Why didn't we learn?

I just read the latest World magazine which featured an article on Tienanmen Square because today is the 20th anniversary of the event. Even while depicting the horrible atrocities, the article drove in the point that one of the worst days in China's history became a turning point for the growth of Christianity in China. The number of Christians in China has skyrocketed from just a few decades ago and continues to grow today. Some commentators point to the Chinese people becoming disillusioned with the system of democracy as part of the reason for the rise. Perhaps the Chinese placed their hopes in democracy to save them from an oppressive Communist regime which would thus solve the problems in their lives. But they realized on that day when their emboldened protests came to a bloody and violent stop, that a new government system did not hold all the answers. Only Christ could make things right.

Further on in the magazine, I read another article about an exhibit in New York on “French literature during the Holocaust.” It talked about the corrupt horrors committed in France and the feeling of Antisemitism that still haunts humanity today.

My question is, “Why didn't WW1 and 2 start a Christian revolution and revival?”. After experiencing all of that evilness at the hand of men, why didn't we learn like the Chinese that the only hope in the world is Christ? Why does it seem like Christianity in America has taken a downturn since the mid-20th century? Why did we find, a couple decades later, a generation of rebellion?

When I was little, I hated hearing the news. It was just too scary and I wanted to stay in the happy, innocent world I knew where the worst problem was how to get back at my annoying brother for teasing me. I hated those glimpses of a bigger world that only seemed to have troubles and more troubles. My view was that everyone was sad and depressed because no one knew how to fix anything right. But now that I'm older, I see more clearly not only how naive I was, but, ironically, I also see how my childish perception caught much of the truth of reality. The world does have a lot of problems, mankind can't solve them, and people are scared. But I was ignorant of the fact that I don't need to be scared.

Now, by seeing this senseless violence, I better understand the extent of how depraved our world is. And I think it's right to understand that because in the midst of human hopelessness, Christ shines brighter. He is Sovereign. He is all-powerful. He is our Answer.