Comments on: The Shack — Discernment Needed http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/ Catholic News, Catholic Articles, Catholic Apologetics, Catholic Content, Catholic Information Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:46:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 By: gunner http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/comment-page-1/#comment-40975 gunner Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:12:46 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/#comment-40975 Brothers and sisters - I read "The Shack" after being given the book by my dad who only hinted that there was a lot of controversy about it. I'm glad that I read it before exploring what was being said. Firstly, I believe the book was inspired. Having been born and raised Catholic, leaving the Church for years (probably typically) but thankfully under God's Grace returning years ago, I was drawn by many things, one of which was the events at Medjugorje. I believe that God uses many tools to call us, even authors of fiction. What I have found interesting over the years is how the Catholic church (which means "Universal" not "fully Christian") can be so exclusionary. Scripture is quoted above from John's Gospel (I assume since the author doesn't indicate) 15:10 : "You will live in my love if you keep my commandments, ..." But as so often happens, this is taken out of context to support a point. But what was Jesus's point? What was his commandments? "This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you." (John 15:12) Isn't that calling out our relationships with others? If you read (present tense) "The Shack" you can't miss this message. What is first? Our relationship with God. Why? Because we can't do the rest without Him. What's next? Mack's relationship with his own father - forgiving as we want to be forgiven by God. When is Mack complete? When he learns to forgive his enemy. That (and more) is what the book is about. That is what the Torah was (is) about. This is the Gospel. It is about relationships. And the book may be "milk" for many who need it. I pray that many who lack faith in God may find Him in "The Shack". For me, I found Him in scripture, His own writing to us. While I have read Scott Hahn and C.S. Lewis, no one has given me a better glimpse of Abba (Papa) than His own Word. Why is it that of all the books we Catholics read [above], not once is His book mentioned? If we read it, why don't we understand? I think its interesting that Mr Young captured well the nature of Man who is told through scripture that he is loved, but who still brings a misunderstanding of that love into his relationship with God. As a father, I have a better understanding of unconditional love. I better understand a "wrath" tempered by love. The temptation to "control" my children giving over to allowing them to make mistakes and being there to love them anyway. If this book of fiction is a danger and threat, I suggest you break out the "Good Book" and get to know God through His Word, not someone else's. Brothers and sisters – I read “The Shack” after being given the book by my dad who only hinted that there was a lot of controversy about it. I’m glad that I read it before exploring what was being said. Firstly, I believe the book was inspired. Having been born and raised Catholic, leaving the Church for years (probably typically) but thankfully under God’s Grace returning years ago, I was drawn by many things, one of which was the events at Medjugorje. I believe that God uses many tools to call us, even authors of fiction. What I have found interesting over the years is how the Catholic church (which means “Universal” not “fully Christian”) can be so exclusionary. Scripture is quoted above from John’s Gospel (I assume since the author doesn’t indicate) 15:10 : “You will live in my love if you keep my commandments, …”
But as so often happens, this is taken out of context to support a point. But what was Jesus’s point? What was his commandments? “This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12) Isn’t that calling out our relationships with others? If you read (present tense) “The Shack” you can’t miss this message. What is first? Our relationship with God. Why? Because we can’t do the rest without Him. What’s next? Mack’s relationship with his own father – forgiving as we want to be forgiven by God. When is Mack complete? When he learns to forgive his enemy.
That (and more) is what the book is about. That is what the Torah was (is) about. This is the Gospel. It is about relationships. And the book may be “milk” for many who need it. I pray that many who lack faith in God may find Him in “The Shack”. For me, I found Him in scripture, His own writing to us. While I have read Scott Hahn and C.S. Lewis, no one has given me a better glimpse of Abba (Papa) than His own Word. Why is it that of all the books we Catholics read [above], not once is His book mentioned? If we read it, why don’t we understand? I think its interesting that Mr Young captured well the nature of Man who is told through scripture that he is loved, but who still brings a misunderstanding of that love into his relationship with God. As a father, I have a better understanding of unconditional love. I better understand a “wrath” tempered by love. The temptation to “control” my children giving over to allowing them to make mistakes and being there to love them anyway.
If this book of fiction is a danger and threat, I suggest you break out the “Good Book” and get to know God through His Word, not someone else’s.

