Comments on: The Shack Review

By: Carl D. Nelson Jr.

Carl D. Nelson Jr. — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:29:29 +0000

I come from a line of preachers, my father, My uncles, My grandfather, were all preachers. My father was an Evangelists and I spent day in and day out of church. I’ve read The Shack and I fully understand the point that most are trying to make here. This is a fiction story yes, and it does outline a one on one relationship with God. I’ve read most of the comments that were posted on here. My personal opinion is that prayer and trust in God will guide a person to where they need to be. We should not judge as Christians, I’m seeing a pattern that is just disappointing to me. Call The Shack what you will, Call it a work of the devil. Call the author a deceiving liar but please remember and take to heart that God judges. We should love everyone as God does. God hates sin but loves the sinner. God carries that burden of sin, not us. We do not possess the know how to deal with sin the way that God does. Now, God has much on his plate knowing every single human being, down to the number of hair on our heads. With that being said, I feel that this book was inspired by God, I feel that he will use it to reach people that have gotten tired of hypocritical Christians that judged them for sin and ran them out of the church. I feel that God will use this book to inspire people that was beat as kids, people that abused alcohol, people that abused and sold drugs, people that have killed others, prostitutes and people that carry painful burdens and can not let them go. I feel that God will use this book to restore many, remember all things work together for good for those that believe and trust in God. God can change any situation. We should not judge this book, we should see it for what it is. The devil is crafty but not as crafty as God and as long as we trust this and continue to pray for those around us, God will continue to change them. I will never knock any one’s comment because I understand Christian doctrine. On that note there is an abundance of Christian doctrine out there, and everyone feels they are correct in what they believe. Lets just love one another and love God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. God bless you all.
Carl D. Nelson Jr.

By: DDavis

DDavis — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:28:08 +0000

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, But a fool is arrogant and careless.
A Fool find no pleasure in understanding, but delight in airing their own opinions.

When it comes to the shack this author uses so many bad illustrations to reinvent a new god. Mr Young has created for himself a different god, a new god. The author also blends in his own Universalism beliefs that are contrary to what the Bible teaches us. Like I said “To Distort, Falsify, Change, Twist, Interfere with the Nature, Attributes, and Characteristics of God, in any theological book or even a fictional book like “The Shack,” is blasphemous.”
Sir, you might want to go back a read Deuteronomy 5
‘You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

By: CThomas

CThomas — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 11:58:48 +0000

Why thank you abclay, I am brilliant

By: dDavis

dDavis — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 04:37:17 +0000

Brilliant, and your defending book describing a god, dressed up like what??

By: abclay

abclay — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 02:08:28 +0000

Awesome defense of your position CThomas. Just Brilliant!!!

By: CThomas

CThomas — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 01:07:20 +0000

That’s stupid! Good grief!

By: DDavis

DDavis — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:15:12 +0000

For anyone defending Mr. Young’s book “the shack” please consider this;
How would you like an author to write a book describing you and your family or maybe your church ministry.
However in this book you are represented as a friendly out going and likable A-Sexual Earthworm living out in the middle of a beautiful pasture. You and your family of earthworms have a little den you call your home. The earth shakes and your family is frightened as a cow steps over your little house. Blop, blop, blop above your house is a fresh cow pie, your kids find it very warm to crawl into and fun to play in and they discover that its tasty to eat compared to the dirt.
Sorry to use that kind of fictional example but I hope you understand the point.

Distorting the Attributes, Nature and Characteristics of God, in a theological book or even a fictional book is still blasphemous.

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 01:08:59 +0000

For those still interested in The Shack what would you asked Dr. James DeYoung, author of the book below? Burning Down 'The Shack': How the 'Christian' bestseller is deceiving millions

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 01:10:12 +0000

ding,

If you believe that both the Bible and The Shack are partly fiction how do you know which parts? Why does it matter who people think God is in their own minds? I mean, if it’s all just mental fantasy creation why does it matter one iota?

