The Shack: a Biblical review

Luk 11:46 And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. Luk 10:25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Pro 17:15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

Before any good study of the Bible, of human character, or anything else in life, it is always helpful to remember that God hates lawyers. Lawyers have not changed since the dawn of history. They will defend perverseness, evilness, and try to weasel around words to gain victories on technicalities. When judging people, judge by their actions and words, and do not go through great lengths to discredit and disattribute the words they say from themselves. Just because a story is fiction, and told in POV format, this does not mean the author is free from the any sinful ideas propagated in a positive light. The Shack, by William P. Young, was an interesting book to read, in the least. I would estimate that it had 5% insight, 5% known truths, 30% blasphemy, and 60% bloviation. The bloviation is to be expected from fictional novels of our current era. It gives its readers time to meld their imaginations into the setting of the book, and creates emotional bonds. Emotional bonds, however, should always be held in suspect when the author is trying to communicate theological truths. This is because the author then has the ability to create straw men or shape entire conversations without showing adequately any objections. A casual reader will be swept along, without knowing what weak points were avoided or what objections were not raised. In short, fictional books can be helpful, but only to the extent that it helps enunciate known truths. As a general rule of thumb, weak Christians wanting to learn theological truths or to grow closer to God should avoid religious fiction and instead turn to Gods word, the Bible. This book overwhelmingly suffers from the downfalls of fictional books. At least two instances were noted that the author uses a Deus Ex Machine to relieve the author from actually addressing raised issues. One of these is critical, because it shows the downfall of the authors entire theological system. This occurs when the protagonist is questioning Gods blamelessness in relation to setting up a system in which he knew would result in evil. An astute Christian might recall that David committed a heinous sin through proxy, in which he murdered someone by merely setting up circumstances in which the person would die in a war by an enemys hand.1 If David is guilty, then why not God? The author never gives an answer.

2Sa 11:15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die. 2Sa 12:9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

Even God, the God of the Bible that is, answered queries of righteousness levied against him. The evil king Abimelech (Abimelech is actually a title like Pharaoh and not a name) swayed Gods hand after questioning the rightness of Gods actions.2 God never shies away from these inquires except in fictional novels in which a real answer would undermined the anti-Biblical theology being presented. As with anything in this world, not all of this book is evil; as Denver Bible Church pastor Bob Enyart said of President Obama: At least hes not gay. This book actually has a couple surprising highlights, as will be detailed along with some minor and other major faults. The Good: On Marriage Marriage is not an institution. It is a relationship. Page 179
Gen 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him Gen 2:20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. Eph 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

God never set up marriage as to be certified by the government. The governments role in marriage was the mandatory enforcement of fidelity. That is the topic of a different paper. The Good: On God Being the Cause of Evil Just because I [God] work incredible good out of unspeakable tragedies doesnt mean I orchestrate the tragedies. Dont ever assume that my using something means I caused it or that I need it to accomplish my purposes. Page 185
Jam 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: Jam 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Gen 50:19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? Gen 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Rom 3:8 And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

It is evil to do evil that good may come. It is evil to do evil, regardless.

2

Gen 20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife. Gen 20:4 But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? Gen 20:5 Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this. Gen 20:6 And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

The Good: On God and Evil Nobody knows what horrors I have saved the world from cuz people cant see what never happened. All evil flows from independence, and independence is your choice. If I were to simply revoke all the choices of independence, the world as you know it would cease to exist and love would have no meaning. This world is not a playground where I keep all my children free from evil. Evil is the chaos of this age that you brought to me, but it will not have the final say. Now it touches everyone that I love, those who follow me and those who dont. If I take away consequences of peoples choices, I destroy all possibility of love. Love that is forced is no love at all. Page 190
Isa 5:1 Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: Isa 5:2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. Isa 5:3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. Isa 5:4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? Jer 18:7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; Jer 18:8 If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. Jer 18:9 And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; Jer 18:10 If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them. Jer 18:11 Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.

