THE SHACK movie, Christian review
Thank you for stopping in to read about The Shack movie, Christian review of a book-based screenplay by Wm. Young.
SHACKing up with god
We are not to make God after our image. It is an abomination to make a false representation of God. The Shack is guilty of this on three accounts. First, the movie (and book) describes God in terms of a three separate individuals. Second, it describes a God in terms of the ideal sugar daddy—someone who is there to make us feel better about life. The third issue is tied into the second, this God is post-modern and embodies the thoughts of popular culture rather than biblical ideology.
Lies about the identity of Jesus Christ
Before the Son was born, the prophets told us He would embody all the fullness of God. Isaiah did not say there would be a “Papa” figure and a hipster Jesus dude from California. He did not say there would be an ethereal woman Spirit thing. He said the Son would himself be Prince of Peace, the everlasting Father, and the Wonderful Counselor. This means that God, in His nature as the Father would dwell in the Son. This means that the Spirit who is also called the Counselor would dwell in this man. This Son is God who became flesh John 1:1, 14. One cannot draw a distinction between the Father and the Spirit any more than one could draw a distinction between the everlasting Father and the mighty God. Look at this verse describing Jesus’s true identity:
“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given… And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
Cheated through vain philosophy
The Shack makes God into a non-biblical image derived from philosophers who distorted the biblical view of God in the third century. Tertullian, who developed the idea of this God in three distinctions, admitted that the majority of people rejected his view of God. In other words, Christians believed in only one God who had manifest Himself in Jesus Christ, but Tertullian was trying to get them to see God through the lens of middle-platonic thought. The Scriptures warn us to watch out for people who will distort our understanding of Jesus Christ:
Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:8-9)
Jesus Christ is not the Son who has always been. The term “son” indicates that one had a beginning, a birth. God is One. This is the foundational concept of the Bible:
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!” (Deuteronomy 6:4)
The Shack movie, Christian review
The other issues of the postmodern pop theology and the “make you feel better” casting of God’s purpose would be laughable if they weren’t so sad. It is as if the author/producers have exploited the sorrows and hurts all humans experience to try to make a God who is relevant. This is a pagan god, not the King of the universe.
Jesus did not go around giving people therapy and stuffed teddy bears. He challenged people to pick from the brokenness of life and move forward with a purpose and an identity. He challenges us today to forsake all and follow Him, not settle back into our lives with more warm feely emotions.
The author of The Shack was frequently molested as a young man. This book, and subsequent movie, are his therapy. It was written to help him deal with his past hurts. Unfortunately it not only shows his misunderstandings and preconceptions about God, but is now confusing millions of viewers.
Destroying Biblical Doctrines
The Word of God is thrown out the window in The Shack as if it is putting God in a box. There is no hell. There is no wrath of God. There is no punishment for evil. The god of the shack does not bring justice, he just makes everyone feel good.
This movie teaches doctrines of devils that everyone from all paths will be saved. You need to know that that is not the case. The majority of people will go to eternal punishment. I do not want you to be that person. You must know the truth in Jesus Christ!
Regarding the The Shack move, Christian review, I cannot be happy about this program for many reasons. Leave a comment below if you would like to know more about the God of truth. I would love to help you meet Him through His bestselling book of all time, the Bible.
4 Comments
Excellent thoughts, Brother. I did not know that the author of the book had been abused and that the book was using it as therapy. Was that prescribed by a doctor, or was it his own idea?
That is my take on the book because it is an attempt to understand and answer the question of why people suffer unjustly. I am sure it is a question that has haunted him since his childhood. He wrote the book for his kids to show them his views of God, so I understand.
In the audiobook version of The Shack he discusses the abuse he suffered briefly. He does not go into detail as I recall but he does mention it.
I am saddened by what he did go through. Such experiences can really distort a person’s perceptions of reality.