Apocalypse (Almost) Now

The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Columnist: Apocalypse (Almost) Now

If America's secular liberals think they have it rough now, just wait till the Second Coming. The "Left Behind" series, the best-selling novels for adults in the U.S., enthusiastically depict Jesus returning to slaughter everyone who is not a born-again Christian. The world's Hindus, Muslims, Jews and agnostics, along with many Catholics and Unitarians, are heaved into everlasting fire: "Jesus merely raised one hand a few inches and . . . they tumbled in, howling and screeching."

Gosh, what an uplifting scene! If Saudi Arabians wrote an Islamic version of this series, we would furiously demand that sensible Muslims repudiate such hate mongering. We should hold ourselves to the same standard. Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, the co-authors of the series, have both e-mailed me (after I wrote about the "Left Behind" series in July) to protest that their books do not "celebrate" the slaughter of non-Christians but simply present the painful reality of Scripture.

For all the changes right wing religious extremists are attempting to impose on us, the wackiest is the belief that the Rapture and Apocalypse is at hand. While I don't have a complete understanding of this doctrine, I have gleaned some basic details. From their perspective, all Christians must prepare the world for Christ's second coming by taking over government posts and ensuring that Israel remains in the hands of the Jews. War is to break out over Israel somehow featuring the anti-Christ, ablaze in his evil. Just before the carnage, all "born again" Christians will be taken directly to heaven. Then, according to some versions, Christ himself wielding a sword will slaughter all the non-believers starting with the Jews.

What's really perplexing is how neo-conservatives, who include hawkish moderate Democrats, many of Jewish descent, and Israel can feel comfortable with this alliance of convenience. Given the fact that these fanatics WANT Israel to get into a war with its neighbors, one would think they would be very reluctant to get to cozy with them for fear war might be deliberately provoked to bring on the Rapture. Indeed, so far all of the warmongering by this group has resulted in a card blanc for Israel's offensive military action against whole neighborhoods in the West Bank and Gaza and leadership assassination. It appears that Israel is so isolated politically that they will take ANY ally no matter whom. So witness the questionable antics by Israeli mercenaries in Ivory Coast, the strange trading history between Iran and Israel, and the steady support they exchanged with white supremacist South Africa.

Although I consider myself a Christian, apparently I�m an unusual one. I have considerable difficulty imagining God could be, on one hand, omnipotent, omniscient, all merciful, and on the other judgmental and vengeful. That is inherently inconsistent. Also, why would God give us free will, limited intelligence, emotional instability and immaturity? So he can punish us later? God is a sadist? Imagine gentle Jesus with a sword covered with blood as he personally executes some 4 billion people. That�s an image of evil, not a deity.

So I�ve been wondering how they got all this from the same Bible. Even more, how did gentle Jesus inspire this fanaticism? I certainly didn�t read any such craziness in the New or Old Testament. Yet, some serious minded pious person interpreted what I read in a very different way. Somehow, the Prince of Peace has been turned into the worst serial killer ever. I�m sorry, I just don�t buy it.

So I wondered, is there some other source of information that would clarify just what the New Testament is supposed to mean. Then it dawned on me. Jesus lived a life of example. Certainly, looking at his words, his actions in the context of his culture would tell us best of all what He really meant. So I did a bit of research on the Web. It seems that almost all of the principal founders of what would later be called Christianity were Essenes--St. Ann, Joseph and Mary, John the Baptist, Jesus, and John the Evangelist.

While reading on the Essenes, I saw many parallels in the passages of the New Testament. Indeed, Jesus reflected his Essene roots in his example. I also was struck by many values reflected in the culture that contradict the behavior of our intolerant proselytizing friends.

They felt that they had been entrusted with a mission, which would turn out to be the founding of Christianity and of western civilization. They were supported in this effort by highly evolved beings who directed the brotherhood. They were true saints, Masters of wisdom, hierophants of the ancient arts of mastery.



They were not limited to a single religion, but studied all of them in order to extract the great scientific principles. They considered each religion to be a different stage of a single revelation�.

The life of the Essenes was perfectly organized in a hierarchy. There were those who lived in the villages surrounded by a low wall, completely cut-off from the cities, in the middle of nature. Their life was simple, austere and pious, lulled into a rhythm by the seasons, by the days of celebration, and by visitors. Others lived in the cities, in large buildings which belonged to the Community and which served simultaneously as their home, as an inn and as a hospital. Indeed, they devoted their time and their activity to healing the sick and to providing hospitality to strangers passing through. There were others who traveled the roads, circulating news and information around all of the centers spread out in every country. This is how the Master Jesus was able to go out into the world, benefiting from a minutely-detailed organization which operated to perfection�.

The white robe was a materialization of the power of his baptism and the purity of his soul, which had to protect him from the many contradictions of the world. The staff, or cane, which he also received on this occasion symbolized his knowledge of the secret laws of life and his ability to use them harmoniously for the successful accomplishment of his task. He was also required to take an oath to respect the earth as a living, sacred and intelligent being. In order to maintain contact with it, to honor it and to participate in its healthy evolution, he had to be in contact with the ground through his feet--and, sometimes, his whole body. This is why the Essenes were often barefoot�.

Each Essene was required to respect the privacy of others--their solitude, their intimate and private lives. Solitude was regarded as sacred, because, when one was alone with oneself, one was in the presence of God, the Sublime One, the Source. The life of a couple was also regarded as sacred, as was community life. These were the three degrees--one's private life corresponded to the inside of the temple; the inner life, to the couple; and the external life, to the community. The student was to look closely at himself in these three lives, and remain honest, morally upright, pure and authentic in all three.

