Wednesday, January 4th, in the year of our Lord 2017
By Adam McManus
10-Year-Old Girl in Nigeria Kills Herself in Suicide Bombing
Tragically, a 10-year-old girl, who is believed to have been groomed into terrorism by Islamist extremists in Nigeria, killed herself and seriously injured another person in a suicide bombing on New Year’s Eve in that African country, reports Nigeria’s Vanguard.
Witness Grema Usman said, “The girl walked towards the crowd, but she blew up before she could reach her target. She died instantly, while one person was seriously hurt after he was hit by shrapnel.” An aid worker suggested she had detonated the device too early because of nerves.
One in five suicide bombers used by Boko Haram in the past two years has been a child, according to a UNICEF report, and three in four of these have been girls.
Psalm 127:3 says, “Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from Him.”
Pakistani Man Calling for Justice for Christians Is Being Charged With Blasphemy
Another Pakistani man, Shaan Taseer, is being charged with ‘hate speech’ after posting a Christmas message on Facebook. Taseer has also called for justice on behalf of Pakistani Christians, Asia Bibi and Nabeel Masih.
The World View spoke to William Stark of International Christian Concern about Taseer’s case and Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. He shared that the laws are often misused in order to persecute Christians.
“Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are notoriously abused. It’s almost like the Salem Witch trials in a way. It’s just an accusation to take down a potential enemy. Often these cases are not really tried on the merits. They usually do not fulfill the requirements there would be before an actual blasphemy accusation would go down.”
Stark said that Taseer’s case is another one of those misuses of the blasphemy law.
“In this particular case with Shaan Taseer, he is accused of blaspheming or inciting religious hatred by saying, ‘We should pray for those who have been victimized by these laws.’ I don’t see how any of that is inciting religious feeling.”
Woman Reading Her Bible in Refugee Camp Survives Stabbing
An unnamed, 50-year-old woman who was reading her Bible to fellow Christians at a refugee camp in Austria survived a stabbing attack by an angry, 22-year-old Afghan Muslim migrant, reports The Inquisitr.
Despite being stabbed repeatedly, God spared her any harm because of the large coat she was wearing.
Woman In China Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Holding Bible Study
A Chinese Christian woman named Ma Huichao was sentenced on December 30th to three years in prison for holding a Bible study after being accused of “gathering a crowd to disturb the public order”, reports China Aid.
In recent years China’s Communist regime has been cracking down on non-government sanctioned underground churches and Christian gatherings, and has arrested hundreds of Christians on similar charges of disturbing the public order.
Alabama Supreme Court Affirms Humanity of Unborn Children
The Alabama Supreme Court has ruled that a woman’s wrongful death lawsuit against an OB/GYN accused of contributing to the death of her unborn child may proceed. Remarkably, the Alabama Supreme Court declared that unborn children are human beings, whether or not at the point of viability, and therefore are entitled to legal protection, reports Christian News.
Judge Thomas Parker said the “viability” standard in Roe v. Wade is faulty, noting, “The use of the viability standard established in Roe is incoherent as it relates to wrongful-death law because, among other reasons, life begins at the moment of conception. The fact that life begins at conception is beyond refutation.”
Psalm 139:13-14 says, “For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
“Three Parent” Fertility Treatment Has Serious Health Risks to Resulting Children
New research reveals that the fertility treatment employing three genetic parents, which combines the DNA from two mothers and one father, poses severe health risks for the potential children born from it, according to a prominent cellular biologist. The study was published in Nature Magazine by Shoukhrat Mitalipov at the Oregon Health and Science University.
ISIS Claims Responsibility for New Year’s Day Attack in Turkey
ISIS has officially claimed responsibility for the first terrorist attack of the year, saying that Sunday’s murder of 39 people and injury of 50 others at a nightclub in Istanbul, Turkey, was an attack on “Christians” celebrating an “apostate holiday”, reports the Christian Post.
Paul Ryan Promises Results to Voters
House Speaker Paul Ryan vowed yesterday to deliver results for voters who handed control of Washington to the Republicans in the November election, as he easily won re-election to the top congressional post at the opening of the 115th Congress, reports Fox News.
Ryan advised colleagues they have a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” after voters installed a “unified government” under Republican control. Ryan cautioned that voters expect “results” and Washington should not let them down.
Storms in the Southeast Cause Severe Damage That Could Take Years to Rebuild
The severe storms that spawned tornadoes and killed at least five people across the Southeast Monday triggered more damage than many home and business owners were expecting, and starting a recovery process that could drag on for years, reports Fox News.
And that’s the World View in Five Minutes.