Criminalizing Prayer in Australia?

In April, the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) began enforcing a new law criminalizing anti-conversion therapy, which now includes praying with someone about their gender or sexual identity and even encouraging abstinence for Christians who experience same-sex attraction. On the website Anti-Discrimination New South Wales, a government body that administers and investigates anti-discrimination, it’s explained that “praying with or over a person with the intent to change or suppress their sexuality or gender identity is unlawful … even if that person has asked you to pray for them to be able to change or suppress their sexuality or gender identity.”

 NSW’s Conversion Practices Ban Act 2024 is part of a trend of laws that seek to outlaw “conversion therapy,” the clinical practice of forcibly changing someone’s gender or sexual identity. What makes the NSW law different is how broadly “conversion therapy” is defined beyond a traditional clinical setting.

 In an interview with The Washington Stand, Arielle Del Turco, director of the Center for Religious Liberty at the Family Research Council, said, “This is a terrible new law in this Australian state, and they aren’t even trying to hide it. According to the state government’s own admission from their website, this law will prevent a pastor or any believer from praying with someone who is asking for prayer for freedom from gender identity issues.”

 This prohibition extends not just to private prayers and requested counseling from a pastor but also to statements made publicly during sermons.

 The NSW government webpage explains that “a religious leader preaching to or praying for their congregation” may be considered an illegal conversation practice if it’s determined there is “intention to change or suppress an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.”

 Another concerning feature of this law’s breadth is how far, geographically, it seeks to reach. According to the same NSW government website, people outside NSW who are praying or pastoring NSW residents online in a way that violates this law can be fined or face three years in prison. The maximum prison sentence for those within NSW who commit an illegal conversion offense is five years.

 Proponents of the law argue that the law still allows for things like preaching and praying and that those that are attacking the law are simply taking it out of context. For example, the law allows for “A religious leader preaching to or praying for their congregation, a religious leader praying for or providing pastoral care for an individual, a parent or guardian respectfully discussing sexuality or gender with their child – including offering advice and guidance or expressing a belief or religious principle, or a health practitioner providing supportive, affirming care.”

 However, what these proponents fail to accurately represent is that the law allows for all of these actions only if “there is no intention to change or suppress an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity”.

 Therefore, if a pastor preaches a sermon and someone claims that the sermon intended to change their sexual orientation or gender identity, then the pastor could be charged. Even a parent could be arrested if their child claims that the parent intended to change their sexual orientation or gender identity.

 Anyone who “feels” like they are under attack could file these charges and it would be very difficult for the defense to argue against this feeling. This law, therefore, could be a major tool used to attack any person who refuses to accept the LGBT+ agenda within the state.

 Biblical Connection: The Bible makes two things very clear: God is the one who created man male and female and parents are responsible for the upbringing of their children. This law attacks both biblical concepts.

 PRAY: Pray this movement to drive away biblical principles on human sexuality will be defeated and not spread to other nations.

China Imposes New Bans on Missionary Work

China has banned foreign missionaries from preaching and establishing religious organizations, justifying the move as necessary for national security. The latest restrictions announced by the Chinese Communist Party, will intensify the crackdown on Christianity in the country. The newly revised rules explicitly prohibit non-Chinese citizens living in China from preaching without authorization, founding religious schools, producing or selling religious literature, accepting religious donations, or recruiting Chinese citizens as religious followers, according to Mission News Network. Foreign clergy can only preach if officially invited by state-sanctioned religious institutions, and all preaching content must receive prior government approval.

Chinese state media have stated the restrictions promote national security, describing the measures as protective of “normal religious activities,” noted the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern. The CCP typically defines normal religious activities as those conducted strictly within the confines of state-controlled institutions. Religious groups operating outside these boundaries are often branded by the government as cultish or extremist.

The new legislation reflects China’s ongoing campaign under President Xi Jinping to assert tighter control over religious practices within its borders. Xi first articulated a goal to “Sinicize” all religions in 2016, a policy designed to ensure religious loyalty aligns with the priorities of the Communist Party. Consequently, state-run religious institutions such as the Protestant Three-Self Church and the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association have emerged as approved channels for religious activities.

The independent house church movement has particularly felt the effects of this policy shift. Raids and arrests targeting house church members have become commonplace, as Chinese authorities seek to dismantle groups deemed to pose threats to “political security and social stability.” A report by China’s Global Times earlier this year explicitly boasted about increased efforts by public security authorities to dismantle such groups in 2024, noted The Washington Stand. The Ministry of Public Security openly admitted to increased investments in surveillance technology and manpower dedicated to monitoring and curtailing the activities of independent religious organizations.

China uses extensive technological surveillance to monitor citizens’ movements and associations, assessing their loyalty to the Communist Party. This system targets individuals associated with unregistered house churches or those inclined toward religious practices outside state-sanctioned frameworks. However, Chinese officials maintain their stance that religious freedom exists, albeit within strictly controlled parameters. According to representatives from religious organizations already active in China, the new regulation will make foreign engagement significantly more difficult but does not entirely halt religious activities.

Organizations such as Bibles for China, already active within state-sanctioned structures, believe their operations might not immediately suffer under the new rules. However, foreign missionary efforts — especially involving visits, meetings with pastors and direct involvement on the ground — will likely become more challenging. Funding from foreign sources for religious initiatives also faces increased scrutiny.

Arielle Del Turco, director of the Center for Religious Liberty at the Family Research Council, expressed serious concern. She told the Stand that China’s justification of national security is inappropriate, and banning foreign missionaries will harm China’s international relations. Del Turco urged the U.S. government to closely monitor the developments due to potential implications for American citizens visiting China. She recommended that American leaders publicly condemn the Chinese government’s actions and keep a watchful eye on religious freedom conditions within the country.

Biblical Connections: The persecution of Christians in the largest population on the planet is a terrible but not unsurprising thing. Jesus told us, “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also” (John 15:20).

PRAY: Pray for the persecuted church, both in China specifically but also around the world as well.

Iran Rejects US Demands to Give Up Nuclear Enrichment

After U.S. President Donald Trump’s special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff called uranium enrichment a “clear red line”, the Iranian leadership was quick to respond, calling his position “unrealistic.” Speaking to ABC News’ “This Week”, Witkoff reaffirmed the Trump administration’s stance on the issue of uranium enrichment, saying any deal will not include agreement authorizing enrichment in Iran. “We have one very, very clear red line, and that is enrichment. We cannot allow even 1% of an enrichment capability,” Witkoff said during the interview. “We've delivered a proposal to the Iranians that we think addresses some of this, without disrespecting them,” Witkoff continued. “The president has been very clear; he wants to solve this conflict diplomatically, and with dialogue,” Witkoff stated.

Shortly after Witkoff’s statements, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted a message to X, saying that Iran’s membership in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) allowed it the right of enrichment, “and there is no scenario in which Iranians will permit deviance from that.” He also spoke of the investment the Islamic Republic has made to achieve enrichment, saying, “Mastering enrichment technology is a hard-earned and homegrown scientific achievement.” He claimed the U.S. could negotiate a deal to ensure Iran never has a nuclear weapon but said that the country will continue to enrich. “If the U.S. is interested in ensuring that Iran will not have nuclear weapons, a deal is within reach, and we are ready for a serious conversation to achieve a solution that will forever ensure that outcome. Enrichment in Iran, however, will continue with or without a deal.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian echoed Araghchi’s comments at a talk at the Tehran Dialogue Forum, hosted at the School of International Relations in Tehran. “We will never give up our peaceful nuclear program,” Pezeshkian said, before directly addressing the U.S. “This is our right. We will continue to flourish even if you never abandon your pressure tactics.”

