Left Behind...THE VIDEO GAME!

[Sock Full of Boiled Dimes]

Wow, just...wow...(I posted it here cause I'm going to rant a bit)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcWAqXdrWAg&search=Left%20Behind%3AEternal%20Forces

For those who don't know Left Behind is a series of books based upon Christian eschatology. Specifically the Pretribulationists. They were written by two men who used passages from the bible to essentially make millions off of it. The Left Behind series essentially is based upon a view brought upon by a 19th centry evangalist (I'll have to look him up). His view was, essentially, that before the end times all Christians who made a life commitment to Jesus Christ will be taken from this planet in an instant. All those LEFT BEHIND (get it?) will have to go through Tribulation until the return of Jesus at the very end. They made books about chaos, death, destruction, government disruption, and the antichrist. Mostly some crap about him being set as world leader through the UN which I find laughable. Read through the cliff notes because after reading the books I can tell you one thing.

It's a big load of apocalyptic crap.

I wanna understand how people could read through these books and be spoonfed this foolish crap? I found it slightly interesting, but I never thought "Oh yes, it'll happen like that." I'm Christian and I don't buy this.

The video game is just worse and now is a big sell out of whatever those two authors were trying to do. It's a tactical shooter where you kill non-christians in the end times...if I am correct...I think...that is...THE WORST IDEA EVER.

I like my religion very much, but there are things I don't like seeing it mixed with. Politics is one of them and video games are another. There should be one book for all Christians and thats it. People shouldn't be writing different books and selling it to the public. Did you know that there even is an End Time magazine in circulation? One book for Christians: Bible. Maybe even an Internation version or something because the King James Version is hard to read.

[Klilynkun]

a video game for Left Behind.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

ok ok... take a deep breath.

I haven't read any of those books myself. Heck, i didn't even know they existed :eyepop:

anyway...so what do the books say that has you all riled up anyway?

- Curious in Seattle


lol

like a dear abbey letter

[Kass]

Not that I'm a fan of the Left Behind series, but why are you surprised by this? Afterall, people buy L. Ron Hubbard's crap.

[Klilynkun]

too true .

[RotoruaBoy]

looks like a low budget production

[Xuande]

The books seem to be pretty disgusting judging by the excerpts from them I've seen. They read like a power fantasy for people who think they're persecuted for being Christian. It's their chance to get back at the non-believers who oppress them, if only in their imagination! I recall a scene describing, in celebratory detail, a rain of blood, gore, and the body parts of mangled and dismembered non-believers.

That said, I have no idea where the persecution complex comes from. I guess because they can't put the Ten Commandments up in government buildings, or have government-run schools endorse their religion by leading students in prayer? Or perhaps because people who don't believe in their religion can get abortions or engage in intimate relations with members of the same sex.

[Klilynkun]

i don't really think there is any real persecution america (i could be wrong though) - China however, and almost every muslim country is different

[Sock Full of Boiled Dimes]

It's actually the idea in Revelation when it says something the effect that people will be persicuted for even saying the Lords name. Something to that effect at least.

My interpritation isn't that of the literall standpoint, but more of a spiritial. Revelation, by the by, is more spiritial than literal in the Bible. If anyone takes the seven headed beast literally...

The "persicution" in the end is more likely people attacking your faith rather than attacking you personally and killing you.

Then again I dunno. Revelation is so vauge and hard to understand that ANYONE can come up with their own idea.

Like these morons have.

[Klilynkun]

okay... saying that though... as i said, in china and most islamic countries you can be killed for being a christian, reading your bible, worshiping jesus, muslim people are killed if they convert to christianity. And these things are happening now. so revelations must be a bit literal.

[Kass]

The books seem to be pretty disgusting judging by the excerpts from them I've seen. They read like a power fantasy for people who think they're persecuted for being Christian. It's their chance to get back at the non-believers who oppress them, if only in their imagination! I recall a scene describing, in celebratory detail, a rain of blood, gore, and the body parts of mangled and dismembered non-believers.

That said, I have no idea where the persecution complex comes from. I guess because they can't put the Ten Commandments up in government buildings, or have government-run schools endorse their religion by leading students in prayer? Or perhaps because people who don't believe in their religion can get abortions or engage in intimate relations with members of the same sex.

