The Re-packaging of Ancient Paganism for a Modern World 

A Recap

In our other Insights we have demonstrated that ancient pagan beliefs and practices are finding their way back into the modern West.  A prominent example is the promotion of LGBT+ beliefs and practices.  “Celebrating” gender fluidity and homosexuality, public gay pride parades, the use of the rainbow symbol and dedicating the month of June to celebrations were all practiced thousands of years ago by pagan cultures.  Ritualistic sexual abuse including against minors is not yet publicly celebrated but some of the same channels through which LGBT+ ideology is promoted are increasingly exposing young children to sexual concepts and are certainly opening the door to make paedophilia acceptable.  We appreciate this is a shocking statement.  But the reality of thought and practices we have established today would have been equally shocking to society just a handful of decades ago.  As always, the slowly-slowly approach is adopted so that successions of marginal gains add up to sizeable shifts in beliefs and practices over time. 

How Demonic Entities Operate 

These ancient deities are basically demonic personalities that piggyback off errant human beliefs to fabricate a religious system with the aim of receiving worship.  As they are honoured, more power is endowed to them which in turn increases their influence in the world.  If left unchecked, these become religions /pseudo-religions and are adopted in various cultures and gain a foothold over time.  They become instruments of the Kingdom of Darkness to fulfil their core mission – to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10).  False religion enslaves and distracts people and keeps them from God and His truth. 

There are three ancient powerful deities that have enjoyed significant success before they were exorcised by Christianity.  They are demanding back their position of influence and honour. Furthermore, they are being allowed to re-possess the West.  Jesus taught on how demon entities are exorcised: 

⁴³ “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. ⁴⁴ Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.” 

Matthew 12:43-45 An Unclean Spirit Returns

Here, Jesus teaches that either in the possession of an individual or the possession of a society, once a demonic presence has been forced out it works on a strategy to get back in.  This is because the demonic realm seeks a body or entity in which to possess so it can gain access to the physical world.  If it cannot find residence, it is unable to negatively influence the world.  It will have no “voice”.  So, to regain access, demonic spirits will form an alliance with more power spirits in an attempt to make a repossession.  The key takeaway point here is that once they have been kicked out, they’re not happy about it and want to re-gain their foothold.  The final state is worse than the initial sate.  Jesus taught the above as he addressed the effects of the unbelief of the religious people of the day.  These people had an exterior display of religion but in reality, didn’t know or serve God.  It was all for show and this made them vulnerable to end up in a worse state. 

How do they get back in? 

A spiritual force can only gain entry if there is a turning away from God and some form of untruth (lie) is embraced.  This is what creates the open door.  The mechanism is exactly the same as per what happened to Eve in the Garden of Eden.  The past 70 years or so has seen the West depart from God.  What has followed is an embracing of all kinds of non-truth (religious pluralism, the sexual revolution, disregard of the family unit, relative and post-truth, the state as the ultimate guardian etc.).  Today, we are living with a generation that has not been taught the things of God, but the doctrines of the new gods.  The beliefs, values and actions of our children have all been actively conditioned.  It only takes a single generation to lose contact with our Judeo-Christian heritage. 

The Modern-Day Pagan Trinity 

If we analyse the manifestation of the ancient pagan gods that ruled much of the Middle-Eastern and Western world before they were exorcised by Christianity, we notice there are three gods that resonate with today.  Chiefly, these are: 

The nature of Baal – the god of apostacy and prosperity 

Baal was a god of prosperity.  As Lord of the rains and fertility, it was believed adherence to him would bring increased harvest in the fields.  Baal, whose name can be translated “lord”, “owner” or “master”, was the chief god of the Canaanites.  Different regions and cultures had their own interpretation of the prosperity god.  The Bible makes mention of these as Baal Hadad, Baal Hermon, Baal Tamar, Baal Peor, Baal Zephon plus others who were incarnated either by wood, stone or metal as worshipers saw fit.  Whatever the particular regional branding, Baal was cast in opposition against God and any other god.  The concept of Baal was that he was a warrior who was to triumph over all gods. 

In later days the concept of Baal was incarnated as the head of the pantheon of Greek gods – “Zeus”.  Idols of Zeus had lifted arms with a thunderbolt ready to hurl at the Earth. 

