What happens when Christ is removed from culture
G.K. Chesterton once said, “When people stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing — they believe in anything.” This has proven true time and again in history. Now, we’re seeing it in America.
A recent headline on MarketWatch.com announced that “millennials are ditching religion for witchcraft and astrology.”
So, young people are not simply ditching spiritual beliefs. They are ditching belief in God for belief in witchcraft and astrology.
An Increase in Secularization
According to the report, “Interest in spirituality has been booming in recent years while interest in religion plummets, especially among millennials.”
Yes, “more than half of young adults in the U.S. believe astrology is a science, compared to less than 8% of the Chinese public. The psychic services industry — which includes astrology, aura reading, mediumship, tarot-card reading and palmistry, among other metaphysical services — grew 2% between 2011 and 2016.”
To support this anecdotally, MarketWatch cites “Melissa Jayne, owner of Brooklyn-based ‘metaphysical boutique’ Catland.” Jayne says “she has seen a major uptick in interest in the occult in the past five years, especially among New Yorkers in their 20s. The store offers workshops like ‘Witchcraft 101,’ ‘Astrology 101,’ and a ‘Spirit Seance.’”
This is in keeping with the findings of historian and anthropologist Rodney Stark. I cited him in Saving a Sick America to support the Chesterton adage.
Stark points to Sweden, which, he notes, “is almost always presented as exhibit A in the case for the triumph of secularization.”
But how secular is Sweden? Stark points out that “more than 20 percent of Swedes say they believe in reincarnation; half believe in mental telepathy, and nearly one in five believes in the power of lucky charms. A third believe in New Age medicine such as ‘healing Crystals’; 20 percent would consider purchasing their personal horoscope; 10 percent would consult a medium, and nearly two out of five believe in ghosts.”
It’s Not Just America and Sweden - Iceland
Or how about Iceland? According to Iceland Magazine, “0.0% of Icelanders 25 years or younger believe God created the world.” Yes, that’s right. Zero percent.
But that only tells part of the story. Having abandoned belief in the Creator Spirit, they now believe in all kinds of spirits.
To cite Stark again, “… 34 percent of Icelanders believe in reincarnation and another 16 percent aren’t sure about it. Moreover, a national survey found that 55 percent of Icelanders believe in the existence of huldufolk, or hidden people, such as elves, trolls, gnomes, and fairies. Consequently, planned highways are sometimes rerouted so as not to disturb various hills and large rocks wherein huldufolk may dwell.”
Stark also says “Icelanders planning to build a new house often hire ‘elf spotters’ to ensure that their site does not encroach on huldufolk settlements. In addition, half of Icelanders have visited a fortune teller, and spiritualism is very widely practiced; it is popular even among intellectuals and academics. According to a Reuters dispatch (February 2, 2015), a rapidly growing group of Icelandic neopagans broke ground for a temple dedicated to worship of the old Norse gods.”
The same holds true in Russia. There, atheism was dominant for decades and the organized church suffered great persecution. Belief in God may have declined, but belief in other beings and spirits did not. Stark even cites a Russian news account stating that, “Russian newspapers are full of ads for all manner of urban witches and wizards.”
The same holds true in Russia. There, atheism was dominant for decades and the organized church suffered great persecution. Belief in God may have declined, but belief in other beings and spirits did not. Stark even cites a Russian news account stating that, “Russian newspapers are full of ads for all manner of urban witches and wizards.”
An Exchange of Worship
Ironically, as American morals continue to slip and slide, “The majority of Americans now believe it is not necessary to believe in God to have good morals.” That’s according to a study released last week by the Pew Research Center. This is in keeping with biblical teaching and biblical history. Israel turned away from the one true God to follow idols. More broadly, human beings exchange worship of self, the creation, or other spirits for worship of (and obedience to) the one true God.
So there’s the bad news. The good news is that turning back to God in word and deed, in spirit and truth, will produce a return to morality.
And there’s also a silver lining to this whole article. Most people know that there is more to this world than the material. They’re just bored with traditional religion. If we can introduce them to a real encounter with the living God, they will come flocking.
Ironically, as American morals continue to slip and slide, “The majority of Americans now believe it is not necessary to believe in God to have good morals.” That’s according to a study released last week by the Pew Research Center. This is in keeping with biblical teaching and biblical history. Israel turned away from the one true God to follow idols. More broadly, human beings exchange worship of self, the creation, or other spirits for worship of (and obedience to) the one true God.
So there’s the bad news. The good news is that turning back to God in word and deed, in spirit and truth, will produce a return to morality.
And there’s also a silver lining to this whole article. Most people know that there is more to this world than the material. They’re just bored with traditional religion. If we can introduce them to a real encounter with the living God, they will come flocking.
