You're listening to Breakpoint this week, where we're talking about the top stories of the week from a Christian perspective.

Today we're going to talk about some international stories, including the return of many Israeli hostages and a crackdown on the Christian church in China.

We're also going to talk about Bible sales being up in the U.S. is a revival happening. We have a lot to get to

this week. We're so glad you're with us. Stick around. Welcome to Breakpoint this week.

From the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, I'm Maria Bear, alongside John Stone Street,

president of the Colston Center. John, this week, you maybe like I have, have probably been

seeing these videos of hostages being returned from Israel and welcomed back into the arms

of their families and communities in Israel. As we know, last weekend, President Trump and several

other global leaders negotiated this agreement between Israel and Hamas, which seems pretty tenuous at the moment because we're getting some really troubling news out of Gaza, for example, of Hamas militants performing public executions in the street. And there's apparently arguing amongst rival factions there.

But we do know we're watching these videos of the hostages returning to their family,

some of them after two full years.

And it is incredibly impactful.

Have you seen these?

I have.

They're absolutely stunning.

And it is like a terrible juxtaposition against the videos also that have been circulating of public executions by Amos and Palestine.

And, you know, it just kind of underscores how any kind of vision of moral equivalence that was oftentimes communicated in the last two years, that both sides are equally guilty or calling this a war

that Israel is waging in Gaza as if they had started it. I mean, all of that sort of stuff,

I think, gets undermined when you see the contrast between how each side is addressing

the end of the conflict. It's just such a stark contrast,

but it really has been since the very beginning.

It's really clear how this started.

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