And if God is what we think He is in our minds and Christians, for example, hold that the Bible as the true understanding of God it only makes sense that Christians would object to The Shack where it gives a distorted view of their faith.

By: ding

ding — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 04:18:05 +0000

The Bible has already proven its inconsistencies and fantasies whether you read it from the old testament up to the new testament and just like the shack it is partly fiction and partly true so there is indeed no need to debate about it ( But if you think that it is entirely true then I respect your opinion). I was addressing the people in this thread who attacks the book as if it was written to send a message that would distort the faith of Christians reading it and blasting away with comments like “it is the most convoluted piece of junk” etc…etc….(how do you distort something that is already distorted?). Again I do believe in God in my own way, but reading the shack gave me a fresh perspective of who God is to the minds of other people. But whether it is the shack or the bible they are both interesting fantasies we have created in our minds.

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:10:35 +0000

abclay, thanks for answering. I don’t fully understand Ding’s objection.

By: abclay

abclay — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 04:16:42 +0000

“Ding”,

The review was intended to show how “The Shack” describes an entirely different God than the One that is revealed in the pages of the bible.

Your comment really doesn’t address either “The Shack” nor the author’s review of “The Shack”.

I would be happy to debate the veracity of the Bible with you but I don’t think this is the thread to do so.

By: Ding

Ding — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 03:58:18 +0000

Why you keep on insisting your biblical view against a certified fiction is beyond me. You keep quoting bible verses in order to assert your notion of who God is…..according to the accepted belief that most blinded so called spiritual leaders who pretend they understand the so called word of God….really? read the Bible again and tell me it ain’t fiction.

By: Barleycorn

Barleycorn — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 19:26:40 +0000

This book is the most convoluted piece of junk that I have ever read. It reads like liberal propaganda, disguised as religion. It disrespects God by bringing Him down to the level of humans.

By: DDavis

DDavis — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:07:44 +0000

Thanks Mark that’s is the one!
The lady in this interview is so blatantly honest with what she encountered and endured through meditation practices. She simply represents the thousands of people who are lead astray by false teachers. She uses examples of people blending New Age, Mysticism, Eastern Religions like Hinduism and Buddhism into a Quasi pseudo form of Christianity, the examples she uses are people like Shane Hipps and Rob Bell, Rick Warren from the Saddleback Campus. These people are Charlatans who are masters at counterfeiting the word of God and deceiving thousands of people.
William P. Young has slipped into many of these churches presenting his little “fiction” story. and yes Young is good a telling a story. However, my warning to anyone singing the praises of the Shack, is what are you doing?
After listing to this interview I would hope that people defining Mr Young would you would rethink what is the theology that Young is promoting and does that line up with the bible?

By: Mark

Mark — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 23:23:42 +0000

DDavis, I'm not sure why you could not post the link. I believe it's this one: The Dangers of Mystic Meditation Practices.

By: DDavis

DDavis — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:52:48 +0000

Well for some reason I cannot post the link here look it up at http://www.fightingforthefaith.com/ “Interview with Christine Pack of the Sola Sisters Blog on the Dangers of Mystic Meditation Practices”

Click on the Menu button on the player above and you can embed this radio segment on your blog or website.

By: DDavis

DDavis — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:23:02 +0000

Kevin I believe you said it right there:
“I believe we are all seeking our own way to have a relationship with the Lord.”
!!seeking our own way!!
In other words people are trying to have a relationship with God, only it is on there own terms? and our methods can be devoid of what the bible teaches us.
The Shack simply promotes this un-biblical approach to God because it skirts around Jesus.

Here is a very interesting interview that addresses some of the Unitarianism, New-Age and Mysticism that is weaved in the Shack

By: Karen Cavallo

Karen Cavallo — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:02:53 +0000

I just finished reading the book and was curious to see what others thought. I found it a little confusing at times, even a bit slow. After reading a little about the author, I can better understand his rational, or inner conflicts, as to why he wrote it. I found it inspirational, making God more accessible to us. I believe we are all seeking our own way to have a relationship with the Lord and this book is a reflection of the author’s desire to do just that. It’s a work of fiction and as such, an opinion, not fact. If nothing else, it is causing a stir and creating conversation to speak up and share our thoughts and beliefs about God.