It isn't that the state can't facilitate or put these things up that pisses Christians off. We could live with that and prefer it. What pisses us off is that we can't even voluntarily, independently or even silently do things like pray at school. A child can't say a silent prayer before a test if they want to do so. My daughter was forbidden to wear her crucifix and cross earrings at school, but by law, they can't prevent a Muslim girl from wearing her head coverings. Which is more obvious? The headcoverings or the earrings you can't see through my daughter's hair? Students are forbidden to wear Christian-themed t-shirts, however, a pagan, Wiccan or other religious-themed shirt is okay.

It's gone well beyond separating church from state anymore to "anything but Christianity is okay to be seen in public."

[Klilynkun]

too true....... i remember once this kid had on a t-shirt with pictures of a lady in a bikini at a bar.... on front of the t-shirt said "liquor (lick her) in the front , poker (poke her) in the back -

he was fine to let in junior high school, but another kid in school that had a t-shirt which said something to the effect of Jesus saved me, what about you, and he was sent home for the day for wearing offensive clothing.

[The Divine Comedy]

Woah... I never see anything that extreme at my school. Kids wear religious-themed clothing/jewelry/etc. all the time. There's even a Christian Club. Sending that kid home for wearing a Jesus shirt seems a bit uncalled-for.

[Xuande]

It isn't that the state can't facilitate or put these things up that pisses Christians off. We could live with that and prefer it. What pisses us off is that we can't even voluntarily, independently or even silently do things like pray at school. A child can't say a silent prayer before a test if they want to do so. My daughter was forbidden to wear her crucifix and cross earrings at school, but by law, they can't prevent a Muslim girl from wearing her head coverings. Which is more obvious? The headcoverings or the earrings you can't see through my daughter's hair? Students are forbidden to wear Christian-themed t-shirts, however, a pagan, Wiccan or other religious-themed shirt is okay.

It's gone well beyond separating church from state anymore to "anything but Christianity is okay to be seen in public."

What they're doing is illegal under the first amendment. Contact your state's ACLU. They regularly successfully sue to overturn regulations like that.

[Klilynkun]

that's why i said it's not really persecution in america. what kass says is true though. i read recently somewhere in american a valedicatorian who was a christian was supposed to give a speech for graduation and he wanted to thank jesus for helping him and he was told to change it because jesus can't be in his speech.

What they're doing is illegal under the first amendment. Contact your state's ACLU. They regularly successfully sue to overturn regulations like that.

true... but it shouldn't have to go that far.

[Xuande]

true... but it shouldn't have to go that far.

Indeed, it shouldn't. If the school officials are reasonable, they'll change their policy once they realize what the law is. Most likely the reason they're doing that is they don't understand how the separation of church and state works. They may think that, by not letting people express their religion at all, they're avoiding lawsuits. Once it's clear to them that they're actually inviting suits (and on strong grounds beside), they'll probably relent. The ACLU should be able to offer advice on how to talk to school officials to get them to change the policy without requiring litigation.

[Kass]

Actually, things like that have held up under the separation of church and state clause. Schools also have wide latitude when it comes to setting things like dress codes.

[Klilynkun]

common sense must be a unique quality amongst the people in power

[Xuande]

Err, sorry, I overstated my case. What I should have said was the officials probably believe they can avoid lawsuits by censoring only expression of the most popular religion (perhaps worried about members of minority religious complaining). But it's that kind of discrimination that violates First Amendment law.

Of course, IANAL, but that is my understanding. It seems consistent with the ACLU's press releases on relevant cases they've won.

[Xuande]

that's why i said it's not really persecution in america. what kass says is true though. i read recently somewhere in american a valedicatorian who was a christian was supposed to give a speech for graduation and he wanted to thank jesus for helping him and he was told to change it because jesus can't be in his speech.

Is this (http://www.aclu.org/studentsrights/expression/12845prs20040511.html) the case you're thinking about? In it, a valedictorian was forbidden by school officials to put a Bible verse in her yearbook entry. The ACLU negotiated with the school and got them to agree to not censor students' religious speech, amoing other things, without needing to resort to a lawsuit.

