They turned away from belief in God to secular humanism and many other atheistic philosophies that were born in Germany in the early to mid 19th century. After a few generations of very little true belief, holy fear and awe of God and respect and obedience to His Holy scriptures, their hearts were darkened, consciences seared, and they were easily led by any evil leader.
That’s why America is in such a precarious situation now. We are nearing that same situation if not already there.
Destruction, evil, corruption, perversion, these are the fruits of the absence of God. It is inevitable.