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USCIRF 2026 Annual Report: Key Nations Continue Religious Persecution

China arrests underground church members, mob violence is on the rise in India and Pakistan leading to attacks on religious minorities and the destruction of their homes, Burma’s military bombs houses of worship, and Tajikistan denies parents the right to teach their children about faith, according to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom‘s (USCIRF) 2026 Annual Report.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, US Agency 2025 Report: 35 Countries Continue to Repress Religious Freedom ]

“As USCIRF’s Annual Report shows, far too many people in key nations are denied religious freedom through unjust laws, discrimination, harassment, violence, and even crimes against humanity,” says USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler.

CIA: Studies in AI and Human Intelligence

Among the articles in the unclassified version of the CIA’s journal, Studies in Intelligence (Vol. 70, No. 1, March 2026) is one titled, “Espionage in Our AI Future: Why Human Intelligence Still Matters.”

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of THREAT ANALYSIS ]

In it, the author, a former CIA case officer (CO) in Latin America, says, “While AI [artificial intelligence] will transform HUMINT [human intelligence] (along with most everything else), this, our oldest form of intelligence collection, will in fact grow in importance. For one thing, as AI makes high-quality technical collection cheaper and more accessible, it thereby boosts HUMINT’s value on the margin. AI will supercharge disinformation and fabrication—and that makes HUMINT’s ability to build and test source reliability over time, and corroborate technical collection, more important than ever. And as AI undermines the security of electronic communications, tradecraft techniques which COs have used for millennia—such as dead drops and brush passes—will find new relevance…”

By semperverus
Posted on 03/27/202605/21/2026

Self-Defense Body Armor for Spiritual Warfare

For the Christian, self-defense is not limited to warding off physical threats only; it includes the tactical necessity for acute and discerning situational awareness to thwart personal temptations and spiritual attacks.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Free Online Educational Resources to Grow Your Spiritual Knowledge ]

The pastor of Ada Bible Church, in Grand Rapids, MI, Aaron Buer, preached the 4-part sermon series titled The Armor of God, which examines each element of the Roman armor and weapon that the Apostle Paul used as a metaphor for the defensive and offensive tools Christians require when battling against spiritual forces. (An earlier series explained the reality and nature of spiritual warfare in our daily lives; attacks to our soul coming from three directions: the devil, the world, and our own nature.)

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of the BIBLE ]

Watch each of the videos below to more completely understand the protective biblical body armor God tells us to put on every day.

‘Where To Shoot’ App Helps Find Ranges Nationwide

NSSF^®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, has relaunched its improved free Where To Shoot mobile app—available for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices—giving target shooters, hunters, outdoor enthusiasts, self-defenders, and church security teams convenient access to the most comprehensive directory of American shooting ranges.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, What to Take to the Shooting Range—Including a Prayer ]

The refreshed Where To Shoot app introduces a streamlined design and enhanced search tools that let users quickly find shooting facilities wherever they are — whether at home or on the road.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Firearms Training: A Directory of Shooting Drills ]

Key features include:

By semperverus
Posted on 03/12/202605/23/2026

The Biblical Case for Being a Christian AND a Warrior

In his Bible study article, Can You Be a Christian and a Warrior at the Same Time?, Keith Graves of
Christian Warrior Training, makes the biblical case why followers of Jesus can serve in a profession that may require force, such as police officers and church security volunteers.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Interview with Keith Graves of Christian Warrior Training ]

He says, “The New Testament does not avoid men who carried weapons or operated under authority. It speaks directly to them, and it does so without treating their profession as automatically sinful.”

[ Read the SemperVerus article, The Biblical Case Why Every Church Needs Armed Security ]

Excerpts from the article are below: