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Thoughts on the 2024 Summer Olympics
So, What Happened?
Like many of you, I was incredibly surprised to see… well, whatever Friday’s opening ceremony was at the 2024 Olympics. Smurfs with vines growing out of their nether regions. Guys with beards that frankly make me a bit jealous (since I can’t grow one to save my life) wearing women’s clothing and walking down a catwalk. And, the capstone, at least at first glance, was a mockery of Leonardo DaVinci’s painting, “The Last Supper.” It was a veritable who’s who of (im)polite society that would, frankly, make Asherah proud. And let’s not even get into the wardrobe malfunction that all too many Twitter (sorry, X) users shared today. Let’s just say that, for one of the guys on stage who was wearing shorts that were entirely too short, "What can be, was unburdened by what has been." And I’ll leave it at that.
My Initial Thoughts
Like so many faithful, orthodox Christians, I was taken aback by what I had witnessed on Friday. Was I surprised? No. Not at all. After all, “Pagans Gonna Pagan.” We know that we can’t expect a world full of people who do not know Him to live up to our Christian standards. However, as the Holy Spirit continues to work in me and I grow in faith, I’m becoming more and more sensitive to the spiritual world around me, and friends, it’s scary. I’ll write about that in a future article.
From a pragmatic standpoint, I am reminded of the urgent call that we have to call individuals to repentance and lovingly lead them to Christ. My desire for every person in that stadium is that they find faith in Christ and that through the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, they are forever transformed by His grace.
However, from a not-so-pragmatic standpoint, as I continually pray for a greater helping of the gift of Discernment, I cannot help but be reminded of Satan’s handiwork all over yesterday’s opening ceremony. Friends, the powers and principalities are having a field day. While my desire for every individual person on that stage last night is that they would repent of their sin, turn to Christ, and experience the salvific grace of our Savior freely poured out upon them, I can’t help but be reminded that we have to push back against the powers and principalities that allow this sort of thing to happen. Satan is running the show, and it’s time we stop downplaying his role in what’s going on in the world.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places - Ephesians 6:12 (NIV).
The World Responds
As a glutton for punishment, I decided to see what folks on social media were saying this morning. As you can imagine… it was, well, a dumpster fire.
Orthodox Christians were rightfully angry over yesterday’s opening ceremony. And they were fighting and arguing with folks who don’t have an orthodox bone in their bodies. By all measures, the outrage was warranted, as the folks at the Olympics tried to scrub the footage from their social media accounts today.
Then, this afternoon, a bunch of people started running with the narrative that the opening ceremony was a reflection of the Feast of Dionysus. And, whatever… you know, “Pagans gonna pagan.” So, Orthodox Christians should stand down, stop boycotting, stop protesting, and just let the prevailing culture steamroll them once again.
And by this evening, a bunch of pastors and old friends started mocking us uncultured traditional pastors who have an issue with this ‘feast of Dionysus.' (Notwithstanding the drag show itself, the golden calf, and the Satanic imagery strewn throughout many other parts of the opening ceremony. It’s in there. Pay attention.) People started posting long diatribes about what the opening ceremony represented and how us traditionalists need to remove certain sticks from certain places. Honestly, the gaslighting tonight reminds me of the “mostly peaceful protests” gaslighting in the early 2020s. So, what now?
The Turn: So, I Guess We Let It Go?
As I read post after post criticizing Orthodox Christians, I couldn’t help but laugh at the lack of reverence for God or any of God’s commands for His people. “How dare we assume that those non-Christian performers were blaspheming Christ! Why, they were merely…. (checks notes)… worshiping false gods?” It would be a crying shame if scripture said anything whatsoever about worshiping false Gods. I mean, God has never once judged nor condemned any nation for doing such a wild, outlandish thing as worshiping false gods, right? No, never, not once.
Oh, and P.S. For those who seemed to have forgotten… there are no other gods but the one true God; you’re either on the side of God or on the side of Satan.
Dionysus? Yeah, I’m sure he’s buddies with Ba’al, Asherah and Moloch. And, newsflash, they’re not gods, they’re all demons. So, fellow Christians, don’t worry; the Olympic opening ceremony wasn’t a blasphemous mockery of Christ; it was merely a gigantic group of people participating in active demon worship. I hope you’re relieved, and glad we cleared that up.
Stay alert, friends. It’s a spiritual war zone out there, and we need to learn to discern these things. There are forces working in this world that are not of this world. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Denny Freeland is a pastor in the Global Methodist Church and a guest contributor to the That You May Know Him Blog. You can find more of Denny's musings on his blog, Unprophetable: https://unprophetable.substack.com/.
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