Demonic Gods and Distracted People
Dr. Perry Greene argues that the pagan gods of the ancient world did not vanish—they reappeared in modern disguises. In this episode of GodNAmerica, he frames today’s cultural conflicts as a spiritual war in which idols promise freedom, pleasure, and progress while quietly demanding costly sacrifices.
Readers will learn how Dr. Greene connects biblical warnings about idolatry to present-day life, how he defines the spiritual forces behind false worship, and what practices he urges Christians to adopt to expose darkness, renew worship, and stand with conviction in public life.
Dr. Greene opens with an image meant to jolt the modern imagination: archaeologists uncovering a stone altar from ancient Canaan carved with symbols of fertility, war, and fire. In his telling, the artifact evokes the worship of Moloch—a pagan deity associated with the sacrifice of children. He acknowledges that many people instinctively recoil from that kind of ancient brutality, then pivots to a parallel he wants listeners to face: he contends that contemporary culture also sacrifices children, particularly through abortion, on what he describes as altars of convenience, pride, and progress. For Dr. Greene, the outward names may change, but the spiritual reality underneath remains the same.
To reinforce the point that ancient idolatry can return in modern clothing, Dr. Greene cites a passage he attributes to Charlie Kirk from the foreword to Lucas Miles’ book Pagan Threat. The line he emphasizes is the warning that Christians may assume the worship of figures like Moloch and Baal has been permanently defeated, even while similar worship resurfaces under culturally appealing labels. In Dr. Greene’s framing, “new paganism” speaks the language of freedom, tolerance, and social justice, yet aims at domination and what he calls moral anarchy.
From there, Dr. Greene places the conversation in a biblical pattern. He notes that throughout the Old Testament, Israel repeatedly turned toward idols such as Baal, Asherah, and Moloch—false gods that promised prosperity and pleasure while demanding severe sacrifices. He points specifically to Jeremiah 32:35 as an example of Scripture describing child sacrifice. His argument is that the modern world has not outgrown idolatry; it has simply updated its vocabulary. In his summary, the unborn can be offered in the name of “choice,” pleasure can be pursued in the name of “freedom,” and power and fame can be valued above righteousness.
A key claim in Dr. Greene’s worldview comes from 1 Corinthians 10:20, where Paul says that pagan sacrifices are offered to demons and not to God. Dr. Greene uses this verse to argue that idolatry is not merely symbolic or psychological. He teaches that behind every idol stands a demonic power. He connects this to the “divine counsel” language of Psalm 82, describing fallen spiritual beings who have rejected God’s authority and seek to draw people away from the Lord and toward themselves.
Dr. Greene adds an additional layer to this spiritual framework by referring to the scattering at Babel. In his account, after Babel these spiritual entities were meant to oversee the nations on God’s behalf, but instead “took them for themselves.” In that sense, he argues, the beings behind the ancient gods never truly left; they continued their influence across history and now appear again in forms that feel normal to a modern audience.
He then connects idolatry to civic life by appealing to the perspective of America’s founders. Dr. Greene argues that they understood liberty and faith as intertwined realities rather than separate compartments. He quotes George Washington’s claim that religion and morality are “indispensable supports” for political prosperity. He also references the colonial slogan “No king but King Jesus” as an example of rejecting tyranny and idolatry at the same time. In his view, when a culture stops worshiping God, it does not become neutral—it simply redirects worship toward something else, and that “something else” will eventually seek control.
In Dr. Greene’s diagnosis, a defining feature of modern idolatry is the worship of self. He points to Romans 1:25, where people “exchanged the truth of God for a lie” and worshiped creation rather than the Creator. Dr. Greene treats that exchange as a live description of contemporary headlines. Instead of receiving truth as something revealed by God, modern culture is, in his words, tempted to treat personal desire as the final authority.
Dr. Greene offers several markers for recognizing idolatry in everyday life. First, he says idolatry replaces God’s authority with human autonomy—an insistence that a person can define truth, morality, and identity without reference to God. He connects that impulse to the serpent’s temptation in Eden: “You will be like God.” Second, he says idolatry glorifies the created order over the Creator. He gives examples ranging from what he calls extreme environmentalism to celebrity culture, arguing that created things become ultimate things. Third, he says idols always demand sacrifice but never satisfy. He names money, lust, and status as examples of masters that continually ask for more. To underline the cost, he cites Psalm 16:4: sorrows multiply for those who chase other gods.
From diagnosis, Dr. Greene moves to response. His first call is to expose idols rather than quietly accommodate them. He cites Ephesians 5:11, urging believers to have no fellowship with works of darkness but instead expose them. In his phrasing, silence in the face of evil is not a neutral posture; it is surrender. This emphasis frames public witness as an act of spiritual clarity—naming what is false so that what is true can be seen.
Second, Dr. Greene argues that resistance to idolatry is sustained by renewed worship. He points to Ephesians 5:18–21, where Paul describes being filled with the Spirit and expressing that fullness through psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, gratitude, and mutual submission in the fear of God. Dr. Greene’s point is that worship is not merely a private mood; it is a reordering of loves. When hearts are filled with the glory of God, he says, false gods lose their grip.