The significance of Baal for today 

The early books of the Bible highlight the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt into the land of Canaan, from which the nation of Israel was born.  The Exodus is a message about being set free from slavery and being given a promise land.  This imagery has the purpose of illustrating the life of an individual who turns towards God.  They become set free from the dominance and penalty of sin (slavery) and are given new life, freedom and prosperity (promised land).  A study of this narrative is used by Christian believers today to navigate their new lives in Christ.  The time leading up to the Exodus and entry into Canaan was 40 years plus.  In short, this was a time of preparation.  As part of this preparation, God warned them that there would be a host of gods and associated practices adhered to by the natives.  This meant there was a substantial risk these would cause the newly formed nation to turn away from Him. 

Several generations after the setting up of Israel, the following is recorded: 

¹¹  Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals; ¹²  and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger. 

Judges 2:11-12 

So, the risk became reality.  In the context of What is Happening in the World Today, the significance is that the human desire for prosperity aside from God, turns people and nations away from God.  Baal is the alternative God, set up in opposition to God.  The Bible records that one of the chief outcomes of Israel serving Baal is that they, “forgot God”.  God’s rightful place in society is displaced.  Baal is the substitute or anti-God. Two masters cannot be served. 

The values of West, founded on Judeo-Christian values helped produce its prosperity.  At the end of the last century, prosperity and material gain became a pursuit in itself.  Prosperity became corrupted; idolised as it detached itself from God and Biblical guidelines.  The pursuit of material success became like a religion.  Shopping malls, built like cathedrals were honoured by weekly pilgrimages from the new converts.  America led the way.  God Almighty was sidelined by the Almighty dollar.  The Church itself was compromised as attempts were made at serving two masters.  One of the forms in which Baal was idolised was that of a bull made from molten metal, often bronze.  The departure of Israel from God actually started prior to the possession of the land.  Whilst Moses communed with God on the mountain the people below cast an image of a calf and engaged in vulgar carnality.  It is striking to note that in December 1989 a bronze bull, the “charging bull” as it named, was located in the financial district of New York.  At the time the image was described as a symbol of aggressive financial prosperity. 

As with all idols, they are made-up fabrications of man.  They are the making of something new that is to be served (idolised).  What comes with this is a new reality with its own fabricated beliefs.  Objective or absolute truth is replaced by a subjective (fabricated) truth.  As Baal in the times of the ancients caused culture to forget God, in like manner the modern incarnation of Baal causes culture to turn its back on God.  This apostacy gained momentum.  Initiatives to secularise public places meant that praying was banned in schools and the Ten Commandments were removed from council buildings.  Education, entertainment, media all become part of the process to remove (forget) God from culture.  Fabrications of truth were fundamental to achieve these aims.  Political correctness morphed into religious pluralism; truth became relative, statements of Biblical truth were shunned, concepts from Eastern religions were promoted. We were told all religions had equal validity.  A mix of ideas along with confusion became commonplace.   

The Nature of Aphrodite – the Goddesses of Sex and Instant Gratification 

Like her companion god, Baal, she was named differently depending on the region she was worshipped.  In the Bible her worshippers are recorded as naming her, “Ashtoreth”.  In Assyria and Babylon she was, “Isthar” and to the Greeks she became, “Aphrodite”.  Later on, she became “Venus” to the Romans.  In Canaanite mythology she appeared as the wife or companion of Baal.  Aphrodite was a goddess of war and destruction among other things.  There are many myths that describe her violence if she couldn’t get her own way.  But here, we will focus on her principal role as the goddess of sexuality.   

Aphrodite was a seducer and an enchantress by nature.  Clay idols and stone tablets depict her as nakedly revealing herself.  A sex industry was established to meet the ritualistic needs of her worshippers.  Her temples were effectively houses of prostitution.  In Babylonian culture, the Greek historian Herodotus states that every woman was forced into at least one act of temple prostitution during their lives. 

The mythological narratives state she had insatiable sexual desire, was proud, impulsive, full of lust, vindictive and that she took delight in breaking established norms and rules. 

