"The Shack" Has Me Very, Very Disturbed!!

[Waiting4Jesus]

Has anyone here read "The Shack"?

I am so upset over that book!!! It's riding the bestseller list, going to be made into a movie and it is teaching false beliefs about Christianity.

There is one page that claims you can be saved WITHOUT BELIEVING IN JESUS CHRIST that has me especially upset. Jesus said, "I am The Way, the truth and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me..." There IS no other "way" except Him!!!

On another page it claims God does NOT want you to "slavishly follow His Will..." Huh??? What happened to, "Thy Will Be Done"?? This is so, so wrong! And it's so frightening that it's selling like hotcakes! I'm glad I didn't spend a PENNY on it, checked it out of the library -- I don't want to contribute a DIME to that author's heresy!

Another page claims you should NOT try to "be like Jesus." Whaaaaaat??? As the name of the famous Thomas Kempis book goes, "Imitation of Christ," we ARE supposed to try to "model" Jesus, to constantly strive for His goodness and Holiness (even though, obviously, we can never be that good).

This book is leading people astray in so many ways. It breaks my heart that it is a bestseller. And the most awful part is that it CLAIMS to be a "Christian book" and a "great work." Give me a break!!!!!!

The author should be ashamed of himself!!!

[Salty Skipper]

My SIL is reading that book and was telling me about it over Christmas. It sounds like a profoundly apostate piece of filth. jmo

[AndCanItBe]

You might find this thread useful, Waiting4Jesus.

[T-Minus?]

II Tim 4:3
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after thier own lusts will heap to themselves teachers having itching ears.
And they shall turn away thier ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables.



Maranatha!!

[wschaub]

A relative gave me this thing for Christmas I tried not to look too displeased and I did take it home. but I don't really intend on ever reading it. she thought this book was so wonderful as well... sigh. I really wish people would read their bibles instead of popular garbage like this. we get more of our theology from tea shirts, contemporary "christian" music and "christian" books than we do from the actual word of God these days. not to mention apostate TV preachers. I would say for most the bible is the LAST place they look for information on anything and it is likely to hold the least amount of authority for them as well.

[dolfseal]

First of all, I would say "keep it in stride".
This is Fiction. It is not written to teach anyone anything. It is not false doctrine because it is a make believe story.
My wife just finished reading it and it has been a great piece for discussion. I agree there are parts in it that can lead people to wonder, but if someone with a heart for God reads it, they will know where to go to get answers to questions. The author is very much a Christian, and it shows by the writing. He just happened to come up with a very sad story by writing in concepts of God.
Take it in stride people.

[Salty Skipper]

First of all, I would say "keep it in stride".
This is Fiction. It is not written to teach anyone anything. It is not false doctrine because it is a make believe story.
My wife just finished reading it and it has been a great piece for discussion. I agree there are parts in it that can lead people to wonder, but if someone with a heart for God reads it, they will know where to go to get answers to questions. The author is very much a Christian, and it shows by the writing. He just happened to come up with a very sad story by writing in concepts of God.
Take it in stride people.

I would never tell someone to read the book. Fiction is one thing. Fiction that distorts the Word of God is another. I don't think that anyone should "take it in stride." jmo

[Lightseeker]

I would never tell someone to read the book. Fiction is one thing. Fiction that distorts the Word of God is another. I don't think that anyone should "take it in stride." jmo

Agreed.

[SueAnn]

First of all, I would say "keep it in stride".
This is Fiction. It is not written to teach anyone anything. It is not false doctrine because it is a make believe story.My wife just finished reading it and it has been a great piece for discussion. I agree there are parts in it that can lead people to wonder, but if someone with a heart for God reads it, they will know where to go to get answers to questions. The author is very much a Christian, and it shows by the writing. He just happened to come up with a very sad story by writing in concepts of God.
Take it in stride people.

Reminds me of 2 other bestseller books that were works of FICTION, but are quoted and discussed today with
such reverence, they were clearly taken as FACTUAL by the readers. One of them even has one of the AUTHORS stating over and over in interviews today that it was a work of FICTION.

Holy Grail/Holy Blood and The DaVinci Code are the two books I am referring to.

We really don't need yet another work of fiction that will cause people to get confused between fact and fantasy.

The Devil's brilliant diversionary tactics is what they are...IMO

[GodsStudent]

One of my good friends (who gets upset and discouraged about talking about bible prophecy with me) says she read this and was lifted as high as she had ever been. She thinks prophecy discussions and talking about the bible the way we do is very condemning and harsh.....

She said she wants nothing to do with that kind of a God. She likes and looks forward to meeting the God described in this book, The Shack.

[wschaub]

She said she wants nothing to do with that kind of a God. She likes and looks forward to meeting the God described in this book, The Shack.

and that is just it the God of The Shack is not the God of the bible. and since the bible is not really taken seriously by most "christains" these days they will get more of their idea of God from these books that are "more fun" than the bible. and will be lead astray. fiction is one thing but compelling fiction targeted at Christians that portrays an image of God that is not the God of the Bible can be very dangerous indeed.

[GodsStudent]

I wanted to add that the friend I spoke about who found the things we were talking about "condemning and harsh" were scriptures from the bible. Often in our conversations she will say "what about....." and I know from memory many scriptures and I will answer her questions in scripture, citing the book and verse I am talking about most of the time.

Her "god" is that loving and mushy one who wouldn't harm a flea and only loves us, never condemns us. Those emotions and perceptions do not come from obediently searching the scriptures and learning whom it is God is. Those emotions come from reading fiction books like THE SHACK where God is portrayed not as His Word says, but as mankind would like to think He is, in light of mankinds desire to dictate the manner by which we believe, the degree to which we feel comfortable interacting with Him, and the portion of His Law that we so choose to keep....

the rest, some assume, God has no problem with, as God loves us all unconditionally. We can all remember the verse about our sins being blotted out, but the rest of those verses in the bible.....we dont need those.

While I try to be better tempered when I speak with others about this "issue," the fact of the matter is that more often than not it becomes a contest of sorts in the minds of those I speak with....in the matter of whose god is the real one. Since I read the bible, seek a relationship with the Lord, striving to keep His Laws and pray ceaselessly....I know what a lot of the scriptures say.

I would not read The Shack and I am sorry that it was written. Its akin to the sinners prayer that is going to condemn so many to hell. To say the sinners prayer and feel that you're done because you spoke those words is such a mistake. God dosen't save us so that we can get this free salvation and then lock Him in a box in the top of our closet, only to bring Him out when we need Him for our use and abuse. We are blind, wretched and poor to not even see ourselves in this type of empty christianity.

Too many christians want to go to heaven as long as God isn't there when we get there. We don't love God, we don't love His Laws, and frankly, without reading His Word, we haven't a clue whom it is we are even talking about.

[kyle]

What more can I say? This thread so closely describes some people very near and dear to me that it makes me want to

[laney]

Reminds me of the movie by Bill Maher, Religilous.

[Waiting4Jesus]

Well said, GodsStudent. I agree completely!

[smallisland]

I can recommend doing a search on Tamara Hartzell and reading her articles on the 'Ark of Oneness' - fits in well with this thread.