Am I the only non-christian that has read the Left Behind series?

[Lilyhoney]

Just wondering.:evilgrin:

[LiberalVoice]

1. Im an Atheist and I read the first four...

I thought they were an interesting read from a fictional stand point.

[Lilyhoney]

5. Why did you stop?

Those books gave me nightmares worse than any others I can remember.
I skipped 2 or 3 books and went to the last one hoping that once I finished the bad dreams would stop, and they did.

I read them during the election. Poor timing on my part.

They were interesting. But they still freaked me out.

[LiberalVoice]

42. Well...

I borrowed them one by one from a friend when I lived in FL...When I moved I just forgot about reading the rest.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

26. Please, people, tell me you got them at a flea market or public library.

DON'T. GIVE. TALIBORNAGAINS. MONEY.

[Lilyhoney]

29. Talibornigains.

:rofl:

[leftofthedial]

49. second that

:rofl:

[LiberalVoice]

41. Actually I borrowed them from a former fundie friend of mine. nt

[Lilyhoney]

46. It is very funny.

Although the next time I use it I will spell it correctly.:7

[DRoseDARs]

2. Taoist and I've read through most of it...

...though that was years ago before the later books in the series were published. Been meaning to finish the series one of these days. :)

[gmoney]

3. You read them all? Glutton for punishment...

I read part of the first one, but it was just SO bad and juvenile that I decided to stop wasting my time with it, and wasted my time renting the movie instead. Saw part 2, too. Dreadful.

Check out the "Right Behind" parody... much more clever, and about 1/5 the length.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1885767870

So, what did you think of them? Is there anything besides the obvious in them? Or is it just the brutalization of "non-believers" for the amusement of believers, and the "persecution" of the "new believers" (who were NOT believers first time around) to justify their sense of deprivation...

I just hope you got them from a library or borrowed them rather than giving your money to fatten the wallets of these exploitational mofos.

[Initech]

7. Check out this parody - "Kiss My Left Behind"

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1593301065/ref=pd_sim_b_1/104-4058010-1075940?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance

[Lilyhoney]

15. Thanks, I just read an exerpt.

Great, now I have to read that one too.:: :eyes:

[Lilyhoney]

8. I admit I bought 2 of them at an independent book seller. Retail.

The first one was given to me and the others I bought at the Friends of the Library bookstore.


I started reading them because of a comment a coworker made. She said " Oh it's a great book, and what I love about it, is how true they are."

I just wanted to argue with her about them. And I got sucked in.

My husband was worried about me while I read them. Mostly because of the nightmares they induced.

[Lilyhoney]

24. Thanks for the link. nt

[China_cat]

4. I tried

Might have worked if the writing had been on an adult level.

[Lilyhoney]

9. Were you reading the childrens series? nt

[China_cat]

13. No, the (supposedly) adult books.

I find a lot of kids books have better writing, plotting, character development and continuity.

[Lilyhoney]

18. The writing was'nt great.

It is very hard to read books that don't flow well for the reader.

My toughest book to get thru was The Catcher In The Rye. Piece of shit.

[Ratty]

6. I love that kind of stuff

Damien, The Omen, The Exorcist, anything about the Rapture and the obligatory planes falling out of the sky.

However I didn't read the books because I'd heard they were just simply bad. I did rent the DVD. It was supremely bad too, but the christian bad acting of dreamy Kirk Cameron pushed it over into camp, so it was kinda fun. If ever something was ripe for MST3K treatment, boy that movie is it.

[Lilyhoney]

11. I have'nt seen the movie.

I do love the dark side of life. Well, atleast I am not afraid of the "dark".

[Midlodemocrat]

10. I'm Catholic and I read the first two.

After that, the writing was so bad, I couldn't force myself to read another sentence.

[Lilyhoney]

12. The writing was'nt great. But I was'nt reading them for the enjoyment

of reading. I just wanted to argue with a coworker about them.

Wow, that really says something about me.

[terrya]

14. I just can't read those things.

Ever since I read an interview with Tim LaHaye where he actually said he couldn't wait for the Rapture. That comment just creeped me out, big time.

Plus, those books seem like...what's the word...."crap"? :-)

[Lilyhoney]

39. I did research on LaHaye and Jenkins,

but not until after I read the books.

I must say, they creeped me out more than the books.

[KamaAina]

44. So then you know that LaHaye is deeply tied in with Moon?

You know, the Rev. Moon who most un-Christianly (blasphemously, in fact) claims to be the "True Parent of All Mankind"?

Odd choice to be the standard-bearer of fundie fiction, don't you think?

[Lilyhoney]

47. I did'nt know of the Moon connection.

But I did find that the one author (not sure which is which) is a huge RW fundie with evil in his soul. I don't remember what I read that led me to this conclusion, I just know that was what I felt after reading about him. I will have to read about the Moon connection. Thanks!

[JimmyJazz]

16. I tried to read them, but they were written at a second grade level

and the dialog was trite and banal (both) :)

[gmoney]

19. but was it jejune? (n/t)

[Lilyhoney]

20. Too advanced for you?

I think they have it in picture book form.:7


on edit to fix spelling error.

