It was interesting that a modern interpretation of the end times was so literal to Book of Revalation, but as fundamentalists interpret the bible literally, I should not have been surprised. It, therefore, provides the same harsh definition of “us” (believers) and “them” (non-believers) as Revelation did. This dualism is used to justify every action and every death in the book. However, I thought the writers blurred the dualism when it came to the Jews who had not accepted Jesus as the Messiah. The Jews cannot be “them” if they are the “chosen people” and haven’t pledged loyalty to the Anti-christ, but they are still not “us”. Are their deaths still justifiable, especially those who died before the signs of Jesus’ coming and were not given the chance to change their mind? How can fundamentalists believe they are the chosen people, but are also condemned to an eternity of suffering?

Also, Leah states that any who had not turned to Jesus, did so because of pride, greed, and the pleasure the found in sin. So accordingly, one is incapable of being humble, selfless, and good without believing in Jesus. However, the fact that many people in Petra who had not turned to Jesus, had also not turned to the Anti-christ seems to negate this, and nowhere in the book are these things reconciled.

However unfounded the “us” vs. “them” of the book seems to be, it does, as Strozier claims, dehumanize “them”. The authors’ intention is that the readers revel in the deaths of the thousands of troops fighting for the Anti-christ. The final battles are so drawn out and detailed, but never once should the readers feel sorry for all those who have died. This also seems unfair as God has “hardened the hearts” of these people so they cannot turn to Jesus. They are so unworthy of forgiveness, so unhuman, that they are not given a final chance to see the error of their ways.

The desire for violence against these people is made especially clear by the repeated use of the word “show”. For these characters, the end-times is an exciting show. The death and destruction is something they’ve been looking forward to and literally pull up a chair to watch. This is especially telling of the fundamentalist mindset and how eager they are for the violence that they will not have to suffer through.

Glorious Appearing is proof the dualism leads to violence. Fundamentalist ideas lead to the thought that anyone who is not with you, is against you. Therefore, fundamentalists are eager for the end of the world, for the punishment of those they have dehumanized, and for the rewards that they “deserve” simply because they are believers.