Falling belief in God is a sign the apocalypse is approaching as foretold in the Bible, some are cautioning.
In the UK alone, the number of people who regard themselves as religious is sharply declining, and some interpret this as a sign of the end times.
UK religious decline
A 2018 study from the British Social Attitudes (BSA) revealed that 52 percent of Britons do not consider themselves to be religious - up from 31 percent in 1983. The number of people identifying as Christian has dropped from 66 percent to 38 percent over the same period.
This growing disbelief was allegedly prophesied in the Bible, which stated it was a sign of the impending apocalypse.
Biblical prophecy
In the verse Matthew 24:9-14, it reads: "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me."
"At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."
Signs of the last days
For the website Bible Study Tools, this is enough to suggest the end is imminent. It stated: "You can be confident that we are living in the last days ... because the signs point to Christ coming soon. We see it in the culture - the shifting attitude towards God and the tenants of Scripture.
"We see it in the character of people - the way we treat each other, especially in this social media age. We see it in the condition of men's heart - the love of many are growing cold."
However, the website clarified that this should not be interpreted as something negative. It went on to say: "The thought of the Apocalypse and the signs mentioned in the Bible should not be a source of fear, but a source of encouragement.
"The prize of our salvation and the joy of our redemption is to see our Saviour and to be with him forever and ever. As the world moves closer to this reality, it should motivate us to draw ever closer to the Lord. The first century church understood this. It shaped their hopes and more importantly shaped how they lived."
