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

It’s Christmas Day, Monday, December 25th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Adam McManus ([email protected])

Nigerian Christians mourn killing of teenager

On December 20th, Muslim bandits allegedly killed 19-year-old Jude Nicodemus and severely injured two others in Plateau State, Nigeria, reports International Christian Concern.

In addition, Fulani Muslim militants grazed cattle on other people’s property and destroyed produce that was intended for use at Christmas.

Matthew 7:18-19 says, “Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.”

Iran threatens to close Mediterranean Sea

On Saturday, Iran threatened that the Mediterranean Sea could be “closed” if the U.S. and Israel continued “crimes” in Gaza, reports Reuters.

The Iranian government has showed support for Muslim terrorist group Hamas in its war against Israel, while the U.S. has strongly backed Israel — despite growing criticism of the Israeli military’s war effort.

It is unclear how Iran would follow through on such a threat, as the country has no direct access to the Mediterranean Sea and no major naval presence outside the Persian Gulf.

Supreme Court sidesteps decision on Trump presidential immunity

Steering clear of a political firestorm for now, the US. Supreme Court said Friday it would not immediately decide the key question of whether Donald Trump has broad immunity for actions he took as president challenging his 2020 election loss, reports NBC News.

Without comment, the court denied, special counsel Jack Smith’s request asking the justices to circumvent the normal appeals court process and quickly decide the question, which looms large in Trump’s prosecution in Washington over allegations of election interference.

If Trump were to win on this threshold issue, the charges would be dismissed. If he loses, the legal proceedings in the trial court would continue.

Did Trump purposely use Hitlerian language?

In a December 22nd interview with conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt, former President Donald Trump defended his comments on immigration, while his critics accused him of using Hitlerian language for saying illegal immigrants are "poisoning the blood of our country" during a recent campaign rally, reports The Epoch Times.

Listen.

HEWITT: “Mr. President, you've also said illegal immigrants are poisoning our blood. What do you mean by that?”

TRUMP: “They're coming in from Asia, from Africa, from South America. They're coming from all over the world. They're coming from prisons. They're coming from mental institutions and insane asylums. They’re terrorists.

“Absolutely!  That's poisoning our country. That's poisoning the blood of our country. We have no idea who they are, where they are.”

HEWITT: “Your critics say that you are using Hitlerian language that was used to dehumanize Jews by saying that ‘Jewish blood cannot be part of German blood.’ Do you have anything like that in mind when you say ‘poisoning our blood’?”

TRUMP: “No. And I never knew that Hitler said it either, by the way. And I never read Mein Kampf, [Adolph Hitler’s book.] They said I read Mein Kampf.”

HEWITT:  “So, you intend no racist sentiment whatsoever when you say poisoning our blood?”

TRUMP: “If you look at the polls, I'm doing incredibly with African Americans, I'm doing incredibly with Hispanics, the highest numbers anyone's ever seen for a Republican candidate. The reason is they know me. Look what I've done. Criminal justice reform. I got the black colleges and universities funded. Nobody else did that. Opportunity zones with Tim Scott. I got that done.”

HEWITT: “Your critics keep saying, ‘Oh, he wants to be Hitler. He's talking about poisoning our blood. He's trying to be a Nazi.’ How do you respond to these people?”

TRUMP: “I know nothing about him. I'm not a student

It’s Friday, December 22nd, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Adam McManus ([email protected])

Texas Christians purchase 7 new cars for Chinese Christian refugees

Christmas cheer and an outpouring of love by Christians in Texas continue to bless the Shenzen Holy Reformed Church (also known as the Mayflower Church), reports International Christian Concern.

The 63 church members left China three years ago and traveled through South Korea, Thailand, and to eventual freedom in the United States to escape persecution in China.

The Mayflower families have been staying in Tyler, Texas for the last several months where they began new jobs, settled their families, and took English classes. They now head to their permanent home in Midland, Texas, around the Christmas holiday.

Amazingly, the Tyler Christian community bought seven new vehicles for the Mayflower families to help on their journey. The Mayflower Church members marvel at this generosity.

