[The text below represents an edited transcript of the television version of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Christianity Is Under Attack

Is Christianity dangerous? Even the question sounds absurd. After all, Christianity is about loving your neighbor, turning the other cheek, and showing mercy to your enemies. How could that be dangerous?

And yet, in the last few years, there is a growing narrative that the Western Christian traditions are not healthy for society.

If you’ve lived more than a few decades, you’ve noticed this radical shift. And it has been shocking. After all, if Jesus taught mercy and love and consideration for our neighbors, how did Christianity turn into the enemy?

According to this narrative, Christianity is not inclusive. It’s not compassionate. It’s not keeping up with the times, nor is it on the “right side of history.” The list goes on and on. And yet, Christian and biblical traditions have formed the backbone of much of Western civilization. So what’s going on?

Cultural shifts don’t happen overnight, and they don’t happen in a vacuum. There are reasons for the dramatic changes we’ve seen in society. And there is a reason why hating Christianity has become the latest fad.

So, what are we supposed to think of this trend? Why is it happening? And more importantly, what can we do? You might be surprised by the answers.

On today’s program, let’s look for those answers. And get ready, because later in the program I’ll give you an opportunity to request today’s offer, Satan’s Counterfeit Christianity.

So, join us today on Tomorrow’s World, as we ask and answer the question: Is Christianity dangerous? I’ll be right back.

A Cultural Shift Is Redefining the Bible as Hate Speech

Welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible.

Some consider Christianity to be dangerous. But there’s no question that Christianity itself is under attack.

Roughly 2.4 billion people around the world call themselves Christians. And 365 million of them live in about 50 nations where they experience “high levels of persecution or discrimination,” according to Christianity Today (“The 50 Countries Where It’s Hardest to Follow Jesus in 2024,” ChristianityToday.com, January 17, 2024).

It’s easy for us to disregard them, if we live comfortably in the Western world, because they are far away. We enjoy much more freedom. But are there signs on the horizon that those freedoms are evaporating, even in the Western world? Is greater persecution coming?

In Finland, a former Finnish Member of Parliament was taken to trial in 2022 for a hate crime having to do with the Bible. Paivi Rasanen was charged with making derogatory comments toward homosexuals, quoting Romans 1:24–27 (“Paivi Rasanen: Finnish MP in Bible hate speech trial,” BBC.com, January 24, 2022). She defended herself by saying she was simply expressing what the Bible says.

The Bible itself is being put on trial. This should raise alarm bells for all who consider themselves Christians. An article on the Religious Freedom Institute website summed it up well:

“The Räsänen prosecution did nothing more than draw a logical conclusion from the ideological shift that has occurred in the course of recent decades, not just in Finland but also in the United States, Canada, and the rest of Western Europe. In today’s West…. Now that this type of instinctive secularist progressivism has become the cultural norm, Romans 1:24–27 is hate speech” (“The Bible as Hate Speech?”, ReligiousFreedomInstitute.org, April 1, 2022).

So, what should you do if your belief system is being labeled as dangerous, and yet it’s becoming more dangerous for you to practice it? In the remainder of the program let’s talk about three things you can and should do.

#1: Christians Should Know and Live by the Bible

Number 1: Live by the literal, biblical word of God.

This might seem overly simplistic. But don’t overlook the obvious. Make sure you are living by the Bible and living like a Christian. That means, we need to get our house in order. The Apostle Peter explained this in 1 Peter 4:14–16.

“If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you…. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed.”

Why is this important? Well, there are a lot of people out there today who profess Christianity, but the fruit of their lives tells a different story. Researcher George Barna points this out in a survey entitled, “American Worldview Inventory, 2024.” He explains the following:

Biblical worldview incidence in the United States has declined for five consecutive generations, and during that time the number of adults holding a biblical worldview has plummeted from 12% to today’s 4% level (“CRC Study Shows Younger Generations Reject Biblical Worldview, Ushering in ‘New Morality,’” ArizonaChristian.edu, May 28, 2024).

