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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Political violence on the rise in the US: A timeline of key incidents – After prominent conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during a university event in Utah, the political sphere erupted in concerns over growing political violence in the United States. At least 300 incidents of political violence have taken place since the Jan. 6 [2021] riots at the Capitol
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/3444699/timeline-increasing-incidents-political-violence-in-the-us/

Murder, Torture, and Chaos: How Russia Reportedly Targets Evangelicals – Overall, at least 47 religious leaders have died, with claims of Russian soldiers killing and torturing Christian leaders. Christian heritage sites have also been caught up in the chaos and destroyed. It might come as a surprise that Christians have faced such horror, especially considering that the majority of Russians call themselves believers. But Colby Barrett [a film producer] said there are some elements that must be understood to properly frame the crisis. “The Russian Orthodox Church has actually declared this a Holy War against Ukraine and the West, including America,” he said. “They’ve made claims like, ‘If a Russian soldier dies on the battlefield and Ukraine, all his sins will be forgiven.'”
https://www.faithwire.com/2025/09/08/murder-torture-and-chaos-how-russia-reportedly-targets-evangelicals/

China bans online evangelization and ‘foreign collusion’ by clerics – The full scope of the new rules remains unclear. While the norms explicitly mention activities carried out through websites and apps — including popular messaging platforms like WeChat — the wording the regulations would appear to apply to all online communications, including email.
https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/china-bans-online-evangelization

Israel Unveils One of the World’s Largest Digital Archaeological Databases – The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) has launched a groundbreaking digital platform that promises to revolutionize archaeological research and public access to ancient heritage. The Israel National Archaeological Database, unveiled on September 9, represents one of the largest archaeological repositories in the world, containing nearly 4 million records that span millennia of human history in the Levant.
https://israel365news.com/412368/israel-unveils-one-of-the-worlds-largest-digital-archaeological-databases/

Historic Discovery Points to First Reference of Jesus Christ – Archaeology just continues to prove that Jesus’ fame spread wide and far long before modern-day Christianity. In a report by the Daily Mail, an archaeological find known as the “Jesus Cup” could potentially be the first ever reference point to Christ. The bowl, which was found off of the Egyptian coast in 2008, was found through an excavation of the ancient Alexandria’s harbor. As the Daily Mail noted, the bowl has been remarkably preserved, just missing a handle and has the Greek words, “Dia Chrstou O Goistais,” which means “Christ the chanter.” The artifact is believed by New Testament scholar Dr. Jeremiah Johnston to date back to the first century during the time period when Jesus was crucified.
https://mycharisma.com/news/historic-discovery-points-to-first-reference-of-jesus-christ/

Archaeology Proves King David a Historical Figure – The Tel Dan Stele [discovered in 1993; owned by the Israel Antiquities Authority] is one of the most significant discoveries made in biblical archaeology. Until its discovery, some academics questioned the validity of King David as a historical figure. For the first time in history, we have an inscription outside of the Bible that directly references the dynasty of David and confirms Old Testament accounts.
https://townhall.com/columnists/myrakahnadams/2025/09/14/a-quick-bible-study-vol-285-archaeology-proves-king-david-a-historical-figure-at-bible-museum-in-dc-n2663240

The Catholic history of praying for souls in purgatory – The practice of prayer for people who have already died sets Catholics apart from many other Christians. Catholics pray for those who have died in part because of the belief that their souls may be in purgatory, and the prayers and sacrifices of people on earth can help them get to heaven. But what is the history of that practice?
https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/the-catholic-history-of-praying-for

Meditation And Mindfulness Have a Dark Side We Don't Often Talk About – Since mindfulness is something you can practice at home for free, it often sounds like the perfect tonic for stress and mental health issues. Mindfulness is a type of Buddhist-based meditation in which you focus on being aware of what you're sensing, thinking, and feeling in the present moment. In the past eight years there has been a surge of scientific research in this area. These studies show that adverse effects are not rare.
https://www.sciencealert.com/meditation-and-mindfulness-have-a-dark-side-we-dont-often-talk-about

A Forgotten Cancer Is Rising in Young People, And Experts Are Puzzled – Appendix cancer is a condition that, until recently, was so rare that most people never gave it a second thought. For decades, it was the kind of disease that doctors might encounter only once or twice in a career, and it was almost always found in older adults. But now a surprising and concerning trend is emerging: appendix cancer is being diagnosed more often, and it's increasingly affecting people in their 30s, 40s and even younger. This shift has left many experts puzzled and searching for answers.
https://www.sciencealert.com/a-forgotten-cancer-is-rising-in-young-people-and-experts-are-puzzled