Appendix B: The Prince of Peace
The Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins makes repeated reference to the Antichrist being a pacifist. We presume that the reason for this is that Bible prophecy says the Antichrist will "through peace destroy many", and it warns that "when they say 'Peace! Peace!' then sudden destruction will come." Certainly as you read through the series it becomes clear that the Antichrist's outward talk of peace masks a personal delight that he takes in making war. We agree that there will be (and is) a lot of deception that hides behind a facade of supposed pacifism. The old Soviet Union would, for example, support peace marches in the West, even though they themselves were actively preparing for war against the West. In our article "Anarchy and Pacifism" we discuss a number of fallacies and weaknesses in the pacifist philosophy.
However, we are deeply concerned that the Left Behind series says almost nothing in support of real pacifism. What is even more disturbing is the book's assumptions about violence on the part of Christians. In Nicolae (volume 3), on page 191, a Christian boatman says to Buck Cameron, "I have twice within the last forty-eight hours fired this weapon into the heads of people I've believed were enemies of God." (He does it because he is protecting a spiritual leader, Tsion Ben-Judah.)
The boatman goes on to say, "People coming up this river looking for someone I don't want them to find wind up dead. If you're the third to go, I'll still sleep like a baby tonight."
Buck asks him how he justifies such murders, and he says, "Those were the wrong people looking for the wrong person."
Later, on page 194, he explains further: "I do not consider it murder. Better their bodies than his."
That is all the explanation that Buck (and presumably La Haye/Jenkins' readers) need to be at peace about the murders. And this is just one of many such comments with regard to violence by Christians during their period of persecution.
Throughout Assassins (volume 6) the book's other hero, Rayford Steele, plots the assassination of the Antichrist, as part of his service to God. He even prays for divine assistance.