The Town Hall Archives

The Top Crusader · Posted: Sun May 18, 2003 2:14 pm Post subject:

Parker Hudson, I believe.

AndyGHarvey · Junior Member Joined: 01 Dec 2002 Posts: 270 Location: WV

Ok first off.....you guys are tickin me off. Left Behind(of which I have read all but thr first one) are excellant. I am pre-trib and I think that the books are great. I am very ticked at ya'll. These books are well written and very well written Biblically. Yes they are action/adventure but I am sorry I wouldn't read it if it were otherwise. They wouldn't have had all the un-Christians read them otherwise. I think Left Behind is great and has a great impact. Just wait until after the rapture...lets just see how many people turn to those books. I liked the first movie but the second pone was much better. So guys lighten up! Don't get your boxers up in a bunch!

And Jared in my book you don't have to be an ordained minister to poreach and lead others to Christ.

Jared · Posted: Sun May 18, 2003 3:14 pm Post subject:

Andy,

A few things. First, how can you read all but the FIRST book in a series, especially when, as in this case, the first book is the major one that starts everything off?

I don't think that anyone complained about the books being filled with action. I wholeheartedly agree that the books would not have wide readership if the characters all sat in their homes pondering the situation, doing nothing.

I agree with you that the Left Behind series has done a lot of good, which is one reason why I am disappointed that the line has been so commercialized now. In my opinion, that weakens the books overall, as new readers will be more likely now to view the books as a successful product line than a fictional account of real and very important events.

On the issue of adherence to the scriptural account, I differ with your assessment. I am also pre-trib and agree with the main big-picture teachings of the book. However, I believe that the authors took too many liberties with the less explained passages in the book of Revelation.

At issue: the seal of God. Most believe that this is only given to the 144,000 and is not a visible, actual mark or seal. In the Left Behind books, however, it is a holographic smoky image of a cross on the foreheads of all believers and can be seen only by fellow believers. It is also strangely invisible in mirrors but, I think, somehow visible on television screens.

I of course understand that some things have to be made up. It is fiction, after all. But the seal seemed a rather straight-forward thing that the Left Behind books significantly embellished.

Furthermore, in the later books, a believer by the name of Chang Wong TAKES THE MARK -- and remains a believer. The explanation is that he was forced to do it. However (I'm not 100% sure, so someone can correct me if this is wrong), I believe he was fully conscious when he took the mark, meaning he could have chosen death rather than the mark but didn't. Even if he WASN'T conscious, is our belief in God so small that we think He would allow a believer to be subjected to the mark, which condemns them to hell, against their will? On the contrary, the mark of the beast is a very voluntary thing. The other option is of course death, but it is an option.

Since Chang has the mark, the Bible makes it clear that he's headed for the lake of fire. But in the Left Behind books, he remains a faithful believer and the mark is considered an asset, as he can safely stay in the book's fictional city of "New Babylon" and work among the enemy. Blatant contradiction of scripture.

And several scriptural events were done out of order, some mixed into one and others ignored altogether. It's fiction, yes, and I'm willing to accept some fictionalization (the Bible makes no statement of whether or not clothing a person was wearing at the time of the rapture will fall to the ground in a pile or not, but that description in a fictional book is fine, as way of example). But you can't fictionalize direct biblical facts.

Finally, on your claim that the books are well written, I must respectfully disagree. The books are aimed at a lowest-common-denominator market. Character development is shallow, description weak and action overbearing. Sentences are often choppy and dull, as the authors are afraid to utilize more difficult words. The Left Behind series is written at an eighth grade reading level, according to studies of bestsellers. (These studies always overestimate the level in the first place, in my opinion.) Nearly all other bestsellers are at or exceed a 12th grade level.

Also, the Left Behind series jumps needlessly around from plot to plot. There are no true subplots, carefully weaved into the story. Instead, we are transported from Jordan to Chicago to New Babylon with reckless abandon to follow three different action plot-lines going on at the same time.

Finally, any realism originally present has vanished. I'm sorry, but no small group of people can have THAT many things going on. "The Trib Force" versus the rest of the world and an exceedingly powerful and technologically equipped world government with scores of agents prowling over every square foot of ground on the planet makes for good action, I suppose, but I know that many times in reading the books, I wondered if anyone believed the action to be even remotely possible.

Are they bad books? No... Especially compared to what else is out there. But I do not believe them to be exceptionally good ones, either, nor do I appreciate recent rather shameful attempts to profit off of a successful product line.

In concluding, let me say that I absolutely agree that one need not be ordained to preach and lead others to Christ. I firmly believe that the Great Commission applies to every Christian. However, I question having an actor preaching on television. I'm sure his motives are good, but I'd rather have someone with much more knowledge on the subject be the one on TV.

Then again, I'm rather sure that there's no difference between the job descriptions of some actors and televangelists. Actors play something that they aren't in order to make money -- and that's fine. But unfortunately, many televangelists do the same. And it's a terrible disservice to real, biblical Christianity.

AndyGHarvey · Junior Member Joined: 01 Dec 2002 Posts: 270 Location: WV

I respect your differences(tis is the cool thing about Christians we can argue respectively) Smile

But Chang was drugged when he took the mark...and right before he was completely drugged he even screamed that he was a Christian but the mark applicators thought he was hallucinating. and also...I think that some unexplained areas in the Bible would be hard to write about if u didn't build some more storyline around it. But thats just my opinion.

Dave · Posted: Sun May 18, 2003 6:43 pm Post subject:

I'm confused.

I hate Left Behind.

Jared · Posted: Sun May 18, 2003 7:29 pm Post subject:

Profound insight, Dave. Wink

Dave · Posted: Sun May 18, 2003 10:17 pm Post subject:

But simple. My aim is to get noone confused. Make a strong point without wasting space. Like this:

WHY IS JARED MAYOR?

Did that get across well? See, simple is best. I'm sure Jared is crying so much. Here's another point I feel like getting across:

WHY IS HAWKEYE SHERRIFF?

Oh, and another:

WHY ISN'T DAVE SHERRIFF AND MAYOR?

That caps lock thinh is good. I feel mean today.