The Fragile Vessels (P/B)

n her startling book, Forcing God’s Hand: Why Millions Pray for a Quick Rapture and the Destruction of Planet Earth, Grace Halsell explores the danger of a new religious doctrine sweeping America. Adherents to this doctrine are said to constitute the fastest growing movement in Christianity today. The cult members look like your average next- door neighbors. They are middle to upper-class Americans. Its leaders proclaim that God wants—even demands—that Planet Earth be destroyed in our generation.

Fundamentalist Evangelicals believe there will be catastrophic events on earth, some occurring already, including the turmoil in the Middle East, culminating in the Battle of Armageddon in which Christ will triumph and begin ruling the earth. At this point, they believe, non-believers will be destroyed, good Christians saved and any remaining Jews converted to Christianity. By praying for their Rapture and the End of Time, might they Force the Hand of God–to bring it about?

“What’s the number-one item on the agenda of the Christian right? Abortion? School prayer? No and no. Believe it or not, what’s most important to a lot of conservative Christians is the Jewish state, Israel; its size, its strength, its survival. Why so?” CBS 60 Minutes (read inside)

“God save us from these people,” Yossi Alpher, Israeli political analyst, to CBS 60 Minutes.

“A great expose’ of the strange marriage of convenience between the U.S. Christian Right and Israel. Neither likes the other- but they use one another. It’s not about religion, but about politics. I highly recommend this book for exposing the hypocrisy.” Dr. Alfred Lilienthal, Author-Historian

“Halsell exposes Falwell’s Christian tours as having only one purpose: to raise money for Falwell and Israel, under the guise of preparing the pilgrims for the approaching Armageddon. An excellent book.” Gore Vidal, Author