The Great American Apostasy

Today I blogged, tweeted, texted and read my Kindle.  It struck me, as I wrote this, that just a short time ago—this sentence would have been completely unintelligible.  My grandmother, who passed away in 1994, would have no conceptual knowledge or understanding of these activities.  My…how quickly the times have changed. 

Recently, I attended a service in a Southern Baptist Church.  Since I have been an attendee of all sorts of Christian churches in my life, I no longer identify with one single denomination.  When asked, I simply say:  “I’m a Christian”.  If I need to go into any further explanation I add “and I believe the Bible, both Old and New Testament, are the living, breathing, absolutely 100% true Word of God”.  Besides, I actually enjoy listening to a variety of different sermons.  I’d like to believe that it has helped me to become a more informed individual as a result.  At least I hope so.

Anyway, for this evening, I melded in with the Southern Baptists.  They are always good for some straight forward Bible preaching and this evening I was in the mood to hear it.  Well, on this occasion, the Pastor didn’t disappoint.  As we would say in a more charismatic church, “Wow, was he on fire!”  He let the congregation have it right between the eyes.  We were in a large auditorium that seats well over a thousand people.  I happened to be sitting almost at the back with a good view of the large number of people in attendance.  Here was the eye-opener:  He didn’t say anything that an outsider or an unbeliever would find unusual to hear in a Southern Baptist Church.  He railed against abortion, marriage redefinition, and other social issues of the day.  The only difference was that I noticed very few people were clapping or enthusiastic.  Most had a glazed, disinterested or annoyed look on their faces.  It I had to put the crowd’s collective attitude into one sentence it would be something like:

 “OK, OK already…we get it, let’s move on”.

In the most recent article in World magazine, (July 2012), there was a disconcerting subtitle:

Southern Baptists see membership decline for 5^th straight year

The last line of the article stated:

“The tide is going a different way, America is increasingly becoming a secular culture, not a Christian culture”. 

The Bible talks a great deal about the signs preceding the “End of the Age”.  One of the signs, mentioned by Paul the Apostle, is the Great Apostasy.

Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come (End of the Age) unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction (2 Thess. 2:1-3).

Definition of Apostasy from Webster’s Dictionary:

An abandonment of what one has professed; a total desertion, or departure from one's faith or religion

In 2009 at a news press conference in Turkey, President Obama declared that the U.S. was not a Judeo-Christian nation.  His remark set off a firestorm of controversy.  I just have one question:  “When did that happen?”  I must’ve missed the memo. 

Interestingly, the Mormon Church had a mass resignation in “honor” of Independence Day just last week.  Here are some direct quotes from this news article:

A group of about 150 Mormons quit their church in a mass resignation ceremony in Salt Lake City on Saturday in a rare display of defiance ending decades of disagreement for some over issues ranging from polygamy to gay marriage.

Participants from Utah, Arizona, Idaho and elsewhere gathered in a public park to sign a "Declaration of Independence from Mormonism."

 

The Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is known for its culture of obedience, and the mass ceremony was a seldom-seen act of collective revolt.

Among the reasons cited by those resigning are the church's political activism against gay marriage and doctrinal teachings that conflict with scientific findings or are perceived as racist or sexist.

(Bloggers Footnote:  Please see my blog about the 7 Deadly Sins of Human Secularism found in “A New Foundation?” dated 6/30/2012-- both racism and sexism are noted). 

Robin Hansen, a participant who said she quit over a "culture of abuse" which she believes is cultivated by church teachings promoting obedience.

That last sentence really did me in.  I mean, can you imagine the NERVE of the Mormon Church?  They actually have the audacity to promote OBEDIENCE?  How DARE they! 

Apparently, America is not only rushing headlong into the abyss—but it is in a hurry to do so.  Our citizens demand anarchy and they want it NOW!  I guess patience is no longer a fashionable virtue lately either.   

The Old Testament says that the Lord detests:

“feet that are quick to rush into evil.”~Psalms 6:18

Now, for the record I am not a Mormon.  I also have some serious differences with their theology.  However, I have known many Mormons in my life and they are truly honest, good-hearted, faithful and hard-working individuals.  If the truth were told, they put many “Garden variety” Christians to shame.  So, this story continued to bother me.  Like my previous blog on the 4^th of July—these protesters were openly stating that they want to “Declare Independence” from Godly principles.  They want the Church (which refers collectively to all of God’s people) to embrace polygamy, non-Creationism evolution, abortion and same sex marriage—ergo, become APOSTATE.   

Based on my non-scientific, anecdotal experience in the Baptist church, a full 50% of the audience, or possibly as much as 2/3^rd’s of the attendees, were simply NOT INTERESTED that evening in hearing what the Pastor had to say.  Others were downright offended or annoyed.

Look around.  Take note:

The Great American Apostasy is well underway.