Thursday, October 18th, in the year of our Lord 2018
By Jonathan Clark
Turkey Has Arrested Another Missionary
A day after releasing U.S. Pastor Andrew Brunson last week, the government of Turkey arrested another U.S. missionary, David Byle, ordering him to leave the country after interrogating him, reports Middle East Concern.
David has served Turkey for 18 years, facing multiple arrests and detentions for preaching the Gospel.
Please pray for David and his family and the church in Turkey.
Psalm 14:4-5 asks, “Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up My people as they eat bread and do not call upon the LORD? There they are in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous.”
Norway Court Supported Christian Doctor’s Right to Not Kill Baby in Womb
The Supreme Court of Norway set a new precedent last week after ruling in favor of a doctor’s religious objection to performing a procedure that could cause an abortion, reports Alliance Defending Freedom International.
In 2015, Dr. Katarzyna Jachimowicz lost her job with a General Practitioner Clinic in the municipality of Sauherad for refusing to aid in the administration of abortifacients because it violated her Christian faith.
Canada Greenlights Recreational Marijuana
Yesterday, Canada became the second country in the world to legalize recreational marijuana. This comes after legalizing medical marijuana in 2001.
Some provinces require government-run stores, while others allow for private retailers.
Statistics Canada reports that 4.9 million Canadians used cannabis last year, spending $4.63 billion on it.
Italian Town Declares Itself Pro-Life
The town council of Verona, Italy voted this month to declare itself a pro-life city in a proposal to “prevent abortion and promote motherhood,” reports Live Action News.
The proposal, put forward by council member Alberto Zelger, calls for funding of pro-life groups and for the council to promote adoption as an alternative to abortion.
The initiative coincides with the 40th anniversary of Italy’s legalization of the murder of unborn babies throughout the country.
Isaiah 1:17 says, “Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.”
Secretary of State Meets with Turkish Officials After Journalist Murder
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo went to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to investigate the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey, reports World Magazine.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is suspected of having ordered the murder of Khashoggi two weeks ago at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, according to Turkish authorities.
Khashoggi was a Saudi national and a frequent critic of the crown prince’s policies.
New Survey Reveals Christians Confused About Theology
Ligonier Ministries released their 2018 State of Theology Survey this week in collaboration with LifeWay Research.
The survey found that evangelicals conflicted in their support for Biblical doctrines. For example, an overwhelming majority of evangelicals agreed that God counts someone righteous only by faith in Christ and not by works. But a majority of respondents also agreed with statements like: “Most people are good by nature” and “God accepts the worship of all religions.”
Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Federal Government Collected Most Income Tax Ever
The federal government’s biggest revenue source is individual income taxes with 2018 fiscal year taxes expected to reach $1.7 trillion, about half of federal revenues.
After investigating 2016 individual tax return information, Bloomberg found that the top 3 percent of taxpayers paid over 50 percent of the income tax that year.
Sneak Peek: Pakistan’s Supreme Court to Hear Final Appeal of Asia Bibi
Asia Bibi, a Christian woman falsely accused in the Muslim-majority nation of Pakistan, made her final appeal for freedom from her death sentence last Monday before their Supreme Court. As the justices weigh their decision, public foment continues to bubble over. Stay tuned for a World View Special Report after the newscast.
No Murders in Big Apple Last Weekend
And finally, in God’s providence, New York City, a city of 8.6 million people, went Friday, Saturday, Sunday without any shootings or homicides for the first time in 25 years, reported the New York Police Department on Monday.
The last weekend without any shootings in the Big Apple was 1993.
Close
And that’s The World View in 5 Minutes on this Thursday, October 18th in the year of our Lord 2018. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldView.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldView.com) Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
Special Report: Pakistan at Boiling Point over Asia Bibi Verdict
Time now for a World View Special Report by Emily Swanson. I’m Adam McManus.
By Emily Swanson
Muslim extremists have flooded the streets of Pakistan in protest against the release of Asia Bibi, after the Supreme Court of Pakistan came together last Monday to hear Asia’s final appeal of her death sentence, reports The Christian Post.
