Waiting for Armageddon

First Run Features

R1 DVD

Waiting for Armageddon is an eye opening exploration of the world of Christian Zionism. Rather than offering a polemic or commentary, the film is largely composed of Christian Zionists speaking for themselves. A wide variety of fundamentalists and evangelical Christians are interviewed as well as various Jewish authorities and a number of experts including Mel White of Soulforce and a representative from the Southern Poverty Center. Allowing the fundamentalists to speak for themselves is perhaps even more frightening than films such as Religulous that ridicule them. It is astounding to hear what they have to say and the convoluted logic they use to back up their position.

So what is Christian Zionism ? Christian Zionism is a pro-Israel religious position held by a large segment of the Evangelical and fundamentalist Christian. It is based on an end-of-the-world theology known as “pre-tribulationalism” which states that after certain conditions are met Jesus will return, carry away the saved to the skies (the rapture) and plunge the world into seven years of cleansing and violence. Included within this quirky theology is the belief that since the Jews rejected Jesus they play a special role in this divine melodrama. Before Jesus can return the Dome of the Rock must be demolished one way or another and the original Jewish temple rebuilt. This will herald the return of Jesus who will come riding a white horse (and brandishing a burning sword) into Jerusalem. 144,000 Jews will convert and the rest will be slaughtered for their insolence in refusing his offer of salvation and the tribulation will begin where mankind will be given over to daily torture and disaster for thinking for themselves.

It is important to consider just how utilitarian the Christian Zionists support for Israel really is. Israel only matters because it will be the trigger for Armageddon and Jesus’ return. As part of this rather disturbing equation Jews must either give up being Jewish and convert to Christianity or Jesus will slaughter them. It is startling piece of theological twaddle which is both worrying and disturbing. It is decidedly intolerant and anti-Semitic and yet at the same time underlies so much of U.S and Israeli relations. Since so many Americans are evangelicals, including many in positions of power (Ronald Reagan and George Bush are prime examples) that even foreign policy is conditioned by this belief. In addition Israel must play along with the game since a vast amount of funds are donated each year by Christian-Israel lobbies and organizations and this is not even considering the vast Christian tourist industry.

The DVD follows the various stages of the supposed end of the world drama from the Rapture through the Tribulation to the Millennium with frightening and revealing interviews. It is really quite terrifying when one considers that 50 million Americans believe the world is ending soon and live their lives accordingly. I especially felt for the young people interviewed who live in fear believing that they would not get a chance to get a job, graduate or develop a relationship since Jesus was returning soon. In my books this is psychological child abuse on a vast scale, stealing the innocence of teens and not allowing them to enjoy their lives due to the belief in an antiquated but dangerous fantasy.

This is a sobering and fascinating documentary. Too often we look upon evangelical Christianity as just as matter of private belief but when it begins to effect government policy and the lives of a whole generation of children we need to put it in the same category as Islamic terrorism and the Taliban; they are the same breed, just expressing their hatred in more refined language.

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This review will appear in Volume 3 No. 4 of the digital and print edition of Synergy Magazine.

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