Araghchi, who also spoke at the Tehran Dialogue Forum, accused the U.S. of taking contradictory positions during the negotiations and attributed that to Israeli pressure. “It’s now evident that anti-diplomacy elements in Washington, acting in coordination with Netanyahu’s dangerous agenda, are actively undermining progress,” he said. “Internal politics are one thing, but allowing hardline factions to hijack negotiations through constant framework changes is both unproductive and unacceptable.”

Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for Iran’s parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said that if the U.S. continues to insist on no enrichment, “then continuing the negotiations is pointless and futile.” Iran and the U.S. have conducted four rounds of negotiations, mediated by Oman, regarding Iran’s nuclear program. While both sides have described the talks as positive, there appears to have been little actual progress in the discussions.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reaffirmed the Trump administration’s stance regarding enrichment. “We are 100% committed to that red line. The president, Special Envoy Witkoff and Secretary Marco Rubio have made that incredibly clear — not just to the American public, but also in direct discussions that Special Envoy Witkoff has had with the Iranians,” Leavitt told reporters at the White House.

Also, a joint statement by the European Union and the United Kingdom expressed “deep concern” over “the dangerous expansion of Iran’s nuclear program.” “We continue to be deeply concerned by the dangerous expansion of Iran’s nuclear program, alongside its behavior in the region and on European soil,” the statement read.

During his Middle East tour, President Trump appeared to reiterate his support for a military option if talks fail to achieve a deal. Speaking to Fox News’ Brett Baier, Trump said, “Well, we’re gonna have a solution one way or the other. It’s either gonna be violent or not violent — and I far prefer non-violent.” “You have to view them as people and I don’t want it to be a violent thing,” Trump continued. “But they are not gonna have a nuclear weapon.”

PRAY: Pray that Iran’s continual push to obtain a nuclear weapon will be thwarted and peace will remain in the region.

A Quarter of US Christians Engage with Astrology

Though consulting astrology or horoscopes is forbidden in Scripture, more than a quarter of Christians say they believe the stars and planets have some impact on human destiny, according to a Pew Research Center study. The study was conducted in the fall of 2024 through a survey of a nationally representative sample of 9,593 U.S. adults. Some 30% of U.S. adults stated that they consult astrology or a horoscope, tarot cards or a fortune teller at least once a year. Most, however, said they engaged in the practice for fun, and few said they based major life decisions on what they are told.

Researchers found that some 27% of religiously affiliated Americans believe in astrology, which was statistically similar to the 28% of religiously unaffiliated Americans who believe in the practice. African American Protestants and Hispanic Catholics were more likely to believe in astrology than white Evangelicals. About a third of African American Protestants, Hispanic Catholics, and respondents who described their religion as “nothing in particular” had similar views on the subject. White Evangelicals, atheists, Jewish Americans, and agnostics were less likely to say they believe in astrology than the general public.

While respected Christian researchers like George Barna have been sounding the alarm on the dangers of syncretism to a biblical worldview in recent years, a new study in April, Breaking Free of the Iron Cage: The Individualization of American Religion, suggests more Americans are leaving organized religion in search of personalized faith perspectives that embrace a fusion of different religions. In the study, the researchers tracked 1,348 individuals born in the late 1980s from adolescence through early adulthood using longitudinal surveys to examine how young adults manage tensions between institutional religion and personal authenticity as they came of age during the rise of religious “nones.” “Our analysis shows how young people are responding to the bureaucratization and rationalization that German sociologist Max Weber predicted would create an ‘iron cage’ in modern institutions, developing new forms of religious and spiritual expression outside formal institutions,” the researchers wrote.

The researchers argued that the religious marketplace had expanded beyond competing denominations to “include options outside formal institutions altogether, from personalized spirituality to individually crafted approaches to faith and meaning. People are breaking free not with bolt cutters but with deeply personal acts of spiritual rebellion,” the researchers argued. “Rejecting the rationalized, systematized and institutionalized religious constructs of modernity in favor of more dynamic, diverse, and syncretic expressions.”

Biblical Connections: Any form of false belief like astrology or witchcraft was strictly forbidden by the Bible. Isaiah 47 attacks the false beliefs of the Babylonians who created much of astrology. Verses 13-14 states, “You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels; Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, and the monthly prognosticators stand up and save you from what shall come upon you. Behold, they shall be as stubble, the fire shall burn them; They shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame; It shall not be a coal to be warmed by, nor a fire to sit before!” The Book of Daniel continually shows that the astrologers, called the wise men, were impotent in actually being able to understand visions and make predictions, whereas Daniel, empowered by God, was able to accomplish these tasks. In 2 Timothy 3, Paul warned Timothy that in the end times, people would walk away sound doctrine and would turn to false beliefs. Christians need to stay away from these types of false teachings. That more and more “Christians” are getting involved in these beliefs could possibly be a sign that we are nearing the end times.

PRAY: Pray that those that claim to be believers and yet are engaged in false religion will turn from their wickedness and go back to the truth.

Congo Church Attack Not an Isolated Incident

Earlier this year, 70 Christians were discovered beheaded inside a Protestant church in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s North Kivu Province, according to reports, which say the victims had been kidnapped by suspected Allied Democratic Forces terrorists. The terrorists arrived in Mayba, a village in the territory of Lubero and ordered residents to quietly get out, said Open Doors, adding that at least 20 Christian men and women had to leave their homes, leading to their capture. Later, concerned residents gathered to plan a rescue, but the armed group is said to have surrounded the village and managed to seize 50 more believers. The abducted residents were then taken to a Protestant church in Kasanga, where they were found beheaded, said the ministry. 

The U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern called the attack “a brutal massacre,” and said the ADF held the hostages for days before executing them. “This recent massacre, where 70 Christians lost their lives, is not an isolated incident but part of a grim tapestry of violence that has claimed over 6 million lives in the DRC over two decades of on-and-off war,” said ICC President Jeff King in a statement provided to The Christian Post. “The vast majority of the DRC’s residents are Christian, so this is a religious genocide carried out by radical Islamic terrorists (the ADF).” He continued, “It’s time for more than prayers; we must demand an all-African military force to intervene in this failed state, to restore order and save countless more people from becoming victims of this endless cycle of bloodshed.”

Open Doors quoted a local primary school director, speaking from Kombo school, as saying that churches and health centers in the region had already halted operations due to widespread violence. They had to relocate all their activities. Many Christians have reportedly fled Lubero for safety. One community elder from the local CECA20 church commented, “We don’t know what to do or how to pray; we’ve had enough of massacres. May God’s will alone be done.”

The ADF, which is associated with the Islamic State terror group, has intensified assaults in northeastern Congo for several years. In 2014, the group escalated attacks in Beni territory of North Kivu province, later expanding into Irumu and Mambasa in Ituri province. A local news outlet reported that more than 200 individuals were killed in Baswagha chiefdom in January. DRC moved six places higher on the World Watch List, ranking 35th in the most recent evaluation. Recorded deaths for faith-related reasons rose from 261 to 355 last year, and thousands of people were internally displaced.

Meanwhile, John Samuel, Open Doors’ legal expert for sub-Saharan Africa, described the violence as taking place “in a context of impunity, where almost no one is held accountable.” Samuel urged the international Christian community to “remain in prayer for Christians and vulnerable communities in eastern DRC” and to seek “an end to violence” while advocating “impartial” and “transparent” efforts by the government.

A previous report by the U.S. State Department noted, “The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-Democratic Republic of the Congo (ISIS-DRC), known locally as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, continued to attack civilians indiscriminately in North Kivu and Ituri Provinces, on occasion targeting churches and religious leaders. The violence targeted all communities, but most victims were Christian, the religious majority.” It is believed that there are around 7 million internally displaced people in the DRC, more than any other country in the world. Christian charity World Vision has called on the international community to do more to help child refugees in the country. Since 1998, it is believed that over 6 million people have been killed in the conflict.

Biblical Connections: In the Gospels, Jesus warns us that persecution would come from following Him. It is easy sometimes to forget this in the Western world but in other places in the world, persecution to the point of death is still an incredible issue.

