Comments on: Convert or Die!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:06:00 +0000

BTW: http://www.leftbehindgames.com/pages/controversy.htm

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 00:01:00 +0000

You're correct Roger. I went too far in expressing my frustration. There certainly are, have been, and will be dispensationalists of who hold to basic similar eschatological views without the notion of killing the unconverted.
All throughout our (i.e., the Church's) history, there have been those willing to kill others who do not convert to Christianity or adhere to one branch of Christianity — think of the Spanish Inquisition, the Crusades, or even how the early Anabaptists were treated. Right now, it appears that certain Protestant fundamentalists and evangelicals have assumed the militant mantle. Brian W. is right to ask his question. I would also ask what is it in this theology that allows for even entertaining that such violence would be reasonable and God-ordained? Clearly something is amiss — either our beliefs are wrong or our application of our beliefs is completely misguided. I'm reminded of Abraham Lincoln's great quotation:

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 22:24:00 +0000

I hear what you are saying, Roger. But then we need to ask the question, "what is wrong with evangelicalism where this kind of crap finds itself on the market?"

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 02:28:00 +0000

Roger–that's inside language. Those on the outside, do you think they really make that kind of difference? For them, we're just as bad (I hate the show, but just watch “the View” sometimes, and you'll see that the crap that people get is that it's all the same–militant, non-tolerant religion)

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 22:43:00 +0000

We need to be careful here on defining this- the “convert or die” problem is not equal to, inherent in, or the logical consequent of evangelicalism or dispensationalism. “Militant evangelicalism” doesn't really exist except to the VERY few people who support the bombing of abortion clinics and apparently the people behind this video game. I don't believe the sort of dispensationalism promoted by Left Behind necessitates the violence promoted by the video game, but it certainly leaves the door wide open. I think it's awful theology, but I think we should be careful we don't jump to radical conclusions about it.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 16:33:00 +0000

And of course, this just goes to show to the world that on a theological level, there may not be that much difference between militant islam and militant evangelicalism–true evangelicals have not acted out on that theology as much, but for the outsiders, this is exactly what they need to make an unfortunate link.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 19:31:00 +0000

Sigh.
Finally we get to see the roots or results (not sure which) of this brand of eschatology. Namely, a supremacist attitude in which the “holy” are justified and divinely mandated to kill those with whom they disagree. This is the crap that gives fodder to secularists who say that we have to tone down our exclusive religious claims or the result will be justified violence like that preached in this game. Thankfully this junk isn't the logical conclusion to exclusive religious claims and posts like this one do well to defend Christianity from its own family members who have gone off the deep end. Oh how I would love Jenkins and LaHaye to have a public debate with Volf on this matter.
For years I've been slightly embarrassed about all the attention the Left Behind empire has received from my brothers and sisters. The more I hear about this game, the more angry I get at the franchise. And just because you don't start the game with the ability to kill people — you have to earn that privilege — doesn't make the slaughter of the unconverted justifiable.
This game has more in common with the Duke Nukem franchise — “Kill them all and let God sort them out” — than with Revelation or any other biblical text.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 19:11:00 +0000

And people wonder what's wrong with evangelicalism. As bothersome as the game is, the justification from some Christian's is even worse.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 05:18:00 +0000

I should clarify, my use of "empire" is only meant to convey the vast influence of the Left Behind series in its various forms. That said, this is from one of the posts: "The game's developers have announced their plan to distribute through mega-churches 1 million advance copies of a video game that lets children role play mass killing in the name of Christ, or the AntiChrist: children's choice." Even if most of those 1 million don't make into people's hands, you can bet plenty of pastors and other leaders will be promoting this. Here's another lengthy article that's worthwhile.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 05:01:00 +0000

Good Point–Wow, I agree with a post
The problem with all this of course is that there will be enough pastors (and authority figures in general) who will promote it. As you said, “Left Behind” is an empire, and it seems that it has successfully altered people's theological frameworks. My sense is that the folks who don't like the empire will have yet another argument in their arsenal, and those who are fine with it will just look the other way.