She was also a sorceress who specialised in love magic.  She could make enchantments to change one’s desires and behaviours.  An ancient Sumerian hymn praises her that she “had the power to change a man into a woman and a woman into a man”.  All sexual boundaries were discarded and all people, young and old, wilfully or unwilfully took part in sexual rituals as an act of worship. 

The significance of Aphrodite for today 

The Bible pattern of societal decay describes how the first step is a rejection of God and then what follows is sexual perversion.  So, it stands to reason that Aphrodite follows Baal, the god of apostacy.  In the West, we are several decades into apostacy, so it is no surprise that perversion has taken a hold.   

It is striking to compare the practices, beliefs and symbols of today with the analogous worship of the ancients.  A few of the comparisons are as follows: 

All of the above are easily recognisable by those living in the West today.  We know of the bullying spirit of Aphrodite that wants to utterly dominate debate and practice.  Furthermore, reflecting the nature of Aphrodite, we know of the aggression and emotional responses if we dare to speak out against such things.  Rage ensues if we dare to uphold marriage, the distinctiveness of male and female, the family unit, and healthy sexual boundaries.  A blind eye to job losses, threats and cancelling is approved by all levels of government and by many of the large corporates.  Aphrodite has returned. 

All this in but a few decades following the apostacy. 

The Nature of Molech – the god of Child Sacrifice 

Molech is the ultimate final-stage ultimate horror of the pagan gods.  He was a blood thirsty destroyer.  Worship of Molech involved parents passing their children through fire.  This was an act that literally burnt them alive.  Idols of Molech had outstretched hands onto which children were placed.  These hands were slopped to the ground so that the children then rolled into the fire.  Worship of Molech is the rock-bottom final stage of decay resulting from an initial turning way from God.  When a nation sacrifices its children, it is the ultimate rebellion from God. 

The Bible referred to the concept of Molech as an abomination.  Israel’s ancient kings who aligned themselves with God, recognised the need to destroy the altars of the destroyer: 

¹⁰ And he [King Josiah] defiled [polluted, got rid of] Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire to Molech. 

2 Kings 23:10 

The figure of Molech is established as a symbol of evil.  Winston Churchill compared the evil of Adolf Hitler to that of Molech as he reflected on the Nazi atrocity of mass murder on an industrial scale.  In his book, The Gathering Storm, he writes: 

He [Hitler] had conjured up the fearful idol of an all-devouring Moloch of which he was the priest and incarnation. 

The Gathering Storm (pub. 1948), Winston Churchill

Child sacrifice was not limited only to the worship of Molech in the Pagan world.  Other blood-thirsty deities desired it as well but Molech is the most notorious of all.  It was not safe to be a child in the Pagan world.  In Roman times, even the practice of infanticide was accepted.  Infanticide was a practice whereby newborn children were left out in the elements for the gods (or fate) to decide if he or she could remain alive.  Until the advent of Christianity, the killing of the unborn or newly born was largely unchallenged.  In our Insight, “Universal Human Dignity”, TAG we uncover some of the key transitions that took place via the advancement of Christianity to protect the young and vulnerable. 

Tracking the return of Molech in the 20^th century– key moments 

The communists of the Soviet Union renounced Christianity.  Just a few years after the 1917 revolution, the Soviet Union became the first state to legalise the killing of unborn children.  The anti-God state officially opened the door to the ancient horror of Molech. 

In the West, the anti-Christian Nazis with their pagan ideologies exercised mass murder.  Molech had in the past, delighted in the murder of Jewish children.  The Nazi extermination camps murdered an estimated nearly 1.5 million Jewish children. 

The United Kingdom was the first Western European country to legalise abortion with the law coming into effect in 1968.  This was followed by Demark in 1973 and Sweden in 1975.  The Republic of Ireland was the last European country to legalize abortion.  Abortion was legalised in Ireland on January 1, 2019. 

In the United States, a small number of states legalised the killing of the unborn in the late 1960s in cases where the woman’s life was at risk or where the pregnancy was as a result of rape.  Then on January 22^nd, 1973 the Supreme Court legalised the killing of the unborn as a “constitutional right”.  This overruled the anti-abortion laws of individual states.  Constitutional rights in the US are foundational national principles, guaranteeing the freedom and rights of US citizens.  They include rights such as the freedom of speech, the freedom of religion, equal protection under the law and the right to vote.  Note that all these are for the protection of US citizens, not their destruction.  The odd one out, the Roe vs Wade ruling was overturned on 24 June, 2022.  This means that individual states can make their own rulings again.  Many states, especially those with left-leaning politics will choose to uphold legalised abortion and will continue to actively promote it.  But, the overturning does at least acknowledge that it was an oddity that this statue ever became a constitutional right. 

