It’s Wednesday, October 4th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)
By Jonathan Clark
Russian Christian imprisoned for refusing to fight Ukrainians
A Russian court recently sentenced an Evangelical Christian to prison for two and half years. His crime? Refusing to fight in Ukraine.
Vyacheslav Reznichenko has a wife and a four-month-old son. Based on religious grounds, he was not willing to join the Russian army in Ukraine. Despite going through five courts, officials had him imprisoned.
In a similar case, Russia sentenced another Christian to over two years in prison earlier this year. Since Russia invaded Ukraine last year, multiple Christians have faced fines and imprisonment just for opposing the war.
Conservative British commentator vindicated for opposing Drag Queen Story Hour
A British clergy member and conservative political commentator won a large settlement from the Royal Academy of Dance.
The organization removed Calvin Robinson from their education sub-committee for opposing a “Drag Queen Story Hour” at a London library.
Robinson took action against the dance group through the Christian Legal Centre, saying they targeted him for his Christian beliefs. They agreed to a settlement worth over $9,000 last week.
In response, Robinson said, “I am pleased that the bullies did not win and that they have learned you cannot push people out for holding traditional views, Christian views.”
Colorado Supreme Court takes up Christian baker and transgender issue
In the United States, the Colorado Supreme Court agreed yesterday to take up another case for Christian baker Jack Phillips and his Masterpiece Cakeshop.
At issue is Phillips’ refusal to make a cake to celebrate transgenderism. It’s the third lawsuit he has faced for his Christian beliefs.
On his behalf, Alliance Defending Freedom is appealing a Colorado Court of Appeals decision that would force him to express messages in his work that violate his beliefs.
Pope Francis okay with Catholic Church blessing homosexual couples
LifeSiteNews reports that the Roman Catholic Pope has effectively told clergy they can decide for themselves on whether to “bless” homosexual couples.
Pope Francis was responding to a letter from five cardinals, asking if such blessings were possible.
He did acknowledge marriage to be between a man and a woman, but expressed openness to other kinds of unions: “We cannot become judges who only deny, reject, and exclude. For this reason, pastoral prudence must adequately discern whether there are forms of blessing, requested by one or more persons, that do not transmit a mistaken conception of marriage.”
Isaiah 5:20 says, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil.”
California Governor picks lesbian, pro-abortion activist to replace Senator Feinstein
On Sunday, California Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a replacement for Dianne Feinstein in the U.S. Senate.
Feinstein died last Thursday at the age of 90.
In her place, Newsom appointed Laphonza Butler, a pro-abortion activist who actually lives in Maryland. She was the president of EMILYs List, a group devoted to electing pro-abortion Democrat women to office.
According to Newsom, she is the first “openly LGBTQ person to represent California in the Senate. She will also be the first Black lesbian to openly serve in Congress.”
Listen to Butler’s comments made last year right after the release of the draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade.
BUTLER: “Right now, it’s our turn to use every lesson we’ve learned, every relationship we built, and raise every dollar we can to ensure that we vote out every single person out of office who does not stand with protecting abortion access. Because we know that protecting abortion access, it means freedom, freedom for every woman to choose her own destiny.”
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy ousted
Speaking of the Golden State, the U.S. House voted yesterday to oust California Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the chamber. It’s the first time the House has removed a speaker this way.
Eight Republicans joined Democrats in the vote of 216-210. Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz led the effort to vacate McCarthy, saying the speaker has broken his promises.
GAETZ: “I believe the basis for the motion to vacate is Kevin McCarthy’s repeated breach of the agreement that he made in January. Just look at the breach that we’ve seen over the last few weeks. He blew past the pre-COVID spending top line he agreed to. He put a bill on the floor to fund the entire government without 72 hours to review it, in violation of the agreement he made. He said that there would never be a bill on the floor of the House that spent more than $100 million without the opportunity for amendment, and yet the last continuing resolution violated that agreement as well.”
Archaeologists uncovered inscriptions based on Psalms
And finally, archaeologists with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem announced last week they uncovered inscriptions based on the Psalms in the Judean Desert.
The inscriptions are in Koine Greek, the language of the New Testament, and probably date to the 600s AD. One of the inscriptions is on a large building stone and reads, “Jesus Christ, guard me, for I am poor and needy.”
Experts believe it is based on the opening verses of Psalm 86 which says, “Bow down Your ear, O LORD, hear me; for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am holy; You are my God; Save Your servant who trusts in You!”
Dr. Avner Ecker of Bar-Ilan University noted that Psalm 86 “is one of the most common Psalms in the Christian liturgy in ancient times.”
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Wednesday, October 4th 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.