It’s Monday, December 11th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Adam McManus

Myanmar’s military dictatorship collapsing

Indigenous and pro-democracy forces in Myanmar are aggressively fighting back against the Tatmadaw, the military dictatorship which took power from the democratically-elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in a ruthless coup in February 2021, reports International Christian Concern.

This new wave of fighting is taking place across the country, particularly in Shan State, Chin State, Kayah State, and Rakhine State.  

One Myanmar political and military analyst claims that Tatmadaw is actively collapsing across the country.   

Amid this new intense fighting, the military continues to target suffering Christians. Dozens of Christians have been attacked and killed at Internally Displaced People camps.

Also, Baptist Pastor Mang Kui, age 55, and his 25-year-old son, Salai Lii Mang, were recently murdered while traveling to buy medicine for his wife.

Proverbs 28:5 says, “Evildoers do not understand what is right, but those who seek the LORD understand it fully.”

Tennessee tornado kills 6, injures 23

Severe storms that tore through central Tennessee killed six people Saturday and sent nearly two dozen to the hospital as homes and businesses were damaged in multiple cities, reports CBS News.

Ethan Goad was a witness and spoke to NBC News.

GOAD: “Everyone around me was freaking out. The fire station had been destroyed. There was metal everywhere.”

Indeed, that fire station which he referenced was leveled with pieces of the building atop the emergency vehicles.

Transgenderism, Illegals, and Israel discussed in fourth GOP debate

In last Wednesday’s fourth GOP presidential debate, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy addressed the transgender issue.

RAMASWAMY:  “I think the North Star here is transgenderism is a mental health disorder. We don't let you smoke a cigarette by the age of 18. We don't let you have an addictive drink of alcohol by the age of 21. We can do the same thing when it comes to banning genital mutilation.”

Former U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley talked about illegal immigration.

HALEY: “All of the seven or eight million illegals that have come under Biden's watch absolutely have to go back. For those that have been here longer than that, we've got to start seeing who is it. How long have they been here? Have they been vetted? Have they paid taxes? Have they been working and figure out who else is out there.”

And Florida Governor Ron DeSantis exposed President Biden for not being a true ally of Israel ever since it was attacked by Hamas, the Islamic terrorist group, on October 7th.

DeSANTIS: “This administration is trying to hobble Israel from being able to defend itself. They have a right to eliminate Hamas and win a total and complete victory so that they never have to deal with this again. Joe Biden will say they support Israel and then they do nothing, but try to kneecap them every step of the way. We also need to look at what's the underlying problem here. Iran.

“Biden is doing nothing to bring Iran to account. You got to turn the screws on them. Don't let them have any oil revenue. The money they get they send to Hamas, they send to Hezbollah, and they foment jihad throughout the Middle East.”

Governor Chris Christie warns GOP voters about Trump

But the stand out comment came from former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie who took issue with former president Donald Trump who was absent for the fourth debate in a row.

CHRISTIE: “There's no mystery to what he, [Trump], wants to do. He started off his campaign by saying, ‘I am your retribution.’”

Listen to Trump at the Conservative Political Action Conference in March 2023.

TRUMP: “I am your warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution. I am your retribution.”

CHRISTIE: “Eight years ago, he sa

It’s Friday, December 8th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Adam McManus

Chinese pastor still in jail

Brother Chang Hao, pastor of a small rural Chinese church in Yunnan, has been ordered by the court to remain in jail since his November 2023 arrest and prepare for his case to go to trial, reports Bitter Winter, a religious liberty magazine. Despite his poor health and the fact that his wife and mother, who are also seriously ill, remain without support, the Communist Party still perceives him to be a threat.

Brother Hao and his family believe he was charged because he led an unauthorized house church and distributed medical masks with Biblical verses during the COVID-19 pandemic.   In April 2023, police raided Brother Hao’s church and seized Bibles, Christian books, and the masks that had Bible verses on them.

2 Timothy 3:12 says, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

Highlights of fourth GOP presidential debate

Four Republican presidential candidates traded barbs on Wednesday night during a fiery GOP debate as they looked to position themselves as the best alternative to former President Donald Trump in the primary, reports The Hill.com.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie participated in the fourth primary debate in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, which was hosted by NewsNation.

Ramaswamy took a direct shot at Nikki Haley.