Third, Dr. Greene urges engagement without compromise. He argues that the founders did not hide their faith; they acted on it. For a biblical anchor, he cites Acts 5:29: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” In his application, civic courage is not rooted in personal bravado, but in loyalty to God’s authority when cultural pressure pushes toward surrender.
Finally, Dr. Greene insists that the spiritual conflict he describes is not uncertain in outcome. He cites Colossians 2:15, saying that Christ disarmed principalities and powers through the cross. That conviction reframes the struggle: believers do not fight to earn victory; they fight from a victory already secured in Christ.
Along the way, Dr. Greene warns about a cultural virtue he believes is often misunderstood: tolerance. He references Jesus’ warning to the church at Thyatira for tolerating what he calls “Jezebel idolatry,” using it as a caution that tolerance can become deadly when it excuses sin. In his description, the culture may label conviction as hate and compromise as love, but he argues that true love stands with truth. He recalls Elijah’s challenge on Mount Carmel—“If the Lord is God, follow him”—and presents it as a question still facing America.
Dr. Greene also mentions Rabbi Jonathan Cahn’s book Return of the Gods to emphasize the theme that ancient spiritual forces can resurface, but God has not departed. He closes with a call drawn from 1 John 5:21: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” In his final charge, he urges believers to expose darkness, exalt Christ, and live with repentance, holiness, and courage in a fallen world.
Application
Dr. Greene’s message is framed as a call to practical faithfulness in ordinary life and public life. His counsel centers on reordering worship, speaking truth clearly, and refusing to trade conviction for cultural approval.
• Name the rival altars. Dr. Greene urges believers to identify what competes for ultimate loyalty—whether that is personal autonomy, sexual freedom, status, money, political power, or any ideology that demands moral surrender.
• Expose what hides in plain sight. Drawing from Ephesians 5:11, he calls Christians to bring works of darkness into the light rather than normalizing them through silence.
• Rebuild worship patterns. Using Ephesians 5:18–21, he emphasizes practices that cultivate Spirit-filled worship: gratitude, Scripture-shaped songs, and relationships marked by humility and reverence for God.
• Engage with conviction, not compromise. With Acts 5:29 as a guiding principle, Dr. Greene presses for obedience to God when human authorities or cultural trends demand disobedience.
• Hold the line with hope. Colossians 2:15 anchors his confidence that Christ has already triumphed over spiritual powers, so courage can be paired with calm endurance.
In Dr. Greene’s framework, the question is not whether a society will worship, but what it will worship—and what sacrifices that worship will require. His closing appeal is for Christians to remain alert to modern idols and to keep true worship burning in their homes, churches, and communities.
TL;DR
Dr. Perry Greene argues that ancient pagan gods return in modern disguises, and that culture still practices idolatry.
He opens with an example of an ancient Canaanite altar and links Moloch-style sacrifice to contemporary abortion.
Citing 1 Corinthians 10:20, he teaches that sacrifices to idols are ultimately sacrifices to demons, not to God.
He connects idolatry to the fallen “divine counsel” language of Psalm 82 and to the post-Babel nations framework he describes.
Dr. Greene says modern idolatry often appears as self-worship, autonomy, and redefining truth and identity apart from God (Romans 1:25).
He lists signs of idolatry: exalting creation over the Creator, demanding sacrifice, and never satisfying the human heart (Psalm 16:4).
He urges believers to expose darkness (Ephesians 5:11) rather than treating silence as virtue.
He calls for renewed, Spirit-filled worship (Ephesians 5:18–21) and civic engagement without compromise (Acts 5:29).
He grounds confidence in Christ’s victory over principalities and powers through the cross (Colossians 2:15).
He closes with a warning against tolerance that excuses sin and a call to “keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).
Discussion Questions
What examples does Dr. Greene give of ancient idolatry, and what modern parallels does he draw from them?
Which of Dr. Greene’s “markers” of idolatry—autonomy, glorifying creation, or endless sacrifice—seems most visible in daily life?
How does Dr. Greene’s use of 1 Corinthians 10:20 shape the way he understands cultural conflicts and personal temptation?
What might it look like to follow Ephesians 5:11 in a way that is truthful and courageous without becoming harsh or reckless?
How does Dr. Greene’s emphasis on Christ’s victory (Colossians 2:15) change the tone of engagement in a divided culture?
Apply It This Week
List two or three “rival loyalties” that most compete for attention and affection (time, money, media habits, approval, comfort).
Choose one worship-renewal practice from Ephesians 5:18–21 to emphasize this week—gratitude, Scripture-shaped music, or humble relationships.
Identify one place where silence has felt easier than clarity, and plan a concrete, respectful way to speak truth (Ephesians 5:11).
Pray through Acts 5:29 and write one sentence describing what obedience to God looks like in a specific situation.
Prayer Prompt
Lord, guard hearts from idols, fill lives with Your Spirit, and give courage to obey You rather than the pressures of this world. Help true worship stay bright and steady, and lead Your people in repentance, holiness, and love for truth. Amen.