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You know you live in scary times when the simple act of prayer lands you in trouble.

Although this happened in Britain, America, which shares much of the same Western ideology, likely isn’t far behind.

Pat Gray plays the clip of a woman being confronted by law enforcement for “silently praying” outside an abortion center in Britain.

The officer, reading from some kind of handbook, asked a range of questions, such as, “Are you here as part of an organized protest,” “Are you part of a pro-life organization or pro-choice organization,” and “Are you protesting?”

The woman responded “no” to all of the questions.

“Can your action be carried out elsewhere?” the officer pressed.

“I can pray elsewhere, but I want to pray here today,” the woman responded.

“Are you aware that there is a Public Space Protection Order in place here?” the officer inquired, to which the woman responded that she was aware of the order but did not believe she needed to move because she was only praying silently and not protesting.

The officer then informed her that she would be issued “a fixed penalty notice … for failing to comply with the Public Space Protection Order and the Antisocial Behavior Crime and Policing Act of 2014.”

“Just to make it clear, I’m not protesting,” the woman said again, but the officer’s only response was “OK” before she issued the fine anyway.

“She wasn’t hitting people with a hammer as they walked by. She wasn’t blocking an entrance. She wasn’t doing anything but praying on the sidewalk,” sighs Pat Gray in disbelief, “and you can’t do that in Great Britain?”

Read more at: theblaze.com

Nearly 100 congregations in Ohio have left the United Methodist Church amid the denomination’s ongoing debate over homosexuality, joining thousands of other churches in the United States that have done the same.

At a special session of the UMC West Ohio Conference held last weekend, 96 churches were granted their request to disaffiliate from the mainline Protestant denomination.

The session was held at Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church in Tipp City, with around 800 clergy and laity in attendance. Bishop Gregory V. Palmer presided over the gathering.

In addition to the 96 disaffiliations, the session also dealt with budgetary issues, recommending the sale of two camping properties and electing additional delegates to the UMC General Conference.

“We were empowered to make some challenging decisions,” said Palmer in a statement. “We brought glory to God by the patient, honest, and respectful way we engaged one another. In spite of the challenges, we have come through, our future is open because God is able.”

In June, the West Ohio Conference voted to allow 172 congregations to disaffiliate from the UMC, having allowed 80 churches to leave the denomination last year. It is estimated that, at present, the regional body covering over 50 counties has a little over 600 member congregations remaining.

“Our calling is to serve this present age, even if there’s a storm … in the midst of passing over. One of our storms is disaffiliation,” Palmer said in a June statement.

“That’s not a blame thing; it’s just the way it is. It’s in the book. We’ve given a lot of attention to it. Let me be clear. It is not our mission. We gave attention to it. We’ll finish up what there is to be finished up.”

Over the last couple of years, more than 6,600 congregations have voted to leave the UMC amid the debate over whether to change the denomination’s rules to allow for the blessing of same-sex unions and the ordination of clergy in same-sex relationships.

Read more at: christianpost.com

For those of us who call the United States home, we have—for the most part—lived a life of religious freedom. We have not had to fear for our health or our family as we have worshiped our Savior.

This is not the case in other areas of the world. I’ve met a pastor in India whose skin is scarred from an acid attack. In Nigeria, Christians are regularly killed for their faith. In some parts of the Middle East, you can be murdered by your own family if you profess Christ.

In some ways, even the freedom of religion in our country feels like it is slipping away, as “cancel culture” seems to take ever-greater precedence over the First Amendment.

Some might debate me on this, but it certainly feels like we’re entering a new era in the United States, where there will be a cost to following Jesus.

This is nothing new, of course. Approximately 2,000 years ago, shortly after Jesus physically walked the roads of Jerusalem, Christians were already suffering for His Name.

In 1 Peter 4:12-19, we are told how we should respond when the world attacks us for our faith.

As Christians, we must expect sufferings (v. 12). Peter advises us to expect and anticipate suffering. It is unavoidable.

We occasionally act like we should get a free pass because we’re Christians—even questioning God’s goodness when bad things happen—but God promised that difficulties would come our way.

In John 16:33, Jesus says, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

If God promised us that we’re going to go through hard times, we shouldn’t be surprised when it happens.

We can rejoice when we go through trials (vv. 13-14). It sounds odd to say we can rejoice during suffering, but there are several reasons why we should:

1. First, we can rejoice because when we suffer we are identified with Christ. This is exactly what the disciples did in Acts 5:41: “So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.”

2. Second, we can rejoice because we share in God’s glory. Just as we suffer with Him, we will also share in God’s glory when He returns in the near future.