RAMASWAMY: “Nikki, you were bankrupt when you left the U.N. After you left the U.N., you became a military contractor. You actually started joining service on the board of Boeing, whose back you scratched for a very long time, and then gave foreign multinational speeches like Hillary Clinton is, and now you're a multimillionaire. That math does not add up. It adds up to the fact that you are corrupt.”

Chris Christie predicted that Donald Trump will be imminently convicted of a felony.

CHRISTIE: “You'll all be heading to the polls to vote. And that's something that Donald Trump will not be able to do. Because he will be convicted of felonies before then and his right to vote will be taken away. You know, you can boo about it all you like and continue deny reality. But if we deny reality as a party, we're going to have four more years of Joe Biden.”

Nikki Haley addressed America’s relationship with China.

HALEY: “Look at where fentanyl came from. Let's go to the heart of the matter. It came from China. That's why we need to end all normal trade relations with China until they stop murdering Americans with fentanyl. But this is where Trump went wrong.

“Trump was good on trade, but that's all he was with China. Because here he allowed fentanyl to continue to come over, he would give them technology that would build up their military and hurt us. He allowed the Chinese infiltration, for them to buy up farmland, to put money in our universities, and to continue to do things that were harmful for America.”

And Ron DeSantis was asked about Trump’s fitness to serve as president.

REPORTER: “You seem to be saying Donald Trump is no longer mentally fit to be president. Is that what you think?”

DeSANTIS: “Father Time is undefeated. The idea that we're going to put someone up there that's almost 80 and there's going to be no effects from that. We all know that that's not true. We also need a president that can serve two terms.”

You can watch the whole fourth debate through a special link in our newscast today at www.TheWorldview.com.

Gunman killed three at University of Nevada, Las Vegas

A gunman opened fire on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, on Wednesday before 12 noon, killing three people and wounding a fourth before being shot dead by police, reports NBC News.

Assistant UNLV professor Roberto Lovato explained what he heard.

LOVATO: “We heard the cl

It’s Thursday, December 7th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Jonathan Clark

Pakistani court released a Christian

A Pakistani court released a Christian on bail last month.

Authorities charged Haroon Shahzad with blasphemy against Islam in June for posting Bible verses on Facebook.

The offending verse was 1 Corinthians 10:18-21. Verse 20 says, “What pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.” 

Despite the release, Shahzad is still separated from his family for security reasons.

Please pray for this Christian family and other persecuted believers in Pakistan, ranked seventh on Open Doors' 2023 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian.

Religious Brits happier than secular ones

Religious affiliation has been declining in the U.K. But a new survey found that religious people there report being happier than people who identify with no religion.

Dr. Rakib Ehsan with the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life authored the report. He said, “While the fast-paced secularization of the British mainstream has been cited as a form of social progress, this appears not to be the case from the perspective of mental health. Compared to non-believers, religious Britons are more likely to report good psychological well-being, satisfaction with life, and optimism over their personal future. They are also more likely to say they are confident with handling the challenges that come with life.”

400 military promotions approved

In the U.S., the Senate approved over 400 military promotions on Tuesday. 

Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama had blocked mass military promotions for some months now in the Senate. He was protesting the Pentagon’s policy to fund travel for service members to get abortions.

Tuberville ended his general hold on promotions on Tuesday, but he continues to block promotions of high-level generals in protest of the abortion policy.

Inquiry into FBI’s weaponization against U.S. Catholics

The U.S. House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee released a report on Monday entitled “The FBI’s Breach of Religious Freedom: The Weaponization of Law Enforcement Against Catholic Americans.”

This comes in response to a leaked FBI memo that targeted traditional Catholics for surveillance. The report said the FBI “singled out Americans who are pro-life, pro-family, and support the biological basis for sex and gender distinction as potential domestic terrorists.”

Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri called out FBI Director Christopher Wray for the memo on Tuesday.

Listen.

HAWLEY: “This is one of the most outrageous targeting. You have mobilized your division, the most powerful law enforcement division in the world, against traditionalist Catholics. And you just told us you have not fired a single person!”

American students performing poorly in math

U.S. students are lagging behind students from other industrialized countries in math scores.

The Program for International Student Assessment found American students saw a 13-point drop in their 2022 math scores compared to 2018. Their results in reading and science were also down but were higher than the international average.

Student performance in the U.S. has notably plunged since pandemic-era school closures.

U.S. marriage rate is declining

A new poll from Deseret News found that the U.S. marriage rate is declining while the rate of people who say they are parents has held steady.

