It’s Tuesday, June 13th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)
By Kevin Swanson
Christian persecution in Tajikistan
Persecution against Christian churches is on the rise in Tajikistan.
In May 2022, Sulaymon Davlatzoda, a Tajikistan senior state religious affairs official, told Protestant church leaders that the government would no longer register new churches.
Plus, anyone under 18 years of age is prohibited from practicing the Christian faith or taking part in church activities.
America’s burdensome debt
Does the U.S. government have a big debt problem?
In the last 12 months, President Biden has racked up another $2.1 trillion in federal debt. That’s up from a $438 billion deficit in 2015 when Barack Obama was president which is a 5-fold increase.
And that’s up from a deficit of $22 billion back in the year 1997, when Bill Clinton was president, representing a 120-fold increase.
Regardless of what modern economists say, the wisdom of God in the book of Proverbs reminds us that “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” (Proverbs 22:7)
Indictment of Trump didn’t decrease popularity
The present controversies do not appear to be hampering Donald Trump in the Republican race for the presidential nomination.
Real Clear Politics has the former president at 53.6% up from 44% back in March. That’s a 31.8% lead ahead of Ron DeSantis.
And Joe Biden and Donald Trump are neck and neck on the un-favorability rating — both at 55%.
Rick Warren objecting to Baptists cutting ties over women pastors
The Christian Post reported on Rick Warren’s campaign to allow for women pastors in the Southern Baptist Church.
Warren’s Saddleback church is appealing the Southern Baptist Convention’s decision to cut ties with the church over the issue.
Christianity Today claims that 73% of American Evangelicals are okay with women preaching in a Sunday service. And a recent survey conducted by Lifeway Research found that 55% of Evangelical pastors are okay with women serving as a senior pastor in a church.
And the trend continues. Research conducted in 2016 found 21% of professional clergy in the US were women, up from 2.3% in 1960.
57% of Protestant churches prepared for active shooter
A Lifeway survey discovered that 57% of American Protestant churches have prepared for an active shooter incident on church premises.
And 54% claim to have armed church members as part of the plan. That’s up from 45% claiming to have armed church members attending services back in 2019.
However, 21% of Protestant churches do not allow firearms on church property at all.
The survey did not ask if the church was ready for spiritual attacks.
Ephesians 6:13 says, “Take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
And 1 John 4:4 reminds God’s people that “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
100 African leaders to U.S.: Respect our Biblical values
Increasingly, African nations are the target of the Western woke, pro-abortion, and anti-family agenda through U.S. foreign assistance programs.
Representing Bethany Christian Services, American Red Cross, Oxfam, International Rescue Committee, Islamic Relief, Catholic Relief Services, Care USA, Save the Children, and World Vision, an organization called Interaction.org lobbies the federal government for diverting funds towards these types of programs.
InterAction explicitly promotes a universal “right” to abortion and increased funding for “women’s rights and feminist organizations.”
Last week, in light of these Western commitments, more than 100 African parliamentarians and religious leaders from 15 countries sent a letter to the U.S. Senate and House leadership, requesting that Africa’s pro-life and pro-family values be respected. There was special concern about President Biden’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief funding.
The U.S. spends $40-$50 billion per year in foreign aid.
Fox News trying to censor Tucker Carlson on Twitter
And finally, will Twitter replace Fox News as a go-to for conservative Americans?
Tucker Carlson has topped 115 million Twitter streamings or downloads for his first commentary on Twitter. His second commentary, issued on June 8th, is pushing 55 million.
After booting Carlson from their Fox News prime time programming, the self-styled conservative news organization experienced a prime time ratings drop of 37%, according to Deadline.com.
Fox News is registering at 1.42 million views now — down from 3 million when Tucker Carlson was on his game. Axios reports that Fox News has responded to Carlson’s Twitter activity with a cease and desist letter.
Carlson’s lawyers have responded with this statement: “Doubling down on the most catastrophic programming decision in the history of the cable news industry, Fox is now demanding that Tucker Carlson be silent until after the 2024 election. Tucker will not be silenced by anyone. … He is a singularly important voice on matters of public interest in our country, and will remain so.”
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Tuesday, June 13th in the year of our Lord 2023. 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.
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CA eager to call parents “abusive” who don’t affirm transgender kids
California AB 957, now before the State assembly, would amend the code to give the state the authority to remove children from their homes if their parents refuse to “affirm their gender,” reports LifeSiteNews. Those parents would be categorized as “abusive.”
It would also require schools, churches and other organizations to follow suit or face repercussions for ‘impacting the health, safety and welfare of [a] child.’
Nicole Pearson, founder of the Facts Law Truth Justice law firm, told the Daily Signal: “This is a horrifying bill for children, and for parents and guardians not just in California, but across the country. Gavin Newsom is gunning for president in 2028. If he signs this bill into law, here, it will be headed to every state if he wins.