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MarilynW
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| Posted: April 23 2009 at 10:26pm | IP Logged
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I just received this as a gift. My husband says he has heard of it and that there is a lot of controversy about it - Catholic/Christian? I have never heard of the book. I am not going to read it because my husband thinks it might not be appropriate and because it looks disturbing from the back cover (and I am filling my mind with happy thoughts right now!!) - but I am interested to know if anyone has heard of it and has any opinions.
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Marilyn
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Sarah M
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| Posted: April 23 2009 at 11:11pm | IP Logged
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Hi Marilyn. A few of us discussed The Shack over in the book club 2009 thread a few months ago:
Aggie gal wrote:
Sarah M wrote:
Carmie wrote:
| Sarah, I was just perusing the book club page. I received The Shack for Christmas. Have you started reading it? I'm curious about it. |
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I got about halfway and then bailed...
LisaD wrote:
btw, I read The Shack over the summer. It was theologically very...different. It is the type of book, where if someone who was completely unchurched read it, they might get some unorthodox ideas from it, and take it as truth (as some people tend to do when reading fiction--just think DaVinci Code). It is much more benign than DaVinci Code, of course. It wasn't the kind of book that I passed on after I read it.
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I had heard it was the Pilgrim's Progress of our generation, but I strongly disagree. I got about halfway through it- enough to see what was so unorthodox- then lost interest. It didn't speak to or inspire me at all. Very different. I think the message of the whole thing was supposed to be "You are loved by God," which of course is a wonderful message. It's just the way it was done- by portraying God as it did, that struck a nerve and disturbed me. I wouldn't recommend it. It's not that it was overtly horrible- just not something I would recommend when there are so many other wonderful books to choose from! |
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I'm with Sarah on this one.. I felt the exact same way about the book and ditched it mid-way. I started it because a number of ladies at a bible study I go to had been raving about it.  |
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I think a major concern expressed was the portrayal of God as female. Obviously- not theologically sound. You said it looks disturbing from the back cover...that's pretty accurate . If you are filling your mind with happy thoughts for this last stretch of your pregnancy, it'd probably be a good book to skip.
Hugs to you!
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Chari
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| Posted: April 23 2009 at 11:13pm | IP Logged
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Marilyn.......we discussed it on the Book Club 2009 thread.......perhaps on the lst couple of pages?
most of the women here did not like it, who did read it
a Christian friend at work today was trying to get me to read "this wonderful" book.
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crusermom
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| Posted: April 24 2009 at 8:14am | IP Logged
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Besides being disturbing, it was just poorly written and boring. I also wouldn't want my kids to pick it up and read it.
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Mary
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MarilynW
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| Posted: April 24 2009 at 8:17am | IP Logged
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Thanks everyone. I am putting it in my library donate box. My husband was spot on - given all your reviews. Thank goodness as I had never heard of the book. The other gift I received was Bella - and I know this is a keeper! (we took it out of the library and it was awesome)
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Marilyn
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Mackfam
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| Posted: April 24 2009 at 8:36am | IP Logged
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I just wanted to say that I borrowed Bella from Netflix as a date night movie for my husband and I. I  almost the entire way through the movie. What an amazing and powerful movie...though, not really date night material, iykwim.
Glad you got the skinny on the weird book, M. Keep the happy thoughts rolling in! Pink bunnies.  Sweet smelling loveys. Dainty socks Pretty girly clothes...for you! and books that sing of all things beautiful and inspiring!
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Kyra
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| Posted: May 13 2009 at 7:52pm | IP Logged
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Horrible book. Theologically insane. I was given it as a Christmas present, and my husband and I both read it and hated it.
The writing was also bad. Da Vinci Code, romance novel bad.
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Macmom
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| Posted: June 18 2009 at 6:48pm | IP Logged
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Don't donate it. Burn it. (Yes, you'll be accused of censorship, but so what!) You don't want it confusing vulnerable people at the library sale. :-)
peace,
macmom
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Theresa
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My mother had been telling me about it and had said she wanted to read it so I thought I would read it (to sort of proof it for her). I started it and about 1/2 way through put it down too. 
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seven2hold
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| Posted: Oct 14 2009 at 6:06pm | IP Logged
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I read The Shack last spring. I read no reviews on the book (uintil I began reading this thread a few minutes ago). I overheard one woman telling another woman about what a great spiritual novel it was. I noted the title and put it on hold at the library.
Readers have already made remarks on some of the parts of the book that were not so great. So I will focus on the things I really liked:
At one point during his visit with the Holy Trinity, the main character finds the Holy Spirit at work in a garden. The garden has beauty but it is overgrown and disorderly. I can't remember his name, but the main character calls the garden a real mess. The Holy Spirit laughs and agrees with him. The two of them talk about his walk of faith as they pull weeds, trim bushes and restore beauty. When they are finished he finds out that the garden they were working on was the garden of his heart (or his soul). It was beautiful but unruly and in need of pruning. I LOVED this!
I also loved the expression of love the Holy Trinity had as they served one another. This really brought home the service = love message to me.
The forgiveness was beautiful. Absolutely. Incredibly beautiful and only possible through Jesus Christ.
I don't know if it was discussed but the author was VERY anti organized religion. It was easy for me to overlook this because the author was a Protestant. If I were a protestant I too would hate organized religion! There can be as many Protestant churces as there are Protestant people! 
For me there was enough beauty in the book that it was easy to overlook the errors of a misguided author without the benefit of Holy Mother Church. I recommend it.
Please, no tomatoes!
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Kathy
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ladybugs
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As some of you know, I'm working with an Opus Dei priest, Father John Waiss, on promoting his new book, Born to Love.
Father recently started a blog to address questions that are coming his way.
He wrote a blog post on The Shack. You can find it here.
I read the book in January and while I really liked the emphasis on relationship, I didn't like the other muck - like the author's disdain for authority and organized religion that went along with it.
Hope that helps....
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ladybugs
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| Posted: Oct 15 2009 at 2:31pm | IP Logged
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Just an idea here - it might be good to read just from the apologetical aspect....
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Maria P
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seven2hold
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| Posted: Oct 15 2009 at 4:57pm | IP Logged
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Maria,
Thank you for the link to Fr. Waiss' blog. I thought his review was very good, balanced. I particulary like the last few sentences...
"...His putting value in human relationships as a reflection of Trinitarian relationship remarkably reflects the teachings of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI.
Final Take: If one is doctrinally and emotionally well-grounded, the literary liberties of this book is not likely to rock your faith-boat. In fact, it may motivate a good healing and give you a new appreciation for the importance of relationships." Fr. Waiss from his blog linked above.
Thanks again Maria.
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Kathy
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4Real Forums : Book Club
Topic: The Shack - by WM. Paul Young?
