Tuesday, April 11, 2023
Daily Headlines on contemporary issues that impact a Biblical Christian worldview.
“Youngkin Signs Bill Ensuring Equal Status for Virginia Churches”…
“On Sunday March 26, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) signed HB 2171into law. This new statute ensures that houses of worship are not subject to unequal restrictions compared to those placed on other businesses, organizations, and activities in the commonwealth of Virginia.
In sharp contrast to the limit of 10 people imposed on “non-essential” gatherings such as churches by then-Governor Ralph Northam during the COVID-19 pandemic, the new statute aims to ensure that all businesses, religious and nonreligious alike, will be subject to the same restrictions should a future emergency arise.”
“Nearly half of gen z identifies as non-religious, new study finds”…
“The study revealed the religious differences between five generations — Silent, Baby Boomer, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z — noting that the largest difference could be found in Gen Z, according to Ryan P. Burge, a professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University. Gen Z respondents that identified as non-religious increased by 3%, bringing the total to 48% of young Americans born after 1996.
Gen Z was the largest group to indicate no religious affiliation at 31%, with Millennials coming in second at 28%, according to the study. Overall, the number of those who identified as non-religious in all generations did not change from 2021 to 2022.”
“A shrinking number of churchgoers are participating in small groups: survey”…
“A report released last month by Lifeway Research based on interviews with 1,000 Protestant pastors between Sept. 6-30, 2022, found that just 44% of churchgoers were engaged in a small group at their congregation in 2022. This represents a decline in the share of churchgoers who participated in small groups in 2010 (49%) and 2008 (50%).
The survey attributed the drop in participation in small groups to the coronavirus pandemic: “As churches continue ministry in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, many are finding it increasingly difficult to grow their small groups.”
“Drag queens crash CMT awards performance after drag was banned in the country music capital”…
“In a moving performance Sunday night packed with symbolism, country music star Kelsea Ballerini sang her hit track “If You Go Down, I’m Goin’ Down Too” at the CMT Music Awards with a quartet of drag queens marching by her side.
RuPauls’ Drag Race alumni Manila Luzon, Jan Sport, Kennedy Davenport, and Olivia Lux joined Ballerini on stage for the candy-colored, 60s-themed performance on CBS. RuPauls’ Drag Race airs on sister network MTV.”
“Crime: Most Voters Say It’s Getting Worse”…
“A majority of voters continue to believe America’s crime problem is getting worse, even as President Joe Biden’s rating on the issue improves.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 60% of Likely U.S. voters believe violent crime in America is getting worse – almost unchanged from 62% last October.
Eighteen percent (18%) think the crime problem is getting better, while 21% see it as staying about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)”
“Nearly 200 churches sue to leave liberal United Methodist body and keep property amid split over sexuality”…
“Nearly 200 United Methodist churches in Georgia filed a lawsuit last week against their own denomination’s regional body after they were temporarily halted from disaffiliating, marking another escalation in tensions among mainline Protestants over issues of sexuality and church authority.
The lawsuit filed by 186 Methodist churches in the UMC North Georgia Conference is the latest step in the contentious schism fracturing the second-largest Protestant denomination in the U.S. in recent years as generally conservative local congregations seek to break away from the liberal mainline denomination, according to UM News.”
“199 Catholic clergy, administrators outed as sexual predators in Maryland AG report”…
“Nearly 200 Baltimore Catholic clergy members and administrators were exposed Wednesday as sexual predators as part of a sweeping four-year investigation by the Maryland attorney general.
The “Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore” — released during Holy Week and just four days before Easter — describes how the religious leaders used their authority and trust to sexually abuse more than 600 children over the past 80 years, a corruption that was covered up by the church.
“This Report illustrates the depraved, systemic failure of the Archdiocese to protect the most vulnerable — the children it was charged to keep safe,” AG Anthony Brown said in a statement.”
Author – Jeff Hilles | BCWorldview.org
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