]]> By: Mary J. http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/comment-page-1/#comment-39544 Mary J. Sat, 25 Apr 2009 13:33:36 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/#comment-39544 Amen, Rachel! You have put into words my exact feelings with regard to non-Catholic books! The Shack and the other books you mentioned have left me with "inner red flags" waving and much doubt and confusion, not to mention the fact that the reading time could have been better spent. How disappointing. Perhaps it's just the way I'm "hard-wired", as you put it - I am a very visual person, too, and the images stay with me for a long time. My Spiritual Director advised me to always begin with "Truth". That was the best advice he could've given me! God bless you and thanks for an awesome column! Amen, Rachel! You have put into words my exact feelings with regard to non-Catholic books! The Shack and the other books you mentioned have left me with “inner red flags” waving and much doubt and confusion, not to mention the fact that the reading time could have been better spent. How disappointing. Perhaps it’s just the way I’m “hard-wired”, as you put it – I am a very visual person, too, and the images stay with me for a long time.

My Spiritual Director advised me to always begin with “Truth”. That was the best advice he could’ve given me!

God bless you and thanks for an awesome column!

]]> By: adirondack http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/comment-page-1/#comment-36597 adirondack Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:25:51 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/#comment-36597 "The Shack" is really not a good novel.What it is is theology with a story wrapped around it---that's not the makings of a good novel. It is mostly "telling" but not enough real showing as is done in good novels, although it tries but fails to show. The theology is "process theology"--God is a process. The novel abhors any institutional church; there are no "rules" just love. The great contradiction in all of this is that if it wasn't for the institutional churches (Catholic and Protestant) no one would have ever heard of Christ or the Trinity. There is also lots of pop psychology about feelings emotions etc. I hate to say this but the author deliberately pulls heartstrings---bad father, suffering son and tragic daughter. While I am a Catholic I'm reading this in my local Protestant Church with mostly Protestants. I'll be anxious to see what they have to say. “The Shack” is really not a good novel.What it is is theology with a story wrapped around it—that’s not the makings of a good novel. It is mostly “telling” but not enough real showing as is done in good novels, although it tries but fails to show. The theology is “process theology”–God is a process. The novel abhors any institutional church; there are no “rules” just love. The great contradiction in all of this is that if it wasn’t for the institutional churches (Catholic and Protestant) no one would have ever heard of Christ or the Trinity. There is also lots of pop psychology about feelings emotions etc. I hate to say this but the author deliberately pulls heartstrings—bad father, suffering son and tragic daughter. While I am a Catholic I’m reading this in my local Protestant Church with mostly Protestants. I’ll be anxious to see what they have to say.

]]> By: yblegen http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/comment-page-1/#comment-36081 yblegen Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:59:58 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/#comment-36081 Oh my gosh, I was amazed at how my life story pararells yours. I am so glad that I didn't read "The Shack" although many people around me were promoting it as a great book. However, I like you, must also have a very strong hard drive that clings to word and images for a very long time. I have never been able to watch a "scary movie. The movies or books that have bothered me the most are the ones that show someone dying, coming back to earth as a spirit and never talking about God. It's only happened a couple of times, but that was more than enough for me. But I will mince over images and words for nights upon nights. I had to give up novels for a long time because I actually climb into the book that I am reading so that I am there and sometimes it is hard to climb back out. Although, I also went to parochial school, I didn't know much about my faith after graduation. When I finally wanted to know more, I didn't know where to go or who to ask. Not wanting to pick up a book that would mislead me in any way, I didn't know which books to buy to learn more about my Catholic faith because like Catherine said, " a little bit of water seeping inside your home" can cause a lot of damage. I didn't want to learn the wrong stuff. I was told that I have a "Catholic Heart" in the sense that I literally feel a knife in my heart when I hear something that is wrong about my faith. The problem, though, was that I didn't know what the right answer should have been. Finally, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I began finding books, people, websites like CE and TV channels like EWTN that have lead me to begin the journey into a great discovery about the faith of my fathers. As a result, I tell everyone I can about CE, about the books I've found, about EWTN and anything else that can help someone, anyone begin their own journey of discovery. I agree with the others that we should have a list of "forbidden books" and movies. Sometimes, the names are deceptive. If I just had an idea that the subject is negative about my Catholic faith, it would save me from spending my precious time and money on something that will make me angry and leave me with many sleepless nights. Oh my gosh, I was amazed at how my life story pararells yours. I am so glad that I didn’t read “The Shack” although many people around me were promoting it as a great book. However, I like you, must also have a very strong hard drive that clings to word and images for a very long time. I have never been able to watch a “scary movie. The movies or books that have bothered me the most are the ones that show someone dying, coming back to earth as a spirit and never talking about God. It’s only happened a couple of times, but that was more than enough for me. But I will mince over images and words for nights upon nights. I had to give up novels for a long time because I actually climb into the book that I am reading so that I am there and sometimes it is hard to climb back out.

