Glorious Appearing: The End of Days (Left Behind) by Jerry B. Jenkins, Tim LaHaye
|
List Price: Our Price: $4.95 You Save: $10.04 (67%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Glorious Appearing: The End of Days (Left Behind)
Book Review: Literalism, Liberalism, Dogma and Belief.
Summary: 1 Stars
As a "c"hristian I felt a need to read this series partly out of responsibility to understand the underpinning mentality of "born again Christians"
I was baptized as an infant into the church. The biblical literalism of Lahaye and Jenkins got really tiresome. I was raised a Lutheran and the "born again" crowd have adopted the sin of exclusivity in my estimation. This is not how I view biblical teaching nor how I view Jesus will be at the end of days.
LaHaye and Jenkins entire series has some good action at times and at other times it describes the hideous nature of man through the personifications of Nicolae and Leon. The one thing that the series does fairly well is outline the pride and arrogance of what I would term liberals, in the guise of Carpathia, Leon and the GC. The assumption the life without a higher power through human endeavors is truely telling about much of liberal society today. The battles that rage in literalism are interpreted as actual battles rather then battles that rage from within each of us. The personifications of evil in the world have been present throughout time. It does appear that things are coming to pass such as (wars and rumors of war) Total Awareness, RFID (as the Mark), The UN as GC. In some and likely in LaHaye and Jenkins view this is fulfillment of age old prophecies.
In this book the "resurrection" and the final battle was a hodgepodge of scripture. It assumes that the disjointed schizophrenic rantings of old testament writers is somehow tied to the final judgement.
The symbology of Revelation has created more questions then answers. Dogma has so jaded me against organized religion that I avoid churches. Instead I ply the AA way to faith. In AA of all organizations seems to get it right. The way to faith is individual "choose your own conception of God". I have a God of my understanding, He is not a condemning God. he is a God that lets us make choices. I am a spiritual deist rather then a particular christian theology to guide me. The angle LaHaye et.al takes toward believers (not born again) is somehow our sins preclude us from a relationship with Jesus. I beg to differ.. Our sin is what causes us pain and draws us closer to our higher power.
This book from a literalists view of the end times. The book elicits fear in the hereafter except to the faithful (born agains). The promise of faith in a Higher power gives us hope for the here after.
I am disturbed in the fact that the split between mainstream theology, liberalism and born again theology is so wide. In my estimation God is sickened by the differences.
The "no one gets to the father, but through me" has been a very divisive statement throughout time. In my view we all are "spiritual beings", irregardless of what or who we believe in. To Jesus the man, his life was an ideal to guide us. Some describe Krisna, Buddha, in the same fashion. The point is the way to faith and spirit is personal. Not tied to some age old document.
It does raise the question for me as "c"hristian, Literalism is part of the faith that has so screwed the pooch for many on the man Jesus. If in fact the life of jesus was to mean something it teaches of sacrifice, love for one another and redemption through action. Grace alone is not enough. Carrying a message of faith in a higher power, an understanding of here and here after, and living life in close proximity to the God of your understanding is a key to faith.
To follow the 7th day adventists/Millerite movement in the assumption of literalism is ancient texts is sad. The life of Jesus was and is a model to live by.. By treating others as we would be treated, "love your neighbor as yourself" is a life of Christ. By teaching that those that don't follow the biblical letter of OT law in Deuteronomy, Numbers, Leviticus we are somehow failing as Christians.
When that times comes for me, I know I will see my Jesus and my forebearers. I have no doubt in that. I believe our lives on earth is minimal and the function of the bible while religious in nature has little to do with the spirit of the universe.
The "judgement" in the Glorious Appearing is an ego-centric view of who we are as spiritual beings. It assumes "sin" rather then human nature is a spiritual problem.
Rayford's question of how will his relationships with Ilene and Amanda work in the Millenium is a prime example of questionable precepts of this "born again" mentality.
Our souls have existed for ever, and they will continue to return to earth as new life as we pass. heretical in the Dogma of Constantine, the Nicean and Apostalic creeds. It fails to recognize that there are 30+ gospels. The Left Behind Series makes no mention of the apocrythal teachings of the Gnostics. In fact the Gnostics are much less forboding then the adopted canon.
I enjoyed reading and getting caught in the story. the series of 12 was sorely repetitious. Ray's guilt and shame about being left behind. Guilt is overrated.
Book Review: Left me empty
Summary: 1 Stars
My kids started reading the Left Behind Kids books, and because I was concerned about the message and theology of the books, I started reading them also. Then I decided to check out the "adult" books from the library.
I am a born-again, pentacostal believer in Jesus Christ, and parts of the theology are not what I read in the Bible. OK. I can stil enjoy a good book, one with interesting characters, realistic dialogue, and a good plot. The issue of plot is difficult for the Left Behind books, I admit, because we know who wins if we've read the end of the New Testament. As to the rest, it fell flat. Most of the dialogue didn't ring true. After a few of the books, I was interested in some of the characters, but by the end of the books, there were only a few of the original characters left, and they were some of the least interesting to begin with. How many times do we have to read through the same sermons from the exact same scriptures in Revelation? How many times do they have to tell us about the almost affair that someone had back in Book 1? There is nothing new and interesting in this book. The last book is just boring.
