Common Sense, Left Behind

I am a regular reader of movie reviews and I find Rotten Tomatoes to be handy as an aggregate rating for a film. I have to admit that I felt something akin to pleasure when I saw that the recent release, Left Behind, received a whopping 2% rating from critics. I'm trying to recall whether any film I've seen reviewed has fared so badly.

 Left Behind is an apocalyptic thriller loosely based on the fundy Christian Left Behind series of novels which are themselves loosely based on the Revelation of John, the final book of the New Testament. Does it get much sketchier than that?

I have blogged in the past on these poorly-written, scare-tactic novels which many Christian critics, including many evangelicals, have condemned in no uncertain terms. You may recall that I wrote about attempting to read one of these novels, but ended up stalling in the first chapters because I was so angry at the crappy theology and rampant falsehoods. I tried again with a concluding volume and with the same outcome. It infuriated me that these bestsellers were and are misleading readers about the content of Revelation and, more importantly, the message of God's grace in Christ. 

There was an earlier film of the same name starring teen TV star and rightwing Christian Kirk Cameron, while this one stars Nicholas Cage. What was Cage thinking to get involved in this project?  At least Cameron believes in this bizarre misrepresentation of Christianity. For Cage it has to be about the money, and that's what I figure motivates the novels. While they are presented in earnest Christian language about the return of Christ they are really about capitalizing --literally-- on fear and ignorance. There are so many fundamentalist Christian preachers and writers who thunder away about being prepared for Christ's judgemental second arrival while they live the high life in gated communities and let the royalties roll in. Sadly, this is not an exaggeration and the reputation of all of Christianity is besmirched because of the deception (I have always wanted to use the word "besmirched" and my time has finally come.)

I pray that Left Behind becomes a monumental, money-loosing turkey for those who created it, and if there is justice Cage's reputation will never recover. 

Left Behind is in theatres now, including here in Belleville. Are you tempted to see it, like slowing down for a look as you drive past an accident? Are you baffled by the desire of some Christians to read and view this stuff? Why do you think that this fascination for Christ's return exists when Jesus clearly encouraged his followers not to speculate about the hour or day?