PRAY: Pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ and the persecuted church around the globe.

Turkey Continues Expansion into Syria

Turkey is deepening its military and political foothold in northern and central Syria, raising significant concerns over the long-term consequences of Ankara’s ambitions for regional influence and control. From the construction of a military base to growing engagement with the Syrian Islamist-leaning regime and a steady flow of Turkish armored vehicles into the area, Israel must now be on the lookout for threats that emanate from Sunni Turkey in a country dominated by Shi’ite Iran for many years under the previous Assad regime. Israel’s recent series of steps in southern Syria, including ground and air operations, the setting up of multiple military posts on the Syrian side of the demilitarized zone, and the setting up of an alliance with the southern Syrian Druze population, appear designed to prevent Turkish-backed Sunni fundamentalists—or Turkish forces themselves—from moving south beyond Damascus.

 Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak, a prominent expert on Turkey at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University said that there are multiple warning signs. “After the fall of Assad, we know that Turkey replaced Russia as the dominant player in Syria,” said Yanarocak. “When we speak about today’s Syrian regime, it is thanks to Turkey, due to Turkish changes and Turkish strategy.”

 Citing a recent uptick in Turkish involvement, Yanarocak emphasized that “the Turkish intelligence organization, then the Turkish Foreign Ministry, and finally the president of Turkey met with al-Joulani ,the new ‘interim’ Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who headed Ha’at Tahrir al-Sham rebel coalition that overthrew the Assad regime. And we actually saw the Turkish infiltration—both on the ministerial and military levels.”

Amid unconfirmed reports that Turkey was planning to build a new military base in Palmyra in central Syria, the IDF announced on March 25 that it had struck Syrian military bases in the area, including the T4 Airbase. The message to Turkey appears to have been, “Please don’t come,” said Yanarocak. Yanarocak noted that media reports stated that Turkey had begun supplying various armored vehicles to Turkish-backed elements in northern Syria. “We will see the Turkish influence, more and more,” he assessed. “Let us not forget that Turkey has a land corridor to Syria and has not yet withdrawn from Syria—it is inside Syria. So we are only going to see more and more penetration, not the opposite.”

 Turkey appears to be positioning itself through an ideological lens that frames its intervention as a form of Sunni Muslim brotherhood that transcends ethnicity, Yanarocak stated. “The Turks convey the message that we have here a shared Sunni Muslim brotherhood bond,” he stated. As a result, Yanarocak warned, Turkish air force and ground force presence will likely begin to appear all over Syria. He stressed that such an expansion would not include meaningful Syrian input, adding, “No one really asked the Syrian people in the past what they think, and they won’t be asked now either.”

 Despite growing Turkish infiltration, Yanarocak argued that Israel must make efforts to deconflict with Turkey as much as possible. “Israel, to prevent any undesirable friction or incident with Turkey, must act very responsibly. The two states need to sit face to face, especially the military professionals, and clarify red lines with seriousness and mutual respect. Not to provoke or poke each other in the eye.” He said the overarching goal should be “to prevent the escalation from spiraling into declared hostility. That is the main objective.” According to Yanarocak, “The Turkish side must also internalize that they cannot be on the Israeli-Syrian border. That is an Israeli red line. Israel will not accept this.”

Biblical Connections: Ezekiel 38-39 talks about a future invasion of Israel in which Turkey is involved in. That Turkey continues to push closer and closer to conflict with Israel should be something to keep an eye on.

 PRAY: Pray the tensions in the Middle East will lesson and that Israel will find itself at peace.

Hospitals Continue Sex Changes for Minors Despite Trump Executive Order

Numerous hospitals that receive federal funding are reportedly continuing to offer body-mutilating sex change procedures to minors despite President Donald Trump’s recent executive order vowing to slash funding for such facilities. Altogether, 37 federally-funded hospitals providing surgical procedures or drugs to individuals under 18 who have gender dysphoria confirmed to the Daily Caller that they are still administering so-called interventions such as puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and, in some cases, surgery. The list of hospitals was compiled by the Trans Health Project.

 A staff member at Boston Medical Center told the Daily Caller that, based on their understanding, the executive order has not altered the services offered by their providers. Similarly, a front desk employee at Bay State Medical Center in Massachusetts indicated no changes had been communicated regarding the provision of so-called “gender-affirming care” for minors. The employee also noted there had been a recent surge in new patient inquiries.

 President Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 28 targeting federal funding for medical institutions involved in what the order described as the “chemical and surgical mutilation of children.” The directive instructed agency heads overseeing research or educational grants to ensure compliance with the funding restriction in coordination with the Office of Management and Budget. “It is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit these destructive and life-altering procedures,” the order said.

 Some hospitals the Daily Caller contacted affirmed they are providing not only puberty blockers and hormone therapy but also surgical interventions or referrals for minors. A staff member at the University of Minnesota Health noted that her employer is seeing patients as young as 14 for “top surgery” — a euphemism for mastectomies of young girls. Mount Sinai’s Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery in New York City confirmed to the Daily Caller that they offer surgical options for minors seeking to transition, with decisions made individually by physicians without a fixed age limit. Children’s Hospital Colorado pointed to ongoing lawsuits against Trump’s order as justification for resuming gender transition treatments, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, as stated in a voicemail from their True Center for Gender Diversity. The University of Michigan’s medical center told the Caller it provides hormone therapy to patients under 18. Michigan Medicine reported receiving $482.8 million from NIH in fiscal year 2023, ranking it 11th among federally funded research institutions.

 Legal challenges from states like Washington, Oregon, Minnesota and Colorado resulted in a preliminary injunction granted by a Biden-appointed judge in Seattle on Feb. 28. A separate ruling from a Baltimore federal judge, also appointed by Biden, mandated continued funding for hospitals offering these services during an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit.

 Some hospitals have scaled back transgender services for minors following Trump’s order. The University of Virginia stopped accepting new patients for youth gender treatments, with a representative confirming no medications are offered to those under 19. Children’s National Hospital also paused new hormone therapies and refills, citing the order, though they continue to provide behavioral health support. “I think, as a whole, hospitals are afraid of providers losing their license if they continue to do it under the executive order, so … it’s the best guidance for the time being,” a representative stated.

 The “Cass Review,” a comprehensive four-year study commissioned by the National Health Service in England, questioned the efficacy of puberty blockers for children with gender dysphoria, citing limited evidence of mental health benefits and concerns over long-term effects. The NHS consequently restricted such treatments to clinical research settings.

 PRAY: Pray these treatments that are against the will of God will stop and regulations will be enforced that protect our children.

Japanese Hotel Requires Israelis to Sign War Crime Document

A hotel establishment in the Japanese city of Kyoto, Guest House Wind Villa hotel, recently insisted that an Israeli tourist sign an official declaration denying involvement in various war crimes, which included murder, rape and attacks on civilians. The official declaration form stated: "I have never been involved in any war crimes that violate international law and humanitarian law; I have never committed war crimes, including but not limited to: attacks on civilians, killing or mistreating those who have surrendered or been taken as prisoners of war; torture or inhumane treatment; sexual violence, forced displacement, or looting; any other acts that fall under Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. I have never planned, ordered, aided, abetted, or incited war crimes, nor have I participated in such acts. I pledge to continue complying with international law and humanitarian law and never to engage in war crimes in any form."

The Israeli tourist was surprised by the unusual request. "It’s ridiculous and absurd," he told Israeli media. "I told him we don't kill women and children. Why would we do that?" The tourist, therefore, initially refused to sign the document. However, the hotel made it clear that they would not allow him to check in without signing the form. "The clerk handed me this form and told me that without signing it, I wouldn't be allowed to check in," the Israeli tourist, who serves as a combat medic in the Israeli Navy, revealed.  

