The Shack

[dmatic]

Read it some years ago, the book having come highly recommended by my Dear Sister-in-law, whose angelic older sister, the perfect wife of my youth, had recently passed......

Found it to be well-written and very enlightening.

The hard core, extraordinarily small box/narrow focus of "Christianity", as it has come to be represented, can use a little shaking up, now and then.

Heartily agree, Sam!
By the way, attended another meeting in my area where they talk about ways to become unchained from the system. Interesting

[Pastor Guest]

When I saw how God is presented by the author, Isaiah chapter 52, verse 14 came to mind.

"...his visage was so marred more than any man...".

[tygerkittn]

Anything that puts words in God's mouth, unless it's actual scripture, is blasphemy and false doctrine. Any representation of any living thing, person, animal, or plant, presented as something to worship, is idolatry, even if it's supposed to represent God himself, like the golden calf that the people made to worship in gratitude for being led out of Egypt. It was supposed to represent God, and God made it clear He is not to be represented by any earthly thing. He is to be worshiped "in Spirit and in Truth." Therefore, this movie is blasphemy. If it appeals to you, well, so did the golden calf to the people of Israel.
Leviticus 22:32
“You shall not profane My holy name [using it to honor an idol, or treating it with irreverence or contempt or as a byword]; but I will be sanctified (set apart as holy) among the Israelites. I am the Lord, who sanctifies and declares you holy, 33 who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord.”
Deuteronomy 5:7-9Amplified Bible (AMP)

7 ‘You shall have no other gods [a]before Me.
8 ‘You shall not make for yourself an idol [as an object to worship], or any likeness (form, manifestation) of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. 9 You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a [b]jealous (impassioned) God [demanding what is rightfully and uniquely mine], visiting (avenging) the iniquity (sin, guilt) of the fathers on the children [that is, calling the children to account for the sins of their fathers], to the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me
Exodus 32:4 And he took the gold from their hands, and fashioned it with an engraving tool and made it into a molten [b]calf; and they said, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 5 Now when Aaron saw the molten calf, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation, and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord!” 6 So they got up early the next day and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; then the people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to play [shamefully—without moral restraint].

[dmatic]

"For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will being to nothing the understanding of the prudent" 1 Cor. 1:19

God can even speak through a donkey! (If He wants)

[Pastor Guest]

Man was created by God in the image of God. Unregenerate man's nature is to make God in the image of himself or in whatever form he believes God should be.

[Sherree]

I don't know anything about the book or movie. I've seen commercials on TV for it, though. From what I've read others here to be saying about it, plus the commercials on TV, I've decided that it's not something I would want to see.

[Forty9er]

Anyway, apparently there is much controversy regarding its 'theological' content, and many heresy hunters on the trail, so will reserve comment until I see and read myself.

You didn't have me in mind when you mentioned "heresy hunters" did you? If someone misrepresents who God is or what He says in His Word, do you think people who know the truth should remain silent?

You seem to approve of the book and I don't find that surprising because one of the heresies the author presents is universal salvation.

Man was created by God in the image of God. Unregenerate man's nature is to make God in the image of himself or in whatever form he believes God should be.

Absolutely! And that is what this book does. It strips God of His glory and majesty and brings Him down to man's level. And even though Christ is fully God and fully Man, Scripture doesn't reveal Him in the way He is portrayed in the book.

[tygerkittn]

"For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will being to nothing the understanding of the prudent" 1 Cor. 1:19

God can even speak through a donkey! (If He wants)

But once God spoke through His Son, the time of prophets and donkeys ended, and the church age began, and everything He wanted to say to us is found in the Bible.Those who seek outside the Bible are moving away from Him. God isn't "destroying" the wisdom of the Bible, because it's His word. The movie, however, is NOT His word, or anything close to it. That's why the verses I posted show it for what it is, idolatry.

[Sherree]

Thanks for that. Very telling.

[dmatic]

You didn't have me in mind when you mentioned "heresy hunters" did you? If someone misrepresents who God is or what He says in His Word, do you think people who know the truth should remain silent?

You seem to approve of the book and I don't find that surprising because one of the heresies the author presents is universal salvation.

No, forty9er. I had just read some stuff on facebook criticizing the book. Have you read the book? My wife and I saw the movie last night. Have you seen the movie? It was very interesting, to say the least. I recommend it. I look forward to reading the book, which I hope to do very soon.