Rapture, Revelation, and the End Times - Conscious Evolution TV

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How robin-bobin Popular Are the Left Behind Books . . . and Why? 25The point here is that the Left Behind books did not introducethese themes; the books participate in well-established themesalready pervasive in American popular culture. The Left Behindseries is not unique in offering the story of a climactic battlebetween good and evil, with the four common features justdescribed. Rather, the books reflect broader patterns in Americanculture. In a sense, the Left Behind books are just anotherArnold Schwarzenegger movie in written form, with explicitreligious imagery added.Thus, much of the general public responds to the Left Behindbooks because they are familiar and comfortable, fitting withcultural patterns and themes we have heard from many sources.We embrace this kind of story line because it is emotionallysatisfying to hear that others are the source of evil, not us, andthat the difference between good and evil is easy to discern. Andwe are attracted by happy endings, the assurance that good willtriumph and evil will be vanquished, even if violence is necessaryto accomplish it.The complicated question is whether these dominant culturalthemes are true to reality and, for Christians, whether theyreally fit with basic proclamations of Christian theology. Doesthe source of evil always come from outside, or is it within us?Are human beings either good or evil, clearly one or the other?Or do individuals represent a mixture of strengths and goodintentions along with weaknesses and tragic failings? Should wehope for the destruction of enemies or for their transformation?In the end, are we sure that the good will win?These value-laden questions lead us to the issue of the impactof the Left Behind books on their readers and on Americansociety in general. In published reviews and commentaries, andin informal conversations, three claims of impact seem to ariseagain and again: conversions, polarization, and political andsocial concerns.ConversionsFor Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins and their supporters, the mostimportant impact of the books is their evangelistic opportunity,robin-bobin
26robin-bobin Rapture, Revelation, and the End Timestheir success in converting persons to Christ. In one onlinediscussion, a reader asked Jerry Jenkins what had given him themost satisfaction in writing the books. Jenkins replied, “BetweenDr. LaHaye and me we have personally heard from more than2,500 people who tell us they have become believers throughreading the series. That beats any royalty or bestseller.” 30Tim LaHaye has written that belief in the “any-moment-comingof Christ” is important because it “produces holy living in anunholy society like ours” and “produces an evangelistic churchof soul-winning Christians.” 31Tyndale has published a book titled These Will Not Be LeftBehind: True Stories of Changed Lives to provide testimonies ofconversions and transformations as a result of reading the LeftBehind books. The volume’s introduction states that the message ofthese books is: “Don’t be left behind after the Rapture!” The introductioncontinues: “Is there someone you know who should readthese stories so they won’t be left behind? Could it be you? . . .As you read, pray for yourself, for your family, and for everyperson you meet, that all will surrender to Jesus Christ, ourSavior and Lord.” 32 Even though some persons read the seriessimply as an adventure story, the authors and publisher areexplicit in stating their evangelical intention. And clearly, somereaders have responded.Other persons do not share a theology that hopes for theconversion of everyone to evangelical Christianity, but they stillappreciate that the books may prompt readers to reflect on theirpriorities and ask questions about the meaning and purpose oflife. After September 11, many Americans indicated that theyre-evaluated whether they were spending enough time with theirfamilies, or how much they took life for granted. In a similarway, the books apparently have prompted life reassessmentsamong some readers, even if they do not reach the same conclusionsintended by LaHaye and Jenkins.PolarizationYet critics worry about negative impact on individuals and society,and a major concern is the encouragement of an us-versus-themrobin-bobin
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208robin-bobinAnnotated Bibliograph
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Rapture, Revelation, and the End Times - Conscious Evolution TV

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