Other ministries which have supported their cause include China Aid, Freedom Seekers, and International Christian Concern.

Prague University student killed 14, injured 25

On Thursday, a student opened fire at a university in Prague, killing at least 14 people, and injuring 25 in the Czech Republic’s worst mass shooting, reports the Associated Press. 

Prague Police Chief Martin Vondrasek said the bloodshed took place in the philosophy department building of Charles University where the shooter was a student. The gunman, whose name has not been released, also died. Reportedly, he also killed his father earlier in the day.

The chief described the shooter as an excellent student with no criminal record. And the investigators do not suspect a link to any extremist ideology or groups.

The gunman suffered “devastating injuries” but it wasn’t clear if he killed himself or was shot to death in an exchange of gunfire with officers.

Republican Congressman discusses depravity and blackmail

Republican Congressman Tim Burchett of Tennessee spoke to conservative podcaster Benny Johnson on Thursday and talked about blackmail and depravity in the U.S. Congress, reports Mediaite.com.

Burchett and Johnson primarily spoke about why it took so long for the client list of notorious sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein to be ordered unsealed by a federal judge.

However, at one point, Burchett claimed that many “good conservatives” and other members of Congress are being entrapped and then blackmailed to vote certain ways.

Listen.

BURCHETT: “Why in the world would good conservatives vote for crazy stuff like what we’ve been seeing out of Congress? Here’s how it works.  You’re out of the country or out of town or you’re in a motel or at a bar in DC and, whatever you’re into – women or men or whatever — comes up and they’re very attractive and they’re laughing at your jokes, and you’re buying them a drink. Next thing you know, you’re in the motel room with them naked.

“Next thing you know, you’re about to make a key vote, and what happens? Some well-dressed person comes up and whispers in your ear, ‘Hey, man, there’s tapes out on you.’ Or ‘Were you in a motel room on whatever with whoever?’ And then you’re like, ‘Uh-oh,’ and [they] said, ‘you really ought not be voting for this thing.’

“What do they do? It’s human nature. No man or no woman actually is an island. They know what to get at. You know, if it’s women, drugs, booze, it’ll find you in D.C. and in most elected offices. I’ve been in this game my whole life. I spent 16 years in the state legislature in Tennessee and eight years as county mayor. And now I’m in my fifth year of Congress. The stakes are higher, but the game is still the same.”

Numbers 32:23 says, “Be sure your sin will find you out.”

New York Democrats targeting Chick-fil-A

New York Democrat lawmakers are targeting Chick-fil-A, which is closed on Sundays, with legislation that mandates res

It’s Thursday, December 21st, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Jonathan Clark

English court upheld censorship zone at abortion mill

A high court in England upheld a town’s censorship zone around an abortion mill last week. The buffer zone bans activities like prayer and Bible reading.

Livia Tossici-Bolt with 40 Days for Life Bournemouth, located 94 miles southwest of London, was challenging the buffer zone with the help of the Christian Legal Centre. They plan on appealing the decision.

After the ruling, she said, “Everyone must have the freedom to pray quietly in a public place. … We are very disappointed by the judge’s ruling and will continue to support women in crisis pregnancies and will continue to fight for justice.”

Isaiah 10:1 says, “Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees.”

Spanish Evangelicals growing in number

In Spain, evangelicalism continues to grow, according to Evangelism in Depth.

The historically Catholic country has reached 1,000 municipalities with an Evangelical church. Since 2011, the number of Evangelical places of worship in Spain has grown from about 3,000 to nearly 4,500.

Máximo Álvarez with Evangelism in Depth explained the rapid growth. He said, “For many decades there have been churches and ministries with this vision of planting churches where there is still no Evangelical place of worship.”

Fewer younger voters support Biden

In the United States, young voters are dropping support for President Joe Biden.

A New York Times/Siena College poll found 49% of voters aged 18 to 29 support former president Donald Trump, while only 43% support Biden.

It’s the first time Trump has led Biden among young voters since Biden took office. A poll from NBC News last month found similar results.

Overall, Biden’s approval rating stands at 37%. For young voters, it’s even worse. Only 26% of them approve of Biden.

