I am sick to death of seeing the Shack lying around my friends and family's houses. Whenever I say something about it, I have been asked, have I read it, as if that is some measure of credibility.

I am starting to rebut this statement with, "I don't have to watch pornography to know that it is an abuse of the image of God (Imago Dei) - how much more should I turn from writings that create a non-Scriptural image of God Himself and thus violate the 2nd commandment? If it is not glorifying to God, it is evil. It is spiritual pornography."

It is amazing that people still try to defend this wretched piece of garbage.

Sorry, I am in rant mode, but c'mon!

__________________
-JD

I keep hearing about this book. What is the main thrust of the book? I have only heard bad things from people I respect, but great things from people who are spiritual infants.

__________________
Boliver
Future Chaplain
EPC
Hankamer, TX

I read it. Big waste time other than now I can talk about all the really bad stuff in it first hand. I don't have time to go into detail, but it is without merit of any sort. Unless, you just think heart tugs are all that God desires, regardless of how they come. It is the only out and out Blasphemy that I've read that has been so well received.

__________________
We shall not adjust our Bible to the age; but before we have done with it, by God's grace, we shall adjust the age to the Bible. - Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Lawrence Underwood, Jr.
Pastor - Providence Family Fellowship / Mobile, Alabama
1644/46 LBC
My Blog - Imprimis

links to a couple of Shack reviews and a video of Mark Driscoll

never heard of it

__________________
Jeffrey Wilson
Cornerstone Reformed Baptist Church
London Baptist Confession of Faith 1644
Summerland, British Columbia, Canada

"If ever a monk got to heaven by monkery, I ought to have gotten there!" Martin Luther

I have to admit I read it--in fact, I read the whole book in one sitting. It certainly would have an emotional tug on people who are looking for that kind of comfort (essentially, a saccharine explanation of "why does God let bad things happen to good people"), but in addition to a totally fanciful portrayal of the Trinity (putting it charitably) it expresses a form of salvation that borders on universalism.

What I can't understand is that the book has been endorsed by people you think would know better.

__________________
Jim
Elder
First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu
at Ko'olau (PCUSA)
Honolulu, Hawaii
http://www.fpchawaii.org/
"And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness." II Corinthians 12:9

Panting Donkey Machete:

Listen to Al Mohler's review on his radio show. I was shocked and dismayed not only by what I heard but what other Christians are saying about it. It is worth the time to have a listen. I will look for the link a minute here.

-----Added 11/29/2008 at 08:07:55 EST-----

Here is the link I was looking for:

A Look at “The Shack”

-----Added 11/29/2008 at 08:08:58 EST-----

Lucky man.

__________________
Kevin, husband of a truly angelic woman, and father to ten.
Zion United Reformed Church of Sheffield
Ontario, Canada

Thanks, much for the link!

Panting Donkey Machete evokes to me the breath of cutting wit from Balaam's transport animal, a little known martial arts form, as well as a cool garage band name!

-----Added 11/29/2008 at 08:22:29 EST-----

Listening now with my Dad, who read it.

[QUOTE]Listening now with my Dad, who read it./QUOTE]

This ought to be good.

Hi Panta! I hate to break the bubble, but sometimes you just have to breakdown and read what the people are saying. I read the Book of Mormon and was in like flint with the Mormons, even though they knew I wasn't one. I've read so much Barth I wanna puke. But it leaves the gainsayers speachless when they know you've read it.

I wanna open fire with my Bible bazooka everytime I hear "have you read it yet?". It's really a side-step so they don't have to deal with the real issues.

-----Added 11/30/2008 at 12:11:38 EST-----

P.s. The Shack is more like a spiritual Harlequin Romance Novel. ha ha

__________________
Timothy Johnson
First United Presbyterian of Moline
PCUSA (Yea, I know)
Theology/Philosophy Sunday School Teacher
Davenport, IA

It was ...enlightening...to say the least

Good opportunity to discuss the meaning of narrative and meta-narrative

Never heard of it either.

__________________
Thomas Weddle
Member, Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church
Evansville, Indiana

The Shack is the new "Purpose Driven Life" except it's even worse than the PDL if you can believe that! The author is a Universalist.

__________________
Adam - Pennsylvania - Baptist

http://www.myspace.com/aleavelle

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/p...5655012&ref=nf

I got that impression too and add in a good dose of emergent thinking. I actually got a copy for a Christmas present from one of my student's parents and read it over the holiday break. It's really bad theologically.

A few of my H.S students are reading it now. I asked one girl, who I know to be pretty well grounded Scripturally, what she thought of the book. She gushed about how it depicted God as as "real person" and how "neat it was" for Him to interact with man. She asked me how I liked it and I told her I didn't...at all. I asked her if she liked the book whether because it portrayed God as she thought she would like him to be or because it was true to Scripture. Her "countenance" changed.

Her mother spoke with me today and I expressed my concerns. The parents are also reading it and have the same concerns I had and they would discuss it with the girl.

__________________
Michael Masztal
Ruling Elder, Chapel By The Sea, ARP
Melbourne Beach, FL

Just blogged about The Shack here.

__________________
Rev. Lane Keister
Teaching Elder, PCA, North Dakota (working out of bounds in a CRC and an RCA church)
http://greenbaggins.wordpress.com
http://brahmsgreenglove.blogspot.com
http://accenttranslation.blogspot.com
Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Like he said--p*rnography. But for girls.

Hate that stuff.

