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

Civil society in the U.S. is a "dead man walking" – Public life in the U.S. is a series of chaotic, irrational, violent events, increasingly inhospitable to any attempt at rational discourse. And no clear solution is in sight. Indeed, on its current trajectory, civic life in the U.S. is a dead society walking.
https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2026/01/02/civil-society-in-the-u-s-is-a-dead-man-walking/

'Children Do Not Belong to the Government': Federal Judge Smacks Down California Gender Secrecy Policies – California public schools can no longer deceive parents or force teachers to keep parents in the dark about their child's gender confusion, after a federal court declared the practice to be unconstitutional.
https://cbn.com/news/us/children-do-not-belong-government-federal-judge-smacks-down-ca-gender-secrecy-policies

Abortion was leading cause of death worldwide in 2025 – More than 73 million abortions were performed worldwide in 2025, making abortion the leading cause of death last year. The figure draws on World Health Organization estimates compiled by the global data-tracking platform Worldometers. In the United States, Worldometers estimates between 1,500 and 2,500 abortions are performed each day.
https://christiantoday.com/news/abortion-was-leading-cause-of-death-worldwide-in-2025

Banning Public Prayer in Quebec – The prohibition against public prayer looms on the horizon in the struggle over religious freedom in the Western world. In Quebec it may be expanded by secularists from 'bubbles' around abortion facilities to public places generally.
https://juicyecumenism.com/2026/01/02/banning-public-prayer-in-quebec/

When Europe’s churches burn – The larger issue raised by the destruction [of an historic church in Amsterdam] is not only one of vandalism or civic disorder, but a philosophical one, whether Europe still understands what it is losing when its Christian inheritance is allowed to burn, literally and symbolically. The fate of churches is rarely only about buildings. It is an indicator of the health of the communities that once built them, sustained them, and believed in God.
https://thecatholicherald.com/article/when-europes-churches-burn

Why Are European Monarchs Turning Their Backs On Christianity? The modern European monarch has attempted an impossible balancing act: to retain the mystique, continuity, and reverence of a pre-democratic institution while fully and obediently internalising the egalitarian, relativistic assumptions of late-stage liberalism.
https://europeanconservative.com/articles/commentary/why-are-european-monarchs-turning-their-backs-on-christianity/

The Average Cost to Kill a Baby in an Abortion in America is $649 – In 2025, the average cost of a first-trimester abortion rose from $605 to $649 – the highest average cost ever documented, and the largest increase overall ($44), in the last ten years.
https://www.lifenews.com/2025/12/30/the-average-cost-to-kill-a-baby-in-an-abortion-in-america-is-649/

Christians Against Poverty launch post-Christmas debt campaign – Debt-relief charity Christians Against Poverty has warned that many people in Britain will “be facing a frightening financial reality” after the last few weeks of Christmas spending on top of rising bills.
https://christiantoday.com/news/christians-against-poverty-launch-post-christmas-debt-campaign

Tattoos Affect the Immune System in Ways We’re Only Beginning to Understand – Tattoos are generally considered safe, but growing scientific evidence suggests tattoo inks are not biologically inert. The key question is no longer whether tattoos introduce foreign substances into the body, but how toxic those substances might be and what that means for long-term health.
https://www.sciencealert.com/tattoos-affect-your-immune-system-in-ways-were-only-beginning-to-understand