The Changing attitude towards Christian Messages and Symbols?

The changing attitude towards Christian Symbols

A sure sign that we are in the "Last Days" or "The End Times" is the attitude towards the Christian faith and Christians in general in what is currently being billed as "Anti Christian Sentiment" in society. We have witnessed the decline of the church (see The Decline of the Church. What's the future?) and seen a shift away from religion with currently 1.5 Bn people on this planet declare as either being athiest or agnostic or just simply NOT interested or not believing in Religion or God. This number is very much on the rise.

This article focuses on the the Changing attitude towards Christian Messages and Symbols abut does not focus on the human element of Christian Persecution as that is a whole other topic entirely. We have seen a marked shift in attitude mainly in the US away from Christianity with terms like "in God We Trust" and the words "God" or "Jesus" in general seeming to not be acceptable in these modern times, this includes government, corporations and private individuals for some reason taking offence. This attitude is not restricted these days to the US but seems to be becoming a global thing. Why now in recent months and years remains a mystery? Is it a sure sign that we are in fact in "The Last Days"?

We have seen the removal of Christian teaching from schools, a recent advert in UK cinemas promoting "Prayer" a quite innocent and non trouble causing past time causing creating outrage again for some bizarre reason. Even the Prime Minister David Cameron came out in defense of the advert and said what is wrong with it and why is it offensive.

Christians around the world are getting persecuted in increasing numbers (that's another article entirely), Churches are getting mysteriously destroyed by fire. Crosses are becoming the victims of hatred and action to have them removed from buildings in public places because they cause offence to ethnic minorities and seems to be underway globally. Buildings in the US that have the Ten Commandments outside have had them removed in various states in the US. Even the US currency has come under pressure to have "in God We Trust" be removed because it doesn't fit in with our modern times. It just seems that the words God and Jesus are words that are not acceptable and "the Cross", carry some sort of extremist meaning and are not to be used in public these days in certain quarters.

An organisation that has made the headlines and is behind many of these attacks on religious phrases and symbols especially in connection with the Christian faith is The anti-Christian Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) . This foundation has been active and trying to get banned "in God We Trust" as previously mentioned in the US, college football chaplains and the act of group prayer before a game, to the National Day of Prayer and cheerleaders’ spirit banners,

A closer look in detail with relevant headlines at the recent "Anti Christian Sentiment" that is taking place around the world.

Church Arson
Recently in the last year or two there has been a marked increase in Church Arson, all occurring under mysterious circumstances. An example is the Church in India which is one of the fastest growing in the world, with hundreds of converts from Hindu and Muslim backgrounds. Persecution against the Church has increased over the past couple of years, and now with a resurging rise of Hindu Nationalism under India’s new President Narendra Modi, many fear that this will increase further. A widely held belief is that ‘being Indian’ means ‘being Hindu’, therefore Christians are seen to be deserters or traitors and are not following the "Indian Culture". Orthodox Christian Churches have also been the subject of mysterious arson attacks with four churches in New York and more in Australia in Melbourne and Sydney, Tanzania and Finland. Ethiopian Muslims have been attacking Christian Churches and the infamous Delhi Church attacks in India are amongst the other recent headlines.

In God We Trust. The US

A recent lawsuit to have "In God We Trust" removed from the US currency which was initiated by Atheists was turned down by the Supreme Court only recently but "In God We Trust" was to be installed on Police vehicles in Prescott, Wisconsin only to result in them being removed at the request of the local mayor. So in Wisconsin the general attitude is "In God We Don't Trust" at least when it comes to the police department. In other states another headline states that ‘In God We Trust’ Stickers Appearing On Police Cars Nationwide (October 2015) . In recent months, stickers bearing the words “In God We Trust” have appeared on police cars in several states, including Illinois, Kentucky and North Carolina, leaving critics to wonder about the cause.

The Ten Commandments Monuments. The US

The Ten Commandments Monuments which seems to be a strong feature in the US outside local government offices has seen them mysteriously being removed in various States often in the middle of the night. Oklahoma and Mississippi being the most famous recently. This is not only confined to local government offices but has been happening when a Ten Commandments sign appeared outside private property in Texas

The Bible Removal from Schools, Libraries and Hotels?

The Bible has been making the headlines in a surprising way in recent times and is coming up as one of the most challenged books of our time (only just recently) right up their with "Fifty Shades of Grey" if you can believe it. The Bible is coming up as one of the top books that people want banned from public places such as libraries, hotel room drawers and even universities. etc.

An organisation called FFRF (Freedom from Religion Foundation) sent a letter to Northern Illinois University (NIU), stating in part:

“Providing bibles to Holmes Student Center Hotel guests sends the message that NIU endorses the religious texts. Including bibles sends the message to non-Christian and non-religious guests that they should read the bible, and specifically the version of the bible provided: the Gideon Bible. Certainly, if guests want to read this religious text during their stay, they can bring their own copy or access any of the numerous churches or libraries near the university."

Removal of Crosses

Christian Crosses with or without Jesus on them are increasingly coming under fire for removal from public places such as parks, outside church buildings, from parks and even to be removed from the clothing of the clergy to make Muslims welcome? There is evidence of this in Central London in buildings inside and outside as mentioned in a previous article with The Church of England seeming to be leading the way in this move so that "religious minorities don't take offence". It seems to be perfectly OK for a crescent moon to be displayed over a mosque though. Why again is a mystery. Maybe a crescent moon isn't as offensive as a cross??

China seems to be coming increasingly under fire for removal of Crosses from Churches and The Army has been involved with Cross removal in some cases elsewhere. Controversy in  Norway as well where crosses were offered to be removed to please migrants??

Conclusion

This is a small sample of things that are going on around the world where the Christian faith is coming under increasing hostility from all quarters, and that's things that get reported, many of these incidents probably never get reported. What appears here I think is just the tip of the iceberg. This is just another piece in the End Times last Days Jigsaw Puzzle that when pieced together with many other pieces paint a very clear picture that we are in fact in a Book of Revelation scenario. All forms of light are being removed and extinguished and being replaced by darkness. It's a creeping insidiuos process but it is happening, and globally.

It's especially prevalent in the US and this country seems to be turning it's back on God just as Israel did back in the day. This quote sums it up well and what happened as a result.

Judges 2:12-14

12. And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.

13. And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.

14. And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.

Further Bible Quotes:

2 Timothy 3
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

2 Peter 3:3-4
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

1 Corinthians 4:5 - Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

Matthew 10:33 - But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Isaiah 5:20
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!