When good writing and good theology get Left Behind
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5315088/1/When_the_DC_Universe_gets_Left_Behind
Ah, a crossover between the DC Universe and Left Behind. That alone should be indicative of the headaches that lie ahead, with the none-too-subtle indication that all suffering in the world is caused by not believing in Jesus, patronizing manner of introduction of characters (seriously, who would say "It's SUPERMAAAAAAAN" like that?), and the author having just as questionable a grasp as the dumbasses who wrote the LB books in the first place, I had this to say.
I had to blink when I saw that this crossover existed (I myself had considered suggesting such a crossover to someone, but the tone would have been very, *very* different as you'll see below), and so far, it seems decently written. However, I do have a bit (okay, a lot) of advice that you should take into mind when writing this crossover.
First of all, I want you to look up something called "slacktivist: Left Behind," which is a page by page analysis of the Left Behind series that updates weekly (they're so thorough that they're only a few chapters in to Tribulation Force after five years of analyzing the first book and the movie), and frankly, if you approach this crossover with that analysis in mind, I think it could be *much* better than the direction you're taking it in now.
Here's a link to the archive if you're curious. Note how I've replaced the "dots" with the word "period" when you "put the link back together." Also note that when you get to the archive, the items are listed in the order of most recent at the top, earliest at the bottom.
http://exharpazo.blogspot.com/2007/01/index-to-slactivists-left-behind.html
The real kicker about the content of this blog? The fact is that its creator is an evangelical Christian. :P
Anyway, one of the many things that's bugged me about the Left Behind books (besides LaHaye and Jenkins' shoddy understanding of theology, poor writing, and the assholish behavior of the main characters) is that, whether the writers intended it or not, the God portrayed in that books is just as bad, if not *worse* than Satan. You'll have to read the archive linked above as it would take a while for me to list the things wrong with LB's god.
I personally think it would be awesome if the Justice League, after their soul-searching, realizes that The Antichrist isn't the only threat to the universe and must confront "God" (for extra irony, make it with Jesus' help. I can bet you my bottom dollar that He would *never* approve of the Left Behind god's behavior) and call Him out for His hypocritical behavior. Since I'm an idealist and a Christian myself, I think it would be best if either...
1. "God" is actually an uber-powerful alien or other figure that's simply impersonaiting the real God, who also has nothing but contempt for what He's been doing.
2. "God" is actually schizophrenic. The loving, compassionate personality has been subverted by the evil, arrogant, and wrathful version and the DC heroes (preferably with Jesus' help) must help God's New Testament personality retgain control.
This fic seriously has potential, but if you have the Justice League take sides with the Tribulation Force, you're officially spitting on everything they, Jesus, and the *real* God stands for...Okay, that was a bit harsh, but if you can say to me with a straight face that the "heroes" of Left Behind can be considered "heroes" after reading slacktivist, you need a reality check.
Good luck, and God Bless.
I should have listened to my atheist friend when he told me trying to reason with a Rapture-head
I happen to be a Christian myself. And if I must say so, God, as portrayed in Left Behind is not 'shoddy' as you put it, really gives you a great glimpse of who and what God is really like, with all of the scriptures and verses behind Jesus as Messiah; everything, in all the pages of this great Evangelical epic, if anyone looks carefully, can give you a great understanding of how God truly works in everyday life, that you can't save yourself, and that the only way to be saved is to trust God through Jesus Christ.
Besides, I checked the blog, and it says that God, portrayed in Left Behind is a 'destroyer', not a reconciler, but that's completely false. If anything else, the writer got it wrong, and says that God, portrayed in Left Behind counts tresspasses against us, but the writer didn't take into account of Eccl 12:14, "God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil" Even in Left Behind, it had Ezekiel 33:11: "God does not wish for the wicked to die, but that they turn from their ways and live". So God in Left Behind is portrayed as a reconciler, as detailed in the Bible, the blog writer just hasn't looked closely yet.
I don't know where you or anyone has got the idea of how 'God', portrayed in Left Behind is worse than Satan, or how the so-called 'shoddy' theological understanding of the writers were, but I think the people who think such a thing need to re-read the series, or perhaps the Bible, unless they're reading the Bible wrong somehow, though I must conceed that Left Behind is not the Bible.
