But let’s go a little deeper. How could this ever happen in our world? Many in our world today are convinced that religion is the problem and more specifically the difference in one’s religious or theological views. Hollywood has been making this point for years with nearly every movie to hit the box office. Take a closer look and you will see films portraying people from different religions working together for a common goal. You will see them demonstrating mutual respect and acceptance of one another’s religious views. The United States has seen their own President read from both the Koran and the Bible in a speech to the Muslim world. We have also seen the Roman Catholic Church create a dialogue with other world religions to garner mutual respect. But this is just the beginning because it only lays the ground work for removing the divisive force between religions and paves the way to a universal peace.

Before proceeding we must ask the question: “Why does it appear that Christianity in this country is so vehemently attacked while other religions seem to go relatively unscathed?”  I will answer that question with one word: “exclusiveness.” For two thousand years now the world has had a very big problem with the exclusiveness of Christianity. We must return to Ancient Rome to see how this all started. Rome was an empire that had embraced every known religion. Every time Rome conquered a country she would allow its gods to be brought into an equal footing with the rest. But Christianity arrived claiming to be the only true religion above all the rest and spoke of Jesus Christ as their only King which caused them a great deal of difficulty ensuing the great persecutions.

To this day many still believe that Christianity has tormented the world with its prophets of doom proclaiming Christ as the only way and its refusal as a certain path to the burning pits of hell. To preach the exclusiveness of Christianity is seen as divisive working against the possibility of world peace. As the world grows more tolerant of other world religions it has become less tolerant to Christians bent on winning the world for Christ. It is the belief of this author that the coming Antichrist or the one claiming to be the true prince of peace will outlaw any and all religions to proselyte. That is, to preach Christ to someone of another religious group would be punishable by death because it would be seen as an act of terrorism. This would be the first step in silencing the voice of Christianity and it would cause the entire world to rejoice and send gifts to one another (see Revelation 11:10). Many believe to silence Christianity would usher in a time of universal peace with mutual respect and acceptance of all world religions.

Clearly Antichrist will come claiming to be the true prince of peace and no doubt will win the noble peace prize. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Let’s be clear about one thing we are not talking about terrorists. We are not talking about an alien invasion. We are not talking about organized crime, but we are talking about people who gave us no warning that they would explode causing unbelievable carnage and untold suffering to their fellow citizens. From the best I can tell most of these people looked rather normal to their peers, family members and friends. Although one similar trait among them was that they appeared aloof, distant or a loner. What was going on to cause these people to explode? What kind of pressure were they under?

We all know that a boiler that has too much pressure will eventually explode. Let me suggest that this country has lost its way and are churning out citizens who expect everything to be handed to them on a silver platter with little or no work. They expect to be treated with honor and respect when they have never been taught how to give it. They look at all that the world has to offer and if they don’t get it then the pressure begins to build. Or if someone attempts to take away what they do have then the pressure continues to build to unsafe limits. Unfortunately most people in this country would be horrified to lose all of their material possessions, because they cannot separate their life from them.

Add to this the moral decline and the total disregard for the law and you have a recipe for disaster. As our leaders in high places are caught in every manner of sin and the talking heads continue to fan the flames of discontent, then many question their moral authority to pass laws or even their right to enforce them. Then if that were not enough the philosophy of tolerance has led many to reject the truth peddled by the establishment for their own set of values which in many cases are no values at all, but rank lawlessness.  Regrettably with this country’s drift away from Christianity and absolute truth, she has lost her moral anchor.  Set adrift in the sea of immorality she will continue her decline into lawlessness. So where will this all lead? Anarchy!

As the world comes crashing in from all around you it is time for every true Christian to take a deep look within and make sure you have not been captivated by the world of materialism. Can you give up everything for the cause of Christ knowing that He will not allow you to be tested beyond what you can handle?  Are you unsettled when you do not receive the honor and respect that you have become accustomed to or are you following the example of Christ who humbled himself to death even death on a Cross? Do you follow the world in their godless counseling and drugs to ease the pain or do you run to Christ who promises to be with us in the midst of our greatest suffering? Friends, it’s only going to get worse as we fast approach His Second Coming so please do not follow the world in these godless acts, but remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ to love one another so that the world will know that we are His disciples.