The civilizations of Europe and countries of the Western world have been described by many commentators as now being “post-Christian.” The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, gave this bleak assessment of Christianity in the United Kingdom: “Christ is being replaced by music, New Age beliefs, the environmental movement, the occult, and the free-market economy.”

In Jesus’ discourse about the signs that would precede His return, three times He told His disciples that numerous false prophets would arise on the world scene, and that they would attract large followings. “Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many” (Matthew 24:11).

Paganism is flourishing. The BBC reports: “A study in 1997 suggested there were 100,000 practicing pagans in the UK, an increase of 95,000 since 1990.”

“Pagan power” is similarly on the increase in North America.