[JimmyJazz]

22. Yeah. That's it. I couldn't find my children's dictionary either, so I

said to hell with it! :o

[Mrs_Beastman]

17. I got to page 11

Then I threw it against the wall in utter contempt. It was too holier then thou white bread America for me...and I'm white middle America

[Lilyhoney]

21. But that is the best part of the series.

You know people take theese books seriously. Which is very scarry.

[Mrs_Beastman]

28. I guess I deal with these people enough

that I have no desire to delve into their minds anymore then possible. Circular arguments make my blood boil.

I admire your ability to find humor in them, though. I have not reached that stage.

[Lilyhoney]

30. I don't blame you.

I was a catholic as a child so it's like I have been vaccinated.

[Mrs_Beastman]

33. Oh,I'm Catholic now

Catholic school and everything. The church we go to is progressive. It the people with the glassy eyes that say they are 'saved' that freak me out.You know, the ones that tell me I'm going to hell because I'm Catholic and worship Mary:eyes:

[Dave Reynolds]

23. I started the first book,

but the prose was clumsy. I just couldn't make the words flow in my head, and that makes a book no good to me.

[Lilyhoney]

31. Well you saved yourself alot time and energy.

In the end everyone lives happily ever after. Except for the evil doers, boy do they get theirs.:applause:

[Dave Reynolds]

36. I love it

when the evil-doers get theirs.

Hey...wait a minute...that's ME!

[Lilyhoney]

38. Well then down to the pitts of hell for you. nt

[In_The_Wind]

25. you're not the only one

[Lilyhoney]

27. I knew I could'nt be the only one.

I do feel that I learned something from all the craziness. Other than Bush is the antichrist, millions of people believe this will happen.

Energy follows intent...

[In_The_Wind]

34. I was reading the series not too long after 9/11

the similarities were really frighting ... so I have to agree that people will believe it and I think they're & nuts.




Lilyhoney

[Lilyhoney]

40. Probally was not a good time to read them.

I read them during the last election. Poor timing on my part.

I was having nightmares where I was being forced to take the mark.
I was martyred.
I was escaping impending doom.
Waking up yelling for "help" or saying "no"

Thanks for the sweet little smilie.:blush:

[In_The_Wind]

43. well here's something a little more timely for you to think about

www.calleman.com


you're *cute* so I thought the sweet little smilie was a nice touch







yes, reading the series during the last election musta scared the bjesus out of ya fer sure ... BTW did you know that some people are already having bar-code like tattoos done to link them to their medical records ~

[Lilyhoney]

45. Take your mark!

Thanks for the link. I am going to spend a few moments looking it over while I eat my dinner.O8)

I did'nt know about the bar-code tats. But I do know of the RFID chips that people are joyously running out to get. :wtf:

[In_The_Wind]

48. Not in this lifetime!

Are you telling me that people are getting RFID chips implanted in themselves?!




the day I have to do retinal scanning to use an ATM is the day that most of my money won't be in a bank!

[Lilyhoney]

51. So it looks like you and I will be the ones to lead the "Co-Op"

where we buy and trade with those who don't have the mark.

It's a florida company that is doing it. Are you surprised?
It is done exactly like the book describes.

[In_The_Wind]

53. then it's a case of east meets west ...

this is too much ... OMFG you're scaring me ... yes ! I'm surprised!

[Lilyhoney]

54. Then it is settled.

You can be the east leader and I will be the west.

Know what is scarry? I am from Chicago and every place they mentioned in the story I knew like the back of my hand.

[In_The_Wind]

58. these are scary times

it's nice to have friends across the country (or nextdoor)

:hide:to see your hometown detailed like that is scary indeed.


*sigh* ~ *going off to gather supplies* being the East Coast Leader will probably give me even more gray hairs but :wtf:

[MissB]

32. I would rather read every single book in the

Flowers in the Attic series than turn to page one of the Left Behind series.

But that's just me. Different tastes and all that.

[jonnyblitz]

35. i picked up the first one from the library to read once but

never got around to it and brought it back. i would like to read at least the first few some day. i am about as militant atheist as you can get..i just am curious...

[Lilyhoney]

37. If you read every other one you won't miss much.

They do a good job of tieing the books together so you can read it in any order.

I did skip a couple. Give it another go.

[hippiepunk]

56. Hey you

I read part of the first one.. I liked the Simpsons version better. :D

[jakefrep]

50. You'd get double bonus points if you had seen the movies too

...they're in the $5 DVD bin at Chez Sam Walton.

[Lilyhoney]

52. Have not seen the movie.

I have some to return so I am going to look for it tonite.

I have only been in a walmart 3 times in my life.

[indigo32]

55. I've heard too many bad things about the writing

plus I'm afraid they'd just infuriate me. You must be a very patient person.

[Lilyhoney]

57. They scared me more than made me mad.

Not patient, just conditioned to the thought of the end of the world. I needed more detail then the bible gave.:tinfoilhat:

[indigo32]

60. Yeah

I guess I figure the end of the world is millenia away and don't give it much thought. People like Lehay almost seem like they want to speed that up... and THAT makes me mad.