3. Finally, we can rejoice because when we are reviled, insulted, persecuted or mocked, God’s Spirit will rest on us.

Our suffering will be a result of following Christ (vv. 15-16). We often want to play the victim, and claim we are being attacked when we’ve actually brought the suffering onto ourselves by our own actions (and it has nothing to do with our faith).

There are consequences for our sin. If you are a thief or a gossip, you brought the punishment upon yourself.

Peter makes it clear that we should not suffer in that way, because—as followers of Christ—we should live a life set apart for Him. Rather, we will suffer the wrath of the world because of our faith.

We should glorify God in our suffering (vv. 16-18). We are not to be ashamed if we suffer for Christ. Rather, Peter instructs us to glorify God instead.

Why? Because the suffering we endure on this earth in our service to Christ pales in comparison to the hope of eternity that awaits us in Heaven. On the other hand, “those who do not obey the gospel of God” must still face eternal judgment.

The passage is summed up in 1 Peter 4:19, which says, “Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.”

Read more at: harbingersdaily.com

Hundreds of individuals stormed an airport in Russia to hunt down Israelis flying in from Tel Aviv, according to multiple reports.

Terrifying video shows the horde flooding into the Makhachkala International Airport in the North Caucasus republic of Dagestan in Russia. The mob is seen waving Palestine flags and are heard shouting: “Allahu Akbar.”

The Moscow Times reported, “The flight from Tel Aviv landed at 7:17 p.m. local time, according to the airport’s website, after which the protesters stormed into the airport, breaking past security and running onto the tarmac.”

The mob allegedly stormed the tarmac to search for any incoming flights carrying Jews.

The demonstrators reportedly held up signs that read: “Child killers have no place in Dagestan” and “We are against Jewish refugees.”

According to the Jerusalem Post, “Footage reportedly from the scene shared on local Telegram channels showed rioters chanting ‘Allahu Akbar’ and stopping cars in order to check the documents of passengers to ensure they were not Israeli or Jewish.”

The Russian state-owned RIA Novosti media outlet reported that Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency had temporarily closed the Makhachkala airport for arrivals and departures due to the swarm of angry people.

“The measures are in effect until the situation normalizes. Law enforcement agencies are working on the spot,” the agency stated.

Unconfirmed videos show a chaotic scene at the Makhachkala Airport as it was breached by the mob.

The Times of Israel reported, “An Israeli security official says the incident in Dagestan’s capital of Makhachkala is ongoing after a plane from Israel was attacked by a local pro-Palestinian mob.”

The official told the outlet, “A limited number of Israelis and Jews are currently isolated and under guard at the airport. We are working on having them depart on a connection flight to Moscow once conditions allow. Israeli security officials and the Israeli ambassador are working with the local security authorities.”

Read more at: theblaze.com

Weeks after its international launch, Worldcoin is drawing the attention of privacy regulators around the world, with the Kenya’s government going so far as to shut down the service indefinitely.

The international ID startup, backed by big names in Silicon Valley, is now having to defend itself in investigations over whether the biometric data that the company is collecting is truly secure.

Here’s what to know about Worldcoin and the concerns its raising:

Worldcoin is the creation of Sam Altman, best known as the CEO of OpenAI, the company that has gained widespread recognition with its artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT.

The goal of Worldcoin and the company backing it, Tools for Humanity, is to give people a form of identification that could never be stolen or duplicated. Worldcoin creates a “World ID” by scanning someone’s eyeballs through “orbs” — a device that captures an image of their irises, the colored parts of the eyes.

One possible use for such an ID would be online services, where oftentimes people are having to remember multiple passwords and usernames for various websites they have signed up for.

The security of those sites can be flawed, however, and there have been numerous security breaches where usernames and passwords have been stolen. Instead of using old technology like passwords, a person could just sign up using their World ID.

Read more at: apnews.com

Over 100 Christians were burned alive after a fire broke out during a Christian wedding ceremony in Iraq on Oct. 3, 2023; another 150 attendees were seriously injured. Nearly 60 of those killed in the inferno were directly related to the bride and groom.

To quote from one report:

Tragedy struck the Assyrian Christian town of Hamdaniya in Nineveh province … during a joyous wedding when scenes of celebration and laughter soon derailed into a hellish nightmare when the banquet hall caught on fire. At least a hundred died and over 150 were also injured.

The town of Hamdaniya, it is worth recalling:

…is one of Iraq’s only Christian-majority districts, located in the Nineveh Plains near Mosul, a historic Assyrian region. Like many Christian towns in the Nineveh Plains, it was taken over by Islamic State (ISIS) jihadists during their brazen sweep of northern Iraq, where they declared a so-called “caliphate” and inflicted grave atrocities on minority groups, including Christians.