By: DDavis

DDavis — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:36:36 +0000

June, any time a person redefines who God is, or redefines the attributes or nature of God they quickly abandon the word of God (the bible). This how we get false teachings and really bad preachers. The bible is the word of God, so what it teaches us about God, is the truth. I don’t understand your comment that the review of the shack promotes the law? If anything the law shows each of us that we cannot keep the law, and points us to the savior, Jesus.
The bible teaches us that we are sinful and in desperate need of atonement for our sins. Jesus said, “no one comes to the Father except through Me.” Accessing Jesus is through repenting of our sins and trusting in Jesus. Read any of the gospel’s

Mr. Young paints a different picture of who God is and his presentation in the shack embraces the theology of the Universalist

By: June Moss

June Moss — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:16:56 +0000

I read this book with scepticism, I recognise it as a work of fiction and the author makes no claim to it being otherwise. After reading it I had a feeling of wellbeing and of comfort. After reading your review I got the stench of the ” Law” which has ruined many peoples’ walk with a loving Father. I submit that,”My sheep hear My voice” I heard the voice of the good shepherd whilst reading “The Shack”

By: Tita Foo

Tita Foo — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 21:48:30 +0000

WOW awesome review. Thank you so much for this!!!!!!!!!! God Bless!

By: Robert C

Robert C — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:41:12 +0000

This is in reply to Gabriela’s reply to my statement.

Yes, the book is fiction, and thank God that we can recognize it as such. However, we must remember that fiction is often a reflection of an author’s core beliefs, as in the case of The Shack. It amounts to his attempts to understand God in his circumstances, whereas to do that all is needed is simply to become fully acquainged with God through tne New Birth and subsequently growing in acquaintance with Him through the teachings of His Word. As i pointed out in a previous comment, God wants us to know Him and to fellowship with Him. This is indicated in Ephesians 1:16-18: “. . . making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened . . .” We live in a day when deception is a powerful force. I have made it a practice that when I have questions about something, when my inner compass acts up and says, “go slow on this,” I try to play it safe until i have checked out what principles in the Bible apply and I get a positive light on what is right. My daughter-in-law asked me to read the book. I read it and immediately had some very strong misgivings about it. I have since found what troubled me by studying God’s Word, and the issue is settled in my mind. Here is how I see it. The basic problem with portraying God in human form is the temptation of the author to give God human characteristics, which is exactly the opposite of the truth. We are made in God’s image, not He in ours,
and His image in us has been corrupted by our unrighteousness, and this book twists that truth, because it tends to get us thinking of God in human terms, whereas He is Spirit, not flesh and blood. There are just too many subtle attacks on the character of God in this world to let this pass. This verse stands out:” Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.” And again, the first Q & A in the Westminster Shorter Catechism:
Q: “What is the chief end of man?”
A. “the chief end of man is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy Him forever.”
I do not think this book glorifies God in any way. Instead it reduces Him to mere humanity.

By: Robert C

Robert C — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:52:25 +0000

Thank you, Eugene Daniels, for standing for the authority and authenticity of God’s Word and the fundamentals of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As a fellow believer, I wish every Christian could know and understand the significance of Hebrews 5;11-14 in our day. It is often very difficult, and sometimes almost impossible, to keep the eyes of understanding of professing Christians where they ought to be. I’m sure you understand what I mean.
Your responses have been patient, kind, reasonable, and focused on the principles which delineate between truth and error, in contrast to the subtle but unmistakable personal attacks which have been directed toward you. The prayer of the apostle Paul for the Christians in Ephesus (Ephesians 1:15-20) is stilll being answered today in Spirit-filled believers who are able to discern between good and evil when truth and error are turned upside down. A godly man
who was very influential in my Christian growth and character development had a little aphorism which describes in a simple way the current situation, even among God’s people, “Truth and Error went swimming together. Error came out and put on Truth’s clothes, and Truth has been naked ever since.” When truth falls in the street,

