Left Behind Series

[Myshel]

Anyone reading the Left Behind Series?
I've read up to the last book (have it but never got the chance to read it) Now the new one and final one is out?

Its based on the book of revelations in the Bible and if all the prophesies came true in our time. I was totally hooked after the first one, but felt it got repetitive so lost interest. I really would love to read the last one though.

[longshot]

Please tell me that you don't believe in the rapture.

Please...

[Myshel]

Being raised as a southern Baptist, revelations was always confusing to me. Baptists read the bible. Reading the series was interesting to me, because the prophesies were really explained in detail. I'm interested yes, I'm interested in alot of things. The Bible is a historical book with a lot of mysteries. As far as the rapture is concerned, I know I would be definately one of the ones left behind.

[Galleazzo]

"It is between fifty and sixty years since I read it [the Apocalypse], and I then considered it merely the ravings of a maniac, no more worthy nor capable of explanation than the incoherences of our own nightly dreams."

-Thomas Jefferson, letter to General Alexander Smyth, Jan. 17, 1825

[longshot]

Man I'm in for some shit when I come home in August...

I don't think I'm ready for this.

[Mint]

Originally posted by longshot
Please tell me that you don't believe in the rapture.

Please...

Why is it that YOU believe in whatever it is that you believe in? It's quite easy (and somewhat popular) to scorn and belittle others beliefs however I never took you for a bandwagon sort of person. So you don't share that particular belief, well big whoop. I certainly won't scoff at your assumptions nor ridicule your convictions.

And Myshel, youre right, the first book was good but the rest I sort of lost interest in because of the repetetiveness. I have not read the last one yet.

edited to clarify: I am not a believer in the rapture since most of it is based on one bible passage: 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17. My issue is the mockery of those that do.


[Edited on 4-2-2004 by Mint]

[Galleazzo]

Mostly because this deal with the "rapture" isn't anything God invented. It's something the fundys cooked up within the last couple hundred years.

[Latrinsorm]

Originally posted by Galleazzo
It's something the fundys cooked up within the last couple hundred years. Fundys looks a lot like handys. Or maybe I need a break from Physics homework.

[Fengus]

Originally posted by Mint

Why is it that YOU believe in whatever it is that you believe in? It's quite easy (and somewhat popular) to scorn and belittle others beliefs...



This one is easy, I don't believe in *anything*. This trick only works on the religious, when you asking them why they believe in say Christ but why not Buddha or Vishnu.

[Mint]

Originally posted by Fengus
[quote]
This one is easy, I don't believe in *anything*. This trick only works on the religious, when you asking them why they believe in say Christ but why not Buddha or Vishnu.

Not believing in anything IS a belief. Atheists crack me up. They are as zealous in their non belief as any Christian I have met.


edited to herd a stray letter back into position.


[Edited on 4-2-2004 by Mint]

[longshot]

The whole idea of the rapture is rediculous, in my humble opinion.

It's one of the ugliest parts of religion, that only a few selected followers of god will be chosen, and thus far superior to the other 5.9 billion people on the planet.

It's almost as bad as a martyrdom mission that promises paradise with virgins.

If you like the books, hey, that's cool. But I was asking if the poster believed that this sort of thing is likely to happen.

And Mint, I was the first one to post... how is that a "bandwagon" response?

[Mint]

Originally posted by longshot
If you like the books, hey, that's cool. But I was asking if the poster believed that this sort of thing is likely to happen.

And Mint, I was the first one to post... how is that a "bandwagon" response?

I don't believe it is likely to happen, as my post stated because the biblical record of a rapture is almost nonexistent. But the books are much more about the entire book of revelation than that one debatable aspect. Debatable if youre a Christian anyway, atheists and people of other religions would probably call the whole book of Revelation debateable.

And I guess I was a bit touchy about the 'bandwagon' deal. Apologies.




[Edited on 4-2-2004 by Mint]

[Galleazzo]

My guess is the whole "rapture" deal is a superiority kick pushed by redneck shitkickers. Just like what the Witnesses pulled. YOU're going to Hell! WE're the Elect of God. Nyah nyah!

[Latrinsorm]

Originally posted by longshot
It's one of the ugliest parts of religion, that only a few selected followers of god will be chosen, and thus far superior to the other 5.9 billion people on the planet.If it's any consolation, that idea has no Biblical basis.

[Warriorbird]

Left Behind was one of the single most hilarious movies I've ever seen.

[Mint]

The movie most definitely did suck. But what do you expect with Kirk Cameron starring? Also the budget was something like 14 mil. Not a lot by Hollywood standards but there have been better movies made on less.

[Sean]

Just to play devils advocate...

