Thursday, February 1st, in the year of our Lord 2018
By Jonathan Clark
Kazakhstan Government Cracks Down on Religious Freedom
During 2017, the government of Kazakhstan, which is mostly Sunni Muslim, opened 279 cases against religious minorities including Protestants, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Shia Muslims.
The World View spoke to Amy Penn, Program Coordinator for International Christian Concern, about the government’s crackdown on Christians.
“The primary ‘crimes’ they’re going to be charged with tends to be a lot in part with the religious registration laws in Kazakhstan. In 2011, there was a law passed that said, ‘If you want to be considered legal and you don’t want to get in trouble for practicing your faith, you need to register. You have to be part of a church that has to register with the government. And that registration process is very discriminatory in general.”
Penn said Christian activities are difficult and very restricted even when registered with the government.
“Most organizations that are not Sunni Muslim are not going to get registered. If you’re not registered, you can’t meet together to worship in a church. You can’t talk to someone about your faith. You can’t pass out religious literature. So for example, if I were to meet you in the street and hand you a Bible; if I were personally not registered with the government as a missionary, I could get arrested or I could get fined for passing out religious literature.”
Penn said that despite opposition, the Christian minority in Kazakhstan remains steadfast in the faith.
1 Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
EU Sends Special Envoy for Religious Freedom to Pakistan
The European Union’s special envoy for religious freedom visited Pakistan recently. The envoy indicated that the country’s preferential trade status with the EU is directly linked to the positive outcome of the case of the Pakistani Christian woman Asia Bibi.
Bibi received a death sentence in 2010 on false charges of blasphemy and has been imprisoned now for eight years.
Spanish Province of Andalucía Passes Law Promoting Sexual Perversion
The Spanish province of Andalucía joined the majority of other provinces in the country with a law to promote sexual perversions, reports Life Site News.
The law bans discriminatory language against sexually perverted lifestyles, calls transgender hormone treatments a right for children, and requires schools to teach that students can pretend to be the opposite sex.
Sadly, Catholic schools have to abide by these foolish rules as well.
Two Dead and Over a Dozen Injured in School Shooting in Kentucky
A shooting at Kentucky Marshall County High School last Tuesday left two students dead and over a dozen injured.
Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin called on people to recognize school shootings as a “cultural problem,” and declared Sunday a statewide day of prayer for the grieving county.
One Person Dead in Collision of Amtrak Train and a Truck
An Amtrak train carrying Republican lawmakers to an annual policy retreat crashed into a truck at a rural Virginia road crossing on Wednesday.
Sadly, one person in the truck died. No serious injury to lawmakers was reported.
Special Report on President Trump’s State of the Union Address After the Newscast
President Donald Trump gave his first State of the Union address on Tuesday. Stay tuned for my World View Special Report featuring the key audio clips immediately following today’s newscast.
Super Blood Blue Moon Declares the Glory of God
And finally, yesterday marked a rare lunar event not seen for 150 years—a super blue blood moon!
This results from a blue moon, the second full moon in a calendar month, combining with a super moon, where the moon is closer to the earth and thus brighter and bigger in the sky. Plus, this super blue moon took on a deep red color due to a simultaneous lunar eclipse.
Psalm 8 declares, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? . . . O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!”
Closing Line
And that’s The World View in 5 Minutes on this Thursday, February 1st in the year of our Lord 2018. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldView.com. I’m Adam McManus. Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
Special Report: President Trump Gives His First State of the Union Address
Time now for a World View Special Report. I’m Adam McManus.
By Adam McManus
While 13 Democrat members of Congress boycotted President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address on Tuesday night – including eight members of the Congressional Black Caucus — listen to some key moments that they missed hearing in person.
Speaking before Congress, the president began on an inspirational note, pointing to heroic acts of some special Americans whom he invited to attend the speech, as he emphasized the theme of patriotic unity.
“Less than 1 year has passed since I first stood at this podium, in this majestic chamber, to speak on behalf of the American People — and to address their concerns, their hopes, and their dreams. That night, our new Administration had already taken very swift action. A new tide of optimism was already sweeping across our land.
“Each day since, we have gone forward with a clear vision and a righteous mission — to make America great again for all Americans.
“Over the last year, we have made incredible progress and achieved extraordinary success. We have faced challenges we expected, and others we could never have imagined. We have shared in the heights of victory and the pains of hardship. We endured floods and fires and storms. But through it all, we have seen the beauty of America’s soul, and the steel in America’s spine.