God loves us, tries to help us, but allows us to reject him. This is not consistent with the authors other theology, but that does not seem to bother him in the slightest. The Good: On Sin and Salvation In Jesus you are not under any law. All things are lawful. Page 203
1Co 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

No explanation, almost verbatim quote. The Good: On a Dynamic and Living God I [God] am alive, dynamic, ever active, and moving. Page 204

Jer 10:10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. Exo 3:6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

God, throughout the Bible, is referred to as the living God. God defines himself by his relationship with human beings. Calvinists and most mainstream Christians do not believe this. They say God is immutable and unchanging. This is another point in which the author is vague and inconsistent with how this relates to his other theology. The Bad: On the Age of the Earth Willow Lake itself is five miles long and one mile wide, formed, some say, by glaciers nice million years ago. Page 34
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

A quick reminder is in order that God hates lawyers. The defender of this heinous passage will note the subjectivity of the passage, as it attributes it to some say. No creationist would have written this. Who would have written this, on the other hand, is an evolutionist who would want to highlight the grandeur of the lake through the faulty notion that it takes millions of years to create beautiful landscapes, a subtle nod to evolutionist readers, while still maintaining plausible deniability for gullible Christians. The writer is an evolutionist, and the reader should take care to understand that God hates those who defend evil before claiming otherwise. The Bad: On the Nature of Evil Mackenzie, evil is a word we use to describe the absence of Good, just as we use the word darkness to describe the absence of Light or death to describe the absence of Life. Both evil and darkness can only be understood in relation to Light and Good; they do not have any actual existence. Page 136
1Jn 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. 1Jn 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

In what seems like direct plagiarism from a random Readers Digest, the author utters an inane statement about the nature of evil. The statement is one which might seem clever if uttered by Paris Hilton among her friends before smoking pot, but it has no place in Christianity. It reeks of Platonism and Gnosticism which advocates a dualistic world in which good and evil are in a constant and necessary struggle. In some forms of Platonism the evil was the physical world while the good was a transcendent, timeless, immutable, eternity into which humans had to meditate and shun fleshly concerns to transcend. This is not a Biblical concept in the least: evil

never had to exist, the fall never was fated to happen, Satan was not forced to rebel. God defines sin as unrighteousness, and even the unrighteous can do good deeds.1 I wonder how far the author would continue to explain this concept, if pressed. Is it Gods location that is the issue? Is it Gods reach or influence? Is there any intersection with unrighteousness with whatever characteristic defines none-absence? Sure God is physically located sometimes where evil is or sometimes uses evil people or actions for good. In what capacity can this statement be true? Where does the Bible define evil, and we must assume sin is meant as God sometimes explicitly caused evil (general pain and suffering) in the Old Testament to perform his works2, as anything close to that definition. This also clashes with the authors statement elsewhere in the book that God is everywhere, although the author does not seem to care much for consistency. The Bad: On Gender and Evil This world, in many ways, would be much calmer and gentler place if women ruled. There would have been far fewer children sacrificed to the gods or greed or power. Page 148
Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: Rom 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. Rom 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

there was a significant gender gap [in the 2008 election] 55% of women favored the Democratic ticket. Seventy (70%) percent of unmarried women supported Obama, a margin of more than 2-to-1. Among married women, 53% voted for Obama vs. 45% for McCain.
http://accurateshooter.wordpress.com/2008/11/05/analysis-of-election-results-women-and-youngvoters-were-key/

Finding a popular Christian author with a moral compass is like stumbling across the lost city of Atlantis; it does not happen. Political correctness has turned the author against God, against children, and against common sense. Woman, in the 2008 election cycle, overwhelmingly voted for legalized plunder and the murder of the unborn. Obama was overtly pro-genocide of children, while McCain was semi-covertly pro-genocide of children. Almost 100% of women voters showed that murdering children is just fine with them. All people are sinners; we have the statistics to prove it. This statement by the author boarders on blasphemy, claiming that Gods power structure, with men as the head of government, the church, and the family, is wrong. Authority and the Bible will be addressed further down.

Luk 10:33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 2 1Sa 16:14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. 2Sa 24:15 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men. 2Sa 24:16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.

The Bad: On Economics So no, I am not too big on religion [people who do things contrary to God in the name of religion], Jesus said a little sarcastically, and not very fond of politics or economics either. Page 179
Isa 5:1 Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: Isa 5:2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. Isa 5:3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. Isa 5:4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

This author, though not expected to be at expert at everything, should at least try to understand the statements he attributes to God. To fail to do this could result in blasphemy. Economics is not an institution. Saying God is against Economics is like saying God is against gravity. Economics is the study about how people respond to incentives and cope with scarcity. Gods reason for creation was a love relationship with mankind. God cares deeply for the wants, needs and desires of his beloved. God, in reality, is the ultimate economist. The Bad: On Judging It is much worst than that, resumed Sarayu [the Holy Spirit], It grants you the power to judge others and feel superior to them. You believe you are living a higher standard than those you judge. Page 203
1Co 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 1Co 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 1Co 6:4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 1Co 6:5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? Joh 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. [underlined due to modern Christians inability to read at a 4th grade level this is a passage about how to judge]

Christians sometimes are living a higher standard than others, in fact, Jesus tells us to live on a higher standard and then judge others. Jesus elsewhere states that we must judge with righteous judgment. Christians will judge the world, says Paul. We need to start getting some practice. The Bad: On Forgiveness Forgiveness is first for you, the forgiver, answered Papa, to release you from something that will eat you alive; that will destroy your joy and ability to love fully and openly. Page 225
2Ti 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:

Paul does not seem to think it is un-Christian to hold grudges or to wish for righteous judgment on the wicked. The Bad: On Forgiveness in Heaven And as for Missy [who is at the time in heaven], she has already forgiven him [her murderer]. Page 226
Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

The Bible and the author differ immensely on the forgiving attitude of those murdered. Although the Biblical passage is about those martyred for Christ, we are not to be lawyers, this attitude is just and right, and there is nothing wrong with vengeance. These passages suggest, contrary to what the author states in his book, that the change in heart will be in the other direction: those Christians who advocate universal forgiveness will be quick to change their minds once martyred. The author purposely misrepresents heaven due to his flagrant disregard for God and the Bible. The Ugly: Blasphemy concerning Gods gender I [God] am neither male nor female, even though both genders are derived from my nature He [Mackenzie] believed, in his head at least, that God was a Spirit, neither male nor female page 93
Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image (tselem), after our likeness (demuth): and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image (tselem), in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. [Notice the him to them transition] (For word comparison: Gen 5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness (demuth), after his image (tselem); and called his name Seth: ) Joh 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

God is referred to as father and never mother. God additionally created man first and woman from him. God created man in his image. Although this can be applied to logical thinking processes, the words for image and likeness both are about appearance. God established man as head of the woman. God designated males over females in the church. Angels are all males, and some of them even have sexual relations with human females (Gen 6:2). God casts Israel as his bridesmaid and as a whore when Israel abandons him. The Greek and Hebrew words for God are both in the masculine gender. Jesus was male and is, in fact, God. Never does the Bible ever hint that God is feminine, just tangent aspects of his characteristics, a practice which is common in languages with gender specific nouns. In spite of the abundant evidence that God is male, the author blasphemes God by casting him as female and calling him neuter. Imagine if the author was to call his own father a girl or to call his mother a man, or to proclaim that either was neutered. These are insults of the highest caliber. It is blasphemy to cast God as a female or to claim he is neutered. The author also tries to make the unfounded and unbiblical claim that spirits do not have gender. The Ugly: On Gods Hatred of the Wicked I [Jesus] dont like a lot of the choices they make, but that anger especially for me is an expression of love all the same. I love the ones I am angry with just as much as those Im not. Page 119
Psa 11:5 The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. Pro 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he Psa 45:7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness

God has a general love for the world, but he hates the wicked. If a Christians daughter was murdered, the Christian could hate the murderer enough to want him painfully punished for his action, but could also have a general love for him to want him saved. The two emotions (love and hate) are not opposites and do not conflict. And yes, God does love some people more than others. To say that God loves those people in hell destroys the very meaning of love thus blaspheming God, who John claims is love (1Jn 4:8). The Ugly: On Authority Chain of command? That sounds ghastly! Jesus said. Page 122 We [the trinity] have no concept of final authority among us, only unity. We are in a circle relationship, not a chain of command or great chain of being as your ancestors termed it. Page 122
1Co 15:27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 1Co 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Luk 22:42 Saying [Jesus saying], Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. Joh 12:49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. Luk 2:49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?