In 1979 the Communist Party of China introduced the one-child policy as a means of limiting population growth.  With the Party assuming the ultimate authority in the life of the family, parents who complied received benefits such as preferential treatment in housing, education, and healthcare.  Conversely, those who violated the policy faced fines, loss of employment, or even forced abortions or sterilisations.  Accurate data for the total number of lives taken under this policy is not available.  Some estimates place the number at tens of millions whilst others estimate in range 100-400 million. 

Today, with the many uncertainties and challenges in the world, the militant push to legalize abortion and further extend the boundaries under which abortion can be practiced rages on as much as it ever did.  National governments, NGOs, intranational governments among others evangelise abortion paradoxically as a freedom.  There is no freedom for the one terminated.  As evil ministering as angels of light, they do this under the banner of woman’s rights, utterly ignoring the rights of the one killed.  That the rights of the unborn should be brought into the debate brings only rage with instant cancelation.  Little do they know they are effectively foot soldiers for Molech and his insatiable desire for blood of the innocents. 

Abortion – how can this happen in civilised society? 

The book of Proverbs was written by King Solomon.  Prior to the writing of the book, the Bible gives an account of how God approached Solomon in a dream whilst he was still young in his reign: 

⁵ At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”  ⁶ Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. 

⁷ “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. ⁸ Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. ⁹ So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” 

¹⁰ The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. ¹¹ So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, ¹² I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. ¹³ Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 

1 Kings 3: 5-13

The Bible later records that Solomon’s became famous because of his wisdom.  An account is given of the Queen of Sheba travelling to hear Solomon’s wisdom.  She was not disappointed. 

The book of Proverbs is timeless in its wisdom.  It addresses every aspect of life – the pursuit of work and purpose, money, relationships, self-control, parenthood, morality, happiness etc.  Every Proverb still holds true today.  Here’s the point we wish to make.  In all of Solomons pursuit of wisdom, he learnt that there was one immutable prerequisite if an individual is to acquire true wisdom: 

⁹ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, 
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 

Proverbs 9:10

Meaning, if you don’t fear God, you are not going to have true wisdom or knowledge.  You can still accumulate a lot of facts, become a university professor or be known as a clever person.  But, when it comes to matters of life, of absolute right and wrong, timeless morality, only true understanding and discernment is possible when there is God-fearing.  To fear God is to honour and respect Him, to carry out his commandments and live within the bounds of His plan for us. 

The lack of the fear of God in the West has led to virtually non-existent levels of wisdom in various areas of policymaking.  Nowhere is this more prevalent than in the care for the unborn.  Consider the rationale of the pro-abortion lobby: 

There is no joined-up thought.  Contradictions abound.  This is because it is a spiritual matter.  Light and dark are clashing.  When you are in darkness you cannot see.  There are numerous parallels here with the fight to abolish slavery in the 19^th century.  William Wilberforce, inspired by his Christian faith took the fight to parliament.  There were many, many objections from all walks of society.  Because of spiritual blindness, it took 50 years of persistence to finally get the heinous practice abolished.  The famous British revivalist John Wesley was a contemporary of Wilberforce.  Wesley wrote the following to Wilberforce: 

Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils.  But if God be for you, who can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God? O be not weary of well doing.  Go on, in the name of God and in the power of His might, till even American slavery (the vilest that ever saw the sun) shall vanish away before it. 

John Wesley, British Revivalist

Wesley knew that there was a spiritual dimension behind Wilberforce’s pursuits.  Two kingdoms were in collision. 

To hit the nail on the head, many have become spiritually blind.  They cannot see.  When society pulls away from God it is done with a sense of superiority, that they have become enlightened somehow and need to cast off His commandments and fabricate their own as the ancients fabricated their own wooden idols. 

Disclaimer – isn’t this talk of pagan gods a little too far-fetched? 

