"The Shack"

"The Shack"
By William P. Young
As well as enjoying films, I also enjoy reading. I always have a book with me or by my bed to read. Depending on what's going on in my schedule I have more time for reading than at other times. I've never actually blogged my thoughts on a book before, but this was just so good I had to share.
"the Shack" is a must read, as far as I'm concerned, for christians and non-christians alike. It will challenge your preconceptions of God. How much of the God we "know" is really God and how much is centuries of lifeless man-made tradition and dogma? How does God feel about people? The author presents God (although he explains why he does this) in a rather unorthodox way. In fact, I've already heard of one person saying that they found it somewhat offensive. At any rate, you'll have to read it to really understand what I'm getting at. I don't want to tell too much.
So, my thoughts are this...christians seem to be comfortable living in bondage to a God that expects us to preform and try to live up to an impossible standard, only to find that we can't do it alone. But we keep trying anyway because that's what we've been told and taught for years. Christians are also afraid of new ideas. We don't want to listen to someone or read something that we might not agree with. Reading or listening does not involve an obligation to accept and adopt. We automatically assume that if something is contradictory to what we've been taught for years (I'm not talking about Biblical truths here) than it obviously wrong and heretical. Really, though? Do we really think that we've got God so perfectly figured out and fit into our little comfort zone that we may not have missed something? I think we've missed tons! Organized religion is lifeless. I believe that God's plans for a "church" transcend a building or a specific theological doctrine that divides. It goes so much deeper than what we have made it. I believe that god wants so much more out of his relationships with us too. More than we've made it; a rigid list of "do this" and "don't do this." It has become something we do instead of a relationship with God. We live in guilt and condemnation when we do not "preform" up to his "expectations." all which doesn't bring life is not from God. I have started ranting...
At any rate, the story has some very interesting things to say about life and presents life and God in a very real and relevant way. Check it out. I promise it will revolutionize your life.