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Pagan America: The Decline of Christianity and the Dark Age to Come
Evil Is Coming – Worse than You Imagine
We live in an anxious age. Long-held certainties, cherished beliefs, and social trust are crumbling. Don’t expect things to get better. For too long we have taken our Christian heritage—the heritage upon which America was built—for granted. But we’re rapidly, and now inevitably, losing the Christian culture that shaped the American republic. What will take its place is a despotism—and a new paganism, worse than the old, because it will be based on a hatred of Christianity.
In his stunning new book, Pagan America , author John Daniel Davidson offers a stark but honest assessment of America’s “America as we know it will come to an end. Instead of a republic of free citizens, we will be slaves in a pagan empire.”
There is, he warns, no escape. We can only brace ourselves and prepare for a future when power will determine every relationship. Morality as we know it, as a Christian inheritance, will be forfeit, replaced by state-enforced “morality.” Violence will be common—doled out at the hand of an all-powerful state and its corporate allies.
There are hard times ahead, but we are not without hope. Christianity emerged within the confines of a pagan empire. Davidson shows how with courage, fortitude, and faith, it will be our duty and privilege to defend Christianity and restore its claims in what is likely to be a terrible and brutal dark age.
We live in an anxious age. Long-held certainties, cherished beliefs, and social trust are crumbling. Don’t expect things to get better. For too long we have taken our Christian heritage—the heritage upon which America was built—for granted. But we’re rapidly, and now inevitably, losing the Christian culture that shaped the American republic. What will take its place is a despotism—and a new paganism, worse than the old, because it will be based on a hatred of Christianity.
In his stunning new book, Pagan America , author John Daniel Davidson offers a stark but honest assessment of America’s “America as we know it will come to an end. Instead of a republic of free citizens, we will be slaves in a pagan empire.”
There is, he warns, no escape. We can only brace ourselves and prepare for a future when power will determine every relationship. Morality as we know it, as a Christian inheritance, will be forfeit, replaced by state-enforced “morality.” Violence will be common—doled out at the hand of an all-powerful state and its corporate allies.
There are hard times ahead, but we are not without hope. Christianity emerged within the confines of a pagan empire. Davidson shows how with courage, fortitude, and faith, it will be our duty and privilege to defend Christianity and restore its claims in what is likely to be a terrible and brutal dark age.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published March 26, 2024
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415 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
May 7, 2024
overall great and timely topic but lacking
As an ex catholic and born again Christian, this book consistently promotes Catholicism as the religion that could save America. The notion that Catholicism started with Jesus is ludicrous. The saints in Rome that were put to death were not Catholic. They were devout Christians. Paul never once mentions the word catholic in any of his writings. To also say that Catholics were the models of the family structure (and marriage between one man and one woman) is not true. The Jews were 1000 years ahead of any minimal promotion of family by Catholicism. Also brushing under the rug the current pope’s role in destroying family with his promotion of LGBT, CLIMATE CHANGE, and all around communist ideas like abolishing capitalism ideas in favor of socialism, is only a small sampling of the role of the pope in bringing together a one world religion. Not one mention of end times prophesy and the book of revelation here. Another Catholic that obviously doesn’t read the Bible but looks at the issues of one world government, currency, etc. as something foreign. There is no mention that it’s possible people may have to kill intruders in their home. Is it moral to do so? I can go on…..
As an ex catholic and born again Christian, this book consistently promotes Catholicism as the religion that could save America. The notion that Catholicism started with Jesus is ludicrous. The saints in Rome that were put to death were not Catholic. They were devout Christians. Paul never once mentions the word catholic in any of his writings. To also say that Catholics were the models of the family structure (and marriage between one man and one woman) is not true. The Jews were 1000 years ahead of any minimal promotion of family by Catholicism. Also brushing under the rug the current pope’s role in destroying family with his promotion of LGBT, CLIMATE CHANGE, and all around communist ideas like abolishing capitalism ideas in favor of socialism, is only a small sampling of the role of the pope in bringing together a one world religion. Not one mention of end times prophesy and the book of revelation here. Another Catholic that obviously doesn’t read the Bible but looks at the issues of one world government, currency, etc. as something foreign. There is no mention that it’s possible people may have to kill intruders in their home. Is it moral to do so? I can go on…..
June 29, 2024
I don’t write reviews anymore. I simply don’t have time because of my career and the traumatic road my life has unfortunately taken but I will just say this… No. This is not it.
November 19, 2024
I just finished reading this, and I am a secular, left leaning, liberal Democrat, so I can't say I liked this. I do read a lot of weird shit, and this book falls in with the weirdest. However, I was fascinated by the skilled propaganda. The way the author used history to sound knowledgable and factual while slipping in hints of evil secularism against heroic Christians. To me, it was korny and fake, but the author kept building on that, and there were phrases the author repeated many times throughout the book. It's those very phrases that highlighted the hypocrisy of the book's assertion. He's accusing Pagans of brainwashing America. At times, the book was an attack on science, and even suggested scientists are pagans, but then it goes on to demonize birth control, homosexuality, media, seperation of church and state on multiple levels, and the book keeps building up steam against liberals and democrats and calling them Satanic cults, and the book turns into an insane fantasy of pagan imperialism. It never occurs to the author how similar Satanic cults are to evangelical churches, but he nearly demonstrates it himself. The author has some strange Bible interpretations too. I'm thinking this might have been more about political wrangling because, like politicians trying to tap the emotions of the heartland, the book attempts to tap old, agrarian family values from the middle ages, which is daffy because they don't suit a modern family structure. In other words, we don't need to get a wife and breed a labor force to run the farm. Morality and virtue keep coming up in this conspiracy theory, but they're based on medieval thought. This book has very little to do with real life, and it's a distortion of facts. It got so ridiculous that I stopped to check and see if it was actually labeled non-fiction.
April 20, 2024
I loved this book… this really put together all the pieces for me. As a life-long christian I have never considered what the pagan past was like, or ever took seriously the idea that these pagan gods are real. Looking at history and then the current state of the US and the west through this lens, it is obvious! Every christian should read this book!
May 30, 2024
I wanted to read this book because I sought understanding as to why the world is aflame and what motivates those with depraved and licentious behaviors that destine them, without repentance, eternal damnation.
The history of paganism was very difficult to read, yet informative. The chapter by chapter focused institutional depraved decline unveiled the satanic influences.
