The same applies to much good fiction and poetry. It does have a transcendent quality, at least the best of it does.

The problem, though, is that many people will no doubt use the Shack to verify their wrong views of God. When they read the Bible, it's possible they will see the Bible through the things they picked up in the Shack. I've found that when you give a story to a large class of students and ask them to tell you what they are getting out of it, it's often surprising to see what many of them think the author is saying.

I haven't read it yet myself but I plan to. I hope it's well written.

And just as equally true, as I said, can one draw from Jesus' parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus verification of a wrong view of heaven and hell, reward and punishment, etc.

IMHO, these inaccuracies and mistaken ideas tend to be far more troubling to us than they are to God.

Yes, I guess they would be troubling if they caused confusion.

It's like the Left Behind series or the Purpose-Driven Life. As expected the author will write from his experience and knowledge.

Personally I think that discussion on these popular items is a good thing.

Agreed. As long as people understand it's like a parable, but I was just on a thread a few days ago with someone who believes the parable you mentioned is no parable but the literal truth. I think that is how the majority of Christians today see it.

I'll be getting the book today. Look forward to reading it.

Have you read it yet?? Any thoughts??

finished reading and I really enjoyed it. But I can see, like john317 mentioned, how people can take it as being real.

pk

I'm just reading it now, and enjoying it. I suspect any objections I have, will come from a different place from John317's, but may amount to much the same thing. I find it a little too psychobabbly in places. It harps on the 'relationship' thing a little too much, as do most contemporary Christian churches. It's a bit like how I used to enjoy the language in 'The Message' paraphrase but now find it unbearably treacly sweet.

Still, it does a very nice job of addressing the Problem of Pain and the nature of God, and if more Christians read it I think that would be a good thing on balance.

Bravus, what you said struck a chord with me, too.

I'm currently attending a church that is more on the "young" side. The music is modern, the crowd is young, and the sermons keep us up to date with the latest mainstream Christian book releases.

I am bored, and it is a bit on the "sweet" side for me, too. I like Scripture, as it stretches my mind, but there is not much in the way of Scripture there, I'm afraid. I guess I should try getting there earlier for Sabbath School- perhaps it is there where the deep thinking is. And that is my fault, for missing out on that.

I've read the Shack, the Purpose-Driven Life and very recently watched a couple videos from the Weigh-Down Diet. I found that so bizarre, too. It had a useful point or two and some Christianspeak but mostly lacking in common sense regarding diet (focused on dietING more than the diet itself).

These things don't leave a bad taste in my mouth, just unsatisfaction. Some are merely entertainment, it seems to me.

Plus the treacle-sweetness you mentioned makes me kinda gag. I can see that it does feed some folks, so I do see its value in some circles.

Forgive the vent-ilation... You just pricked something in me that's been there for a while. I think I'm just used to deeper thoughts.

Your post caught my eye, Gail.

After the interesting comments about this book here on C/A several weeks ago, I decided to nominate it as my book for our book club [we limit ourselves to novels in this particular group]. And I ordered it from Amazon and read it quickly.

Well, I changed my mind after reading it. This book is "Pablum" and our book club members need "real meat" to chew on, to discuss, and to comment on.

It's an interesting book in many ways, but too elementary and simplistic to be a challenge to this particular group.

Perhaps if we all had bee living in a different time and culture we might have made some of the same comments about Pilgrims Progress or the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.

But, now they are religious classics and we are not as prone to make such comments.

Religioius writing has a specific purpose. Sometimes we attempt to place it in another context.