Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins are holding a Left Behind conference in our neck of the woods next weekend.

The Rev. Russ Shinpoch, senior pastor at First Baptist Snellville, said he agreed to host the conference partly because there is such an obvious interest in the topic, as evidenced by the success of LaHaye's books.

That interest is reinforced by current events, he said. "The hot question in the Christian community is whether the next person in the presidency might be an indicator of the prophesies' fulfillment," he said. For example, would John Kerry bind us closer to the sort of alliances alluded to in Revelation, or would George Bush lead us into the final war, he said.

The answers can be better discerned from the Bible than from the nightly news, Shinpoch said. "CBS reports the news; the Bible gives us the map to understanding," he said.

Shudder. Actually, if it didn't cost $20 a person, it might be entertaining to attend.

Might.