The hotel management defended the request as necessary due to Israel’s ongoing military operations against Hamas terrorists in Gaza. "I don't think it is ridiculous. It is mandatory to serve in the army in your country. Since Israel launched a military operation in Gaza in October 2023, we do not know who may have been involved, as young Israelis are required to serve in the army," the hotel manager said. "We cannot distinguish between our guests. In any case, we believe we have the right to ensure who we are hosting in our hotel. This step was also intended to guarantee our safety." At the moment, only Russian and Israeli tourists are required to sign the hotel document due to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.  

"In the end, I decided to sign it because I have nothing to hide," the tourist said. "The statement is true — I did not commit any war crimes, and Israeli soldiers do not commit war crimes. I signed because I didn’t want to create problems, and because this form means nothing. I don't think he's antisemitic, just misinformed," the Israeli man concluded.

However, Israel’s Ambassador to Japan, Gilad Cohen, strongly condemned the hotel’s conduct in an official letter to Kyoto Governor Takatoshi Nishiwaki. "This discriminatory act, based solely on nationality, caused the guest significant emotional distress and discomfort," Cohen argued. "We view this incident as extremely serious and unacceptable. It constitutes a blatant violation of Japan’s Hotel Business Law and the values of equality and non-discrimination that we believe are shared by our two nations. Particularly concerning is the fact that this does not appear to be an isolated case," the ambassador continued.

Cohen emphasized that discrimination against Israelis will not be tolerated in Japan. "There is and will be no place for discrimination against Israelis, not in Japan and not anywhere else. Japanese authorities have zero tolerance for such cases and have previously taken firm action in a similar incident at another hotel in Kyoto. We will continue to stay vigilant at the embassy and ensure that Israeli tourists can continue to enjoy the Land of the Rising Sun," Cohen told the Israeli news outlet Ynet news.

Biblical Connections: The Jewish people have consistently been targeted by Satan for persecution throughout history. This will arise again in the end-times. Could this increase show we are nearing the end? Only time will tell.

PRAY: Pray that the Jewish people will be protected and will not be targeted for persecution throughout the world.

Released Israeli Hostage Shares His Nightmare

Former Israeli hostage Eli Sharabi testified before the United Nations Security Council, recounting his traumatic experiences and describing life after his return from the horrors of Hamas captivity. Speaking at the invitation of the Security Council Presidency, currently held by Denmark, Sharabi addressed the council plainly in English. “My name is Eli Sharabi. I am 53 years old. I’ve come back from Hell. I’ve returned to tell my story,” Sharabi began.

“I used to live in Kibbutz Be’eri with my British-born wife, Leanne, and my daughters, Noya and Yael. It was a beautiful community. We were all passionate about creating the best life for our children and for our neighbors. On October 7, my Heaven turned to Hell. Sirens began. Hamas terrorists invaded, and I was ripped away from my family, never to see them again,” he told the silent council. The terrorist infiltrated our community. The terrorist broke down our door. The dog barked and the terrorist opened fire. My wife and I threw ourselves over our daughters, screaming for them to stop. They dragged me away as I called out to my girls, ‘I will be back.’ I had to believe that. I didn’t know I should have said goodbye forever.”

He described his anguish at seeing the terrorists killing his neighbors. “Outside was like a war zone. My peaceful home, my slice of Heaven, was gone,” he related. “I saw over 100 terrorists filming themselves, celebrating, laughing, partying in our gardens as they massacred my friends and neighbors.” Sharabi also challenged the narrative that innocent civilians were uninvolved in the atrocities committed on Oct. 7, 2023, when the Hamas terrorist organization invaded Israel. “When we arrived in Gaza, a mob of civilians tried to lynch me,” he recounted. “They pulled me from the car, but the terrorists rushed me away into a mosque. I was their trophy.”

Later in his testimony, he highlighted the involvement of Gaza civilians in the treatment of hostages. “Four hundred and ninety-one days. That is how long I starved, how long I was chained, how long I begged for humanity. And in all that time, no one came. And no one in Gaza helped me. No one. The civilians in Gaza saw us suffering. They cheered our kidnappers. They were definitely involved,” he explained. Sharabi described being held in a civilian apartment for the first 52 days of his captivity, where he was “tied up with ropes. My arms and legs were tied so tightly, the ropes tore into my flesh.”

He was given little food and water, and the pain of the ropes prevented him from sleeping at night. But his nightmare was only beginning. “Then, on November 27, 2023, Hamas took me into a tunnel, 50 meters underground,” he recalled. “Again, the chains were so tight, they ripped my skin. They never took them off, not for a single moment. Those chains tore at me until the day I was released.”

“For months, we lived like this. I stopped counting the days. Living as a hostage, you don’t know how the day will begin, nor how it will end. Whether you live or die. At any moment, they could beat you. At any moment, they could kill you. Psychological terror was constant. Every day they told us, ‘The world has abandoned you. No one is coming.’”

He shared how Hamas did not stop the psychological abuse, even when he was about to be released. “Just before my release, Hamas took pleasure in showing me a picture of my brother Yossi,” he shared. “They told me he was dead. It was like they had brought a massive hammer down on me. I refused to believe it. My brother Yossi was all heart. Those with him in captivity told me that he gave his food to others.” Sharabi told the UNSC that he was not aware that his wife and daughters had been killed until after he was released. “I stood at that sick Hamas ceremony, surrounded by terrorists and a crowd of so-called uninvolved civilians, hoping my wife and daughters were waiting for me.”

Addressing the UN body, Sharabi asked why no one helped the hostages. “I’m here before you now to give my testimony and to ask: Where was the United Nations? Where was the Red Cross? Where was the world?” Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon echoed Sharabi’s outrage and condemned the silence of the international community. “Since October 7, this chamber has passed 77 resolutions, none of which condemned Hamas,” Danon added, rebuking the council.

PRAY: Pray the release of the remaining hostages and for the families of those who lost members throughout this crisis.

Christian Scholars back ‘Phoenix Declaration’ for Education Reform

Several religious scholars and activists were among the signatories and authors behind a document calling on schools to embrace “unshakable principles” about the importance of Judeo-Christian tradition and parental rights amid a push by the Trump administration for school choice nationwide. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C., announced in a statement that it had unveiled the “Phoenix Declaration: An American Vision for Education” at the Conservative Vision of Education Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. The new declaration highlights seven pillars the signatories believe should guide policy education in the U.S.: parental choice and responsibility, transparency and accountability, truth and goodness, cultural transmission, character formation, academic excellence and citizenship.

“Every child should have access to a high-quality, content-rich education that fosters the pursuit of the good, the true, and the beautiful, so that they may achieve their full, God-given potential,” the “Phoenix Declaration” states. “America’s schools must work alongside parents to prepare children for the responsibilities of adulthood, including their familial and civic responsibilities, by cultivating excellence in mind and heart.”

Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts said that for “too long, education freedom advocates have been on defense, constantly reacting to the radical Left’s latest ideological assault.” “It’s time to go on offense,” he stated. “School leaders, educators, school board members, and policymakers need a set of shared, unshakable principles to reclaim education and put students — not leftist activism — first.” 

Leaders of several faith-based colleges served on the drafting committee, including Rachel Cambre of the Roman Catholic Church-affiliated Belmont Abbey College and Donald Sweeting of Colorado Christian University. Signatories included Aaron Baer of the Ohio-based Center for Christian Virtue, Rabbi Mark Gottlieb of the Tikvah Fund, Todd Marrah of the United States Christian Education Network, Emmett McGroarty of Belmont Abbey College, Troy McIntosh of the Ohio Christian Education Network, Shawn Peterson of Catholic Education Partners and Michael Van Hecke of the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Waters and Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz are among notable public officeholders who signed the declaration. Other notable signatories include Christian scholars Ryan Anderson of the Ethics and Public Policy Center and Professor Robert George of Princeton University. 

