It’s Wednesday, July 3rd, A.D. 2024. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Jonathan Clark

Pakistani court sentenced Christian to death

A court in Pakistan sentenced a Christian man to death on Saturday. 

Twenty-eight-year-old Ehsaan Shan Masih is accused of reposting content considered blasphemous against Islam by the government. 

The accusations followed a terrible mob attack against Christians in the country’s eastern Punjab Province in 2023. 

Shan’s lawyer will appeal the sentence. He said, “The Christian community in Pakistan is facing severe injustice, living in constant fear for their lives, property, and places of worship. This verdict symbolizes the virtual death of all Christians in Pakistan today.” 

According to the Open Doors’ World Watch List of nations, Pakistan is ranked the seventh most difficult country worldwide in which to be a Christian.

Revelation 12:11 says believers overcame Satan “by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

Church of England greenlights blessing homosexual couples

The Church of England’s General Synod began this week. 

The church is facing division over the issue of sexually perverted lifestyles. Last year, the Church of England allowed priests to bless homosexual couples. 

However, conservative leaders in the Church of England are pushing back. The group known as The Alliance represents over 2,000 clergy members. 

A letter from the group warned they are preparing to create a "parallel province” in the Church of England and to “seek pastoral oversight from bishops who remain faithful to orthodox teaching on marriage and sexuality.” 

Biden: “I can do this job!”

Last Friday, in Raleigh, North Carolina, following his disastrous debate performance, President Joe Biden admitted that his age has limited his abilities.

BIDEN: “I don't walk as easy as I used to. I don't speak as smoothly as I used to. I don't debate, debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know. I know how to tell the truth. (cheers) I know right from wrong. (cheers)

“I know how to do this job. (cheers) I know how to get things done. (cheers) I know, like millions of Americans know, when you get knocked down you get back up. (cheers)

“I know what it took to take our economy from the depths of pandemic, where it is the day, the strongest economy in the world. Folks, I give you my word, as a Biden, I would not be running again if I didn't believe, with all my heart and soul, I can do this job!”

First Democrat Congressman tells Biden to step aside

However, Biden’s defense was not sufficient for Democratic Congressman Lloyd Doggett of Austin, Texas. On Tuesday, Doggett became the first in the party to publicly call for President Joe Biden to step down as the party’s nominee for president, citing Biden’s poor debate performance against Donald Trump, reports The Associated Press.

In a statement Tuesday, Congressman Doggett said, “My decision to make these strong reservations public is not done lightly nor does it in any way diminish my respect for all that President Biden has achieved. … I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. I respectfully call on him to do so.”

Shortly afterwards, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro joined Doggett in calling for Biden to withdraw. Castro ran against Biden in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries.

Trump advisor Rudy Giuliani disbarred

On Tuesday, Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor, federal prosecutor and legal adviser to Donald Trump, was disbarred in New York after a court found he repeatedly made false statements about Trump's 2020 election loss, reports The Associated Press.

The Manhattan appeals court ruled Giuliani, who had his New York law license suspended in 2021 for making false statements around the election, is no longer allowed to practice law at all in the state, effective immediately.

Texas Court upholds ban on transgender drugs/surgeries for minors

Last Friday, the Texas Supreme Court  upheld a law that bans transgender drugs and surgeries for minors.

The court ruled 8-1 in favor of the law. Texas is the largest of about 25 states that banned such mutilating practices on children. 

The court emphasized the role of parents in their children’s care. The ruling stated, “We have said—and we reaffirm today—that fit parents have a fundamental interest in directing the care, custody, and control of their children free from government interference.” 

Iowa court upholds Heartbeat law

Also last Friday, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that the state’s Heartbeat Law should go into effect. 

The law bans physicians from killing unborn babies. If a heartbeat is detected, the baby is protected with some exceptions. 

The ruling stated, “We have previously held that abortion is not a fundamental right under the Iowa Constitution. … We conclude that the fetal heartbeat statute is rationally related to the state’s legitimate interest in protecting unborn life.”

American patriotism declining

July 4th might be tomorrow, but American patriotism is down, according to a new Gallup poll.

Only 41% of U.S. adults say they are extremely proud to be American, down from 70% in the early 2000s. An additional 26% say they are very proud to be American. A combined 67% are extremely or very proud, down from 90% in the early 2000s.

Being extremely proud to be an American is down among Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. But Republicans were the most likely to be extremely patriotic.

Generations Radio guest empowers sex abuse victims to speak up

Today, as Kevin Swanson is traveling overseas, I guest host for him on Generations Radio.

I interviewed Elizabeth Good, the author of Speak the Unspeakable: Real Talk on Secrets, Sex and Being Set Free. Through TheFoundationUnited.org, she empowers people to stop concealing their trauma.

GOOD: “If abuse starts at three, four, or five years old, and we keep it secret until [age] 53, things are happening that a child, their intuition, they know it doesn't feel right. They feel yucky. And the textbook ploys of somebody that is abusing them, and the predator tactics of this type of behavior, is so textbook. And so to arm the children, so they have the empowerment and the ability to speak to the things that are entering at five years old, six years old, seven years old.

“We have so many children in seventh grade that are going through our different materials that we have for the church or for schools or for homeschool. And as they're going through it in seventh grade, we've had so many girls especially say, ‘Why wasn’t I given this in fourth grade? If this would have been given me in fourth grade, I would have known exactly what to do. When this happened to be online. I would have known exactly what to say because this is exactly the situation.’”

Take a listen to my 30-minute interview with Elizabeth Good at Generations.org/radio. That’s Generations.org/radio.

Christian athlete gives glory to God

A Christian track athlete broke a world record in the lead-up to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

Sydney McLaughlin Levrone was competing in the U.S. Olympic team trials. She finished the women’s 400-meter hurdles in 50.65 seconds. That beat the previous world record which she herself had set.

Listen to her interaction with a sports reporter.

NBC REPORTER:  “Sydney, when you looked up and you saw the clock, we saw the look on your face. But just tell us what went through your mind, another world record.”

LEVRONE: “Honestly, praise God. I was not expecting that, but He can do anything. Anything is possible in Christ. So, yeah, I'm just amazed, baffled, and in shock!”

After breaking world records in the past, she has quoted Hebrews 4:16: “So let us come BOLDLY to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”

Final 2 Worldview listeners gave $225

And finally, we want to say a special thank you to our final two donors who helped support The Worldview over the next fiscal year.

Keziah in Walpole, New Hampshire gave $25 and Israel and Michelle in Lexington Park, Maryland gave $200.

Interestingly, $50 of that $200 donation came from work their son Isaac did.  Since the family has been battling Colorado potato beetles, they offered him 5 cents per dead beetle.  To his credit, over the course of several hours and in 90-degree heat, Isaac successfully killed 1,000 Colorado potato beetles, earning $50 for his effort which he decided to donate, in its entirely, to The Worldview. Isaac, if you took a picture of your pile of dead beetles, email it to me at [email protected].

Ready for our final final total? Drum roll please. (sound effect of drum roll) $96,800! (audience cheering)

Michelle from Lexington Park, Maryland wrote, “We are expecting baby number six in one month and thank the Lord for always providing for us financially so I can stay home and homeschool my kiddos.”

Close

And that's The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Wednesday, July 3rd, 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 ([email protected]). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.