I remember life before the internet.
Back when neighbors waved, families ate at the same table, and you had to look a man in the eye to betray him. Back when temptation had to meet you in person and not through a screen. When truth wasn’t up for algorithmic debate.
Now, the world is split in two.
One side believes one version of reality, and the other clings to a completely different narrative. The middle? It barely exists anymore. And it didn’t just happen because of politics. It happened because of a cultural breakdown accelerated by the rise of technology, the manipulation of truth, and the complete erosion of trust.
The Devil Doesn’t Need Horns Anymore
Theologically speaking, Satan is the master of subtlety. He doesn’t always attack with pitchforks and flames. He infiltrates culture through ideas, platforms, and technologies.
He sows division, nurtures narcissism, and whispers through seductive images and false narratives.
The internet gave him a megaphone.
- He no longer needs to whisper in your ear when he can shout through your feed.
- He no longer needs to tempt you in the dark when he can scroll it across your phone.
This is what we’re living in: a world that rewards deception, idolizes self, and encourages betrayal disguised as self-love.
Technology Isn’t Evil—But It’s a Mirror
I’m often asked, with my background in theology, what I think about the role of technology. My answer is usually simple:
It depends on who’s using it and for what purpose.
Technology itself isn’t evil. It’s a tool. But every tool is only as good as the hands that wield it.
A hammer can build a house or crush a skull. A smartphone can share the Gospel or spread destruction.
If it doesn’t bring you closer to God, then it isn’t from God.
That’s the line I draw. And I believe it’s the one we need to hold.
The End of Shared Truth
There was a time when, like it or not, everyone got their news from the same few channels. You might disagree on what to do about it, but at least we were arguing from the same set of facts.
Not anymore.
Now, you can live in a digital echo chamber that reinforces whatever you want to believe. Truth is no longer something we seek together; it’s something people fabricate to feel right. And because of that, the divide between people isn’t just political.
It’s spiritual.
We no longer disagree. We dehumanize. We don’t debate. We cancel. We don’t trust. We attack.
This is the death of discernment, and with it, the death of shared reality.
The internet isn’t a town square—it’s a mirror maze. You can always find someone to agree with you online, even if your idea is toxic, absurd, or evil. That’s not connection—that’s confirmation addiction.
The result? There’s no such thing as a middle ground anymore. Only battle lines. Conservatives and liberals aren’t having conversations—they’re playing tribal war with memes and outrage.
No common source of truth = no foundation for reconciliation.
The Collapse of Trust and the Sexual Marketplace
The internet didn’t just change how we communicate. It changed how we view ourselves, each other, and commitment.
Women are taught to equate validation with value.
Men are taught to chase fantasy over faithfulness.
- Seductive selfies = dopamine hit = external validation = endless hunger.
- Meanwhile, marriages rot from within as the outside world gets more attractive with each swipe.
It’s not just sexual betrayal—it’s emotional, psychological. People can now cheat without touching, just by entertaining temptation through DMs, thirst traps, and attention mining.
No wonder nobody trusts anyone anymore.
This isn’t just cultural decay. It’s spiritual warfare. A generation raised on filters and followers now looks for love in hollow places.
Seduction, Validation, and the Fall of Intimacy
Let’s talk plainly.
The internet didn’t just change how we talk. It changed how we love. How we cheat. How we view sex. How we assign worth.
In the past, a man would have to meet someone to stray. Today, temptation is a click away. Validation is sold in likes. Women are conditioned to flaunt for affirmation, and men leave their wives to chase a fantasy.
And we wonder why no one trusts anyone anymore?
This isn’t just cultural decay. It’s spiritual warfare. A generation raised on filters and followers now looks for love in hollow places.
Generation X: Living Between Two Worlds
I’m part of the last generation that remembers both sides. Analog and digital. Truth and post-truth. Real and manufactured.
We knew a world where character mattered more than clout. Where relationships weren’t public performances. Where silence was peace, not awkward.
So yeah, this all feels like a loss. Like watching a family home slowly burn while everyone livestreams the flames.
So What Do We Do?
We stay awake.
We speak truth when lies are trending. We guard our homes when the world mocks morality. We teach the next generation what real connection looks like. We use technology without letting it use us.
Most of all, we remember:
If it doesn’t bring us to God, it’s not from God.
We don’t fix the world overnight. But we shine light in our corner. And maybe, just maybe, that’s enough to keep the darkness from swallowing it whole.
Troy P. Zehnder
Author | Theologian | Voice for the forgotten truths
Troy P Zehnder 