Mr. Bageant:
A few minutes ago, I finished reading your article entitled "What the 'Left Behind' Series Really Means." I am a 40 year old man who has read thousands of books over the years and viewed a vast number of films. I have never read or seen anything on film that has caused me to react the way that your article did. I am still reeling from the, if you'll pardon the pun, fundamental sense of horror that spread through my body as the implications of the article became clear to me.
If I was made of slightly less stern stuff, I believe that my hands would be shaking as I type this, I may have even become physically ill.
Like most people, I used to smirk when I'd see the Left Behind books in stores, assuming they were just more Jesus-freak subculture crap tossed on to the shelves of stores to make a quick buck off the gullible. They're usually right next to the Chicken Soup for the Incontinent and Dr. Phil books. The movies elicited another chuckle, gee, glad Kirk Cameron got a job again finally, that sort of thing. Now I know that this stuff is no laughing matter.
The way you wove this in to the current situation we face in this country was the source of the horror. I've always found it hard to comprehend how the average citizen can tolerate the concept of Dubya sending our children out to die for oil profits. I'm naive enough apparently to not have made the essential connection. It's OK, they're killing heretics, it's OK to die for Jesus.
I just wanted to let you know that you've managed to do something no writer ever has before. Please keep fighting the fight, man, the only cure for ignorance is education. I fear it may be too late, but I've always been a single candle kind of guy.
Thank you,
Jeff
