The Shack.

Over the past few months, I've had several people recommend this book to me. As soon as I read the plot summary (see www.theshackbook.com) I knew I wanted to read it, but I only got around to finishing it yesterday.
So here goes, my thoughts /opinions /book review...

The first part was horrible- not that it was badly written, or that there was anything wrong with the plot, it was just so SAD. A child being murdered is the most unthinkable thing. Unfortunately though, tragedies like that do happen. And it had to happen to that character, or the book wouldn't exist. When I got to the part where Mackenzie receives a note from "God", I almost didn't want to keep reading. I can honestly tell you that if I received a note like that, inviting me back to the place my daughter was murdered, I definitely would not be going. As much faith as anyone can have in God, there's a certain amount of faith we cannot have in humans. Humans like the ones who murder people, and could have left the note, planning a cruel or even violent prank. But then if the character was anything like me, the book would only be 60 pages long. So we just have to go with it, I guess. By the way, you should probably stop reading this blog entry here if you haven't read the book and you're planning to, because I don't want to ruin the plot for you.

So Mackenzie is at the Shack and he meets God- three characters, who represent the Holy Trinity. I actually liked the way God was portrayed through these characters. (They say God had no particular gender, no race etc...who knows, he could have made himself into a black woman or a Chinese lady if he wanted to!) I know some people didn't like that, but it really didn't bother me. We honestly don't know, at the end of our lives, how God will appear to us, and these characters were likable enough and served their purpose for the book. The same goes for some of the events, such as the "meeting of friends" chapter. Even if those events never happen exactly that way, it's a nice metaphor. It's a work of fiction and the author is being creative to make a valid point. I'm saying this in response to some bad reviews I read, that claim it's not exactly "true to the Bible." Well, this is fiction, and the Bible is not. I think it just needs to be read with an open mind, so we can consider the possibilities, but also our own views. Some people are asking, "Could a story like this possibly be real?" Although the story was made up, I do believe God can communicate with us through supernatural experiences, and definitely through dreams. I think it did a good job of explaining a lot of basic Christian values, and out of everything I've read in attempt to answer the big question that the book is based on: "Where is God in a World so filled with unspeakable pain?" So far this has come closer than anything else to actually answering that question for me, even though there is still so much we will never understand- and then we just have to have faith. The only thing that I felt a bit conflicted about, was the portrayal of God the Father- the book spent a bit of time explaining that God is not the harsh dictator we think He is, judging us and laying down the law. It even suggests we don't need to live by the commandments. I've heard similar views before, but after reading most of the Old Testament, I don't quite know where these views of a gentle, kind God are coming from. I know Jesus is gentle and kind, but God, even though He loves us- always seems kind of ...angry...to me. I would like to see God the way the book does, as a loving, all forgiving, non-judgmental parent, but I really don't. I just don't know that I believe He is like that.

Anyway, after I finished reading, my first thought was that the Church, and Christians should be pleased to have a book with these messages, becoming so successful. But after Googling for a while, it seems they're not, and it's actually quite obvious why- the book states that while Jesus loves his "church", by that he means His people having a relationship with each other, and most importantly with Him. It says that it's not about the walls and the place of worship, the institution, the religious leaders and the expectations we have of each other. The real message of Jesus gets lost in us trying to figure out who to listen to, which denomination to turn to, and trying to please other humans instead of God. The Church is obviously not going to like a popular and successful book telling people they don't need the Church. But I actually agree with the book on this one. Church can be a good thing, but there's no point going through the motions every Sunday if the rest of the week you don't think of God at all. And it so often just distracts us from actually communicating with God in our own lives because we're too busy doing whatever the Church told us to do.

Either way, I would recommend people read it. Even if it doesn't change your life, it will at least make you think. :)