It seems that with all the talk about the Hutaree "Christian" militia group, it would be obvious to discuss the source of these types of beliefs. These beliefs are not based on anything in the Bible, but there is a series of books, the "Left Behind" books by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, that may help us to understand the origins of the Hutaree beliefs.
Let’s face it, the members of the so-called "Christian" militia group, Hutaree, are in no way Christian. These people have not read their Bibles. However, they may have read the "Left Behind" series of books about the "End Times".
Even so, I’m betting that they have not read much of anything, so I’m not blaming the authors of the Left Behind series per se. If I had to guess at the motivation behind these men believing that they had to fight the forces of the Anti-Christ, I would look at the "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" video game where just such a scenario is played out.
When I read the "Left Behind" video game series Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), I found these descriptions of the game. They just happen to coincide with what this militia group believed was their "Mission from God". From the FAQ:, (emphasis mine).
The story-line play within the game allows the gamer to defend themselves from the forces of the Anti-Christ using 2 separate types of warfare, ending in a major battle for the streets of New York City. In multi-player game mode, gamers will command the Tribulation Forces and Global Community Peace-keepers and defend themselves from total destruction.
LEFT BEHIND: Eternal Forces was developed to provide an alternative form of entertainment to those desiring more positive game content, while still engaging core gamers in battle. The difference is that our game features fictional battles set on the stage of an apocalyptic world. Our game includes no intestines, no blood spatter, no severed limbs, no vulgar language, no sexual conduct, no morally reprehensible conduct – such as cop-killing, prostitute-bashing, or other criminal behavior, no Bible-bashing believers, no Bible-thumpers, no radical extremists killing in the name of God, no abortion clinic stalkers...or other such content in the games you mention.
Are guns used by Christians against non-Christians? Why or why not?
The storyline in the game begins just after the Rapture has occurred – when all adult Christians, all infants, and many children were instantly swept home to Heaven and off the Earth by God. The remaining population – those who were left behind – are then poised to make a decision at some point. They cannot remain neutral. Their choice is to either join the Anti-Christ – which is an imposturous [sic] one-world government seeking peace for all of mankind, or they may join the Tribulation Force – which seeks to expose the truth and defend themselves against the forces of the Anti-Christ.
It is very unfortunate that people have decided to warp God’s message and make the Biblical "End Times" all about surviving and winning military campaigns against the Anti-Christ. The primary conflict is a spiritual one, not a military struggle. In my Bible, Jesus defeats the Anti-Christ almost instantaneously and requires no legions of Christian soldiers to help Him accomplish his task.
This Hutaree militia group demonstrates perfectly that ignorant and weak-minded individuals looking for a cause can latch onto this type of "Christian warrior" meme, and turn it into a deadly serious real-life version of a bad video game.
This is why Republicans calling for violence against Democrats represent a willfully ignorant view that their words will do no harm. As long as people like the Hutaree militia groups exist, there will always be those willing to answer a call to violence by killing innocent Americans. Although the mainstream media will not use these words to describe the Hutaree, they are indeed domestic terrorists.