The Supreme Court has not made an official public announcement about their decision, but William Stark of International Christian Concern said the fact that they had a hearing is a big development for Asia’s case.
“This is actually a pretty big development in her case, because not only did the Supreme Court hear her case; the chief Justice, the top Judge, in fact, is actually taking notice of her case, and he’s sitting on the three member bench to hear it. So that’s a good thing, but where we’re at currently, essentially, after the hearing on the 8th, the court said it’s going to reserve its final decision until it’s officially announced. So they didn’t announce anything at the end of the hearing, but they did say they were going to make a final decision, and they said, ‘You’ll hear it when we make the announcement.’”
Stark addressed the wait-and-see mode until a decision is reached.
“Now we’re kind of in this waiting pattern, waiting for when the Supreme Court will release its final decision. When I first heard the case last Monday, I had people saying, ‘Oh it could be 24 hours. It could be a week. It could be a month.’”
Stark said that in the meantime, Pakistan’s extremists have not been idle in making their opposition to Asia’s possible release known.
“In the meantime, Pakistan’s extremists took to the streets after Friday’s prayers in Lahore. Basically, they went to the streets condemning the Supreme Court. I think there was an extremist group on a YouTube channel that basically did a YouTube press conference, and they promised a ‘horrible end’ for the justices involved in the Asia Bibi case if they released her.”
Stark said that these threats are not unexpected or surprising in Asia’s case.
“It’s not really unexpected. I’m sure the Pakistani government and court were expecting this sort of reaction which is why they kind of put immediate blackout or attempted to put immediate blackout on it to try and minimize that response somehow.”
Stark also said that though Asia’s life is in danger, she has been well protected and taken care of by the Pakistani government.
“I’ve worked with Malook, the Supreme Court attorney, that’s actually fighting for Asia, and he and I have been kind of discussing her case for at least two years and I’ve always asked him, ‘How is Asia doing? How is her condition in jail?’ Because there’s often these stories in the media about how Asia’s sick, or she’s not being taken care of, she’s vomiting blood, is one I’ve heard a number of times. Malook, her attorney, and her family are the only people that can legally visit her in prison in Pakistan. He’s always told me that the conditions they’ve kept her in are quite safe, in Pakistan.”
Stark said that they even provided someone to cook her meals so she wouldn’t be poisoned.
“She has a cell to herself, and as far as he knows she’s the only person on death row that has their own television, and actually has her meals prepared for her by a private cook in fear of being potentially poisoned or something like that.”
Stark said Malook, her attorney, is himself facing significant danger for defending Asia.
“Malook, himself, being the attorney that’s doing this case, has come under significant threat himself, especially being as vocal as he is. And I do know that he has a police bodyguard on him 24 hours a day; he’s definitely being taken care of as well.”
Keep the Pakistani Supreme Court justices in prayer as Stark said that there is the possibility that one of the security detail could go rogue and attempt an assassination, something that has happened before in Pakistan.
“All we have to do is look back to 2010, I think it was late 2010, Salman Taseer, who was the governor of Punjab. He advocated on behalf of Asia, and said that the conviction is wrong. Her death sentence is wrong, and the law she was convicted under is a black law. And he was assassinated by Mumtaz Qadri (Moom-taz Qua-dri) which was one of the special police officers that was part of his security detail.”
Stark said to pray for three things in light of the impending announcement of the final ruling on Asia’s case.
“Well, I think pray for security right now for those involved in the case. I would say that’s one thing. Two, pray that the case is actually judged on the merits. The Supreme Court now has the opportunity not to just release Asia from prison, which would be a wonderful thing, but to set the precedent.
“The blasphemy laws in Pakistan are some of the most abused laws in that country. The court right now in Pakistan has the opportunity to set a precedent that would turn the tide against those decades of abuse. And then, finally, I would say to pray for the safety and security of Christians in the country generally. A number of Christians in Pakistan, that if Asia, or when Asia is released, the fury of these extremists is going to be turned on them.”
Keep this situation in fervent prayer as we wait on the Lord for the results of the decision, knowing that whatever happens, God will work it out for Asia’s good and for His glory.
This has been a World View Special Report. I’m Adam McManus.