----- Original Message ----- From: t byfield <tbyfield at panix.com> To: <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com> Sent: Sunday, November 21, 1999 12:27 AM Subject: Re: Conspiracy Theories
<<SNIP>>
> > I can see the paradigm of the secret elite conspiracy in the book of
> > Revelation with its claim that in the end times government leaders will
> > betray true belivers to a one world government.
>
> this is a chick publications-style exegesis--i won't even
> try to argue.
Hey, wait, no fair. :-)
I didn't say I read Revelations that way. As I explain in Dances with Devils there are many ways to read Revelations. But the reading that it is all about a conspiracy is not just from the vile Chick publications, but a major narrative of the Christian Right. In the library/archive where I work I have over 50 books elaborating on how Revelation reveals the conspiracy of secret elites:
Arno Froese, How Democracy Will Elect the Antichrist: The Ultimate Denial of Freedom, Liberty and Justice According to the Bible, (West Colombia, SC: Olive Press, 1997).
Dee Zahner, The Secret Side of History: Mystery Babylon and the New World Order, (Hesperia, CA: LTAA Communications, 1994).
Gary H. Kah, En Route to Global Occupation (Lafayette, LA: Huntington House Publishers, 1991).
Pat Robertson, The New World Order: It Will Change the Way You Live, (Dallas: Word Publishing, 1991).
"What's Behind the New World Order," booklet, (Jemison, AL: Inspiration Books, 1991).
Peter LaLonde, One World Under Antichrist: Globalism, Seducing Spirits and Secrets of the New World Order; (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1991).
Donald S. McAlvany, Toward a New World Order, The Countdown to Armageddon, (Oklahoma City, OK: Hearthstone Publishing/Southwest Radio Church of the Air, 1990).
Dave Hunt, Global Peace and the Rise of Antichrist; (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1990). Also avalable as videotape.
Christian Mark of the Beast genre:
Peter Lalonde & Paul Lalonde, [Racing Toward] The Mark of the Beast: Your Money, Computers, and the End of the World, (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1994).
Texe Marrs, Mystery Mark of the New Age: Satan's Design for World Domination, Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1988).
Terry L. Cook, The Mark of the New World Order: The Cashless Economic System of Global Electronic Enslavement is Ready Now!, (Springdale, PA: Whitaker House, 1996).
Spiritual Warfare against Secular Humanism
David A. Noebel, Understanding the Times: The Story of the Biblical Christian, Marxist/Leninist and Secular Humanist Worldviews, (Manitou Springs, CO: Summit Ministries Press, 1992).
Texe Marrs, Big Sister Is Watching You: Hillary Clinton And The White House Feminists Who Now Control America-And Tell The President What To Do, (Austin, TX: Living Truth Publishers, 1993.)
John W. Whitehead, The Stealing of America, (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1987).
William H. Marshner and Enrique T. Rueda, The Morality of Political Action: Biblical Foundations, (Washington, DC: the Free Congress Research and Education Foundation, 1983).
Francis A. Schaeffer, A Christian Manifesto, revised, (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1982 {1981}).
Franky Schaeffer, A Time for Anger: The Myth of Neutrality, (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1982).
Tim LaHaye, The Battle for the Mind, (Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell, 1980).
Vicki Frierson and Ruthanne Garlock, Christian Be Watchful: Hidden Dangers in the New Coalition of Feminism, Humanism, Socialism, Lesbianism, pamphlet, (Dallas: Texas Eagle Forum, 1978).
Then there is Christian fiction:
Peter & Paul Lalonde, Apocalypse: Caught in the Eye of the Storm, (Niagara Falls, NY: This Week in Bible Prophecy, 1998). (Also a theatrical video).
Larry Burkett, The Illuminati: A Novel, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1991).
__________, The Thor Conspiracy; The Seventy-Hour Countdown to Disaster," (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1996).
Tim LaHaye and J. B. Jenkins. Left Behind: A Novel Of The Earth's Last Days. (Left Behind, Vol. 1) (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1995).
This last book starts a series that has become best sellers.
We are talking about millions of conservative Chistian evangelicals and fundamentalists influenced by the conspiratorial interpretation of Revelation.
When I was on the advisory board for the PBS series With God On Our Side I fought hard to include coverage of the conspiracist underpinnings of the crusade against secular humanism used to mobilize previously non-voting conservative evangelicals (I was the radical Christian thrown onto the board to balance the ultra-conservative evangelical Michael Cromartie).
This isn't marginal stuff.
On the far edge is Christian Identity, not fair to lump with the above, but the most apocalyptic and militant exegesis in which the end times brings a race war:
Nord Davis, Jr., Desert Shield and the New World Order, Northpoint Tactical Teams, 1990, appearing as the September-October 1990 issue of On Target, the Northpoint Team Report. (this is from the group that influenced alleged terrorist Eric Rudolph).
cheers with beers...
-Chip