IRS offering $1 billion in penalty relief

The Internal Revenue Service announced Tuesday it is providing about $1 billion in penalty relief.

The relief will affect 4.7 million individuals, businesses, and tax-exempt groups for returns filed in 2020 and 2021.

The IRS plans to resume collection notices next year after a pause during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

America’s population grew primarily from migrants

New data from the U.S. Census Bureau found America’s population grew by 1.6 million this year. Most of the growth came from migration. It’s the second year in a row that immigration fueled population growth. 

There were also about 300,000 fewer deaths this year compared with last year.

The vast majority of this year’s growth was in the South. Florida and South Carolina led in terms of growth rates while New York had the biggest rate of population decline.

United Methodist Church ripped asunder over homosexuality

The United Methodist Church (UMC) has lost a quarter of its 30,000 congregations since 2019. Over 5,000 of the departures occurred this year alone. A deadline for disaffiliation is set for the end of the year.

The final departures represent decades of debates in the denomination. Christianity Today dubbed it the “largest denominational divide in the United States since the Civil War.”

Churches are leaving over the UMC's drift towards supporting sexually perverted lifestyles. Many are joining the Global Methodist Church which defines marriage as between one man and one woman.

103-year-old World War II veteran’s advice: “Pray every night!”

And finally, a California World War II veteran shared his story with Fox News recently after turning 103 last month.

Sam Avolicino was born in southern Italy in 1920. His family emigrated to the U.S. when he was just three months old. He grew up in the Bay Area and has lived there for over 100 years.

During World War II, Avolicino volunteered in the Army Air Force. After the war, he married his wife Agnes. They’ve b

It’s Wednesday, December 20th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Jonathan Clark

Chinese Christians continue to be persecuted

Members of Early Rain Covenant Church continue to face persecution from the Chinese government. Five years ago, authorities arrested over 100 members of the church located in China’s southwestern Sichuan province. The initial arrests resulted in a nine-year prison sentence for Wang Yi, the church’s pastor. 

Church members faced new detentions on Sunday, December 10, which was also International Human Rights Day. The latest persecution came after the church planned an online prayer meeting to commemorate the initial crackdown in 2018.

Mervyn Thomas with Christian Solidarity Worldwide said, “These mass police operations against house churches show the Chinese authorities' utter contempt for universal and inalienable human rights.”

Chinese earthquake kills 127 people

Speaking of China, the country experienced its deadliest earthquake in years on Monday.

A 6.2-magnitude quake hit China’s north-central Gansu Province, killing at least 127 people. The disaster left hundreds more injured and thousands of buildings damaged.

China is no stranger to deadly earthquakes. A quake in Qinghai Province took 2,700 lives in 2010. And the deadliest earthquake in recent decades killed nearly 90,000 in 2008 in the province of Sichuan.

Colorado rules Trump is ineligible to be on presidential ballot

The Colorado Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that former President Donald Trump is ineligible to appear on the state's primary ballot, reports The Epoch Times.

It declared that President Trump's speech on and before January 6, 2021, "was not protected by the First Amendment" because it was speech that was "likely to incite such imminent lawlessness and violence."

They concluded that Trump is disqualified from holding office, according to the 14th Amendment to the Constitution in Section 3 because he “engaged in insurrection.”

However, the court suspended its ruling until January 4, 2024, "pending any review by the U.S. Supreme Court."

If the U.S. Supreme Court agrees to review the issue by January 4, the Colorado Secretary of State will be required to continue to include President Trump on the primary ballot. Otherwise, his name will be removed.

Appearing on Fox News Channel, George Washington Law Professor Jonathan Turley drew this conclusion.

TURLEY: “There was a series of barriers in applying this provision to bar Trump. … In order to establish that he was engaged in insurrection, they go back to speeches in 2016, and they basically daisy chain these speeches to say, ‘Look, he's been at this for a long time.’ I think that the factual and legal basis of this opinion is really so porous that the Supreme Court will make fast work of it.”

This makes Colorado the first and only state to disqualify President Trump from appearing on a state primary ballot.

