There is a general feeling in this country that disaster looms right around the corner. While the economy is doing so well, more people are coming to realize that there is more to the health of this country than the economy ("it's not just the economy, stupid").
One trend contributing to the uneasiness about our country's health is the crime rate among children. I don't need to cite any statistics here, this problem is obvious to anyone who watches the news. Mass murders by children at school have become common. You can dismiss these crimes as a passing fad among victimized kids with low self-esteem (the politically-correct view) or you can recognize it for what it is: an indicator of moral decay.
You can treat the symptoms by banning firearms, rating TV programs, and educating children that it's not nice to gun each other down; but this will not cure what ails us. Instead, we should look at what is different in our society today that has caused people to place little value on human life: the replacement of Christianity with secular humanism.
Secular humanism is a belief system (i.e. religion) which promotes concepts that sound good but are deceptive to all but those well grounded in the Word of God.
Secular humanists believe in "the universal fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man". This is a subtle deception because it is partially true in that we all descended from Adam who had no father but God Himself per Luke 3:38. But this is only in the physical (worldly) sense, not in the spiritual (eternal) sense which is vastly more important. God is the spiritual father only of those who put their trust in Jesus Christ: "as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12). Likewise, not all men are brothers in an eternal, spiritual sense, only those who follow Jesus (Matt. 12:46-50).
Secular humanists say that all religions worship the same deity, that Allah, Ra, the Great Spirit, and Mother Earth are just different names for the same God. But Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." The secular humanist acknowledgment of "a supreme being" falls short of what God requires for salvation, "you believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe-- and tremble!" (James 2:19).
Secular humanists cling to the theory of evolution as truth. But if mankind is nothing more than a highly adapted animal with this life being all there is, then there is no higher moral law with which to concern ourselves.
With only human laws, people will risk the odds in getting caught to engage in abhorrent behavior. If this life is all there is, people can do what ever they feel like and the only authority they have to answer to is other people. If enough people live by this philosophy, either anarchy or an autocracy will be the result. The Bible makes it clear it will be the latter per Revelation 13:7.
If the secular humanist admitted there was a higher moral law, they'd eventually have to conclude that we are all judged. By implication, there must also be some reason to be judged: reward or loss, heaven or hell. And if we are judged, who does the judging? And by what standard are we judged? How good is good enough? How can we be certain what is right or wrong?
The Bible has the answers to all these questions but the secular humanist avoids the issues by denying the existence of higher moral law.
A dichotomy in the beliefs of secular humanists is that while they trust in evolution as truth, they believe that in general, "the truth can not be known." They don't believe it is possible to be certain of anything (such as right or wrong). But this is illogical: if it is not possible to be certain of anything, then how can you be certain that it is not possible to be certain of anything?
A rational mind would have to conclude that you must at least concede the possibility that one can know the truth about God and eternal matters. And if the truth can be known, then there is a possibility that the Bible is God's Word.
Given this, why risk eternal life? What does anyone have to lose by believing the Bible? If the secular humanist was right and the Christian wrong, they would both go on to the same eternal fate. Christians are only out a few years following some crazy doctrines when they didn't have to.
But if the Bible is right then this life is a test to see who will accept or reject Christ. Is it worth risking the wrath of God? "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!" (Psalm 34:8).
Throughout history there have always been occasions when children are disobedient to their parents. Yet this is one of the signs given in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 of the "perilous times" that will exist in the "last days" before the return of Christ. The presence of child mass murderers is unique to our age. This should be a wake-up call to everyone that our society is close to melt down.
Secular humanists believe that given enough money, education, and effort, mankind can fix society. The Bible says that only Christ can fix society and He will do that when He returns. But this fix will not come until man has fallen even deeper into the abyss. You can be saved from the coming wrath of God: "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household" (Acts 16:31).