The concluding chapter was a ‘call to arms’ to stand up in ‘truth and love’ yet courageously sharing the Good News because the battle, since time beginning, is for one heart at a time. As these precious conversions take place, the Heaven sings!
The book of Revelation tells us ‘the rest of the story’. Jesus The Christ won salvation and victory for all who believe in Him as their personal Redeemer King.
The New Jerusalem is growing closer and closer. Amen and Hallelujah!
The history of paganism was very difficult to read, yet informative. The chapter by chapter focused institutional depraved decline unveiled the satanic influences.
The concluding chapter was a ‘call to arms’ to stand up in ‘truth and love’ yet courageously sharing the Good News because the battle, since time beginning, is for one heart at a time. As these precious conversions take place, the Heaven sings!
The book of Revelation tells us ‘the rest of the story’. Jesus The Christ won salvation and victory for all who believe in Him as their personal Redeemer King.
The New Jerusalem is growing closer and closer. Amen and Hallelujah!
October 29, 2025
I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley and the publisher.
Hoo boy where do I start. If I could give 0 stars, I would, but that doesn't show up in the ratings, so 1 star it is.
This book was a wild ride, as I kind of already suspected when I first requested it, but I figured I would give the author the benefit of the doubt and see if maybe he has anything worthwhile to say. Spoiler: He does not.
For a book that talks about how America (and the world more generally) is doomed because of a decline of Christianity, he sure does neglect to talk about the very real good Christianity has done globally in the fight for social justice (e.g. in supporting the labour rights movement in South Korea, using its international connections), instead claiming that Christianity is the source of true morality (which has to be objective and true, and cannot ever be relative) without elaborating on that claim or how he came to this conclusion.
He also uses the word "pagan" to refer to anything that is not HIS version of Christianity, ignoring that that is not what the word means, frequently applying it to people despite their self-identification as Christian. Jewish and Muslim beliefs are sometimes considered close enough to Christianity to be alright, or alternatively part of the pagan rise responsible for the end of the world.
What annoyed me the most about this book was that the author did frequently identify real social issues on the large-scale (e.g. the oppression of the weak by the wealthy and powerful), but then went on to use completely bullshit smaller-scale examples (transgenderism and transhumanism pushed by big corporations and the government??? hello ????) to "make his point".
I disagree with a lot of what he's saying, but obviously that in itself isn't enough to assess the value of his claims, so I will also mention that he does not give ANY empirical data for ANY of his claims, does not give any sources for the most outlandish of his claims, and instead quotes random FICTION authors, thus making it very easy to dismiss his claims, ESPECIALLY as someone with a background in social sciences who like. knows about actual issues that exist (though he dismisses modern philosophy and, presumably, the social sciences and humanities, as "pagan", claiming ethical breakthroughs when really, they are just becoming paganised and moving away from christianity (such as in developing relativist ethics, depending on time, place, culture, and circumstances - thats pagan)). He does, however, give sources for uncontroversial claims or direct quotes, sometimes as many as 7 in one paragraph (while the next dozen pages will have maybe two sources total), which I am not sure he realises is the biggest self-own he could have done, as to any reader with even an ounce of critical thinking ability (which I, regrettably, possess), it will appear fairly obvious that the author pulled the claims not supported by hyperlinked sources straight out of his rectum. There aren't many other conclusions that could be reached from his at times meticulous, at times nonexisting sourcing practices.
Another thing that frequently made me want to pull my hair out was the double standards and the fact that he so very clearly has selective amnesia when it comes to listing the horrors committed by pagan empires (such as ritual human sacrifice, sex slavery), while forgetting a) the "pagan empires" that did not engage in such acts, and b) the many Christian empires who happily engaged in such acts (the same empires he praises for "ending the bloody reign of paganism"). So he criticises that Roman slaves could be raped by their owner, but the same is true for American slaves in the CHRISTIAN land of America, or CHRISTIAN wives married to their CHRISTIAN husbands until various points of the 20th century, depending on the country. He further talks about how, yeah, the Christian settlers of America had slaves, but like, first of all, they considered slaves as a necessary evil that was supposed to end sooner or later anyway, and their slaves were DIFFERENT, they treated their slaves like PEOPLE (spoiler: they didnt). He also excuses the witch trials because "they were scared in a foreign land", while going on and on about the evils of human sacrifice of pagan empires, and making very clear that being scared of colonisers coming in en masse is no reason for human sacrifice, which is certainly a double standard par excellence. (Also, he is very unhappy about the lack of belief in transubstation, but I wonder, wouldn't that just be cannibalism and human sacrifice, which he so clearly condemned? How come that now it's a problem to not believe in transubstation?)
Additionally, many of the things he mentions as "unique to Christianity" can also be found in other cultures and religions, such as Buddhism (for example, he goes on and on about how christianity is the one religion free of ego and im like... Sir you clearly have never bothered to learn about Buddhism). He also just completely ignores, for example, the many CHRISTIAN philosophers who also support, e.g., a strong, almost dictatorial head of state, which he claims is a sign of a paganisation of America (such as Hobbes, who was raised Christian).
He spends a lot of time speaking about Christian values, and that a Christian moral revolution introduced concepts such as all humans being equal (as they are made in the image of God), care for the poor, etc., and while I do not know enough about other civilisations to say much about this (though in pre-modern Korea, e.g. the Joseon and Goryeo dynasties, financial care for the poor, the widowed, orphans etc. was part of the social order, despite a lacking influence of Christendom), I do know that Christianity did play a big role in charity etc. worldwide. What disappoints me is that the author fails to mention the colonialising effects of the Church, and constantly conflates these Christian values (which do exist and are good) and the Christian (particularly Catholic) Church, which frequently acted and acts in direct contradiction to these values.
Furthermore, while it is worthwhile to acknowledge the Christian roots of many concepts such as universal human rights, the author fails to consider that these values, by now, have become secular - one need not be Christian to care about human rights, and many self-proclaimed Christians do not. The author instead ctually disagrees that we can have "Christian" morality without Christianity, and is stuck in a self-confirming logical loop: anyone who shares these values is, by definition, Christian and just does not acknowledge or know it, and anyone who does not share these values is inherently pagan, regardless of self-identification. Thus, a self-proclaimed Christian who does not share the author's values is automatically assigned the label of pagan, which makes it very easy to "prove" his arguments. Why, everyone who agrees with me is Christian and everyone who disagrees is pagan, and as I think human rights are good, and pagans think human rights are not good (very simplified), obviously a rise of paganism is a bad thing, as they don't care about human rights! Except that's not how logical argumentation works.
