Below are this week's Articles of Interest as compiled by Mr. Van Baker. This collection of articles is cultivated by Mr. Baker with the goal of highlighting some of the trends, upheavals, and things to watch for in our society. These articles are not necessarily the express views of the United Church of God, Mr. Baker, or me as the pastor, but they are informative of what is occurring in our nation and culture. In accordance with Christ's warning to correctly discern the times (Matthew 16:1-4), it is wise to be aware of what is going on around us. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dumber and dumber: Americans, young and old, are slipping – “Americans are getting dumber,” writes Chad Aldeman on The 74. Achievement peaked about a decade ago on “a wide range of national and international tests, grade levels and subject areas.” Since then, students — and adults – are doing worse. The pandemic made it worse, but the downward trend started years before lockdowns and zoom school. Scores have fallen faster for lower-performing students, he notes. Achievement gaps, which were narrowing, are growing, points out Nat Malkus of the American Enterprise Institute. In a new report, he writes that “external societal factors — not just school-related influences —are at play.”
https://www.joannejacobs.com/post/dumber-and-dumber-americans-young-and-old-are-slipping

Unprecedented Natural Disasters Are Striking Earth, What’s Really Going On? Have we become numb to the major natural disasters that are constantly happening all around us? Our planet has become less stable, and it is changing in unpredictable ways.
https://charismanews.com/news/unprecedented-natural-disasters-are-striking-earth-whats-really-going-on/

Nearly half the world hates Jews – Nearly half the world hates Jews – that is the stark message that emerges from the most comprehensive survey of global public opinion on the subject ever undertaken. Published on January 14, the results revealed that 46% of all adults in the world hold entrenched antisemitic views. “Antisemitism is nothing short of a global emergency,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, [Anti-Defamation League's] chief executive.
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-839326

Growth of Christianity in China May Have Come to an End – A recently published academic paper may imply that Christianity in China has stopped growing. “In 19 nationally representative surveys conducted since the early 2000s, the authors find no clear evidence that Christianity continues to grow as a share of China’s population,” said an academic paper... The fate of Christianity in China is consequential for our understanding of both religion in China and of Christianity in a global context. Given the vast population of China, any significant shifts could influence the global trajectory of Christianity." 
https://chinachristiandaily.com/news/world/2025-01-22/-growth-of-christianity-in-china-may-have-come-to-an-end-paper--14921

The story behind the red letters in your Bible – Millions of people read the New Testament printed with the words of Jesus in red. Most people do not realise that this is a fairly modern evangelical tradition. The idea was developed by a man called Louis Klopsch (1852-1910) who was born in Prussia.
https://www.christiantoday.com/article/the.story.behind.the.red.letters.in.your.bible/142595.htm

The Mystery of Biblical Giants, From Goliath to the Nephilim – Are giants just legends? The Bible offers surprising insights into their existence and spiritual symbolism.
https://www.ncregister.com/blog/shumaker-biblical-giants

Inside the alarming trend of 'cancer divorces' – Cassandra Kalpaxis has witnessed heartbreak and betrayal from every angle during her 14 years as a lawyer handling divorce cases. But one peculiar type of marriage breakdown continues to shock her – even though she has seen it happen many times before, and likely many times to come. The family law expert, 37, admits she never ceases to be amazed by the wives who walk into her office asking for a divorce after finding out they are dying.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-13790925/terminal-illness-cancer-divorce.html

"Stargate-AI" Has Huge Upside, but at What Risk? The announcement of the $500 billion Stargate-AI project— a collaboration between OpenAI, SoftBank, Oracle and MGX to construct advanced artificial intelligence datacenters in the United States — marks a significant milestone in technological advancement. While this initiative promises to bolster national competitiveness in AI, it also invites reflection on its deeper implications. Scripture often warns of humanity’s pursuit of knowledge and power without divine guidance. In Genesis 11:4b (NIV), the construction of the Tower of Babel was an endeavor by humanity to “make a name for ourselves,” leading to the people’s dispersion due to prideful ambition. Similarly, the rapid development of AI technologies, as seen in the Stargate-AI project, is a modern parallel in which the quest for technological supremacy may lead humanity to overstep its bounds.
https://charismanews.com/news/stargate-ai-has-huge-upside-but-at-what-risk/

End-Times Technology? Scientists are promising us that nanotechnology has the potential to make all of our lives much better. But there have been other developments in this field that are rather ominous. For example, a team of researchers in South Korea has discovered a way to use nanoparticles to "control" the minds of mice.
https://charismanews.com/news/end-times-technology-scientists-discover-how-to-control-minds-with-nanoparticles/