World News and Trends: Global declines in freedom
The world became less free in 2009, according to Freedom House, an independent watchdog organization that monitors the status of human freedom around the world.
The world became less free in 2009, according to Freedom House, an independent watchdog organization that monitors the status of human freedom around the world.
"For the fourth consecutive year, global declines in freedom outweighed gains in 2009, as measured by Freedom House's annual survey of political rights and civil liberties. This represents the longest continuous period of decline for global freedom in the nearly 40-year history of the report" (Freedom in the World 2010: Global Erosion of Freedom, Jan. 12, 2010, www.freedomhouse.org).
They found declines in freedom in 40 countries, including authoritarian states that became more repressive and setbacks in countries that had been trending more positively in recent years. The Middle East remains the most repressive region overall, and Africa showed the greatest declines in freedom.
The worst of the worst, ranked "not free," include nine countries and one territory: Burma (Myanmar), Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Tibet (ruled by China), Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Freedom is a precious commodity. Currently, only 46 percent of the world's population lives in countries ranked as "free." The Bible prizes true freedom. Jesus said to His disciples, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). When Jesus Christ returns to the earth, all human beings at last will know and bask in true freedom (compare Hebrews 8:10-12; Isaiah 11:9). But for now, in a world devoid of true freedom, watch your back!
An Article from:
Good News Magazine: March - April 2010
Course Content
Jerold Aust
Jerold Aust has served in the ministry for 52 years, as a public speaker for 58 years, a published writer for 38 years, and is employed by UCG’s Media and Communications Services. He is a Senior Writer, interviewer, and editor for Beyond Today Magazine and has taught Speech Communication for UCG’s ministerial online program and the Book of Revelation for ABC.
Jerold holds a BA in theology from Ambassador College, Pasadena (1968), an MA in Communication from California State University, Fullerton (1995), a distance-learning Ph.D (2006), and a Famous Writers School diploma in non-fiction writing (1973). Additionally, he studied post-grad communication at University of Southern California (1995), radio, TV, voice-overs, and Public Relations at Fullerton College (1995-1996), and graduate communication at Wichita State University (1978). Jerold has taught communication at the University of South Alabama (7 years) and ABC (17 years). His published works include, Ronald Reagan’s Rhetoric: Metaphor as Persuasion and EZSpeakers: Public Speaking Made Easy in 7 Steps. Jerold's overarching goal is to share with humankind its incredible destiny!
John Ross Schroeder
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