Some things that just plain made me laugh were claims such as "the right to bear arms" as a Christian morality-based value (please show me where in the Bible Jesus said "and now you shall have guns forever and ever"?), which just shows he doesn't care much about accurately representing Christianity, regardless of how much he laments a decline in "traditional doctrine". (The same is true with e.g. freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, etc. - all of these are values shared by the Christian founding fathers of the U.S., but that doesnt make them CHRISTIAN values.)
Then there's also racism, such as claims about unsettled land for the U.S. settlers (Native Americans... that's kind of why y'all have Thanksgiving), or the claim that there is "zero evidence that black Americans are targeted or killed by police at a higher rate than whites or other races", and claiming that George Floyd was a drug addict and a criminal.
I'm sorry to say that this book is bullshit, full of misinformation, false claims, circular logic and a very obvious lack of evidence to back up any of the claims that his entire argument is based on.
Hoo boy where do I start. If I could give 0 stars, I would, but that doesn't show up in the ratings, so 1 star it is.
This book was a wild ride, as I kind of already suspected when I first requested it, but I figured I would give the author the benefit of the doubt and see if maybe he has anything worthwhile to say. Spoiler: He does not.
For a book that talks about how America (and the world more generally) is doomed because of a decline of Christianity, he sure does neglect to talk about the very real good Christianity has done globally in the fight for social justice (e.g. in supporting the labour rights movement in South Korea, using its international connections), instead claiming that Christianity is the source of true morality (which has to be objective and true, and cannot ever be relative) without elaborating on that claim or how he came to this conclusion.
He also uses the word "pagan" to refer to anything that is not HIS version of Christianity, ignoring that that is not what the word means, frequently applying it to people despite their self-identification as Christian. Jewish and Muslim beliefs are sometimes considered close enough to Christianity to be alright, or alternatively part of the pagan rise responsible for the end of the world.
What annoyed me the most about this book was that the author did frequently identify real social issues on the large-scale (e.g. the oppression of the weak by the wealthy and powerful), but then went on to use completely bullshit smaller-scale examples (transgenderism and transhumanism pushed by big corporations and the government??? hello ????) to "make his point".
I disagree with a lot of what he's saying, but obviously that in itself isn't enough to assess the value of his claims, so I will also mention that he does not give ANY empirical data for ANY of his claims, does not give any sources for the most outlandish of his claims, and instead quotes random FICTION authors, thus making it very easy to dismiss his claims, ESPECIALLY as someone with a background in social sciences who like. knows about actual issues that exist (though he dismisses modern philosophy and, presumably, the social sciences and humanities, as "pagan", claiming ethical breakthroughs when really, they are just becoming paganised and moving away from christianity (such as in developing relativist ethics, depending on time, place, culture, and circumstances - thats pagan)). He does, however, give sources for uncontroversial claims or direct quotes, sometimes as many as 7 in one paragraph (while the next dozen pages will have maybe two sources total), which I am not sure he realises is the biggest self-own he could have done, as to any reader with even an ounce of critical thinking ability (which I, regrettably, possess), it will appear fairly obvious that the author pulled the claims not supported by hyperlinked sources straight out of his rectum. There aren't many other conclusions that could be reached from his at times meticulous, at times nonexisting sourcing practices.
Another thing that frequently made me want to pull my hair out was the double standards and the fact that he so very clearly has selective amnesia when it comes to listing the horrors committed by pagan empires (such as ritual human sacrifice, sex slavery), while forgetting a) the "pagan empires" that did not engage in such acts, and b) the many Christian empires who happily engaged in such acts (the same empires he praises for "ending the bloody reign of paganism"). So he criticises that Roman slaves could be raped by their owner, but the same is true for American slaves in the CHRISTIAN land of America, or CHRISTIAN wives married to their CHRISTIAN husbands until various points of the 20th century, depending on the country. He further talks about how, yeah, the Christian settlers of America had slaves, but like, first of all, they considered slaves as a necessary evil that was supposed to end sooner or later anyway, and their slaves were DIFFERENT, they treated their slaves like PEOPLE (spoiler: they didnt). He also excuses the witch trials because "they were scared in a foreign land", while going on and on about the evils of human sacrifice of pagan empires, and making very clear that being scared of colonisers coming in en masse is no reason for human sacrifice, which is certainly a double standard par excellence. (Also, he is very unhappy about the lack of belief in transubstation, but I wonder, wouldn't that just be cannibalism and human sacrifice, which he so clearly condemned? How come that now it's a problem to not believe in transubstation?)
Additionally, many of the things he mentions as "unique to Christianity" can also be found in other cultures and religions, such as Buddhism (for example, he goes on and on about how christianity is the one religion free of ego and im like... Sir you clearly have never bothered to learn about Buddhism). He also just completely ignores, for example, the many CHRISTIAN philosophers who also support, e.g., a strong, almost dictatorial head of state, which he claims is a sign of a paganisation of America (such as Hobbes, who was raised Christian).
He spends a lot of time speaking about Christian values, and that a Christian moral revolution introduced concepts such as all humans being equal (as they are made in the image of God), care for the poor, etc., and while I do not know enough about other civilisations to say much about this (though in pre-modern Korea, e.g. the Joseon and Goryeo dynasties, financial care for the poor, the widowed, orphans etc. was part of the social order, despite a lacking influence of Christendom), I do know that Christianity did play a big role in charity etc. worldwide. What disappoints me is that the author fails to mention the colonialising effects of the Church, and constantly conflates these Christian values (which do exist and are good) and the Christian (particularly Catholic) Church, which frequently acted and acts in direct contradiction to these values.
Furthermore, while it is worthwhile to acknowledge the Christian roots of many concepts such as universal human rights, the author fails to consider that these values, by now, have become secular - one need not be Christian to care about human rights, and many self-proclaimed Christians do not. The author instead ctually disagrees that we can have "Christian" morality without Christianity, and is stuck in a self-confirming logical loop: anyone who shares these values is, by definition, Christian and just does not acknowledge or know it, and anyone who does not share these values is inherently pagan, regardless of self-identification. Thus, a self-proclaimed Christian who does not share the author's values is automatically assigned the label of pagan, which makes it very easy to "prove" his arguments. Why, everyone who agrees with me is Christian and everyone who disagrees is pagan, and as I think human rights are good, and pagans think human rights are not good (very simplified), obviously a rise of paganism is a bad thing, as they don't care about human rights! Except that's not how logical argumentation works.
