It’s Tuesday, April 9th, A.D. 2024. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)
By Kevin Swanson
Somalian Muslims killed 6 Christian Kenyans
Al-Shabab Islamic extremists are suspects in the killing of six Christian men in Somalia on Good Friday, March 29, reports International Christian Concern.
Originating from Kenya, the six men were selling plastic goods and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with Muslims in the Islamic town of Dhobley.
Please, pray for their families as they mourn the loss today.
According to the Open Doors World Watch List, Somalia, Africa is the second most dangerous country worldwide in which to be a Christian.
11 Chinese hospitals suspended birthing operations
The South China Morning Post reports that 11 major national hospitals have suspended birthing operations since last June — due to China’s ongoing birth dearth. Total number of births across the country dropped to 9 million last year — get this — down from 18 million in 2016!
That’s the lowest birth rate since accurate records were made available in the 1940s. China suffered a population loss of a half million people last year. At this rate, demographers estimate China will lose about 700,000,000 people or half their population over the next 80 years.
Military buildup in Japan, China, and India
Eastern nations are building up their respective military complexes.
Japan’s defense budget is expanding — a 16.5% budget increase over the last year. Japan is inching towards a 2% GDP military expenditure, up from 0.9% in the 1990s and early 2000s.
China has also announced a 7.2% increase on its military expenditures for 2024. That’s an officially released number of $236 billion — about double what it was in 2013. Even more significant, India’s military spending has increased from $14 billion to $77 billion since 2000.
Meantime, U.S. military spending has dropped from 7% of the GDP to about 3.5% of the Gross Domestic Product since 1980.
28-year-old depressed Dutch woman getting euthanized
The Free Press reports on a 28-year-old Dutch woman who is “tired of living” and “depressed,” and will be euthanized by doctor’s assistance.
Zoraya ter Beek says she is “a little afraid of dying, because it’s the ultimate unknown. We don’t really know what’s next—or is there nothing? That’s the scary part.”
Tragically, 138 Dutch people were killed or “euthanized” by a doctor who were committed on psychiatric grounds in the Netherlands last year, reports Dutch News. Disturbingly, 5.4% of Dutch deaths are doctor-assisted suicides.
Trump on abortion: Leave it to the states
Donald Trump, the leading Republican candidate for the U.S. presidency, announced Monday that he would rather leave abortion legislation up to the states, instead of seeking a federal law protecting the lives of the unborn.
Trump announced his position on Truth Social.
Listen.
TRUMP: “Many people have asked me what my position is on abortion and abortion rights, especially since I was proudly the person responsible for the ending of something that all legal scholars — both sides — wanted and, in fact, demanded be ended: Roe v. Wade. They wanted it ended.
“It must be remembered that the Democrats are the radical ones on this position because they support abortion up to and even beyond the ninth month. The concept of having an abortion in the later months and even execution after birth, and that’s exactly what it is. The baby is born, the baby is executed after birth is unacceptable.
“My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it, from a legal standpoint, the states will determine by vote or legislation, or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land, in this case, the law of the state.”
Trump also emphasized his allowance for killing the child in the cases of rape and incest. He places the priority on “the salvation of the nation” and winning elections, in his words “without which we will have nothing other than failure, death, and destruction.”
Biden wants to forgive more student debt before election
Before November’s presidential election, President Biden is attempting to squeeze in one more student loan forgiveness program which could impact 30 million college borrowers, reports Forbes.com.
The new plan proposes to forgive accrued interest, and forgive loans for those earning less than $120,000 per year.
Total student debt in the US tops $1.75 trillion, with an average debt of $28,950 — 92% of which are federal loans.
Thus far, the President has managed to wipe out $143 billion in federal student loans.
2 Chronicles 19:7 says, “And [Jehoshophat] said to the judges, ‘Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment. Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.’”
Missouri, Michigan and Hawaii are targeting homeschoolers
In the parental rights arena nationally, Missouri and Michigan state governments are proposing compulsory attendance laws which would lower the entry school age to 5 years of age.
Plus, the Hawaiian government is proposing mandatory “wellness” visits from friendly Department of Education bureaucrats for families who choose to homeschool.
Now, if you live in Missouri, Michigan, or Hawaii, please examine the suggested calls for action by the Homeschool Legal Defense Association. We have that linked in our transcript today at www.TheWorldview.com.
114-year-old man died in VenezuelaAnd finally, the oldest man in the world has died.
And finally, a Venezuelan named Juan Vicente Pérez was 114 years old. His 115th birthday was just next month.
He was married to his wife, Ediofina, for 60 years until she died in 1997. The couple had 11 children including 6 sons and 5 daughters. He also enjoyed his 41 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and 12 great-great-grandchildren.
Juan shared his secret for a long life with the Guinness Book of World Records. He said, “just work hard, rest on holidays, go to bed early, drink a glass of aguardiente (that’s an alcohol) every day, love God, and always carry Him in your heart.”
Proverbs 3:15-16 reminds us that “Wisdom is more precious than rubies. … Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor.”
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Tuesday, April 9th in the year of our Lord 2024. 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.
Extra Print
British Prime Minister vs. Baylor professor on Rowling
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has generated controversy by publicly labeling men, pretending to be women, as men, which is a violation of Scotland’s new law.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said, “People should not be criminalized for stating simple facts on biology.”
An English professor from Baylor University, Greg Garrett, who teaches classes on Harry Potter, condemned Rowling for her statements, reports Fox News. He claimed she “hated trans people.”