Words on the Rapture

A few days ago I finished The Rapture, the grueling third and final prequel to the Left Behind series of novels. This is now my third post on these books, so without going into much detail, I will say again that each and every volume is deficient in almost any conceivable way. Bad writing? Check. Poor characterization? Check. Unbearably preachy? Check. Offering no insight into philosophical or theological issues? Big check. Portraying God as a monstrous, abusive father? Again, enormous check.

There were a couple of passages so offensive that I made a note so I could reproduce them here. From page 199 of my version (the following is a scene that takes place after the rapture, when God's faithful have been transported to heaven):

"Irene did not even have to listen to learn the simple song. It was as if the words and the melody had been written on her heart. The great multitude, led by the angel choir, blended beautiful voices, drawing Irene to her feet and causing her to raise her chin. And with a dramatic, crystal-clear soprano she had never heard--and certainly never produced--she raised her hands high and joined the triumphant, majestic multitude, singing, "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.

"Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!"

Okay, I'm not entirely sure if this is a direct quote from Revelations, from some other text, or if LaHaye/Jenkins are just making this stuff up, but this is supposed to be the very first song the elect will sing in paradise. Really? In heaven, this is the sort of thing people are saying? Giving thanks for God's revenge on the harlot? This is deranged.

Example two is another scene in heaven, from page 316 (not 3:16):

"Irene shrugged. 'We have new minds and bodies, but we have memories. Maybe in a million or so years we'll be completely free of our humanness.'

Raymie laughed. 'We already are.'

'I know.'"

In case it's not clear, they are celebrating being free of their "humanness". Now that they're in heaven they can develop into the robotic non-entity praise machines that God always intended they should be, until Adam went and ruined the whole plan. Can you imagine a more childish and depressing vision of eternity? I know Jesus exhorts us to have the faith of a child, and there is a sense in that statement--to see with innocence and trust. But there is also a time for the putting away of childish things, and a time to see the complexity in the world instead of denying it. Somebody should tell these authors they are old enough to get out of the nursery and into the sanctuary.