Bible – The Faithful Watchman

Gavin Newsom Runs Abortion Billboards Saying Killing Babies is “Loving Your Neighbor”

Micaiah Bilger – September 15, 2022

California Gov. Gavin Newsom quoted a well-known Bible verse about “loving your neighbor” to promote the killing of unborn babies in abortions this week in a new ad campaign targeting pro-life states.

On billboards going up in Mississippi and Oklahoma, the Democrat governor asserts that California is demonstrating Christian love by helping women abort their unborn babies and using tax dollars to pay for them.

“Want an abortion? California is ready to help,” one billboard states. Beneath the words are the Bible verse Mark 12:21: “Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment than these.” It also advertises a new, taxpayer-funded California government website that promotes abortions.

Newsom’s election campaign is paying for pro-abortion billboards in seven states that protect unborn babies from abortion, the governor announced Thursday. They are Texas, Indiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota and Oklahoma.

He admitted that his goal is to encourage women to come to California to abort their unborn babies.

“Just launched billboards in 7 of the most restrictive anti-abortion states that explain how women can access care–no matter where they live,” the governor wrote on Twitter. “To any woman seeking an abortion in these anti-freedom states: CA will defend your right to make decisions about your own health.”

https://www.lifenews.com

North Korea: Christians arrested, martyred in secret worship gathering

Lindy Lowry – March 28, 2022

We have received urgent news through our contacts that there has been a massive sweep against underground Christians in North Korea.

While we can’t disclose the region’s name for security reasons, we can report that security guards broke into a place where several dozen Christians were gathered for a secret worship meeting. The guards arrested all of them and then executed every secret believer in the room.

The information we have suggests that the time and place of the worship meeting was leaked to authorities—it was only a matter of time before they were caught.

As is often the case in North Korea, the families of the North Korean believers will suffer as well. Our contact says that their families—exceeding 100 people—were also arrested and have been sent to political prison—where the inhumane conditions have been reported to be worse than those of the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II. Inmates are treated as animals, tortured and forced to do harsh labor with little food.

In North Korea, it is illegal to worship Jesus or have a Bible. For the last three decades, believers have been known and treated as “the hostile class.” Anything that gives people an alternative allegiance to the ruling Kim dynasty is deemed to be dangerous to the state. Christians must hide their faith, even from their own children.

As a result, Coming together to worship Jesus is a death warrant. And yet, as this report indicates, secret Christians are risking their lives to be part of a church or own a Bible. They’re facing death to worship Jesus, knowing that their only hope is in Him.

The words of North Korean believer and ex-prisoner Hae-Woo encourage us to pray with these families recently imprisoned and for all secret believers in North Korea. She now lives in South Korea.

https://www.opendoorsusa.org

Germany Prosecutes Christian Pastor For Biblical Stance on Homosexuality (Video)

Amy Mek – May 25, 2022

“While today this is about a view found in the Bible, tomorrow it will be about any other opinion.”

Evangelical Pastor Olaf Latzel has been acquitted of hate speech against homosexuals by a German court after they had previously found him guilty in 2020. The charges stem from statements the 54-year-old conservative pastor of the Bremen St. Martini congregation made during a November 2019 marriage seminar at his Church. A video of the seminar was posted months later on his Youtube channel and then deleted. The LGBTQ community accused him of sedition for speaking God’s word.

A court in Bremen, Germany, has previously condemned the pastor for hate speech against homosexuals in 2020. He was fined 8,100 euros and vowed to appeal the sentence.

The court said the pastor promoted hate against homosexuals and violated their dignity in the marriage seminar in which he addressed the activities of what he called the “homolobby.”

Speaking to around 30 couples, he said at one point: “All around walk the criminals of the Christopher Street Day [the Berlin Pride March]. All this gender crap is an attack against God’s order of creation; it is demonic and satanic”.

The pastor claimed that homosexuality is “a ‘degenerative form’ of society.” Latzel warned that the “whole gender crap is an attack on God’s order of creation.”

In the process, the defense of Latzel said these views were based on the Bible and referred to homosexuality and violent LGBT activists and not to homosexual people.

The judge dismissed it, considering that “the homosexual orientation of a person is a part of its personality.”

Latzel’s lawyer said the sentence is a “catastrophe.” He described it as “the opening of a door to restrict freedom of speech” and added that “while today this is about a view found in the Bible, tomorrow it will be about any other opinion.”

https://rairfoundation.com

American Bible Society survey finds ‘unprecedented drop’ in Bible reading

Ryan Foley – April 7, 2022

There has been an “unprecedented drop” in the number of Bible users in the United States since last year, according to a report released by the American Bible Society.

