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I’m Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.