Only a spiritually bankrupt society could ever believe it. Only

The preacher of fire and conviction, Jimmy Swaggart, once thundered these words: “Only a spiritually bankrupt society could ever believe it. Only atheists could accept this Satanic theory.” In these fierce utterances, he sought not to flatter, but to awaken—to strike the hearts of his listeners with the reality that when faith is abandoned, when reverence for God is cast aside, the door opens for falsehood and corruption to reign. His words burn with warning: when a people lose their spiritual foundation, they become prey to doctrines that devour the soul.

For a spiritually bankrupt society is one that has forgotten its Creator. It may still possess wealth, armies, knowledge, and power, but if it has cast aside the fear of God, its strength is illusion, its wisdom vanity. Such a society becomes fertile ground for lies dressed as truth, for theories that exalt man above the divine, for teachings that deny the sacred worth of the soul. Swaggart’s voice was aimed at such deception, a reminder that without faith, society collapses inward into darkness.

History gives us examples of this fall. Consider the fate of the French Revolution. What began as a cry for liberty soon turned against the church and against God Himself. Temples were desecrated, altars abandoned, and “Reason” enthroned in place of the Almighty. The result was not freedom but terror: blood in the streets, chaos in the land, and a nation lost in shadows. The revolutionaries thought themselves enlightened, but without the anchor of faith, their theories birthed horror instead of hope.

So too in the twentieth century, ideologies that rejected God—whether in the form of militant atheism or false worship of the state—led to rivers of blood. Communism promised equality but denied the soul; Nazism exalted race but trampled divine dignity. Both grew in societies that had abandoned reverence for higher truth. These were not merely political systems; they were what Swaggart would call Satanic theories, for they exalted lies above the Creator and brought devastation upon humanity.

The meaning of Swaggart’s warning, then, is that ideas are not neutral. Theories that deny God, that scoff at the sacred, are not merely academic debates—they shape nations, they guide actions, they lead men either to life or to ruin. A society that mocks faith and embraces atheism as its foundation is one that forgets its own soul. And when a society forgets its soul, it loses both compass and strength, becoming bankrupt in spirit though rich in material things.

The lesson for us is urgent: guard your faith as you would guard your life. Do not allow the world to seduce you into believing that God is an option, a superstition, or an outdated relic. For without Him, no society can stand. Families crumble, justice falters, and morality dissolves when cut off from the divine source. If you would live in a strong and righteous community, you must keep God at its center, resisting the lure of theories that promise progress while sowing destruction.

Practical wisdom flows: teach your children reverence for God, and remind them that truth does not shift with culture or fashion. Stand firm in your faith even when mocked, for faith is the shield against falsehood. Engage with society, but do not be deceived by doctrines that deny the sacred. Live daily with prayer, service, and integrity, for these are the marks of a spiritually rich life.

So let the words of Jimmy Swaggart echo in your soul: “Only a spiritually bankrupt society could ever believe it. Only atheists could accept this Satanic theory.” Whether you agree with his fire or not, the warning remains: beware of ideas that seek to erase God from the heart of man. For a society without faith is a society without light, and only in the presence of God does humanity find its true dignity, its wisdom, and its eternal hope.