The 2022 State of the Bible report, released Wednesday, based its findings on responses collected from a survey of 2,598 U.S. adults conducted in January. The 12th annual report asked Americans a variety of questions about their Bible use and their thoughts on its role in society.

A preface to the report also highlights changes in the percentage of Bible users in the U.S. over time. The American Bible Society defines Bible users as “those who use the Bible at least 3-4 times each year on their own, outside of a church setting.”

After reaching a high of 53% in 2014, the share of Bible users among the U.S. adult population consistently remained between 48% and 51%. Just last year, 50% of Americans were Bible users. However, in 2022, Bible users in the U.S. accounted for just 39% of the adult population, the lowest in more than a decade.

The State of the Bible report described the 11% decrease as an “unprecedented drop in the percentage of Bible users in the United States.” When applied to the U.S. population as a whole, the figure suggests that the number of Bible users in the U.S. dropped from 128 million in 2021 to 103 million in 2022.

https://www.christianpost.com

China’s Communist Government Is Reportedly Rewriting the Bible and Calling Jesus a ‘Sinner.’ But That’s Not All…

Billy Hallowell – Febuary 17, 2022

VOM recently shared a reimagined version of the Bible’s revered story centered on Jesus’ love and corrective compassion for a woman caught in adultery.

“The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) announced plans to update the Bible to ‘keep pace with the times.’ The revisions will include adding ‘core socialist values’ and removing passages that do not reflect communist beliefs,” a VOM Facebook post read. “In a textbook for high school students released in September 2020, the authors included a passage from John 8, as revised in their new version.”

Before we explore the revised communist version, let’s look at John 8 as it stands in the genuine and authentic Bible.

As the famous forgiveness story goes, the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery before them and challenged Jesus, proclaiming, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”

The Bible notes that these Jewish leaders were “using this question as a trap” to accuse Jesus. Still, Christ started writing on the ground with his finger (it’s a mystery what he was writing) and then uttered some transformational words (verse 7): “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

After the people — clearly shaken by Jesus’ words — walked away, Christ and the woman were left standing together, and their exchange went as follows (NIV):

Christ: “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

Woman: “No one, sir.”

Christ: “Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”

The Chinese Communist Party, though, reportedly has a different vision for how this interaction unfolded — an anti-biblical, faux account that flies in the face of scriptural truth.

In the Chinese government’s new version — purportedly observed in a textbook published in September 2020 — the crowd disperses, but then the text states, “When everyone went out, Jesus stoned the woman himself, and said, ‘I am also a sinner.’”

https://www.faithwire.com

Global “Middle Finger to End Christianity” event to take place on August 12th

Ricky Scaparo – August 9,2021

(OPINION) ETH – No this is not a title from the Babylon Bee but an actual organized online event that is planned for this Thursday at 2 pm Eastern.

According to the description of the event posted on Facebook, Everyone will come together and “give a middle finger to the sky to end Christianity and create more Atheists”. It goes on to say it will also help fight the Global Prayer so “their sky daddy won’t snatch us up”

This shouldn’t be very shocking to anyone who knows the signs of the End Times as the bible describes humanity doing such things in the Book of Revelation:

“Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness, and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores and did not repent of their deeds”. – Revelation 16:10-11

“And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail since that plague was exceedingly great”. – Revelation 16:21

https://endtimeheadlines.org

Archaeologists astounded by tablet that ‘revealed first ever image of Tower of Babel’

Joel Day – August 4, 2021

ARCHAEOLOGISTS were astounded at being given unfettered access to a previously unseen site that revealed the “first ever image of the Tower of Babel”.

The Tower remains one of the most mysterious stories contained in the Bible. For years, whether or not the Tower was a real, physical thing was open for discussion. Many believed it was simply symbolic, acting as a message to the Bible’s dedicated followers.

Others claimed it was merely folklore or legend.

The fragile remains of the ancient city of Babylon, in modern day Iraq, have revealed many secrets; the greatest of all the discovery of a vast structure which ancient records suggest was the Tower of Babel.

These texts, as well as others found all around the Middle East – where Christianity originated – have given scholars some idea of what the building might have looked like.

Yet, none have given researchers a clear outline or description bound in solid imagery.

Things changed in 2017 when academics were given access to a privately owned tablet.

The artifact was explored during the Smithsonian Channel’s documentary, ‘Secrets: Tower of Babel’.

