It’s Thursday, June 29th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)
By Jonathan Clark
Nearly 5 billion people experience severe violations of religious freedom
Aid to the Church in Need released their 2023 Religious Freedom in the World report.
Nearly 5 billion people worldwide experience severe violations of religious freedom in 61 countries. The worst persecution occurs in just 28 countries, affecting 4 billion people, or about half of the world’s population.
The report noted, “During the period under review, intense persecution became more acute and concentrated, and impunity grew.” Countries with the worst religious liberty violations include Afghanistan, China, India, North Korea, and Nigeria.
Barclay’s bank pays $25,000 fine for Christian persecution
A British bank agreed to a settlement with a Christian ministry this week for closing its account.
Barclays Bank must pay the equivalent of over $25,000 to Core Issues Trust.
In 2020, the bank caved to homosexual and transgender activists. Barclay’s shut down the Christian ministry’s account. Core Issues Trust is the primary Christian ministry in the U.K. that helps people with unwanted homosexual attraction.
Mike Davidson with Core Issues Trust said, “Through this case we have exposed Barclays’ pre-emptive political activity in trying to damage and silence our charity and the work we do as part of the Christian church.”
The deceptive “Equality Act”
Last week, the U.S. Congress reintroduced the deceptively titled “Equality Act.”
The act protects sexually perverted lifestyles and threatens the freedom of those who disagree with them. It’s been introduced in Congress since 2015 but has generally died in committee.
Alliance Defending Freedom released a statement on the issue. The group said, “Government promotion of radical gender-identity ideology is endangering children, violating parents’ and women’s rights, and eroding our constitutionally protected freedom to think, speak, and act according to our consciences.”
In Psalm 94:20-21, David asks, “Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, have fellowship with [the Lord]? They gather together against the life of the righteous, and condemn innocent blood.”
COVID fraudsters abused $200 billion of tax money
At least 17% of America’s COVID-19 relief programs went to potentially fraudulent actors. The U.S. Small Business Administration inspector released the estimate on Tuesday.
Fraudsters could have taken as much as $200 billion from the Paycheck Protection and COVID-19 Economic Inquiry Disaster Loan programs.
A recent Associated Press analysis estimates the U.S. wasted or misspent another $123 billion in COVID funds.
Kirk Cameron blasts pride
Kirk Cameron has had enough of the Left’s month-long push of pride.
Today, on Generations Radio, as I guest host for Kevin Swanson, I interview the Christian actor about his second children’s book entitled Pride Comes Before the Fall. He advocates that children embrace the Biblical virtue of humility instead.
CAMERON: “Pride can infect me. In fact, pride almost took me down as a famous actor in Hollywood, as a young kid. I had to be humbled. It was the Gospel that humbled me.
“Now, I want to think of others before myself. I think if we really want to love other people, if we really want to not be harmful, and say things that put others in danger, pride is not the answer. Humility is! That’s what this book is trying to teach kids.”
To hear my entire 26-minute interview with Kirk Cameron, go to Generations.org/radio.
Richard Dawkins’ right-hand man trusts Christ
And finally, evangelist Ray Comfort recently shared how God brought a prominent atheist to faith in Christ. Josh Timonen was a committed atheist and worked closely with Richard Dawkins, one of the world’s leading atheist apologists.
Josh walked away from working with Dawkins in 2010 following division in Dawkins’s group. Josh experienced further disillusion with secular culture during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2020, he started reading the Bible and taking his family to church before putting his faith in Christ. Praise God!
Today, Josh had this to say about atheism.
TIMONEN: “Atheism is a really useful worldview for weak men.”
Colossians 1:21-22 says, “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now [Christ] has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.”
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Thursday, June 29th in the year of our Lord 2023. 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.