For hundreds of years Sweden was a bastion of Lutheranism, a major Protestant branch. Since the 1960's the Swedes have moved away from the religion of their ancestors toward agnosticism and atheism. At present, stats reveal that only a minority of Swedes are still practicing Christians. In spite of their high level of unbelief, Swedish crime rates have been relatively low for decades. The country has moved toward socialism and has created a social safety net like few others. For decades Sweden has been used by secularists as evidence that human beings can create a decent society without God and religion. What unbelievers were not acknowledging was the fact that much of the good in Sweden was in part the result of Christian cultural values having been preserved, even though God was being set aside. But over the years those values have been eroding and a culture of selfishness and hopelessness has taken their place. Sweden is now slowly moving toward a nightmarish future. They are sowing the wind and they will reap the whirlwind like the rest of the world. The following are portions of news article from a Swedish newspaper one can read on the Internet named, The Local. A quick perusal of recent Swedish societal trends, as shown by the following articles, clearly indicate that secular Sweden is no longer Heaven on earth. Unfortunately, the worst consequences of setting Christianity aside are yet to come. \

"Christianity in Sweden has a long history, but you won't find many Swedes in the pews on a Sunday.

Quite simply, the majority of Swedes don’t think the big man exists. That’s according to a European

Commission report from 2005 which states just 23 percent of Swedes believe there is a God. "

Casual sex 'common' among Stockholm youth

Published: 27 May 11

http://www.thelocal.se/34030/20110527/

Four out of ten young people in Stockholm last had sex with someone they weren't in a relationship with

and only one in four used a condom, according to statistics from a recent study on youth sex habits in

Sweden. A total of 3,317 young people in Stockholm answered questions in the survey, which was part of a

larger study mapping out the sexual habits of the country’s 15- to 29- year olds. But despite temporary

liaisons being so frequent, only one in four young Stockholmers stated that they had used a condom, a

Swedish teen girls 'getting more violent

Published: 11 May 11
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/33704/20110511/

Violence among Swedish teenage girls is on the rise, new statistics show, having increased by

about 50 percent since 1994.

Currently, Swedish teen girls between 15- and 17-years old account for nearly one in five assault

cases in which charges are filed, the Metro newspaper reports.

According to statistics from the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention

(Brottsförebyggande rådet – Brå), the figure represents about a 50 percent increase since 1994,

when the figure was 12 percent.

Swedish bestiality ring exposed

Published: 11 Nov 08
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/15610/20081111/

A Swedish newspaper has exposed a network of self-proclaimed zoophiles who meet regularly in

locations around the country to have sex with animals. The group, consisting of an estimated thirty

people, is headed by a 45-year-old father of two, Expressen reports.

During the time spent with members of the network, Expressen learned that the group regularly

brought along a range of different animals to "sex meetings" at rented premises.

There, members of the group filmed their sexual encounters and distributed them to other animal sex

enthusiasts.

Ban sex with animals

Published: 19 Oct 07
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/8846/20071019/

A Liberal Party member of parliament has called for Sweden to ban sex with animals. Having witnessed

an upsurge in the popularity of bestiality in recent years, Jan Ertsborn is urging legislators to

criminalize the practice.

The politician's arguments tally with those of the Swedish Animal Welfare Agency, which spoke out in

favour of a ban on human sexual relations with animal earlier this year. Sweden is one of a number of

countries in which bestiality is legal.

"What most people think of is the classic image of cows in a shed. But having spoken to a number of

veterinarians, I know that it is smaller animals such as dogs and cats that are most at risk," Ertsborn

told The Local.

More Swedish children dependent on benefits

Published: 25 Nov 10
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/30426/20101125/

The number of Swedish children living in families that depend on long-term financial benefits has

increased by around 10,000 in just over four years to about 54,000 children, government agency

figures show.

Sveriges Radio's Ekot news bulletin reported on Thursday that it was the fifth consecutive year that

the proportion of children in families dependent on what were formerly known as social benefits

according to statistics it compiled from the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen).

The proportion of children living in families on long-term financial assistance has increased gradually

since 2006, with long-term defined by the board as families on social assistance for 10 to 12 months

out of the year.

Often, these families also struggle with substance abuse, mental illness or crime, making these

children particularly vulnerable, the report said.

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Three Gun Crimes a Day in Sweden

"Firearms are used in murders, attempted murders or robberies three times a day in Sweden,

according to statistics from the National Police Board.

In 2004, police registered 1,187 such crimes involving guns, a similar figure to the previous two

years, reported Göteborgs-Posten. But the difference is that the kind of weapon has changed.

"Before, there were a lot of shotguns - now it's all automatic weapons," said Per-Olof Johansson,

a detective in the Gothenburg police reconnaissance division.

"In the last five years we've also confiscated a lot of hand grenades."

Gun smuggling on the rise in Sweden: police

Published: 25 May 11
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/33984/20110525/

Firearms are becoming more readily available in Sweden with smuggling increasingly difficult to control,

according to the police.

While only 12 weapons have been seized by Swedish customs to date this year, the problem is far more

extensive with a large number of unrecorded cases, according to a report by Sveriges Radio (SR).

"We are talking about the post, containers, rail goods, trucks and commercial vessels. There is a huge flow.

There are many channels and we are not even close to being able to control everything," said Lars

Bäckström at the Swedish customs to SR.

