Monday, December 4th, in the year of our Lord 2017
By Adam McManus
Muslims Brutally Attack Christian Family in Kenya
Hard-line Muslims on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya attacked a Christian widow’s children, ages 13, 17 and 21, at 5:30 a.m. on November 17, leaving two of them seriously injured and still in pain 11 days after the assault. The gang beat them so badly that blood was found throughout the front room, a Christian neighbor told Morning Star News.
After smashing through a window, one Muslim said, “We have warned you several times to stop taking the children to church. You have become an embarrassment to our clan as well as the entire Muslim community. We are here today to finish you and your children.”
If you would like to help persecuted Christians, visit ChristianAid.org’s website.
US Government May Drop Sudan from State Sponsors of Terror List
Despite Sudan’s systematic bombardment of its own Christian civilians, the US government is reported to be on the verge of dropping Sudan from its State Sponsors of Terror list, reports Christian Today. The controversial move follows the lifting of sanctions against Khartoum in September.
Under pressure from Saudi Arabia, Washington has improved its relations with Sudan. There are currently thousands of Sudanese soldiers fighting Saudi’s war in Yemen, of whom 400 have been killed.
Saudi and Qatar gave the deeply indebted Khartoum regime $2.2 billion.
Regardless of Sudan’s ongoing human rights abuses, both the USA and the European Union are seeking to repair relations with Khartoum. Washington is motived by its need to be seen to include as many Muslim nations as possible in its coalition against radical Islam.
However, Sudan provided sanctuary for jihadists (including Osama bin Laden for five years), and it only recently severed its links with both Iran and Hezbollah, under pressure from Saudi Arabia.
Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn Pleads Guilty to Lying to FBI
Michael Flynn, Trump’s ex-national security adviser, pled guilty to lying to the FBI and is now cooperating with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe, reports CNBC.
A leading criminal defense lawyer says Flynn’s plea deal means that Mueller believes information from Flynn will help him indict other Trump administration figures in the case.
However, former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta doubted that dealings with the Russians rose to the level of criminal violations.
“[Their contact with Russia] was very unusual. Whether it breaks the law or not, I think that’s probably a stretch.”
Senate Approves Tax Reform Bill
The US Senate narrowly approved a major tax overhaul on Friday, moving Republicans and President Donald Trump a big step closer to their goal of slashing taxes, reports Reuters.
Trump tweeted, “We are one step closer to delivering MASSIVE tax cuts for working families across America.”
Late changes introduced by GOP leaders included helping millions of companies whose owners pay individual, not corporate, taxes on their profits by allowing deductions of 23 percent, up from 17.4 percent.
People would be allowed to deduct up to $10,000 in property taxes.
Deductions for state and local income taxes and moving expenses would vanish, the standard deduction — used by most Americans — would nearly double to $12,000 for individuals and $24,000 for couples, and the per-child tax credit would grow.
The bill would also abolish the “Obamacare” requirement that most people buy health coverage or face tax penalties.
Not one Democrat voted for the bill, but they were unable to block it because Republicans hold a 52-48 Senate majority.
Republican Senator Bob Corker, who is not running for re-election, was the lone no vote from the GOP.
Percentage of Christians in America Continues to Decline
The percentage of born again Christians in America continues to decline, according to a survey by the American Culture & Faith Institute. And, worse than that, only a minority of the faithful believe they have a strong personal responsibility to share the Gospel.
Researcher George Barna said, “Christianity in America is going through a time of substantial challenge. The Church at-large is not likely to grow in the future unless some fundamental changes in practice are made.”
“Fewer churches emphasize and equip people for evangelism these days, and the results are obvious and undeniable. The implications of ignoring gospel outreach — especially among children, who are the most receptive audience to the gospel — are enormous. All the ‘church growth’ strategies in the world cannot compensate for the absence of an authentic transmission of the good news of what Jesus Christ has done for humanity.”
Matthew 28:19-20 records the last words of Jesus before His ascension, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
Congressman John Conyers to Decide Whether to Resign After Harassment Allegations
According to his attorneys, Democrat Congressman John Conyers of Michigan will decide in the next few days whether to resign in the face of sexual harassment allegations involving three women, reports Politico.com.
Congressman Robert Pittenger Asks People to Pray for Congress
Republican Congressman Robert Pittenger of North Carolina has asked the American people to pray for Congress in light of the slew of sexual misconduct allegations, reports Christian Headlines.