“Each test has forged new American heroes to remind us who we are, and show us what we can be.
“We saw the volunteers of the ‘Cajun Navy,’ racing to the rescue with their fishing boats to save people in the aftermath of a totally devastating hurricane.
“We saw strangers shielding strangers from a hail of gunfire on the Las Vegas strip.
“We heard tales of Americans like Coast Guard Petty Officer Ashlee Leppert, who is here tonight in the gallery with Melania. Ashlee was aboard one of the first helicopters on the scene in Houston during Hurricane Harvey. Through 18 hours of wind and rain, Ashlee braved live power lines and deep water, to help save more than 40 lives. Ashlee, we all thank you.
“We heard about Americans like firefighter David Dahlberg. He is here with us too. David faced down walls of flame to rescue almost 60 children trapped at a California summer camp threatened by those devastating wildfires.
“To everyone still recovering in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, California, and everywhere else — we are with you, we love you, and we will always pull through together. Always.
“Some trials over the past year touched this chamber very personally. With us tonight is one of the toughest people ever to serve in this House — a guy who took a bullet, almost died, and was back to work three and a half months later: the legend from Louisiana, Congressman Steve Scalise. (applause) I think they like you Steve.
“We are incredibly grateful for the heroic efforts of the Capitol Police Officers, the Alexandria Police, and the doctors, nurses, and paramedics who saved his life, and the lives of many others in this room.
“In the aftermath of that terrible shooting, we came together, not as Republicans or Democrats, but as representatives of the people. But it is not enough to come together only in times of tragedy. Tonight, I call upon all of us to set aside our differences, to seek out common ground, and to summon the unity we need to deliver for the people. This is really the key. These are the people we were elected to serve.
“Over the last year, the world has seen what we always knew: that no people on Earth are so fearless, or daring, or determined as Americans. If there is a mountain, we climb it. If there is a frontier, we cross it. If there is a challenge, we tame it. If there is an opportunity, we seize it.
“So let’s begin tonight by recognizing that the state of our Union is strong because our people are strong.”
President Trump cited the success of a roaring economy, stimulated by new tax cuts, and the elimination of a key component of Obamacare.
“Unemployment claims have hit a 45-year low. And something I’m very proud of. African-American unemployment stands at the lowest rate ever recorded, and Hispanic American unemployment has also reached the lowest levels in history.
“Small business confidence is at an all-time high. The stock market has smashed one record after another, gaining $8 trillion and more in value in just this short period of time. For Americans, 401k, retirement, pension, and college savings accounts have gone through the roof.
“And just as I promised the American people from this podium 11 months ago, we enacted the biggest tax cuts and reforms in American history.
“Our massive tax cuts provide tremendous relief for the middle class and small business.
“To lower tax rates for hardworking Americans, we nearly doubled the standard deduction for everyone. Now, the first $24,000 earned by a married couple is completely tax-free. We also doubled the child tax credit.
“A typical family of four making $75,000 will see their tax bill reduced by $2,000 — slashing their tax bill in half.
“In April, this will be the last time you ever file under the old and very broken system — and millions of Americans will have more take-home pay starting next month. We repealed the core of the disastrous Obamacare — the individual mandate is now gone.”
President Trump reiterated the importance of faith and family over government.
“Tonight, I want to talk about what kind of future we are going to have, and what kind of Nation we are going to be. All of us, together, as one team, one people, and one American family, can do anything.
“We all share the same home, the same heart, the same destiny, and the same great American flag. Together, we are rediscovering the American way.
“In America, we know that faith and family, not government and bureaucracy, are the center of the American life. The motto is ‘in God we trust.’”
If you’re living under your parents’ roof, listen carefully to the inspiring story of President Trump’s 12-year-old guest.
“Here tonight is Preston Sharp, a 12-year-old boy from Redding, California, who noticed that veterans’ graves were not marked with flags on Veterans Day. He decided, all by himself, to change that, and started a movement that has now placed 40,000 flags at the graves of our great heroes. Preston: a job well done.
“Young patriots like Preston teach all of us about our civic duty as Americans. I met Preston a little while ago. And he is something very special. That I can tell you. Great future. Thank you very much for all you’ve done Preston.
