It’s Wednesday, January 24th, A.D. 2024. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)
By Jonathan Clark
Chinese Communists claim: State greater than any religion
The Chinese Communist Party implemented its so-called Patriotic Education Law this month.
International Christian Concern reports the government guidelines say that the state is greater than religion, and the state law is greater than religious rules. Officials originally intended the law for schools, but then expanded it to all parts of Chinese life.
The rules not only pressure religious groups to accept socialism, but to actively promote it. This will only increase the persecution of Christians in China. Open Doors ranks the country 19th on its World Watch List of nations where it is most difficult to be a Christian.
China’s stock market dropped by 3%
Speaking of China, the country’s stock markets fell about 3% on Monday. It’s the largest drop since 2022. The world’s second largest economy has struggled since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chinese stock market indices crashed about 10% so far this year. It’s the country’s worst start to a year since 2016 and the worst start of any country this year.
A variety of factors have damaged the confidence of foreign investors in the markets. These include China’s real estate downturn, plummeting birthrates, and policies driven by loyalty to President Xi Jinping’s ideology.
U.S. stock markets closed at all-time highs
Meanwhile in the U.S., stock markets closed at all-time highs on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.4%; the S&P 500 was up 0.2%, and the Nasdaq was up 0.3%.
This marks the second year of growth for the S&P since its low in 2022.
The gains included tech-company growth. Investor optimism comes as big companies prepare financial updates and as the Federal Reserve may slash interest rates this year.
1 Timothy 6:17 reminds us, “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.”
Trump wins New Hampshire
Former President Donald Trump won the New Hampshire Primary yesterday, reports Reuters.
According to Fox News, with 81% of the vote tabulated, Trump won 54.8% over former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley who earned 43.6%.
TRUMP: “Hello New Hampshire. (cheers) New Hampshire, I’m thrilled to be back! You know, we won New Hampshire three times now, three. (cheers) We win it every time. We win the primary. We win the generals.”
Vivek Ramaswamy, the entrepreneur presidential candidate who had dropped out of the race after Iowa and endorsed Trump, said this last night in New Hampshire.
RAMASWAMY: “What we saw tonight is America First defeating America Last. (cheers) That’s what we saw tonight. If you want America Last, you can go to Joe Biden. You got another candidate still apparently in the Republican primary. Cut your Social Security to fork over more money to Ukraine so some kleptocrat can buy a bigger house, go to Nikki Haley. But you know who delivered a double digit victory tonight? (cheers) Donald J. Trump, the leader of America First.”
Nikki Haley says, “This race is far from over!”
Nikki Haley, who performed well, aided by both independents and Democrats who switched parties, vowed to continue the fight for the GOP presidential nomination.
HALEY: “Now you’ve all heard the chatter among the political class. They’re falling all over themselves saying, ‘This race is over.’ Well, I have news for all of them. New Hampshire is first in the nation. It is not the last in the nation. (cheers) This race is far from over. There are dozens of states left to go. (cheers) And the next one is my sweet state of South Carolina. (cheers)
“At one point in this campaign, there were 14 of us running, and we were at 2% in the polls. Well, I’m a fighter, and I’m scrappy, and now we’re the last one standing next to Donald Trump. (cheers) And today, we got close to half of the vote. We still have a ways to go, but we keep moving up.
“For a lot of people, politics is way too personal. It’s not personal for me. I voted for Trump twice. I was proud to serve America in his cabinet. I agree with many of his policies. I decided to run because I’m worried about the future of our country, and because it’s time to put the negativity and chaos behind us.” (cheers)
California officials upset with Christian baker
Last Friday, a Christian baker in California asked a state court to uphold her religious freedom in the operation of her business.
Cathy Miller does not bake cakes to celebrate sexually perverted lifestyles. In response, California opened an investigation into her and called her views racist and harmful to the “dignity of all Californians.”
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty is representing Miller. She said, “My faith calls me to serve others with joy and compassion, and Tastries [Bakery] has been my way of answering that call since I opened its doors over a decade ago. All I want is to continue serving my local community without being forced into court or threatened for following my faith.”
Presbyterian Church in America to Biden: Stop trans surgeries for kids
The Presbyterian Church in America sent a letter to the Biden administration Sunday calling for the end to transgender surgeries, especially for minors.
The PCA, which is reformed in theology and presbyterian in government, is the largest conservative Calvinist denomination in America. It’s comprised of 1,500 congregations with 374,000 members across the U.S. and Canada.
The letter states, “For over two thousand years, the Christian Church in all her branches has stood on the teaching that the value of the human body arises from its source, which is from God, and its purpose, which is to bear God’s image. We believe current gender reassignment interventions for children are not in keeping with the high value of human bodies— a value determined … by … our wise Creator.”
The letter noted the grave sin of harming children based on Matthew 18:6, which says, “whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”
Japan landed on moon
And finally, Japan became the fifth country in the world to land a spacecraft on the moon. The other countries include the former Soviet Union, the United States, China, and India.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, performed a precision landing on Saturday. Called the “moon sniper”, JAXA’s craft landed within about 300 feet of its target. Previous landing technology could only land within several kilometers of its target.
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Wednesday, January 24th 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.