The share of married people 25 or older is 51%, down from 55% in 2015.

Republicans and churchgoers especially were more approving than Democrats of marriage.

Bradford Wilcox with the American Enterprise Institute noted, “When you look at how conservatives function, what you see is that they’re more likely to get married now in the first place, and they’re also more likely to be happily married in the

It’s Wednesday, December 6th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Jonathan Clark

Nigerian Muslims kidnapped 100 people

Muslim gunmen abducted over 100 people from northwest Nigeria over the weekend. 

A local church leader said the militants targeted Christians, including 72 members of his church. The gunmen are demanding a ransom worth over $130,000.

Christian rights activists accuse the local government of doing nothing about such attacks.

Please pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ in Nigeria, ranked first on International Christian Concern's Persecutors of 2023 list of nations where it is most difficult to be a Christian. 

British young people growing hostile to Christianity

Young people in the United Kingdom are growing hostile to the historic Christian faith of their nation.

A poll from Whitestone Insights found 23% of adults aged 18 to 34 agreed with this statement: “Unless the offending parts can be edited out, books containing what some perceive as hate speech should be banned from general sale, including if necessary religious texts such as the Bible.”

The results come as Christians are facing more censorship in the U.K. This includes arrests for street preachers quoting the Bible in public to legal action against pro-lifers for praying outside abortion mills.

Christian school suing Vermont over transgender issue

In the United States, a Christian school is taking the state of Vermont to court for religious discrimination.

The state banned Mid Vermont Christian School from all sports events as well as Vermont’s tuition program for holding Biblical doctrines on sexuality.

The school forfeited a girls basketball game against a team with a biological male pretending to be a girl. 

Alliance Defending Freedom is representing the school in its case.

Ryan Tucker with ADF said, “Vermont has repeatedly discriminated against Christian schools and their families for following their religious beliefs. Put simply, Mid Vermont Christian School believes that boys are boys and girls are girls. They have been punished for this belief.”

In Matthew 19:4, Jesus said, “He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female.’”

137 abortion mills shut down in 2022 and 2023

Operation Rescue reports 88 abortion mills shut down last year.

With 49 more closures this year, the total reached 137 closures over the past two years.

Currently, abortions mills are closed or have halted abortions in 14 states.

Adjusting for the opening of new abortion mills, the U.S. saw a net decrease of 13 abortion locations from 683 in 2022 to 670 in 2023.

Operation Rescue President Troy Newman said, “This is a huge 69% decrease since 1991 when 2,176 abortion clinics were operating. … However, our findings reveal an alarming rise in dangerous mail-order abortions. … The prayers and work involved in exposing the evil behind the Abortion Cartel is more important than ever!”

More congregations leaving United Methodist church over homosexuality

More congregations are leaving the United Methodist Church (UMC) over the issue of homosexuality.

Last Thursday, the Michigan Conference of the denomination approved the disaffiliation of 62 churches. On Saturday, the Illinois Great Rivers Conference approved the disaffiliation of 51 churches. Also on Saturday, the Florida Conference approved the disaffiliation of 74 churches.

Nearly 7,500 congregations have now left the United Methodist Church since 2019 as the denomination has failed to enforce its rules against sexually perverted lifestyles. 

Gold hit $2,100

Gold prices reached an all-time high of $2,100 per ounce on Sunday.

Gold may stay above $2,000 over the next year. 

Prices have risen over the last couple of months because international conflicts have boosted demand.

Plus, on Monday, Bitcoin reached a 20-month high of $42,000. The world’s biggest cryptocurrency continues to rebound

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

By Kevin Swanson

Nigeria imprisoned woman who condemned the martyrdom of a Christian

Incredibly, a mother of five children has been languishing in a Nigerian prison for allegedly sharing a video in which she condemned the lynching of Deborah Yakubu — a student who was murdered and set on fire by her classmates -- for sharing her Christian faith.  

The imprisoned woman, Rhoda Jatau, was almost killed by another mob for sharing the video on What’s App. She was subsequently arrested, and has been imprisoned now for the last 18 months.  

The United Nations has condemned the Nigerian government’s treatment of the case in a letter signed by the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief and the vice-chair of communications of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.  The representatives noted that “Both cases appear to be related to the legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion and of freedom of opinion and expression. Both are members of a religious minority.”

