Friday, December 8th, in the year of our Lord 2017

By Jonathan Clark

Open Doors CEO Say Persecution Is the Issue of Our Time

The persecution of Christians is the issue of our time according to David Curry, CEO of the persecution watchdog group Open Doors. With just under a third of the world’s population identifying with Christianity, about 80 percent of persecution is directed at Christians.

Speaking at the 3rd Archon International Conference on Religious Freedom, Curry said, “This is the issue, I think, of our time. I say that with confidence because persecution, … and particularly the persecution of Christians, is the tipping point in every major crisis around the world. In North Korea, in Africa, in Iraq and Syria—it begins with persecution of Christians.”

Curry encouraged Christians this Christmas to “begin to pray now . . . for these folks around the [world].”

Hebrews 13:3 says, “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.”

ISIS Still Holds Thousands of Women as Sex Slaves in Iraq

While harassment scandals have hit leaders in the West, ISIS continues their enslavement of women and children mostly from religious minorities like Yazidis and Christians in Iraq.

The Islamists operate slave markets and still hold thousands of women as sex slaves even after recent military losses. Families who may find their enslaved relatives are rarely able to buy them back. Pray for the liberation of these women and Christians.

Bulgarian Parliament Moves to Criminalize Promotion of Radical Islam

The Bulgarian parliament has moved to adopt amendments to their criminal code on Wednesday to penalize the promotion of radical Islam, a caliphate, religious violence, and Sharia law.

Advocating an ideology of violence could be punished by one to five years in prison and a fine of up to 2,000 pounds, according to the country’s newspaper Dnevnik.

Parliament member Boris Yachev stated, “Radical Islam is a particularly aggressive and dangerous ideology that justifies violence and the murder of [infidels],” and excuses “slavery and genocide” as a “systemic policy.”

Australia Officially Legalizes Homosexual Faux Marriage

The Australian Parliament officially passed a law yesterday legalizing so-called homosexual marriage. The bill changes the definition of marriage to “a union of two people” from a union of one man and one woman. Couples can start applying for this abomination on Saturday with official ceremonies to begin in January.

Lawmakers rejected amendments to protect freedom of speech for individuals and businesses, but the bill does allow churches to refuse to take part in such ceremonies, reports World Magazine.

Pro-Life Movement Gains Momentum in the Netherlands

A Dutch group called Cry for Life is expecting tens of thousands of people for their 25th March for Life in The Hague this weekend after decades of work in the country against a culture of death, reports Life Site News.

The Netherlands legalized the murder of the unborn in 1980 and euthanasia in 2002, the first country to do so since Nazi Germany. The European Institute of Bioethics said there has been a 317 percent increase in assisted suicide deaths since 2006 with 6,091 deaths just last year.

The Dutch pro-life movement has been gaining steam as fraud scandals amounting to nearly 15 million euros have hit abortion mills there, with four out of seven of them closing this year.

Senator Al Franken Announces His Resignation

Democrat Senator Al Franken of Minnesota announced his resignation in a speech yesterday amid allegations of harassment from eight women. Over 30 Democratic senators have called on Franken to step down.

Franken denied some of the accusations, saying, “I know who I really am.”

“Serving in the United States Senate has been the great honor of my life. I know in my heart that nothing I have done as a senator, nothing has brought dishonor on this institution. I am confident that the ethics committee would agree. Nevertheless, today I am announcing that in the coming weeks I will be resigning as member of the United States Senate.”

Life Site News reports that Franken has been a supporter of Planned Parenthood and sexually perverted lifestyles.

Proverbs 28:18 says, “Whoever walks blamelessly will be saved, but he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.”

Jack Phillips Shares How His Religious Freedom Case Has Affected His Family

Christian baker Jack Phillips and his Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Kristen Waggoner spoke to Fox News about Phillips’ refusal to bake a cake celebrating a homosexual wedding. His case was just heard this week before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Waggoner said they were encouraged by Justice Anthony Kennedy’s comments on Tuesday, a likely swing vote in the religious freedom case.

Phillips shared how the whole case has affected him and his family.

“You know it’s been very hard on us in our business. Like Kristen was saying, we’ve had to surrender our wedding cake business, which was about 40 percent of our income. I’ve lost over half of my employees. And we’ve faced death threats and harassment of all kinds.

“So now we just hope that the court will rule in favor of … professionals so that I can go back to making the cakes that I can according to my conscience and that nobody else will have to endure what we have for the last five years.”

Only Fifteen Percent of Americans Hold to Evangelical Beliefs

And finally, about one in four Americans self-identify as evangelicals and about 29 percent self-identify as “born again” Christians. But a Life Way Research survey found only 15 percent of Americans actually agree with evangelical beliefs.

The beliefs center on the Bible as the highest authority, Jesus’ sacrifice as the atonement for our sins, the importance of evangelism, and salvation through faith in Christ alone.

Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”

Please Prayerfully Consider Supporting The World View

As you know, The World View and Generations ministries are committed to bringing a Biblical worldview back to the news, to family life, and to the education of our children. We are grateful for your trust in the work we do.

As the Lord has blessed you this year, please consider blessing this ministry with a much-needed, year-end donation right now as we continue to declare Jesus as Lord over all. Go to www.TheWorldView.com/give. That’s TheWorldView.com/give.

Closing Line

And that’s The World View in 5 Minutes on this Friday, December 8th in the year of our Lord 2017. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldView.com. I’m Adam McManus. Seize the day for Jesus Christ.