It would have been nice, at the end of the book, to wrap up everything. Jesus comes back, and everyone should be reunited at the end after the battle is over, right? Some of the characters that were important early in the books are either barely mentioned or not mentioned at all. It was an incredible let down. I felt like I had invested in these books only to see what life would be like for everyone after the battles are over. Nothing. We stick with that one main guy, and everyone else is left in the dust. It should have had a really, really happy ending, but even that was boring.
If I had my time back, I would stick to the kid versions, if only to discuss theological issues with my children. At least in the kid books, the sermons are shorter. And I will know not to get my hopes up for happy reunions at the end of the series.
Book Review: Very disappointing "Glorious Appearing" for an otherwise great book series
Summary: 1 Stars
I have read all of the previous 15 books in the Left Behind series, include the ones about the time before the rapture. I have to say without exception, I could not put them down to the point of reading all night and catching a cold because of lack of sleep! :) Having said that, Glorious Appearing is such a disappointment and let down for what should otherwise feel like "Wow! Jesus has come, he loves me beyond my comprehension, and I am completely fullfilled." Not so. Instead of tenderly smiling at each of his children and embracing them with the arms of unconditional love, he is portryed completely focused on violently killing and maiming unbelievers while at the same time reciting Bible verses all the while. While I have no idea what Jesus Christ will do to unbelievers when he comes, I do know that he wouldn't want his "saints" to be having any feelings other than complete joy and peace at his coming. Personally watching humans' bodies splitting open and guts spilling out while they scream in agony, would not bring me ANY peace and joy; even if they were the most evil people ever. It's human suffereing and it's sad and very upsetting to watch. But the book is so void of the characters' reactions to this that I find it very UN-Christian, which I believe would be a mindset of instinctual saddness to watch ANY human suffer in pain. This book was written by men who, I believe I am correct in saying, would say " You must accecpt Jesus as your PERSONAL Savior to spend eternity with him." The Jesus portrayed in this book is anything but personal; he in fact, seems aloof toward the characters. I just wish the authors of the book had put a little more of a relaxed, loving Jesus into his character, but of course this is just my personal belief (based on some very compelling experiences) of how Jesus would react to his believers. who really knows.....the first 15 books were great though... :)Book Review: The story dragged tremendously and was dull --- how can this be?!
Summary: 1 Stars
I had to write my only review of the LB series with this installment novel because I expected it to be most exciting and rewarding of the series. Little did I know that the best writing was actually "left behind" several installments back. The best novels of the series (IMHO) were #1 (Left Behind), 3 (Nicolae), 6 (Assassins), 7 (The Indwelling), and 8 (The Mark).
One note: I have NOT read any of the reviews of this installment nor the series because I didn't want any reviews to taint my impressions of the writings while I am still reading them.
The actual writing itself for this installment was lifeless, dull, and sluggish. Talk about dragging it out!!! I no longer cared for any of the surviving characters, even though I could have cared. The "good" characters were used so incidentally when they were convenient to the storyline that you just wished Jesus would come already. The "bad" characters that made the other better novels somewhat interesting, like Leon Fortunato, Viv Ivins, and Suhail Akbar, were barely used. Nicolae is laughably evil and merely a caricature of what he once was. When a novel starts scrimping on the details for the main bad guy is when you know the story has got big, big problems.
Jesus' return to earth is one of the most anticipated events in all Christians' hopes. Not only was it disappointing overall, as portrayed in the book, but it took several hundred pages to get there. The story put me to sleep easily for many nights, which is not good to say for a novel.
I had never given one star reviews for ANY of the novels I have read. But for this effort, I am compelled. Sorry, Tim and Jerry. But you made money from me, and I need to write fairly to warn consumers.
Book Review: Sunday school from Hell
Summary: 1 Stars
I'd like to say that my title is more than a little harsh, but frankly I can't. I skimmed through probably 2/3rds of this book searching for when the droning sermons would end.
Quite frankly, I don't think Jesus is that boring, nor that cruel to make his children suffer through a holier than though monotone sermon that covers not one but up to six pages at a time. Nor do I think, as it's been pointed out from other reviewers, that He would get such manical pleasure in incinerating millions of people and as was pointed out from another, so many innocent horses.
One thing that really irritated me about this book is how all of sudden Nicolae/Lucifer is turned into the biggest bafoon in all of creation. My apologies to the everyone who had a hand in publishing this book, but Lucifer did not command an army of millions of angels during the great Battle, nor has he spun his charms on so much of mankind by being a complete idiot.
The fact that I am not a Christian will cause many to say that that is why I don't like the books, and I'm completely missing the message. The message I gleaned from this book, and many of the books in the series is that fear mongering is still a preferred method of recruitment into the Christian ranks. It is because of this philosophy that millions of others like me will fear not our Lord Creator, but those who would wish to murder us because we aren't self-defeating sheep and have the nerve to think for ourselves.