I reckon you weren't fast enough. He must have been ashamed of it. 
Posted on 08/04/2002 8:00:41 AM PDT by Commie Basher
You came on this thread attacking the authors of "Left Behind" in the most viscious of terms and when I called you on it, and asked you, in posts #47, #52, #64, and #71 to simply STATE for all to see, what specifically, you objected to in the books, each and every time, you refused, because it was easier for you to name-call and sling attacks than to have an honest debate.
FYI, I have recieved many many Freepmails about what a jerk YOU are. But until now, I was too polite to mention that. If you haven't the courage to say what you believe and let the chips fall where they may, then maybe intellectual debate on the internet AIN'T your thing.
The "Left Behind" books: How the Christian Right Uses Jews and Israel.
The Left Behind books are not Christian right - they are shameless Christian commercialism in the form of very poor fiction - and they are wrong.
I am amazed at the people who defend the books as if they believe this hideous fiction is actual prophecy and who think anyone who fails to be enthralled by it or demands VALUE for his money is not really a good Christian.
I am against this series of overpriced trashy fiction being defended as if it is prophecy.
You are engaged in an ad hominem attack against me with such a suggestion that my distaste for the FICTIONAL Left Behind series is a reflection on the state of my personal relationship with Christ or belief in the Bible. That series commercially exploits the common misunderstandings of the fantastical imagery in St John's Revelation. Revelation IS prophecy, written in symbolic, prophetic language of scholars, not meant for the simplistic literal translation found in Left Behind.
Beginning with the ridiculous depiction of the sudden, silent disappearance rapture in the first book of the series the story just gets sillier from there......
Show me anything in the book that resembles this passage:
1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 "The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
The burden of proof lies with anyone who claims the FICTIONAL series, Left Behind, is prophetic.
Tell me about it.
The author put an awful lot of work into a "revelation" that should come as no surprise to anyone.
Now that we are friends, let me ask you about one point. You wrote:
Revelation IS prophecy, written in symbolic, prophetic language of scholars, not meant for the simplistic literal translation found in Left Behind.
The Book of Revelation is unique in all the Bible. It's the ONE & ONLY book that promises:
Rev 1: God blesses the one who reads this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to it and obey what it says. For the time is near when these things will happen.
So right there I have to disagree with your contention that Revelation is written for "SCHOLARS". Jesus promised a special BLESSING for ALL who read this book and LISTEN to it's prophesies. Everyday people like me and you.
Yes, Christ taught "love one another" but I don't think even that message is really that simple.
He was of course talking about God's definition of love, and not people's individual preferences.
Also, let's remember that Jesus began His ministry with "Repent for the Kingdom of God is near", and spoke of Hell more than anyone else in the Bible.
i interpret that as jesus will be watching the door, and when the jews arrive, as any good father will do, he will open the door, whisper in their ears, "i am the messiah, come on in."
i read the left behind books and look forward to the remnant... i do not believe the jews are condemned in the writings.... they do accept jesus as the messiah early on but retain their "jewness"...
i consider myself jewish, but one messiah up on my jewish brethren...
That's interesting but Jesus reserved some of His most critical fire and brimstone sermons for the religous Jews, the Pharisees, told them their father was the Devil and that they would die in their sins etc. etc.
There is nothing in that verse that applies to the Left Behind series. By all means read St John's Revelation, but there's no need to cross-reference it with any other books except the Old Testament where prophetic symbolism is first used and intrepreted by prophets.
They have made merchandise of something that should have been treasured for its holiness. And they got wealthy off of it.
This isn't taking the muzzle off the ox so it can eat as it treads the corn. This is playing on the fears and strongest desires of the sheep and fleecing them them in the name of profit--not prophet.
They are the publishing world's equivalent of the moneychangers in the Temple.
That's how I see it, anyway.
I reckon you weren't fast enough. He must have been ashamed of it.
As a Catholic I think I would modify this. The good works of a non-believer show that he is responding to God's free gift of grace. (Provided he does them in humilty and compassion, not for show.) That non-believer would have to also live by the law God has written on his heart, or by the seeds of truth which are in his own religion. That is he must avoid sin, as far as he is able to know what is sinful without having the benefit of the revealed word of God. He must have a sense of repentance when he does sin. If he does all this, then his life shows that if he had the understanding and/or opportunity to accept Christ, he would. Therefore since Christ died for all men, that unbeliever could be saved by Christ whom he seeks implicitly, not explicitly.
No. But the best thing to tell a child is that once you get to heaven if you want your dog, then God will let you have your dog. The truth is, we will be so wrapped up in God we won't think about our pets. But why tell a kid that, especiall if his dog just died? It's hard for an adult to understand.
The thing about animals going to heaven is we always think of the cuddly cute ones. But what about wolverines, alligators and lobsters? LOL! Lots of people have pet snakes, iguanas, and rats. So when I think of it that way, I don't think there will be animals in heaven.
Are you aware that the antichrist and the False Prophet spoken of in Revelation are two different people?
I did not say that.
You said that Revelation was written in "the language of scholars" and I said that God offers a special blessing to ANYONE who reads Revelation. This is because God wants regular ol' people to READ Revelation, because it is imperative they KNOW what is in the book.
It's the ONLY book in the entire Bible that comes with promise of a special blessing to those who will read and STUDY it. It's THAT important to God.
What's bugging you, stranger? Don't you ever look at FR profiles and check to see what users really post?
You are always free to turn the dial, or the OFF switch. That's part of the FREE in FREE Republic. Can't you handle other peoples FREEdom?
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