Disturbed

I am deeply disturbed over a book that has recently received much attention in the Christian community. Having recently attended a women’s conference, my ears perked up when this book was mentioned. The speaker, a well-known speaker in Christian circles, just mentioned the book. She offered no comment regarding the book, but I remembered it being mentioned. I had heard of its existence, but knew nothing of it. Only a week or two later at my own church, it was mentioned again in a positive vain from a dear woman giving her testimony after surviving cancer. Again, my ears perked up as I thought – this might be a book worth reading. The book I am referring to is The Shack, by William P. Young.

Just a few days later I found myself in our local Christian Book Store and there before me was a display of this book. You can just imagine what I thought; “I need to buy this book”. It must be the Holy Spirit moving me to buy it, and while I’m here, I’ll get an extra copy for my daughter-in-law as a surprise. So I did. I tore into the book as if it were chocolate. Immediately I was hooked. I found the first few chapters full of suspense. I was anxious to see what all the hype was about regarding it popularity.

I found myself zipping right along until it hit me right in the face. I felt like a bowl of ice-water had been thrown on me. I was suddenly sick to my stomach as I continued to read the descriptors of what I, as a Christian, hold most sacred in my heart. As the author took liberties in describing the “Trinity” and offending the “God Head” with descriptions of God as a “large, jovial back women", the Holy Spirit as a “small Asian woman", and Jesus appears as "a Jewish man with a hippy flare".

I have been saddened that so many of my brothers and sisters have embraced this book – calling it a work of fiction and explaining it away by saying, that is the context that it should be read. I tell you, as Dogie and I travel and tell folks about Jesus we are constantly reminded of the misconceptions and false teachings so many churched and un-churched people that call themselves Christians cling to as “truth”. This book is full of subtleties that sound like truth, but are far from it. We don’t have to go out and commit some heinous crime to separate ourselves from God, all we have to do is take our focus off of Him and His Word and draw our beliefs from a book such as this with “good intentions”. I am reminded of 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil (NKJ).

As Dr. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said, The Shack “contains undiluted heresy. Don’t you and I have a responsibility to be equipped to recognize heresy and to shine the light of truth so that we and others are not deceived?

Yes, I read the book completely through. It was a true struggle for me as a “Believer”, but at least I know what the book contains. No hear-say from this Gal. This book is nothing short of deception. It is also divisive. Beware of any group or church supporting the reading of this book. The Shack makes light work of the cross and the price Jesus paid for our sins.

Just so you know, my sweet daughter-in-law asked that I return her unopened book to the store where it was purchased, which I did. Praise God that He calls us to have discernment in such matters.