Whatever 'seems' wrong with Left Behind, it has been said that being a Christian isn't the same as being perfect. Also, Tim Lahaye intened the series to be for both Christian and Non-Christian audiences alike.
I've read the series and there's nothing "a-holish" about the main characters, and the writing was very good and well mannered, unless you and some other people have a different view of what good writing is. Different views can't tell you everything you know, and it is necessary for everyone to have an equal focus on what things really are in order to get the whole story, including the issue of right and wrong. If anything else, people need to take into account, ALL of what the scripture is saying and compare each verse with other verses, because there are verses in the Bible that are linked together. Because that way, everyone can get an equal focus on what the Bible is saying in EVERY detail.
The Justice League, those who are believers, have as much right to side with the Tribulation Force as anyone else, hence Mark 9:38-40:
John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, because no one who does a miracle in my name will be able soon afterward to say anything bad about me. For whoever is not against us is for us."
The thing that I'm saying is that, no matter who anyone is, or their status, all who are on Christ's side are on His side, and no one else has the right to judge that. So either way, the Tribulation Force can still be considered heroes, even with the DC heroes, as I intend to have many of them be a part of the Tribulation Force.
Anyway, I'm going to have the DC heroes fight their own villians as Carpathia (the Antichrist) would use them to get rid of the DC heroes for being a 'thorne' in Carpathia's side. And the suggestion to have the DC heroes against God, with Jesus' help isn't awesome or cool, but seriously misguided, it would be like God's fighting Himself.
So, I reject your advice because it doesn't seem like you read things carefully. Sorry. God Bless to you.
Okay, where do I begin with what's wrong with this? This guy obviously didn't read Fred Clark's blog very thorougly. Left Behind's god is more akin to Darkseid than anything that deserves to be worshipped. He separates parents from their children, even the ones still in the womb, doesn't do anything about people who are left in life-threatening situations if the people that can help them get raptured, tosses decent people into Hell for not worshipping him (or in some cases, not worshipping him properly), and ignores the good deeds of non-Christians, just to name a few things wrong with this monster deity.
And while I'm ranting. May I suggest someone actually write a fic where the Justice League (preferably the DCAU version) goes out and fights the Antichrist and LB!God alike?
Ah, a crossover between the DC Universe and Left Behind. That alone should be indicative of the headaches that lie ahead, with the none-too-subtle indication that all suffering in the world is caused by not believing in Jesus, patronizing manner of introduction of characters (seriously, who would say "It's SUPERMAAAAAAAN" like that?), and the author having just as questionable a grasp as the dumbasses who wrote the LB books in the first place, I had this to say.
I had to blink when I saw that this crossover existed (I myself had considered suggesting such a crossover to someone, but the tone would have been very, *very* different as you'll see below), and so far, it seems decently written. However, I do have a bit (okay, a lot) of advice that you should take into mind when writing this crossover.
First of all, I want you to look up something called "slacktivist: Left Behind," which is a page by page analysis of the Left Behind series that updates weekly (they're so thorough that they're only a few chapters in to Tribulation Force after five years of analyzing the first book and the movie), and frankly, if you approach this crossover with that analysis in mind, I think it could be *much* better than the direction you're taking it in now.
Here's a link to the archive if you're curious. Note how I've replaced the "dots" with the word "period" when you "put the link back together." Also note that when you get to the archive, the items are listed in the order of most recent at the top, earliest at the bottom.
http://exharpazo.blogspot.com/2007/01/index-to-slactivists-left-behind.html
The real kicker about the content of this blog? The fact is that its creator is an evangelical Christian. :P
Anyway, one of the many things that's bugged me about the Left Behind books (besides LaHaye and Jenkins' shoddy understanding of theology, poor writing, and the assholish behavior of the main characters) is that, whether the writers intended it or not, the God portrayed in that books is just as bad, if not *worse* than Satan. You'll have to read the archive linked above as it would take a while for me to list the things wrong with LB's god.
I personally think it would be awesome if the Justice League, after their soul-searching, realizes that The Antichrist isn't the only threat to the universe and must confront "God" (for extra irony, make it with Jesus' help. I can bet you my bottom dollar that He would *never* approve of the Left Behind god's behavior) and call Him out for His hypocritical behavior. Since I'm an idealist and a Christian myself, I think it would be best if either...
