Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Persecution

Xi Jinping Ramps Up Religious Persecution - National Review 
The National Review reports: "Over the past decade, rash optimism that China was finally moving past the era of former Communist dictator Mao Tse-tung’s influence has given way to president Xi Jinping’s reconsolidating his power. One of the major ways he’s done that: persecuting religious believers. [...] Chinese policy dictates that anyone holding religious activities outside of a church will be arrested. That means no church camps, no Bible studies, no youth groups, no orphanages, no Church-run health clinics, and since 2017, police have begun disrupting funerals for any faith, including native Taoists, Catholic News Agency reported."

Comment: It's very hard to grasp the scale of repression that is possible in China. Modern technology has created the tools for massive surveillance and enforcement of a police state that we in the West can scarcely imagine.  Our notions of privacy, personal rights and freedom of religion simply don't exist. Please join me in praying for the persecuted church in China, that they will endure persecution with perseverance, faith and the kind of love that wins over their oppressors.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Wickedness Inceases

California police ID accused gunman in Bay Area shooting attack
UPI reports: "The gunfire erupted Sunday at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, an annual fixture on the city's summer calendar. The three dead were the boy, identified by his family as Steven Romero, a 13-year-old girl and a man in his 20s, neither of whom have been identified. Gilroy is located 30 miles southeast of San Jose and 70 miles southeast of San Francisco. Gilroy police Chief Scot Smithee identified the shooter as 19-year-old Santino William Legan, a native of Gilroy, during a news conference Monday."

Comment: It's only Monday and here's another mass shooting. The week is not off to a great start. I bet if you look at the life of the shooter you will find that he comes from a broken life. The only answer to the despair, anger and violence in the heart of people is Jesus. 

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Rumors of War - Kings of the East

China blames United States for escalating military competition
UPI reports: "China claimed in its defense white paper published Wednesday the United States is 'undermining global stability.' The criticism of U.S. policy comes at a time when China has stepped up drills in the Taiwan Strait and has slammed the United States for sending military ships to the South China Sea, a vast body of water Beijing has claimed as its own. [...] The paper is the first defense policy document of its kind that has been published since Chinese President Xi Jinping began to rule without term limits in 2017, according to CNN."

Comment: I've long maintained that the U.S. and China need not be enemies, but a belligerent attitude by both with guarantee conflict in the future.   

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Rumors of War - Persia

Iran's poking at West heightens risks of military missteps
AP reports: "Rather than tangle with a stronger U.S. military, Iran is poking and prodding its Western antagonists in ways apparently designed to avoid triggering war but that nonetheless seem to heighten the risk of missteps and miscalculation that could lead to an armed conflict with global consequences."

Comment: I don't think anyone should underestimate the potential for this to spiral out of control.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Rumors of War - Persia

Trump says U.S. Navy 'destroyed' Iranian drone in Strait of Hormuz - Reuters
Reuters reports: "President Donald Trump said on Thursday that a U.S. Navy ship had 'destroyed' an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz after the aircraft threatened the ship, in the latest incident in the Gulf. Trump told an event in the White House that the drone had flown to within 1,000 yards (meters) of the USS Boxer."

Comment: This is becoming a shooting war. Fortunately, this time it's just unmanned drones...so far. Pray for peace. 

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Pestilence

Hundreds of people dead from dengue, Philippine authorities say:
UPI reports: "More than 450 people have died in the Philippines of dengue, a viral disease that has affected a region of more than 20 million people. Philippine health authorities this week issued a 'national dengue alert' as cases have nearly doubled from same time last year, CNN reported Tuesday. About 100,000 dengue cases have been reported in the Philippines in the first six months of 2019, up 85 percent from 2018, according to the report."

Comment: This is interesting as I don't think of the Philippines when I think of dengue outbreaks. I'm sure you agree, it's Africa that we tend to think of as the primary site of dengue outbreaks. I hope they get it under control.

Monday, July 08, 2019

Gospel Preached to All Nations

Bible shortage? Publishers say tariffs could cause it
The AP reports: "Religious publishers say President Donald Trump’s most recent proposed tariffs on Chinese imports could result in a Bible shortage. That’s because millions of Bibles — some estimates put it at 150 million or more — are printed in China each year. Critics of a proposed tariff say it would make the Bible more expensive for consumers and hurt the evangelism efforts [...] Biblica, the International Bible Society, is a charitable religious organization that gives away Bibles to people in 55 countries. China represents 72% of the group’s investment in Bible publishing, according to Biblica President and CEO Geof Morin. A Bible tariff would 'dramatically affect the number of Bibles we are able to print and give away, impacting the religious freedom of individuals in countries where Bible access is limited and often nonexistent,' Morin said in testimony to the Trade Representative, according to a transcript he provided."

Comment: This is an article that really surprised me.  I had no idea that the majority of Bibles were printed in China. Did no one ever stop to consider the notion that closing domestic printing houses and relocating to China, a country that is hostile to Christianity, would be a bad idea? Still, this report does have some good stats on Bible sales and if you ever need to back up an argument in which you say that Bible is still the bestselling book in the U.S., this report has some good stats for you.

Sunday, July 07, 2019

Earthquakes

7.1-magnitude earthquake rattles southern California - UPI.com
UPI reports: " A 7.1-magnitude earthquake has hit Southern California, marking a second big quake since Thursday. [...] Similar to Thursday's quake, it was centered in the Mojave Desert near Ridgecrest, Calif., though it was a little bit farther away from Los Angeles, and it was the the largest to hit the area in 20 years."

Comment: Ok, this was a bit surreal. I was slow to realize that the news alerts I was receiving on my phone were about a second big earthquake. I would note that this is a holiday weekend in the States and I was more disconnected from the news than I normally would be.  So, I'm breaking my custom of stepping away from online news and social media on Sunday to take note (belatedly) of this second and very large earthquake in Southern California. Does it portend The Big One?

Friday, July 05, 2019

Earthquakes

6.4-magnitude earthquake shakes Southern California - UPI.com
UPI reports: "A 6.4-magnitude earthquake shook Southern California on Thursday morning in the Mojave Desert about 120 miles from Los Angeles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. [...] The earthquake was the largest to hit Southern California since 1999, when a 7.1-magnitude quake hit the Mojave Desert."

Comment: I've been reading reports that suggest this may be a precursor to the "big one" that is certain to hit sometime in the next 50-100 years.  I wonder if Californians are really prepared?