Bestseller "The Shack" raises issues (The Shack - William P. Young)

Member Name: robertandalison

Product:	The Shack - William P. Young
Date:	16/09/09 (37 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Well-written absorbing read

Disadvantages: Unbiblical nonsense mainly

The Shack was published in 2007 and 2 years on, it's still at Number 2 in the New York Times best sellers list. What is it about this book that has attracted so many people from different walks of life?

The Shack deals with the story of a man, Mack, whose daughter, Missy, has been abducted and is presumed dead. 4 years after this tragedy, Mack and his family are still struggling to deal with this event and where to lay the blame. Mack gets a letter which seems to be from God, inviting him to "The Shack" where his daughter's bloody clothing was found. Intrigued, angry and perplexed, Mack goes to the shack and their confronts God and all of his issues.

The Shack is well written and draws you along in the emotions of the story. I found it utterly absorbing and difficult to put down. It also raises many of the deepest questions we deal with as humans - Why do bad things happen? Why did God create us if he knew we would go bad? If God is in control, does that mean he's in control of evil too? How can we get out of the cycle of human sin? Although the author, William Young, has some interesting ideas and things to day, unfortunately his answers to these questions are wrong and ultimately empty.

Perhaps The Shack is so popular because it allows us to stay in comfort - according to Young, God does not ask anything of us. He simply offers us a relationship and if we don't want it, that's fine. Great! I'll stay as I am then! This small deception is a huge problem, as God actually requires that we trust in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour - not our equal.

The Shack is worth a read, but a careful read. Accept the useful and perceptive images, but check whether what Young is saying is right. And do spend some time confronting your issues with God, but with the Bible open!

Summary: Don't be so open-minded your brain falls out