__________________
Kim G
Non-denom church (holds to the WCF)
Zion Community Church, Greenville, SC

Teach me Your way, O LORD;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
Psalm 86:11

I've had the same reaction by the the pastor's wife of the church I attend. I was able to tell her that yes I read it and that it was I know it to be a vile and blasphemous book which perverts the image of God. Her response was that one of her sons had met the author and that he was nice.

I will join you in

Get use to this in modern Christendom. It's not about what the scripture teaches, but how God makes you feel.

__________________
Chris Thomas | SBC-Founders | Fairbanks, AK

"Whatever the cause, the Calvinists were the only fighting Protestants. It was they whose faith gave them courage to stand up for the Reformation. In England, Scotland, France, Holland, they,... did the work, and but for them the Reformation would have been crushed... If it had not been for Calvinists,... and whatever you like to call them, the Pope and Philip would have won, and we should either be Papists or Socialists." ~ Sir John Skelton

Remind me again why we do not burn at the stake anymore?

__________________
Benjamin P. Glaser, M. Div
Licentiate Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church

Member: Fairmount ARP Church Pittsburgh, PA
Attending: Looking for a Reformed church in North Central WV
Preaching: Nov. 8 Belington Presbyterian & Beverly Presbyterian PC(USA) Churches

Deo Vindice

There aren't sufficient trees left?

__________________
Todd K. Pedlar
member, First Congregational Church, (CCCC) Cresco, IA
http://inprincipiodeus.solideogloria.com
http://puritanwisdom.blogspot.com

"As God did not at first choose you because you were high, He will not now forsake you because you are low."
John Flavel in Keeping the Heart



Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Maybe in Iowa

We have plenty here in PA...

I must lead a sheltered life -- I hadn't even heard of this until just this past week. On one hand, I can appreciate reading so you can discuss stuff intelligently, but lately, I haven't had much time to read anything, so I don't know if I want to take the time to read something that apparently refers to the Holy Spirit as a she.

__________________
JWithnell
Member Bethel OPC
Virginia
http://learningyesican.blogspot.com/

I keep hearing about people in my congregation reading it. It's not that they haven't been warned. I just try to remember that it's probably just another fad and in another year it will have gone the way of the Prayer of Jabez and other such theological dodo birds.

__________________
Wes Bredenhof
Pastor, Providence Canadian Reformed Church
Hamilton, Ontario
www.bredenhof.ca
Gospel Talk Radio Program

It is for sure better than the "Course in Miracles". that book and anything connected to it, is BAD NEWS. And yes, the "Course" may well be one of the most "evil" books ever written, is making inroads in certain "Christian" circles....To quote that old TV show "Lost in Space". "Danger. Danger".
I have not read the Shack, but it is probably another example of "New Age" thinking trying to get its foot in the "Christian door".

__________________
Roy
PCA
Orlando, Florida

Germany, WWI.


In a CanRC church??????? Time for some serious huisbezoek.

I haven't heard of this nonsense in years. Almost forgot about it. Maybe we can mix Course, Shack, Dianetics, and modern "christianity" into a new religion. I smell a moneymaker here!!

Yep the Course in Miracles is still out there..

Oprah Winfrey is a staunch reader and public supporter of the "Course". And yet she also publicly claims to be a "Christian".

Interesting that you used the word "smell".

__________________
Tim Phillips
Pastor, Midlane Park Presbyterian Church (ARP)
Louisville, KY
Husband of Scottish Lass
My Blog: Gairney Bridge
My Facebook/My Avatar

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

"Wherever the gospel is preached, it is as if God Himself came into the midst of us." ~ John Calvin

It doesn't help that we have Regent College in our neck of the woods. Regent has been ardently marketing the book. It was Eugene Peterson who said that this book would do for our generation what Pilgrim Progress did in Bunyan's.

The Shack could be renamed the Outhouse... both contain unclean things.

-----Added 1/9/2009 at 09:54:33 EST-----

I listen to Driscoll in my car during the commute. Sometimes he rants (so do I) but he does his homework first. The 7:46 is worth the look.

__________________
Rich Koster
1689'er
Browns Mills NJ USA

O Lord, you are my God;I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things. Things planned long ago.
Isaiah 25:1

You've got to be kidding? Peterson compared it to Pilgrim's Progress???

Hey, Bart Campolo endorsed it as well.

__________________
Dennis E. McFadden, Ex Mainline Baptist (in Remission)
Atherton Baptist Homes, CEO
First Baptist Church of Alhambra, Member, Transformation Ministries (CA)

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

The only similarity is that they are printed books

I know, I know. You'll never be able to read the Message the same way ever again.

The Father in The Shack is a black woman.

So is the Shack book claiming that a woman can be an "equal figure" to a father??

I'm not sure what it's trying to claim, but it's wicked blasphemy at best.

Peterson's endorsement should be the largest of large red flags as to the book's content, even if you never actually open it. Also, things have changed, haven't they? I thought Regent was JI Packer's home, but I think I read somewhere that he's gone a bit wonky too, no?

Seriously though, if a visiting elder saw "The Shack" on someone's shelf during huisbezoek, would he not take the father to task? As I recall from my childhood, that's how it would go where I come from...

Panting donkey machete!!!! HA!!!!! Where's a mod to change his signature when you need one?

__________________
Pergamum


"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?"
-- David Livingstone

I think the conclusion on his book is DO NOT read it ! it is

__________________
Martin - Reformed
Husband to the most honorable, loyal and godly wife Line
Searching for a Church
Webpage www.5solas.dk
Free Online Reformed Seminary - http://www.tnars.net
Soli Deo Gloria

AGREED

Highly recommend listening to Al Mohler's show. Excellent as usual.