] The "Left Behind" series, the best-selling novels for ] adults in the U.S., enthusiastically depict Jesus ] returning to slaughter everyone who is not a born-again ] Christian. The world's Hindus, Muslims, Jews and ] agnostics, along with many Catholics and Unitarians, are ] heaved into everlasting fire: "Jesus merely raised one ] hand a few inches and . . . they tumbled in, howling and ] screeching." ] ] Gosh, what an uplifting scene! ] ] If Saudi Arabians wrote an Islamic version of this ] series, we would furiously demand that sensible Muslims ] repudiate such hatemongering. We should hold ourselves to ] the same standard. ] ] I accept that Mr. Jenkins and Mr. LaHaye are sincere. ] (They base their conclusions on John 3.) But I've sat ] down in Pakistani and Iraqi mosques with Muslim ] fundamentalists, and they offered the same defense: ] they're just applying God's word. ] ] ] Now we have the hugely profitable "Left Behind" financial ] empire, whose Web site flatly says that the authors ] "think this generation will witness the end of history." ] The site sells every "Left Behind" spinoff imaginable, ] including screen savers, regular prophecies sent to your ] mobile phone, children's versions of the books, ] audiobooks, graphic novels, videos, calendars, music and ] a $6.50-a-month prophesy club. This isn't religion, this ] is brand management. |