Return to Paganism?

article by site founder, Connie Rice

We are watching the effects of the decline of Christian influence in western civilization and for anyone paying attention, it is both concerning and frightening. However, anyone who knows God’s Word realizes that much of these things were prophesied to happen in the end times. The spiritual battle that has been underway since the beginning is intensifying as the prince of this world (Satan) knows his time is short. Unless people know true history, they will not recognize the dangers ahead and are vulnerable to being deceived. We must learn from past historical writings, including the Bible, as it gives an historical account from the beginning of the creation of the world as well as reveals what is to come. “Is the Bible True?” is a 5-minute video from previous skeptic, Randall Niles of “All About God” . The Bible is also the source of all truth and right and lays out God’s plan of salvation for all of mankind through His Son with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus was victorious over sin and death. Those who choose to trust in Him for their salvation, confessing their sins, asking for forgiveness, and surrendering their lives to Him can share in His victory over sin and have eternal life in heaven with Him. This world will no longer be our home, but we have will have access to His supernatural peace, strength, comfort, and joy – even in the midst of any challenges this world can throw at us. We no longer have to live in fear or confusion or in bondage to sin.

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
quote credited to writer and philosopher George Santayana, but others have stated similar thoughts

“If the Bible is truly God’s Word, then we should cherish it, study it, obey it, and fully trust it. If the Bible is truly the Word of God, then it is the final authority for all matters of faith, practice, and morality. If the Bible is the Word of God, then to dismiss it is to dismiss God Himself.”
quote from “Got Questions” article, “Is the Bible Truly God’s Word?”

Western Civilization came about as a result of people trying to live according to the Judeo-Christian principles of accountability to the holy God who made a way for mankind to live in harmony with Him and each other. This was motivated by their fear of God, their belief in Jesus Christ for salvation, and their obedience to His commands. When people obey Jesus’ commands, it results in their transformation into more of His likeness and in their loving and serving Him and others. Western civilization governments were created to maintain protection and security for their respective populations with respect for all people because it was accepted that each person was made in the image of God and was therefore due dignity.

“I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Acts 20:35

“In our western civilization we have the glorious example, the great standard of perfection and the teachings of the Christ to guide us. He acts for us as Mediator between our personality and our Soul.”
Ed Bach, British medical doctor who gave up career to research natural remedies and treat people for free in 1930s

The Judeo-Christian belief system led the way for nations to have freedom of speech, individual property rights, equal opportunity, the rule of law, civil discourse, and peace between different people groups. Did it always work that way? No – because each person has a sinful nature and free will. Some will choose to reject God and His commands. They will cave to their own sinful desires and thus break the harmony, destroy civil discourse, and/or choose to steal or commit violence against others. Laws were put in place to prevent those people from harming the person or property of others so that peace and security could be maintained for moral, law-abiding citizens. A great (albeit long) resource to understand this is “Epoch: The Rise and Fall of the West” by Kevin Swanson, author, pastor, & founder of “Generations”. America’s founding fathers understood that Judeo-Christian values were needed for a representative government to survive:

“Had the people, during the Revolution, had a suspicion of any attempt to war against Christianity, that Revolution would have been strangled in its cradle… In this age, there can be no substitute for Christianity… That was the religion of the founders of the republic and they expected it to remain the religion of their descendants.”
Congress, U. S. House Judiciary Committee, 1854 – reference from “Wallbuilders”.

“Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the Bible for their only law book and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited. . . . What a Eutopia – what a Paradise would this region be!”
John Adams – 2nd U.S. President, signer of the “Declaration of Independence“ & “Bill of Rights”, judge, & diplomat.

