Babylon Is Still Here, by Mukund

“The frightening part about Babylon is how normal she feels.”

Revelation 17:1- 5 Let’s read together.

Babylon is not mainly about sexual sin. It is about power becoming seductive, religion becoming useful, and rulers becoming intoxicated with compromise.

The “great prostitute” represents unfaithful power, a system that slowly pulls hearts away from truth while making compromise appear wise and necessary.

My first instinct while reading this passage is to place myself outside it. I imagine corrupt empires, manipulative leaders, and fallen institutions. Yet John’s vision refuses to leave me safely untouched.

What happens inside me when influence grows? When people begin listening to me, rewarding me, or depending on me, do I still love truth more than approval? Or do I slowly become loyal to my own image?

Perhaps the most dangerous stage is not corruption but blindness.

A few years ago, I sat in a beautifully decorated church hall after a leadership gathering. Worship music moved softly through the room while testimonies of growth and influence filled the stage.

One leader stood and said, “God has blessed us because influential people are now connected with our ministry.”

The room applauded. Honestly, even I admired it for a moment.

Then the conversations slowly changed. Someone joked about adjusting financial reports “for ministry wisdom”. Another explained why difficult truths should be avoided because “people cannot handle them”. A senior leader insisted criticism must never be tolerated because “unity is more important than transparency.”

Nobody appeared disturbed. That silence stayed with me longer than the meeting itself.

“The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls.”

John does not describe Babylon as ugly. She appears beautiful, respected, spiritual, and blessed.

That is what makes her acceptable. Compromise rarely enters looking destructive. Sometimes ambition sounds like vision. Sometimes fear sounds like loyalty. Sometimes silence sounds mature.

Even spiritually, I can begin measuring blessing through influence and recognition while neglecting humility, repentance, and truth.

In ordinary life, compromise survives through ordinary language:

“This is how the system works.” “Everyone does it.” Eventually, conscience adjusts itself to comfort.

Babylon rarely forces devotion. She is admired first. Babylon is Rome first, but more than Rome forever.

The danger is not simply that I may follow Babylon one day.

The deeper danger is that parts of me may already feel at home within her, while my soul quietly remains restless for peace, belonging, and love.