It’s Friday, August 14th, A.D. 2020. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldView.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)
By Jonathan Clark
Russia wants to make things difficult for Christians
Last month, the Russian government presented a new bill to ban foreigners and religious leaders who have studied internationally from working with religious organizations in the country.
Russia has already been known for prosecuting dozens of people and organizations, mostly evangelical, under the country’s 2016 “anti-missionary” laws.
Jon Huntsman, the U.S. ambassador to Russia, commented on Russia’s religious freedom violations in an interview with RadioFreeEurope last year.
HUNTSMAN: “We’re not only seeing religious organizations shut down, we’re seeing individual members punished for their religious beliefs, which goes against everything we in the United States, and a whole lot of other countries in this world, stand for.”
North Korea’s human rights violations against 100 women
The U.N. released a report on human rights violations against 100 women detained in North Korea between 2009 and 2019.
Women who try to flee the country are subjected to torture, abuse, and even forced abortion and infanticide.
Escapees who return to North Korea are systematically punished, especially those who try to reach South Korea or contact Christian groups.
America racked up nearly $3 trillion more debt in fiscal year 2020
The U.S. budget deficit reached a record $2.81 trillion during the first 10 months of the 2020 fiscal year, according to the Treasury Department.
The government spent trillions of dollars trying to revive the American economy during coronavirus lockdowns.
Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky told Fox News he does not support the unprecedented debt levels.
PAUL: “We’re gonna borrow five trillion dollars in five months. I remember when conservatives complained about George W. Bush borrowing five trillion in eight years.”
Proverbs 22:7 says, “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”
Pennsylvania church met in Walmart since store was deemed essential
Churches are finding unconventional ways to meet and worship during discriminatory coronavirus lockdowns.
A church in North Versailles, Pennsylvania met inside a Walmart back in June. The state considered the church non-essential while Walmart was considered essential.
An “Evangelicals for Trump” group held a worship service at a Las Vegas hotel and casino last week. Nevada currently bans Christian gatherings of over 50 people but allows casinos to operate at a less strict 50 percent capacity.
California churches getting persecuted for in-person services
Meanwhile, other churches who hold in-person services are facing legal battles.
California’s Ventura County asked a judge to hold Pastor Rob McCoy and Godspeak Calvary Chapel in contempt of court for holding services despite a temporary restraining order. However, the judge did deny a request by the county for the sheriff to shut down the church.
And California Pastor John MacArthur of Grace Community Church is also facing fines and arrest for holding in-person services. He told CNN the state’s restrictions are unconstitutional and discriminatory.
MACARTHUR: “Our people know life is being restricted in a way that is not constitutional, that is burdensome, that is targeting a church, and that makes no sense in light of the actual numbers of deaths that they’re seeing.”
Psalm 122:1 says, “I was glad when they said to me, let us go into the house of the LORD.”
Amazon Prime censored “Babies are Still Murdered Here” movie
Pro-life filmmaker Marcus Pittman is raising concerns of censorship after Amazon Prime Video removed his movie “Babies are Still Murdered Here,” supposedly over poor reviews despite the film getting overwhelmingly positive reviews. In fact among the 334 reviews on Amazon, 90% of them were 5-star reviews!
It’s not the first time the tech giant has censored material from Christians, pro-lifers, and conservatives.
To register your complaint with Amazon Prime for censoring the pro-life movie, call 1 (888) 280-4331 or communicate on-line here.
Hiroshima bombing victim fights for peace, not revenge
This past week marked 75 years since the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending World War II and killing hundreds of thousands of people.
Eight-month-old Koko Kondo lived through the bombing of Hiroshima and vowed revenge as a child. Years later on the American talk show, This Is Your Life, Kondo got to meet Capt. Robert Lewis, co-pilot of the Enola Gay which dropped the bomb on Hiroshima.
Kondo saw Lewis crying as he remembered writing after the bombing, “What have we done?” She told NPR it changed her life, and she wants to fight for peace now, not revenge.
KONDO: “I just wanted to touch his hand because I thought, that’s my way of showing, ‘I’m sorry I hated you, but it’s not you who I should hate.’ And he felt little Koko’s hand touch his hand. He held my hand very tightly.”
Matthew 5:7 says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Friday, August 14th, 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.