Left Behind?

June 20, 2006 ~ spesaeterna

Contrary to popular belief, I am still alive, and as busy as ever. My time got slightly more compressed recently because I have to prepare a talk for an upcoming research conference in London. 15 minutes of pain, shame and “fame”, at the Imperial College, July 1st, 14:45. We shall overcome.

I recently managed to watch the first film of the popular Left Behind series. For those who are not in the know, it is a series based on the Bible’s prophecies about the Last Days, beginning with what is called The Rapture (huh? what’s that?) (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17), and continuing with the events (“The Great Tribulation”) described in the book of Revelation preceding the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

About the film, what can I say… it has its haunting moments, if you can put aside the cheesy acting (Kirk Cameron), over-acting (Clarence Gilyard and Jack Langedijk), annoying acting (Krista Bridges) and lack-of acting (Chelsea Noble). But I must admit, Gordon Currie’s UN head Nicolae Carpathia is probably the best Antichrist on film yet (beats Al Pacino in “The Devil’s Advocate” anyway – oh, and the Bad Kid in “The Omen”). The film keeps the interest up by presenting a plausible, albeit fictional, senario of how the Bible’s prophecies might unfold. And behind the peplum of Cheddar, the reality of what it tries to describe is chilling.

The Rapture is not exactly the most-known doctrine of the Christian faith. In fact, I’ve met Christians who know close to zero about it, while others almost dismiss it because they think it doesn’t make sense. The Catholics have wrongly interpreted it as death (which is not surprising if one considers their notion of the Gospel) while most people are “left behind” exactly like the characters of the titular film: Confused and suspicious.

In short, according to 1 Thes. 4:15-17, the Rapture is a future event when all those who believe in Jesus Christ will be “caught up together with [the risen dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air”. The reason for this – which so eludes many – is simply because of God’s coming judgement of the world (2 Peter 3:7), of which those who belong to Christ will be spared (Rom. 8:1).

There is another reason, mentioned in 2 Thes. 2:6-8. Jesus Himself called those who followed Him “the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13), which refers to preservation. The idea is that Christians are what preserves a decaying, rotting world from expiring completely (or, in other words, from completely turning its back to God). But when that time comes, when God finally judges the world for it’s rebellion against Him, those who believed in Christ and where saved (Mark 16:16; Rom. 10:9), the preservative salt, must be removed, so that sin can run its full course and end up, inevitably, in judgment.

This is the part where people shake their heads: “and he’s such a sensible guy”; “I can’t believe he’s doing a PhD in Science”; “Bible-bashing rubbish”; “give us a break”. A good twelve years ago, I would say the same things. But the problem is that everything else the Bible predicted has come precisely true, so why not these things too? The apostle Paul wrote that these things are nonsense to those who do not believe (1 Cor. 1:18-19; 22-24; 2:14) – it’s a question of faith, and faith requires trust, and trust requires humbleness, and humbleness is not exaclty what TV preaches today (free thinkers indeed).

Look. The reason people hate hearing about all this is because people hate hearing that they are wrong. That’s it. It’s also known as “Pride”, our Original Sin (Gen. 3:4-5). Essentially, we want to do things our way even though we don’t seem to manage very well.

But there comes a time – and I believe that everyone goes through it at least once – when we come face-to-face with God. It is a moment when all the tired philosophy and analysis falls away and what is left is the simplicity of God’s indescribable love aching for a response, eager to save, to bless, to give all the riches of heaven (Eph. 1:3). If you haven’t experienced it, it is very hard to describe; the Bible calls those who take this step of faith and trust in God “new creations (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15), which I think beats any lame term I could come up with. It is the moment when God touches a person, a moment that can define where that person will spend Eternity.

The “Left Behind” series: Cheesy? Sure. Badly acted? Definitely. Has a valid point? Well… I’d like to say just wait and see, but it might be too late then.

“Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” – Acts 17:29-31

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” – Revelation 7:9-12

“These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” – Revelation 7:14b-17

Come on

June 12, 2006 ~ spesaeterna

The other day a colleague asked me if I was “ready for the football”. After some lengthy and serious enquiring, I realised that the World Cup is on again. Of course, I should have guessed, what with all those cars bearing St George’s Cross suddenly, and the “Come on, England” posters littering the streets. Actually, I thought the flags were there to designate bad drivers and people of questionable intelligence – but hey, that’s just me and I’m weird like that.

I suppose I should be careful here. I wouldn’t want to offend others’ religion, and clearly this is the equivalent of Christmas or Easter for the Footballians.

Personally, I couldn’t care less about wasting my time watching 22 grown men kick a piece of pigskin around. But I wonder at what a sad comment it is on a society that rewards these sweaty guys three or four or ten times more than people who actually keep that society together. What does it say when “entertainment” is valued more highly than saving human lives, safety, security, and medication?

Not much we’d like to hear, that’s for sure. Because the obsession of football – just like fashion, TV, money, career, knowledge, sex – does nothing more than reflect that big empty hole that all people are born with and just can’t be filled with anything but a close relationship with God.

Think about that the next time a sweaty man strikes a goal.

Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. – Romans 1:22-25

At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” – Matthew 11:25-30

[Jesus Christ] was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. – John 1:9-13

GIGO

June 9, 2006 ~ spesaeterna

So I walk into a McDonalds and I say to the guy: “Wow, your floor looks so clean. Do you use a vacuum cleaner or just your food?”

Thank you, thank you. I’ll be here all week. Try the veal, and don’t forget to tip your waitresses.

The blog’s stand-away comedy was sponsored by McDonalds.

McDonalds: Your dog won’t eat it – but then again, they’re not cannibals.

Oh yeah… THAT’S why it’s called a “Newsletter”

June 6, 2006 ~ spesaeterna

Time for one of those “diary” entries – just to show that it’s not all about debates and, um, “sophisticated” jokes that no-one gets.

How are things, I hear you ask. Well, in terms of work (and there isn’t much else t talk about), I am consumed by my flailing PhD. I can’t really describe it in a few words, but generally, it could be going better. A lot better. I’ve heard Phil Collins songs that have gone better than this.

Must… resist… obscure… topical… humour…

It’s a lot of work, folks. My long-suffering supervisors and I have accepted the fact that we have nowhere near enough data to justify a PhD thesis yet, and I have only two more paychecks left. Boy, if I hadn’t read one PD James and two Dan Brown novels, I could freak out so easily right now.

Must… resist… obscure… topical… humour…

In short, I have a lot of work and little paid time to do it. I was considering selling my limbs on Ebay once poverty hits, but I’m told that I’ll need my hands to actually write my thesis. So, these days I’m working 24/7. Monday comes, and I feel like it’s Friday. Experiments wind up taking weeks rather that hours. I wake up and go to bed with a constant feeling of trying to run underwater. I’m tired, sick of Science (who isn’t?), the clock is ticking and my work is going slower than a Sergio Leone film.

Must… resist… obscure… topical… humour…

And yet, I’m surprisingly calm. I trust God to carry me through, and I am surrounded by wonderful, encouraging people. One person in particular is helping a lot (you know who you are). And although it looks like everything is falling to pieces (when isn’t it?), I know that, kicking and screaming, it’ll all work out. I just have to keep on praying and pressing.

After all, it could be worse. I could be trapped in a basement with a TV that –

Must… resist… ah, who cares?

– that plays nothing but “Big Brother”. On every single channel.

That’s right. I went there.

Purple Dawn

June 3, 2006 ~ spesaeterna

After years of exhaustive and secretive laboratory work we have finally done it! Joining forces with a prodigious colleague from Hong-Kong, we have finally managed to create the first pure sample of… PURPLE. Yes, Purple (symbol: Pp) is known as the Holy Grail of Chemistry, trailing centuries of failed alchemist attempts to create it. Soon it will replace gold as the cornerstone of global economy, and the world as we know it will never be the same again… Surely fame and fortune awaits us.