It’s Wednesday, January 17th, A.D. 2024. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)

By Jonathan Clark

Surge in persecution in India

The United Christian Forum reports a surge in persecution against Christians in India during the last week of 2023.

Believers faced about three incidents of persecution per day during the period. Leading up to Christmas, they were already experiencing two incidents per day. 

Overall, the United Christian Forum received reports of 720 incidents last year in the country. 

India is ranked 11th on the Open Doors’ World Watch List of nations where it is most difficult to be a Christian. Pastors often face assaults from the community, as well as arrest, under anti-conversion laws across the country.

British Christian teacher vindicated for street preaching on own time

A Christian teacher in England  won a settlement against a high school in a religious liberty case.

In 2022, the Temple Moor High School fired Andy Nix for street preaching in his spare time. He challenged the school’s decision with the help of Christian Legal Centre, winning a settlement worth nearly $9,000.

Nix said, “How the police have treated street preachers [here] in recent years has been appalling. The two-tiered policing against Christian and conservative beliefs I believe has encouraged young people to believe street preachers are fair game who they can attack and discriminate against at will. The experience has, however, helped me grow in resilience and reminded of the cost involved in following Jesus Christ.”

Jesus said in Luke 14:27-28, “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?”

Gender dysphoria diagnoses skyrocketing

In the United States, gender dysphoria diagnoses are up over recent years, according to a report by Definitive Healthcare.

The pro-transgender group reports the identification of gender confusion increased significantly across 49 states between 2018 and 2022. Virginia led with a 274% increase. A third of U.S. states saw increases of over 100%. South Dakota was the only state that had a decrease, seeing a 23% drop in gender confusion diagnoses.

Transgender mutilating surgeries were also up since 2018. Nearly 20 states have now enacted bans on the surgeries as well as transgender drugs.

Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

Tax breaks for parents and business owners

Bipartisan lawmakers in Congress announced a deal Tuesday to expand the child tax credit and give businesses some tax breaks as well.

The deal would increase the maximum credit per child from $1,600 to $2,000 until 2025. 

It would also bring back several tax write-offs that businesses enjoyed under the Trump administration.

30% of Americans behind on debt payments

A new study from LendingTree found that nearly 30% of Americans across the country’s 100 largest cities were behind on debt payments last year.

Consumers across the south, as well as younger generations, were the most likely to be behind on debt payments. 

In total, American households increased their debt to over $17 trillion last year. The leading debt categories included mortgages, credit cards, and student loans.

U.S. centenarians quadrupled

The U.S. Census Bureau projects the number of Americans aged 100 and older will quadruple over the next 30 years.

There are now about 100,000 people in the U.S. over 100 years old, known as centenarians. That’s up from 37,000 in 1990. By 2054, that number could reach 420,000. 

Currently, 78% of centenarians are women, and 77% are white. 

The U.S. centenarian population is the second highest in the world behind Japan with 146,000 people over 100.

Correction on number of Evangelical NFL quarterbacks

Yesterday, The Worldview reported that three-quarters of the National Football League quarterbacks are Evangelical Christians.

While that was the case back in 2015, today 53% of NFL quarterbacks are Evangelicals. A September 6, 2023 ChristianLeader.com article identifies 17 Evangelical quarterbacks on the 32 National Football League teams.

More two-parent families

And finally, the Institute for Family Studies reports that there is a resurgence of two-parent families. 

Based on U.S. Census Bureau data, the percentage of U.S. children living with two parents was 71% last year. That’s up from 67% in 2005. Before 2005, the proportion of children with two parents fell drastically from 87% in the 1960s.

Along with the resurgence of two-parent families, the percentage of children with a single parent was 25% last year, down from 28% in 2005. 

The Institute for Family Studies noted, “There seem to be growing numbers of young adults, in all racial and ethnic groups, who realize the economic, educational, and emotional benefits of marriage for themselves and their future children.”

Close

And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Wednesday, January 17th in the year of our Lord 2024. 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.