Posted on 01/24/2002 12:12:38 AM PST by BurkeCalhounDabney
Edited on 07/12/2004 3:36:54 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
The apocalyptic 1995 novel "Left Behind" and its eight sequels have sold 50 million copies. The Christian end-of-the-world epic by authors Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins has spawned a Hollywood movie and sparked renewed interest in Bible prophecy.
Despite its enormous success, "Left Behind" is being criticized on theological grounds by some Christians who say the story of worldwide tribulation following a sudden "Rapture" of born-again believers is based on a faulty interpretation of the Bible.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
The doctrine of the secret rapture of the Christians had its origin as least as far back as 1790 in a book written (published in Spain in 1812 and 1816) by Emmanuel Lacunza who proposed a two stage second coming: once to get the Christians before the tribulation, the second time at the end. Edward Irving was supposed to have published a translation of this book in 1827. This teaching was also part of the prophecies of Mary MacDonald of Glasgow, Scotland in 1830. J.N. Darby, who led the Plymouth Brethren movement, also taught a form of this doctrine. He was supposed to have come up with it in 1827 when he said it "set him free".Ideas have consequences. It's been said that when the Communists were taking over in China the Christians who heeded Jesus's warning to take off for the hills in the day of trouble were able to survive, whereas those who waited for him to pop down and whisk them out of the way were slaughtered. Too bad it wasn't for their faith that they died but for a relatively new teaching that is nowhere expressly presented in the Bible.
The Brethren in Plymouth, England (J. N. Darby's church), were teaching a two-stage second coming by the time of the second meeting their chapel was used in 1831.
The Brethren in Ireland developed the idea of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture in their annual Powerscourt prophetic conferences after it had been introduced at the 1833 session.
The late Dr. Harry A. Ironsides, former pastor of Moody Memorial Church in Chicago, himself a strong pre-tribulationist, and associated for many years with the Brethren assemblies, acknowledged that it was in the Powerscourt meetings in London which began in 1833 that the teaching of the church was brought to light; that is, as he taught, that Jesus would come in the air to take away Christians before the great tribulation began on earth.
Yes, but what is the nature of the one who is taken, and the one left behind?
Sadly, many so-called Christian novels are poorly written; even those I enjoy, such as most of Frank Peretti's works, are hardly great literature. It's like publishers figure they can slap a 'Christian' label on it and sell crap that would never sell in the secular market. Frankly I find it insulting, and more so when better-written Christian novels can't be found in Christian bookstores. (I'm thinking of Stephen Lawhead; his books are not carried at either of the two nearest Christian bookstore, so I have to buy them from Borders).
Look, Christian music was in the same place a few decades ago, and now look at it - it's great, there are hundreds of different groups out there... I'm just sad that Left Behind is doing so well, because it's sending the message of "it doesn't have to be good so long as it's Christian."
16 For 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:
17 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.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
More likely written around 65-66 AD.
They are poorly written, but I think a good editor with the power to send the manuscipts back for second drafts could have repaired most of the damage.
An exmaple. As the author, when you're setting up the first major speech of the Antichrist, the one that's supposed to make the world fall in love with him, as a writer, you better deliver that speech. Even if you posit the speech's effectiveness is infernal rather than pedestrian, you are still obligated to present it and do your best to even for a moment sway your readers into the Antichrist's camp to demonstrate his power (a tall order, but that's what you shoot for). What you DON'T do, after building up this incredible "coming out" speech, is cop out by delivering a few lines then blurring over the rest by describing how impressed everyone was.
The writers completely ignore huge events which apparently don't interest them, like Barnes' setting up an underground network of Christian cells around the world, not to mention an entire second American civil war. These would have make incredible backdrops to the early part of the series. Instead, we get rushed through the first half of the Trib, then slow to an absolute crawl toward the end. (I know this was partly because the publishers woke up to the gold mine halfway through and begged them to drag the series out, but in the end, that's no excuse -- Tolkien rewrote the entire LotR saga in several stages over many years before publishing it.)
IMHO, of course. If you liked the books, pay no mind to my screed. ;)
Ping--religious talk here!LOL, the Washington Times does religion. Why am I not suitably impressed? I did get one thing from the article, LeHaye kind of seems a bit pompous
Mr. LaHaye says he "expected some opposition" from Christians "who hold different views" of biblical interpretation. But he suggests some critics are envious of the success of the "Left Behind" series.So anyone who disagrees with your theology and criticizes it is doing so because they resent your success? What a broad brush painting those with a different reading as all being jealous little jerks, rather then principled Christians who simply have a different view. Not to mention which, the ideas behind his theology were roundly and squarely criticized long before his success. The rest of his comments only add to that first impression."Those of a different view resent the enormous readership we have," he says.
patent +AMDG
I just started book seven (The Indwelling) last night.
I'm buying them in paperback (at Sam's or Wal-Mart) to save some bucks.
I agree with the assessment that the writing is pretty cheesy. But I find the story line fascinating even if I do have questions regarding the theology.
You said it, sister! I was profoundly disappointed after finishing the first Left Behind book, knowing that, due to its great success, that of ALL Christian literature, this would be the one book a non-Christian lover of good fiction would sample out of curiosity. And I very much fear that person will hurl it across the room, convinced that if it is the best Christiandom has produced since Milton, he or she need not every bother with anything Christian again.
Just finished "Byzantium," and agree that Lawhead is the cat's meow. ;)
I don't care what Hal Lindsey or Tim LaHaye say, are you certain you want to be "taken away?" Or wouldn't you prefer to be left behind?
The coming of the Son of Man refers to God's returning to earth to set up his 1000 reign......you are confusing 2 different events.....he is not comparing the rapture to the flood where only the rightous were saved or "left behind" he is refering to God's second coming (whether there is a "tribulation" is irrelevent to the point being made) when he sets up his earthly kingdom and only the rightous will remain to enjoy it. The unrightous will be...."taken away".
If there is a rapture before the tribulation (as i believe) then i DO NOT want to be left behind.....If i were to be left behind for the tribulation....at the end of it.....I WOULD want to be left behind.....
no man knoweth.........I think i read that somewhere before...
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Reading John Jakes novels brought history to life and gave it a personal connection.
Reading the Holy Bible can be boring for some.
Reading the Left Behind series brings the Holy Bible to life and gives it a personal connection.
Is the series dead-on accurate? Time will tell.
Is accuracy of the future and the Rapture the most important thing to derive from the books? No way!
What is important? I personally know of five lives changed.
(rim shot)
Auuugghh! OMG, that's awful...I love it ;)
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