What is your impression of end-times fiction or apocolyptic fiction. Stories about the end times (Revelation based) of Jesus coming back and all of that. Like the Left Behind series.
I was inspired to start this thread after reading a comment in the "Why do you write Christian fiction" thread.
I don't like apocolyptic fiction. I don't like people fictionalizing the end times. The biggest reason why I don't like it is because it comes across as a scare tactic to get people to believe and I don't think people should become Christians because they're scared of the alternative but because they understand Jesus loves them and desires them to be with Him. I think people who become a a Christian due to being scared like that are at a higher risk to fall away because fear only grips us for a time and then we lose that fear. For example, immediately after 9-11 there was a great scare in the country of more terrorist attacks. But as time has moved on we're not as scared anymore, we've let our guard down again. As time passes, fear passes away too. If you become a Christian because you're scared of being left behind or are scared of hell, as time passes that fear will pass too and you'll be left with no reason to continue being a Christian because it won't be in the forefront of your mind. But if you become a Christian because you understand the big picture of God and His love and His purpose for mankind from the beginning, you're more likely to continue in the faith.
I also don't like it because those who write it come across as authorities on the subject saying, "This is how it will happen." And typically it's this rapture, then these years of tribulation, then the second coming which may then be followed my a millineum of peace on earth with Jesus being here physically.
My problem with that is there are too many ways to interpret the end times pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib, non-trib, all-trib, pre-mil, post-mil, all-mill, non-mill, etc..., etc..., etc... And all the different interpretations I've heard I can see how scripture backs it up. I've heard so many good arguments it made my head spin until I just decided that nobody has it right, God's going to surprise us all, and I really don't care how it's going to end, Revelation was written not for us to figure out the details ahead of time but was written to comfort us in knowing that He will be in charge to the end of the world and we don't need to fear or feel forgotten. And we don't need to be pointing to a speculative future to scare people into becoming Christian (especially considering they may very well die before the end of the world) and that we need to be pointing to a very real, very loving, compassionate, and forgiving Savior who wants to walk with them in today's world and for the them and the Lord to fall deeply in love with one another so that they'll feel complete and loved and not alone in this world.
So I don't like end-times fiction and I do wish they would stop making it.
I was inspired to start this thread after reading a comment in the "Why do you write Christian fiction" thread.
I think I read about the first half of the first Left Behind book and just lost total interest.rosemerry said:
I don't like apocolyptic fiction. I don't like people fictionalizing the end times. The biggest reason why I don't like it is because it comes across as a scare tactic to get people to believe and I don't think people should become Christians because they're scared of the alternative but because they understand Jesus loves them and desires them to be with Him. I think people who become a a Christian due to being scared like that are at a higher risk to fall away because fear only grips us for a time and then we lose that fear. For example, immediately after 9-11 there was a great scare in the country of more terrorist attacks. But as time has moved on we're not as scared anymore, we've let our guard down again. As time passes, fear passes away too. If you become a Christian because you're scared of being left behind or are scared of hell, as time passes that fear will pass too and you'll be left with no reason to continue being a Christian because it won't be in the forefront of your mind. But if you become a Christian because you understand the big picture of God and His love and His purpose for mankind from the beginning, you're more likely to continue in the faith.
I also don't like it because those who write it come across as authorities on the subject saying, "This is how it will happen." And typically it's this rapture, then these years of tribulation, then the second coming which may then be followed my a millineum of peace on earth with Jesus being here physically.
My problem with that is there are too many ways to interpret the end times pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib, non-trib, all-trib, pre-mil, post-mil, all-mill, non-mill, etc..., etc..., etc... And all the different interpretations I've heard I can see how scripture backs it up. I've heard so many good arguments it made my head spin until I just decided that nobody has it right, God's going to surprise us all, and I really don't care how it's going to end, Revelation was written not for us to figure out the details ahead of time but was written to comfort us in knowing that He will be in charge to the end of the world and we don't need to fear or feel forgotten. And we don't need to be pointing to a speculative future to scare people into becoming Christian (especially considering they may very well die before the end of the world) and that we need to be pointing to a very real, very loving, compassionate, and forgiving Savior who wants to walk with them in today's world and for the them and the Lord to fall deeply in love with one another so that they'll feel complete and loved and not alone in this world.
So I don't like end-times fiction and I do wish they would stop making it.
