Xi Jinping visits DC as Chinese AI wages “multi-front war” against US

0:00Good morning and welcome to the Daily Article Podcast from Denison Forum. It's Thursday, September 24th, 2026. This is an automated reading of today's Daily Article, authored by Dr. Jim Denison. Today's article is titled Xi Jinping Visit's DC as Chinese AI Wages, Multi-Front War against US. The Daily Article Podcast Geopolitics are dominating the headlines again today. Chinese President Xi Jinping was greeted yesterday by President Trump in Washington, DC, and will be welcomed to the White House today with a state dinner and a military flyover. His three-day visit comes at a time when a Chinese hacker deployed AI agents to steal hundreds of thousands of credit card details, and experts warn that Beijing's stealth AI operations constitute a multi-front war against America. Russia's recent sham elections may be followed by an even larger mobilization for total war against Ukraine.

1:01According to a federal indictment, Russia is staging a hybrid war against America and our allies as well. The Houthis, Iran's proxy threat in Yemen and the Red Sea region, are threatening Saudi Arabia's oil exports and the global economy. According to Ion Hirsi Ali, a brilliant geopolitical analyst and former Muslim, the rise of militant Islam in Europe threatens Jews, women and girls, ex-Muslims, and the future of democracy on the continent. However, it has always been the case that innocent people often suffer at the hands of the guilty. Cain's offering was unacceptable to God, but rather than repent and amend his behavior, he murdered the brother whose offering was welcomed by the Lord. Like Abel, many of the faithful were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword, and were destitute, afflicted, mistreated. You are paying higher prices at the gas pump because Iran wanted a nuclear weapon. Your journey through airport security is longer and more frustrating because terrorists want to weaponize airplanes.

2:03America spends more than $237 billion a year on law enforcement because criminals want to commit crimes. Of course, none of this surprises our Lord. But the fact that he knows all about innocent suffering is less than encouraging when he seems not to do something about it. His omniscience can cause us to question his omnibenevolence. If God knows about Chinese Christians suffering under the cruelty of Xi's Communist Depression, for example, why does he not intervene? In Revelation 2, Jesus knows that his people in Smyrna have suffered tribulation and poverty. But rather than remove or relieve their suffering, he calls them to endure it faithfully. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison that you may be tested. And for ten days you will have tribulation. With this promise, be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. Divine Providence is such a mystery. God clearly knows what these Christians are about to suffer, but he does not prevent their suffering.

3:09Rather, he redeems their faithfulness for a greater reward than they would have experienced by a cessation of persecution. Jesus warned us, in the world, you will have tribulation. John told his readers, Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. Paul was adamant, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. We cannot follow God on a planet where Satan is the God of this world and not expect to face temptation and opposition. But the bad news is not the only news here. China is home to the world's largest persecuted church. Under Xi Jinping, religious freedom has rapidly deteriorated, and Christian leaders who refuse to pair at government propaganda can expect lengthy imprisonments. However, as one Beijing pastor says, It's because we have to pay a cost that the gospel grows. People are curious as to who this Jesus is, we are prepared to risk all to follow. They are curious indeed.

4:09Over the last four decades, Christianity has grown in China faster than anywhere else in the world. Presentism is the philosophical view that only present things exist. In a sense, this makes sense. The only reality you can confirm personally is the reality you experience personally. When an axiomander of Meletus created the first known world map around 600 BC, he placed my latest at its center. So do we. Everywhere we look, we are at the center of what we see. Vincent Van Gogh testified. As long as autumn lasts, I shall not have hands, canvas and colors, enough to paint the beautiful things I see. That's because he didn't live where I live. The first official day of fall felt just like the last day of summer with a high temperature of 94 degrees that felt like 98. If a single leaf has changed color or fallen from a single tree, I missed it. But if I presume that fall looks the same in Montana as it does in Texas,

5:12that's only because I've never been to Montana. If I presume that the press sent suffering I am enduring is all there is to the story, that's because I am not looking at suffering through the lens of Scripture. Peter, an apostle who knew something about innocent suffering himself, nonetheless assured us. After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you. God's ways are not our ways, but that's because his ways are better than our ways. If he is perfect and we are sinful, if he is omnipotent and we are frail, and if he is love and we are not, then how could it be otherwise? Nia, the English theologian Thomas Fuller wrote, It is always darkest just before the day Donoth. This is not true meteorologically. Astronomers tell us that starlight remains at the same level the entire night. The longer the darkness persists, however, the harder it can be to believe that the night will end and the sun will rise.

6:17But the author and podcaster Rebecca Lyons is right. Joy is not the absence of darkness. Joy is confidence that the darkness will lift. Thank you for listening to the Daily Article podcast. For links, scripture references, or to find out more about Denison Forum, visit us at DenisonForum.org or click the link in today's show notes.