Tim LaHaye says latest McCain ad obviously compares Obama to the anti-Christ

[Howard Alan Treesong]

http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/2008/08/unsubtle.html

The End Times, a New Testament reference to the period surrounding the return of Christ, were popularized in recent years by the "Left Behind" series of books that sold more than 63 million copies. The Rev. Tim LaHaye, co-author of the series, said in an interview that he recognized allusions to his work in the ad but comparisons between Sen. Obama and the Antichrist are incorrect.

"The Antichrist isn't going to be an American, so it can't possibly be Obama. The Bible makes it clear he will be from an obscure place, like Romania," the 82-year-old author said.

Tim LaHaye said that he recognized allusions to his work in the ad.

[Eric P]

Romania is obscure?

and when was the last time the bible was right about anything?

edit: and i guess i didn't see the allusions because i don't read protestant supermarket horror trash.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

only catholic trash

[close]

[Van Cruncheon]

apf found disingenuous defender of hate; no shock registers among thinking forum posters

[drohne]

it would be inelegant for the antichrist to be romanian without also being a vampire. i'm buying a bullwhip first thing tomorrow

[Joe Molotov]

This is an obamanation.

[Crushed]

Battle of 1999 is over drohne, Dracula won't be back until he's reborn as an effete jeans model in a few years.


But back to this thread, I'm disappointed in you SP. You're supposed to make the thread arguing a stupid point assuming that everyone will agree with you, then make increasingly irrational statements when it's clear that it's backfired on you, until you lock the thread in sniveling rage.

[Mandark]

What's the most generous interpretation of McCain's ads, anyway?

"We're not appealing to racial or religious biases, we're trying to make specious attacks.  Unfortunately that requires using imagery that people will interpret as being culturally charged but these specious attacks are too important to be left unsaid.  My friends."

[Phoenix Dark]

"The Antichrist isn't going to be an American, so it can't possibly be Obama. The Bible makes it clear he will be from an obscure place, like Romania," the 82-year-old author said.

errr what. He's going to come from Europe (or Assyrian countries like Syria/Iran/Iraq/Turkey) - I don't remember any emphasis on the size of the country

But whether it's Italy or Lebanon one thing is clear: it's not Obama

[siamesedreamer]

There's a Lebanon Texas. That's pretty obscure.

[Bloodwake]

I've come to believe that the apocalypse will involve a nuclear holocaust, thanks to Ahmurica.

But I'm still holding out for a zombie holocaust.

[APF]

No I totally agree, it's obvious McCain wanted to call Obama the antichrist.  You're a visionary, SP.  A visionary.

[Crushed]

No I totally agree, it's obvious McCain wanted to call Obama the antichrist.  You're a visionary, SP.  A visionary.

"Author of Left Behind books recognizes obvious allusions in ad, APF still intellectually dishonest"

[APF]

I'm dishonest for totally agreeing with you?  Please, in these troubled End Times, is there no space in your heart for ... forgiveness?   :'(

[Bloodwake]

I pretty much hate this Christian philosophy that the end is going to be tomorrow. In all honesty, this explains their apathy and even outright denial that environmental problems exist. Even if they were convinced to believe in these problems, OH WELL WHO CARES END OF THE WORLD IS COMING AND JESUS IS GONNA RAPTURE US SO WHO GIVES A FUCK.

The only thing I agree on is the fact that the Bible says the end of the world is going to end in war. I totally agree with this. We will blow the fuck out of each other way before a deity comes and raptures people.

[Madrun Badrun]

America would be a pretty obscure place if you were writing in the first century. 

[Howard Alan Treesong]

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1830590,00.html

Perhaps the most puzzling scene in the ad is an altered segment from The 10 Commandments that appears near the end. A Moses-playing Charlton Heston parts the animated waters of the Red Sea, out of which rises the quasi-presidential seal the Obama campaign used for a brief time earlier this summer before being mocked into retiring it. The seal, which features an eagle with wings spread, is not recognizable like the campaign's red-white-and-blue "O" logo. That confused Democratic consultant Eric Sapp until he went to his Bible and remembered that in the apocalyptic Book of Daniel, the Antichrist is described as rising from the sea as a creature with wings like an eagle.

[Mandark]

Steve Waldman has a rundown of the imagery used here.

I found that link via this round-up.

And according to Time Ralph Reed was one of the authors of the ad.  You gotta figure Reed at least is intimately familiar with Protestant millennarist imagery.

[Crushed]

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1830590,00.html

Perhaps the most puzzling scene in the ad is an altered segment from The 10 Commandments that appears near the end. A Moses-playing Charlton Heston parts the animated waters of the Red Sea, out of which rises the quasi-presidential seal the Obama campaign used for a brief time earlier this summer before being mocked into retiring it. The seal, which features an eagle with wings spread, is not recognizable like the campaign's red-white-and-blue "O" logo. That confused Democratic consultant Eric Sapp until he went to his Bible and remembered that in the apocalyptic Book of Daniel, the Antichrist is described as rising from the sea as a creature with wings like an eagle.

But that's a joke article!