Some things that just plain made me laugh were claims such as "the right to bear arms" as a Christian morality-based value (please show me where in the Bible Jesus said "and now you shall have guns forever and ever"?), which just shows he doesn't care much about accurately representing Christianity, regardless of how much he laments a decline in "traditional doctrine". (The same is true with e.g. freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, etc. - all of these are values shared by the Christian founding fathers of the U.S., but that doesnt make them CHRISTIAN values.)
Then there's also racism, such as claims about unsettled land for the U.S. settlers (Native Americans... that's kind of why y'all have Thanksgiving), or the claim that there is "zero evidence that black Americans are targeted or killed by police at a higher rate than whites or other races", and claiming that George Floyd was a drug addict and a criminal.
I'm sorry to say that this book is bullshit, full of misinformation, false claims, circular logic and a very obvious lack of evidence to back up any of the claims that his entire argument is based on.
December 5, 2024
4.5
Despite my hesitations, this book was measured, historically and theologically sound, and indicting. Every Christian should read this book.
Despite my hesitations, this book was measured, historically and theologically sound, and indicting. Every Christian should read this book.
December 16, 2025
Davidson’s Pagan America is a must read. It serves as a much needed history lesson on the brutality of Pagan cultures dating all the way back to the Aztecs. Then Davidson is able to show the reader how modern culture is sliding back into Pagan practices, one small liberalism at a time. While this book doesn’t offer much practical advice for reversing the downward spiral of America, it is full of truths that needs to be grasped by all who hope for a bright future for our country.
May 31, 2024
A thought provoking book that is just as applicable to other western countries as it is to America. It’s a somewhat grim read, but given the topic, and the evidence for the way things are degenerating, I think it’s appropriate. It’s well researched, but definitely not a piece of academic writing, in the sense that some of his conclusions are quite a leap from the evidence. That said, I would agree with the general premise and most of his arguments, but I wouldn’t suspect they would convince non-Christians or the lukewarm. The author does provide a way forward in the last chapter, but I do wish that it took up a more significant part of the book. Overall, I would recommend it to Christians and conservatives alike, not to scare anyone, but to be aware of what we may face in the coming decades.
June 21, 2024
While I agree with the downward trend and the pagan culture that we seem to be embracing in the USA, I differ completely with the author’s preposterous claim that the answer is to cleave to the “One True Church” which in his mind is Roman Catholicism. America’s Founders were overwhelmingly not Catholic. In fact, Judaism embraced Biblical values long before there was any Catholic Church. I am sure this author believes that the RCC gave the world the Bible. This would, of course, be a surprise to the Jewish people. The majority of the Bible is Old Testament and the Gospels, letters of Paul, Peter, John, etc. took little thought to be added as part of the New Testament. Egregiously this author picks apart the decline of Protestant churches while completely neglecting to mention the catastrophic sexual abuse scandal in his own church. The answer to living a pure life is found not in Catholic teachings, which have changed through the centuries. The answer is found in Holy Scripture inspired by God Himself and free from error. This author needs to do a deep dive into his own church’s errors and failures before he calls out other religions. Because from what I see regularly in the news, his Pope is beginning to head down the same road as the rest of “pagan” society and with the cardinals he has appointed recently, most of whom are very liberal, the next pope will be even worse. I know more Evangelical Christians who hold to Christian teaching than I do Catholics. And one would think this author would mention “devout” Catholics like Nancy Pelosi and most especially President Biden who are so pro-abortion that they should never be offered communion and frankly should be asked to leave the church due to their insane push for anti-Christian laws in the US. Read the Scriptures and know that when you violate them, YOU are wrong and not God. Forget about a holier-than-thou hypocrite who wears a crown and is surrounded by wealth and overlooked some of the most sinful acts one could possibly imagine. The Truth never changes. The Catholic Church does. American was founded on Judeo Christian principles despite some of the Founders being deists because the Bible contains Truth and logic and any country that follows its teachings will not embrace paganism. Protestants who knew the Word of God built this country. No man in a foreign country should have any say over the USA. This writer is very, very anti-Protestant. Why anyone would believe the RCC is the one truth church after such horrendous crimes against humanity and especially children is beyond me. Do yourself a favor and inform yourself before you vote. Vote for the platform you believe most represents God’s directives. Don’t vote for the man or woman, vote for Truth based on the Absolute truth….the Bible.
July 8, 2024
This book is a perfect gift for anyone who is unaware of what's been going on in American culture for the last 20 years. It is written in what I would call a journalistic style. That is, every few pages a new issue is brought up, described, and shown how bad it is. It's like reading a series of articles which are connected. If that's something you like then you can enjoy this book much more than I did. I would have liked to round this up to a 3, but it's just too uneven. There are some parts that are excellent but others that are repetitive and somewhat overly sensational. Here are two examples:
The chapter on transgenderism is excellent. The lack of scientific support for transgenderism and its utter lack of logic is well discussed. The book gives ample backup documentation to defend its position. Worth reading just by itself.
The chapter on AI is too alarmist in my opinion. First you have to grant its existence. Many years ago I learned software engineering is like looking for a black cat in a dark room, systems engineering is like looking for a black cat in a dark room where there is no cat, and AI is like looking for a black cat in a dark room where there is no cat and someone occasionally saying "It's over here". If AI becomes a real threat then either
1. pull the power plug out
or
2. teach it phenomenology, although this has been known to have negative outcomes with certain thermostellar devices as one Sgt. Pinback discovered.
The book ends with a call to action, which is appropriate but might be off putting to some people.
The chapter on transgenderism is excellent. The lack of scientific support for transgenderism and its utter lack of logic is well discussed. The book gives ample backup documentation to defend its position. Worth reading just by itself.
