On October 7, 2023, monsters descended on the nation of Israel.

As word spread, many Israelis rushed to their cellphones or television screens to see images of terrorists crossing Israel’s borders by land and sea—even by air in small, improvised aircraft. They descended upon a music festival packed with dancing youth. They encroached on neighborhoods. They entered homes. And their mission was clear: to kill, to maim, to rape, to torture, and to kidnap.

That is, to terrorize.

In recent weeks, devastating events have occurred around the Mediterranean. Libya saw massive flooding as intense rain of more than 16 inches (40 cm) over two days caused dams to break (AP, September 13, 2023). In the coastal city of Derna, over 11,000 people were reported dead and thousands more were still missing (Euronews, September 15, 2023).

A province in India is experiencing another outbreak of the Nipah virus—the fourth in the region since 2018 (Telegraph, September 14, 2023). Deaths have occurred with each outbreak, and so far, two have died in this one. There have been 800 suspected contacts. These numbers might seem low, but the fatality rate for infection with the virus can be up to 75 percent!

Some Christian denominations attract members by offering a “feel-good religious experience,” complete with an upbeat message, live Christian rock music, encouragement to indulge in fits of emotion, and requiring little in the way of commitments. But is an emotionally charged “religious experience” truly the worship God wants?