I really wanted to find a book that outlined the various views of end-time events according to scripture. Dr. Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins had a great opportunity to direct their "Left Behind" fans to serious Bible Study when they wrote "Are We Living in the End Times? ("A Left Behind Book", according to the back cover). Instead, they put out a poorly researched pop theology book that mocks Christians who hold other views ("yo-yo type of rapture" p. 106) and quotes the author's past work and people from his own organization as his experts. The book is full of phrases such as "it is obvious" and "there can be no doubt" assurances on one hand and "we would not be surprised" and "who is to say" conjecture on the other. I was also put off by the use of excerpts of their fictional work at the beginning of the chapters. It added an air of fiction to what was supposed to be a non-fiction work. Their pages of ads for the series and the video game(!) at the end of the book had the same effect. I was actually hoping for an index at the back so I could easily return to subjects I wanted to study. I finished the book feeling no less uncertain about what I believe, but wanting to disagree with the authors simply out of frustration with their handling of the subject. Unfortunately, my Bible study is using the book for a discussion so I cannot throw it out yet; I am still looking for a good book on the subject.
January 31, 2011
LaHaye and Jenkins Should Stick to Fiction
I read this because it was chosen for a group study and I was NOT a fan. 
I really wanted to find a book that outlined the various views of end-time events according to scripture. Dr. Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins had a great opportunity to direct their "Left Behind" fans to serious Bible Study when they wrote "Are We Living in the End Times? ("A Left Behind Book", according to the back cover). Instead, they put out a poorly researched pop theology book that mocks Christians who hold other views ("yo-yo type of rapture" p. 106) and quotes the author's past work and people from his own organization as his experts. The book is full of phrases such as "it is obvious" and "there can be no doubt" assurances on one hand and "we would not be surprised" and "who is to say" conjecture on the other. I was also put off by the use of excerpts of their fictional work at the beginning of the chapters. It added an air of fiction to what was supposed to be a non-fiction work. Their pages of ads for the series and the video game(!) at the end of the book had the same effect. I was actually hoping for an index at the back so I could easily return to subjects I wanted to study. I finished the book feeling no less uncertain about what I believe, but wanting to disagree with the authors simply out of frustration with their handling of the subject. Unfortunately, my Bible study is using the book for a discussion so I cannot throw it out yet; I am still looking for a good book on the subject.
I really wanted to find a book that outlined the various views of end-time events according to scripture. Dr. Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins had a great opportunity to direct their "Left Behind" fans to serious Bible Study when they wrote "Are We Living in the End Times? ("A Left Behind Book", according to the back cover). Instead, they put out a poorly researched pop theology book that mocks Christians who hold other views ("yo-yo type of rapture" p. 106) and quotes the author's past work and people from his own organization as his experts. The book is full of phrases such as "it is obvious" and "there can be no doubt" assurances on one hand and "we would not be surprised" and "who is to say" conjecture on the other. I was also put off by the use of excerpts of their fictional work at the beginning of the chapters. It added an air of fiction to what was supposed to be a non-fiction work. Their pages of ads for the series and the video game(!) at the end of the book had the same effect. I was actually hoping for an index at the back so I could easily return to subjects I wanted to study. I finished the book feeling no less uncertain about what I believe, but wanting to disagree with the authors simply out of frustration with their handling of the subject. Unfortunately, my Bible study is using the book for a discussion so I cannot throw it out yet; I am still looking for a good book on the subject.
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