Lots of bloggers have been commenting on CNN's choice to interview rapture nuts and eschatological enthusiasts in light of the events in Israel as of late. Media Matters and PZ, along with assorted small fish, have lambasted the network for giving airwaves to the whackos.
What I find more telling than the decision of CNN to air these sorts of sensational and infotaining clips is the way that Paula Zahn's coverage was so biased. Note that her interview with the one reasonable Christian (eg the one who isn't kooky and uneducated enough to buy into the Jerry Jenkins BS), the Rev. Kevin Bean, of St. Bartholomew's, was short and sandwiched between multiple interviews with the wingnut "value voters" currently steamrolling reason and science as they ecstatically plunge into (what they believe is) the end of days.
This makes no sense -- Catholics comprise, worldwide, over half of all Christians. They do not buy into the polyester leisure suit-theology of Tim LaHaye, and most of them are intelligent (and honest) enough to know and admit that the Revelation dealt with the events of Rome. Why do they not show the great disparity between this much more reasoned and evidenced view of the Revelation of John against the kooks? It doesn't sell as well, of course. But it also smacks a little of the bias in America towards Protestant (and general "common man") theology.
Rev. Bean's interview begins at around 3:40 in, and he only gets a few sentences in, and then gets sandwiched against some lady and her idea that the signs are all pointing to the end of the world. Now, compare his coverage to the full 5:11, in which 90% is devoted to the Rapture/End of Days ideas.
Rev. Bean:
There's a fiction being created here, like a Stephen King horror movie...we don't read it [the Revelation] the way that a lot of people do, which is to make that false correlation with present day events. That is a crock. [emphasis mine]
I couldn't have said it better myself, and I second the feeling of R.E.M.'s last line, in considering this crock of horse manure:
It's the end of the world as we know it.________________
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine...fine...
(It's time I had some time alone)
Technorati tags: Eschatology, Rapture