Biblical worldview means that you see your world through the lens of the Bible and the Christianity of the Bible. It means that the Bible and your faith and obedience in Jesus Christ affects and guides the countless decisions you make every single day.

When only 4% describe themselves this way, it means we have a lot of fake Christians. Some theologians have been saying this for a long time. Professor Rufus M. Jones wrote this:

If by any chance Christ Himself had been taken by His later followers as the model and pattern of the new way, and a serious attempt had been made to set up His life and teaching as the standard and norm for the Church, Christianity would have been something vastly different from what it became (The Church’s Debt to Heretics, 1924, pp. 15–16).

Back in the 1800s, the philosopher and theologian Søren Kirkegaard put it more bluntly.

The Christianity of the New Testament simply does not exist (Kierkegaard’s Attack Upon “Christendom”, Walter Lowrie, trans., 1946, pp. 32–33).

In other words, the Church Jesus founded was, over the centuries, watered down with compromises to become unrecognizable today.

So, Christianity is claimed to be dangerous and toxic and harmful by some today. But the truth is, very few actually practice it. How strange.

Don’t Be Fooled by Fake Christianity

We truly are living in a dangerous time. And they will get more dangerous. We shouldn’t really be surprised, because Jesus Christ gave His disciples warnings about how to handle it. Notice one of the first warnings He issued, in Matthew 24, beginning in verse 3.

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many” (Matthew 24:3–5).

Did you catch that? Jesus said many would come in His name. Many would profess faith in Jesus, and even say that Jesus is Lord. And then He said, “And will deceive many.”

So, just because someone uses the name of Christ and calls himself or herself a Christian does not mean they are a true follower of Christ. This is the first thing we must understand. We need to recognize false Christianity. Why is this so important?

We’ll answer that question in a few moments. But first I want to give you a chance to order our free study guide we’re offering today, Satan’s Counterfeit Christianity, written by the late evangelist, Roderick C. Meredith. He writes:

This booklet contains genuinely shocking information for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. It has profound implications for the future of our civilization (p. 1, Satan's Counterfeit Christianity, Roderick C. Meredith).

If you are concerned about our modern nations, and the future of your family, you need this information. We’ll send it to you free of charge. We don’t ask for money and we never will. So, call, write, or order online today. Order now.

Real Christians Do What the Bible Says

Welcome back. In the last segment, we saw that there are a lot of fake Christians in our world today. And our job, if we really want to be a disciple of Christ, is to find out what the Bible says and get our lives in line with it. There is a Church founded by Jesus Christ that will be around until His return. Notice what He said in Matthew 16:18. As He told His disciples:

“I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

In other words, He said His church that He built would never die out.

And that brings us to our second point. As we find ourselves in difficult times, when Christianity as a whole is being vilified as the enemy, as dangerous, what should we do? Does Jesus give us any instructions? He does.

#2: Don’t Fight Back Politically

That brings us to number 2: Don’t put your faith in political movements.

Jesus Christ faced immense pressure to fight back against the political forces He faced when He was on this earth. But notice what He said when questioned by the Roman governor Pilate. It’s found in John 18:36.

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

God doesn’t want us to get involved in the political contests of this world. He doesn’t want us to physically fight or even politically fight our adversaries. You see, for those who see their religious freedoms trampled on, there is a temptation to seek a political solution. Particularly in the United States, some have decided they need to support a movement, such as Christian nationalism. Christianity Today defines Christian nationalism this way:

Christian nationalism is the belief that the American nation is defined by Christianity, and that the government should take active steps to keep it that way (“What Is Christian Nationalism?”, Christianity Today, February 3, 2021).

Should sincere, heartfelt Christians support Christian nationalism? We all are grateful for any leaders in our governments who support any biblical values. That is for sure. But is it through political movements that we will solve our problems ultimately? Of course not.