President Trump has announced he will appeal the decision.

Michigan city compelled to give $825,000 to Catholic farmer over discrimination

A Michigan city agreed to an $825,000 settlement with a Catholic farmer in a religious liberty case.

Steve Tennes with Country Mill Farms sued East Lansing in 2017 after officials barred him from the city’s farmers market for his Biblical beliefs about marriage.

Genesis 2:24 says, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

Earlier this year, a federal district court sided with Tennes, saying he is free to participate in the market.

Kate Anderson with Alliance Defending Freedom said, “We’re pleased to favorably settle this lawsuit on behalf of Steve so he and his family can continue doing what Country Mill does best, as expressed in its mission statement: ‘glorifying God by facilitating family fun on the farm and feeding families.’”

Steve appeared on NewsMax TV.

TENNE

It’s Tuesday, December 19th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com.  I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Kevin Swanson

Muslim terrorists kidnapped pastor in Burkina Faso, Africa

Global Christian Relief reports that Muslim terrorists have kidnapped a pastor in Burkina Faso, Africa along with seven church members.

One pastor said he knows of “around 20 churches that were forced to relocate and are living as refugees in different parts of the country.” 

Pray for the believers in Burkina Faso — a smaller African nation located just West of Niger. 

American Jewish facilities targeted

Repercussions against American Jewish facilities have increased, reports Israel National News.

Just over the weekend, authorities reported 200 bomb threats and false alarms — 100 in California and 62 in Arizona. Plus, a Boulder, Colorado synagogue was forced to evacuate their Saturday services.

Overall, these institutions have experienced a 541% increase in these malicious attacks this year, compared to the previous year.

19,500 Palestinians have been killed

According to satellite analysis of Gaza Strip, The Economist reports that almost 43,000 buildings have been damaged and 450,000 people have been left without homes in the Israel-Hamas War.

Around 19,500 Palestinians and 1,100 Israelis have been killed, according to official numbers.

Canadian real estate bubble burst

That loud pop sound you just heard is the Canadian real estate market bubble bursting.

The greater Toronto area is down 19% from its peak, Victoria is down 11%, and Ottawa 14%, reports Norada Real Estate Investments.

More Americans in financial trouble

The number of Americans underwater on car loans as exceeded the record set in 2020.

In addition, an unprecedented number of Americans failed to make a monthly payment on their federal loans — about 40% according to the Biden Administration, reports Politico.

In fact, 45 million Americans have yet to pay off their federal student loans that total more than $1.6 trillion.

Debt is skyrocketing

The Global Debt Monitor stands at $307 trillion, reports Reuters. And the federal government debt stands at $97 trillion which is up 40% since 2019.  

A whopping 34% of the debt comes from the United States. That’s twice China’s contribution, three times Japan’s contribution, and ten times the United Kingdom’s contribution — as calculated by Visualist Capitalist.

Brazil’s drop in Gross Domestic Product

Brazil’s economy retracted in the third quarter by 0.64%. This follows two years of positive Gross Domestic Product growth in 2021 and 2022.  

Nonetheless, since 2011, the per capita GDP for the nation dropped from $13,200 to $8,900. 

Conservatives unable to stop tax-funded abortion travel & transgender surgeries

The House has passed an $886 billion defense bill without the support of the Republican conservative caucus amounting to 118 votes.

They were unable to eliminate taxpayer-supported transgender surgeries  and travel for abortions, reports CNA News.

Also, some conservatives were hoping to prevent the intelligence community from accessing private devices and communications without a warrant. The bill allowed access through 2024.

Pope approves of blessing homosexual couples

For the first time, the Vatican and Pope Francis have officially approved of blessings for those living in sinful sexual relationships, removing church discipline for men living in sin, reports LifeSiteNews.com.  

These blessings are allowed for “couples in irregular situations and for couples of the same sex,” and they are intended so that “human relationships may mature and grow in fidelity to the Gospel message.”

However, the decision contradicts a 2021 ruling which stated that God “cannot bless sin.”

According to Pew Research, 92% of Catholics in the Netherlands support homosexual faux-marriage as well as 76% of England’s Catholics and 61% of American Catholics.

Proverbs 25:26 says,

It’s Monday, December 18th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Adam McManus ([email protected])

Nigerian Christian mother released from jail

After being imprisoned for over 500 days in Nigeria, a Christian mother of five, named Rhoda Jatau, has been released on bail and awaits a trial that could land her up to five more years behind bars if she is found guilty of so-called "blasphemy" against Islam, reports The Christian Post.

According to Alliance Defending Freedom International, she is currently in an undisclosed location while she awaits trial for allegedly sharing a video that condemned the lynching of Christian college student Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu.

Yakubu was a college student who attended a university in the northwestern Sokoto State who was falsely accused of blaspheming Islam after she posted a message on social media thanking Jesus for helping her pass an exam. 

Following her post, the college student was targeted, set on fire, and murdered by classmates for sharing her Christian faith. 

Outraged by the killing of a Christian college student, Jatau took to WhatsApp to condemn the murder of Deborah Yakubu in 2022.

In response to her outward expression, a mob targeted the mother of five, had her arrested, and she was imprisoned in May 2022. 

Although she has previously been denied bail multiple times, a judge in the Bauchi State recently granted bail to Jatau following an international outcry over her imprisonment. God has answered your prayers.

Keep praying that she will be acquitted altogether.

US and British navies shot down 15 attack drones over Red Sea

A U.S. warship shot down 14 suspected attack drones over the Red Sea on Saturday, and a Royal Navy destroyer downed another drone that was targeting commercial ships, reports the Associated Press.

Houthi rebels in Yemen, backed by Iran, have launched a series of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, and have launched drones and missiles targeting Israel, as the Israel-Hamas War threatens to spread.

U.S. Central Command said that the destroyer, USS Carney, “successfully engaged 14 unmanned aerial systems” launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

U.K. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said that Her Majesty’s Ship Diamond fired a Sea Viper missile and destroyed a drone that was “targeting merchant shipping.” The overnight action is the first time the Royal Navy has shot down an aerial target in anger since the 1991 Gulf War.

New Zealand gov’t to remove LHBT indoctrination from schools

New Zealand’s new government, a coalition between the center-right National party, the libertarian ACT party, and the populist New Zealand First party, has signaled that it will remove gender, sexuality, and relationship-based education guidelines in schools, reports LifeSiteNews.com.

It is part of what the new government is describing as its “war on woke.”

According to the New Zealand charity, Family First, the previous curriculum sought to “inject sexuality education into the rest of curriculum,” putting “schools at risk of becoming ideological and indoctrinatory spaces.”

Primary age children were to “be addressed by their preferred name and pronouns.” Access to toilets had to “align with their gender identification.” And trans students were not required to use a gender-neutral toilet, but could choose the male or female toilets of their choice.

In Matthew 18:6, Jesus warned, “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in Me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

Obama thinks Biden could lose the White House

According to someone in Barack Obama’s inner circle, the 44th president is concerned about Joe Biden's prospects for next year's election and “feels that Democrats very well could lose.” 

The Wall Street Journal

It’s Friday, December 15th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Adam McManus ([email protected])

U.S. Muslim family arrested, accused of beating son who converted to Christianity

A Muslim family was arrested in Nashville, Tennessee, after a juvenile victim told authorities his mother, father, and brother attacked him for converting to the Christian faith, reports FaithWire.com.

According to an arrest warrant, the boy was purportedly punched in the face and spit at by his mother, father, and brother; the mother is also accused of scratching the back of one of the victim’s hands with a knife, reports WZTV.

During the attack, the young man was allegedly urged to renounce his Christian beliefs and proclaim Islam.

Authorities became aware of the situation after his employer reportedly expressed concern. When police arrived for a welfare check on December 11th, they found the boy with injuries, including lumps on his face and scratches.

The young man was transported to the hospital. Meanwhile, the 57-year-old father, Nick Kadum, the 46-year-old mother, Rawaa, and their 29-year-old son, John, were charged over the incident.

