The authors of the best-selling Left Behind authors have done their research and are now positive that Barack Obama is not the Antichrist.

But even the series authors Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins don’t think Obama is the antichrist. What may have been created as a farce has generated a firestorm of controversy on the internet.

LaHaye and Jenkins take a literal interpretation of prophecies found in the Book of Revelation. They believe the antichrist will surface on the world stage at some point, but neither see Obama in that role. “I’ve gotten a lot of questions the last few weeks asking if Obama is the antichrist,” says novelist Jenkins. “I tell everyone that I don’t think the antichrist will come out of politics, especially American politics.”

“I can see by the language he uses why people think he could be the antichrist,” adds LaHaye, “but from my reading of scripture, he doesn’t meet the criteria. There is no indication in the Bible that the antichrist will be an American.”

Jenkins and LaHaye don’t take McCain’s commercial or the antichrist speculation over Obama too seriously.

Well, you would think that that settles that, right? Wrong. Of course LeHaye and Jenkins can’t say that Obama is the Antichrist! If they did, sales of Left Behind would plummet, as it would be obvious that the Antichrist is not a smooth-talking Eastern European. Clearly, these authors are covering up the truth in order to protect their financial interests. For shame, sirs. For shame.

(cross-posted to Outside the Beltway)