The increasing marginalisation of Christianity may be welcomed by opinion-formers, but it presents a fundamental challenge for society. With the decline of Christian teachings and godly values there has followed an abandonment of those moral principles which provide the glue holding society together.

Ours is a world where an MP, someone who helps make laws shaping our society, is suspended by his party for allegedly sexually harassing young women and boasting about taking prostitutes into Parliament. A world where the joint fourth largest group in parliament are MPs suspended by their parties for various misdemeanours, and sitting as independents. A world where a new female MP was given a list of 30 other MPs to avoid being alone with because of their reputation for sexual harassment.

It’s not only politicians; Britain itself has become a selfish, sexualised society. Cases of gonorrhoea have soared by 50 per cent in the past year to the highest on record, while those of syphilis are the highest since 1948. Adultery, homosexuality, sex outside marriage, gender confusion and pornography are not only accepted but defended. Sexual perversions are considered by many as normal and to be celebrated. Children are indoctrinated into the acceptance of deviancy. As Malcolm X said, “Only a fool would let his enemy teach his children.”

Britain itself has become a selfish, sexualised society.

The Source of the Problem

As we look at decadent Western society we are forced to remember Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”Erik Carnell in one of her creations

A clear illustration of this is Erik Carnell, the London-based female-to-male trans designer whose work was removed from the US retail giant Target following protests about her pro-Satan jewellery and commentary. Carnell explained her position in an Instagram post that Satan represents “passion, pride and liberty” and “loves all LGBT+ people”.

She went on: “Satanists don’t actually believe in Satan, he is merely used as a symbol of passion, pride, and liberty. He means to you what you need him to mean. So for me, Satan is hope, compassion, equality, and love. So, naturally, Satan respects pronouns. He loves all LGBT+ people. I went with a variation of Baphomet for this design, a deity who themself is a mixture of genders, beings, ideas, and existences. They reject binary stereotypes and expectations.”

Satan, originally Lucifer the light-bearer, was cast out of heaven due to his pride: he imagined he knew better than God and would do and bear anything rather than serve Him. The forces shaping our culture today are totally in tune with this attitude, which is why it is immaterial if those who sympathise with Satan’s attitudes don’t really believe he exists. They accept and promote Satan’s principles and seek to banish Christian principles and values from public life.

You do not have to believe in the devil – although I do – to recognise that our dominant culture has turned diabolical. We find evil distorting and mocking what’s pure and good. Today we are living through a satanic period in time.

You do not have to believe in the devil – although I do – to recognise that our dominant culture has turned diabolical.

Two Uncomfortable Questions

What is coming next? History teaches that when decadent societies collapse, they are often followed by barbarism. The decadence of Tsarist Russia was followed by blood-soaked totalitarian communism. The decadence of Weimar Germany was followed by blood-soaked totalitarian Nazi Germany. The painful thing is that we will have deserved it, by what we have done and by what we have allowed to be done. Proverbs 16:18 warns us, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

This raises a second uncomfortable question: where are the faithful ministers and priests willing to stand against the degenerate trend in society? Too many pulpits are silent when it comes to the culture surrounding us; too many Christians are left looking in vain for leadership and guidance. This does not mean that we Christians in the pews should sit quietly and endure; that is not the only option.

A Lone Stand

Regular readers of my blog know of my admiration for those Christians under Nazi rule who stood up for the faith despite the pressure to conform. Few of us know of Franz Jägerstätter, a farmer from Austria. As a youngster he was quite wild and spent several days in jail for fighting and fathered an illegitimate child. He also enjoyed winding up the village priest. This changed as he matured and had what amounted to a conversion experience. Aged 29, he married a devout Catholic girl, Franziska Schwaninger, the couple going to Rome for their honeymoon.

Franz JägerstätterTwo years later, in March 1938, German troops entered Austria. Jägerstätter was offered the position of village mayor but rejected it rather than serve under the Nazis. He was the only person in the village to vote against the incorporation of Austria into the Reich; nevertheless, the local authorities announced unanimous approval. Jägerstätter was dismayed by the Christians of his village supporting the Nazis, writing: “I believe there could scarcely be a sadder hour for the true Christian faith in our country.”

Deeply troubled by Nazi rule, including their ‘euthanasia’ policy and the suppression of the church, he went to Linz to discuss matters with his bishop. He emerged from the conversation saddened by the reluctance of the episcopate to confront the issues.

In 1943, when called to active duty, Jägerstätter reported to his army base and refused to serve and take an oath of loyalty to Hitler. By this time, he and his wife had three daughters. A military court rejected his assertion that he could not be both a Nazi and a Catholic and sentenced him to death for undermining morale. A priest from his village visited him in jail and tried to talk him into serving, but to no avail. Franz Jägerstätter was guillotined on 9 August 1943. His last recorded words were, “I am completely bound in inner union with the Lord.”

Franz Jägerstätter was guillotined on 9 August 1943. His last recorded words were, “I am completely bound in inner union with the Lord.”

Franz’s entire farming village were churchgoing Christians. Yet only he and his family resisted the Nazis. Everybody thought themselves faithful Christians, but when they were put to the test, only the Jägerstätters passed.

Franz Jägerstätter faced death as he stood up alone to the forces of darkness around him. All we have to face is scorn. Let us make our stand together, in prayer, in words, and in action.

The Rev. Dr Campbell Campbell-Jack is a retired Church of Scotland minister; now a member of the Free Church of Scotland. Check out his many incisive articles on his blog, A Grain of Sand.