The chapter on AI is too alarmist in my opinion. First you have to grant its existence. Many years ago I learned software engineering is like looking for a black cat in a dark room, systems engineering is like looking for a black cat in a dark room where there is no cat, and AI is like looking for a black cat in a dark room where there is no cat and someone occasionally saying "It's over here". If AI becomes a real threat then either
1. pull the power plug out
or
2. teach it phenomenology, although this has been known to have negative outcomes with certain thermostellar devices as one Sgt. Pinback discovered.
The book ends with a call to action, which is appropriate but might be off putting to some people.
May 20, 2024
Confirmation Of My Thoughts
For the last few years, I’ve thought that our country was more pagan than Christian. This book lays out that argument brilliantly and confirms me in my belief that we are in the beginnings of Pagan America.
For the last few years, I’ve thought that our country was more pagan than Christian. This book lays out that argument brilliantly and confirms me in my belief that we are in the beginnings of Pagan America.
September 18, 2024
Some helpful stuff; takes a tone and posture that I would view as overly alarmist and combative/defensive. Rod Dreher adjacent. Nevertheless I'm glad I read this.
February 1, 2025
Davidson begins his book with descriptions of pagan cultures in Scandanavia, Africa and South America, which are alike in the demand for blood required by their gods. Infanticide was common, and sometimes children were raised to a certain age for the explicit purpose of sacrificing them on an alter - thousands of lives were consumed every year. He next dives into explaining how these practices are coming back in modern America as reflected by left-wing enthusiasm, maybe even pagan reverence, for abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality and pedophilia. One thing I did not know is that "the Republican Party was founded in 1854 to fight slavery and polygamy, the 'twin relics of barbarism'" (241). It is heavily implied that the Republican Party is the only thing preventing America from slipping back into pagan barbarism.
This book was published in early 2024, at a time when President Biden was sending armed FBI agents to arrest Christians for praying in public. Things looked very bleak for conservatives, and this book advises citizens to push back against the prevailing demonic spirituality by forming tight-knit communities and organizations in preparation for the day we will not be permitted to worship at all. Right near the end he writes "Absent a miracle from God, things are going to get worse before they get better" (297). Of course, America did witness a miracle from God on July 13 when President Trump was saved from an assassins bullet, ushering him back into office where he is even now reversing America's spiritual crisis. In light of these events, this pessimistic book seems almost outdated.
This book lays out the argument that Christianity, and therefor Jesus, saved our planet from pagan barbarism and started to develop the relatively polite civiliztion we enjoy now. Davidson does it very well, but the evidence he gives that these ancient powers are resurfacing circles one big question that is too big for this book: are these pagan deities real? What is the possibility that such otherwise diverse ancient cultures all made their human population live in fear that their god would demand blood? Are their non-physical entities leading people to support causes that only create long-term misery? I was especially disturbed by Davidson's account of malevolent personalities surfacing in Artificial Intelligence. I hope that in his next book Davidson explains what these unbodied pagan gods are working toward, and how the One True God is stopping them.
This book was published in early 2024, at a time when President Biden was sending armed FBI agents to arrest Christians for praying in public. Things looked very bleak for conservatives, and this book advises citizens to push back against the prevailing demonic spirituality by forming tight-knit communities and organizations in preparation for the day we will not be permitted to worship at all. Right near the end he writes "Absent a miracle from God, things are going to get worse before they get better" (297). Of course, America did witness a miracle from God on July 13 when President Trump was saved from an assassins bullet, ushering him back into office where he is even now reversing America's spiritual crisis. In light of these events, this pessimistic book seems almost outdated.
This book lays out the argument that Christianity, and therefor Jesus, saved our planet from pagan barbarism and started to develop the relatively polite civiliztion we enjoy now. Davidson does it very well, but the evidence he gives that these ancient powers are resurfacing circles one big question that is too big for this book: are these pagan deities real? What is the possibility that such otherwise diverse ancient cultures all made their human population live in fear that their god would demand blood? Are their non-physical entities leading people to support causes that only create long-term misery? I was especially disturbed by Davidson's account of malevolent personalities surfacing in Artificial Intelligence. I hope that in his next book Davidson explains what these unbodied pagan gods are working toward, and how the One True God is stopping them.
April 22, 2025
This book was mentioned on a podcast I listen to recently. And I had put it in my reading queue. This is an unbelievably powerful deconstruction of our society, and the influences of evil specifically paganism to bring into ruination.
There is a lot to take in here. So I am going to have to either listen to this again or I’m going to also need to buy the book and read the book. Either way, I will be worth my time and attention.
There are many topics that are covered from the standard “religion and politics,” but also social media and artificial intelligence. The author repeatedly touches on the importance of the breakdown of the nuclear family, and all of the forces conspiring against it not only on daily basis, but a minute by minute basis. Including a full frontal assault from government, which is openly hostile to Christianity, despite a Declaration of independence and Constitution as well as the mayflower Compact which were directly influenced by the Bible.
The author seems pretty balanced in his view that the permissive “ libertarian or live in and let live” cultural and societal attitudes have contributed to many of our mental health and criminal problems we face currently. And that at least half the blame (or more) lays at the feet of Christians, like myself who have allowed things to happen and have not stood up for the faith to keep these obnoxious, destructive ideas and viewpoints and actions from destroying western civilization.
The remedy for this fall is a retrenchment into our Christian faith. Actively living out our morals and ideals as a way to push back on a moral behavior and attitudes. Working to replace evil with good as was done when Christianity came into being and overtook theRoman Empire. And they’re just like early Christians. We are going to go through a lot of abuse and trials and tribulations, and perhaps even deaf like the martyrs. To bring about a new appreciation respect for a human life, morality, and the ability to freely worship as a Christian.
I’ve got a lot of work to do. As do other Christians. Certainly reading the Bible should be a priority. Reading this book will give you additional cause an urgency to reconnect to your faith and recognize the power that it has to influence in shape society for the better. LPL
There is a lot to take in here. So I am going to have to either listen to this again or I’m going to also need to buy the book and read the book. Either way, I will be worth my time and attention.
There are many topics that are covered from the standard “religion and politics,” but also social media and artificial intelligence. The author repeatedly touches on the importance of the breakdown of the nuclear family, and all of the forces conspiring against it not only on daily basis, but a minute by minute basis. Including a full frontal assault from government, which is openly hostile to Christianity, despite a Declaration of independence and Constitution as well as the mayflower Compact which were directly influenced by the Bible.
