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How Humanism Became the Dominant Religion of Our Time
We are currently engaged in a war bigger than most have ever imagined. It’s not of conventional war with military weapons but of ideas. This war seeks nothing less than the complete annihilation of biblical Christianity.
The aggressor is Humanism, a belief system that masquerades as secular while possessing the fervor and ambition of a religion. In fact, it is a religion, a fact recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Yet, many Christians are unaware of this ongoing siege, a situation that demands our immediate attention and action.
A Religion in Disguise
Before the mid-19th century, Humanism called itself openly what it truly is: the Religion of Humanity. But that title raised too many alarms. Christians rightly recognized it as a rival belief system, one diametrically opposed to the God of Scripture.
So, Humanism quietly dropped the label “religion” and instead presented itself as a benevolent worldview concerned only with the welfare of mankind. This rebranding was strategic—and devastatingly effective.
Because Humanism no longer identifies itself as a religion, it is often granted safe passage into the hearts and minds of people who would reject it outright if it wore its original name. We live in a culture trained to believe in labels and to trust appearances.
Like the victim of a violent attack, a woman who let a strange man into her home late at night—because he said he needed a tow truck… we have allowed a friendly-looking Humanism into every corner of our society, never suspecting its true intent. Our guard is down because we have believed the label.
The Oldest Religion of All
Despite its modern appearance, the core creed of Humanism is ancient. The first Humanist Manifesto was not proclaimed in the 20th century, but in the Garden of Eden. In Genesis 3:1-5, Satan tempted Eve with the very premise of Humanism: that man could be his own God, deciding for himself what is good and evil.
Worked out more fully in classical culture, this foundational lie has reverberated through every generation since, forming the basis of Humanism and the essence of original sin.
This is why we cannot afford to treat Humanism as a mere ideology or philosophy. It is a false religion that denies God’s authority, exalts man’s autonomy, and wages relentless war on the truth of Scripture. Again, a religion articulated and framed well by classical thought.
Humanism’s Quiet Takeover
This conflict is especially dangerous because our enemy does not declare itself. Humanism doesn’t arrive with a manifesto in hand or announce its opposition to the gospel. Instead, it infiltrates.
It governs our schools, courts, and more of our political and cultural institutions. Its power lies in its stealth. It doesn’t shout, “We are at war with Christianity!” Rather, it reshapes laws, rewrites curriculum, and redefines values in ways that render biblical faith increasingly irrelevant.
And we let it happen. All of us. Now, many believers today are too naïve… or too distracted… to notice. We have allowed Humanism to take root because it doesn’t wear a warning label.
Can There Be a “Christian Humanism”?
Some well-meaning people ask, “Can’t we just have a Christian version of Humanism?” But that’s like asking if we can have a Christian form of atheism or a Christian form of pornography. Humanism is fundamentally opposed to the God of the Bible.
Here’s the real issue: Humanism doesn’t simply doubt God… it dismisses Him. It does not deny His existence outright (though some humanists do); rather, it treats God as irrelevant. Humanism insists that man is the ultimate reference point in all predication and that all things must serve him. Its gospel is not grace but self-fulfillment. Simply put… its god is not the Creator, but the creature.
The War for Meaning
One of the more insidious doctrines of Humanism is its rejection of biblical truth. It says that the meaning of things apart from man is irrelevant. It is not what a thing is that matters but how useful it is to us. This is the essence of pagan forms of education: Classical, Progressive, and Pragmatic. It’s the very heartbeat of existentialism and the philosophy behind much of what is taught in classrooms across the nation.
By this logic, all institutions… family, church, government… exist to serve man. Everything is measured by its usefulness to the individual. This is why Humanism cannot accept the God of Scripture. Christianity demands obedience, reverence, and self-denial. The God of the Bible doesn’t exist to serve man. Man exists to glorify God.
God Is Not Irrelevant
Humanists may say that belief in God is optional or that a religious experience is possible without God. But this idea contradicts everything the Bible teaches. In fact, such thinking is the very root of sin.
Humanism teaches that God’s Word is merely one opinion among many, a self-protective gesture from a deity trying to preserve His own authority. But Scripture declares that God alone is Lord. “I am the Lord, and beside me there is none else,” He says through the prophet Isaiah.
The gospel calls us not simply to believe in God but to submit to Him. Humanism, by contrast, invites us to put ourselves in the driver’s seat… with God as a helpful passenger if we choose to bring Him along.
Humanism in the Church
Perhaps the most tragic victory of Humanism is its infiltration into the church and Christian schools. In many pulpits today, theology has been replaced by psychology. The focus has shifted from God to man.
Sermons often revolve around how to find fulfillment, solve personal problems, and “be the best version of ourselves.” These messages are popular because they echo the religion of our age… Humanism.
Even so-called “Bible-believing” churches are not immune. The God-centered catechism that begins, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever,” has been traded for a “let’s all get along” gospel, no matter the cost. The doctrines of tithing, obedience, and submission to God’s Word are dismissed as inconvenient or outdated because they are in the Old Testament.
God Will Not Be Used
We must not forget that God will not accept a diminished role in our lives. He is not a life coach or a cosmic therapist. He is the Lord. We cannot come to Him on our terms. We come only when He calls and only in submission to His Word. Any other approach is not Christianity… it’s Humanism in disguise.
Our Lord warned us about this mindset in Luke 12:15–21, where He told the parable of the rich fool who stored up treasure for himself, thinking only of his own ease and security. That parable was not spoken to the world but to Christ’s disciples. It was a warning to the church.
The Religion of the Old Man
At its core, Humanism is not just an enemy without… it is an enemy within. It appeals to the “Old Man” in us, the fallen nature that longs to be its own God. It is the religion of Satan, the religion of fallen man. And it now dominates not only public life but also much of church life, education, entertainment, and government.
Yet, even in this hostile world, we are not left helpless. We are called to be faithful, to proclaim God’s Word without compromise, and to recognize the spiritual warfare we are engaged in. Believe me, this war is real, and the stakes are eternal.
How then shall we live? Let’s put aside every illusion that we are safe from attack. The battle is already underway and has been for a long time. But the victory belongs to the Lord… and to those who are steadfast in Him.
