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

Attacking prayer reveals a deep societal crisis – The horrific shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis last month [8/27], where two precious children lost their lives during Mass and another 17 people were injured, should have united us in grief and solidarity. Instead, it sparked something far more troubling: A coordinated assault on the very concept of prayer itself. Within hours of the tragedy, prominent politicians and media figures launched vitriolic attacks against those offering “thoughts and prayers.” The attack on “thoughts and prayers” by liberal leaders in our country seems to reflect a deeper crisis plaguing Western society: The systematic attempt to remove God from public life. Mocking prayer is rejecting the very foundation of moral society itself and the bedrock that the United States was founded upon.
https://www.jns.org/attacking-prayer-reveals-a-deep-societal-crisis-that-must-be-fixed/

The Booming Longevity Industry Has 3 Major Problems, Experts Warn – The ancient Greeks told cautionary tales about life extension. Those who reached for immortality mostly found this came at a terrible cost. The mythical Tithonus, for example, was doomed to endless aging and decline after being granted eternal life without eternal youth. Fast-forward to today, the longevity industry has the backing of venture capital funds, celebrity investors, and pharmaceutical companies. But much of this money is being funneled into products and services with little or no evidence for how they actually improve health or lengthen lifespan.
https://www.sciencealert.com/the-booming-longevity-industry-has-3-major-problems-experts-warn

Pope Leo Reaffirms the Catholic Church Will Remain Catholic – For most of his papacy, the late Pope Francis waged war on traditionalists in the Catholic Church, much to the joy of the more progressive members of the clergy. So when Pope Leo XIV took over as head of the Catholic Church, traditional Catholics had hope that the long winter of the Francis years was over. And while Pope Leo XIV hasn’t made official moves on the Latin Mass yet, he has reaffirmed that the Catholic Church will, in fact, remain Catholic. Pope Leo XIV on why the Church won’t change it’s teaching on marriage, sexuality and gender: “I do understand that this is a very hot-button topic and that some people will make demands to say, “we want the recognition of gay marriage,” for example, or “we want recognition of… pic.twitter.com/VL6gkz8WZy — Catholic Sat (@CatholicSat) September 18, 2025
https://wcbm.com/national-headline/pope-leo-reaffirms-the-catholic-church-will-remain-catholic/

Medical experts urge Supreme Court to protect women’s sports from ‘transgender’ males in landmark case(s) – As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear two cases that may settle whether states are legally permitted to maintain the integrity of girls’ and women’s sports, medical experts have filed a brief urging the justices to allow states to protect female student athletes from being forced to compete with gender-confused males. They cite the unfairness and dangers of “prioritizing gender ideology over biology.”
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/medical-experts-urge-supreme-court-to-protect-womens-sports-from-transgender-males-in-landmark-case/

How Common Phrases Rooted in the Bible Can Encourage Bible Reading – An interesting aspect of hearing people use biblically based phrases is that they often don’t realize the phrases originated from the Bible. The primary reason is that Bible reading has declined over the past decades.
https://townhall.com/columnists/myrakahnadams/2025/09/21/a-quick-bible-study-vol-286-how-common-phrases-rooted-in-the-bible-can-encourage-bible-reading-n2663680

Biblical Balm from a Resurrected Seed – Scientists bring a thousand-year-old seed to life
https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/biblical-balm-from-a-resurrected-seed/

Archeological Discoveries That Confirm the Bible – Journey through stunning archaeological findings that align with the Bible in this 56-minute video from Answers in Genesis. From debates over worldviews shaping interpretations of history to artifacts like the Tel Dan inscription confirming King David’s existence and ancient scrolls predating the Dead Sea Scrolls, the evidence presented challenges secular timelines and highlights the reliability of Scripture.
https://stream.org/mind-blowing-archeological-discoveries-that-confirm-the-bible/

Type 2 Diabetes Risk Quadruples for Cannabis Users, Large Study Finds – A large study of more than 4 million adults has found that people who use cannabis face nearly four times the risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who don’t. The research, which followed participants for five years, raises fresh concerns about the long-term health effects of cannabis as its use becomes more common and socially accepted worldwide.
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/cannabis-use-quadruples-type-2-diabetes-risk-study