It's
time once again for us to pick up the adventures of Rayford Steele and the
other members of the Tribulation Force. It has been a while since I reviewed
one of the Left Behind books here at Science Fiction and Society, but
as I have been working my way through the remaining volumes a number of interesting
questions and points have been raised. Most importantly: Is Left Behind
honest in its presentation?
A TURNING OF THE TIDE
When I first jumped into these books, I was swept away in the interesting, quickly
evolving storyline. The first two or three volumes chronicle a very intriguing
tale of mass vanishings, world peace, and devious plans. The tale begins strongly
with many of the elements found in a good SF story, but grows weaker with time.
That said, let me be clear up front: as I stated in previous Left Behind
reviews, it is not my intention to classify Left Behind as SF. These
books are based on Biblical prophecy, and therefore require careful consideration.
Nevertheless, the Left Behind series has drawn heavy criticism in some
circles from those who say it is a shameless attempt to frighten people with
religious dogma. My interpretation has, up to this point, been that the books
are an interesting modern-day reading of the events found in the Revelation
of St. John the Devine. This still holds true, but the specter of the preacher's
heavy hand looms perilously above.
Early in the fifth installment, Apollyon: The Destroyer Is Unleashed,
the Rabbi Zion Ben Judah addresses the gathering of the 144,000 witnesses in
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