It’s Wednesday, March 31st, A.D. 2021. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)
By Jonathan Clark
Muslim suicide bombers targeted Indonesian Palm Sunday service
On Sunday, Islamist suicide bombers blew themselves up outside Makassar Cathedral Church in Indonesia. Thankfully, no church members died. But the explosion injured at least 20 people, with some in critical condition.
The church was preparing for its third Palm Sunday service at the time of the attack.
It’s been three years since Indonesia’s deadliest suicide bombing in 2018. Islamic extremists attacked three churches, killing 13 people.
Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, and the 47th worst nation in the world for the persecution of Christians, where persecution has been on the uptick.
Matthew 10:28 says, “Do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
200,000-ton ship dislodged in Egypt’s Suez Canal
Salvage crews finally dislodged a container ship on Monday that was blocking Egypt’s Suez Canal, one of the world’s busiest waterways.
The 200,000-ton ship, the Ever Given, ran aground last week during a sandstorm. Dredgers had to remove over one million cubic feet of mud and sand to free the ship.
The incident affected about $50 billion in trade.
Christian professor allowed to call male student “sir”
Last Friday, the U.S. Sixth Court of Appeals ruled that an Ohio university violated the free speech rights of a Christian professor who “misgendered” a student.
In 2018, Shawnee State University philosophy professor Nicholas Meriwether addressed a biologically male student as “sir.” However, the student pretends to be a woman and asked Meriwether to use female pronouns instead. Meriwether went to court after the school threatened to terminate him for not using the “preferred pronouns.”
Genesis 1:27 says, “God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
Kentucky pro-life law goes to U.S. Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear an abortion case this week for the first time since Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court.
Republican Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron appealed to the high court after the Sixth Court of Appeals prohibited him from defending his state’s new anti-abortion law. The law banned dismemberment abortions.
Democratic Governor Andy Beshear refused to defend the law after a court blocked its implementation.
Cameron announced the Supreme Court’s hearing on Monday.
CAMERON: “House Bill 454 would ban the live dismemberment of a child, a child that was in the womb, that’s taken out, that’s still alive. It’s a gruesome procedure. Governor Beshear refused to defend that law. I’m here to tell you that the United States Supreme Court is going to give us a shot to intervene in that case so that we can defend our law. (Applause).”
Judge strikes down COVID Tyranny in D.C. churches for Easter
A federal judge struck down some of Washington, D.C.’s coronavirus limits on churches ahead of Resurrection Sunday.
The regulations previously limited in-person services to 250 people or 25% of capacity, whichever was less.
Judge Trevor McFadden ruled the restrictions discriminated against churches and raised the limit to 40%.
4 people died in Nashville flooding
Four people died during flooding and record rains in Nashville, Tennessee over the weekend. Officials rescued at least 130 people who were stranded in their homes or vehicles.
Saturday was Nashville’s wettest day in recorded history, getting nearly six inches of rainfall.
Murder rate rose sharply in 2020
The National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice found the murder rate rose sharply in 2020.
Compared to 2019, homicide rates rose 30%, aggravated assault rose 6%, and gun assault rose 8%. Meanwhile, property and drug crime rates dropped last year.
Despite the recent increases, homicide rates are still down significantly compared with 25 years ago.
Americans only getting 5 hours of sleep
And finally, a LIFEAID study found that most Americans suffer from sleep deprivation. The average sleep time in the U.S. is five hours.
Sixty-one percent of respondents said they couldn’t remember the last time they were well-rested. Twenty-two percent said they can never get enough sleep, and only 8% said they feel truly rested after sleep.
Most people who can’t get enough sleep blame stress in their lives.
Psalm 4:8 says, “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Wednesday, March 31st, in the year of our Lord 2021. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I’m Adam McManus (adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.