It’s Thursday, July 14th, 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

Indonesia’s updated law penalizes Christians

Indonesia released a revised criminal code which strengthens its blasphemy laws.

The provisions would disproportionately affect Christians in the Muslim-majority nation.

One part of the new code criminalizes anyone who tries to change someone else’s religion.

Muslims who convert to Christianity already face severe persecution in the country.

Timothy Carothers with International Christian Concern said the new code gives “updated tools for hardliners and activists to exploit in silencing opposing views and vulnerable people, including religious minorities, which we have continued to see across Indonesia.”

The Southeast Asian country is ranked 28th on the Open Doors World Watch List of nations where it is most difficult to be a Christian.

Psalm 94:20-22 asks, “Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, have fellowship with You? They gather together against the life of the righteous, and condemn innocent blood. But the LORD has been my defense, and my God, the rock of my refuge.”

Geneva gov’t denies Christians baptism

Evangelical churches in Switzerland have traditionally organized baptism ceremonies every year at Geneva Lake.

Authorities even approved of the ceremonies in the past. But now, Geneva officials are denying multiple churches permission to use the public beaches for baptisms. The churches are taking their case to the Geneva court.

Stéphane Klopfenstein with the Swiss Evangelical Alliance said, “We regret that Geneva is trampling on its tradition of tolerance and damaging its reputation as a capital of human rights.”

69% of U.S. Protestants say intolerance toward Christians growing

A new study by Lifeway Research found 54% of Americans agree that religious liberty is on the decline in the U.S. Thirty-two percent disagree, and 14% aren’t sure.

Fifty-nine percent of respondents also say that Christians are increasingly confronted by intolerance.

Protestants, at 69%, were the most likely to agree that intolerance toward Christians is increasing, but 40% of the religiously unaffiliated also agreed.

Infamous abortion Mississippi abortion mill to relocate to New Mexico

Mississippi’s last abortion mill shut down last week after Special Chancellor Debbra Halford refused to grant a temporary block on the state’s abortion ban.

Jackson Women’s Health Organization is the infamous mill at the center of the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade.

The abortion mill plans to relocate to New Mexico where killing unborn babies is not banned.

Episcopalians endorse abortion, apologize for pro-life centers

The Episcopal Church, which held its 80th General Convention in Baltimore, Maryland this month, blatantly ignored biblical teaching on the sanctity of life.

The convention adopted a resolution in favor of abortion. The resolution states, “All Episcopalians should be able to access abortion services and birth control with no restriction.”

The Episcopal House of Deputies even adopted a resolution denouncing the work of Crisis Pregnancy Centers and apologizing for previous support of pro-life centers.

The Episcopalians also adopted a resolution in favor of so-called “gender-affirming care” for people pretending to be the opposite sex.

To politely object, call Rev. Gay Jennings, the President, at 800.334.7626, email contact@houseofdeputies.org, or write her at 815 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017.

Revelation 2:5 says, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.”

U.S. Army & Nat’l Guard cutting benefits for COVID-­­shot objectors

The U.S. Army is cutting benefits to services members who have not received a COVID shot or an exemption.

The move affects 40,000 National Guard soldiers and 22,000 Reservists.

Nearly 8,000 soldiers have requested religious exemptions from the COVID shot, but the Army has approved only 19 of them for active-duty personnel. Guardsmen and Reservists have received no exemptions.

Consumer price index rose 9% over last year

The consumer price index has risen 9.1% over the last year. It’s the largest increase since 1981.

Prices for gasoline, shelter, and food drove most of the inflation. The energy index alone rose 41.6% over the last year.

Good Samaritan rescued 22 people on sinking boat

And finally, an unidentified Good Samaritan helped rescue 22 people from a sinking charter boat in New Jersey this week.

The Starfish charter boat struck the Townsend Inlet Bridge on Monday evening and began taking on water.

In God’s providence, that’s when the Good Samaritan arrived with a vessel and took the passengers to safety. No one was injured.

The U.S. Coast Guard wrote, “Thank you to all who responded to help out the passengers and crew.”

Close

And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Thursday, July 14th, 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.