It’s Tuesday, June 11th, A.D. 2019. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus.
By Kevin Swanson
Radical Hindus destroy Christian School in India
Morning Star News reports that officials from India’s eastern state of Odisha demolished a Christian school serving some 250 students. According to the school’s founder, the officials were influenced by Hindu extremists. The school was accused of distributing Bibles to the children and conducting Christian prayer every morning and evening.
Iranian official imprisoned for supporting religious freedom
And Iran Press Watch informs us that a city councilor in Southern Iran, Mehdi Hajjeti, was sentenced to one-year imprisonment after he publicly expressing empathy for imprisoned religious minorities. Pray that Hajjeti would know Jesus.
Christian family of Egyptian convert to Islam harassed
Violence has broken out against Christians in a village in upper Egypt.
Everything started when a woman named Fransa vanished from her village. She was later found converted to Islam and re-married to a Muslim, reports International Christian Concern. Her marriage sparked violence against her Christian family.
The Worldview spoke to Claire Evans of International Christian Concern about the persecutions.
EVANS: “Her family, the Christian family that was left behind, was starting to receive a lot of harassment because in this culture when you convert to Islam it’s something to celebrate, and you should pressure the rest of the family to come and convert as well. She did it of her own free will; she wasn’t force to do it. But because of the tension of her family being harassed because they wouldn’t convert as well, her family was forced to flee the village temporarily.”
Australian Christian rugby player sues over religious discrimination
The firing of Christian rugby player Israel Folau over his faith commitment to God’s Word has caused an upset in Australian rugby. His brother John quit the Sydney-based team over the ordeal, according to Daily Mail Australia.
And now, Folau has announced a lawsuit against Rugby Australia, seeking $10 million in damages. The suit appeals to the Australia’s Fair Work Act, which “prohibits an individual’s employment being terminated on the basis of religion.” The Sydney Morning Herald called the termination and aftermath “a battle without precedent in Australian sport.”
Hungarian leader: No income taxes for families of 4 or more!
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban introduced his “Family Protection Action Plan” in an effort to promote marriage and families — what social scientists see as a rare occurrence in the Western world, reports the European Large Families Confederation.
Among the measures is a permanent life-long waiver on personal income tax for those families who raise at least four children.
Large U.S. families pay more under Trump tax plan
Meanwhile, US News and World Report notes that large families in some cases have suffered from the Trump tax plan.
“With respect to the loss of exemptions, a couple with four children would experience a loss of six exemptions – $24,300 – while increasing their standard deduction by only $11,300. If their taxable income had otherwise been $40,000, that $13,000 increase in taxable income would have resulted in an additional tax of $2,860 at the new 22 percent tax rate.”
Psalm 127:3 says, “Children are a heritage of the Lord. The fruit of the womb is His reward.”
Joe Biden defends his new opposition to Hyde Amendment
Joe Biden, the Democrat Party front runner for president, is moving left on abortion.
After 40 years of supporting the Hyde Amendment which banned federal monies to abortion, Joe Biden changed his position last weekend, reports RealClearPolitics.com.
BIDEN: “If I believe health care [or abortion] is a right, as I do, I can no longer support an amendment that makes that right dependent on someone’s zip code.”
The Apostle Paul warned of this in 2 Timothy 3:13-15. “Evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived, but you must continue in the things which you have learned and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures.”
Decision Magazine vs. “Progressive Christianity”
Billy Graham’s Decision magazine this month presents a strong message against “the lie of Progressive Christianity”.
The cover picture on the online article features Indiana mayor and Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, an avowed homosexual, warning that “otherwise faithful Christians seeking ‘middle ground’ with the prevailing culture’s moral positions—most notably on sexual ethics—such a notion is incongruent with a faithful reading of Scripture.”
Christian talk show host Michael Brown from “Line of Fire” said, “They are forgetting the real liberating truths of the Gospel. And in many cases the biggest problem is that we haven’t been preaching a really strong Gospel message in our churches for years.”
Supreme Court vs. gun rights
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against an operator of a military surplus store in Kansas who was in possession of gun silencers without a federal registration, reports Reuters. That would have required the payment of a fee and a background check, including submission of fingerprints and photos.
The defendants had attempted to argue exemption on the basis of the Second Amendment.
California offers free health benefits to illegals
If the State of California’s new fiscal budget is approved, this will be the first state to give free health benefits to illegal immigrants. The Associated Press reports that the $100 million package was broadly approved over the weekend and is targeted to go into effect next January.
Young Idahoan listens to The Worldview while mowing lawns
David Holston in Hayden, Idaho wrote to say, “The Worldview in 5 Minutes is a blessing to our whole family. I listen to it every morning while I mow lawns and love how you show God’s sovereignty through the news. I like how at the end of every broadcast you tell us to ‘Seize the day for Jesus Christ.'”
17-year-old in New Zealand likes Christian perspective
And Kezia de Vries wrote to say, “I am a 17-year- old Christian home-schooled girl living in New Zealand with my amazing parents and siblings. In a world that is in darkness, I’m passionate about being a cheerful and joyful light shining into other’s lives by the way I live and speak.
“I’ve been listening to The Worldview in 5 Minutes for only a couple of months. It was the mass shooting here in New Zealand that motivated me to hear what was going on in the world from a Christ-centered perspective.
“I really enjoy the fact that I can listen and learn about what’s happening around the world and who I can pray for. It only takes 5 minutes out of my day — much quicker and more worthwhile than reading through news post after news post and being none the wiser! It’s also very encouraging to hear how God is working through His people in big and small ways. A lot of the things you talk about never reach the media here in tiny New Zealand.”
10 new donors give $3,105; Grand total: $5,655
Wow! 10 new donors toward our goal of raising $50,000 by Friday, June 28th.
Special thanks to David in Rossmore, New South Wales, Australia for his $25 gift, for Bill in Franktown, Colorado, David in Helena, Montana, and Shawn in Bancroft, Ontario, Canada – each of whom gave a $50 gift.
We’re also grateful for the kindness of Elaine in Hampton, South Carolina for her $70 gift, for David in Hayden, Idaho for his $150 gift, for Mike also from Hayden, Idaho for his $220 gift and for Richard in Lufkin, Texas for his $240 gift.
And we praise God for the generosity of Deborah in Goldendale, Washington for her $25 monthly pledge totaling $300, for Todd from Outlook, Saskatchewan, Canada for his $30 monthly pledge totaling $360, and for Nicholas in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania for his one-time gift of $1,500.
Ready for the new grand total? Drum roll please! (drum roll sound effect) $5,655! (cheers)
Help us reach $25,000 by this Friday, June 14th
This Friday, June 14th is the midway mark at which point we hope to have raised $25,000. We are $19,335 short of that goal right now.
Today, I’m looking for 5 new Worldview listeners to pledge $40 per month for a year and 9 listeners to pledge $20 per month for a year.
Go to TheWorldview.com, click on “Give” on the top right, and then make your pledge. And don’t forget to click the recurring monthly donation button if that’s your wish.
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Tuesday, June 11th in the year of our Lord 2019. 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.