Why Millennials, Gen Z Lean Toward Paganism

A new Harris Poll reveals that Generation Z has a more “positive view of the word ‘socialism’ than previous generations, and—along with Millennials—are more likely to embrace socialistic policies and principles than past generations.”

Should we, after three generations of government-controlled education, even be surprised over Millennial and Gen Z generations leaning toward socialism and paganism? “What’s in the well comes up in the bucket.”

Secular humanists took public education hostage in the early 20th century and show no sign of letting up. Present-day “education programs” include for 13-14-year-old girls include sexual practices that equate to, “I like you” —all deftly packaged under the guise of “health” and “tolerance.”

Before long the National Education Association (NEA) will give preference for eighth-grade field trips to include San Francisco’s Folsom Street Fair over sightseeing tours of the nation’s capital and historic Williamsburg.

If America is to survive, secularism will have to be ousted from the marketplace. The death-grip of secular bullies and brawlers on public education, universities and academia has marred and scarred the culture like a spiritual cancer. Its detrimental impact is on display in each and every last one of the cultural mountains of influence: education, academia, newsrooms, sports, the courts, big business, Hollywood and medicine.

With the nullification of the fixed point—a biblically-based culture—that the American Founding Fathers deemed imperative, truth in America has become what five secular U.S. Supreme Court Justices any given day will agree upon. As America retreats “from the fixed boundaries of the moral order consistent with God’s character,” Christianity has been in every practical sense stripped from the culture (Bruce K. Waltke, Proverbs Commentary). The “twisted” now reign, and whatever their outward piety, they in reality scorn God (Michael V. Fox, Proverbs Commentary).

With the Bible as the mainstay and safeguard in early America, the Judeo-Christian character became deeply ingrained into the ideas, values, and collective unity of the people. It was a means to an end, given that character produces conduct. And to those who hold integrity as their rule of personal conduct, they embody and represent an exemplary testimony to genuine Christian life and God. Solomon touched on an additional consequence for those who attain, not possess, biblical wisdom: It equips “kings to reign, and rulers to decree justice” (see Prov. 8:15; Dr. Waltke adds, “[biblical] ‘wisdom’, ‘shrewdness,’ ‘discretion,’ ‘counsel,’ ‘resourcefulness,’ and ‘heroic strength’ enable [kings to reign and] rulers to decree justice.”)

Christian instruction in early America adorned men, women, and youth with exceptional character, Judeo-Christian educational theories shaping the heart and character of the country. American exceptionalism is not passed down in the genes, but evolves as the outcome of Christian culture, augmented by both biblical understanding and wisdom, and infusion with Christian theology. In light of this, we readily understand why the founders put such emphasis on Scripture as the key component of early America’s edification.

As a quick reminder, let’s take a ‘snapshot’ of 18th-century America’s spiritual condition:

1) In 1787, Congress passed the ‘Northwest Ordinance,’ drafted by Thomas Jefferson for the purpose of legislating the method by which new states would be admitted to the Union. Part of the legislation read, “No person, demeaning [conducting] himself in a peaceable and orderly manner, shall ever be molested [harassed] on account of his mode of worship or religious sentiments.”

Of particular interest is Article Three, “Religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.”

Current American political leadership compares poorly with the 18th-century Congress of the Confederation’s deportment. Christianity was all-important, they wrote, because morality is the main pillar of the sustainability of freedom.

2) American Founder Fisher Ames [1758-1808], a member of the First United States Congress, pointed out that “Our liberty depends on our education, our laws, and habits … it is founded on morals and religion, whose authority reigns in the heart, and on the influence all these produce on public opinion before that opinion governs rulers.”

3) Then Congressman Fisher Ames, in the course of drawing out the language of the First Amendment on religion in 1789, became concerned with 18th-century education. He wrote, “We’ve become accustomed of late of putting little books into the hands of children containing fables and moral lessons. We are spending less time in the classroom on the Bible, which should be the principal text of our schools.”

Placed alongside Founder Ames’ assessment of 18th-century education, the pompous bombast of the ACLU and its ilk in present-day America—”The First Amendment has made it clear that there can be no teaching of religion, including the Bible, in public education”—is downright ludicrous, a dismal outcome of the secular usurpation of education over the last century.

Unlike America’s Puritan founders, who “accepted conflict as their calling,” the modern church, according to Francis Schaeffer, has become addicted to “peace and personal prosperity.” Modern America has been “submerged and overwhelmed by something much bigger, a dirty, sloppy, wallowing” culture, established by secularists. Her once spiritual beauty has become a “small detail, an insignificant little glint of gold quite lost,” dwarfed by the self-indulgent behavior of secularism.

Yet modern Christendom sleeps on.

Thankfully, Gideons and Rahabs are beginning to stand.