Pray for Rhoda’s immediate release.

ISIS killed 4, wounded 54 in Philippines

Four people were killed in an Islamic terrorist attack in the Philippines on Sunday.  

According to the Manila Times, 302 people were gathered when an explosion ripped through the auditorium, wounding 54 and killing 4.  ISIS, a  Muslim terrorist group, has claimed responsibility for the attack on these people made in the image of God. 

Argentina’s libertarian president-elect pulls out of BRICS

Argentina’s president-elect, Javier Milei, has called off Argentina’s participation in BRICS  — the international, intergovernmental organization made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, reports Voice of America. 

This comes despite warnings from China’s foreign ministry --  produced in a news briefing a week ago, where Mao Ning, the Communist spokeswoman, announced, “It would be a grave mistake if Argentina were to cut off ties with great powers such as China or Brazil. China is Argentina’s important trade partner.” 

Argentina’s new president takes office in five days. Milei has signaled closer ties with the United States. 

Russia banned homosexual propaganda

In other international news, Russia’s Supreme Court has ruled last week that the “international LGBTQ movement is in violation of Russia’s Law on Countering Extremism.”

Last December, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, signed a bill into law banning LGBTQ propaganda, suggesting that homosexual relationships are “normal.”

Siberia hit 69 degrees below 0

You think it’s cold where you live?

The Sakha Republic in Siberia hit negative 69 degrees Fahrenheit yesterday, while Moscow and other parts of Russia were clobbered with record snowfall.

Biden blocks school lunch funding if they don’t push LHBT propaganda

Here in America, the Biden administration is blocking school lunch funding to schools that will not abide by its new pro-homosexual guidelines.   

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is redefining sexual discrimination to include “discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.”

Senate Republicans have already attempted to overturn the new requirements, but failed by a 47-50 vote. The new requirements will most likely be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court for a final decision. 

Time Magazine’s Person of the Year short list

Dictators and pop stars made the list of Time Magazine Person of the Year finalists.  

Xi Jinping, Taylor Swift, Barbie, King Charles III, Vladimir Putin, the people who have prosecuted Trump, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, all made the list.

The Psalmist cries out in Psalm 12:1-2. “Help, Lord, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men. They speak idly everyone with his neighbor; With flattering lips and a double heart they speak.”

German Cat

It’s Monday, December 4th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Adam McManus

Nigerian Muslims killed 7 Christians

Last Thursday, Nigerian Fulani Muslim herdsmen and other terrorists killed seven Christians in attacks on two villages in the Plateau State, Nigeria, reports Morning Star News.

In a text message to the paper, Yohanna Markus reported, “Fulani herdsmen, together with a group of bandits, attacked two of our villages, Puka and Dinter, at 1:00 a.m. where they killed seven of our Christian villagers. Aside from those killed, who include five men and a woman, many other Christians were injured and are currently being treated for gunshot wounds and machete cuts.”

Shockingly, 5,014 Nigerian Christians were killed for their faith in 2022, the largest number of martyrs worldwide. It also led the world in the most Christians abducted – a total of 4,726, sexually assaulted or harassed, forcibly married or physically or mentally abused. And it had the most homes and businesses attacked for faith-based reasons.

No wonder International Christian Concern lists Nigeria as the most dangerous country worldwide for Christians in their 2023 Persecutors of the Year report.

Henry Kissinger advocated for global depopulation

As The Worldview reported last Friday, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger died recently at the age of 100.

Apart from his public role in U.S. foreign policy, Kissinger was a key leader in the misguided global depopulation agenda, reports LifeSiteNews.com.  A 1974 National Security Study memo called “The Kissinger Report,” which was declassified in 1989, advocated for policies to drastically reduce fertility rates globally to combat so-called “overpopulation.” His plan became a reality a year later as President Gerald Ford signed National Security Decision 314.

Furthermore, Kissinger was Klaus Schwab’s mentor and helped him to found the globalist World Economic Forum.

Shortly after the beginning of the COVID crisis in 2020, Kissinger called for a global “post-coronavirus order” and recommended a re-shaping of the global order similar to Klaus Schwab’s plan, which was released later that year in his book COVID-19: The Great Reset.

Psalm 127:3-5a declares, “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!”

Pro-abort Justice Sandra Day O’Connor died

Retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court, died on Friday in Phoenix, reports CBS News. She was 93 years old. She had withdrawn from public life in 2018 after she was diagnosed with dementia.