Let’s take a look at what the world used to be like thousands of years ago. Before God chose a people unto Himself, the world was made up of various pagan religions and practices. Merriam-Webster defines paganism as:

“spiritual beliefs and practices other than those of Judaism, Islam, or especially Christianity: such as
- the spiritual beliefs and practices of ancient polytheistic religions
- the beliefs and practices of contemporary religions or spiritual movements based on ancient paganism”

When God gave instructions to His people, He specifically warned them not to follow pagan practices:

“When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the Lord your God has not appointed such for you.”
Deuteronomy 18:9-14

Child sacrifice is mentioned numerous times in Scripture as a pagan practice that God abhors. Is there a difference between pagan child sacrifice and abortion? Pagans were trying to appease their god(s) and those who support abortion defy God and believe that the intentional taking of the most helpless and innocent human life is somehow a positive thing for women. Think about that. Anyone reading this post was allowed to be born. Abortion prevents people from having the life that we take for granted. Statistics reveal almost all abortions are of healthy babies and healthy moms. Females were designed to be nurturers and protectors of their offspring, so how has Satan been so effective at detaching women from their own children, even causing some to protest for the right to terminate the lives of their babies to the time of birth? And this at a time when so many couples cannot conceive a child because of infertility issues. Having been someone who was coerced to abort my first child and the resulting numerous issues it caused me and then having heard similar stories from other women (including recent disclosures by Brittney Spears and former Pussycat Doll, Kaya Jones), it’s clear that there are two casualties of abortion – one dead and one wounded – even if a number of the wounded haven’t yet made the connection. It’s why I make myself available to take other women through a post-abortion healing Bible study to find true healing and freedom.

“one of the most agonizing things I have ever experienced in my life.”
quote from Brittney Spears from her memoir in reference to her abortion

“Bald eagle eggs are protected under federal law, but there is no federal law protecting children from abortion. Will Witt takes to the streets to find out if people in Los Angeles would sign a petition to protect eagle eggs, along with a petition to protect babies in the womb.”
Description for Prager U 3-min video, “Is an Eagle Egg More Valuable Than a Baby?”

Forces in Europe and now America have been pushing God and His Word out of the mainstream for many years. It should come as no surprise that there would be more selfishness along with a rise in corruption, greed, crime, sexual immorality, depression, addiction, destruction of families, abortion, and abuse of all kinds – even the sexual abuse of children, which can only be described as evil. We are now seeing more heinous crimes being committed – mass killings, beheadings, machete attacks, family members killing each other, etc.. These are not the actions of a civilized society. These are the actions of people who have no fear of God and seek after their own selfish goals, regardless of who is harmed in the process. Our only hope is that people would wake up to the fact that there is a God in the heavens, that nothing is hidden from Him, that He is the source of all that is true and good in this world, and that He will judge evil in His time.

“Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live.”
Isaiah 55:2-3a

“Now therefore, listen to me, my children, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors for whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord;
but he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death.”
wisdom is speaking in first person in Proverbs 8:32-36

“The Impact of Christianity: What if Jesus Had Never Been Born?” – “Faithfacts” offers “an historical look at the importance of the Christianity—putting aside matters of theology or faith” expands on each of the following areas:

Whether or not our culture continues this regression into paganism or turns to the One who offers life eternal and can sustain us through this life’s trials depends mostly on individuals, one heart at a time, when we begin to realize that something is terribly wrong. The Lord waits for us to recognize our need for Him so we will repent and surrender our lives to Him. Our Creator knows us and what we need better than we do. We tend to equate surrender with giving up, and in a sense that’s true here. We give up control and rest in His sovereignty. In His grace, He gives us the peace and strength we need to persevere. John Piper writes about this in his devotional, “The Great Exchange”, on the “Desiring God” website. Another helpful resource is an article by “Got Questions”: “What are some Bible verses about surrender?”.

“But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Galatians 2:17-20

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!
Matthew 18:1-7

The recent moves in several states to legislate abortion until the full-term birth of a baby and our national and some state governments and medical institutions’ promotion of irreversible mutilations and harmful injections for minors don’t bode well for the future of our nation. Our only hope from returning to paganism is to repent of these crimes against the most innocent among us who are precious in the eyes of Jesus, to cry out for God’s mercy, and do all we can to pray for and stand up in defense of children.

“Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
If you say, ‘Surely we did not know this’, does not He who weighs the hearts consider it?
He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?”
Proverbs 24:11-12

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
the LORD’s words to Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14

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