Swedish cities, primarily Gothenburg and Malmö, have been the scene of several shootings in recent months.

Witnesses to a shooting in a Malmö car park on May 11th described the killing as an "execution" in what

was apparently a hit with links to organized crime, an increasing problem in both cities.

Methamphetamine Increasingly Common in Sweden

"So far this year, more than 80 kilogrammes of methamphetamine have been seized at Swedish borders,

compared with 55 kilogrammes for all of 2008, reports the Metro newspaper.

During 2007, 1,483 people apprehended for drug offences were under the influence of the drug. But

between January and May of 2008 alone, more than 1,635 drug suspects were found to have taken

Older Swedes are Drinking More

"Concerns are growing about increased alcohol consumption among Sweden’s retirees, as the number

of people over 65 in Stockholm exhibiting at-risk drinking habits has gone up by half in the last decade.

Cocaine Use Spreads in Swedish Cities

"Cocaine use in Sweden's major cities is increasing, according to new research presented on Monday.

Three out of ten people who work in the social services, healthcare, police or other community-focused

organizations say that they have seen a rise in the number of people using the drug in the last six months."

More Drug Users Behind the Wheel

"The number of drug users behind the wheel in Sweden has shot up in the past decade.

In 1998, police busted 800 people driving under the influence of drugs, but in 2005, 7,000 intoxicated

Young Swedish Women Kill Themselves More Often

"The suicide rate among young women in Sweden is at its highest level since the late 1970s. Researchers

say the figures are a sign that young people's mental health is not taken seriously enough.

The number of suicides among women in this age group was about 8 per 100,000 in 2006, compared to

"The rise continued throughout 2003 and 2004, according to the board, which concluded that it is

primarily young people who are affected by the increasing access to alcohol.

At the same time, more children and young people are overweight. There has also been a rise in

Criminal Gangs Show no Signs of Leaving Sweden

"Police say it is difficult to estimate the number and size of criminal gangs in Sweden since membership

can vary from day to day, but media reports indicate around 1,000 people are actively involved in at least

six large criminal gangs with numerous branches across the country.

Gangs make headlines almost daily with stories of drug busts, brutal attacks on business owners unable

to pay off debts, and bloody gang wars.

"This is a serious problem that has grown in recent years," Swedish Justice Minister Beatrice Ask told AFP."

Swedish Women Committing More Violent Crimes

"Criminality among women in Sweden is rising faster than among men, according to a new study.

Fresh statistics from the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Brottsförebyggande rådet –

Brå) show that in 2007, women were suspected for more than 10 percent of threats or violent crimes.

The figure represents a doubling from the level recorded 12 years earlier."

Sweden's Cocaine Use on the Up

"Cocaine use in Sweden is on the up and up, thanks in part to a sharp fall in street prices, police say.

Swedish law enforcers are now considering stationing a police officer in South America to gather

Violent Crime Reports Increase

"The number of violent crimes reported in Sweden is rising, while the number of reported thefts is falling,

according to new statistics from the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, Brå.

Thefts and misappropriations, which account for nearly half of reported crime, fell by 8 percent.

Over 59,000 violent crimes were reported during the period, six percent more than during the same period

Swedish Prison Service "Can't Afford to Treat Sex Offenders"

"A third of those convicted of sex-related offences never go through treatment before the end of their

jail terms because of a lack of resources in the Swedish prison system, reported Svenska Dagbladet on

Christian Democrats Announce Plan to Save Marriage

"The Christian Democrats have announced a proposal aimed at saving the institution of marriage.

The party suggests introducing a free counselling check up for all newly weds.

Almost one in three children in Sweden is from a broken home and 50,000 children are involved in a

divorce each year, according to statistics from Save the Children Sweden (Rädda Barnen)."

One Million Swedes on Benefit

"Over a million Swedes of working age are living on state handouts, according to figures released on

Monday. While that's roughly the same as last year, there has been a significant shift in who is receiving

those benefits, with the fastest-rising group of claimants being 25-35 year olds taking early retirement.

"This shows that the Social Democrats are choking people with kindness," said the Moderate Party's

Per Westerberg, a former Minister of Commerce.

As Monday's Dagens Nyheter pointed out, the figures mean that 20% of Swedes who could be working

are instead claiming unemployment, sickness, social security or early retirement benefit. And it's the

number of people in this last group - more than ever before - that worries Westerberg most."

Abortion Increase Blamed on Declining Use of Pill

"The number of abortions performed in Sweden increased by 17 between 2000 and 2007. Sale of

morning-after pills (ECP) have increased three-fold in Stockholm over the period, Dagens Nyheter

Abortions have also increased and 37,205 operations were carried out in Sweden in 2007, up 20

"Swedish health authorities are growing increasingly concern about the mental health of the country’s

In its latest report on Sweden’s public health, the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen)

warns that psychological problems are increasing among young people and women.

The number of suicide attempts by young people in Sweden has risen dramatically, the agency reports,

and more and more youths are being admitted to hospitals for treatment of depression and anxiety.

Violence is also an increasing problem in Swedish society, the agency reports, with roughly one in ten

residents having been subject to some sort of violence, threat, or harassment in 2006."

"Alcoholism among women in Sweden increased by 50 percent to 100,000 between 2003 and 2007, a

new report from the National Institute of Public Health (Folkhälsöinstitutet) has shown.

The number of men classified as alcoholics has increased by 25 percent to 165,000 over the period,

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