There were weaknesses in the evangelical free churches, however, that would soon cause their numbers and influence to be swept away like a house of cards before a strong wind. One of the characteristics of the Swedish evangelical churches was that in reaction to the formalism of the Swedish State Lutheran Church, they tended to avoid doctrinal confessions and theological precision, preferring a more experiential Christianity. They also had a tendency to devalue the intellectual side of Christianity and their own culture in favor of their more emotion-oriented, experiential brand of faith.
When the Great Depression of the early 1930’s arrived in Sweden there was naturally an increased desire in Swedish society for more material security. This proved a great political opportunity for the socialist parties in Sweden, and the Social Democratic Party was able to win control of the government in the 1932 elections. The Swedish Socialists had a long-range plan, which they executed astonishingly well. Their plan was first to dominate the media and second the educational establishment. By dominating such powerful means of influence they would be able to marginalize Christianity, which they considered divisive and ideologically and socially backward. Thus they would establish a political dominance very difficult to challenge and lasting for generations. This would allow them to reshape Swedish society into the humanist, socialist society of their ideological dreams, still further strengthening their political power base. Their political influence eventually corrupted much of Swedish Christianity, turning many from sound doctrine to politically correct “feel good” humanistic ideologies advocated and then coerced by the lockstep government, media, and educational establishment.
The Social Democratic Party was able to stay in power for 44 years until 1976, thus having an enormous impact on Swedish society and building an all encompassing welfare state. They regained power in 1982 and have been in power more often than not since then. A Center-Right coalition narrowly defeated the leftist parties in 2006. Public dissatisfaction with Sweden’s self-destructive immigration policies was unquestionably a factor. However, elements of the so-called Center-Right parties have themselves become rather over-sensitive to political correctness. Meanwhile, the Left has continued its dominance of the media and educational spheres of influence in Sweden and now strongly influences the remaining religious spheres of influence. Significant and effective change in immigration and asylum policies probably depends upon increased strength of parties specifically advocating major reductions and restrictions on immigration, the most prominent of these being the Sweden Democrats.
According to a January 2018 Telegraph (UK) article using 2015 survey data from Gallup International on religious belief around the world, Sweden is the second least religious country in Europe, following Estonia. In Sweden, only 19 percent consider themselves religious. The other 81 percent are either atheists (18 percent) or non-religious (63 percent). It is the fourth least religious country in the world, following China, with only seven percent of its people considering religion important; Japan, with only 13 percent; and Estonia, 16 percent. Fifty-six percent of Americans consider themselves religious, while the figure for the UK is 30 percent. Poland is far and away the most religious country in Europe with 86 percent claiming that distinction.
Church membership is still common in Sweden with 63 percent belonging to the Church of Sweden (Svenska Kyrkan). There are also 3,500 churches in Sweden, and 70 percent of Swedish couples still marry in a church, but church attendance averages only about five percent. Evangelical applicants are generally blocked from pastoring Svenska Kyrkan churches and face various forms of political and media persecution. The media seems to be the principal enforcer of political correctness and secular humanism in Sweden.
The great issue that threatens to destroy Sweden is its liberal immigration policy. Beginning in 1964 and 1965, liberal politicians and political activists began to express the idea that Sweden should become a multicultural nation. Out of that grew the idea that traditional Swedish culture was not important and even inferior to that of poorer non-white third world nations. Year by year insane Swedish immigration and refugee policies have resulted in 8.1 percent of Sweden’s population of 10 million being Muslim immigrants. According to the Pew Research Center, most of this 810,000 came in the 2014 to 2016 surge. In 2010, there were only about 200,000 Muslims in Sweden. In 1930, there were less than 20 Muslims in Sweden.
The official Swedish government, media, academic, and now the Church of Sweden’s party line is that Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance. This strongly contradicts the actual contents of the Koran and the recorded traditions of Muhammad. By its own foundational doctrines, Islam is a religion with a political ideology of Jihad—war and subversion against all non-Muslims until Islam completely triumphs. Islam is not a religion of cultural or religious accommodation or assimilation. It is a religion of conquest by whatever means or deception necessary. Fourteen hundred years of Muslim history and Swedish history in the last 20 years, especially since 2014, attest to the nature of this Jihad. Islam is anti-Jewish, anti-Christian, anti-democracy, and demeaning to women. Once-safe Sweden is now the rape capital of Europe. Swedish women fear to venture from their homes in many areas. Sweden’s welfare spending has escalated so much that over 225,000 retirees live below the poverty standard. Sweden’s immigration and asylum policies have built an Islamic Trojan Horse that could destroy public safety, religious freedom, free speech, prosperity, and its remaining culture.
Yet key leaders of the Church of Sweden are aiding and abetting this anti-Christian cultural suicide. In 2014, Antje Jackelen became the Archbishop of Uppsala, head of the Church of Sweden. She believes that Allah and the God of Judeo-Christian scripture are one and the same, despite their colossal scriptural differences. Her official motto is “Gud är större”
(God is greater), which translates into Arabic as “Allahu Akbar,” the Jihadist cry for Holy War. She does not recognize Jesus as Savior and believes his claim is a major impediment to “interfaith efforts”. She has stated that “when it comes to the question of salvation, Jesus does not really matter.” She holds Muhammad to be equally important and says of Muhammad: “It is important to remember that Muhammad still inspires millions of people today in their pursuit of justice, peace, and a virtuous life.” She has changed the Swedish equivalent of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, removing references to God as “He” or “Lord” and pushes Jesus to the background as much as possible except to claim his support for more immigration. Many Church of Sweden pastors now fear mentioning Jesus in their sermons.
Author Bruce Bawer says of Antje Jackelen:
“No, we cannot know what is in really in this woman’s heart; but one thing we can be sure of is that when Islam does eventually take over Sweden, her remarkable history of appeasement will not save either her or her Church from a brutal reckoning.”
Christian social conservative writer Nima Gholam Ali Pour, a member of a Swedish school board writes:
“Christian leaders in Sweden have taken Christianity and made it into a religion that serves the political agenda of an establishment whose extreme liberal theology lacks popular support among the Swedish people.”
The situation may look hopeless to some, but there is rising resistance to the political insanity and religious heresies holding Sweden in chains and exposing her people to mortal danger. Moreover, I recall this hopeful reminder from C.S. Lewis: “Aslan is on the march.”
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR – Mike Scruggs, Author and Columnist
a.k.a. Leonard M. Scruggs
Mike Scruggs is the author of two books: The Un-Civil War: Shattering the Historical Myths; and Lessons from the Vietnam War: Truths the Media Never Told You, and over 600 articles on military history, national security, intelligent design, genealogical genetics, immigration, current political affairs, Islam, and the Middle East.
He holds a BS degree from the University of Georgia and an MBA from Stanford University. A former USAF intelligence officer and Air Commando, he is a decorated combat veteran of the Vietnam War, and holds the Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, and Air Medal. He is a retired First Vice President for a major national financial services firm and former Chairman of the Board of a classical Christian school.
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