[AdmiralViscen]

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1830590,00.html

Perhaps the most puzzling scene in the ad is an altered segment from The 10 Commandments that appears near the end. A Moses-playing Charlton Heston parts the animated waters of the Red Sea, out of which rises the quasi-presidential seal the Obama campaign used for a brief time earlier this summer before being mocked into retiring it. The seal, which features an eagle with wings spread, is not recognizable like the campaign's red-white-and-blue "O" logo. That confused Democratic consultant Eric Sapp until he went to his Bible and remembered that in the apocalyptic Book of Daniel, the Antichrist is described as rising from the sea as a creature with wings like an eagle.

fuck owned

[Fresh Prince]

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1830590,00.html

Perhaps the most puzzling scene in the ad is an altered segment from The 10 Commandments that appears near the end. A Moses-playing Charlton Heston parts the animated waters of the Red Sea, out of which rises the quasi-presidential seal the Obama campaign used for a brief time earlier this summer before being mocked into retiring it. The seal, which features an eagle with wings spread, is not recognizable like the campaign's red-white-and-blue "O" logo. That confused Democratic consultant Eric Sapp until he went to his Bible and remembered that in the apocalyptic Book of Daniel, the Antichrist is described as rising from the sea as a creature with wings like an eagle.

Ohh AFP *smh*. Sometimes shock horror some people know things that you don't.

[Eric P]

i am totally willing to eat crow on this

i can't believe i gave people the benefit of the doubt for what i thought was just a clumsy heavy-handed humorous ad

but now there's a whole new level which is awesomely creepy.

so i guess we need to find the hidden codifications within all their adds

[Flannel Boy]

It's hard to believe that all this imagery was coincidental.

It almost makes me want to read the "Left Behind" books. Almost!

[Eric P]

It almost makes me want to read the "Left Behind" books. Almost!

i couldn't make it through one chapter of the first book.

my then girlfriend was crazy into them and she was saying "you don't have to be religious, these are just awesome"  and i took her at face value so i gave it a shot.

fuck awful.  I love apocalypse books like The Earth Abides and The Sheep Look Up, and i love religious books like A Case of Conscience, but good lord do I hate stupid religious works.  I read a hilarious review once by someone I respected wherein they laid out all the lazy plotting and characterization.  I was trying to find it for you, but alas.

[Phoenix Dark]

I remember having to watch the first movie at the christian private school I used to play basketball at lolz.

we have the third one (starring Lous Gosset Jr.!) lying around the house somewhere; I doubt I'll ever watch it

[Fresh Prince]

I never read the Left Behind series so it amazes me that McCain would make such obvious links to that series.

[Crushed]

There's always Left Behind: The Game.

Among the GC's units are rock musicians, "Secularists" and cult leaders. Many of the enemy's units, including Rock Stars, Gang Bosses, Cult Leaders and heavier front-line soldiers are described as being trained in "College".

[TVC15]

It almost makes me want to read the "Left Behind" books. Almost!

i couldn't make it through one chapter of the first book.

I tried to read it in college for ironic entertainment purposes.  I think I made it about 2 pages.  I remember some sleazy non-christian guy on an airplane.  At least I made it like 4 chapters into the Davinci Code.  Unfortunately, 4 chapters of the Davinci Code is about 1.5 pages.

[Mandark]

i am totally willing to eat crow on this

i can't believe i gave people the benefit of the doubt for what i thought was just a clumsy heavy-handed humorous ad

but now there's a whole new level which is awesomely creepy.

so i guess we need to find the hidden codifications within all their adds

I wasn't sure myself, being pretty unacquainted with this stuff (arguing with Christians has only made me aware of stupid memes about irreducible complexity) which is why I didn't jump in the other thread.  Sure seems there's something to it.

If you want some more fun right wing coding, check out this.

[Eric P]

I tried to read it in college for ironic entertainment purposes.  I think I made it about 2 pages.  I remember some sleazy non-christian guy on an airplane.  At least I made it like 4 chapters into the Davinci Code.  Unfortunately, 4 chapters of the Davinci Code is about 1.5 pages.

i read all of the da vinci code because i was curious.  fuck awful.

[Eric P]

If you want some more fun right wing coding, check out this.

fascinating

now the question 4 years later is "did it work?"  because most of these seem to be written like a day or so after

[Van Cruncheon]

the thing is, there has been a small groundswell of support for obama from the evangelicals previous to this -- hooray, talk of peace. really, i think this ad is just a cheap attempt to a) get the obama=antichrist meme greater traction in the chattering classes; and b) keep any midwest dispensationalist types from turning out and voting for obama, at the least (ac is inevitable so why vote, yadda yadda).

[Fresh Prince]

I think the ac 'rise to power' while inevitable doesn't mean you don't vote or vote for him. It's like only the true believers will see through him and hence not vote him, while the rest of the world does sort of thing.

[duckman2000]

Though, seeing as how this Endtime event more or less defines and drives the evangelicals, shouldn't they want to get the whole thing rolling, presumably by then lifting Anti-Christ to power? Another McCain swing and miss.

[Debaser]

Though, seeing as how this Endtime event more or less defines and drives the evangelicals, shouldn't they want to get the whole thing rolling, presumably by then lifting Anti-Christ to power? Another McCain swing and miss.

The dumb thing is, even if you go by the event timetable laid out in the World's Worst Books, the Rapture is supposed to happen before the rise of the Antichrist. And I don't remember any Raptures lately. But I doubt most of the people this ad's targeted to are capable of putting that together.

[TVC15]

Though, seeing as how this Endtime event more or less defines and drives the evangelicals, shouldn't they want to get the whole thing rolling, presumably by then lifting Anti-Christ to power? Another McCain swing and miss.

The dumb thing is, even if you go by the event timetable laid out in the World's Worst Books, the Rapture is supposed to happen before the rise of the Antichrist. And I don't remember any Raptures lately. But I doubt most of the people this ad's targeted to are capable of putting that together.

http://www.evilbore.com/forum/index.php?topic=23790.msg605925#msg605925