It’s Monday, January 6th, A.D. 2020. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus.
By Adam McManus (adam@theworldview.com)
Egyptian Christian houses set on fire Christmas Eve
On the evening of December 24th in Qena, Egypt, Christian houses were set on fire, according to Copts United News, reports International Christian Concern.
The incident occurred just days before Coptic Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7th. The arson was done because the Christians had wanted to pray together in the days preceding Christmas.
Muslim population in England exceeds 3 million
The Muslim population of England has passed the three million mark for the first time.
Muslims are the fastest-growing faith group in the country, while allegiance to Christianity continues to decline.
Trump authorizes assassination of Iran’s general
Last Friday, President Donald Trump ordered the death of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s highest ranking general, reports the Daily Mail. U.S. drone missiles obliterated vehicles carrying Soleimani and his entourage of Iraqi Shiite militiamen.
The president made brief remarks at Mar-a-Lago, where he was wrapping up his Christmas vacation at the Winter White House.
TRUMP: “Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion. We took action last night to stop a war; we did not take action to start a war. Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him.”
Thousands of mourners flooded the streets of Soleimani’s hometown in Kerman, while tens of thousands poured onto the streets of Tehran, chanting “Death to America” and torching the Stars and Stripes
Republican Congressman Mark Meadows of North Carolina was in full agreement with President Trump’s order.
MEADOWS: “The President took decisive action, he took the right action, and candidly, it’s one that will save American lives.”
(Iranian President Hassan Rouhani vowed that Soleimani would be avenged by Iran.
President Trump explained that he would not tolerate Rouhani’s threats.
TRUMP: “If Americans anywhere threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified, and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary.”)
Elizabeth Warren bashed Michael Bloomberg
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg saw a 6-point bump in the latest Hill.TV survey of the Democratic presidential primary, reports TheHill.com.
The nationwide poll, which was released Friday, shows Bloomberg up from 5 percent to 11 percent support for the nomination nationally. Bloomberg is now in a dead heat for third place with top-tier candidate, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who also received 11 percent support.
She boldly made this statement on Bloomberg’s own television network.
WARREN: “I’m concerned about Michael Bloomberg jumping into this race, dropping $37 million in one week on ad buys. I don’t believe that elections ought to be for sale. And I don’t think as a Democratic Party that we should say that the only way you’re going to get elected, the only way you’re going to be our nominee, is either if you are a billionaire or if you’re sucking up to billionaires.”
Meanwhile, former Vice President Joe Biden continues to lead the Democratic field with 28 percent followed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) at 16 percent.
Methodist denomination splits over homosexuality
Leaders of the Methodist denomination announced last Friday that they had agreed to spin off a “traditionalist Methodist” denomination, which would continue to Biblically oppose homosexual marriage and to refuse ordination to homosexual and transgender clergy, while allowing the remaining portion of the United Methodist Church to permit such Biblical violations for the first time, reports MSN.com.
Friday’s announcement came as new sanctions were set to go into effect in the church, which would have made punishments for Methodist pastors who perform homosexual weddings much more severe: one year’s suspension without pay for the first wedding and removal from the clergy for any wedding after that.
Instead, leaders from the liberal and conservative wings signed an agreement, saying they will postpone those sanctions and instead vote to split at the worldwide church’s May general conference.
In Mark 10:6-8, Jesus says, “At the beginning of creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,b]”> and the two will become one flesh.”
Trump: 2016’s skeptical Evangelicals should re-consider
And finally, President Trump traveled on Friday to a bilingual megachurch in Miami, Florida where he spent more than an hour touting his administration’s achievements on everything from the economy and Hispanic unemployment to his appointment of 187 conservative judges to the bench and the defunding of Planned Parenthood, reports Politico.com.
At the “Evangelicals for Trump” event, one Trump campaign adviser said, “There are plenty of evangelical Americans who maybe didn’t support President Trump in the last election because they didn’t believe he was a true ally, but who are now taking a second look at him because of his record.”
Surrounded by evangelical leaders who have closely aligned themselves with his administration, Pastor Jentezen Franklin of Free Chapel in Gainesville, Georgia, prayed for the president.
FRANKLIN: “Heavenly Father, we come to you today, and we thank you for this nation that was born in 1776. We pray in 2020 it would be born again! We pray for Your spirit to move across our nation and we humbly ask you to bless our nation and to bless our President Donald Trump.
“Lord, I thank you that America didn’t need a preacher in the Oval Office. It did not need a professional politician in the Oval Office, but it needed a fighter and a champion for freedom. And Lord, that’s exactly what we have.
“I thank you, Lord, that he doesn’t claim to be perfect, but he is passionate. He’s passionate to stop the merciless killing of the unborn. He’s passionate to raise people from poverty, and 6 million have been moved from food stamps to the dignity of work. He is passionate, oh God, to see our Supreme Court filled with men and women who will stand for justice for all. And Lord, we thank you for all that you have begun.
“In the middle, we need your help. In the middle of the race, the runner needs his second wind. In the middle, oh God, of a battle, the reinforcements need to come in. So, send Your power and Your presence to touch this president. And Lord do something so great in him and in this nation that the pundits on TV and the news anchors will be amazed at how great America is because God is great in America again! In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”
1 Timothy 2:1-2 says, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people–for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Monday, January 6th in the year of our Lord 2020. 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.
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Christian commentator dares to say: “only women can give birth”
Christian conservative commentator Candace Owens, age 30, reacted ton a Daily Mirror article with a headline which declared, “Transgender man gives birth to nonbinary partner’s baby with female sperm donor.”
Owens tweeted, “Woman gives birth to partner’s baby with male sperm donor. There. I fixed it for you. Only women can give birth.”
That tweet prompted famous British podcaster Jameela Jamil to rescind her invitation to appear on her show reports the Christian Post. Jamil claimed that her transgender co-workers felt “unsafe”.