Friday, November 18th, in the year of our Lord 2016
By Kevin Swanson
President of The Justice Foundation Says Trump Was Elected to Give America Time to Repent
What has the election of Donald Trump meant to the church? The World View put that question to Allan Parker, president of The Justice Foundation (www.txjf.org) based in San Antonio, Texas.
“I believe the election of Donald Trump is a reprieve for the church in America. Because of our four great sins as a nation, we may be very close to national destruction, and I think God has allowed us more time to repent. We have got to repent of the sin of forsaking God, the shedding of innocent blood, sexual immorality and greed on a mass scale. With the selection of the right Supreme Court justices and a change in the church attitude in America, we might be able to see a revival and a healing of our land.”
Parker explained to The World View what is amiss in the American church today.
“Jesus said, ‘If you’re not salt and light, then you’re only fit to be trampled under foot.’ And we’re seeing the trampling under foot of the church because we haven’t been salt and light. We have to be courageous and bold. One of the reasons Donald Trump was elected is that people want to see courageous boldness. We need more of that in the church for truth and righteousness. We need to be bold witnesses in the culture. We need to exercise the religious liberty we have or we’re going to lose it all. We don’t speak out about the cause of Christ. We need an ‘I’m not ashamed to be a Christian.’ Of course I believe in God; only a fool thinks there’s no God — as the Bible says, as the evidence from creation shows. So we need to be bolder witnesses for Jesus Christ, speaking the truth in love, and not being intimidated.”
Justice Samuel Alito Expresses Concern over Attacks on Religious Liberty
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito voiced his concern over the accelerated attacks on the Constitutional freedoms during a speech he gave at the Federalist Society’s National 2016 Lawyers Convention. He noted that the past few years have demonstrated that religious liberty is in “greater danger today” than ever before.
Hundreds Gather in front of Washington State Supreme Court in Support of Christian Florist
Hundreds of protesters and supporters gathered around the Washington Supreme Court this week, as the high court heard the appeal for the Christian florist, Barronelle Stutzman. The Washington florist is protesting a fine of $1,001 for her refusal to support a homosexual wedding. Kristen Waggoner from Alliance Defending Freedom is optimistic about the outcome of the case. She said, “The court seemed very interested in our argument about free expression . . .that Barronelle creates artistic expression every time she does a custom [floral] arrangement.” Some in the crowd outside the courthouse held signs that read, “I stand with Baronelle.”
“Our government was formed to be freedom’s greatest protector, not its greatest threat. We are here today because the state of Washington and the ACLU are coming after Barronelle Stutzman’s freedom, and literally everything she owns.”
Trump Considering Prospective Cabinet Appointments
Rumors continue on President-elect Trump’s prospective appointments for his Cabinet. Senator Ted Cruz has been considered for Attorney General, Mitt Romney or Rudy Giuliani for Secretary of State, Senator Jeff Sessions for Secretary of Defense, and Sarah Palin for Secretary of the Interior.
American Universities Console Students Upset About Election With Teddy Bears and Play-Doh
Are American college kids going crazy? America’s most prestigious universities are using pre-school materials and methods to coddle students who are having a hard time coping with the outcome of the presidential election last week. Universities like Cornell, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Michigan Law School are using teddy bears, Play-doh, coloring books, puppies, and kittens to comfort the more fragile of the academic community, according to a report from Fox News. The Center for Collegiate Mental Health reports that the demand for psychiatric care on college campuses has increased 500% in 10 years.
Romans 1 says, “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.”
So Many Ukrainian Orphans Find Families that the Orphanages Close Down
Orphanages in the Ukraine are shutting down, as more children are being adopted. Christian Today reports that Ukrainian families are opening their homes to the orphans. The movement, Ukraine without Orphanages, says it’s not interested in “raising sponsorships, training choirs or starting educational programmes.” For every homeless child, they are looking for “a safe and loving forever family…” Many of the adopting families don’t have much money, but they want to do “radical things for God.”
Republicans Approve Continued Investigation of Planned Parenthood’s Baby Parts Sales
Republicans want to continue the investigation into Planned Parenthood’s sale of baby body parts. The House Committee on Administration approved a proposition on Wednesday to spend $800,000 on the investigation.
Almost Twice as Many People Work in Government as in Manufacturing
CNS reports that there were 7,000 manufacturing jobs lost in October. But that’s okay. The government added 19,000 jobs. There are now almost twice as many government employees as there are manufacturing employees in America.
Proverbs 28:2 says, “For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge its state shall be prolonged.”
Southern States Ravaged By Wildfires
Wildfires are sweeping across southern states. So far 100,000 acres have been consumed in North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory has declared a state of emergency, but no call for prayer and fasting.
Psalm 135:6-7 says, “The Lord does whatever pleases Him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from His storehouses.”
Last Season for Duck Dynasty
The A&E channel says the eleventh season for Duck Dynasty will be its last. The bearded, zany, Christian family from Louisiana has entertained fans for eleven years, with ratings hitting as high as ten million at points. Recent ratings are averaging around 1.5 million viewers.
Trump Supports Repealing Johnson Amendment
Allan Parker of The Justice Foundation (www.txjf.org) was one of 900 evangelical leaders who met with Trump in mid-June. From that meeting, Trump championed the idea of repealing the Johnson Amendment of 1954, which has threatened the church with the loss of its tax exempt status if church leaders endorse or oppose a particular political candidate. Parker cited Eric Metaxas, the author of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy.
“As Eric Metaxas said at the end of that day, ‘If it’s the Johnson Amendment that is keeping us from speaking the truth, than shame on us. And we can expect greater persecution. We need boldness. There are Christians who are bold in the face of having all their possessions confiscated and perhaps their lives forfeited. That is the boldness that we need to have as the church of Jesus Christ.”
Four Girls in Ethiopia Arrested for Handing Out Christian Material
Four teenage Ethiopian girls are in jail for “inciting religious violence.” Their crime? World Watch Monitor says that the girls were arrested for passing out Christian material. Two of the girls are 14 years old. The others are 18 and 15.
Will Trump’s Election Change Media’s Perception of Importance of Religious Freedom?
Will the media have a different perception of the importance of religious freedom for Christians after Trump’s election? Bobby Ross Jr. from GetReligion.org notes that the media often reported on the religious liberty stories with a bias against those who “refused service.” News sources paint freedom of conscience for Christian business owners as “bigotry”, and now the question is, “Will it change after Trump’s election?”
Obama Adds Unprecedented Quantity of Regulations to Federal Register
Another record set by President Obama’s administration yesterday,handing down a record-breaking 572 pages to the Federal Register in a single day. This brings his 2016 total to 81,640 pages. The Competitive Enterprise Institute points out that this president has added more regulations than any other president, with eight out of the top eleven regulation producing years for the federal government. George W. Bush gets the distinction of holding the other three top regulative seasons in the history of the country. In his eight years, President Obama has added 635,448 pages to the Federal Register.
And that’s the World View in Five Minutes.