If you watch the news, you know the bad press that Christian political activists are getting from many quarters. Here are some of the headlines:

• “Christianity ‘increasingly regarded’ by the state as ‘harmful’” (Sky News Australia)
• “‘Toxic Christianity’: the evangelicals creating champions for Trump” (The Guardian)
• “What is Christian nationalism and why it raises concerns about threats to democracy” (PBS News)

If you are concerned about the rights of sincere Christians being trampled on, you might feel a kinship with those trying to fight back against this avalanche. You might even want to get politically involved. But ask yourself, does God want you to put your faith in political movements?

The Real Danger Is Counterfeit Christianity—and the Rise of the Beast Power and False Prophet

Critics of Christian political activism warn that Christianity is dangerous. While they are terribly wrong on most counts, there is a grain of truth to what they say. You see, “counterfeit Christianity” is dangerous. And will be in the future. Let me explain.

There is a counterfeit Christianity—we already saw that in the last segment. And Bible prophecy shows that a counterfeit religious system will rise to power and dominance at the close of this age. It will be led by a charismatic leader out of Europe. He will be cast as a savior, a defender of Christian values, and a follower of Christ. But Jesus tells us be careful, be warned, don’t be deceived. It’s a counterfeit. Notice how it’s described in Revelation 13:11.

“Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.”

This religious leader will claim to be Christian—he has two horns like a lamb, and Jesus is symbolized as a Lamb. But he will speak like a dragon. His words and his teachings will not follow the Bible at all. What will this religious leader do? Going on in Revelation 13:13,

He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth… He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads (Revelation 13:13–16).

Mark 13:22 says the deception will be so great, that “even the elect, if possible, will be deceived.” This will be an extremely dangerous time for genuine Christians.

Later in Revelation, John describes this counterfeit religious system as a woman, sitting on a beast. A woman in the Book of Revelation symbolizes a church. Notice Revelation 17:3.

“And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus” (Revelation 17:3–6).

Is counterfeit Christianity dangerous? Yes. This system will have put to death true servants of God. It will take away religious freedom and compel obedience by force. This false prophet will, in league with a political and military leader known as the beast, bring our world to a state of suffering like we have never known. Notice what John writes in Revelation 19:19:

“And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.”

This alliance between church and state will literally try to fight against the returning Christ. But it will be no match. The One who sits on the horse, Jesus Christ, will return in glory and power to put down this rebellion. Notice, going on, in Revelation 19:20.

Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.

There’s more to the story, but first let me offer you our free study guide today, Satan’s Counterfeit Christianity. You’ll see for yourself how “the counterfeit religion spread,” how a “modern ‘Babylon’ was created,” and how in the future we’ll see “Babylon revived.” Don’t take these issues lightly. What is detailed in this book will affect your life and the lives of your family members in the very near future. So request your free copy of Satan’s Counterfeit Christianity. You can call, write, or order online. Order today.

#3: Let Jesus Christ Be yOur Rock and Protector

In the last two segments, we discussed the question: Is Christianity dangerous? As society grows more anti-Christian, we will find ourselves living in a time more and more dangerous for real, genuine Christians. What should we do? Completely align our lives with Christ, in every way. Don’t put our faith in political movements.

But what’s a third thing we must do? Number three: Let Christ be our rock and protector.

In the last segment, we saw that Revelation uses the symbolism of a harlot woman to describe a counterfeit church in the end times. In contrast, the Book of Revelation also uses the imagery of a chaste and pure woman to describe God’s faithful, true Church. What does it say about that Church? Will there be protection from the destruction and devastation of the Tribulation for that Church? Yes.

Notice, Revelation gives a behind-the-scenes picture of a galactic war yet in the future, when Satan the Devil will fight against God on His throne. We pick it up in Revelation 12:7.

And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him (Revelation 12:7–9).

