The Global Religious Recognition Report (GRR Report) returns for its second edition, this year including more detail on each country and territory's registration policies and on their practices of states extending privileges to some religions and beliefs and not others. Recognition and registration issues continue to impact conditions of freedom of religion or belief throughout the world and it is the purpose of the GRR Report to highlight the extent of these issues nation by nation as part of the report's country-specific approach to the subject. Detailed explanations of registration policy have been gathered from the Office of International Religious Freedom's International Religious Freedom Report in addition to other credible sources. The RoRB classification for each country and territory has been updated in accordance with the criteria set out in the Spectrum of Religious Recognition (SRR) which was included towards the front of this year's report. With more detail provided this year on registration policy in each nation, this report has revealed the complexity of registration issues and the drastic impacts they have on religious freedom.

The 2024 Global Religious Recognition Report is a compilation of the most recent available data on recognition and registration impacting conditions of religious freedom throughout the world. Each page of the 259-page report is dedicated to each sovereign state and dependent or disputed territory, including an overview of the constitutional structure, secularity and recognition and registration policies and practices. Detailed explanations of registration policy have been gathered from the Office of International Religious Freedom's International Religious Freedom Report in addition to other credible sources. The RoRB classification for each country and territory has been updated in accordance with the criteria set out in the Spectrum of Religious Recognition (SRR) which was included towards the front of this year's report. This year's report includes an abridged version of Dr Monica Gyimah's article (the full article can be found in Journal of Astronist Studies Volume 1 Issue 1) that highlights recognition and registration issues specifically impacting indigenous religious communities.

The principal finding of the doctoral research of Cometan (a.k.a. Brandon Reece Taylorian) was that the ways governments, both authoritarian and democratic, use their powers to recognise religions and beliefs and register religious or belief organisations is negatively impacting conditions of freedom of religion or belief. Cometan explored the range of recognition and registration issues plaguing religious freedom and other human rights and discovered that there lacks a definitive set of international standards to address some of the granular topics that are causing registration procedures in particular to become onerous and thus impedimental to the free and legal exercise of religion or belief. Cometan's International Religious Rights and Standards (IRRS) document presents a series of standards for how nation states ought to develop their recognition and registration policies and practices to remain FoRB-compliant. The standards of the IRRS document have been created based on the results of Cometan's PhD research, the thesis for which is titled Religious Freedom and State Recognition of Belief. Cometan's intention is that the IRRS document will encourage international organisations like the OSCE and the United Nations as well as national and international human rights courts such as the ECtHR to establish more detailed and country-specific guidelines to address the breath of registration issues and the recognition issues that often worsen such issues.

V. Arrests and Trials

This marks the first issue of the Journal of Astronist Studies and begins what is hoped to be a long tradition of scholarly discourse on space religions and the broader intersection between astronomy, religion and spirituality. This issue begins with a peer-reviewed article by myself that gives a short history and comparison between Astronism, Cosmism and Cosmodeism. This first article of the first issue sets the scene for a scholarly discourse of Astronist studies by providing some insight into the legacy of Astronism’s predecessors in Cosmism and Cosmodeism. This issue continues with an article by Juan Vivanco who is new to the field of scholarly writing but who boasts a long history of entrepreneurship in eco-friendly construction and is based in Dubai. In his piece, Vivanco introduces readers to quantum cosmic theology and reflects on his experiences of cosmic meditation which has close links with the Astronist practice of night sky exposition and meditation. The third article in this issue is another peer-reviewed piece from myself, this time focusing on the concept of astromorphism. This piece draws much inspiration from my master’s dissertation but uniquely focuses on how the theory of an Astronic religious tradition contributes to the debate on the origins of religion. The origins of religion emerged as an academic pursuit in the early nineteenth century but the role of prehistoric astrolatry was never given any prominence in the debate. The second half of the issue begins with a piece by Professor Emeritus of cultural astronomy and astrology Michael York. York gives his perspective on how geocentrism––represented by modern paganism––and cosmocentrism––represented by Astronism––compare and contrast. York uses the sociological measuring tool of the ideal-type to discuss the worldviews of geocentrism and cosmocentrism by analysing the aims of modern paganism and Astronism on whether humanity ought to escape Earth or attempt instead to restore our terrestrial conditions. The final full-length article in this issue comes from Dr Monica Gyimah who discusses issues involving a lack of state recognition and legal personality specifically impacting people who profess indigenous beliefs. Gyimah provides an extensive analysis of the international legal framework geared towards protecting indigenous communities and gives several examples of how indigenous groups professing various forms of nature religion and polytheism remain unrecognised and their access denied to several fundamental rights protected under freedom of religion or belief. This issue ends with my review of Tsvi Bisk’s latest work Cosmodeism: A Worldview for the Space-Age. It was a pleasure to read and review Bisk’s work as many of the topics Bisk discusses in his work are prominent in Astronist philosophy. I reviewed Bisk’s work from my perspective both as an Astronist but also as the founder of Astronism, in particular to emphasise my belief in the need for the greater practical organisation of those movements that affirm the doctrine of transcension in some form.

The final pages of history are being written. Recent global upheavals, exponential technological advances, collapsing morality, and calls for a one-world government are all preparing the way for the Antichrist's reign. Gathering fascinating insights from biblical prophecy, authors Jimmy Evans and Mark Hitchcock encourage readers to: Recognize the "signs of the times" heralding the approach of earth's final days. Withstand coming persecution, deception, and spiritual warfare as global rebellion intensifies. Stand confidently in Christ's victory over the forces of darkness until Jesus returns. We are witnessing an astonishing acceleration of events paving the way for this satanically-empowered dictator. But fear not, because on the horizon is the glorious appearing of our Savior. It's time to embrace Him. Jesus is the only hope who will see us through the coming storm.

"The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic marks the most significant, singular global disruption since World War II, with health, economic, political, and security implications that will ripple for years to come." -Global Trends 2040 (2021) Global Trends 2040-A More Contested World (2021), released by the US National Intelligence Council, is the latest report in its series of reports starting in 1997 about megatrends and the world's future. This report, strongly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, paints a bleak picture of the future and describes a contested, fragmented and turbulent world. It specifically discusses the four main trends that will shape tomorrow's world: - Demographics-by 2040, 1.4 billion people will be added mostly in Africa and South Asia. - Economics-increased government debt and concentrated economic power will escalate problems for the poor and middleclass. - Climate-a hotter world will increase water, food, and health insecurity. - Technology-the emergence of new technologies could both solve and cause problems for human life. Students of trends, policymakers, entrepreneurs, academics, journalists and anyone eager for a glimpse into the next decades, will find this report, with colored graphs, essential reading.