Aren't you asking people to hop on your "bandwagon" of tolerance?

I havn't read the books or seen the movie so can someone fill me in a bit more on the premise beyond just the rapture?

[Mint]

Originally posted by Tijay
Just to play devils advocate...

Aren't you asking people to hop on your "bandwagon" of tolerance?

I havn't read the books or seen the movie so can someone fill me in a bit more on the premise beyond just the rapture?

So are you asking me if I might object to religious intolerance Tijay? Then the answer is yes. I don’t deny others the right to hold and express religious views that challenge or contradict my own views. To do so actually promotes religious intolerance. I do feel rather strongly about lack of respect for other beliefs though. If I happen to hold a view that contradicts your own I would try to show as much respect for it as I do my own.

And as far as the books, they deal with Revelations from a fundamentalists point of view I guess. Sort of a action adventure series dealing with what would happen if the events described in Revelations actually happened today. That's the best I can describe them, sorry.

[Ravenstorm]

Originally posted by Tijay
I havn't read the books or seen the movie so can someone fill me in a bit more on the premise beyond just the rapture?

60 Minutes (or was it Dateline?) did a bit on these books and the beliefs. I'll try to summarize their summary:

One day (and they say soon) Jesus will come back to Earth. At that point, everyone who has been saved - and I think they mean 'saved' as in the born again Christian definition so not even every Christian is 'safe' - will ascend up to Heaven. Everyone else will be damned for all eternity and there will be hell on earth. The End.

I could be misremembering something but that's the gist that I got from it.

Raven

edited to add:

And they're very scary folks who I hope never, ever gain power in any country that pretends to be a democracy. Whether this is a good trait to have in a president I leave for the reader to decide.

[Edited on 4-3-2004 by Ravenstorm]

[Ilvane]

They are good books, actually.

I've read them, and didn't find them to be too fundamentally scary or anything.:grin: It's just a book!

-A

[Pallon]

Reminds me of those bumper stickers, "in the event of rapture, this car will be unmanned". am I the only one that finds it incredibly irresponsible that God's chosen people have no qualms about turning their cars into deadly projectiles come the apocalypse

[Mint]

Originally posted by Pallon
Reminds me of those bumper stickers, "in the event of rapture, this car will be unmanned". am I the only one that finds it incredibly irresponsible that God's chosen people have no qualms about turning their cars into deadly projectiles come the apocalypse

Heh, one of the many reasons I do not believe in the rapture. But that did crack me up. Also, the whole rapture thing is taken mostly from a vague biblical passage that was poorly interpreted in my opinion.

[Skirmisher]

Some people take such books more seriously than others.

I remember a bit of hullabaloo over the Celestine Prophecy as well, while to me it was just an interesting book.

[Warriorbird]

I don't think the buck sucked at all, though I hear the others in the series got progressively worse. It was an act of marketing genius, and fairly well written.

[Myshel]

Originally posted by Ravenstorm

Originally posted by Tijay
I havn't read the books or seen the movie so can someone fill me in a bit more on the premise beyond just the rapture?

60 Minutes (or was it Dateline?) did a bit on these books and the beliefs. I'll try to summarize their summary:

One day (and they say soon) Jesus will come back to Earth. At that point, everyone who has been saved - and I think they mean 'saved' as in the born again Christian definition so not even every Christian is 'safe' - will ascend up to Heaven. Everyone else will be damned for all eternity and there will be hell on earth. The End.

I could be misremembering something but that's the gist that I got from it.

Raven

edited to add:

And they're very scary folks who I hope never, ever gain power in any country that pretends to be a democracy. Whether this is a good trait to have in a president I leave for the reader to decide.

[Edited on 4-3-2004 by Ravenstorm]

All the true believers will be taken into heaven, then there will be 7 years where people will be able to chose between God and the Devil. The Devil will be claiming to be the chosen one and will walk the earth as a human. During those years most of the population will be killed in natural and unnatural disasters, wars, pestilence and plagues. Their are seven different prophesies that will happen, seas turning to blood, that sort of thing. The final battle, God will win and their will be thousand years of peace on earth. Something along those lines.
The books are interesting in the detail they took to explain Revalations.

[Latrinsorm]

Originally posted by Myshel
The books are interesting in the detail they took to explain Revalations.If that's how they explained it, they're way (way) off base.

[Vesi]

Easter Sunday. I was eight. The preacher preached on The Rapture. How a man left work and went home to find his family gone. Scared the hell out of me. I was baptised a week later.

I haven't been to church in years. I suppose you would call me agnostic. But I'll never forget that sermon. Yeah... I was baptised... not out of any beliefs... I was scared to death not to be.

Vesi