1. "God" is actually an uber-powerful alien or other figure that's simply impersonaiting the real God, who also has nothing but contempt for what He's been doing.
2. "God" is actually schizophrenic. The loving, compassionate personality has been subverted by the evil, arrogant, and wrathful version and the DC heroes (preferably with Jesus' help) must help God's New Testament personality retgain control.
This fic seriously has potential, but if you have the Justice League take sides with the Tribulation Force, you're officially spitting on everything they, Jesus, and the *real* God stands for...Okay, that was a bit harsh, but if you can say to me with a straight face that the "heroes" of Left Behind can be considered "heroes" after reading slacktivist, you need a reality check.
Good luck, and God Bless.
I should have listened to my atheist friend when he told me trying to reason with a Rapture-head
I happen to be a Christian myself. And if I must say so, God, as portrayed in Left Behind is not 'shoddy' as you put it, really gives you a great glimpse of who and what God is really like, with all of the scriptures and verses behind Jesus as Messiah; everything, in all the pages of this great Evangelical epic, if anyone looks carefully, can give you a great understanding of how God truly works in everyday life, that you can't save yourself, and that the only way to be saved is to trust God through Jesus Christ.
Besides, I checked the blog, and it says that God, portrayed in Left Behind is a 'destroyer', not a reconciler, but that's completely false. If anything else, the writer got it wrong, and says that God, portrayed in Left Behind counts tresspasses against us, but the writer didn't take into account of Eccl 12:14, "God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil" Even in Left Behind, it had Ezekiel 33:11: "God does not wish for the wicked to die, but that they turn from their ways and live". So God in Left Behind is portrayed as a reconciler, as detailed in the Bible, the blog writer just hasn't looked closely yet.
I don't know where you or anyone has got the idea of how 'God', portrayed in Left Behind is worse than Satan, or how the so-called 'shoddy' theological understanding of the writers were, but I think the people who think such a thing need to re-read the series, or perhaps the Bible, unless they're reading the Bible wrong somehow, though I must conceed that Left Behind is not the Bible.
Whatever 'seems' wrong with Left Behind, it has been said that being a Christian isn't the same as being perfect. Also, Tim Lahaye intened the series to be for both Christian and Non-Christian audiences alike.
I've read the series and there's nothing "a-holish" about the main characters, and the writing was very good and well mannered, unless you and some other people have a different view of what good writing is. Different views can't tell you everything you know, and it is necessary for everyone to have an equal focus on what things really are in order to get the whole story, including the issue of right and wrong. If anything else, people need to take into account, ALL of what the scripture is saying and compare each verse with other verses, because there are verses in the Bible that are linked together. Because that way, everyone can get an equal focus on what the Bible is saying in EVERY detail.
The Justice League, those who are believers, have as much right to side with the Tribulation Force as anyone else, hence Mark 9:38-40:
John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, because no one who does a miracle in my name will be able soon afterward to say anything bad about me. For whoever is not against us is for us."
The thing that I'm saying is that, no matter who anyone is, or their status, all who are on Christ's side are on His side, and no one else has the right to judge that. So either way, the Tribulation Force can still be considered heroes, even with the DC heroes, as I intend to have many of them be a part of the Tribulation Force.
Anyway, I'm going to have the DC heroes fight their own villians as Carpathia (the Antichrist) would use them to get rid of the DC heroes for being a 'thorne' in Carpathia's side. And the suggestion to have the DC heroes against God, with Jesus' help isn't awesome or cool, but seriously misguided, it would be like God's fighting Himself.
So, I reject your advice because it doesn't seem like you read things carefully. Sorry. God Bless to you.
Okay, where do I begin with what's wrong with this? This guy obviously didn't read Fred Clark's blog very thorougly. Left Behind's god is more akin to Darkseid than anything that deserves to be worshipped. He separates parents from their children, even the ones still in the womb, doesn't do anything about people who are left in life-threatening situations if the people that can help them get raptured, tosses decent people into Hell for not worshipping him (or in some cases, not worshipping him properly), and ignores the good deeds of non-Christians, just to name a few things wrong with this monster deity.
And while I'm ranting. May I suggest someone actually write a fic where the Justice League (preferably the DCAU version) goes out and fights the Antichrist and LB!God alike?