Rally for Israel to be held in Washington, D.C.
The Jewish community and Christians around the US are being encouraged to participate in an upcoming rally. The March for Israel, will be held on November 14th in Washington, D.C. The event is being sponsored by the Jewish Federation of North America and the conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. The march will focus on demonstrations in support of Israel and three main topics for that day: Demonstrators are being asked to unite in calls for the release of 240 hostages taken by Hamas, combatting Anti-Semitism, and asking Congress and the Biden Administration to be bolder in their support of Israel. A bipartisan group of politicians recently held a candlelight vigil on the Capitol steps in support of Israel. The Hamas attack on October 7th killed over one thousand people, including 33 Americans. Only a handful of the 240 hostages have so far been released. The march is expected to draw a large crowd; SNBC News will give an update on the March for Israel in our next broadcast.
New U.S. Speaker of the House takes stand for faith
Among the politicians who participated in the candlelight vigil for Israel was Mike Johnson, the new Speaker of the US House of Representatives. Johnson is making waves for his strong statement of faith. His stance and strong references to the Word of God has made headlines since his election. The new Speaker, describing himself as a Bible-believing Christian, continues to navigate the media by directing them to the Word of God as he responds to their questions. Johnson says he believes God called him to this position and plans to work for all Americans. In his first speech, he encouraged his fellow lawmakers to realize they were put in their positions for a purpose. Representative Greg Steube says Johnson looks to his faith for guidance and that is exactly what America needs right now.
UK politician reinstated following suspension for stand for faith
A politician in the United Kingdom has been restored to his office following a suspension. King Lawal was suspended as a community representative following comments on social media. Lawal was suspended and removed from several organizations after he criticized gay pride events. The politician says he was frustrated after seeing people celebrate gay pride month in June and decided to speak out. Lawal commented on social media that pride in anything, especially what God calls sin is nothing to be proud of; he also encouraged people to turn to Jesus Christ and repent of their sins. Following the post, the politician was removed from several positions. Attorneys for Christan Legal Centre represented Lawal. Attorneys working on the case called it clear discrimination. Mr. Lawal was later reinstated following legal action from his attorneys. Following the reinstatement, the politician warned other Christians who hold public office to be concerned about his persecution and take a stand, so this won’t happen to anyone else.
SNBC Health Report: Researchers suggest laughter and humor are genetically built-in, and that humor, historically, has functioned as “a social glue.”
As noted by Danish comedian Victor Borge, “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people,” meaning, “People feel closest to one another when they can laugh together.” Real, involuntary laughter involves brain mechanisms and triggers unexpected sensations and thoughts. When you laugh, your entire body may be affected, from your facial expressions and breathing patterns to the muscles in your arms and legs. Robert Provine, Ph.D., has been studying laughter for 20 years. His research suggests the critical laughter trigger for most people is not necessarily a joke or funny movie, but rather another person. So, what do scientific investigations reveal about the health effects of laughter? As you might suspect, it’s good for your heart and cardiovascular health. In a cross-sectional study of cardiovascular disease among more than 20,000 Japanese seniors published in 2016, they found that the prevalence of heart disease among those who rarely or never laughed was 21% higher, on average, than among those who laughed every day. The prevalence ratio for stroke was even higher — a whopping 60%. The results suggest that “daily frequency of laughter is associated with lower prevalence of cardiovascular disease, and evidence supports that laughter and humor are therapeutic allies in healing. —as we already know, because “a merry heart does good like a medicine.” - Proverbs 17:22.The Mayo Clinic and an information pamphlet by the University of Kentucky cite even more specifics, pointing out researched benefits of laughter include Improved blood pressure, lower levels of stress hormones, strengthened immune function, muscle relaxation, pain reduction, improved brain function, including the ability to retain more information, improved oxygenation, reduced risk of heart attack, abdominal, facial, and back muscle conditioning, and improved emotional health and energy levels. So, if you want improved health, try finding something to laugh at!