[Roxie]

there are movies too. starring kirk cameron from the show "growing pains"

[Kass]

Bad books made into bad movies starring bad actors. Wow. There's a recipe for success.

[Jetsetlemming]

Woah... I never see anything that extreme at my school. Kids wear religious-themed clothing/jewelry/etc. all the time. There's even a Christian Club. Sending that kid home for wearing a Jesus shirt seems a bit uncalled-for.
My old school was like that. Standing up for the pledge was manditory (you didn't have to recite it, though), and afterwards the people reading the announcements would give a "moment of silence" for a few seconds after that, so a student could pray or think or admire some girl's skirt or whatever. The school district I'm living in now, however, doesn't allow anything christian, although most anything else goes, like kwanzaa decorations covering the hallways, and my english teacher in 2004 telling all of us to tell our parents to vote for Kerry or Bush would instate a draft and kill us all. Amazing how that hasn't happened yet, I feel lucky to be alive. :yes:

[Sock Full of Boiled Dimes]

there are movies too. starring kirk cameron from the show "growing pains"

Yeah, Kirks conversion to Christianity went...wrongly.

[Sock Full of Boiled Dimes]

I got one story.

My cousin wanted to go to this church retreat and take his college days to go. When he asked my principal (who was and still is a jerk) he told my cousin that, "If you do this I WILL fail you and you WILL lose your scholarship."

I know school is important, but that is beyond belif when he already had his college picked out and had days he could spare.

Fair?

[h2orowe]

Wow, we don't have any Christian prejudices at my school O_o Like Mads, we have the bible club thingy. We have PLENTY of Christians here, up the wazoo even. In choir we sing plenty of Christmas songs around that time.

I think it just happens to be that I live in a conservative area >_>; and I don't enjoy it because I'm liberal. I really don't mind people wearing the shirts or anything like that though, they can express their religion all they want, I just hate it when they lecture me.
I get lectured more than ANYONE I know. And I don't even talk about God most of the time. -_-; Even on my birthday, my personal trainer gave me a huge fucking WHY DO YOU HATE GOD lecture, and I'm like "I don't hate God! I'm just not Christian!!!!!!!" Then he's like "See this? See the weather? The problems with Israel? That's not just coincidence. The world's gonna end, and when God comes to take the faithful, and you want to be saved, he'll say 'no, you never believed in me.'"
I wanted to say "I'm a good person, and if I'm not allowed into heaven because, even though I've done all I can to be a good person in my life, than I wouldn't want to be there anyway." :P I'd rather live in hell with liberals, than kick it in heaven with people who voted Bush any day.

[Black fist]

Edit
Not good enough to please masa.

[Jetsetlemming]

You little kids make me laugh, and fear for the future at the same time when you talk about politics.

[h2orowe]

You little kids make me laugh, and fear for the future at the same time when you talk about politics.
:P I can get into a serious discussion about politics if you want me to. I'm quite capable of being serious when it comes to things like that, and am pretty good at debate. I just like being silly rather than being serious.

[Sock Full of Boiled Dimes]

Wow, we don't have any Christian prejudices at my school O_o Like Mads, we have the bible club thingy. We have PLENTY of Christians here, up the wazoo even. In choir we sing plenty of Christmas songs around that time.

I think it just happens to be that I live in a conservative area >_>; and I don't enjoy it because I'm liberal. I really don't mind people wearing the shirts or anything like that though, they can express their religion all they want, I just hate it when they lecture me.
I get lectured more than ANYONE I know. And I don't even talk about God most of the time. -_-; Even on my birthday, my personal trainer gave me a huge fucking WHY DO YOU HATE GOD lecture, and I'm like "I don't hate God! I'm just not Christian!!!!!!!" Then he's like "See this? See the weather? The problems with Israel? That's not just coincidence. The world's gonna end, and when God comes to take the faithful, and you want to be saved, he'll say 'no, you never believed in me.'"
I wanted to say "I'm a good person, and if I'm not allowed into heaven because, even though I've done all I can to be a good person in my life, than I wouldn't want to be there anyway." :P I'd rather live in hell with liberals, than kick it in heaven with people who voted Bush any day.