In John 15:18-19, Jesus said, “If the world hates you, remember that it hated Me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.”

Hamas' plot against Europe foiled

Yesterday, German police arrested three suspected members of Hamas in Berlin accused of preparing an attack against Jewish targets in Europe, reports The Daily Mail.

German prosecutors said the three men, along with another suspect arrested in the Netherlands, were said to have begun preparing a weapons cache in the German capital where arms would be “kept in a state of readiness in view of potential terrorist attacks against Jewish institutions in Europe.”

News of these arrests came after Danish authorities said they too had prevented a terror attack, arresting three more suspects. 

Biden forgives another $4.8 billion in student debt

On December 6th, the Biden administration announced that it would forgive an additional $4.8 billion in student loan debt for 80,300 borrowers, bringing the total taxpayer burden to $132 billion, reports The Epoch Times.

President Biden said, "I won’t back down from using every tool at our disposal to get student loan borrowers the relief they need to reach their dreams.” His administration is undeterred by the recent Supreme Court decision to block a wide-ranging initiative to cancel up to $20,000 in debt per student.

Powerful pre-Christmas storm to pound 20 states

Christmas travel is getting underway this weekend, but the FOX Forecast Center is tracking a powerful pre-holiday storm that will impact millions in at least 20 states as it slides up the East Coast this weekend and into early next week, slamming the region with heavy rain and strong wind.

So, if you’re among the more than 115 million Americans expected to travel 50 miles or more this Christmas season, you'll want to prepare for delays on the roads and at some of our nation’s busiest airports if your travels take you to the East.

Surprising number of men & women open to multiple partners or spouses

So much for monogamy.

A new study by researchers from Swansea University in the United Kingdom reveals that a third of men and one in 10 women are open to having more than one romantic partner — at the same time, reports StudyFinds.org.

The study, which involved 393 heterosexual men and women, uncovered varying levels of “openness” to these arrangements. Approximately 33 percent of men surveyed in the U.K. expressed a willingness to consider the idea of having more than one wife or long-term girlfriend in a committed partnership if it were legal and consensual. By contrast, only 11 percent of women indicated a similar openness to the

It’s Thursday, December 14th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Jonathan Clark

Hindus continue to target Christians in India

Officials in India’s state of Uttar Pradesh have arrested nearly 400 Christians over the past three years. Officials are targeting Christians through anti-conversion laws.

Most of the arrested believers are Protestant pastors and church members. Many are out on bail, but 50 remain behind bars.

Other states in India are adopting similar anti-conversion laws, but Uttar Pradesh has seen the highest number of arrests for Christians. 

Such laws are being challenged in the country’s Supreme Court. Please pray for the persecuted church in India, ranked 11th on the Open Doors’ World Watch List of nations where it is most difficult to be a Christian.

Closure of British Catholics over COVID hurt churchgoers

A survey of Catholics in the U.K. found church closures during the COVID-19 pandemic had negative effects on churchgoers.

The Catholic Union found 62% of respondents said their physical or mental health was affected by church closures.

Ninety percent of people also said places of worship should be treated as essential services.

Baroness Hollins, president of the Catholic Union, said, “It's clear from these results that places of worship should never be forced to close again.”

Psalm 122:1 says, “I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go into the house of the LORD."

Ukrainian President to Biden: $100 billion not enough!

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. leaders in Washington on Tuesday. He is looking to secure more military aid as the war between Ukraine and Russia continues. 

The U.S. has already sent over $100 billion to Ukraine since the war started last year. And Republican lawmakers are pushing to link any more Ukraine aid to increased security at the U.S.-Mexico border. With Democrat opposition to that, an aid package seems unlikely to pass in the near future. 

Meanwhile, Pew Research found that more and more Americans think the U.S. is giving too much support to Ukraine. Thirty-one percent say support is too high, and 48% of conservative-leaning people say the same. 

Supreme Court takes up Abortion Kill Pill

Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case involving the Abortion Kill Pill.  Of the American mothers who choose to abort their babies, 53% choose to do so chemically.

