The Left Behind Series
TV ClubHouse: Archive: The Left Behind Series
Gentoo | Friday, September 06, 2002 - 09:12 am     Of "left behind" I've only seen the movie. It left me with the following two questions: 1. Why didn't China or Iraq or somebody conquer the more christian nations, left cripled as they were. 2. What is the moral of the story? It seems to me that the moral is something like "Deport all the christians before they leave you high and dry" or "Don't put christians in important positions". Isn't this supposed to be a pro rather than anti christianity series? |
Hillbilly | Friday, September 06, 2002 - 10:39 am     Gentoo...there is no moral to the story. This is the authors' depiction of what the end time events described in Revelations of the Bible will be like. It is neither pro or anti Christian. According to Revelations, all of the Earth will be affected by these cataclysmic (sp) events. Even Iraq and China. Everything and all nations will be affected. Even if you are an atheist, this series needs to start with a basic knowledge of the beliefs of Christianity to understand what the author is trying to describe. I'm not trying to bash...just trying to help you understand what the series is about. |
Off2cthwizrd | Friday, September 06, 2002 - 12:32 pm     Hillbilly, would you be so kind as to tell me how to get to my members folder? Thanks! |
Bob2112 | Friday, September 06, 2002 - 12:40 pm     Hi Off2cthwizrd! Nice to meet you. You can get to all the member folders by clicking on the word TOPICS at the top of this page. Then select Members Room and then Message Board. There are many other places to go on this board and they all start by clicking TOPICS. The folders are alphabetized, so scrool down to find your folder and feel free to vist other people's folder. |
Hillbilly | Friday, September 06, 2002 - 12:41 pm     Of course, Off...click on 'topic' at the top of this page, then select 'members room' from the list, then select 'message board'. Each members folder is in alphabetical order. |
Max | Friday, September 06, 2002 - 12:59 pm     Actually, the point of the series is that (in the author's viewpoint) the only way to true salvation is by accepting Jesus Christ as your personal saviour. As the books progress, that becomes abundantly clear when there are scenes of Jews being shown "the light" and preaching to Moslems and other religious groups in hopes that they will ask Jesus to be their saviour and thus guarantee a place in the kingdom to come. NOTE: This is not a theology that I, as a practicing Christian, embrace. For me, the passage about the only way to the Father is through the Son is more about the way a person lives than the name of the intermediary between God and man. <end of disclaimer> |
Hillbilly | Friday, September 06, 2002 - 01:13 pm     Well....Gentoo...I guess you'll just have to read the series and decide for yourself. The movie only covered the first book of the series. There is so much more. I recommend finding a good Bible commentary on Revelations to help you put the series in perspective. And Max is correct, while the series describes the events in Revelations, the authors' are clearly fundamental Christians who believe that the only way to true salvation is by accepting Jesus Christ as your personal saviour. |
Off2cthwizrd | Friday, September 06, 2002 - 02:38 pm     Thanks Bob, nice to meet you, too! Thanks Hillbilly, I appreciate your help. |
Gentoo | Friday, September 06, 2002 - 02:47 pm     I have no interest in reading the books, I was just a casual viewer of the movie. Was just saying it left an odd impression on me. My perception was that they were showing what was left over after the good christian type people were saved. Is that a wrong impression? It was kind of interesting that not all the claimed christians went, and that some of those who didn't follow christ's true word were left behind. But still, from what I could see, it told the story not of those saved, but of those left behind. And it seemed to show that those left behind would be in trouble having so many of those saved gone and abandoned their posts. Would non-christian countries in such a world not have more left-behind people, and thus less of a disruption of their society? Would they not be apt to conquer the crippled christian nations? And would those christian nations not be better served to get christians out of important posts, so when they up and leave, there'll still be a functional society? Thats just what it struck up in my mind. Maybe I got the whole movie wrong. That wouldn't be a first. |