Identifying parents as “the primary educators of their children,” the declaration maintains, “Parents should have the freedom to choose the learning environments that align with their values and best meet their children’s individual learning needs, with public education funding following the child.” The document also asserts that “Policies should respect the right and high duty of parents to raise their children and make decisions about their children’s education.” “Schools have a responsibility to be transparent with parents about what their children are being taught and how their children are performing,” the document adds. “Schools must never have misguided policies that hide information from parents about their children’s mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing.”

The “Phoenix Declaration” also calls for students to “learn that there is objective truth and that it is knowable,” stating, “Science courses must be grounded in reality, not ideological fads.” Another principle the document urged schools to instill in students is that “good and evil exist, and that human beings have the capacity and duty to choose good.” The document wants schools to teach students “America’s founding principles and roots in the broader Western and Judeo-Christian traditions” and ensure they are “held accountable for their behavior, both to learn that their choices have consequences and to maintain the order necessary for learning to proceed.”

Biblical Connection: The Bible makes it very clear that the education of children ultimately is the responsibility of their parents. While schools can come alongside and help, parents should have a say in what their children are being taught, especially when it goes against their moral values.

PRAY: Pray the push by many to remove the role of parents in the lives and education of their children will be stopped and that parents will take seriously their God-given responsibility to train up their children.

Most Americans Reject Claim that Church is Irrelevant

A new survey has found wide generational differences in socialization patterns of churchgoers as most Americans reject the idea that the church has become irrelevant. The Barna Group released a State of the Church report on March 13. The data included in the report is based on interviews conducted with 1,532 adults in the U.S. between Feb. 4-26.

 One finding from the survey revealed the level of social interaction churchgoers participate in when attending services. A majority of those surveyed (57%) said they talked to clergy before, during or after services. That number rises to 61% among millennials while dropping to 57% among Gen Xers. Just over one-half (55%) of baby boomers said they talk to a pastor when visiting church, while one-half (50%) of Gen Zers said the same.

 Overall, 53% of churchgoers interact with “other attendees” when going to church. There is a large generational difference in socialization patterns with other congregants. Among boomers, 73% engage in conversation with other congregants. That figure dropped significantly to 32% among Gen Z. Just under one-half (49%) of millennial churchgoers said they usually talk to other attendees at church, along with 56% of Gen X churchgoers. Exactly one-half of churchgoers (50%) reported they usually talk with a church staff member while at church. A majority (57%) of millennial respondents engage in this practice, while less than half of baby boomers (48%), Gen Zers (47%) and Gen X respondents (44%) said the same.

 Also, a majority of all adults do not agree that “Church is not relevant in today’s world,” with 41% responding that they “definitely disagree” with the statement and 24% telling pollsters they “somewhat disagree” with it. The remainder either “somewhat” (22%) or “definitely” (13%) agreed that “Church is not relevant in today’s world.” Among practicing Christians, an overwhelming majority (79%) “definitely disagree” with the notion that the church has become irrelevant, followed by 9% who “somewhat disagree” with the assertion, 9% who “definitely agree” with it and 4% who “somewhat agree.”

 A much smaller percentage of non-practicing Christians (39%) “definitely disagree” that the church has become irrelevant. An additional 28% “somewhat disagree” with the assertion, while 23% “somewhat agree” and 9% “definitely agree.” On the other hand, a plurality of non-Christians (32%) “somewhat agree” that the church has become irrelevant, while 26% “definitely agree.” Twenty-two percent “definitely agree” that God has become irrelevant, while those who “definitely disagree” constituted 20% of the sample.

 The report also included preliminary estimates about church attendance in the U.S.  and compared them with additional data based on responses collected from 126,450 adults between 2000 and 2024. “Weekly church attendance has experienced a gradual decline over the past two decades, but recent Barna data tracking shows signs of hope. Attendance peaked at 48 percent of U.S. adults in 2009, declined to 27 percent by 2017 and stood at 28 percent by 2024,” the report stated. “However, preliminary data from 2025 suggests a potential uptick in weekly church attendance to approximately 32 percent,” the report added. “Since 2022, men have consistently shown higher weekly attendance rates than women, reversing a long-established pattern (30% of men vs. 27% of women attending weekly as of 2024). From 2000 to 2015, women attended church at higher rates than men, then from 2016 to 2021, men and women attended at about the same rate.” Preliminary estimates from 2025 show the gender gap in weekly church attendance continuing to widen, with 40% of men going to church every week compared to just 28% of women.

 Biblical Connections: In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

 PRAY: Pray that the church will continue to have a positive influence on society until the return of Christ.

Artificial Intelligence and Morality

As religious identity continues to decline in the West, what impact will an increasingly godless culture have on the mainstreaming of artificial intelligence? University of Austin professor and author Michael Shellenberger posed that question at the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) 2025 Conference in London on Feb. 18 as some of the world’s leading thinkers, business leaders, and policymakers gathered to craft a vision on “how to formulate and promote the most positive concept of the future that can be imagined,” according to the event’s website.

Shellenberger delivered a wide-ranging talk on a number ofAI-related topics, including its potential for digital identification and its connection to having control over individuals’ lives. In addition to highlighting Japan’s ongoing cultural struggle with youth isolation and social issues, such as video gaming addiction, Shellenberger also pointed to the decline of religious belief in the West and its moral consequences in the face of AI development. “The percentage of Americans with any religious identity has been decreasing, and the numbers are even more dramatic in Europe, where 80 to 90 percent of Europeans don’t believe in God,” he said. “If there’s no God to hold you accountable for your sins, why not? The problem with disbelieving in God is not that a person ends up believing in nothing; rather, it’s much worse — he ends up believing anything.”  

He pointed to the post-World War II era in which threats to speech have seemingly grown not out of a state of war, but of peace, one which, said Shellenberger, has fueled an unprecedented surge of wealthier nations. “Part of the problem is that we’ve become so peaceful, the older problems have disappeared,” he said. “Fewer and fewer of us are dying in foreign wars, fewer of us are killing each other than ever before, a number that just keeps going down, thankfully. And we’re all much richer than ever before. All around the world, almost everywhere in the world, we’re phenomenally wealthier. There’s really hardlyanything for kids in the West to look forward to at Christmas time. You can get those gifts all year round. You don’t need to delay your gratification. Maybe the problem is that people are not grounded in a solid set of virtues and morality.” 

Adding that such a scenario leads to political ideologies like “changing someone’s gender with drugs and surgeries” or civil policies that stem from “thinking it’s better to let people die on the street from fentanyl than to arrest them for breaking the law,”

Shellenberger warned about other threats and how AI fits into them all. “We also face new fantasies, such as the idea that racism is suddenly increasing in society. The media promotes concepts like white privilege, racial hierarchy, whiteness, and white supremacy, causing panic throughout the population without any basis in reality,” he said. “The biggest victims of this are progressives, particularly progressive women — only 15 percent of whom say they are completely satisfied with their mental health. So, what can be done about it? Can AI play a role?”

Biblical Connections: While AI is a tool that is helping in many areas, some people naively think that it is somehow outside of the influence of human philosophy. If humans continue to move away from God, then the AI that is programmed by humans will also move in that direction. People that treat AI as infallible are going to be steered away from the Gospel without even realizing it.

Netherlands Continues to Kill at Will with Rise in Euthanasia

Nearly 10,000 people living in the Netherlands were euthanized last year, marking a 10% increase from the year before and a 60% increase in those suffering from psychological conditions, according to a recent report. The Regional Euthanasia Review Committees (RTE) reported that there were 9,958 reports of euthanasia in the Netherlands in 2024, comprising 5.8% of the total mortality rate in the nation. According to RTE, 86.29% of the reports were due to "common physical conditions" like cancer, heart issues, nervous system disorders and lung disorders. There were 427 reports of euthanasia being granted to those suffering from dementia, while 219 reports derived from at least one psychological disorder, up from 138 in 2023.