I dunno what to tell you because we live in a time where I wake up every morning wonder what's going to happen next.

I'd hope people would just sit down and have an honest talk with you about how much God loves you even if you sin. Religion doesn't need to be a lecture. It CAN be a lecture if you are aren't living a rightous life.

If you don't want to hear it that's fine. It says you need, "to seek out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Christianity shouldn't be something that is forced upon people. It is something that you should talk to someone about. Tell them what it is about. That's it. They either take the words to heart or brush them off. It is up to the individual person if they want to be saved or not.

I know this is going to come off as a bunch of bullcrap to some of you and I honestly couldn't care if it did.

Being lectured and being told that "you need to accept Jesus as your personal savior or you will burn in hell for all eternity" doesn't exactly put the religion and God in a respectful light. Yes if you do wrong (I believe) it will happen. But, you also need to know that there is always always time for God. We are not promised another day.

If it is your decision to be a liberal and not be a Christian or JUST EVEN accept Jesus then that is fine and I can't really tell you how to live your life. It's always up to you in the end.

Phew, sorry about that, but I felt it needed to come out.

[h2orowe]

I dunno what to tell you because we live in a time where I wake up every morning wonder what's going to happen next.

I'd hope people would just sit down and have an honest talk with you about how much God loves you even if you sin. Religion doesn't need to be a lecture. It CAN be a lecture if you are aren't living a rightous life.

If you don't want to hear it that's fine. It says you need, "to seek out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Christianity shouldn't be something that is forced upon people. It is something that you should talk to someone about. Tell them what it is about. That's it. They either take the words to heart or brush them off. It is up to the individual person if they want to be saved or not.
The problem I have with it is, I get lectured by half the people I know. In the past month it's been: by some random dude on the beach handing out flyers, by a Jehova's witness coming to our door, by my aunt, by my aunt's boyfriend, and by my personal trainer.
I've gone to church a few times. In 5th grade I was in a school release bible study. I used to be Christian. They think "Oh I bet this kid's never heard of Jesus." Yet I have. I know exactly what they're talking about most of the time.
I still have the "Extreme Teen Bible" my Grandma got me for Christmas when I was 12 or 11, about two or so years before she passed away.

[Roxie]

If it is your decision to be a liberal and not be a Christian
When did being liberal become opposite to being Christian?

[Kass]

You know the best way to stop that kind of annoying witnessing? Just say "Thank you for your concern. It's very kind of you to worry about me like this. I'll definitely give what you say some thought over time."

Then they feel like they did their Christian duty (even though I think they've grossly overexaggerated it), feel like they've made a difference and you can walk off and never give it another moment's thought.

It works a whole lot better than getting pissy and attacking. As annoying as it is, these people do it because they firmly believe they are doing the right thing and because they are genuinely concerned about you. It's a lot like the over-protective mom who is always hovering over her child. They just let their concern overwhelm their good sense and go overboard.

[Klilynkun]

i've seen it too... i don't know where they get that example from because jesus never seemed to do that.

[Jetsetlemming]

I've helped someone believe before. If someone wants faith, and needs faith, then they'll find it.

[Klilynkun]

yes... the old saying... seek and ye shall find, knock and it will be opened, ask and it shall be answered/given (can't remember :P)

[Sock Full of Boiled Dimes]

When did being liberal become opposite to being Christian?

Way to take one sentence from all of that and take it completely out of context.

To clear it up in case you might be confused. A person can be liberal and Christian. I said it was okay that he was a liberal AND NOT a Christian. I wasn't saying all liberals are Jesus hating pinko commies.

[Jetsetlemming]

I wasn't saying all liberals are Jesus hating pinko commies.
:rofl: you were thinking it!

[Roxie]

I wasn't saying all liberals are Jesus hating pinko commies.
:boggled:

.............settle down! I wasn't implying that was what you meant at all. I was simply curious as to what you meant.

[Sock Full of Boiled Dimes]

:rofl: you were thinking it!

Just so you know I strongly dislike all liberals and conservatives so if you are either I dislike both of your political standpoints, but thats not the point of the topic.

[Klilynkun]

:rofl: :rofl: :clap: :clap: