To continue.
We see the Reverend Bruce Barnes, who has been Left Behind. That raises the obvious question of why. The real answer, of course, is plot necessity. Someone has to be around to explain the PMD prophecies to our main characters and let them know what to expect. But anyone who knows this stuff should have been raptured, leaving the Left Behind to flounder. So the story needs some sort of fallen RTC who knows all the prophecies but was excluded. And since you can't actually say he was left behind as a matter of plot necessity, you ought to have some sort of dramatic story about how he went wrong. According to Fred Clark, he just doesn't cut it. He confesses to a host of petty sins like skimping on his tithes and lying to his wife about it; just dropping a few dollars in the collection plate to look good; only visting the sick, studying scriptures and evangelizing as part of his job and not on his spare time; and reading pornographic magazines. Look, I understand what they are trying to do here, really. They're making the point that God has high standards, and that their church is full of people who meet them. But God's high standards and the high quality of people in their church have to be offset against the basic Christian principle that we are all sinners in need of foregiveness (or, less harshly, all imperfect and God understands). I mean seriously, do they actually expect us to believe that in the entire church not one member other than the assistant pastor ever skimped on tithes; lied to his wife; passed up opportunities to visit the sick, study scripture or evangelize; or looked at pornography?!? Really!?!? Sorry, I don't buy it.
Anyhow, the movie doesn't even try to explain why he didn't make it. It does, however, give him quite a powerful seen to rant and rage at being Left Behind. He rages at himself for not making the cut, which is plausible enough. But really, I would expect him also to rage at the rest of the congregation for being better than he was, at God for not accepting at him, at himself for being angry at God, and really at everyone. He does show a flash of what could be seen as anger at God -- throws a ball at the cross on the alter and knocks it down -- but mostly his anger is directly at himself. "Knowing and believing are two different things," he says. It sounds profound, but I don't have a clue what it means. Finally, he drops to his knees, tearfully begs God's forgiveness, and says "Use me, please." Rayford has quietly walked in during all this and taps him on the shoulder. Barnes turns around, presumably expecting to see Jesus behind him and sees Rayford instead and sees he can be of use.
Together they watch an "in case of rapture" video the chief pastor, Rev. Vernon Billings left. Rev. Billings is also black. (Fred assures us that this is highly unrealistic. Black people do, indeed, tend to be Evangelical Christians, but PMD theology is almost entirely a white phenomenon). He assures viewers who have lost loved ones that they were not seized by an evil force or an invasion from outer space.
Meanwhile, in New York, Buck has vainly tried to reach Alan Tomkins.* When he is unable to get through, he heads for Ivy's apartment. She first tries to bean him with a frying pan, but he ducks. When she sees who he is, she hugs him, relieved. She and her black roommate (lesbian partner?) let him in. He says someone tried to kill him, and Ivy goes right back to their Mulder and Scully routine. That was bad enough after the entire Arab airforce fell out of the sky. After the disappearance of so many people, it just doesn't work at all. Ivy seems to understand that things aren't normal, why else would she have attacked any stranger at the door with her frying pan and then been so glad to see it was Buck? So why is she still doing the skeptic role?
"I've got a lead on the vanishings," Buck says, pulling out the mysterious disk. The trouble with that, of course, is that so far there is nothing, not a thing whatever, to suggest that Dirk Burton's paranoid ravings had anything to do with the vanishings. Granted there is evidence they are more than just paranoid rantings. He warned about a world currency, after all, and shortly after Europe joined currencies with Korea. And someone obviously thought he was getting close enough to something big that they killed him. But none of this in any way shape or form has any logical connection with the vanishings. (Buck himself admits that it is "shaky" and "insane.")
They gather around the computer. First we see arrows moving in on Israel indicating the recent attack.** Next, we see a map of the world with some areas shaded. Ivy's roommate notices that the map is labeled "dan7" and wonders what it means. Buck assumes it is "some kind of code." The intended audience presumably recognizes it as meaning Daniel, Chapter 7. That is, in fact, very strange, but since the three of them understandably fail to recognize its meaning, that can wait till later. Then they see a mysterious building. Buck wonders what it is. As Ivy researches further, we cut to the United Nations.
At the United Nations, Carpathia is showing the plans for that very building to Rosensweig. It is none other than the Jewish Temple. (With a cross in the floor plan?) Presumably Carpathia took Stonagal's private jet from London to New York and was thereby spared any inconvenience from the Rapture. How and when Rosensweig went to the UN, let alone why, is not explored. Rosenweig is stunned and overcome with gratitude. Rebuilding the Temple represents everything he has ever dreamed of. But he still won't give up the formula because Israel's enemies surround her enemies, the disappearances, the turmoil. (What does any of that have to do with the formula? Don't ask). Carpathia assures him that Israel's enemies will lay down their weapons when they receive the formula. He isn't very logical or convincing, and Rosensweig looks most uncomfortable, but ultimately appears to yield. I think the point is supposed to be that Rosensweig is falling under Carpathia's spell and no longer in control of his own actions.
Meanwhile, Ivy has figured out that the plans are for the Jewish Temple. She and Buck explain to each other (or to Ivy's roommate?) that the site is occupied by the Islamic Dome of the Rock, and that tearing the Dome down would cause a major war. Buck (who apparently doesn't know how to do a Google search) asks the girls to tie all this to the international bankers, so they say, "Follow the money, honey."
Rayford, coming home from seeing the video, knocks on Chloe's door.*** He tells her he knows where Mom and Raymie are -- in Heaven with God. He tries to get her to watch the videotape, and to at least pretend to take an interest for him, as she did for her mother. Chloe is unconvinced.
On TV, Carpathia is blaming the disappearances on radiation from nucular (yes, the great, polished, cosmopolitan Carpathia says "nucular") weapons testing and he is therefore calling for complete "nucular" disarmament. He is also working with his friend, Chaim Rosensweig to make sure that everyone is fed. "At last," Ivy says, "someone is making sense." She calls him "a good man." Buck is about to agree when Carpathia stands up and two anonymous figures who were standing behind him turn out to be Stonagal and Cothran. (They must have gotten over to New York in their other private jet). Buck watches them shake hands and for the first time begins to doubt Carpathia.
Hattie knocks on the door at Rayford's house. At first he seems happy to see her. She tries to act concerned, asks about his family. He says his daughter is still here, but his wife and son are gone. Hattie comes in and expresses an obviously insincere regret. She says she's going to the UN unless he offers her a reason to stay.
End of part 7. Slacktivist take is here.
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*I simplify the chronology a little. We actually see the church scene, then Buck trying to call Tomkins, then the video, and then Buck visiting Ivy.
**But Cothran made very clear to Stonagal that they were not involved in the attacks, and that the attacks actually interfered with their plans. So what are they doing in the computer, as if Stonagal planned them?
***And here we end this clip and start part 5.
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