 In six cases, the physician performing the assisted suicide did not comply with what the RTE called "the due care requirements when providing euthanasia," the researchers found. A minor reportedly received euthanasia "due to unbearable suffering as a result of a physical condition." Also, there were 54 instances of what the report dubbed "duo euthanasia," in which a couple opted to die together. Some experts, among them Damiaan Denys, a professor of psychiatry at Amsterdam University Medical Center, have expressed concern over the report, namely over increased requests for assisted suicide among young people suffering from mental health issues.

 "Although the absolute numbers are still low, there is a recent, enormous increase in requests and euthanasia performed in patients with psychological complaints, especially in young people under 30," said Denys, as quoted by The Guardian. "This is controversial because it is unclear whether young people at that age can meet the due diligence criteria. How can one, at that age, determine with certainty that a young person with a still-developing brain definitely wants to die, that life is experienced as hopeless and without prospects and that all treatments have already been carried out?"

 Others, among them Fransien van ter Beek of the Dutch pro-euthanasia group NVVE, have argued that the limits on who can qualify for the procedure remain too restrictive. "We see that people with a euthanasia request still end up in a maze too often," she stated, as quoted by The Times. "Fortunately, more and more people are eventually able to find their way out."

 The Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize euthanasia in 2001, following around three decades of debate and in spite of protests from multiple Christian groups. The 2001 law included various restrictions: allowing it only for patients suffering from constant incurable pain, a mandated second opinion and patients had to have a sound mind. In November 2023, a poll by Kieskompas of nearly 200,000 people found that 80% of the Dutch supported enabling elderly people who feel they've reached the end of their lives to obtain assisted suicide, even if they were not terminally ill.

 Biblical Connections: Life has always been precious to God. Indeed, throughout the Old Testament Law, the value of life is paramount. Safeguards were put into place to protect life, both inside and outside of the womb. God even thought of construction projects. In Deuteronomy 22:8, it states, “When you build a new house, then you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring guilt of bloodshed on your household if anyone falls from it.” God cares about the sanctity of life and anything that threatens life, such as this increase in euthanasia, should be rejected as unbiblical.

 PRAY: Pray that the push to kill at all levels of society and life will stop and the sanctity of life will be valued once again.

Judge Rules Against Quoting Bible at School Board Meetings

A federal judge has ruled that an Arizona school board didn’t violate federal law by warning a member not to quote from the Bible during public meetings. U.S. District Judge Michael T. Liburdi for the District of Arizona ruled that board member Heather Rooks didn’t have standing to sue Peoria Unified School District after she was advised to stop quoting the Bible during board meetings. Liburdi concluded that emailed instructions from the board to not quote Scripture during the meetings constituted “legal advice” from its attorney rather than unlawful censorship of speech.

“Based on the content of the emails, it appears PUSD is correct: the emails are legal advice designed to explicitly warn board members about potential legal liability from third parties,” wrote the judge. “Nowhere in the emails does it say the Board will refer board members to the Arizona Attorney General for reciting Bible verses. Nor does it say the Board President will cut a board member’s microphone at the mention of scripture.”

The ruling warned “if the Court were to construe the type of advice provided in the emails as a threat, as Rooks suggests, it would risk chilling an entirely different type of speech — conversations between attorneys and their clients.” Erin Smith, associate counsel for First Liberty Institute, which is representing Rooks, said in a statement that the school board has “backtracked” and will “allow her to say Bible verses going forward.” “Heather plans to resume saying the Bible verses at the next board meeting, and appeal the district court’s ruling to ensure her speech remains protected.”

After taking office in January 2023, Rooks began a practice of quoting from the Bible during the board comments segment of public meetings, using verses from both the Old and New Testaments. Her practice eventually garnered the attention of the Wisconsin-based church-state separation group Freedom FromReligion Foundation, which sent a letter to the school board demanding that the Bible-quoting be stopped. The school board and its attorney concluded that quoting Bible verses during the meetings might violate the Constitution and sent out emails recommending that Rooks stop doing so.

In September 2023, the First Liberty Institute and the law firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP filed a lawsuit against the Peoria USD on behalf of Rooks, arguing that her quoting Scripture during meetings was part of “a longstanding, well-accepted tradition” among public officials.

“Rooks’ practice accords with over 200 years of this Nation’s historical practices and understandings,” read the suit. “Public officials from Presidents Washington and Lincoln up through President Biden routinely recited scripture while performing their official duties. Rooks doesn’t coerce or call for anyone else’s participation. She doesn’t ask for anyone to bow their heads, stand, or participate in reading. … This Court should declare that Rooks’ brief quotations of scripture during her Board comments time at public school board meetings do not violate the Establishment Clause.”

Biblical Connections: The United States was established based upon Christian principles and the Word of God. Many of the nation’s founding documents talk about God and biblical foundations. Judges arguing that simply stating Bible verses in public is somehow against the law or inappropriate for the public shows just how far some have moved away from these Judeo-Christian roots. This is not something that should stand in the United States and should be immediately reversed.

PRAY: Pray the people trying to drive America away from its biblical foundation will be stopped and freedom of religion will again be the law of the land.

Iran's Stock of Near-bomb-grade Uranium Grows

Iran continues to push toward having the capability of a nuclear bomb, regardless of whether they are willing to admit it or not. Iran's stock of uranium enriched to near weapons grade has grown sharply since it announced a dramatic acceleration in December and there has been no progress on resolving outstanding issues, two reports by the UN nuclear watchdog showed. The stock of uranium enriched to up to 60% fissile purity, close to the roughly 90% of bomb-grade, has been a long-standing concern for Western powers, which say there is no civil justification for enriching uranium to such a high level. Iran says it seeks only peaceful nuclear energy. While US President Donald Trump's administration has said it plans to pressure Iran over its nuclear program, the International Atomic Energy Agency has said time is running out for diplomacy to impose new restrictions on Iran's activities. If Iran is able to get a nuclear bomb, it will dramatically change the negotiating abilities throughout the Middle East, as other nations will no longer be able to simply push Iran to negotiate once they are a nuclear power.

 Two quarterly reports sent by the IAEA to member states showed that while the stock of 60% material has grown by around half, there has been no real progress on resolving long-running outstanding issues with Iran including the unexplained presence of uranium traces found at undeclared sites. "The significantly increased production and accumulation of high enriched uranium by Iran, the only non-nuclear weapon state to produce such nuclear material, is of serious concern," the IAEA said in a passage that, unusually, was included in both reports.

 The stock of uranium refined to up to 60% in the form of uranium hexafluoride grew by 92.5 kg in the past quarter to 274.8 kg, one of two confidential IAEA reports said. That is enough in principle, if enriched further, for six nuclear bombs, according to an IAEA yardstick. There is enough for more weapons at lower enrichment levels. When one combines these types of uranium and nuclear warhead type developments with Iran’s increases in things like ballistic missiles and drones, it could lead to serious problems in the Middle East in the future.  

 One of the reports also spelled out the lack of progress on the outstanding issues such as explaining the uranium traces, which the IAEA has been asking the Islamic Republic to do for years. "Iran states that it has declared all of the nuclear material, activities and locations required under its Safeguards Agreement. This is inconsistent with the Agency's assessments of the unexplained nuclear-related activities that took place at all four of the undeclared locations in Iran referred to above," the report said. "The Agency is, therefore, at an impasse with regard to resolving these outstanding safeguards issues."

 Biblical Connection: Iran’s continual push toward nuclear bombs plays a significant role in Biblical prophecy. First, Iran’s ability to get nuclear weapons could embolden them in their desire to destroy Israel. If they have the ability to launch nuclear attacks, it will be much harder for other nations, like the United States or Europe, to get them to back down if they truly want to attack Israel, like the Gog Magog war of Ezekiel 38-39. Second, the increase of nuclear weapons as a whole, not just with Iran but globally, could have lasting impact into the future Tribulation. Many see some of the judgments in the Tribulation as potential nuclear war and the fallout that would occur after.

