It’s Wednesday, February 9th, A.D. 2022. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)
By Jonathan Clark
Chinese newspaper calls for restrictions on religious liberty in Hong Kong
Last month, a Chinese state-owned newspaper called for restrictions on religious freedom in Hong Kong.
The newspaper, known as Ta Kung Pao, accused pastors and churches in Hong Kong of supporting pro-democracy protests. In 2019, hundreds of thousands of HongKongers protested China’s move to extend control over the region.
One pastor said he believes China may “rein in the Christian schools as a first step to imposing comprehensive regulations to tighten government control over Hong Kong churches.”
U.S. Olympic athletes have not won a gold yet
Meanwhile, the 2022 Winter Olympics continue in Beijing, China.
(Olympic theme music)
As of yesterday, Norway and Sweden topped the gold medal list with 4 medals each, followed by the Netherlands and China, both with 3 medals. The Russians have taken the most overall at 10 medals. The U.S. has won four silvers and one bronze.
CNN’s “Behind China’s Wall” examines human rights violations
The BBC reports that government representatives from Canada, Australia, the U.K., and the U.S. are boycotting the games over China’s human rights abuses although athletes from those countries are competing.
CNN Host Jake Tapper introduced a new series by David Culver called “Behind China’s Wall,” highlighting China’s repression of Uyghur Muslims.
TAPPER: “We’re going to start a new series here at the lead. It’s called behind China’s wall because behind the fanfare and the glamour of the upcoming Olympic Games are a lot of ugly truths that the Chinese government wants you to ignore.
“CNN’s David Culver sets the scene for us with a look at some of the horrors President Xi wants you to forget about while you’re cheering on your favorite athletes this week.”
Interestingly, viewership of the games is at a record low of 16 million, down 43% from 2018.
New Zealand, Canada, & Denmark easing COVID lockdowns
Strict lockdown countries are starting to ease up.
Last week, New Zealand announced it will reopen its borders and lift quarantine requirements for incoming travelers.
In Canada, Saskatchewan became the first province to announce the end of COVID-19 measures yesterday. Officials said COVID-shot passports and mask mandates will end this month.
I wonder if that Freedom Convoy of truckers helped the politicians to see the light?
And last week, Denmark became the first country in the European Union to end all its domestic COVID-19 restrictions, including mask mandates.
NC county wrong for arresting pro-lifers in front of abortion mill
Guilford County, North Carolina reached a $15,000 settlement with Christian activists from the pro-life ministry Love Life.
Unbelievably, county law enforcement arrested the Christians two years ago for praying outside an abortion mill in violation of COVID-19 restrictions.
Alliance Defending Freedom represented the Christians in the case. ADF Senior Counsel Denise Harle said, “From the beginning, this case has been about government silencing people because it didn’t like what they had to say.”
Sadly, officials arrested Christians in the name of public health orders while the murder of unborn babies went unchecked.
Proverbs 12:10 says, “The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.”
Air Force must pay $230 million to church shooting survivors
On Monday, a federal judge in Texas ruled that the U.S. Air Force must pay $230 million to survivors of a 2017 church shooting.
Ex-Air Force member Devin Patrick Kelley carried out the attack at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas. He killed 26 people including eight children.
The Air Force court-martialed Kelly in 2012 for domestic violence. However, the service failed to report the conviction to the FBI which could have kept Kelly from legally buying the weapon he used in the massacre.
Weekly church attenders have highest level of life satisfaction
A new Gallup poll found that people who attend church weekly report the highest levels of life satisfaction at 92%.
Church attendance influenced life satisfaction even more than income and education level.
People tended to be more satisfied with their own lives (at 85%) than with the country as a whole (at 17%).
Psalm 27:4 says, “One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.”
New Christian film, Princess Cut 3, debuts on Valentine’s Day
What are your Valentine’s Day plans? Why not watch a modern-retelling of the Biblical Hosea and Gomer love story in Princess Cut 3: Beauty from Ashes? You can catch it in a one-time streaming event on Monday, February 14th for just $11.
Struggling waitress and single mother, Tessa Rigsby, portrayed by Kate MacCallum, scrapes through her days. After being the the sole witness to a domestic disturbance in her apartment complex, she meets Mike Coleman, portrayed by Ben Davies from Courageous, a by-the-books cop, who tries to convince her to testify.
Today, on the Generations podcast, I interview Sheilah Munger, the North Carolina film director, and homeschool mother of 9 children between the ages of 21 and 4.
In the course of our conversation, she described the qualities that young people and singles should look for when searching for a mate.
MUNGER: “The person that you marry might go bald, they might be you know, whatever, have nine kids, you know, it changes your body. You can’t base who you decide to marry on just looks. It has to be character, has to be Who they’re serving. It has to be if they share the heart of God, to make themselves a servant. That’s what you’re looking for.”
To hear the entire interview, go to Generations.org/radio. And to get your tickets to watch Princess Cut 3 this coming Monday, February 14th, go to WatchmanPictures.com.
Man, with severed spinal cord, walks again
And finally, for the first time, someone with a severed spinal cord was able to walk freely again.
Five years ago, Michel Roccati was paralyzed after crashing on his motorbike.
Swiss scientists have developed an electrical implant that a neurosurgeon attached to his spine. The implant sends signals to his legs, allowing him to walk.
So far, nine people have been able to begin walking again thanks to the implant.
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Wednesday, February 9th, in the year of our Lord 2022. 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.