The world of gods (small “g”) and paganism is a complex matter.  There are as many gods as have been dreamt up in the mind of man resulting from ignorance, rebellion or as an excuse to propagate their own preferred practices and beliefs.  Sex, war, murder, racial superiority, materialism, objects and forces of nature etc. have all been deified.  These are not real gods, but concepts originated by man which are then sponsored by demonic entities in the spiritual realm as they seek to divert worship away from the true God.   

For those reading this Insight who are unfamiliar with the Bible, the Bible only ever references these with but a brief passing mention as a means of illustrating the extent of decay of a nation.  The Bible never gives any credibility to them.  We at What in the World is Going On believe there is one, Creator God, and do not fear or respect any of the man-made conceptions. 

In the West, we do not have the bowing down to physical idols but we do have a bowing down to the characteristics and practices of these gods.  We trust we have evidenced at least a little proof in this Insight. 

Sadly, our departure from God has plunged us into a far-fetched society that many would have not believed possible only decades ago.  A primary aim of What in the World is Going On is to throw light on the matter so that people can recognise the new-normal is an ab-normal for the West. 

For a detailed study of the overlaps between ancient Pagan practices and today’s reinterpretation, we recommended Jonathan Cahn’s book, “The Return of the Gods” (published by FrontLine / Charisma Media, 2022). 

Does Anyone Really Worship Baal, Aphrodite and Molech today? 

With a few minor exceptions, Western culture today is not prone to fabricating physical idols and bowing down to them.  We have sizeable momentum in our culture that still embraces Judeo-Christian truths and rational thinking that is most likely preventing this.  But, in a sense, elements within the culture do bow down to these gods and similar incarnations as the fabricated truths are embraced. 

As we have mentioned earlier, man-made gods are sponsored by the demonic realm with the purpose of turning people away from God and keeping them in bondage to their sin and away from the truth that can save them.  The demonic realm always seeks to appeal to aspects of the human fallen nature, the vulnerable points of weakness in our makeup.  This is a tried and tested method that is re-branded and adapted to different cultures and periods in history.  But, the root appeal is the same.  For example, in the modern West we do not bow to an Aphrodite idol and sing to her. Although, we do display her symbolism of old, the rainbow, and designate the month of June as a special period of celebration. But some have bought into her root appeal – instant sexual gratification without boundaries.  This is effective because the strong sexual drive that was designed to bond together a man and woman in a lifelong commitment (marriage) has become corrupted in culture post-Fall.  Secondly, it is effective because of the increasing prevalence of sexual brokenness.  The discussion around sexual brokenness is now all but fully cancelled as the LGBT+ lobby has for decades sought to aggressively stamp out any discussion that highlights the possible root-causes of say, homosexuality. E.g. sexual abuse or an absent parent in childhood causing unmet needs.  So, combine the deep emotional pain of sexual brokenness and strong sexual desire with its post-fall off-limits corruption and you have a powerful driver from which to make an appeal.  Similarly, prosperity and materialist pursuits apart from God has timeless appeal.  Wooden idol & religious ritual not required. 

When men choose not to believe in God, they do not thereafter believe in nothing, they then become capable of believing in anything.

Anglo-Irish writer G.K. Chesterton

Turning from God leads to the serving of other gods, irrespective of whether this involves defined religious practices or not.  Ideologies such as Communism, Fascism, Nazism, Atheism, Secularism that are fabricated to replace God will also take on a level of authority and influence that God formerly had. 

So, in the view of the demonic realm, whether a physical idol is worshipped or not probably has little relevance so long as the end game is reached – that truth is obscured.  They know the words of Jesus spoken to His followers too well:

the truth shall set you free

John 8:32

The battle of the gods – Mammon has a competitor? 

As a slight aside to our review of the modern-day pagan trinity, a recent news event has triggered What in the World is Going On to reflect on whether we have a modern-day clashing of the ancient pagan gods.  We write this semi-humorously. 

In our Insight Tracing the Origins of Today’s Thought – Pursuit of Financial Gain we briefly introduce Mammon.  The term Mammon has its origins in Semitic cultures and is descriptive of the embodiment of a lustful pursuit of materialism and greed.  In the same way that science is now having to compete with a paganised, filtered science, Mammon also has a new competitor.  This is because the new gods the West is serving have competing ideologies. 

