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

The biblical backstory of Iran – The word “Iran” does not appear in the Bible, but the names of preceding peoples and empires occupying that land today are written into the biblical narrative. This is the story...
https://www.christiantoday.com/news/the-biblical-backstory-of-iran

Quebec passes expanded secularism law targeting public prayer – The Quebec government adopted legislation on Thursday [4/2] that puts limits on praying in public and extends a ban on wearing religious symbols to daycare workers. Bill 9, titled An Act respecting the reinforcement of laicity in Quebec, builds on two previous laws passed under Premier François Legault. Jean-François Roberge, Quebec's minister responsible for secularism, said when he tabled the bill last fall that it was an attempt to ensure the "religious neutrality of the state" and "equality for all citizens."
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-secularism-bill-9.7151637

"Young and glum" in the Anglosphere – Young people are happier now than 20 years ago in a majority of countries, but not in North America or Western Europe, according to the report.
https://www.joannejacobs.com/post/young-and-glum-in-the-anglosphere

"Luxurious Scripture" Is On the Rise – Blake Musick’s first Bible, given to him as a child by his parents, was a hardback King James Version with an illustration of Jesus teaching some children on the cover. His second was a large-print edition, acquired as a teenager, with a thick zippered cover to protect it as he carried it to church. He acquired his 70th Bible, give or take, in February, an English Standard Version bound in soft brown cowhide with a sticker price of $299.99, scooped up for $200 secondhand on Facebook. Mr. Musick, a pharmacist in Johnson City, Tenn., is among a growing number of Americans buying high-end — and high-priced — copies of the Bible.
https://dnyuz.com/2026/04/05/400-bibles-luxurious-scripture-is-on-the-rise/

What a sunken ship reveals about ancient Israel – Divers working in the shallow waters of the Dor Lagoon, on Israel’s Carmel Coast, pulled something remarkable from the seabed: nine iron masses, each weighing between five and ten kilograms, encrusted with shells and sand, looking for all the world like ordinary rocks. They were anything but. These artifacts, just published in the journal Heritage Science, are changing what archaeologists thought they knew about Iron Age metallurgy and trade. And they carry implications that reach directly into the biblical world.
https://israel365news.com/417154/iron-blooms-from-the-deep-what-a-sunken-ship-reveals-about-ancient-israel/

God and bitcoin: Why some Christians are going all in on cryptocurrency – From churches allowing congregants to tithe with digital coins to blogs promoting bitcoin as "biblically sound," there’s an emerging Christian crypto subculture.
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/crypto/god-bitcoin-christians-pitch-crypto-church-rcna264787

Just a Few Breathless Minutes a Day Could Slash Your Risk of 8 Major Diseases – Spending just a few minutes each day doing vigorous physical activity may significantly reduce the risk of developing eight major diseases, including arthritis, heart disease, and dementia, according to research published in the European Heart Journal on March 30. To investigate this, researchers analyzed data from nearly 96,000 people.
https://scitechdaily.com/just-a-few-breathless-minutes-a-day-could-slash-your-risk-of-8-major-diseases/

Tattoos Affect Your Immune System in Ways We're Just Beginning to Understand – From minimalist wrist designs to full sleeves, body art has become so common that it barely raises an eyebrow. But while the personal meaning of a tattoo may be obvious, the biological consequences are far less visible. Once tattoo ink enters the body, it does not stay put. Beneath the skin, tattoo pigments interact with the immune system in ways scientists are only just 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-just-beginning-to-understand