[hyphenate]

59. Way too much other reading to do

And I go through a lot, at the very least 10 books a month. I would put that into the least likely to read pile.

[Lilyhoney]

61. I am a book worm and always open to suggestions.

I will read stuff I don't normally read. I bet you have tonnes you can share with me. I would like it. I am looking for something now actually. I like to buy my books, so I get alot of them used. And that is usually how I pick what I read. But I love recommendations.:hi:

[hyphenate]

66. Depends

Are you a science fiction or mystery fan? That's where I do most of my reading in those genre. "The Cat Who" series by Lilian Jackson Braun is a mystery series about a man and his cat....two cats, actually after the first few books. They're Siamese and the male, Koko is exceptionally intelligent. Another cat mystery series is by Shirley Rousseau Murphy who also delves into fantasy. They're called the "Joe Grey" mysteries.

In SF and fantasy, I would recommend Guy Gavriel Kay, as a serious author, Tad Williams, who writes positively elegantly in many different epic fantasy stories, and Connie Willis, whose book "The Doomsday Book" is positively wonderful. Connie is a hard SF writer in some of her work, but Doomsday Book and another one, "To Say Nothing of the Dog" are time travel oriented.

I've also gotten into the area of making soap and so lately my reading material has largely consisted of aromatherapy books, essential oils, soapmaking, gift baskets, and other similar items.

I've also recently purchased "The President of Good and Evil" by Peter Singer, who was once responsible for dealilng with animal rights issues (on THEIR side, BTW). I haven't started it yet, but since he's anti-Bush, it should be worth a read. Also bought "America" by Jon Stewart and the Daily Show crew, and it's filled with gems! :)

I'm also into home decorating, so a few books lately have focused on interior design, finding treasures at flea markets, yard sales and thrift stores, and other such DIY materials.

Cookbooks are also a passion. There are some great ones out there, and my next purchase of one will likely be Linda McCartney's Vegetarian cookbook.

I hope that gives you some selections. Right now, I am leisurely reading the new Harry Potter book because I don't want to rush through it, and then end up having to wait another two years before the next book is out. So I'm taking my time on it.

[Lilyhoney]

67. Thank you for the suggestions.

The time travel ones sound great. I will look for them.:)

[AntiCoup2K4]

62. The books DO raise some valid points though....

Remember how Carpathia (the Antichrist in the book series) had everyone around him so under hypnotic control, that he could shoot two men in cold blood right in front of them, and convince the crowd that the one man had shot the other, and then turned on himself.

Doesn't that sound a lot like the power Chimp has over the Freepers who refuse to see the reality despite all he and his associates have been proven wrong about?

[Lilyhoney]

63. Yes, yes,yes!

I use that as an example. It is perfect! There are alot of things that I found to be not so fiction. Thank you for your post!:hi: O8)

I have tried to get my husband to read it so I can make theese references with someone. He is one of the most critical thinkers I have ever met. Yes, he keeps me sane.

But he won't read them. He would rather read 5,000 pages of The Freedom From Fear, The American People in Depression and War, 1929-1945

So thank you!

[Withywindle]

64. I tried! I really, really tried!

But the prose was so bloody awful, and the very first few plot developments so frickin' unbelievable and cheesy and fake (and I read a lot of fantasy and SF so I don't have trouble with the supernatural premise - it was the way people acted that I couldn't believe), and none of the characters had any personality I could believe in at all, and....and...

well, Slacktivist does a great job picking apart both its literary and its Biblical flaws. http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/left_behind/

There's more "flaw" here than "book."

I just couldn't do it.

I mean, I really tried! I had the actual Book of Revelation by my side as a handy reference. I read that again! I got out the funniest book ever written about the Apocalypse ("Good Omens" by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett) and re-read that to see if I could make it through with the hilarious snarky cast from that book metaphorically sitting with me and rattling off commentary in my head Mystery Science Theatre 3000-style. That helped more than anything but it still wasn't enough. I didn't even get to the good part, with the Antichrist and all that ("Nicolae Carpathia"? Bwahahahah. I can hear the Bela Lugosi accent already)

Life is too short for shitty books. It's too painful. It's like bad music: silence is better.

But I really did try.

[Lilyhoney]

68. I have that Good Omens book,

But never read it. I guess I will now. Thanks for you input,:hi:

[Withywindle]

70. Aw, I really loved it...

Hope you do too.


Ever since, whenever I've had a particularly delicate ethical decision to make, the metaphorical demon and angel on my shoulder are VERY much like Crowley and Aziraphale. When you read it, you'll understand how disturbing that is. :D

[LSU_Subversive]

65. i read the first one and i'm an atheist. i needed a brain break.

also, i borrowed the book from a born-again. she was probably trying to convert me.

[Lilyhoney]

69. Well, you tried.

And conversion is always a sub-plot with them.O8)

[uppityperson]

71. Read most of 1 by accident, thought it was true sci-fi

Confused me for quite a bit. Once I figured out what it was about, returned it to the library. My thought balloon:("It's religious sci-fi? WTF?")

[Heidi]

72. There are cheaper, more credible ways

to scare the hell out of me.

This, for instance:
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45313