A champion of a zero-tolerance policy on sexual harassment, Pittenger asked, “Please pray for us. Pray for those who are your leaders. They are people with clay feet. We must live at a higher standard, and people should expect that from us. We all need to be upheld.”
1 Timothy 2:1-2 admonishes us to pray for “all those in authority.”
Family Gets Pulled over for Carrying Huge Christmas Tree on Top of Minivan
And finally, one family in Sudbury, Massachusetts are the real life Griswolds from the movie “Christmas Vacation”.
According to the GoodNewsNetwork, police officers pulled over the minivan with a massive Christmas tree strapped to the roof which was so big that its greenery was spilling over the sides of the car. Take a look at the picture which the cops took linked in our transcript.
In fact, to the family’s credit, they had secured yellow “Caution” tape around the tree in hopes that it would encourage motorists to give them a wider berth.
Thankfully, the boys in blue only wrote them a warning.
Closing Line
And that’s The World View in 5 Minutes on this Monday, December 4th in the year of our Lord 2017. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldView.com. I’m Adam McManus. Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
Print Stories
Christians Face Persecution from Islamists in Pakistan
Christians account for roughly 2 percent of the Pakistani population. While there are Christians in the middle and upper classes, the majority are poor. They fill a disproportionate share of menial jobs as laborers, sanitation and domestic workers and farmhands, reports the Denver Post.
Christians are accused and convicted of blasphemy. If lucky, they go to jail. In 2014, a mob accused a Christian couple of desecrating a Koran and burned them alive in a brick kiln.
This year a bomb blast killed 10 Christians. Last year, an Easter Sunday bombing claimed 72 people, including 36 children, and injured more than 320. Churches have been bombed and homes torched.
Unfortunately, Pakistan’s Islamist extremists are gaining ground.
Rush Limbaugh Says 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidate Will Be Bernie Sanders
Talk-radio superstar Rush Limbaugh said the front-runner for the 2020 Democratic Party nomination for president is Bernie Sanders. And his opponent for that nomination will be Michelle Obama.
Limbaugh said, “Believe it, because the Democrat Party is no more the Democrat Party. The Democrat Party is the party of American communism,” he said on his radio program Monday.
“And if you look at what Bernie Sanders stands for, where did Bernie Sanders honeymoon? Moscow. Bernie Sanders sidles up to the traditional enemies of this country. And Bernie Sanders is the most popular right now Democratic presidential candidate in the Democrat Party. … It isn’t Al Franken. And it isn’t Elizabeth Fauxcahontas Warren, and it’s not Kamala Harris. It is Bernie Sanders. And it’s not even close. Bernie Sanders, hands down.”
Joseph Farah Writes List of 12 Reasons Michelle Obama Will Run for President
Joseph Farah, the founder of www.WorldNetDaily.com, wrote a column outlining the 12 reasons Michelle Obama will run in 2020.
According to a Zogby poll last month, Michelle Obama leads the pack of potential Democratic candidates, despite her insistence that she would “never run.” The only others even close are Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders – two very old white men.
Farah writes that Michelle detests Trump and needs to restore the Obama legacy he “stole”.
Reason #11: “She has a proven political team – her husband’s: One thing you can say about Barack Obama is that he ran two great campaigns. That team can be reassembled.”
Records Show Obama Spent $114.7 Million on Vacations While President
The price tag for the Obama vacations is a whopping $114.7 million, according to records obtained from the U.S. Department of the Air Force and the Secret Service in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by Judicial Watch.
Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said, “We will continue to monitor this spending while taxpayers continue to pay the bills for presidential travel.”
“Athlete Ally” Group Promotes Sexual Perversion in College Athletics
A new group called Athlete Ally sounds innocuous enough.
But the non-profit advocacy group intends to do for college athletics what the Human Rights Campaign has done for corporate America: force compliance with the demands by the sexually perverted, reports World Magazine.
The group in September launched the Athletic Equality Index. It scores 65 Division I schools on a 100-point scale that measures how friendly the schools are to sexually perverted issues. Athlete Ally hopes eventually to rank all 1,281 NCAA member schools, publicize their rankings, and use pressure to force compliance.