Hillbilly | Friday, September 06, 2002 - 03:05 pm     Gentoo...wow...good questions that require long answers. Fundamental Christians believe that there will come a time when God's patience will end and the world will endure a time of tribulations. Some believe that Christians (true believers) will be taken and not have to endure the coming judgments. Some believe that Christians will go thru the Great Tribulation with everyone else. These authors are pre-tribulation-that all Christians will be 'caught up' or taken before the Great Tribulation. Revelations speaks of a tribulation period of 7 years when God will unleash his judgments on the world. The books in this series are the authors interpretation of the book of Revelations in novel form. Why were not all the ones who claimed to be Christian taken? Because not everyone who claims to be a Christian is a Christian. Some believe that good works will get them into heaven while fundamental Christians believe that belief in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and accepting him as your personal Savior is the only way. Why would predominantly non-Christian nations be affected? Well...once this 'catching away' of the saints occurs, those left behind will be greatly confused and in chaos. They will not understand what has happened. As in the first book of this series, the author depicts those left behind as thinking that it was some kind of secret weapon or some cataclysmic environmental event. I think everybody will paralyzed with fear everywhere that millions and millions of people have suddenly disappeared. Basically, you are right in that the books show what it might be like once the Christians are gone, but the authors are also describing the book of Revelations and the judgments to come. "And would those christian nations not be better served to get christians out of important posts, so when they up and leave, there'll still be a functional society? " As far as the statement regarding removing all Christians from important post so it doesn't affect society when this happens. 1) We don't know when the tribulation is going to occur...it could be tomorrow or it could be 1000 years from now. 2) Thanks goodness we are a freedom loving country and people are not discriminated on the basis of religion. 3) It really wouldn't help...I believe when these event come to pass..chaos will reign supreme even if only non-Chrisitans are in charge. We are talking about the instant loss of millions and millions of people. Even if Christians are only garbage collectors, construction people, and common laborer...they will be missed. Most folks out working know that the true backbone of any company is not the executives and supervisors...its the grunts out doing the actual work. I'm sure I haven't explained this very well. |
Sia | Monday, October 28, 2002 - 10:34 pm     Just bumping this thread to remind people that the newest installment of the Left Behind series, "The Remnant," is out in bookstores now (hardback only, I think; paperback comes out in February). The waiting-list at my library is over 400 people long, so in the meantime I listened to the abridged version on cassette tape last week. I think I'll switch to books-on-CD exclusively, after having trouble with a different (non-Left Behind) title this week. Any suggestions as to how to minimize the difficulty with cassettes unspooling? The cassette player I used was brand-new. Thanks in advance. |
Draheid | Tuesday, October 29, 2002 - 07:03 am     Sia: I'm not sure exactly what you mean by 'unspooling', however, I have a suggestion for the care of all cassettes. And this applies to all cassette tapes, both audio and VIDEO!!! Before the first use of any tape, and occasionally thereafter, you should retension the tape by fast-forwarding to the end and then rewinding back to the beginning. This smooths out the winding of the tape on the spools and give a little 'adjusting' to the machine you are using it in. This is especially important for new tapes to be recorded on. Tapes are usually wound on a high-speed manufacturing machine and can be wound much tighter than they would be in normal use. Also, after sitting on a shelf for a while or during shipping, the tape can shift slightly on the spools. Hope this helps. BTW: For what it's worth, this advice is based on 14 years in the audio/video production business. We typically went through 100+ tapes per month and I required that every tape be retensioned prior to putting them into use. |
Grannyg | Tuesday, October 29, 2002 - 03:03 pm     Just saw this thread when Sia bumped it up. I must say Hillbilly, you did an excellant job of explaining it. I have read all of the books and find them most interesting. I have heard a lot of preachers (lot of well known Pastors in Christian circles) and the books are pretty much on target. Of course they are written as fiction because none of this has occured but from what I have read in the Bible and heard, this is pretty much how theologians view Revelation. A great series to read. |
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