Kerby Anderson

Many historians have written about the descent into barbarism. Novelist Mark Lewis reminds us that the “descent into barbarism is easy and fast; you only need to let yourself go.”

How does it happen? He suggests, “When it becomes socially acceptable to be a barbarian, as is increasingly the case in America, there will be more and more barbaric activity.” And he adds that it is often to the advantage of leaders to allow it to happen or even encourage it to happen. Once there is chaos, authoritarian leaders can justify increasing their power to manage the chaos.

Sadly, he observes, “Barbarism never elevates anyone. It took Europe several centuries of the Dark Ages to get out of it. We appear to be descending into it again, as law, religion, traditions, and social order no longer hold back the tide.” Government cannot stop this decadent slide.

Human reason, he adds, cannot provide an answer nor a solution. Precisely because “human reason can never fathom the depths of the mind of God. And that is because every human has his own reason.”

He explains, “When one removes from a man that which separates him from the animals, when we teach man that he is nothing more than a glorified ape, we mustn’t be surprised when he acts like one, and when we take God out of man, we leave nothing but the animal.”

Pastors and Christian leaders have said for decades that if you teach children in the public schools that they are evolved animals, they will act like animals. If you take God and morality out of the culture, anarchy and immorality will result. The solution to this descent into barbarism is a revival and reformation.