Thousands of Christians Gather to Pray Around Charlotte Abortion Mill
On Saturday, 7,000 Christians participated in a 1.3-mile prayer walk called Love Life Charlotte that encircled a Charlotte abortion mill, reports The Christian Post.
It was the culmination of a 40-week “Journey of Hope” campaign where more than 100 area churches marched in prayer walks around the murder center.
Charlotte-based businessman Justin Reeder said in the two years since the organization launched, it has helped some 800 families reconsider their plans for abortion.
Former Today Show Host Matt Lauer Will Not Be Paid for Remaining Time on Contract
NBC will not pay former Today host Matt Lauer $30 for the remaining time on his contract in light of his violation of the morals clause in his contract, reports CNN Money.
Fox News Contributor Geraldo Rivera Apologizes to Women Mentioned in Memoir
Geraldo Rivera, a Fox News contributor, has apologized to Bette Midler and other women named in his ‘tawdry’ memoir, reports TheWrap.com.
Last Thursday, Midler demanded an apology from Rivera after a video re-surfaced of the veteran singer telling Barbara Walters in 1991 that Rivera and a producer “groped” and drugged her in a bathroom in the 1970s.
Rivera has also been criticized lately for his defense of Matt Lauer, calling news a “flirty business.”
Talk Host Blanquita Cullum Says Legislators Guilty of Sexual Misconduct Should Resign
Democrat Senator Al Franken of Minnesota, Democrat Congressman John Conyers of Michigan and Republican Congressman Joe Barton of Texas should all resign over acting inappropriately with women.
That’s the contention of longtime talk host Blanquita Cullum of the Media Equality project who also believes that Congress should immediately curtail the practice of secretly settling sexual harassment claims with taxpayer money, reports WorldNetDaily.com.
Italian Astronaut Makes Recording for Wikipedia from International Space Station
Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli from the European Space Agency just contributed the first piece of content that was ever created specifically for Wikipedia from space.
He submitted a sound clip of his voice from aboard the International Space Station that is revolving around the Earth at 17,227 mph.
Family Who Lost Nine People in Texas Shooting Accuses US Air Force of Negligence
Joe and Claryce Holcombe, who are related to nine victims killed in the Sutherland Springs, Texas church shooting on November 5, filed a legal claim on Friday against the US Air Force, accusing it of negligence over failure to report the criminal record of the gunman Devin Kelley, reports Christian Today.
The Holcombes contend that the military acted negligently by failing to report the criminal record to a federal database that would have prevented Kelley from legally purchasing a firearm. It is the first such legal claim in the case.
Kelley was convicted five years ago by a general court-martial of assaulting his then-wife and cracked his infant stepson’s skull in 2012 while he was in the Air Force, offences that made it illegal for him to possess a firearm.
The Air Force said in a statement on November 7 that it did not enter that information into a federal database used in background checks for firearms purchases, something it was legally required to do.
Their son Bryan Holcombe was fatally shot in the back while walking to the church pulpit to lead the congregation in worship.
Federal Court Hears Case of Fire Chief Fired for His Views on Marriage
A federal court has started hearing the discrimination case filed by former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran who was dismissed from his job after he released a book that defended the Biblical view of marriage and sexuality, reports Christian Times.
Even though he had been named Fire Chief of the Year in 2012, Cochran was terminated by the city after he published a men’s devotional book that included a brief section advocating for the Biblical view of marriage and sexuality, including that homosexual behavior is immoral.
Baker Jack Phillips Has Supreme Court Hearing Tomorrow
Tomorrow will be a big day for Christian baker Jack Phillips. He will finally have his day in court, the Supreme Court, reports Christian Today.
The conservative Christian baker who refused a cake for a gay couple back in 2012 will finally have his case heard at the top court in America on Tuesday.
Phillips has the weight of US evangelical support and backing from the White House behind him and will argue the constitution’s free speech guarantees protect him from making a cake that would violate his religious beliefs against sodomite marriage.
Based on his Christian beliefs, Phillips said he also refuses to make Halloween cakes as well as baked goods “that denigrate other people”.
The case puts 81-year-old Justice Anthony Kennedy, one of the court’s five conservative, in the spotlight. Kennedy, a potential deciding vote in a 5-4 ruling, has joined the court’s liberals in major decisions on issues such as abortion and gay rights. He authored the court’s landmark 2015 decision that legalized homosexual marriage nationwide. But Kennedy is also a strong proponent of free speech rights.