 PRAY: Pray that this push by Iran to become a nuclear power will be stopped and that the push for more and more nuclear weapons globally will end.

Focus on Trans Issues on the Way Down?

It seems like the tide is finally turning in the US on the transgender issue. A new survey reveals that about half of Americans believe the U.S. has gone too far in allowing male, trans-identified athletes to compete in women’s sports, and an overwhelming number of Americans oppose mutilating the bodies of children suffering from gender dysphoria.

 The New York Times/ Ipsos released a poll based on responses collected from 2,128 American adults between Jan. 2-10. The 25- page survey, which sampled respondents’ views on a wide variety of topics, had a margin of error of +/-2.6 percentage points.

 When asked if they agreed that “Society has gone too far in accommodating transgender people,” 49% answered in the affirmative. Twenty-one percent agreed with a statement declaring that “Society has not gone far enough in accommodating transgender people,” while 28% believed that “Society has reached a reasonable balance when it comes to accommodating transgender people.”

 The overwhelming majority of Republicans and Republican-leaning Americans (77%) and a plurality of independents and those who identify with a minor political party (31%) agreed that efforts to accommodate the trans-identified population have gone too far. Thirty percent of independents and members of minor political parties think the trans-identified community receives an adequate amount of accommodation, along with 16% of Republicans.

 Significantly smaller shares of independents (14%) and Republicans (5%) believe that the U.S. needs to do more to accommodate trans-identified people. By contrast, a plurality of Democrats and Democrat-leaning Americans (39%) think that society has achieved an appropriate balance when it comes to accommodating trans-identified individuals, followed by 37% who think the U.S. hasn’t gone far enough to accommodate them and 23% who believe that such efforts have gone too far.

 When asked if trans-identified male athletes should be allowed to compete in women’s sports, most respondents (79%) believed they shouldn’t be allowed to. Many respondents opposed allowing trans-identified male athletes in women’s sports, with opposition much stronger among Republicans (94%) than Democrats (67%) and independents (64%). Less than one-third of Democrats (31%) thought that trans-identified male athletes should be allowed to compete on women’s sports teams, along with even smaller shares of independents (10%) and Republicans (5%).

 A majority of respondents (71%) agreed that minors shouldn’t have access to drugs that will stop their natural growth and deform their bodies. Opposition to allowing the prescription of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to children with gender dysphoria was strongest among Republicans (90%) and less pronounced among independents (61%) and Democrats (54%). Seven percent of Republicans, along with 10% of independents and 24% of Democrats, supported allowing youth between the ages of 15 and 18 to obtain puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, while support for allowing children as young as 10 to be prescribed these drugs measured at 2% apiece with Republicans and independents, and 19% among Democrats.

 Citing concerns about fairness for female athletes, 27 states have implemented laws or regulations requiring athletes to compete on sports teams that correspond with their sex rather than self-declared gender identity.

 Opposition to prescribing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to youth is motivated by concerns about long-term impacts. The American College of Pediatricians has listed potential side effects of puberty blockers as “osteoporosis, mood disorders, seizures, cognitive impairment and, when combined with cross-sex hormones, sterility.” They have also warned cross-sex hormones can cause “an increased risk of heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, blood clots and cancers across their lifespan.” Twenty-four states have implemented measures banning trans-identified youth from obtaining puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.

 PRAY: Pray this positive shift away from the madness will continue and that people will again recognize God’s design of two genders, male and female.

What is Going to Happen with Gaza?

President Donald Trump vowed the U.S. would “take over” the Gaza Strip, reconstructing and developing the coastal enclave into “the Riviera of the Middle East” while moving part of its population to other countries. The comments that shattered several decades-old, accepted outlines of Middle East policy came during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the White House, making him the first foreign leader to visit the U.S. president since his inauguration.

 Trump began his unprecedented comments while speaking with reporters before a planned closed-door meeting, reiterating that he sees the Gaza Strip as a “demolition site” that is inhabitable at the moment. “There’s hardly a building standing. And the ones that are, are going to collapse. You can’t live in Gaza right now. I think we need another location, a location that’s going to make people happy.”

 The president noted that the reality in Gaza currently is “all death. … This has been happening for years. If we can get a beautiful area to resettle people permanently in nice homes, and then they can be happy enough … I believe we can do it in areas where leaders currently say no,” he added. Addressing how the people would be moved if they refused to do so, Trump noted that if Gazans were presented with an alternative, “they’d much rather not go back.” “Why would they want to return? That place has been hell,” the U.S. president emphasized.

 Five Arab countries and the Palestinian Authority expressed their opposition to the resettlement of Gaza’s population in a letter. Despite this, Trump said all the population should be resettled “in areas where they can live a beautiful life.” They could be moved to Jordan or Egypt, or “it could be other countries,” he added.

 While Israel’s far-right parties immediately celebrated Trump's comments, the U.S. leader said he wouldn’t support the reconstruction of Israeli settlements in the area. “I don’t see it happening. It’s too dangerous for people. No one wants to be there. Their warriors don’t want to be there,” he said. After the closed-door meeting, Trump and Netanyahu emerged for a press conference, with Trump topping his already shocking comments by declaring that the U.S. would “take over” the Gaza Strip for the foreseeable future.

 The president said the meeting centered on the future of the Gaza Strip, before dropping the bombshell: “The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too.” He added that the U.S. would dispose of the unexploded ordnance, level the ruins, and rebuild the area creating jobs and housing. Trump declared it was time to “do something different … if you go back, it’s going to end up the same it has for a hundred years. I do see a long-term ownership position, and I see it bringing great stability to that part of the Middle East, and maybe the entire Middle East.”

 The president stressed that he studied the issue “very closely” for months, asserting that everyone he spoke to “loves the idea of the U.S. owning that land.” After reconstruction, the former symbol of “death and destruction” would be an “international, unbelievable place,” where people from around the world will be able to live. “Palestinians, also,” Trump said. "Palestinians will live there. Many people will live there. But they've tried the other, and they've tried it for decades and decades and decades. It's not going to work. It didn't work, it will never work.”

 Despite his comments on the issue, the president did not specify whether U.S. troops would be involved in the plan, what would happen if the population refused to move, or if the neighboring Arab states continued their refusal to accept Gazan refugees. In his speech following Trump’s statement, Netanyahu didn’t directly endorse the president’s plan, which would have been seen as radical even within Israeli politics. The prime minister lauded Trump’s “willingness to puncture conventional thinking.”

 PRAY: Pray that the situation in Gaza will be fixed, and peace will be established throughout the region.

QUESTION: Since Christianity is the only way to be saved, then why aren't more people Christians? And why is it under attack?

ANSWER: The antipathy of the world towards Christianity should not surprise us, nor should its lack of interest towards the things of God. Jesus Himself said that ''few there be that find ... the way, which leadeth unto life" (Matthew 7:14) and that strong opposition would come to His followers (John 16:1-3).

 Throughout Church history, one of the main obstacles to the growth of Christianity has been the lack of adequate transportation and communications methods to bring the Gospel to unreached peoples. In the last century, however, this impediment has been overcome to an unprecedented degree. In fact, the greatest recent growth of the Church has been in areas of the world which were previously untouched by the Gospel message.

 Still, a majority of the world's population remains unsaved. Why? One reason is apathy. People are increasingly self-absorbed and involved with the things of the world, the result being that the invisible but still all-knowing and omnipotent God gets pushed aside. The Apostle Paul said that in the last days, one of the characteristics of the human race is that they would be "lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:4).

 Another main reason for Christianity's slow growth is a lack of understanding about what Christianity really is. The Apostle Paul said: "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God," 1 Corinthians 1 :18.

