It’s Tuesday, August 20th, A.D. 2024. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 125 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)
By Kevin Swanson
How you can help Barnabas Fund feed Zimbabweans
The most serious hunger problem in the world today is happening now in Zimbabwe, according to the Barnabas Fund and GlobalHungerIndex.com.
The Barnabas Fund has fed 11,600 Christians during the present crisis. At least 68 million people in South Africa have been affected by severe drought this year.
Pray for Zimbabwe, and considering helping at BarnabasAid.org. Click on “Change Project” and type in “Zimbabwe” and select “Feeding in Zimbabwe.”
Venezuelans continue protest against Nicolás Maduro
Venezuelans are still protesting the re-election of autocrat President Nicolás Maduro — questioning the integrity of the vote count taken three weeks ago.
Over 2,400 protesters have been arrested — and, tragically, 23 have died in the protests.
52 countries lost freedom
Freedom is disappearing around the world.
Freedom House’s latest report on worldwide freedoms released in 2024, indicate a loss of freedoms in 52 countries, and a gain in 21 — for an overall loss in 31 nations of the world. The agency indicates a steady decline in freedom every year since 2006.
The organization explains that “Election manipulation was a major driver of declining freedom in 2023 and continued into the first half of this year.”
But keep in mind that freedom comes through Jesus. In John 8:36, He said, “If the Son will make you free, you will be free indeed.”
Montana Supreme Court calls parental notification unconstitutional
The Montana Supreme Court has ruled that a parental notification law for minors considering an abortion is unconstitutional.
The 2013 law has been in litigation for over a decade. The court’s decision held that a minor’s right to “kill her own baby” or, in the ruling’s language, “control her reproductive decisions” is “among the most fundamental of the rights she possesses.”
Only 35% of Evangelicals have Biblical worldview
Only 10% of Americans are Evangelical, and only 35% of these possess a Biblical worldview, according to a recent survey by the Cultural Research Center and pollster George Barna.
According to Barna’s description, Evangelicals are those who recognize their sinful lives, rely upon Jesus Christ for their redemption, and receive practical life guidance and wisdom from the Bible in their quest to live under the Lordship of Jesus.
Disturbingly, 60% of people attending “Evangelical” churches have accepted the popular idea that animals, plants, water, and the wind all have a unique spirit. And almost half of the adults attending Evangelical churches, 44%, believe that there is no absolute moral truth.
Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton opened the DNC last night
The Democratic National Convention opened last night in Chicago, with addresses from President Joe Biden and the 2016 Democrat nominee for president, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Trump – 49%; Harris – 45%
Among the most accurate and reliable polling organizations, Rasmussen Reports, has issued the results of a survey of the U.S. presidential race conducted last week. Donald Trump is still ahead of Kamala Harris — 49% to 45%.
The results are similar to the Rasmussen survey conducted on July 10th — placing Trump ahead of Biden, 46% to 40%.
Nasdaq’s gains
The Nasdaq Composite is regaining ground since its drop in early August — still enjoying a 36% gain from early in 2021. However, the Russell 2000 Index of small cap companies, which represents the rest of the American business world, has not gained any since January 2021.
The dominant forces in the market are still the Magnificent 7 stocks of Apple (AAPL), Alphabet (GOOGL, GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN), Meta (META), Tesla (TSLA), and Nvidia (NVDA). Those stocks continue to do well, rising from taking up 7.5% of the total S&P 500 capitalization to now around 34% of the total S&P capitalization in the U.S. stock market.
Phil Donahue dead at 88
Hebrews 9:27 says, “It is appointed once for man to die and after that the judgment.” Iconic TV talk show host Phil Donahue, who hosted the Phil Donahue Show from 1967-1996, is dead at 88 years of age after a long illness, reports NBC News.
He was a life-long Catholic, and “not a very good one,” in his own words.
Phil Donahue interviewed atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair
For 29 years, his daytime talk show pioneered an intriguing mix of serious topics, provocative guests, well-known celebrities, and questions from the audience members.
In 1988, he interviewed atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair.
Listen to his introduction.
DONAHUE: “Mrs. O’Hair is probably the world’s most famous atheist. She is certain that there is no God. Mrs. O’Hair, as you probably know, is singly responsible for one of the most controversial decisions in the history of the United States Supreme Court, the banning of the official reading of prayer in public schools.”
Here’s a soundbite from their dialogue.
DONAHUE: “Now, this really bugs me, Madalyn.”
O’HAIR: “I know it does.”
DONAHUE: “See, you say, ‘I don’t know how this all began.’ And I say, ‘I want to know why, if you don’t know how life began, how you’re so certain there is no God.’ To be consistent, I think you should say, ‘I don’t know where life began, and I don’t know if there’s a God.’
O’HAIR: “All right, let me finish it then, because, this is the thing. Since we don’t know about this, since none of us know.”
DONAHUE: “Know what?”
O’HAIR: “How it began, or why, or when, or if it began at all. What we have to do is take all of the evidence. If we pile the evidence up, and all of the evidence of science — and it’s really massive — is on one side, and on the other side is a book that we know, for the most part, when it was written and how it was written, etc. — and this flies in the face of all of the other evidence, then you discard the book. You say, ‘It’s no good.’”
DONAHUE: “But discarding the book doesn’t necessarily prove that there is no God. Let’s talk about a higher being.”
O’HAIR: ‘No, not a being.”
DONAHUE: “What do you call it?”
O’HAIR: “Some higher entity.”
DONAHUE: “Alright, a higher entity. You are saying you don’t know if there is one, aren’t you?”
O’HAIR: “That’s right.”
DONAHUE: “That’s not atheism. That’s agnosticism.”
(O’Hair giggles)
Donahue was married to Margaret Cooney, his first wife, for 17 years with whom he had five children. Then, Donahue married actress Marlo Thomas, his second wife, for 44 years.
Kendrick Brothers release “The Forge” Christian movie this Friday
The Kendrick Brothers release their new Christian film this week – The Forge — on Friday August 23rd. It’s the story of a young man named Isaiah who is challenged by his single mom …
MOTHER: “It’s hard for a woman to call out the man in her son.”
and a successful businessman who disciples him.
MENTOR: “What kind of man do you want to be? And what do you want people to think when they see you coming?”
Through biblical discipleship and prayer, Isaiah begins to discover that God’s purpose for his life is so much more than he could hope for or imagine.
Watch the trailer through a special link in our transcript today at www.TheWorldview.com.
Tickets are available at TheForgeMovie.com
Films produced by Alex and Stephen Kendrick have netted $198 million at the box office since the release of their first movie Flywheel in 2003.
“Reagan” movie focuses on fall of communism
And finally, you might also consider going to see another major motion picture this month called “Reagan” which presents the former president’s role in the fall of communism.
REAGAN: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” (cheers)
Actor Dennis Quaid plays the role of the president, and other major roles are played by actors Jon Voight and Penelope Ann Miller. The film is set to release in theaters on Friday, August 30th.
Close
And that’s The Worldview on this Tuesday, August 20th, in the year of our Lord 2024. Subscribe by Amazon Music or 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.