It’s Thursday, December 14th, 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
Hindus continue to target Christians in India
Officials in India’s state of Uttar Pradesh have arrested nearly 400 Christians over the past three years. Officials are targeting Christians through anti-conversion laws.
Most of the arrested believers are Protestant pastors and church members. Many are out on bail, but 50 remain behind bars.
Other states in India are adopting similar anti-conversion laws, but Uttar Pradesh has seen the highest number of arrests for Christians.
Such laws are being challenged in the country’s Supreme Court. Please pray for the persecuted church in India, ranked 11th on the Open Doors’ World Watch List of nations where it is most difficult to be a Christian.
Closure of British Catholics over COVID hurt churchgoers
A survey of Catholics in the U.K. found church closures during the COVID-19 pandemic had negative effects on churchgoers.
The Catholic Union found 62% of respondents said their physical or mental health was affected by church closures.
Ninety percent of people also said places of worship should be treated as essential services.
Baroness Hollins, president of the Catholic Union, said, “It’s clear from these results that places of worship should never be forced to close again.”
Psalm 122:1 says, “I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go into the house of the LORD.”
Ukrainian President to Biden: $100 billion not enough!
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. leaders in Washington on Tuesday. He is looking to secure more military aid as the war between Ukraine and Russia continues.
The U.S. has already sent over $100 billion to Ukraine since the war started last year. And Republican lawmakers are pushing to link any more Ukraine aid to increased security at the U.S.-Mexico border. With Democrat opposition to that, an aid package seems unlikely to pass in the near future.
Meanwhile, Pew Research found that more and more Americans think the U.S. is giving too much support to Ukraine. Thirty-one percent say support is too high, and 48% of conservative-leaning people say the same.
Supreme Court takes up Abortion Kill Pill
Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case involving the Abortion Kill Pill. Of the American mothers who choose to abort their babies, 53% choose to do so chemically.
The Biden administration is appealing a lower court ruling that banned mail-orders of the abortion drug mifepristone. The high court will hear arguments in the case next year with a decision expected by June.
Erin Hawley with Alliance Defending Freedom commented, “Every court so far has agreed that the FDA acted unlawfully in removing common-sense safeguards for women and authorizing dangerous mail-order abortions. We urge the Supreme Court to do the same. The FDA has harmed the health of women and undermined the rule of law.”
Florida public school library retains Bible
Last Wednesday, a Florida school district committee voted to keep the Bible in libraries.
Broward County Public Schools made the decision after an atheist activist argued the Bible was too sensitive and controversial for students. Elaine Aaron, who serves on the committee, said, “It is important for world studies. I believe the Bible should be on the shelf.”
State law allows residents to challenge books they find objectionable in public schools and libraries. Conservatives are the ones primarily making use of the measure to challenge sexually perverted materials.
Only 22% can retell Christ’s birth story
And finally, Lifeway Research reports that over 90% of Americans say they celebrate Christmas, but only 22% think they can retell the Biblical story of Christ’s birth from memory.
Lifeway evaluated the most-read Bible verses by users of the YouVersion Bible app during this time of year.
People are often reading from Matthew or Luke during Christmas, but Isaiah and Psalms are also near the top of the list.
Over the past five years, the most-read verse was Matthew 1:21. It says, “She will give birth to a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”
The second most popular verse was Isaiah 9:6. The prophet wrote, “For a Child will be born for us, a Son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Thursday, December 14th 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.