The 12th Coming of Less-Than-Glorious Fiction

National Review ^ | 04/02/04 | Carl E. Olson

[Richard Kimball]

bump for later

[tang-soo]

The "Left Behind" books weren't the first Rapture novels, nor are they the last.

God willing, I'll follow up to this post in about three years.

[RobRoy]

I came to the Lord through reading Hal Lindseys book "The 1980's, Countdown to Armageddon" in 1980. I became a member of an assemblies of God Church in which I stayed for 18 years. I was also a pre-tribulationist.

A year or so after reading Hal's book, I read a book called something like "Soon Coming World Changing Events as Foretold by God Almighty." This book converted me to mid-tribulationism, which I have been ever since. I was at an assemblies of God church for over 15 years as a "mid-tribulationist." Well, a teacher whom I still have a close relationship with, gave me a white paper he had written on the rapture. I was very excited because I really wanted to believe in Pre- as opposed to Mid- or Post-. Who wouldn't. I was shocked by the preposterous "proofs" he used for support for pre-tribulationism. His document actually convinced me of the falicy of that position even without reading any rebuttals by the other side.

The one that blew me away the most was his using Revelation 4 as the "rapture" when Revelation 7 is far more obvious as an example of people being taken up. But I digress into specifics.

Not ONE of the proofs I've ever seen for pre-tribulationism has been convincing for me. Oh, and about ten years after I read Hal Lindseys book, I read another of his books called "A Walk Through the Holy Land." In it there is a picture of the Upper room. As soon as I saw the picture and noticed the odd "ghostly" shapes in the picture, I recognised it as the result of a common photographic effect where you use a flash coupled with a slow shutter speed and reasonable ambient light to get "partial smearing" of subjects.

Interesting that the shapes looked, if you wanted to stretch, sort of like angels wings and a cross held up. Well, in his caption he said that photo experts had analyzed the photo and could not explain the apparitions. That was a bald faced lie - which is what is going on a lot in religious circles these days, especially regarding eschetology.

We Christians tend to be very gullible when it comes to religious stuff that supports our existing world view of Christianity. I remember hearing in the early seventies that the stones for the new jeruselem where being hewn from rock in Oklahoma and they would begin building the temple "very soon."

Yeah, whatever.

I must stick to the Bible as my source. I am currently teaching a high school Bible study on the book of Revelation. The discussions and questions are amazing. This is the most animated the class has ever been and the different perspectives on the seventy weeks of Daniel, Jesus wrestling with Jacob and Jesus' walking with Adam and all the other stuff is intriguing.

[RobRoy]

>>So which "major Protestant denominations" do go in for the whole Rapture thing?<<

I used to attend an Assembly of God church. They most definitely did.

I didn't leave because of this particular issue though. It was a lot of stuff, not least of which the fact that the only "prophetic message" ever uttered in the congregation that wasnt vague enough to have no accurate interpretation turned out to be pattently false! And these messages went on pretty much weekly. Not that I am anti Assembly of God. I just felt creepy when that stuff happened anyway. Many of my friends still go there and it's just fine.

[Tax-chick]

So you're saying that this is sort of like Saddam's declaration, "How can I urinate when my people are in bondage?"

I can understand people's enjoying a fictionalization of their personal theological preoccupation, and I read Barbara Cartland romances, so I'm no stranger to bad writing ... but the confluence of the two in these books just doesn't appeal to me.

[nickcarraway]

BUMP

[TheBattman]

Just some scripture verses to ponder - maybe they are supportive of Pre-trib, maybe not....

I Thessalonians 1:10

And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.


Romans 1:18-3:20 has many mentions of the wrath to come as well as who it is meant for. It strikes me as difficult to believe that the coming wrath (which points clearly to the tribulation period) is meant for believers to experience - particularly the wrath mentioned in the I Thessolonians verse above as well as Romans 5:9, Ephesians 5:6, Colossians 3:36, et al.

The only other definition I can see for Wrath in the New Testament is the coming wrath related to the eternal burning in the lake of fire.

For every arguement against the pre-tribbers, I also have seen just as convincing arguements against mid-trib or post-trib.

To each there own. Will a pre-trib, mid-trib, or post-trib theology in and of itself prevent one from coming to Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ?

[Oztrich Boy]

You have no chance to survive make your time.

[jrherreid]

What happen?

[Tax-chick]

You first!

[RobRoy]

>>Romans 1:18-3:20 has many mentions of the wrath to come as well as who it is meant for. It strikes me as difficult to believe that the coming wrath (which points clearly to the tribulation period) is meant for believers to experience - particularly the wrath mentioned in the I Thessolonians verse above as well as Romans 5:9, Ephesians 5:6, Colossians 3:36, et al. <<

Keep in mind that Mid-tribulationists see the wrath of God as the SECOND half of the so-called tribulation period and seventieth week of Daniel. I have sort of pseudo-named the first half as the "wrath of satan" on Christrians and Israel.

[justanotherday]

We got signal.

[GeronL]

poor qualities for a novel about a Big Event.

THE big event

[GeronL]

You and Jeff Head are awesome writers. I can only dream of being that good. 'Left Behind' is only a best seller because the christian media has been boosting it.

[Travis McGee]

I'd suggest hanging out at FrugalSquirrels.com, they have a terrific section for new writers. That's the place to cut your teeth.

[GeronL]

Gotta try it!

[GeronL]

Survivalist???

[rock58seg]

When I first heard about the Left Behind series, I thought it was an Al Gore biography.

[CARepubGal]

Matt:

This Proddie agrees that not one of the Left Behind novelettes will NOT be on my bookshelves. Ever. I would prefer Harlequin Penny Dreadfuls. :-) All that drivel does is amuse my athiest relatives to death. :) Your book looks good though. What is the turn around time (and please FRmail me the link to order: having a blonde day) :)

[Travis McGee]

Almost any fiction that has SHTF dangerous shootemup parts will fit in at Frugals. It's a pretty wide open place.