The Biden administration is appealing a lower court ruling that banned mail-orders of the abortion drug mifepristone. The high court will hear arguments in the case next year with a decision expected by June.

Erin Hawley with Alliance Defending Freedom commented, “Every court so far has agreed that the FDA acted unlawfully in removing common-sense safeguards for women and authorizing dangerous mail-order abortions. We urge the Supreme Court to do the same. The FDA has harmed the health of women and undermined the rule of law.”

Florida public school library retains Bible

Last Wednesday, a Florida school district committee voted to keep the Bible in libraries.

Broward County Public Schools made the decision after an atheist activist argued the Bible was too sensitive and controversial for students. Elaine Aaron, who serves on the committee, said, “It is important for world studies. I believe the Bible should be on the shelf.”

State law allows residents to challenge books they find objectionable in public schools and libraries. Conservatives are the ones primarily making use of the measure to challenge sexually perverted materials.

Only 22% can retell Christ’s birth story

And finally, Lifeway Research reports that over 90% of Americans say they celebrate Christmas, but only 22% think they can retell the Biblical story of Christ’s birth from memory.

Lifeway evaluated the most-read Bible verses by users of the YouVersion Bible app during this time of year.

People are often reading from Matth

It’s Wednesday, December 13th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Jonathan Clark

Evangelical Christians harassed in Nicaragua

A human rights group called Never Again reports Evangelical Christians are facing harassment and intimidation in Nicaragua. 

In recent years, the Central American country shut down over 3,500 non-government organizations, including 342 religious organizations, of which 256 were evangelical. 

Wendy Flores with Never Again said, “The government has gradually closed the evangelical associations, taken away their permits to legally exist in the country and to receive funds from abroad.”

Most Nicaraguans identify as Christian, with 45% of the population saying they are Evangelical.

Argentinian President Javier Milei shut down half government on first day

Meanwhile, in South America, Argentina’s new president is already taking on government bureaucracy.

Libertarian Javier Milei won the presidency last month, promising to shut down the central bank and most government ministries as the country faces nearly 150% inflation.

During his first day in office this week, Milei signed a decree to eliminate half of the government’s ministries. He said, “There is no alternative to a shock adjustment.”

British police dropped absurd “hate crimes” charges against Christian

In the United Kingdom, police dropped “hate crime” charges against a Christian councilman.

Anthony Stevens sits on the Wellingborough Town Council. Authorities arrested him back in August after he supported Christian free speech on social media. 

With the support of the Christian Legal Centre, Stevens fought back against the charges. After they were dropped, he said, “Yes, I have been vindicated and I am relieved that no further action will be taken, but look what I have been put through. … My only crime had been supporting the only black local counselor in Northamptonshire and his freedom to express his Christian beliefs. … I believe my case is a worrying sign of potential things to come.”

Out-of-state abortion travel has doubled

Here in the United States, interstate abortion travel has doubled in recent years.

The pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute reports over 90,000 women travelled out of state for an abortion during the first half of this year, up from 40,000 during the first half of 2020.

The increase in interstate abortion travel comes as 15 states have passed near-total abortion bans. 

Illinois experienced the largest increase of women traveling from out-of-state for an abortion. Other states that saw increases include New Mexico, Colorado, Florida, and Ohio.

70% of Americans say, “I’m spiritual.”

As more people are leaving organized religion, a new survey from Pew Research found that 70% of U.S. adults say they are spiritual. And about a third of those say they are not religious.

Those who identify as spiritual, but not religious, are less likely to believe in the God of the Bible compared with those who say they are spiritual and religious. The spiritual, but not religious people, tend to believe in some higher power or spiritual force in the universe. They also are more likely to believe that spirits and spiritual energies can be found in animals, parts of nature, cemeteries, and crystals.

Romans 1:21-23 says, “For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” 

Lucy: A Ladybug's Life: A great Christmas present for kids

And finally, do you need a fun, God-glorifying book for your kids for Christmas? Kayla White, author of Lucy: A Ladybug’s Life and Melody: A Monarch Miracle, shared with The Worldview about how Lucy the Ladybug mirrors the different seasons of growth