Although, I also went to parochial school, I didn’t know much about my faith after graduation. When I finally wanted to know more, I didn’t know where to go or who to ask. Not wanting to pick up a book that would mislead me in any way, I didn’t know which books to buy to learn more about my Catholic faith because like Catherine said, ” a little bit of water seeping inside your home” can cause a lot of damage. I didn’t want to learn the wrong stuff.

I was told that I have a “Catholic Heart” in the sense that I literally feel a knife in my heart when I hear something that is wrong about my faith. The problem, though, was that I didn’t know what the right answer should have been. Finally, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I began finding books, people, websites like CE and TV channels like EWTN that have lead me to begin the journey into a great discovery about the faith of my fathers. As a result, I tell everyone I can about CE, about the books I’ve found, about EWTN and anything else that can help someone, anyone begin their own journey of discovery.

I agree with the others that we should have a list of “forbidden books” and movies. Sometimes, the names are deceptive. If I just had an idea that the subject is negative about my Catholic faith, it would save me from spending my precious time and money on something that will make me angry and leave me with many sleepless nights.

]]> By: Parrish http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/comment-page-1/#comment-36080 Parrish Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:05:32 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/#comment-36080 C.S. Lewis's work is perfectly acceptable material as long as you avoid obviously Protestant proclamations; the difficulties facing C.S. Lewis often are the same ones we face today. I like the way a foreword to "The Great Divorce" by a Catholic author put it: "...whereas men like C.S. Lewis, though they themselves cannot see over the mountain pass, stand nearly at the top, pointing us on." C.S. Lewis’s work is perfectly acceptable material as long as you avoid obviously Protestant proclamations; the difficulties facing C.S. Lewis often are the same ones we face today. I like the way a foreword to “The Great Divorce” by a Catholic author put it: “…whereas men like C.S. Lewis, though they themselves cannot see over the mountain pass, stand nearly at the top, pointing us on.”

]]> By: siobhan32 http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/comment-page-1/#comment-36075 siobhan32 Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:25:55 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/#comment-36075 You know, it's funny you should mention 'list of forbidden books' because way back when davinci code was published, the good priest spoke in his homily about the dangers of reading heresy. He said "I am not telling you what not to read. Don't read it." End of discussion. I think Catholics should have a list of 'read at your own risk' books/movies for the very reason Rachel states: "Satan likes to trot these out once in awhile in a miserable attempt to ridicule me and tempt me to doubt or despair over God’s love, mercy and forgiveness." Why give him ammunition? Why deliberately fill your memory with these? When we were kids, the nuns told us not to look at or read anything remotely 'unclean'. So, if Catholics today are all over the map, wouldn't a little guidance be a good thing??? You know, it’s funny you should mention ‘list of forbidden books’ because way back when davinci code was published, the good priest spoke in his homily about the dangers of reading heresy. He said “I am not telling you what not to read. Don’t read it.” End of discussion.

I think Catholics should have a list of ‘read at your own risk’ books/movies for the very reason Rachel states: “Satan likes to trot these out once in awhile in a miserable attempt to ridicule me and tempt me to doubt or despair over God’s love, mercy and forgiveness.” Why give him ammunition? Why deliberately fill your memory with these? When we were kids, the nuns told us not to look at or read anything remotely ‘unclean’. So, if Catholics today are all over the map, wouldn’t a little guidance be a good thing???

