It’s Tuesday, August 18th, A.D. 2020. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)
By Kevin Swanson
Iranian Christian pastor and wife get jail sentence
International Christian Concern reports an elderly pastor and his wife have been sentenced to 5 and 10 years in prison for practicing their Christian faith in Iran.
Pastor Victor Bet Tamraz and his wife Shamiran Issavi have just heard they have lost an appeal in their case. They are charged with “illegal house church activities” and “threatening national security.”
Whatever your trials happen to be, please always “remember those who are in prison, as if in prison with them.” (Hebrews 13:3)
Riots continue in Portland and Seattle
More riots occurred in Portland and Seattle over the weekend, as the states of Oregon and Washington continue courting anarchy.
Three police officers were wounded in Seattle, and violence on the streets of Portland continues in its 81st consecutive day.
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkin is a lesbian, and Oregon Governor Kate Brown also professes to engage in homosexual relations.
Proverbs 29:2 says, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan.”
Second judge bans in-person services at MacArthur’s church
A California Appeals court reversed a lower court ruling, issuing an emergency order Saturday night, banning services for Pastor John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church, reports the Baptist Press.
The church went ahead and held services on Sunday, and MacArthur explained to his congregation, “We are not meeting because we want to be rebellious. We are meeting because our Lord has commanded us to come together and worship Him.”
10% of Americans considered suicide in last 30 days
A recent report issued by the Centers for Disease Control has found that the percentage of people “seriously” considering suicide has doubled in America, during the COVID-19 season, reports the Wall Street Journal.
The survey taken in late June, and compared to a similar survey conducted in 2018 — finds that 10.7% of Americans have considered suicide in the past 30 days.
Belgium doctors overwhelmingly favor infanticide
The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children reports that Belgium doctors are overwhelmingly in favor of infanticide.
The organization quotes a report which found 94% of doctors in the Flanders area, “agree that in the event of a serious (non-lethal) neonatal condition, administering drugs with the explicit intention to end neonatal life is acceptable.”
Under pagan influence, the last human sacrifice in Northern Continental Europe occurred in Mecklenburg on November 10, 1066 — almost a thousand years ago.
Psalm 109:16-17 speaks of the one who “did not remember to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy, and the brokenhearted, to put them to death. He loved to curse; let curses come upon him! He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him!”
Chicago murder rate 40% higher this year
Chicago has achieved a murder rate of 30 per 100,000 this year. That’s 40% over last year’s rate, reports the Chicago Tribune.
This murder rate for the U.S. city now exceeds Mexico’s deadliest year in 2018 — at 29 per 100,000, but isn’t quite as high as South Africa’s 36 per 100,000. These are the most dangerous nations in the world for anarchical murder.
The troubles of one Christian man in South Sudan, Africa
South Sudan, Africa, newly formed in 2011, is experiencing long standing internal turmoil.
The Worldview spoke to Newton Waniba, a Christian brother from South Sudan, just yesterday, on how the fighting and unrest has affected his family for generations.
WANIBA: “My parents; they were displaced, and they were placed in the refugee camp. They came back in the late 70s when we were children. And in the 80s we were displaced. I was interrupted in my schooling. Later, I continued in a refugee camp. Later my children experienced life as refugees. We were displaced in 2015. So, we have just come back to the capital, Juba, late last year in December.”
Waniba asked that people pray that the church of Jesus Christ in South Sudan would continue to expand and grow.
WANIBA: “Also, the church may continue. I know that in challenges the church of Jesus Christ has always been expanded. Indeed, for them to be like an altar call. We need to pray that people will come to Jesus Christ, because He is the Prince of Peace.”
Hefty price tag of marijuana use in Australia & U.S.
What is the social cost of cannabis use?
Australia’s Curtin University’s National Drug Research Institute puts the price tag at $4.5 billion in workplace, healthcare, and criminal justice costs. For families caring for those addicted to marijuana, the cost could be an additional $10 billion. That’s to cover the costs of approximately 2 million Australians who use the drug.
Gallup polls have indicated that 12% of American adults use marijuana regularly — that’s 25 million Americans for a social cost of $170 billion.
Japan’s economic slump
And finally, Japan, the third largest economy in the world, has just experienced its biggest slump yet.
All the gains made by the infusion of more government debt under Keynesian Abenomics after 2012 were lost in this recession. The Japanese government has already spent $2.1 trillion on COVID-19 economic stimulus thus far this year — a whopping 42% of their GDP.
By contrast, the U.S. deficit for 2020 spending has topped $2.8 trillion — or 13% of the GDP.
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Tuesday, August 18th, in the year of our Lord 2020. 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.