In a press conference held on the same day of the tragedy, the Iraqi government announced that its investigation had “conclusively concluded” that the fire was “accidental” and “not intentional at all.”

Minutes later, the Syriac Church slammed the announcement: “We reject it [the results], we don’t accept it,” said the Archbishop of Mosul Benedictus Younan Hanno, adding that “political conspiracies” might be afoot.

The archbishop especially rejected the idea that the fire was caused by fireworks: “there are tens of videos,” he said, “showing that they were not the reason.”

The archbishop is voicing the opinion of most Iraqi Christians. After also categorically rejecting the fireworks claim, the groom of the wedding, Rivan, 27, strongly implied arson:

We demand the rights of those whose blood was spilt. Why did their blood have to be spilled? We demand their rights and we demand the perpetrator of this action, him and all who are behind him. We demand an international investigation, not a local or federal investigation.

It is worth noting that this scenario — a fire claims Christian lives only for Muslim authorities to say it was “accidental”—has played out many times in the Middle East. Take Egypt, for example, where the region’s largest Christian minority resides.

Most recently, on Mar. 29, 2023, a massive fire broke out and completely consumed an ancient church in Assyut. Even before a proper inspection could be carried out, the fire was immediately blamed on a “leaky gas bottle.”

The most tragic of all examples, however, occurred on Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, when the Church of Abu Seifein in Cairo caught fire during morning mass. At least 41 Christians — 18 of whom were children — were killed in the flames. As usual, minutes after it broke out, officials immediately attributed the fire to faulty wires, etc. Arson was, without any real investigation, ruled out.

Indeed, in just that same month of August 2022 alone, a total of 10 other Coptic churches “caught fire” in Egypt.

There appears to be no shortage of examples. On Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023, a fire broke out in and “devoured” a church in the Giza Governorate. It was blamed on a small candle left on a votary stand. However, images from surveillance cameras clearly show that “the candle ignited suddenly and in an unusual way.”

It should also be noted that sometimes after officials conclude that a church fire was due to some accident, it comes out that arson was indeed the true cause — not that the authorities will admit it. On Aug. 16, 2022, the Church of Saint Mary the Egyptian in Alexandria caught fire. Although it too was instantly attributed to “natural causes,” at least one eyewitness saw someone on the balcony of a residential building adjacent to the church hurl some combustible substance onto the church, starting the fire.

Considering the severe persecution of Christians in nations such as Egypt and Iraq and the willful targeting of their churches — hundreds of Coptic and Assyrian churches have been torched in recent years — it is, of course, difficult to automatically rule out terrorism or arson in all of these “accidental” fires.

Read more at: pjmedia.com

Government documents pointing to construction at a classified U.S. base offer rare hints about a little noted U.S. military presence near Gaza.

TWO MONTHS BEFORE Hamas attacked Israel, the Pentagon awarded a multimillion-dollar contract to build U.S. troop facilities for a secret base it maintains deep within Israel’s Negev desert, just 20 miles from Gaza. Code-named “Site 512,” the longstanding U.S. base is a radar facility that monitors the skies for missile attacks on Israel.

On October 7, however, when thousands of Hamas rockets were launched, Site 512 saw nothing — because it is focused on Iran, more than 700 miles away.

The U.S. Army is quietly moving ahead with construction at Site 512, a classified base perched atop Mt. Har Qeren in the Negev, to include what government records describe as a “life support facility”: military speak for barracks-like structures for personnel.

Though President Joe Biden and the White House insist that there are no plans to send U.S. troops to Israel amid its war on Hamas, a secret U.S. military presence in Israel already exists. And the government contracts and budget documents show it is evidently growing.

The $35.8 million U.S. troop facility, not publicly announced or previously reported, was obliquely referenced in an August 2 contract announcement by the Pentagon. Though the Defense Department has taken pains to obscure the site’s true nature — describing it in other records merely as a “classified worldwide” project — budget documents reviewed by The Intercept reveal that it is part of Site 512. (The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)

“Sometimes something is treated as an official secret not in the hope that an adversary would never find out about it but rather [because] the U.S. government, for diplomatic or political reasons, does not want to officially acknowledge it,” Paul Pillar, a former chief analyst at the CIA’s counterterrorism center who said he had no specific knowledge of the base, told The Intercept. “In this case, perhaps the base will be used to support operations elsewhere in the Middle East in which any acknowledgment that they were staged from Israel, or involved any cooperation with Israel, would be inconvenient and likely to elicit more negative reactions than the operations otherwise would elicit.”