 Most churches, even many claiming to be "Christian," teach that mankind can save himself through his own efforts. But the Bible teaches that man is saved by the grace of God apart from works (Ephesians 2:8-9), because "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

 Some individuals are on the opposite end of this spectrum, and believe that they are such grievous sinners that God would never forgive them. But to them, we would give the assurance of Jesus' words that "him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37).

 Others are convinced that if they become Christians, God will automatically take all the fun out of their lives. The presence of a few "baptized in lemon juice" Christians, coupled with the caricatures of Christianity presented in the media, unfortunately contribute to this mindset. But Jesus said:

 "The thief cometh not but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have

life, and that they might have it more abundantly," John 10:10.

 Let us face the fact that what the Devil presents to the world as "fun" is only destined to destroy the individual both physically and spiritually. Most true Christians know that God blesses us with times of refreshing that have healthier outcomes. If we would reach out and share some of these times with unsaved friends and family members, they might obtain a more accurate picture of the stark difference between their lifestyles and our own.

 Still, many people in the world stay outside the realm of Christianity because they are unwilling to forsake sin. Although we are not saved by good works, or by the omission of bad ones, God does expect repentance (Luke 13:3). In other words, we have to be willing, by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit after we are saved, to yield ourselves to be the kinds of persons that God intends for us to be. Of those that refuse to do so, Jesus said:

 "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil," John 3:19.

 This is not an exhaustive list, but it provides some of the reasons why true Christianity is still very much a "minority" belief system. Knowing these obstacles is the first step to prayerfully finding ways to overcome them in the lives of our unsaved acquaintances.

 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father, who is in heaven," Matthew 5:16.

 PRAY: Pray for Christians to share the wonderful Good News of the saving grace of Jesus Christ and for the Gospel message to spread globally.

Turkey Severs All Relations with Israel

Turkey has severed all ties with Israel, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced. “The government of the Republic of Turkey, under the leadership of Tayyip Erdogan, will not continue or develop relations with Israel,” Erdogan said. “Our ruling coalition is resolute in its decision to cut ties with Israel, and we will maintain this stance in the future as well. We, as the Republic of Turkey and its government, have currently severed all relations with Israel.”

Erdogan also emphasized that Turkey would do everything in its power to hold Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accountable for his actions in Gaza, which international human rights groups have described as genocide. Earlier in 2024, Turkey intervened in a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in support of Palestine and advocated for an arms embargo against Tel Aviv. Erdogan said 52 countries and two international organizations had expressed their support for the arms embargo initiative Turkey launched at the United Nations in early November, aimed at preventing the shipment of weapons and ammunition to Israel. “We recently submitted our formal letter regarding this initiative to the president of the United Nations Security Council and the secretary-general of the United Nations,” Erdogan said. “During our summit in Riyadh, a decision was made to invite all organizations and members of the Arab League to sign this letter.”

Turkish-Israeli relations have deteriorated sharply since a meeting between Erdogan and Netanyahu in New York in September of 2023, which was intended to symbolize reconciliation between the two nations. However, following the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and Israel’s subsequent war on Gaza, which has killed more than 43,000 Palestinians, Ankara has intensified its criticism of the Netanyahu government. This led to a series of actions, including legal measures and trade sanctions, especially after the local elections in Turkey where Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) was punished in part over its weak response to the war on Gaza. Since September, ongoing Turkish trade with Israel through third countries and Palestine has sparked a public pressure campaign by the opposition, who accused Erdogan of failing to close loopholes that facilitate continued interaction.

Turkey possesses one of the largest and most formidable armies in NATO. With over 355,000 active personnel and a reserve force of around 378,000, the Turkish Armed Forces are highly capable and well-equipped. The country also maintains significant technological resources, including a burgeoning domestic arms industry that produces drones, armored vehicles, and precision-guided missiles. Turkey’s Bayraktar drones have gained international recognition, having been deployed effectively in conflicts in Syria, Libya, and Nagorno-Karabakh.

If tensions between Turkey and Israel escalate into direct confrontation, military analysts suggest Turkey’s geographic proximity to Israel and its large ground forces could play a significant role. Turkey’s potential deployment of air defense systems in Syria could also directly challenge Israel’s ability to conduct military operations in the region. Israel has conducted numerous airstrikes in Syria to target Iranian-linked forces and arms shipments to Hezbollah. Turkish-backed military infrastructure could hinder Israel’s strategic objectives, creating future conflict.

Biblical Connections: We have seen over the last few years the dramatic shift in Turkey, moving away from NATO and getting much closer ties to both Russia and Iran. That Turkey is now willing to openly go against Israel and given their alliances with Iran and Russia, it is very possible that the table is being set for the future Gog-Magog War of Ezekiel 38-39. 

PRAY: Pray for the peace and safety of Israel during these troubling times.

Pushing to Eliminate Christianity from the Public Square

A Virginia realtor and Christian minister has been found guilty by an ethics panel after he quoted Bible verses on social media. Wilson Fauber, 70, a longtime realtor with over four decades in the industry, was found in violation of National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) Code of Ethics, which prohibits realtors from using “harassing speech, hate speech, epithets, or slurs” related to “race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity.” The posts in question, which were made years before the NAR’s adoption of the rule in 2020, included Fauber’s views on marriage and human sexuality according to traditional Christian teachings, attorneys said.

In a statement released through his attorneys at the Founding Freedoms Law Center (FFLC), Fauber said: “In 44 years as a realtor, I have loved and served all people. Regularly, I hear from other faith-based realtors that live in fear of being similarly prosecuted for their faith, and potentially losing their livelihoods, if they don’t hide their faith well enough.”

The controversy began when Fauber ran for Staunton City Council in 2023. Opponents of his campaign uncovered several social media posts from years earlier, including a 2015 post in which Fauber shared his Christian views on marriage, particularly in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s consideration of same-sex marriage. At the time, Fauber had posted a Bible-based perspective on the issue, sharing thoughts from the Rev. Franklin Graham and other Christian leaders.

Earlier this year, Fauber’s social media posts became the subject of a complaint lodged with the Virginia Association of Realtors (VAR) over the purported violation of NAR’s code of ethics. Sylvester expressed disappointment that the VAR didn’t dismiss the complaint as “frivolous,” but rather “issued a statement a few months afterward in April saying that if the allegations are true, then Wilson might have violated this new hate speech rule.” The posts, which Fauber shared as part of his personal ministry, went unnoticed until two fellow realtors, who Fauber had never met, filed formal ethics complaints against him. The complaints alleged that his posts violated NAR’s vague “hate speech” rule. The VAR panel determined that Fauber’s views on marriage and sexuality, expressed through Bible verses and Christian doctrine, violated NAR’s Standard of Practice 10-5.

One of the two men who filed the original complaint with the VAR is reportedly an “openly gay man.” Complainants are not typically identified publicly in real estate ethics complaints. Fauber’s attorney, Michael Sylvester, said they are “obviously disappointed” by the decision and are “considering all legal options.” “The way the NAR rule is being applied, the message is simple: Bible-believing Christian realtors must be silent,” Sylvester added.

In a Facebook postdated shortly after the panel’s decision, Fauber responded to the NAR policy, writing, “It is appropriate to not bring up one’s ‘religious’ views while working with clients. It is altogether different when a minister cannot express his/her faith on their personal social media in the privacy of their home. The NAR policy is not limited to working with clients, it applies to the realtors’ life 24/7! The cancel culture police are always watching!”

Fauber, an ordained minister, said the NAR policy potentially “also applies to any realtor reading certain scriptures in church!”

Biblical Connections: Secularists for years have argued that they were only trying to “keep religion out of the workplace”, etc. However, now that their goal has been largely accomplished in many parts of the Western world, they are now pushing to eliminate Christianity from the public square entirely, even in one’s private life.

PRAY: Pray this constant attack on Christianity in every aspect of life will be stopped, and religious freedom will once again be allowed.