It’s Tuesday, September 19th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Kevin Swanson, filling in for The Worldview host, Adam McManus.
Islamic Terrorism On the Rise in Uganda
Islamic terrorism is picking up in Uganda. Police arrested a man earlier this month who was entering a pentecostal church in the Lubaga suburb of south Kampala with an explosive device, as reported by Reuters. Five others were subsequently arrested on similar charges — all linked to the Islamic state. This follows the Islamic massacre of 41 Christian teachers and children in June at the Kasese school in western Uganda. . .
Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. That’s Revelation 12:17.
Roman Catholic Nations’ Birth Rates are Falling
Italy, the home of the Roman Catholic Church countenances one of the lowest national birth rates in Europe — now at 1.24 children per woman. The nation has remained sub-1.5 on average birth rate for 35 years. The nation is losing 850,000 people per year. Another predominantly Roman Catholic country, Spain courts had even lower birth rate at 1.17 — under the 1.5 threshold since 1987. According to populationpyramid.net, Europe’s population peaked in 2019, and is slated to lose several hundred million persons by 2100. . .
Mike Pence: “Greatest Threat to America is the Collapse of the Family”
Former Vice President Mike Pence told a Family Research Council meeting on Friday that “there’s no greater threat to America’s future than the collapse of the traditional family.” Included in his concerns were the imploding birth rates, the tripling of never-married adults since 1980. Pence noted that back in the 1980s it would take 40 weeks for a parent to earn enough to provide for the average family. Now, that has increased to 52 weeks. Pence blamed the “radical Left” for the breakdown of family values in this country, where the family is treated as “secondary to the state.” Pence says, the left “believes parents should have no rights in education. They believe the government should supplant the role of the family, literally, from the cradle to the grave.” Pence is calling for a national 15 week abortion ban.
Trump Criticizes Fetal Heartbeat Bill
Meanwhile, pro-lifers are seeing former President Donald Trump moving left on abortion, as they react to his comments on abortion in an NBC interview aired on Sunday. He called the 6-week Fetal Heartbeat bill signed by Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis a “terrible thing and a terrible mistake.” Pro life – Live Action Founder, Lila Rose called Trump’s comments — “Pathetic and unacceptable.” She said, “Trump is actively attacking the very pro-life laws made possible by Roe’s overturning. Heartbeat Laws have saved thousands of babies.”
Suicide in the United States at an All Time High
Suicides in the US hit an all time high – 49,500 last year . . .up from 29,000 in 2000. And drug over dose rates also are set to break another record this year — projected at at 111,355, up from 48,000 eight years ago The highest increases in drug overdose deaths in the US have occurred in Washington State, Oregon, and Nevada.
Democracy Has Dropped to 29% of World Governments
The share of the world living under democracy (where people vote for their leaders) has dropped to 29% from 54% in the year 2000. That’s the lowest number since roughy 1950, as monitored by Freedom House. The organization attributes this to “increased pressure on human rights organizations, rising intimidation of academics and journalists, and a spate of bigoted attacks, including lynchings, aimed at Muslims” leading to a “deterioration of political rights and civil liberties.” No mention was made of the persecution of Christians, however doubtless, this is a factor .
US Government to Remove Sanctions for Release of Americans in Iranian Prisons
The US government has agreed to remove certain sanctions in exchange for the release of 5 American citizens who have been held in Iranian prisons. The deal includes the unfreezing of $6 billion of assets held in European and Asian banks. These assets would account for about 10% of the nation’s annual military budget. The arrangement did not address Iran’s nuclear program, of particular concern to the United States.
Iran is on track for doubling its Enriched Uranium supply just this year, estimated to reach about 400 pounds by the end of the year, as reported in the Wall Street Journal. A nuclear weapon would require anywhere from 10 to 70 pounds of high enriched Uranium to achieve critical mass.
Daniel 4:34 puts all of this in perspective: At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Tuesday, September 19th in the year of our Lord 2023. This is Kevin Swanson for Adam McManus.