The author seems pretty balanced in his view that the permissive “ libertarian or live in and let live” cultural and societal attitudes have contributed to many of our mental health and criminal problems we face currently. And that at least half the blame (or more) lays at the feet of Christians, like myself who have allowed things to happen and have not stood up for the faith to keep these obnoxious, destructive ideas and viewpoints and actions from destroying western civilization.
The remedy for this fall is a retrenchment into our Christian faith. Actively living out our morals and ideals as a way to push back on a moral behavior and attitudes. Working to replace evil with good as was done when Christianity came into being and overtook theRoman Empire. And they’re just like early Christians. We are going to go through a lot of abuse and trials and tribulations, and perhaps even deaf like the martyrs. To bring about a new appreciation respect for a human life, morality, and the ability to freely worship as a Christian.
I’ve got a lot of work to do. As do other Christians. Certainly reading the Bible should be a priority. Reading this book will give you additional cause an urgency to reconnect to your faith and recognize the power that it has to influence in shape society for the better. LPL
July 21, 2024
The book starts out with a description of ancient paganism in Scandinavia, in Aztec Mexico and in a part of what's now Nigeria in Africa. They were societies that practiced slavery and human sacrifice to their gods. The author discusses the founding of the United States and its Christian background and then how things progressed in the 19th and 20th centuries. Various Supreme Court decisions are mentioned in passing and their consequences for further secularizing our society. We see the rise in recent generations of the "nones" - those people who claim no religious affiliation. There is a chapter discussing abortion and euthanasia, and another on transgenderism and pedophilia. I found very depressing.
In his chapter on the pagan state, he thinks that the government will become crueler to those who cannot abide by the dominant cultural norms, and he gives examples. For me, the scariest chapter was the one entitled AI and the Pagan Future. If some of his examples are to be believed, it would seem that certain advanced Artificial Intelligence systems have been infiltrated by demonic presences from "outside".
In his chapter on the "Boniface Option" he compares and contrasts it to Rod Dreher's "Benedict Option". Dreher in his 2017 book of that title had called for Christians to form tight-knit communities that lived more-or-less separately from the larger society. While agreeing in part, our author says that like St. Boniface in the 8th century worked to stamp out pagan practices in the nominally converted Germans of his time (he was eventually martyred), we have to be ready to fight back. Where possible, we have to be involved in our local institutions - town/city councils, public libraries, school boards, etc. - to fight for our values. But we also need to be ready for martyrdom - the cancel culture of today - being excluded from the professions, etc. And we have to be in it for the long haul.
In his chapter on the pagan state, he thinks that the government will become crueler to those who cannot abide by the dominant cultural norms, and he gives examples. For me, the scariest chapter was the one entitled AI and the Pagan Future. If some of his examples are to be believed, it would seem that certain advanced Artificial Intelligence systems have been infiltrated by demonic presences from "outside".
In his chapter on the "Boniface Option" he compares and contrasts it to Rod Dreher's "Benedict Option". Dreher in his 2017 book of that title had called for Christians to form tight-knit communities that lived more-or-less separately from the larger society. While agreeing in part, our author says that like St. Boniface in the 8th century worked to stamp out pagan practices in the nominally converted Germans of his time (he was eventually martyred), we have to be ready to fight back. Where possible, we have to be involved in our local institutions - town/city councils, public libraries, school boards, etc. - to fight for our values. But we also need to be ready for martyrdom - the cancel culture of today - being excluded from the professions, etc. And we have to be in it for the long haul.
June 18, 2024
I enjoyed this book. Rather than argue, as some have, that woke ideology and the emergence of semi-fascist government resulted from a perversion of liberalism or from radical ideologies of the last 100 years, the author argues instead that Christianity is in retreat and a type of paganism is ascendant. Based on a quick survey of historical pagan societies, he argues that paganism involves human sacrifice, extreme violence, slavery, and raw assertion of power unconstrained by mercy or belief in equality. Christianity, he says, is the reason we have notions of freedom, equality, and respect for people's rights. In a post-Christian world, people may continue to mention these words but only as a play for dominance and cruelty. Of course, the new form of paganism will not necessarily look like the ancient forms. Child sacrifice may take the form of abortion up through viability rather than burning children on alters. Martyrdom probably won't take the form of burning Christians alive but rather of depriving Christians their livelihoods, suing them for years, and putting them in prison. Slavery has not returned but it may just be a matter of time.
I am a little more optimistic. I believe that every political action creates a political reaction, absent sufficient state power and terror. Unlike China, we are mostly free to advocate and speak against the worst abuses. Over time, I expect even people on the left will come to their senses, though probably not enough to restore this country to its Christian roots. I expect this country to remain mostly free. But I do not expect it ever to be Christian again in my lifetime. Given that it was founded on assumed and shared Christianity, and worked pretty well on that basis when compared to other countries at the time, that is a loss.
I am a little more optimistic. I believe that every political action creates a political reaction, absent sufficient state power and terror. Unlike China, we are mostly free to advocate and speak against the worst abuses. Over time, I expect even people on the left will come to their senses, though probably not enough to restore this country to its Christian roots. I expect this country to remain mostly free. But I do not expect it ever to be Christian again in my lifetime. Given that it was founded on assumed and shared Christianity, and worked pretty well on that basis when compared to other countries at the time, that is a loss.
May 19, 2024
Well written and researched, this book makes a strong snd near irrefutable case that America has become a pagan nation with all the rituals and horrors that go with it.
While logical and methodologically presented with plenty of facts, figures, anecdotes, and examples, the one thing Davidson fails to take into account is the miracles God produces through men filled with the Holy Spirit. Things look bleak, for sure, as this depressing recitation of history and how America has sprinted toward paganism lays out. But where there is faith there is hope, and together they breed courage.
Christians see the darkness around us - the casual cruelties, the flagrant discriminations, the lies - but even the agnostics, the too-cool atheists, the “spiritualists” and those who are Christian the way Taco Bell is Mexican recognize that something spiritual and distressing is happening around us. You might not believe in demonic possession, but when the kid climbs the wall and turns her head all the way around, praying becomes an instinct. You’re seeing a lot more people having quiet chats with God lately.
Davidson thinks Christian America is gone, that the principles of our founding, indeed of the reasons the Puritans settled here in the first place, have vanished and cannot be recalled. That’s too fatalistic for me. It took one Constantine to turn pagan Rome to Christianity. Imagine what 140 million Protestants and 70 million Catholics can do in our own country.