Take for example the well-publicised 2023 Anheuser-Busch debacle whereby the brewery giant partnered with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney to promote sales of Bud Light.  Despite the fact that trans ideology is not a central facet in the world of a Bud Light consumer, and that the consumer never requested their beer brand to have an association with it, Anheuser-Busch nonetheless pursued the campaign.  They defiantly continued with the campaign even after the initial backlash.  It has been reported that their US revenue declined by 10.5 percent in the April-to-June period (Q2 2023) which equated to a revenue hit of $390 million compared to Q2 2022.  Is this proof that the gods are at war?  The ancient Aphrodite trans-promoting goddess scoring a crucial goal over Mammon?  It will be interesting to discover whether we have a conclusive “knock-out” winner at the end of the season. 

Paganism in Intranational Governance 

It can be expected that many would roll their eyes as we highlight a connection to the political organisation of the European Union (EU) and the religious beliefs of Paganism.  The case in point is the Paganistic imagery used by the EU.  It could be considered that the Pagan symbols used by the EU are merely a convenient form of symbolism to give brand and identity.  Perhaps even to impart a grand sense of heritage? 

Let’s look at one example. One of the prominent pagan symbols utilised by the European Union is taken from the Greek myth of the Rape of Europa.  The myth states that the ancient Greek god Zeus transforms himself into a bull and then seduces the woman Europa.  This myth is epitomised in a sculpture located outside of the Council of Europe Building in Brussels and on Euro currency coins and notes.   

Some would say this is just merely a harmless symbol with no real weight or belief in modern Europe.  That not too much thought should be given to it, “don’t take it seriously”.  But, could not alternative motif / symbolism be created with less sinister overtones as that suggested by the Rape of Europa?  Also, consider the public appointment of Ursula von der Leyen in 2019, as Commission President of the European Council by Donald Tusk (the outgoing president).  Donald Tusk is reported as publicly stating, “I’m really happy about it. After all, Europe is a woman”.  Can it be that Rape of Europa symbolism is more than a convenient motif for the Euro? Is there perhaps a deeper level of associated belief within the elites of the EU?  Let’s hope not but anyone should be forgiven for thinking so. 

Stepping aside from pagan imagery for a moment, let’s look at another strange example of imagery chosen by the EU project.  In our Insight, “Global Governance – the Rise of the Unelected Elites” we commented on the first recorded socialist state recorded in the Bible – Babel or Babylon.  Nimrod, an ancient leader who set himself up in defiance of God, desired to build a tower and create a name for himself.  One of the chief strategies was to use the slowly-slowly approach to turn people away from God and instead to trust in the state and their own abilities.  One of the beliefs endorsed was that you can live independent of God and rely on yourself to generate your own prosperity (Baal would approve). 

Now, depending on a person’s worldview, it is expected that there will be a range of reactions to the Tower of Babel narrative –from scepticism of an ancient myth through to its acceptance as historical fact from which we can learn lessons today.  We appreciate that.  But, if you are seeking to build a political union in a region built upon a Judeo-Christian foundation, why would you reflect the narrative in the design of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg?  Compare the images below.  The central image was an early poster promoting the EU project. 

On the left we have an interpretation of the Tower of Babel, painted by Pieter Brueghel, Dutch-Flemish Renaissance painter, 1525–1569.  Note it’s similarity to the finished EU parliament building today (right-hand image).  Perhaps this is mere coincidence?  But, note also the strapline in the promotional poster – “Europe, Many Tongues, Once Voice”. 

It appears clear to us at What in the World is Going On that there had to be an intention in the design of the building to somehow replicate the Tower of Babel.  This opinion is confirmed as the EU-produced poster alludes to this – that despite having many tongues (languages) they will be united.  This is in direct opposition to God’s response to the first Babel project of part grace, part judgement, that the introduction of many tongues was to bring disunity so that their rebellion against God could be hindered. 

In conclusion, the pertinent question is, “was the parliament building intentionally designed with a defiance against God in mind; against the Judeo-Christian heritage of Europe”?  These concerns were first raised in the public space before the EU sheepishly backtracked and pulled the material.  We believe we have presented the facts here.  It is up to the reader to decide if the promised ideals of the EU project are underpinned by beliefs set up in opposition against God, in part or wholly. 

