Very true, So say we all. I could not get past the first meeting of Papa in the book, it caused me to stop listing to the book and weep. Its not gospel, But Gods fingerprints are all over this.

This is a story about God's redemptive love. Forgiveness, and judgement. It is a beautiful story with beautiful slices of wisdom and morals in it. People too often are stuck in their "religion" doctrine/dogma. Often times it runs people away from the church, instead of welcomes people in relationship with God. It's also overlooked when Mack went to The Shack, he opened up the nightstand drawer, and took out the Bible and read it until he fell asleep. It was a beautiful, profound tale of God's love and grace. Too many ppl are missing the forest for the trees. Sad ;(

I think that the sort of backlash that you see against The Shack is almost inevitable when a movie (or book, though I haven't read the book yet) represents God's character so well. The enemy hates that, and so he pulls whatever levels he can pull to try to defame or discredit the movie before people actually see it and potentially meet God for themselves.

The idea that people have of this book and movie being SO FAR away from theological basis is just foolishness. Why get caught up in the theological mumbo-jumbo? The book/movie isn't meant to throw in on the Theological issues, it's meant to help us take God out of this box we keep trying to put Him in. I've read the book quite a few times and the beauty of it is that it makes me THINK, think about it...IT MAKES YOU THINK on HOW we view God. Sure if I wanted to pick at the theological issues I could, but I could do that with a bunch of different sermons, songs, etc. The point is this was a story that God placed on someone's heart to share to help give us a different perspective...which let's be honest, we ALL NEED a FRESH perspective on every aspect of our lives ever now and then.

Never have seen such a good commentary like yours about this movie! Thanks for sharing!

I'm fairly light on theology. My nitch is to be the seventh person over, in the seventh pew back in church. Sometimes I think I'd like to be no more than a dog that sleeps at the feet of God while he sits by a fire and reads a book. Having said that... . ... Consider this a story, not about theology so much as about metaphysics. Metaphysics is just broad general concepts, theology is specifics and leave it at that. Unless you are non Christian, say Jewish, Hindu, or whatever, I don't see how you can have a big problem with "The Shack" theologically speaking and left to only minor problems you might have with particulars. . Somewhere in the new book it says, "those that aren't against me, are with me." "The Shack" doesn't tell you what to believe. It's very much like the new testament of the bible, which is filled with parables - this is just a parable to help you to think about a complex topic not easily conceptualized without the parable. That's all. I'm a bit repulsed by branding in religion - its not necessary, at least from the standpoint of the Deity. The only people who benefit from branding are the owner's of the brand. For the most part, I think the people who have problems with "The Shack" have a brand they are trying to protect, in other words, religion entrepreneurs and their dependent clientele. The entrepreneurship is the card they aren't showing. The rest of us can contemplate and grow from the experience.

Well me too