It is downright blasphemous to try to rearrange the hierarchy and claim that Jesus is equal to God the Father. The author tries to make Jesus light hearted, whimsical and silly concerning authority, as if Gods delegation of authority is a laughing matter. God gives mankind an example in himself about respect, the flow of authority, and proper roles. From here God delegates authority down to the government1 and to the father2 down through the mother3 and children. Despite the claims of MTV, every public school teacher, and this author, authority flows downhill. The Ugly: On Universal Reconciliation Those who love me come from every system that exists. They were Buddhists or Mormons, Baptists or Muslims, Democrats, Republicans I have no desire to make them Christian What that does mean is that I will travel any road to find you. Page 182
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Luk 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
1

Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Rom 13:2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. Rom 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: Rom 13:4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 2 Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 3 Eph 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)

Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Jesus made the claim that it would only be a small percentage that would see heaven, and Paul specifically tells Christians how those who have never heard of Christ are saved. Those who start worshiping man made images and idols are not saved. Likewise, Buddhists, a religion that claims no creator God, are not saved. Mormons, who have ample access to the truth but affirm the ravings of a psychic treasure hunter, are not saved. In fact, the possible numbers of people saved from some of these groups are so infinitesimally small, subject to loose definitions of terms, that the only point the author is trying to make is that universalism is true. At a minimum, the author is guilty of propagating affirmation toward people in those groups that they are equal to true Christians (ie people who voted for baby killers are compared to Bible believing Baptists). God tells us to throw out wicked Christians, not make them feel warm and fuzzy. The Ugly: Blasphemy concerning Gods trustworthiness Mack, I am God. I forget nothing. Page 224
Isa 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Heb 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

I would venture to guess that there is no combination of words in the English dictionary, when said by God, that could cause the author to believe that God actually can forget something. God is very clear when he says he will forget our (and Israels) sins. God, in fact, says he will forget and not remember, a double affirmation that the information will be lost forever. The author calls God a liar, saying God told believers something manifestly not true. This is a clear cut case of blasphemy, but the blasphemy cuts even deeper than just lies. God, in Isaiah, says he is forgetting on his own accord, not for Israel, but for himself. But, to the Calvinist, God is an incompetent slave. God is as a chained observer in a box, forced to know

everything, always, at all times, past, present and future. God is present at every homosexual act in every bar, at every viewing of a child rape video, at every animal sex act. To the Calvinist, God must see his son forever hanging and suffering on the cross. Not only is God present, it is claimed, but God must have this in the forefront of his mind at all time, eternally. It is this sadistic and blasphemous account that the author advocates. Conclusion
Isa 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Pro 17:15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

In the current era, we have witnessed an explosion of information. Data flows through our fingertips at the speed of light around the world and back again. Books become cheaper and cheaper to produce and distribute, and practically anyone the world over can disseminate their ideas. The modern Christian is more at risk than ever before. Like a foolish child, dragged to the bottom with his peers, Christians are more and more forsaking the Bible in favor of popular fiction and self-congratulation in their own self-identified ignorance. Whereas Paul along with the unnamed writer of Hebrews said Christians needed to move past milk and to grow1, the current Church saturates itself in milk. They pride themselves at creating stories from their own imagination about the character and attributes of God. They dream conversations with God and claim them as reality. They innovate word webs to foolproof their theories that would make even the highest paid of lawyers cringe. But God hates the lawyers. God hates those who blaspheme his name. And God hates the double minded (those who believe contradictory things).2 The author is just one such person. He has given up on the God of the Bible for his own foolish whims. He has melded his theology with modern paganism in order to create a hybrid God that he sees as more loving, kind, tolerant, and all around better. The God of the Bible is to be ignored and supplanted. Direct quotes from God are to be ignored or interpreted to mean the exact opposite. Such is the bitter state of Christianity, where they turn the truth of God into a lie,
1

1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 2 Jas 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Jam 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

and instead of worshipping the creator, they invent for themselves an image. Truth gives way to fantasy and a new god is born out of the depths of depravity. The Shack serves as a pungent reminder of the extent to which Christians have abandoned God.