Paganism out in the open – construction of a new temple 

It’s true that we are not currently at a stage where we are openly embracing Pagan religion.  Pagan thought is however becoming increasingly rooted in our organisations and in the statue book.  It’s permeating society as a hidden influencer.  As these beliefs replace Judeo-Christian values, it would not be surprising to see more open practicing of Pagan religion.  New Age religion and Pagan practice is certainly on the rise, but it may come as surprise that in Iceland the construction of the first Pagan temple in modern times is underway.  Construction has been delayed but the Asatru temple is believed to be the first pagan temple erected in 1000 years.  When completed, it is said to honour the ancient gods such as Odin, Thor, Friff and Baldur.  The temple is to be situated on the Oskjuhlid hill which is considered sacred as it is near a formation of three rocks that are associated with the supreme God, “Odin” in the Nordic tradition.  (Ásatrú Temple – Reykjavik, Iceland – Atlas Obscura) 

A Warning from History – the Embrace of Paganism in Nazi Ideology 

The embrace of Paganism by senior Nazi leaders is an insightful lesson from history we have to learn from.  On the one hand, National Socialism achieved an industrial mobilisation of Germany based on science and rational engineering know-how.  Eventually, driven by the need to support their war effort, multiple feats of ground-breaking engineering and scientific advancement were accomplished.  However, on the other hand, their ideology sought to replace Judeo-Christian values with elements of paganism.  This was no secret and was a stated objective of the party.  It is true that elements of their ideology drew upon a twisted interpretation of genetics upon which they contrived a sense of racial superiority.  But, it can be argued this wouldn’t have occurred unless they had first rejected the Christian teaching that all races are equal and that we are to, “love our neighbour as yourself”. 

Heinrich Himmler as the great high priest 

Heinrich Himmler has a legacy of being the architect of one of the greatest terror campaigns ever conceived and as the implementor of the “Final Solution” – the mass extermination of European Jews.  History has in retrospect afforded Himmler with various titles.  A revealing one is the “Great High Priest”.  Himmler was known to officiate as a quasi-religious figure at Nazi rituals and ceremonies.  

The downward moral spiral according to the Apostle Paul’s account in the book of Romans 1 is well documented in Himmler’s life.  Like most young Germans he grew up attending Catholic Church but soon rejected God, in part due to being offended of Jesus being Jewish.  Following the rejection of God, Himmler sought to embrace aspects of pagan and occultic belief both as a replacement for Christian belief and as a means of establishing alternative ethics that facilitated the aims of the National Socialists.  Himmler personally supported research into Pagan Germanic history and used this to promote the idea of an Aryan master race.  As head of the SS (the German state police force that used violence and terror to achieve Nazi objectives) he was perfectly placed to take this non-Christian thought and make it the cultural norm within the instruments of Nazi governance. 

Himmler was not alone in his interest in the esoteric.  There are some accounts of Hitler himself having encounters with those who practiced occult and mystic beliefs and it could be from these experiences that his identity developed as a messianic-like figure who would save the German peoples. 

In the wider National Socialist Party, associations include: 

Did this Pagan identity really influence Nazi rule? 

With a casual glance at these facts, many could dismiss their impact on the events that led to World War II and the mass extermination of Jewish peoples.  Afterall, the expressed mission of National Socialism was not necessarily to overtly propagate Pagan thought.  Compare this to the use of pagan symbols as motifs for the political project of the European Union – does it really make a difference?  Yes, absolutely, because once the Judeo-Christian God has been rejected, alternative beliefs must fill the vacuum (the vacuum cannot remain for long) and these beliefs lead to a set of actions.  Although we are not seeking to compare the outcomes of European Union with that of the National Socialists, the incremental actions of the Nazis accelerated and within a relatively short period, Europe was utterly devasted.  The replacement of Judeo-Christian thought led to: 

In conclusion, had there not been a rejection of God and the Christian tradition in the echelons of power, it is inconceivable to consider how the horrors of the 1930s and 40s could have unfolded otherwise.  This is a lesson from history we are sadly repeating today.  The trends in motion are resonating with history.