It’s Wednesday, July 5th, 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
How Pakistani Muslims blocked church construction
Police in Pakistan charged a Christian with blasphemy against Islam last Friday.
The day before, Haroon Shahzad had posted 1 Corinthians 10:18-21 on Facebook. Verse 20 says, “What pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.” Muslims in the area were about to hold a festival that involved a sacrifice.
Morning Star News reports that the Muslim blasphemy charge against Shahzad stemmed from personal grudges. The government had allotted his family a valuable piece of land for constructing a church building. Local Muslims had been trying to keep Christians from doing so. And the blasphemy charge was the latest attempt.
Ireland’s march for life
On Saturday, over 10,000 people joined the march for life in Ireland.
New data from the Irish health minister, Stephen Donnelly, revealed that abortion in the country increased by 27% in 2022 to 8,500 abortions.
Pro-lifers are protesting new legislation that would allow the murder of unborn babies for any reason up to six months of pregnancy. Lawmakers may also end conscience protections for doctors who refuse to perform abortions.
Supreme Court affirms Christian web designer’s religious liberty
On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a landmark ruling in a religious liberty case.
Lorie Smith, a Christian web designer, challenged a Colorado anti-discrimination law. The legislation would have required her to make websites for faux homosexual weddings.
The high court ruled 6-3 in favor of Smith. The majority ruling stated, “No public accommodations law is immune from the demands of the Constitution.”
Alliance Defending Freedom noted, “The U.S. Supreme Court rightly reaffirmed that the government can’t force Americans to say things they don’t believe. The court reiterated that it’s unconstitutional for the state to eliminate from the public square ideas it dislikes, including the belief that marriage is the union of husband and wife.”
6,000 Methodist churches abandon denomination
Last week, the number of churches leaving the United Methodist Church surpassed 6,000.
Since 2019, 6,182 churches have disaffiliated from the mainline denomination. The departures have occurred as the United Methodist Church has divided over the issue of homosexuality. Many departing congregations do not support sexually perverted lifestyles.
Over 4,000 of the disaffiliations occurred this year alone.
American dream means home ownership
GoDaddy surveyed over 1,000 small businesses on the latest perceptions of the American Dream.
For a long time, the American Dream has been associated with financial success.
However, a minority of respondents identified owning a home or being your own boss with the American Dream. People were more likely to define the dream as living comfortably or feeling happy in life.
Fara Howard with GoDaddy said, “American small-business owners are thinking beyond revenue and sales growth when they consider what the American Dream means to them. Today, it’s more about feeling a sense of belonging, freedom, happiness and work-life balance.”
1 Timothy 6:6-8 says, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.”
Worldview listeners weigh in from Arizona, Indiana, and Minnesota
And finally, the emails from Worldview listeners just started arriving yesterday, sharing what they appreciate about our unique Christian newscast.
Sherri Taylor Magana in Somerton, Arizona wrote, “The Worldview is very important to me. I read information not found or heard on other news media. Adam provides a service to Christians that benefits us. Lord, thank you for providing the funds for the newscast to continue. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
James Minter in Depauw, Indiana wrote, “I listen to The Worldview each weekday and find it very informative. I have told many people about it. Several of them have subscribed. Thank you for all you do.”
And Addison Randazzo, age 18, who lives in Alexandria, Minnesota, wrote, “I have been listening to The Worldview for several years now, and always look forward to getting the daily email. I take in a lot of media daily. That’s why starting my day with your Christian newscast from a Biblical worldview is extremely meaningful. I especially enjoy the fact that you share stories of persecuted Christians which I do not see elsewhere.”
Take a moment and email me what you appreciate in a 2-6 sentence email to Adam@TheWorldview.com. Please include your full name, city and state, or country if outside the U.S.
8 Worldview listeners gave $840.50 toward $20,000 Friday goal
Toward our immediate $20,000 goal by this Friday, July 7th, eight Worldview listeners made donations.
We appreciate the help of Genevieve in Wheat Ridge, Colorado who gave $5.50, Patricia in Elkton, Florida who gave $10, and Kimberly in Beech Grove, Indiana who gave $25.
And we’re grateful to God for the help of Laurel in Buckley, Washington who gave $50, Lisa in Eden Prairie, Minnesota who gave $100, Danielle in Brighton, Colorado who gave $150, Ingrid in San Antonio, Texas who gave $200, and James in Kennewick, Washington who gave $300.
Those 8 Worldview listeners gave a total of, drum roll please, (audio of drum roll) $840.50! (audio of crowd cheering)
That means we still need to raise $19,159.50 by this Friday. I wonder if there might be 5 listeners who could jump in during this first week with a gift of $100 per month for 12 months or a one-time gift of $1,200. That would mean we would still need to find 11 listeners to pledge $50/month for 12 months. And another 22 listeners to pledge $25/month for 12 months.
Go to TheWorldview.com, click on Give at the top right, and select the dollar amount that the Lord is prompting you to give. Make sure to select the “recurring” tab if that’s your wish.
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Wednesday, July 5th 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.