Have faith, show courage. Persevere.
While logical and methodologically presented with plenty of facts, figures, anecdotes, and examples, the one thing Davidson fails to take into account is the miracles God produces through men filled with the Holy Spirit. Things look bleak, for sure, as this depressing recitation of history and how America has sprinted toward paganism lays out. But where there is faith there is hope, and together they breed courage.
Christians see the darkness around us - the casual cruelties, the flagrant discriminations, the lies - but even the agnostics, the too-cool atheists, the “spiritualists” and those who are Christian the way Taco Bell is Mexican recognize that something spiritual and distressing is happening around us. You might not believe in demonic possession, but when the kid climbs the wall and turns her head all the way around, praying becomes an instinct. You’re seeing a lot more people having quiet chats with God lately.
Davidson thinks Christian America is gone, that the principles of our founding, indeed of the reasons the Puritans settled here in the first place, have vanished and cannot be recalled. That’s too fatalistic for me. It took one Constantine to turn pagan Rome to Christianity. Imagine what 140 million Protestants and 70 million Catholics can do in our own country.
Have faith, show courage. Persevere.
June 5, 2024
Hard to rate this book. As a book it has what you would want. Well written, clear, and interesting. The book's thesis is an examination of the John Adams Quote:
"Because We have no Government armed with Power capable of contending with human Passions unbridled by morality and Religion. Avarice, Ambition, Revenge or Gallantry, would break the strongest Cords of our Constitution as a Whale goes through a Net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
While I agree with both Adams and John Daniel Davidson, I disagree with the call to action of the book. While it is not far down the path of Christian Nationalism, it is on the path. An explanation of my rejection of Christian Nationalism would be long and irrelevant to the review, in short it is a misunderstanding of the Gospel and a pathetic substitution for the Kingdon of God.
As a tangent, John Daniel Davidson seems to have only the Catholic Sunday School version of Protestantism. Much the way I used to have only the Protestant Sunday School version of Catholicism. I think both Catholic and Protestants would benefit greatly from attempting to reconcile the theological difference.
"Because We have no Government armed with Power capable of contending with human Passions unbridled by morality and Religion. Avarice, Ambition, Revenge or Gallantry, would break the strongest Cords of our Constitution as a Whale goes through a Net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
While I agree with both Adams and John Daniel Davidson, I disagree with the call to action of the book. While it is not far down the path of Christian Nationalism, it is on the path. An explanation of my rejection of Christian Nationalism would be long and irrelevant to the review, in short it is a misunderstanding of the Gospel and a pathetic substitution for the Kingdon of God.
As a tangent, John Daniel Davidson seems to have only the Catholic Sunday School version of Protestantism. Much the way I used to have only the Protestant Sunday School version of Catholicism. I think both Catholic and Protestants would benefit greatly from attempting to reconcile the theological difference.
July 5, 2024
Pagan America is a comprehensive look review of the spiritual war raging within America in the early 21st Century. The decline of America since the mid twentieth century rests squarely on the American people. It the American electorate, and the political parties of America that have rejected God and refused to stand up for Christian morality. John David Henderson reports on the collective decline in America, and says we live today in a Post Christian America.
Davidson traces the history of the "pagan state" all around the world, an is bold in his assertion that European exploration of the west was as much about Christian evangelism as any other cause. He addresses the Covenant with God that Created this nation. After talking about Christianity in American life, he tells of the decline in church attendance over the past seventy years.
This is a book that should be read by every MAGA person, by President Trump and by every Pastor that believes in the Bible and Divinity of Christ.
It won't be fun, but to read about the breadth of Satan's inflitration into America, and to recognize that America is a front in the spiritual war between good and bad is essential if the US is to survive the next half century.
Davidson traces the history of the "pagan state" all around the world, an is bold in his assertion that European exploration of the west was as much about Christian evangelism as any other cause. He addresses the Covenant with God that Created this nation. After talking about Christianity in American life, he tells of the decline in church attendance over the past seventy years.
This is a book that should be read by every MAGA person, by President Trump and by every Pastor that believes in the Bible and Divinity of Christ.
It won't be fun, but to read about the breadth of Satan's inflitration into America, and to recognize that America is a front in the spiritual war between good and bad is essential if the US is to survive the next half century.
August 11, 2024
Pagan America was a solid read and a great reminder of the downfall of our culture. We are seeing the lack of Christian influence right before our eyes, and it does indeed seem that the "house" is on fire. It's not just that we are no longer "Christian" but the direction we are going is so immoral and incomprehensible, that the sound for alarm is long overdue. Although I do not agree with every single point Davidson makes and try to be careful with extreme "alarmist" from any standpoint, there were lots of things that I needed to be reminded of as well enlightened by. At times the reading was a bit cumbersome, particularly long historical narratives. Depending on the genre of literature you are accustomed to will determine your intake of these sections. There is no doubt Mr. Davidson has done the hard work, and the thesis and support are firm, scholarly, and top-notch. The book is also very heavily "Catholic" which must be Davidson's background, and I am ok with that. I would have liked to see some non-Catholic examples, even from a Catholic writer. However, I'd say there is a place at the table for everyone alarmed, and he is inclusive in his message. After the first third of the book I got into it more, and am thankful for all his insights and am more equipped to be a shepherd, as well as a barking dog when necessary in a culture of wolves.
June 12, 2024
Davidson's premise is that America's survival as a nation depends upon its steadfast relationship with/adherence to Christianity for its moral virtue. Moral virtue in government guarantees the individual freedom from tyranny and creates harmony among the citizenry. America's moral virtue is under relentless assault by those among us who reject Christianity in part or whole.
Paganism in each of its manifestations rejects the notion of the Biblical Creator and His role in the affairs of our nation. Paganism is incompatible with the foundational Christian beliefs embodied in the Declaration of Independence and The Constitution which acknowledge the nation our founders sought to establish was based upon inalienable rights provided to us by our Creator.
Davidson's argument is persuasive, clear, and comprehensive. It exposes pagan tentacles present in our culture, public institutions, the tech industry and helps to arm the citizen to identify, push back and reject paganism in all of its forms.
Paganism in each of its manifestations rejects the notion of the Biblical Creator and His role in the affairs of our nation. Paganism is incompatible with the foundational Christian beliefs embodied in the Declaration of Independence and The Constitution which acknowledge the nation our founders sought to establish was based upon inalienable rights provided to us by our Creator.