By: Gabriela

Gabriela — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:13:11 +0000

I want to reply to RobertC. William P. Young made God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit all into human form. Everyone in the world can read this book and we all could walk away with something completely different. In my opinion this whole story was about a father who lost his daughter and him learning to forgive and realize God was not to blame. So yeah God was in human form but i dont think the point was what God or the holy Spirit or Jesus looked liked, it was about the relationship mac had with them. This book is fiction and when you think about it how else would William had portrayed God. I think we can all relate to the story more having God a human and not something else. This book is fictional and you cant take the fact that God is human too seriously. I know what the Bible says about God but like i said its fictional and i think the point of God being human was so that you could see the connection more. By the way thank you Eugene for the points you brought up because although i dont agree with them all i did find some to be helpful.

By: RobertC

RobertC — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:04:13 +0000

One of the original reviewer’s critical points was that there is a tiny thread of difference between what is true and what is almost, or seems to be, true.
The true fact concerning Satan is the he often appears as a angel of light. That is why walking close to God and seeking the truth from His Word as the Holy Spirit guides us through it is so crucial to us mortals.

Lest there be any misunderstanding from the start, I have read the book. The first thing that hit me as I read was that, even though it is fiction, it represents God in human form. There is only one legitimate representation of God in human form in all of human history. His name was Jesus of Nazareth. so I resented the book right from the start. Actually, I could remind everyone that Jesus foretold that many would come in His name saying, “I am Christ.” In addition, the Second Commandment forbids any manmade anthropomorphisms, namely:

“Thous shalt not make unto thee any graven image , OR ANY LIKENESS OF ANYTHING THAT IS IN HEAVEN ABOVE, OR IN THE EARTH BENEATH, OR IN THE WATERS UNDER THE EARTH. . .” That commandment forbids the making of mental images as well as material ones, which this book freely treads under foot.

The representation of God in human form fits the modern age like a glove. because modern man seeks to re-create God in his own image.

Perhaps the author had no intention of casting any shadows into the minds and hearts of men. I am more than willing to admit that possibility. However, the fact is that the main reason the book is so controversial is because of all the other objections expressed here as well as my own.

I must conclude by stating that there are many other criticisms of the book which I have but will not go into at this time.

Lastly I would suggest that those of you who endorse the book should get out your Bibles and research the issues raised in these criticisms – that is, if you really want to know the truth. God’s Word and His Holy Spirit will reveal it to you.

By: CTomas

CTomas — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 04:02:10 +0000

I would just love to encourage you about anything tonight Eugene…but to be right honest I’ve had a very long day and I’m just too tired to even read the lengthy story you have left for us tonight, and actually, I’m just a little bored with you too, but please feel free to rant and rave all you want. I’ve come to the conclusion that’s pretty much all you want to do anyway….so have at it. Goodnight John Boy ;-/ [:>)

By: Eugene Daniels

Eugene Daniels — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:51:59 +0000

CT Maybe you could share what you believe and why.
It would be encouraging to hear about your conversion story.

By: Eugene Daniels

Eugene Daniels — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:45:58 +0000

With the Shack, Its New Age Leaven – God IN Everything?

Jesus said to them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
They began to discuss this among themselves, saying, “He said that because we did not bring any bread.” But Jesus, aware of this, said,
“You men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread?
“Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets full you picked up? Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many large baskets full you picked up?
“How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Matthew 16:6-12

By: CTomas

CTomas — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 23:29:30 +0000

And your point is what Eugene? I’ve forgotten already. Wow, you do ramble don’t you. Just try relaxing sometime, maybe with a cup of ginseng tea, and try this sometime…maybe try not reading more into this book than need be. If the reading of this book makes one’s relationship with God stronger then why would you want to argue that. Please don’t be afraid, 10 years from now this book and the anger it provokes in you will be forgotten, I would hope.