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

How Big Is ‘The God Gap’ On College Campuses? It’s the most important feature of American religion and politics that I wish more people understood: The God Gap. Among college students who report that they NEVER attend religious services, 33% report that they are “very liberal,” and nearly the same share (32%) indicate that they are “somewhat liberal.” If you throw in the “slightly liberal” portion, you get two-thirds of never attenders on the liberal side of the spectrum. In contrast, conservatives make up 10% of the never attenders.
https://religionunplugged.com/news/how-big-is-the-god-gap-on-college-campuses

Up to 25 percent of U.S. colleges may close soon, Brandeis president warns – Higher education is approaching a period of profound disruption, and many colleges may not survive, Arthur Levine, the newly appointed president of Brandeis University, said during a recent event. Levine estimated that between 20 and 25 percent of colleges will close in the coming years, while community colleges and regional universities move increasingly online.
https://www.thecollegefix.com/up-to-25-percent-of-u-s-colleges-may-close-soon-brandeis-president-warns/

Britain Targets Jewish Circumcision, Labels Ancient Covenant a Potential 'Crime' – A leaked draft document from Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service has ignited outrage across Jewish and Muslim communities by classifying male circumcision as a potential form of child abuse. The guidance, which places the millennia-old covenant of brit milah alongside virginity testing, hymen reconstruction surgery, and exorcism rituals, represents the latest assault on religious freedom in a nation where traditional faith practices face mounting legal scrutiny. For Jews, this is not an administrative matter of medical regulation. This strikes at the heart of Jewish identity itself. The document from the Crown Prosecution Service on “honor-based abuse, forced marriages and harmful practices” states that unlike female genital mutilation, “there is not a specific criminal offense of carrying out male circumcision.” But then it adds the damning qualifier: “However, this can be a painful and harmful practice, if carried out incorrectly or in inappropriate circumstances. It may be a form of child abuse or an offense against the person.” Jewish leaders do not dispute that negligence or malpractice must be addressed. What they reject is the implication that the religious act itself is suspect.
https://israel365news.com/415297/britain-targets-jewish-circumcision-labels-ancient-covenant-a-potential-crime/

Entitlement fraud costs taxpayers billions ... or trillions – Since 2020, fraudsters have scammed at least $36 billion and as much as $3 trillion in tax money from federal entitlement programs, dwarfing the amount federal prosecutors claim was stolen in Minnesota’s federal food aid scandal, an investigation by The Center Square found. The Center Square reviewed all the statements about entitlement fraud cases issued by the U.S. Department of Justice from 2020 to last year, which did not include many of the cases prosecuted by U.S. Attorney’s offices in the various districts and any state prosecutions. Public safety net programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid lost billions of dollars to scams each year, according to a review of 2,500 DOJ statements, press releases, and fact sheets. The amount ranged from $2.7 billion in 2022 to $14.5 billion in 2025.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_5ec4cab8-d1df-4785-86bb-eb0a6688d3e8.html

ATF Data Shows The Number of Guns in Americans’ Hands Now Tops Half a Billion – Key findings for public release showed: The estimated total number of firearms in civilian possession from 1990–2023 is 506.1 million...
https://www.shootingnewsweekly.com/atf/atf-data-shows-the-number-of-guns-in-americans-hands-now-tops-half-a-billion/

The Exodus Explored (Part 2): The Israelites Leave Egypt and Conquer the Promised Land – Physical and written evidence is abundant that the Israelites actually did depart from 400 years of slavery in Egypt and, after a long stint in the Sinai wilderness, arrive in the Promised Land, which was then known as Canaan, between 14th and 12th centuries. [video]
https://www.hillfaith.org/hillfaith/exodus-explored-the-israelites-leave-egypt-and-conquer-the-promised-land/

God’s "Spooks": Religion, Spying, and the Cold War – Since its inception, the CIA has used missionaries and other religious activists for intelligence and espionage work; it has used religion as an effective propaganda tool, and its agents have even posed as clergy.
https://churchlifejournal.nd.edu/articles/gods-spooks-religion-spying-and-the-cold-war/

Tiny improvements in sleep, nutrition and exercise could significantly extend lifespan, study suggests – The research sought to find the smallest possible lifestyle improvements that could measurably lengthen people's lifespans. The team linked the participants' documented habits to their theoretical overall longevity and health, as calculated using statistical modelling. They found that people who slept as little as five extra minutes daily, engaged in just two extra minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day, and added a half serving of vegetables per day tended to live significantly longer than the worst performers — meaning those whose sleep habits, exercise, and nutrition patterns put them in the bottom 5% of the overall cohort.
https://www.livescience.com/health/tiny-improvements-in-sleep-nutrition-and-exercise-could-significantly-extend-lifespan-study-suggests

Could the Campus 'Mindfulness' Fad Actually Be… Dangerous? What happens when colleges encourage students not to think? – For years, it has felt as though American higher education were approaching rock bottom. One of the newest "degrees-on-offer" suggests we may finally have arrived. As a religious practice within Buddhism— particularly in its Theravada and Zen traditions, so-called "mindfulness" meditation aims to cultivate an awareness of the present moment, calm the mind, and help one avoid being carried away by thoughts. The term often overlaps with self-help trends and spa treatments these days, especially on American campuses. The scientific literature identifies a wide range of negative effects associated with mindfulness meditation. Studies have documented adverse psychological, physical, and spiritual side effects, including depersonalization, psychosis, hallucinations, anxiety, increased seizure risk, disorganized speech, loss of appetite, and insomnia.
https://jamesgmartin.center/2026/01/the-mindfulness-degree/