Davidson's argument is persuasive, clear, and comprehensive. It exposes pagan tentacles present in our culture, public institutions, the tech industry and helps to arm the citizen to identify, push back and reject paganism in all of its forms.
January 14, 2025
Did not finish -- I picked this up at a local library and read the lengthy intro, the 'Materialist Magician' chapter, the conclusion, and skimmed the rest.
As a close reader of Chesterton and Lewis, I was curious how the author would define and distinguish 'paganism' from the moral subjectivism of post-Christian modernity. But he didn't. He just lumped it all together. None of the careful teasing out that Chesterton and Lewis did to show how the best of paganism was a search and that search was fulfilled in Christ. Instead, this came across as a journalistic-style cultural jeremiad of decline, and a broad-brush overview of a number of issues, with 'pagan' applied to anything and everything that is pre- or post- or non-Christian.
This can rile up the fearful, religious conservatives, but I concluded that the book was not going to be terribly worthwhile or interesting for me, since I already mostly agree with the general message, but I don't love the sensationalistic tone. Or the yammering on and on about Catholicism.
As a close reader of Chesterton and Lewis, I was curious how the author would define and distinguish 'paganism' from the moral subjectivism of post-Christian modernity. But he didn't. He just lumped it all together. None of the careful teasing out that Chesterton and Lewis did to show how the best of paganism was a search and that search was fulfilled in Christ. Instead, this came across as a journalistic-style cultural jeremiad of decline, and a broad-brush overview of a number of issues, with 'pagan' applied to anything and everything that is pre- or post- or non-Christian.
This can rile up the fearful, religious conservatives, but I concluded that the book was not going to be terribly worthwhile or interesting for me, since I already mostly agree with the general message, but I don't love the sensationalistic tone. Or the yammering on and on about Catholicism.
May 27, 2024
Thought provoking read on the downfall of American values. Since the Declaration of Independence American society has been guided by Christian values. The line between right and wrong, acceptable and non acceptable behavior was clear. Now we are expected to accept lifestyles and practices that resemble the pagan worshipers of old. Where the accepted practice of only self matters and nothing else is real. These include pedophilia, transgenderism, abortion, euthanasia, poligamy. Today if we object to ourselves or our children being constantly exposed and bombarded by these, we are called bigots, homophobes, nazis, racists, etc. All to make you comply to the accepted degradation of society so the elites can gain more power and keep the masses at a high level of anxiety. This is how pagan cultures existed and also how Christianity conquered them. We are at a crossroads and decent Americans and for sure all Christian’s need to read this book.
October 13, 2024
This book is about what is happening to the United States of America as religiosity, especially Christianity, declines. Much of what is written about is clearly evident to anyone in our society today. What bothered me about this book was the severe negativity of everything. There was no hope in this book, right down to the prediction that all American Christians will be persecuted and even killed as part of the abandonment of Christian values and principles. I don't disagree with the voice of warning but it really seemed that the author was saying all is completely lost unless all Christians completely withdraw from society, take their children out of school, leave their jobs and go live in their own cloistered communities. I think the book is probably fear mongering at it's very best, so for that reason, I gave it 2/5 stars on Goodreads.
February 22, 2025
Still Prophetic Even with 2024 Election Results
Even though we are seeing many of the things reversed that John thought could not be reversed under the Trump presidency, the call for the Church and especially for pastors is more relevant than ever. Pastors need to actively encourage and explain the biblical mandate to transform culture at the local community and governmental level. A Great Awakening is happening beyond our highest hopes, and at least for a time, the tide of paganism is and can be rolled back. Thanks for this brilliantly documented vision of Satan’s pagan, gnostic, kingdom which is implacably and irreversibly opposed to God’s kingdom. A reset to the values of the Hebrew Republic are what is called for today.
Even though we are seeing many of the things reversed that John thought could not be reversed under the Trump presidency, the call for the Church and especially for pastors is more relevant than ever. Pastors need to actively encourage and explain the biblical mandate to transform culture at the local community and governmental level. A Great Awakening is happening beyond our highest hopes, and at least for a time, the tide of paganism is and can be rolled back. Thanks for this brilliantly documented vision of Satan’s pagan, gnostic, kingdom which is implacably and irreversibly opposed to God’s kingdom. A reset to the values of the Hebrew Republic are what is called for today.
June 3, 2025
Disappointing. The author conflates Christendom with Christianity and Christianity with Conservatism in the American Context. I suspect the target audience for this book will love it and its culture warring mentality. The book doesn’t offer a gospel centered way forward and its many genuine concerns are eclipsed by significant biases. This book may inspire some white conservative to contend for some Christian principles, but the book will likely further entrench white-centered thinking. Many of the poor, immigrants, people of color, and the lost will be left in the dark. The great commission and the ministry of reconciliation are not on display. Little is provided to woo progressives or the lost with the love of Christ.
May 28, 2024
Intense book describing our countries' slide towards paganism as we enter our post-Christian era. Much of what he describes in the churches' move away from Christianity into post-Christian/pagan/woke theology will not come as a surprise to anyone who has lived through the decline of the mainstream Christian denominations. His historical perspectives leading into the implications of the church's decline are well done and thought provoking. A must read for anyone concerned about the direction of the Church as well as our country.
June 9, 2024
The first few and last two chapters were especially interesting to read. The history of pagan cultures, the depths of their depravities, and evidence of same growing in this country brought our current state into focus. The middle chapters contained the events and news that I hear about every day. But the final two chapters, especially the one on AI, were eye-popping and encouraging. AI has made me nervous from the first I heard of it, but what’s being found is, well, demonic.
And now, we must speak up and prepare to be persecuted.
I’m so glad to be Catholic!
And now, we must speak up and prepare to be persecuted.
I’m so glad to be Catholic!
July 28, 2024
Ooooooof… Was not expecting this, but this was a phenomenal condensed historical analyses of the development of U.S. Western civilization leading up to our current age and interpretation of its ramifications. Specifically, the history focuses on the shift from widespread Christian moral sentiments undergirding the fabric of society toward a sort of “neopaganism”, characterized by vague spiritual conceptions and subjective moral reasoning, which points us toward the political climate and social ills that we face today. Fascinating take that’s more real than it is pessimistic in my opinion.
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