Thursday, February 11th, in the year of our Lord, 2016.
By Kevin Swanson
A California Wesleyan church is suing the state Department of Managed Health Care for a recent mandate requiring them to provide elective abortions with their health care plan. Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Erik Stanley is handling the case: “The whole case boils down to a very simple proposition that no one has the right to force other people to pair for their elective abortion, and no church should ever be forced to pay for the taking of innocent human life. If the free exercise of religion means anything, it means that—that the state has no power to force a church to participate in the taking of innocent human life, and that’s really what this case is about.” Stanley says that this is an obvious violation of the 1st Amendment Establishment Clause.
However, here’s some good news for you! Samaritan Ministries, the Christian medical sharing organization, announced that it has added over 5,000 member households in just the last month. This puts the health-sharing ministry at roughly 60,000 households—a 400% increase since Obamacare kicked in back in 2011. Families pay an average of $405.00 per month for medical coverage with Samaritan . . . about a quarter of the cost of Obamacare. Samaritan Ministries requires its members to be accountable members of a Christian church, and it will not cover abortions or abortifacients when it publishes needs.
A high school principal is back on the job after apologizing for his Facebook comments concerning Islam. He had issued a post reading “One Nation under God, not Allah.” Gary Davison was also critical of homosexuality.
Jesus said, “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:32-34).
Meanwhile, Pastor Huang Yizi has been released from China’s “Black Jail” after a five-month detention. The Black Jail is an unaccountable prison known for torturing its victims. China Aid, a human rights organization, reports that Pastor Yizi was thin and pale on his release. He was known for his public opposition to the recent persecutions against Christian churches in that country. China Aid’s Bob Fu told The World View that the pastor’s release is an evidence of God’s hand working: “According to my source, Pastor Huang was released due to the enormous international pressure. Of course, there were lots of prayers, and the dramatic pressure from many countries. Basically . . . he is totally innocent, and I think the authorities at the end of the day usually within six months in Black Jail, they either have to bring a legal charge against him for another long sentence in a criminal trial and sentence, or they have to free him.” Mr. Fu also says that China is incarcerating human rights lawyers in the same dungeon: “Already over 330 lawyers and student rights defenders were secretly detained, questioned, and interrogated . . .”
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) denomination’s unofficial publication The Layman reports that the liberal denomination is expecting a loss of 400,000 members over the next 5 years—a 24% drop in membership. The PC(USA) began allowing the officiation of homosexual marriages last year on March 17th.
Jude 1:7-12 says, “Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh . . . clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots . . .”
The head of North Korea’s military was executed by order of President Kim Jong Un, according to recent reports. This comes about a year after the execution of the country’s defense minister. The message? Kim Jong Un is very nervous about the armed forces, according to a Fox News source. Relations with neighboring countries have cooled of late, as both Japan and South Korea have announced new sanctions against the hermit state.
“The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; He utters His voice, the earth melts” (Psalm 46:6).
A Malaysian court ruled earlier this week that Sharia courts in the country may only handle divorce cases when both parties are Muslim. This will affect Christians who are married to unbelievers who break covenant.
Over a million citizens are trapped in Syria’s besieged cities, according to the Siege Watch from the Washington-based Syria Institute. In a report from Christian Today, the Protestant Pastor Harout is calling on all Christian pastors to stay in the country and minister to the people. The courageous pastor said, “God called me to be here, and being a pastor is not for good days only—it’s for all the time, every day.”
Former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie have called it quits after the New Hampshire primary on Monday night. The Republicans left in the race to battle it out are Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, and John Kasich. The South Carolina primaries are slated for next Saturday.
Sears is closing 50 stores. That announcement comes after Macy’s announced closure of 40 stores. Business analysts say that department stores are the weakest in retailing, which bodes badly for the future of American malls.
And that’s the World View in Five Minutes.