Despite having been appointed by then Republican President Ronald Reagan in 1981, she was the deciding vote, and one of three co-authors -- in the 1992 decision Planned Parenthood v. Casey which reaffirmed its landmark 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade, which had legalized abortion

And O'Connor was also in the 5-4 majority in the 2000 case Bush v. Gore which effectively decided the election for George W. Bush.

Congress expelled GOP Rep. George Santos of New York

In an historic Friday vote, the U.S. House of Representatives expelled  GOP Rep. George Santos of New York, reports NBC News.

House Speaker Mike Johnson announced the results.

JOHNSON: “On this vote, the yeas are 311, the nays are 114, with two recorded as present. Two-thirds voting in the affirmative, the resolution is adopted. (gavel sounds) The clerk will notify the governor of the state of New York of the action of the House. Under clause 5d of Rule 20, the chair announces to the House that, in light of the expulsion of the gentleman from New York, Mr. Santos, the whole number of the House is now 434.”

His term in office was marred by revelations that he lied about pretty much everything.

SANTOS: “I've seen how socialism destroys people

It’s Friday, December 1st, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Adam McManus

More subtle persecution against Christians in Bangladesh

In countries like Myanmar and Nigeria, acts of persecution against Christians are more likely to make news reports because of their extreme violence, reports International Christian Concern. But, in many other locations, persecution typically takes on a more subtle form.

One place where such persecution occurs is Bangladesh, a South Asian nation with an overall population of 170 million, where over 90% of the people are Muslim and most of the remaining portion are Hindu.

Thomas, a Christian in Bangladesh, says that many people “express their desire for conversion” to Christianity, but they don’t follow through with it due to “threats of killing and persecution.” 

He also said that many children in Bangladesh “grow up with a nasty mentality to hate other faiths. These children often target the Christian families to steal and destroy farms and gardens.”

In John 15:18-19, Jesus said, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger died at 100

Henry Kissinger, the former Secretary of State for President Richard Nixon, died at the age of 100 on November 29th, reports Politico.com.

His influence was felt in three primary areas.  First, getting America out of the Vietnam War. Second, opening diplomatic relations with China. And third, reducing tensions with the Soviet Union.

For decades thereafter, Kissinger’s work with Nixon and President Gerald Ford earned him the role of the Republican Party’s elder statesman when it came to foreign policy.

In 1973, Kissinger shared a Nobel Peace Prize with Le Duc Tho, his North Vietnamese counterpart, for hammering out an agreement to end the Vietnam War. The accord, which was signed Jan. 27, 1973, had “brought a wave of joy and hope for peace over the entire world,” the Nobel committee said.

However, the war rapidly flared up again, minus the American troops.

Mostly untainted by the Watergate scandal that toppled Nixon, Kissinger continued to wield influence in the waning days of the administration. He was heard telling Nixon in an April 1973 White House tape, “You have saved this country, Mr. President. The history books will show that, when no one will know what Watergate means.”

Nixon resigned in August 1974, but Kissinger remained in office.

Is Kevin McCarthy likely to resign?

Multiple GOP lawmakers expect former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California to step down from his seat before the end of the year, reports Axios.

The potential exit of McCarthy could leave the House GOP with an even narrower majority.

He posted a photo on Instagram in which his district office appeared to be in the process of being packed.

California's Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom could hold McCarthy's seat open if he decides to resign in the new year.

Plus, the GOP's razor-thin majority is already on the verge of being diminished further by the potential expulsion of Republican Congressman George Santos of New York in a vote expected today.

Ohio becomes first state to report uptick in pediatric pneumonia

Ohio has become the first U.S. state to report a mysterious uptick in pediatric pneumonia as cases surge in China, according to The New York Post.

The Warren County Health District has reported 142 cases of the illness among children since August. This is above the county average and meets the Ohio Department of Health’s definition of an outbreak.

However, officials do not think it is a new respiratory disease, but “rather a large uptick in the number of pneumonia cases normally seen at one time.” The illness has spread across multiple school

It’s Thursday, November 30th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Jonathan Clark

Israel-Hamas ceasefire continues

Israel and Hamas, the Muslim terrorist group, continue their temporary ceasefire for a hostage-for-prisoner exchange. Coverage of the recent Gaza conflict has overlooked the plight of the Christian minority there.

