It’s Tuesday, December 26th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Kevin Swanson

Ugandan Christians jailed for evangelism

Morning Star News reports that two Christians were jailed for evangelizing in eastern Uganda, Africa.  

After three days of evangelism in a higher concentration-Muslim area in the city of Soroti, Joseph Omadi and Isaac Napakol were chased by a mob, and then arrested by police.

At issue is Uganda’s penal code act which criminalizes “writing or uttering words with the intent to wound religious feelings.”  The language is imprecise and may be used to violate freedom of speech in the country.

U.S. retaliates in Iraq after three US troops wounded in attack

After three U.S. service men were wounded in a drone attack in northern Iraq, America retaliated with three targeted attacks on terrorist facilities in Iraq Monday, reports Reuters.

The facilities are run by Iranian-backed militia, Kataib Hezbollah, and affiliated groups.

Gaza Hospital announces 209 injured, 131 dead on Christmas

The Israeli-Hamas War continued on Christmas Day.

Doctors without Borders reported that a Gaza Strip-area hospital, al Aqsa hospital, admitted 209 injured and 131 dead.

USA Today quotes Bethlehem Mayor Hana Haniyeh who said, “Our message every year on Christmas is one of peace and love, but this year it’s a message of sadness, grief and anger in front of the international community with what is happening and going on in the Gaza Strip.”

And the Roman Catholic Pope Francis took the opportunity to express his grief over what he called the “abominable attack” of Hamas on October 7. He called for the release of hostages and an end to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

King Charles’ Christmas message

King Charles III brought a Christmas message yesterday — in the tradition of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.  

He spoke of Christ exemplifying love for neighbors, offering shelter to others, and stressed the importance of protecting the Earth and “our natural world” including animals.  

Listen.

KING CHARLES III: “Service to others is but one way of honoring the whole of creation, which, after all, is a manifestation of the Divine. This is a belief shared by all religions. To care for this creation is a responsibility owned by people of all faiths and of none. We care for the Earth, for the sake of our children's children.

“During my lifetime, I've been so pleased to see a growing awareness of how we must protect the Earth and our natural world as the one home which we all share. I find great inspiration now from the way so many people recognize this, as does the Christmas story, which tells us that angels brought the message of hope first to shepherds. These were people who lived simply amongst others of God's creatures. Those close to nature were privileged that night.” (You can see the transcript here)

His great-grandfather, George V, began the tradition of the Christmas Message to the commonwealth back in the 1930s.  Queen Elizabeth II carried on the tradition from the time of her coronation in 1952. While she mentioned the words of Jesus as the “bedrock” of her faith, the messages typically have not reflected the real reason why Jesus came. 

Matthew 1:21 says, “You shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.” 1 John 3:8b explains that Christ came to destroy the works of the devil, and, as Hebrews 2:14 notes, to destroy the one who has the power of death, that is the devil. 

In addition, Mark 10:45 says Christ came to give His life as a ransom for many and Luke 4:18-19 explains that He came to proclaim good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to the captives, the recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

Contrast between Christmas messages of Biden and Trump 

President Joe Biden took to social media with a