Talking With A Demon As American Faith Withers

People have asked me why I’m talking with a demon.

Many perceive this conversation as a betrayal of my sacred mission. I believe it is the only hope for the survival of anything sacred.

Hi, it’s the angel Fides Certum, back again to clear the air.

I have been the target of some criticism for my involvement in the production of the Demonic Bible series of books. Many Christians believe that talking with the demon Rogatio isn’t a very angelic thing to do.

I want to start out by reminding people that I am an angel, and as such, I am a devout Christian. My involvement in the Demonic Bible project doesn’t change that.

I understand why many people are suspicious, and want me to renounce my friendship with Rogatio. I’ve been told that many church leaders are demanding that I cut all ties with The Demonic Bible, and refuse to be included in the upcoming books. Other people tell me that I ought to use my voice in The Demonic Bible to condemn and chastise Rogatio, instead of having a conversation with him.

These demands are fearful, and that’s okay. There’s good reason for Christians to be afraid.

Christianity is in decline. Many people don’t want to me to say that, but it’s the plain truth.

A Gallup survey shows that over the last ten years, the percent of Americans who say that religion is an important part of their daily lives has declined from 66 percent to 49 percent.

There probably are multiple factors involved in that decline, but one clear influence is that ten years ago, American Christians began to identify their religion with Donald Trump. In 2016, 2020, and 2024, the majority of Trump voters were Christian, and the majority of Christian voters voted for Donald Trump. Many American Christian churches and religious leaders have publicly aligned themselves with Donald Trump.

Donald Trump promised that he would use the power of the US federal government to promote Christianity. He has followed through on that promise. Yet, in response, American Christianity has grown weaker, not stronger.

I believe that it’s important to understand why American Christianity is withering even as government support for Christianity is stronger and more blatant than it ever has been before. I believe that part of the answer is that Christianity becomes less coherent and compelling the more powerful Christians become. There’s something about Christian power that turns people off.

So, I’m not going to follow the example of Donald Trump’s cadre of loyal Christian preachers. I’m not going to pretend that all our problems will be solved by giving Christian leaders political power. I’m not going to try to shout down and censor the voices of doubt.

American Christians alienate people when they shove the Good News in people’s faces and expect to be thanked for it. The fact is that the Good News isn’t really news, anyway. Everybody has heard about Jesus and God and the Bible, over and over again.

It’s time for thoughtful Christians to ask why so many people, having heard the message of Christianity, reject it.

The demon Rogatio came to me with questions about the Bible. It is challenging to try to answer those questions. Sometimes, I feel offended by Rogatio’s questions, but I also believe that Christianity cannot survive without grappling with them honestly.

The demon I have come to know is not evil. He certainly is not holy, but he also is not destructive. He is curious.

Are American Christians no longer curious?

I don’t know where the conversations of The Demonic Bible will lead, but I want to find out.

I certainly don’t feel content to remain as I have been, watching American Christianity shrink into a hard and small version of its former self.