Scottyman

Thank you very much ApostateAbe. I will do some reading on the subject and post my opinion later.

Bill Snedden

On the other hand, it is certainly possible that even one who has done careful research and verified his facts might make a typo...

As it seems to be in this case. One can read LaHaye's lunacy for itself in his own words in his several works of fiction and those that he claims are non-fiction (Christian "self-help" books on marriage & "Christian living", and at least one commentary on Revelations).

Like most fundamentalists, LaHaye is a dogmatic demagogue who demonizes all whose opinions differ from his own (hey! alliteration! ). His ideas seem to be so far-out that even most of my Christian friends and relatives brand him a "wacko". In addition, his association of "humanist" with "devil" stands in clear contradiction to the strong humanist movement in Christian history and practice (cf. Erasmus).

I would tend to agree, however...

I don't need to eat okra casserole to know that it's yucky. I can generalize based on my knowledge of the hideous, slimy taste of okra (apologies to okra fans!).

Similarly, I don't need to read every book by a lunatic in order to decide whether or not it might be of some value. Once I have read enough to determine that the man is indeed delusional (as LaHaye clearly is), then I am justified in disregarding further babblings until and unless I am provided further evidence to the contrary.

Regards,

Bill Snedden
______________
"There is no god higher than truth." Mohandas Gandhi

Carlos

I haven't read it, but a few years ago LaHaye cowrote a book on secular humanism - Mind Siege. Chapter titles include "Humanism is Unscientific," "Humanism Is a Religion," and "Humanists Control America."

My father, a fan of the Left Behind books (and a Catholic to boot) had it on his shelf. Not sure if he read it or what he thought about it - but it's clear to me he never would have picked the book up if he hadn't been reading LaHaye's other forms of fiction.

himynameisPwn

Since when do Catholics believe in the rapture? I was born and raised a Catholic and I never heard the term rapture once. seems weird your grandfather would be reading those books as it completely goes against Catholics beliefs...

wildernesse

Especially because popular opinion on the rapture would be very clear that Catholics wouldn't be raptured--unless they were "true" Christians (born-again). In the Left Behind books, Mother Theresa is raptured, but the pope isn't.
(If I recall correctly. Also a Catholic becomes head of the one-world religion I think.)

--tibac

Carlos

Right - Catholic doctrine does not include the rapture (I was brought up Catholic as well). I'm not exactly sure what Dad believes - what I do know is that he attends mass just about every weekend and he also reads the books and has the first movie. I'm maintaining a "don't ask, don't tell" behavior with my family as far as religion and belief go, though, so I'm not sure what he makes of it. I suspect that he doesn't try to reconcile Catholic dogma with what appears in the Left Behind series. Politically he leans to the left, so I would imagine he'd have trouble reconciling those beliefs with the ones LeHaye espouses about humanism. That's all just a guess, though.

My point was that due to LaHaye's association with well known and liked works (Left Behind series), people are likely to listen to him on other topics (humanism).