The Shack and Bringing Others to or back to Christ

[College Boy]

My church was really into The Shack about four years ago but I never got into it. I do know that it had a profoundly positive impact on many people, so I'm not going to cast judgment on the book or Paul Young.

I will say though, the detractors in this thread though have piqued a positive interest in me. I may actually grab my dads copy from him and check it out now, it sounds like a great book.

 

[Aslansbud]

The shack... is whack! LOTS of false doctrine in that book...but, alot of Christians these days are more interested in being entertained rather than adhering to sound doctrine.

So, this is par for the end times harlot church which is the false church... you know, folk playing like they Christians

I am amused by your stance. This is a book of FICTION. It was originally written for grandchildren and wasn't a book that was going to make the author money. (Not that that justifies it's existence.) It raises questions concerning true vs. delusional faith, relationships, and dealing with unreconciled grief.

I am wondering if you condemn movies like THE MATRIX which was touted by many Christians as symbolic of the Christian faith but delving deeper, it is about philosophy - philosophy of mind, the mind-body problem, nihilism, the nature of reality, intellect vs. experience, existentialism and religion (Buddhism and Christianity). It allowed discussion of ideas, which God gave as a gift in His image.

So, this is par for the end times harlot church which is the false church... you know, folk playing like they Christians

Which is the point of THE SHACK exactly! THE SHACK is not a statement of theology, it is a fictional book using allegory similar to CS Lewis's books. Or do you take Lewis's books as anti-Christian as well?

 

[dysert]

I have not read this book but this is the Lenten book study choice at our church and so members of my Bible study are talking about it. I've just watched several interviews with the author on Youtube. Based on the author's own words in these interviews, I think the jist of this fictional Christian story, which is based on the author's life as a broken man who becomes born again through an intimate relationship with Christ, is this:
- The shack is a metaphor for what's really in our hearts, a house of shame, lies, secrets
- secrets prevent real intimacy because no one really knows us; we create facades on the outside of the shack
- these facades include perfectionist performance with our religion
- prayer, fasting, and religious acts would not heal Mac, they were part of his facade of being born again
- some of us put God in a box and think that if we pray enough and do enough for Him that He'll do what we want
- don't waste energy and destroy joy on "what iffing" -- if it doesn't exist, then God isn't concerned for it
- when fear shows up ask God, "What is it about the way You love me that I don't understand right now?"
- 2 Corinthians 5:19 - He died for our sins but only a few choose a relationship; be reconciled to Him; He came to earth in Christ to reconcile the world for Himself, not to hold sins against man; He has done everything to reconcile the people of the earth but we are lost - see The Prodigal Son
- true healing, the removal of the facades and the experience of living in God's love and with joy takes hard work of eliminating secrets, lies and shame

Do you agree? If the last point is right, then how do we bring others to Christ or is the work -- the "renovation project" -- entirely up to the individual and their relationships with God? How do we bring others into this relationship?

I did read the book, and I thought it was a bit strange. I realize it was fiction going in (and I virtually never read fiction, so I don't know how to take it). I certainly was not reading it for doctrine! That only comes from the Bible. The book was recommended to me by a Christian friend who said I should overlook the theology and try to understand the *feelings* behind the characters (I'm not good with feelings). So I zipped through it in a few days, but it didn't do anything to help me with my feelings.

Bottom line: since it's a book of fiction I guess you could read into it whatever you want to. Personally, I didn't see all the metaphors, symbols, or life lessons in the book, but again, I don't really read fiction.

 

[jpcedotal]

good read, not very Biblical though....my main issue was there was no Satan in it...the weaknesses of man was the "great evil" and even it was explained away.

hyper-grace is not Christianity.

 

[Norah63]

Read it, wish I had not! Poor material.