International Christian Concern reports that Christianity in Gaza dates back to the 4th century A.D. With so much conflict in the area in recent times, Gazan Christians are known for their operation of some of the best medical institutions as well as educational and business groups. However, the Christian population in the area is steadily dwindling. 

Christians who stay in Gaza experience life as second-class citizens. Those who convert to Christianity from Islam face persecution and even death.

Muslims in Gaza coming to Christ

In other Gaza news, hundreds of Muslims in the region are reportedly coming to Christ.

Michael Licona, a Christian professor and president of Risen Jesus Inc., shared news from underground Christian ministries in Palestine. He said, “Over the past two days, we have ministered to hundreds of fathers who have lost most, if not all, of their children in the war. … As we moved these men to safety, we … began to read the Bible to them — sharing the way of peace through Jesus. … They have come back to us to learn more from God’s Word and are asking how to follow Jesus.”

In Matthew 11:28, Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Could federal agencies be restrained?

In the United States, the Supreme Court is considering a case that could limit the power of federal agencies.

Conservative justices appear ready to limit the Securities and Exchange Commission which has been able to enforce securities laws in-house instead of through the courts.

Chief Justice John Roberts, who sometimes sides with the conservatives, commented, “The extent of impact of government agencies on daily life today is enormously more significant than it was 50 years ago.”

The case is one of two others aimed at scaling back the power of the administrative state.

Americans gave 11% less in 2022 than 2008

Giving USA reports that Americans only gave 1.7% of their disposable income to charity last year. It’s the lowest percentage since 1995.

Americans gave about $500 billion in 2022. When adjusted for inflation, that’s an 11% drop in giving and the first drop since 2008’s Great Recession. 

Educational organizations received 10% less in donations followed by environmental groups (9% less) and human services organizations (8% less). Religious organizations only saw a 2.6% decrease.

Pro-life states helped save 32,000 babies since Roe overturned

The Institute of Labor Economics released a report on the effects of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last year.

The study found, “Our primary analysis indicates that in the first six months of 2023, births rose by an average of 2.3 percent in states enforcing total abortion bans compared to a control group of states where abortion … remained protected, amounting to approximately 32,000 additional annual births resulting from abortion bans.”

Life expectancy rose in 2022 to 77.5 years

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports U.S. life expectancy increased in 2022 to 77.5 years.

That’s a 1.1-year increase compared to 2021. But it is still down from 78.8 years in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic.

U.S. life expectancy has largely plateaued over the last decade during the rise of drug overdose deaths and suicides. America’s life expectancy is lower than other comparable countries and did not rebound as fast from the pandemic like France, Italy, Spain, and Sweden did.

5.2% increase in GDP in third quarter

The U.S. Commerce Department reports that the Gross Domestic Product increased at an a

It’s Wednesday, November 29th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Jonathan Clark

Ukraine targeting Orthodox Church with raids and arrests

A human rights division of the United Nations is warning about religious freedom violations in Ukraine.

The U.N. has documented 10 cases of violence between different Orthodox communities in the country since last February, noting Ukrainian law enforcement officials have not protected church members.

Ukraine is also considering legislation to dissolve religious organizations with ties to countries like Russia. Leaders of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church accuse Ukraine of trying to annihilate it for its previous connection to Russian church bodies.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine last year, Ukraine has targeted the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with hundreds of raids and investigations as well as house arrests.

Russia restricting abortion

Speaking of Russia, the country is moving to restrict abortion in recent months. 

Two Russian regions now have laws against influencing women to have abortions. Authorities are also restricting the sale of abortion drugs. However, abortion is still broadly legal and accessible in the country. 

Calls by the government and the Russian Orthodox Church to curtail abortion come as the country faces demographic decline.

Russia, under the Soviet Union, was the first country in the world to legalize abortion in 1920.

Pope strips conservative cardinal of salary and housing

The Roman Catholic pope continues to crack down on his conservative critics.

Last week, Pope Francis announced he is stripping Cardinal Raymond Burke of his Vatican-subsidized housing and salary. Burke was known for opposing sexually perverted lifestyles and abortion.

He is the second American clergy member to face removal by the pope recently. Earlier this month, Francis removed Bishop Joseph Strickland of Texas. Like Burke, Strickland is considered a conservative critic of the pope.