“Preston’s reverence for those who have served our Nation reminds us why we salute our flag, why we put our hands on our hearts for the pledge of allegiance, and why we proudly stand for the national anthem.”
President Trump pointed to his new doctrine of “America First”.
“The era of economic surrender is totally over. From now on, we expect trading relationships to be fair and, very importantly, to be reciprocal.”
Before he outlined his immigration reform package, President Trump explained what motivates him.
“Tonight, I am calling on the Congress to finally close the deadly loopholes that have allowed MS-13, and other criminals, to break into our country. We have proposed new legislation that will fix our immigration laws, and support our ICE and Border Patrol Agents.
“I am extending an open hand to work with members of both parties — Democrats and Republicans — to protect our citizens of every background, color, religion, and creed. My duty, and the sacred duty of every elected official in this chamber, is to defend Americans — to protect their safety, their families, their communities, and their right to the American Dream. Because Americans are dreamers too.”
President Trump outlined the four pillars of his immigration reform package. Listen to the Democrats boo and moan as he explains the fourth pillar.
“Over the next few weeks, the House and Senate will be voting on an immigration reform package.
“In recent months, my Administration has met extensively with both Democrats and Republicans to craft a bipartisan approach to immigration reform. Based on these discussions, we presented the Congress with a detailed proposal that should be supported by both parties as a fair compromise — one where nobody gets everything they want, but where our country gets the critical reforms it needs and must have.
“Here are the four pillars of our plan:
“The first pillar of our framework generously offers a path to citizenship for 1.8 million illegal immigrants who were brought here by their parents at a young age — that covers almost three times more people than the previous administration. Under our plan, those who meet education and work requirements, and show good moral character, will be able to become full citizens of the United States over a 12 year period.
“The second pillar fully secures the border. That means building a wall on the Southern border, and it means hiring more heroes to keep our communities safe. Crucially, our plan closes the terrible loopholes exploited by criminals and terrorists to enter our country — and it finally ends the dangerous practice of ‘catch and release.’
“The third pillar ends the visa lottery — a program that randomly hands out green cards without any regard for skill, merit, or the safety of American people. It’s time to begin moving towards a merit-based immigration system — one that admits people who are skilled, who want to work, who will contribute to our society, and who will love and respect our country.
“The fourth and final pillar protects the nuclear family by ending chain migration. Under the current broken system, a single immigrant can bring in virtually unlimited numbers of distant relatives. (Democrats boo and moan) Under our plan, we focus on the immediate family by limiting sponsorships to spouses and minor children. This vital reform is necessary, not just for our economy, but for our security, and for the future of America.
“In recent weeks, two terrorist attacks in New York were made possible by the visa lottery and chain migration. In the age of terrorism, these programs present risks we can just no longer afford.”
In a glorious affirmation of the sanctity of the unborn babies, President Trump told the story of another one of his guests Tuesday night, a police officer from New Mexico.
“As we have seen tonight, the most difficult challenges bring out the best in America. We see a vivid expression of this truth in the story of the Holets family of New Mexico.
“Ryan Holets is 27 years old, and an officer with the Albuquerque Police Department. He is here tonight with his wife Rebecca. Last year, Ryan was on duty when he saw a pregnant, homeless woman preparing to inject heroin. When Ryan told her she was going to harm her unborn child, she began to weep. She told him she did not know where to turn, but badly wanted a safe home for her baby.
“In that moment, Ryan said he felt God speak to him: ‘You will do it — because you can.’ He took out a picture of his wife and their four kids. Then, he went home to tell his wife Rebecca. In an instant, she agreed to adopt. The Holets named their new daughter Hope.
“Ryan and Rebecca: You embody the goodness of our Nation. Thank you!”
James 1:27 says, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
President Trump called for a stronger military.
“Weakness is the surest path to conflict, and unmatched power is the surest means of our true and great defense.
“For this reason, I am asking Congress to end the dangerous defense sequester and fully fund our great military. We must modernize and rebuild our nuclear arsenal, hopefully never having to use it, but making it so strong and so powerful that it will deter any acts of aggression.
“We need only look at the depraved character of the North Korean regime to understand the nature of the nuclear threat it could pose to America and to our allies.”
And finally, President Trump delivered this closing line.
“The people dreamed this country. The people built this country. And it’s the people who are making America great again.”
This has been a World View Special Report. I’m Adam McManus.