Michael Joseph Gross explains the pathos of the "Left Behind" phenomenon: the author and his readers are "bankrupt" of cultural status; they fear being left behind by a secular, global, technological culture bereft of Christian messages.
The harder they try to be culturally relevant, the more ridiculous they become, the further they fall from relevance, the more intensely they are exiled -- not only from cultural legitimacy but also from the spiritual power of their own beliefs.
Jenkins and LaHaye estimate that about 2,000 people have been born again as a result of reading the "Left Behind" books. Sadly, however, the books also tempt their audience to feel self-satisfied derision toward those who don't share their views. And in a society where the kinds of people who read the series have considerable political influence, such derision is dangerous.
No comments:
Post a Comment