Remember, the counterfeit church deceives the masses and is influenced by the dragon. Here we see why so many Christians in the last days will be Christian in name only—because they have been deceived into accepting a counterfeit religion.

But what about those who really do follow Christ? God offers protection, on earth, to His faithful followers in a place of safety. Continuing on in Revelation 12:13,

Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent (Revelation 12:13–14).

Some people think this refers to the church being raptured. No, it’s simply taken into a wilderness. Heaven is not a wilderness. The children of Israel came out of Egypt symbolically on eagles’ wings—that’s mentioned in Exodus 19:4. But we know they just walked. It’s the same concept here. Going on, verse 15:

So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation 12:15–17).

In other words, those who are faithful and protected from the wrath of Satan the Devil will also have the testimony of Christ and be keeping the commandments of God. That’s not the Jews. That’s God’s genuine Church.

You and I, if we really are followers of Christ, if we obey His commandments—all ten of them—and are covered with the blood of His sacrifice, and are led by His Holy Spirit, He says He will take care of us.

But in order to be under His protection, we have to let Him be our Lord and Master now. We have to trust Him. We have to give our lives to Him now. Notice what the prophet Jeremiah wrote, starting in Jeremiah 17:5.

Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord…. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes (Jeremiah 17:5–8).

God says our real trust must be in Him and our Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus is our Rock. He is our Protector. He is our Savior. And it is He who will raise us up if we die before His return.

David recognized that, and he was a man after God’s own heart. In Psalm 18, starting in verse 1, we read this:

“I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies” (Psalms 18:1–3).

How grateful we are for having a faithful and loving High Priest. He is our Rock. He is our Strength. How important that will be, as times get more difficult, in the days ahead.

And it’s important to remember that God’s ways are good for us and produce blessings for those who will walk in His ways. As Moses told the Israelites as they were coming out of Egypt, beginning in Deuteronomy 10:12,

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good” (Deuteronomy 10:12–13).

Yes, God’s way of life—it’s not bad, or evil, or hateful, or repressive. Everything He commands us to do, in the end, is for our good. That’s something to be thankful about.

Again, I want to mention the study guide we are offering today on this program, Satan’s Counterfeit Christianity. As we’ve seen, when it comes to our beliefs, sincerity is not enough. We’ve got to base what we believe on Scripture. There is a real devil, Satan, who has a kingdom and who is the counterfeiter. He’s the cause of the confusion in modern mainstream Christianity. He will cause the mayhem and destruction that is coming. But there is protection under the care of Almighty God. Open your Bible and read for yourself. Satan’s Counterfeit Christianity will help you in your studies.

You need this information. So, call, click, or write today. Order now.

Be on Guard Against Fake Christianity

In today’s program, we saw that in our world today, Christianity is often accused of being dangerous. But we’ve got to understand—what type of Christianity? There is a true and a false Christianity. The false Christianity truly is dangerous. It will bring the world to the brink of destruction. But the true Christianity, the Christianity of the Bible, is the only real hope for the world. It teaches us that Jesus Christ will return, set His feet on the earth, and bring peace and prosperity that we desperately need.

Jesus Christ promises He will help those who are His faithful and zealous servants. He is our Rock. He is our fortress, our High Tower. He is our protection. And we need that more than ever.

So yes, counterfeit Christianity—it is dangerous. We must be alert and awake, and not fall prey. And we must embrace genuine Christianity with all of our hearts. It’s the hope of humanity—that time of Christ’s millennial reign on earth. God speed that day.

Thank you for watching. And don’t forget to order your free literature today, Satan’s Counterfeit Christianity. It will open your eyes to the deceptions of Satan the Devil, and help you to recognize how to be a true and genuine follower of Jesus Christ, preparing for His wonderful Kingdom coming soon.

And be sure to join us next time, as Gerald Weston, Wallace Smith, and I explain the good news of Tomorrow’s World, and the truth, comfort, and hope it can bring to you and your family.

See you next time!