Rare acknowledgment of the U.S. military presence in Israel came in 2017, when the two countries inaugurated a military site that the U.S. government-funded Voice of America deemed “the first American military base on Israeli soil.” Israeli Air Force’s Brig. Gen. Tzvika Haimovitch called it “historic.” He said, “We established an American base in the State of Israel, in the Israel Defense Forces, for the first time.”

Read more at: theintercept.com

On Wednesday, after three weeks of dysfunction following the ouster of former-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana was elected as the 56th Speaker of the House. Johnson’s elevation to the office caps a frenetic period in which Republicans considered multiple candidates before coalescing around the four-term congressman. Although Johnson’s unexpected rise to the speakership was welcomed by conservatives, the Left has predictably been apoplectic in denouncing Speaker Johnson’s long-standing social conservative views.

Although progressives routinely castigate those who hold convictions rooted in a biblical worldview, the sharp criticism directed toward the new speaker for his Christian faith is nonetheless revealing.

For example, some House Democrats took exception to the portion of Johnson’s speech on Wednesday in which the new speaker referenced God. “Welcome to the Republican Era of not even pretending they aren’t forcing their religion on Congress and the American people. This is a slippery, dangerous slope to theocracy,” warned Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.). Another Democrat, Jamie Raskin, tweeted, “Speaker Mike Johnson? Anti-choice, anti-LGBTQ, anti-gun safety, anti-democracy. This is what theocracy looks like.”

Although allegations of Republicans wanting to install a theocracy are not new, the dire warnings of Huffman and Raskin, and the parroting of these claims by some in the media, reveal remarkable ignorance of basic Christian beliefs. Significantly, Johnson has said nothing about theocracy or forcing his religious beliefs on anyone. Rather, the new speaker simply articulated the commonplace Christian perspective that God providentially raises up leaders.

In his speech, Johnson stated, “I don’t believe there are any coincidences in a matter like this. I believe that Scripture, the Bible is very clear that God is the One that raises up those in authority. He raised up each of you, all of us. And I believe that God has ordained and allowed each one of us to be brought here for this specific moment and this time.”

Far from advocating for a theocratic takeover of the House of Representatives, Johnson’s comments merely reflect well-known biblical passages such as Daniel 2:21 which states, “He changes times and season; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding” and Psalm 22:28 where it says, “For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.”

Other passages that affirm God’s role in raising up civil leaders include Isaiah 40:22-23, which says, “It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.” Likewise, Proverbs 21:1 teaches “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.”

To put it simply, Johnson’s understanding that “God is the One that raises up those in authority” is a widely-held Christian belief that has been taught for centuries. The fact that articulating this basic conviction triggered ominous warnings of an impending theocracy demonstrates the ever-widening gulf between those with a biblical worldview and those without one.

Second, Johnson’s elevation to the speakership prompted scores of opposition researchers to investigate the congressman’s past writings and speeches for potentially damaging material. Johnson’s past comments on same-sex marriage, abortion, and homosexuality were immediately targeted. For example, within hours of Johnson’s election, CNN investigative reporters Andrew Kaczynski and Allison Gordon published a piece provocatively titled: “New speaker of the House Mike Johnson once wrote in support of the criminalization of gay sex.” According to the reporters, Johnson once supported an amendment to Louisiana’s constitution that defined marriage between a man and a woman.

Read more at: harbingersdaily.com

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) pounded terrorist targets inside northern Gaza hard on Friday night with missiles, artillery fire, and a much larger insertion of ground forces into the area than the forces that temporarily entered in recent nights in limited raids.

“We have not seen anything like this over the past 21 days,” Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst said. “We understand Israeli forces are entering the Gaza Strip in what is being described as an expanded raid. The artillery units along the border are also very active tonight.”

As Yingst spoke in multiple videos posted to his X account, multiple explosions could be heard in the background, including munitions that were hitting targets and the sound of large artillery pieces being fired.

“In recent hours we have increased the attacks in Gaza,” the IDF said in a statement. “The Air Force widely attacks underground targets and terrorist infrastructure, very significantly. In continuation of the offensive activity we carried out in the last few days, the ground forces are expanding the ground activity this evening.”

The Times of Israel identified a video from a local publication that showed the intensity of the airstrikes being carried out inside Gaza.

U.S. and Israeli officials reportedly told ABC News that even though there has been markedly increased military operations on Friday night, this is not the major ground offensive that Israel is expected to launch inside Gaza.

Read more at: dailywire.com