There was a rule forbidding them to reveal the Teaching to people who were not prepared to receive it. The law of silence and discernment was strictly imposed. Thus, an Essene never tried to convert another person to any belief�.

The Essenes recognized the equality of
the sexes, and accorded to women, in the greatest secrecy, the place which was rightfully theirs. Thus, women were able to participate in all of the spiritual activities�.

The School strongly condemned slavery and all forms of servility. No Essene could have a servant; that was a sin. So was working only to make money--which, in the end, translates into a certain kind of slavery.

From http://www.essenespirit.com/index.html

The Essene lifestyle would not appeal widely to people even in Biblical times. Eating no meat or alcohol beverages would have been just the beginning of the adjustment. Communal living, foresaking wealth, and a value of feeding the poor, strangers and healing the sick was a life that was rewarding, but it was inconsistent with society as a whole.

Someone somewhere along the line, perhaps as early as the writings of St. Paul, the teachings and example of Jesus was adapted to fit the mainstream culture. While one can understand why they did that, you can see with your own eyes what was sacrificed in the process. Many, including myself, think the primary message was gutted by the act of "mainstreaming". This reinterpreting of the Bible from ones own perspective has continued to this day. The result is an understanding of the New Testament that is unrecognizable by the cultural context of its authors.

I wonder if this knowledge would have any effect on the Christian Right that has gone so far astray?


Complete Article

Op-Ed Columnist: Apocalypse (Almost) Now

November 24, 2004

By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF

If America's secular liberals think they have it rough now,

just wait till the Second Coming.

The "Left Behind" series, the best-selling novels for

adults in the U.S., enthusiastically depict Jesus returning

to slaughter everyone who is not a born-again Christian.

The world's Hindus, Muslims, Jews and agnostics, along with

many Catholics and Unitarians, are heaved into everlasting

fire: "Jesus merely raised one hand a few inches and . . .

they tumbled in, howling and screeching."

Gosh, what an uplifting scene!

If Saudi Arabians wrote an

Islamic version of this series, we would furiously demand

that sensible Muslims repudiate such hatemongering. We

should hold ourselves to the same standard.

Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, the co-authors of the series,

have both e-mailed me (after I wrote about the "Left

Behind" series in July) to protest that their books do not

"celebrate" the slaughter of non-Christians but simply

present the painful reality of Scripture.

"We can't read it some other way just because it sounds

exclusivistic and not currently politically correct," Mr.

Jenkins said in an e-mail. "That's our crucible, an

offensive and divisive message in an age of plurality and

tolerance."

Silly me. I'd forgotten the passage in the Bible about how

Jesus intends to roast everyone from the good Samaritan to

Gandhi in everlasting fire, simply because they weren't

born-again Christians.

I accept that Mr. Jenkins and Mr. LaHaye are sincere. (They

base their conclusions on John 3.) But I've sat down in

Pakistani and Iraqi mosques with Muslim fundamentalists,

and they offered the same defense: they're just applying

God's word.

Now, I've often written that blue staters should be less

snooty toward fundamentalist Christians, and I realize that

this column will seem pretty snooty. But if I praise the

good work of evangelicals - like their superb relief

efforts in Darfur - I'll also condemn what I perceive as

bigotry. A dialogue about faith must move past taboos and

discuss differences bluntly. That's what blue staters and

red staters need to do about religion and the "Left Behind"

books.

For starters, it's worth pointing out that those predicting

an apocalypse have a long and lousy record. In America,

tens of thousands of followers of William Miller waited

eagerly for Jesus to reappear on Oct. 22, 1844. Some of

these Millerites had given away all their belongings, and

the no-show was called the Great Disappointment.

In more recent times, the best-selling nonfiction book of

the 1970's was Hal Lindsey's "The Late Great Planet Earth,"

selling 18 million copies worldwide with its predictions of

a Second Coming. Then, one of the hottest best sellers in

1988 was a booklet called "88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will

Be in 1988." Oops.

Being wrong has rarely been so lucrative.

Now we have the

hugely profitable "Left Behind" financial empire, whose Web

site flatly says that the authors "think this generation

will witness the end of history." The site sells every

"Left Behind" spinoff imaginable, including screen savers,

regular prophecies sent to your mobile phone, children's

versions of the books, audiobooks, graphic novels, videos,

calendars, music and a $6.50-a-month prophesy club. This

isn't religion, this is brand management.

If Mr. LaHaye and Mr. Jenkins honestly believe that the end

of the world may be imminent, why not waive royalties? Why

don't they use the millions of dollars in profits to help

the poor - and increase their own chances of getting into

heaven?

Mr. Jenkins told me that he gives 20 to 40 percent of his

income to charity, and that's commendable. But there are

millions more where that came from. Mr. LaHaye and Mr.

Jenkins might spend less time puzzling over obscure

passages in the Book of Revelation and more time with the

straightforward language of Matthew 6:19, "Do not store up

for yourselves treasures on earth." Or Matthew 19:21, where

Jesus advises a rich man: "Sell your possessions and give

the money to the poor. . . . It will be hard for a rich

person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven."

So I challenge the authors to a bet: if the events of the

Apocalypse arrive in the next 10 years, then I'll donate

$500 to the battle against the Antichrist; if it doesn't,

you donate $500 to a charity of my choosing that fights

poverty - and bigotry.

Gentlemen, do we have a deal?

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/24/opinion/24kristof.html?ex=1102306563&ei=1&en=2e32a7b410394903



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