]]> By: tarasz http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/comment-page-1/#comment-36071 tarasz Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:20:15 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/#comment-36071 Woo-hoo! I'm loving this conversation. Recently I wondered if I was focusing too much on Catholic literature, because the fact remains, there really is a lot of great secular stuff out there. But as bambushka said, "...life is too short to spend time with secular and tasteless drivel. There are so many good Catholic books today"! Amen. I'm hardly finished one great Catholic book when I see two or three or ten more that I can't wait to start. Thank you all for letting me know that I'm not closing my mind off to the world...I'm opening my mind more and more to the Truth. Woo-hoo! I’m loving this conversation. Recently I wondered if I was focusing too much on Catholic literature, because the fact remains, there really is a lot of great secular stuff out there. But as bambushka said, “…life is too short to spend time with secular and tasteless drivel. There are so many good Catholic books today”!

Amen. I’m hardly finished one great Catholic book when I see two or three or ten more that I can’t wait to start. Thank you all for letting me know that I’m not closing my mind off to the world…I’m opening my mind more and more to the Truth.

]]> By: katieL http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/comment-page-1/#comment-36070 katieL Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:04:18 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/#comment-36070 I read "The Shack" and was also shaking my head at the liberties taken. It didn't draw me from my faith, just cauesd a puzzled expression most of the time. Now I'm reading Mother Theresa's Secret Fire, a much better choice. Within those pages, Rachel, you will find that God does indeed "thirst" for YOU. God Bless I read “The Shack” and was also shaking my head at the liberties taken. It didn’t draw me from my faith, just cauesd a puzzled expression most of the time. Now I’m reading Mother Theresa’s Secret Fire, a much better choice. Within those pages, Rachel, you will find that God does indeed “thirst” for YOU.

God Bless

]]> By: liturgylover http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/comment-page-1/#comment-36069 liturgylover Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:31:55 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/#comment-36069 Thank you so very much for hitting the nail on the head! You would be shocked (maybe not!) by the number of Catholics who come into our Catholic bookstore asking for The Shack, DaVinci Code, etc. These are faithful, practicing Catholics, but media hype and non-Catholic friends and acquaintances are enough to draw these good people to these types of books and then "get them thinking" about all the values they hold dear. We will order a book for someone who really insists, but not before trying to steer them to a good Catholic alternative. We don't keep the books in stock, though--shelf space is too precious in our store to waste on non-Catholic books (even those written and sold by "Catholic" authors and publishers!) One question too: Is an imprimatur necessarily a guarantee that a book is solidly Catholic? Or are there bishops who just rubber stamp sometimes? Thanks again for a great and thought provoking article! Thank you so very much for hitting the nail on the head! You would be shocked (maybe not!) by the number of Catholics who come into our Catholic bookstore asking for The Shack, DaVinci Code, etc. These are faithful, practicing Catholics, but media hype and non-Catholic friends and acquaintances are enough to draw these good people to these types of books and then “get them thinking” about all the values they hold dear. We will order a book for someone who really insists, but not before trying to steer them to a good Catholic alternative. We don’t keep the books in stock, though–shelf space is too precious in our store to waste on non-Catholic books (even those written and sold by “Catholic” authors and publishers!) One question too: Is an imprimatur necessarily a guarantee that a book is solidly Catholic? Or are there bishops who just rubber stamp sometimes? Thanks again for a great and thought provoking article!

]]> By: marcey http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/comment-page-1/#comment-36068 marcey Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:28:18 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/2008/11/14/114435/#comment-36068 I agree with elkabrikir! Cheryl's site www.BezalelBooks.com was recommended to me by a homeschooling mom and I have fed my family and classroom on great Catholic books ever since! My high school students LOVED "The Story of Peace" by Miriam Ezeh and so did their parents! Not an easy task to accomplish. My own daughters are reading the "All Things Girl" series and are eagerly anticipating the last two books. The journal has been a joy and I can respect their need for privacy when writing in it because it is completely Catholic in its questions and reflections. This site has been a gift and I am always checking back for new titles that they've added. I agree with elkabrikir! Cheryl’s site http://www.BezalelBooks.com was recommended to me by a homeschooling mom and I have fed my family and classroom on great Catholic books ever since!

My high school students LOVED “The Story of Peace” by Miriam Ezeh and so did their parents! Not an easy task to accomplish.

My own daughters are reading the “All Things Girl” series and are eagerly anticipating the last two books. The journal has been a joy and I can respect their need for privacy when writing in it because it is completely Catholic in its questions and reflections.

This site has been a gift and I am always checking back for new titles that they’ve added.

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