Decent people were stunned and horrified by the assassination of husband, father, and conservative activist Charlie Kirk. But almost as disturbing was the celebration from so many quarters.

Fellow Americans—including many in “helping professions”—applauded the brutal slaying. And we’re left wondering:

How did it come to this?

Perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising as Judeo-Christianity has ebbed from our national bloodstream. According to Gallup, by 2023, 31 percent of Americans never attend a church. That’s compared to 21 percent of US adults who attend weekly. That’s down from 42 percent in 1970 and from 49 percent in 1955.

Everyone alive worships something. If it’s not a loving and merciful God, it will become the environment. Or money. Or radical politics. And as we saw last week, that doesn’t end well for anyone.