Biden’s foster care rule targets Christians

Eighteen Republican attorneys general in the U.S. are calling out the Biden administration for a new foster care rule that targets Christians.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has proposed a rule to prohibit families who oppose sexually perverted lifestyles from participating in the foster care system.

The attorneys general sent a letter to the department on Monday. One of them is Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall. He said, “Since the first century, Christians across the globe have answered the call to provide a home and a family to children who had neither. Alabama boasts a particularly strong faith-based foster care and adoption community, and I will fight this Administration for them every step of the way.”

James 1:27 says, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

Disney wishes “Wish” wasn’t a flop

Disney films continue to flop at the box office.

The company’s latest offering, Wish, brought in only $31.7 million last week. That’s well below the $45 to $50 million pre-release expectations.

Wish joins other flops this year like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, The Little Mermaid, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and Secret Invasion. Those four releases cost Disney a billion dollars.

The losses also come as Disney waded into the cultural wars in support of sexually perverted lifestyles. 

Amazon’s biggest delivery business

Amazon is now the biggest delivery business in the U.S.

Last year, the company delivered more parcels than UPS. It had already outpaced FedEx in 2020. 

Amazon’s edge is only projected to grow this year as it expects to ship a total of 5.9 billion packages.

The U.S. Postal Service remains the biggest parcel service which handles packages for all three companies. 

Largest iceberg is 1,500 square miles in size

It’s Tuesday, November 28th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com.  I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Kevin Swanson

Nigerian police now persecuting Christians there

Christians in Nigeria have experienced a great deal of persecution at the hands of Muslim terrorist organizations. And now, the Nigerian police have added to the persecution of Christians.

The International Center for Investigative Reporting finds that religious police, the Hisbah, are now arresting women who profess to be Christian in the Kano State. Apparently, some Muslim women are also subjected to beatings by the police for not playing by certain religious rules.

Also, five Christian girls were recently arrested by police, and prevented from attending church in the repressive state, reports International Christian Concern.

Why the Chinese Christian population is hard to pin down

How many Christians are there in China?  

Official government numbers put it at 28 million.  Another survey put the number at 43 million.

David Curry, President of Global Christian Relief, wrote a column for Fox News Digital in which he pointed out that government numbers may be inaccurate in that they may not count children. Plus, the Chinese may be reticent to respond to government inquiries concerning faith issues.

In addition, 72% of self-identified Christians in the survey are women, according to Pew Research.

Iran close to going nuclear

In the ongoing nuclear arms race, Iran has achieved what America had at Los Alamos, New Mexico in July of 1945.

According to the most recent report from the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran has finally accumulated sufficient uranium to make two nuclear bombs, about the size dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Southeast Asia is a “nuclear tinderbox”

Writing for The Japan Times, Susan Thornton, former U.S. assistant Secretary of State for East Asia, called Southeast Asia a “nuclear tinderbox.” She wrote, “A full-scale arms race is under way. North Korea’s stockpile of nuclear weapons and missiles has grown and Kim [Jong Un] has called for an ‘exponential increase’ in its arsenal.”

The Council on Foreign Relations estimates that North Korea has enough material for more than 100 nuclear weapons. The group said, “It has successfully tested missiles that could strike the United States with a nuclear warhead, and the country touts the world’s fourth-largest military.”

Vatican not open to ordination of women or changes on homosexuality

While mainline Protestant denominations have given way to women and homosexuals in church office, the Vatican is pushing back against the German Catholic Synod seeking liberalization of church regulation.

The Catholic News Agency reports that an October 23rd letter reminds the Catholic bishops of “potential disciplinary consequences for any defying the teaching of the Church” on the ordination of women and changes in the Church’s teaching on homosexuality. And furthermore, these matters are off the table for discussions in the upcoming meetings.

CNN horrified that Speaker Johnson has advocated righteous laws

CNN’s K-file, their investigative team, dutifully studied 100 radio interviews of U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, an evangelical Christian.

They discovered that he suggested “imprisoning doctors who perform abortions after six weeks; the Ten Commandments [should be] prominently displayed in public buildings; an elimination of anti-hate-crime laws; Bible study in public schools; criminalization of homosexuality.”  

The left wing news source was also shocked that Johnson testified that “one of the primary purposes of the law in civil government is to restrain evil.”  He also said, “We have to acknowledge collectively that man is inherently evil and needs to be restrained.”

Romans 13:4 reminds us that “[the ruler] is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for He does not bear the sword in vain. For He is the servant of