800 Christians slaughtered by Eritrean soldiers inside church, 60 pro-life leaders oppose Biden’s pick for Health & Human Services, Canadian church has higher attendance as pastor sits in jail

It’s Tuesday, February 23rd, A.D. 2021. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com.  I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)

By Kevin Swanson

Biden pushes pro-perversion “Equality” bill

The misnamed “Equality Act” is back on the table in Congress.

Democratic Congressman David Cicilline of Rhode Island introduced the egregious bill last week, reports LifeSiteNews.com. It would include those committed to the homosexual lifestyle under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act. The bill is co-sponsored by 223 Democrat Representatives. That is enough to pass the bill.

In March of 2018, Democrat Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced his opposition to the so-called Equality Act while Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine signed on as a sponsor.  This keeps the vote at 50-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie. However, the bill may not overcome a Republican filibuster.

Whitehouse.gov issued a statement from President Biden endorsing the bill.  He stated that “Now, it’s time for Congress to secure these protections once and for all by passing the Equality Act — because no one should ever face discrimination or live in fear because of who they are or whom they love.”

Yet the Old and New Testaments still refer to homosexual behavior as a sin: Leviticus 18:22 says, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.”

Canada’s Zacharias ministry shuts down, publisher pulls books

As the unravelling of the Ravi Zacharias legacy continues following an investigation into the evangelist’s pattern of sexual sin, RZIM Canada has announced that it will shut down operations.

In addition, publisher Harper/Collins is removing all of Ravi Zacharias’ books from print.

800 Christians slaughtered by Eritrean soldiers inside church

The Associated Press reports on more atrocities against citizens in Northern Ethiopia. This time the brutality is directed against the Tigrayan people on the Ethiopian-Eritrean border.

In late November, what appeared to be Eritrean soldiers burst into the Church of St. Mary of Zion. They slaughtered an estimated 800 people who had sought safety in the confines of the church building.

The AP investigation concludes that the attack occurred under the watch of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Ironically, Ahmed won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for making peace with neighboring Eritrea.

According to a church deacon quoted in the AP story, bodies were shockingly left to rot in the streets for days.  The attack was ordered precisely when thousands of people would have been gathered at the church to celebrate the day the Ark of the Covenant disappeared (and apparently re-appeared in Tigray).

After burying 300-400 of the dead, the deacon told the AP he is still “protecting the church. Even now, I’m talking to you from there. We are not armed. What we do is mostly watch. And, of course, pray that God protects us.”

On the Open Doors World Watch List, Eritrea is the sixth worst nation in the world for the persecution of Christian. Ethiopia is #36. Depending on the accuracy of the numbers, this would be the worst massacre worldwide since the Myanmar Rohingya genocide of 2017.

Hundreds of thousands protest coup in Myanmar

And speaking of Myanmar, now hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets protesting the recent military coup there.  Pray for God’s protection of the Christian church in that country.

6.2% of Myanmar citizens are professing Christians, most of whom are Baptists.

60 pro-life leaders oppose Biden’s pick for Health & Human Services

Sixty pro-life leaders (including Operations Rescue) have signed a letter asking the U.S. Senate to oppose the confirmation of Biden’s appointee, Xavier Becerra, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

The letter states that “Becerra is an enemy to every pro-life policy and law and has demonstrated complete disregard for the religious and moral convictions of those opposed to the brutal act of abortion.”

The letter refers to Mr. Becerra’s opposition to the Catholic nuns called Little Sisters of the Poor and his attempts to undermine the efforts of pro-life health centers in California. Becerra will face Senatorial confirmation hearings beginning today.

Tell your Senator to oppose Becerra by calling 202-224-3121.

U.S. Supreme Court sided with conservative Episcopalians

The U.S. Supreme Court is allowing for the fragmenting of Christian denominations.

On Monday, the high court let stand a decision allowing a more conservative Fort Worth Episcopal diocese to hold on to $100 million of property as it broke away from the pro-homosexual apostate denomination.

Canadian church has higher attendance, pastor sits in jail

And finally, the parking lot was more full than usual on Sunday, at that Edmonton, Alberta Canadian church where Pastor James Coates is still languishing in jail, reports CTV News.

The pastor of GraceLife church has been in jail since February 16th for insisting on assembling the church and preaching the Gospel weekly, despite provincial health orders to the contrary.

Watch Pastor Coates’ last sermon, dated February 14th, before he was jailed.  It’s entitled “Directing Government to Its Duty” and the video can be viewed through a special link in our transcript today at www.TheWorldview.com.

The Worldview spoke to Ted and Shannon Tederoff, members of GraceLife church about Sunday’s service.

TEDEROFF: “Our church probably seats 400 or 450. And our biggest crowds were around 400. Our second biggest crowd was two weeks ago at around 470. And this last time we capped it at 600. We plowed some of our grass area for parking, and we had to turn people away. Some people were outside listening on speakers.”

The Tederoffs also attended a rally at the Remand Correctional Facility in Edmonton where a thousand people gathered to protest Pastor Coates’ incarceration. Pastors from Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario encouraged Coates’ release and exhorted churches to open up for in-person services in the province.

Acts 5 relates a similar story: “And the high priest asked them, saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!” But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.”

Close

And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Tuesday, February 23rd, in the year of our Lord 2021. 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.

Print story

46% of GOP would leave party if Trump formed new one

The USA Today and Suffolk University recent poll on Donald Trump found that 46% of GOP voters would leave the Republican Party if the former president was to form his own party.

And 27% said they would stay with the Grand Old Party.

SUBSCRIBE