Here, the narrator said: “Inscribed on the tablet is an image that sensationally reveals exactly what the Tower of Babel looked like.”

Dr Andrew George, an expert in ancient texts at SOAS, University of London, said: “This is a very strong piece of evidence that the Tower of Babel story in the Bible was inspired by this real building.”

The remarkable tablet, which had never been filmed before, dates to the 6th century BCE, and was discovered in Babylon over a century ago.

Yet, no one had realized how important it was until Professor George was given the slab, and went on to decipher the inscriptions.

He explained: “At the top part there is a relief, depicting a step tower.

“And here, a great figure of a human being carrying a staff with a conical hat on.

“Below that relief is the text which has been chiseled into the monument, and the label is easily read: it reads, ‘The temple tower of the city of Babylon’.”

As the narrator noted: “This tablet provides the first-ever image of the real Tower of Babel.

https://www.express.co.uk

This Big Development in China Is Setting Up the World for the Mark of the Beast

Gordon Robertson – July 6, 2021

China is on the cusp of launching a digital currency that will give the communist regime total control over the Chinese people. MORE HERE. The move has huge implications for the rest of the world too, and CBN’s CEO Gordon Robertson says it’s setting us up for the fulfillment of End Times prophecy. Here’s his analysis as delivered on The 700 Club:

COMMENTARY

Have you ever wondered about the passage in the Bible about a government restricting the population so that you cannot buy or sell unless you have a particular mark? Well, China’s move toward a cashless society is the answer. This is where the entire world is literally being set up for that kind of government control.

The Chinese government is pushing ahead on many fronts to restrict what its population can and cannot do. They already restrict the right of assembly. They already restrict religious freedom. They certainly restrict political speech. And any speech that is critical of their government (and the way they run things) is definitely cracked down on.

All you have to do is look at what’s happened in Hong Kong over the past just two years and you get a very clear picture of where they’re going. But they want to control, and they’re doing it right now with social credit scoring where if you don’t score a particular way you’re not allowed to travel. That’s already in place.

But just imagine a government that if you step out of line they can now turn off all your money and do it instantly so you cannot buy or sell, you don’t have the right in the marketplace to participate anymore.

That’s what digital currency allows a government to do. And if you think it’s just going to happen in China think again. The Federal Reserve already has a study group looking at a digital currency for the United States.

https://www1.cbn.com

IRS Denies Tax-Exempt Status to Christian Non-Profit Saying ‘Bible Teachings’ Are Affiliated with Republican Beliefs

CBN News – June, 16, 2021

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) denied tax-exempt status to a Texas Christian non-profit last month, arguing it was not eligible for 501(c)(3) status in part because “Bible teachings are typically affiliated with the Republican party and candidates.”

Christians Engaged, an organization dedicated to educate and empower Christians to pray for the nation and elected officials, vote, and be civically engaged, was denied the tax exemption in a letter from IRS Exempt Organizations Director Stephen A. Martin.

First Liberty Institute, a religious rights law firm, is representing Christians Engaged and has appealed the IRS’s decision.

Christians Engaged incorporated in July 2019 as a Texas nonprofit corporation “formed exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, or scientific purposes.” From its religious perspective, the organization provides nonpartisan religious and civic education, focusing on encouraging and educating Christians to be engaged citizens as a part of their religious practice. Christians Engaged applied for tax-exempt status in late 2019.

On its website, the organization states it is educational, Christian, and non-partisan.

“Specifically, you educate Christians on what the Bible says in areas where they can be instrumental including the areas of the sanctity of life, the definition of marriage, biblical justice, freedom of speech, defense, and borders and immigration, U.S. and Israel relations,” Martin wrote. “The Bible teachings are typically affiliated with the Republican party and candidates. This disqualifies you from exemption under IRC Section 501(c)(3).”

In its administrative appeal letter to the IRS, First Liberty wrote, “By finding that Christians Engaged does not meet the operational test, Director Martin errs in three ways: 1) he invents a nonexistent requirement that exempt organizations be neutral on public policy issues; 2) he incorrectly concludes that Christians Engaged primarily serves private, nonexempt purposes rather than public, exempt purposes because he thinks its beliefs overlap with the Republican Party’s policy positions; and 3) he violates the First Amendment’s Free Speech, and Free Exercise, and Establishment clauses by engaging in both viewpoint discrimination and religious discrimination.”

Lea Patterson, counsel for First Liberty Institute, said the IRS has violated its own regulations.

https://www1.cbn.com