It was with some reluctance that I began reading The Shack, especially as it quickly became clear that it was a big, fat, christian sunday-school lesson. I'm not sure what I was expecting, something like a more spiritually uplifting No Country For Old Men is what I had in my head from the descriptions I was told. But never mind that. I do strive to take things as they are, free of my twisted expectations, and I am determined to stick with the book club choices. After all, the primary benefit of this game, as I see it, is that it can persuade me to read a different set of books. It's good to get dragged out of my box.
My box, if you will, does not usually include books of a very religious nature. I have too many bad memories of my 18 year guilt complex. But that is why I ultimately found The Shack to be refreshingly thought-provoking.
My pride rebelled against it at first. After all, it takes some serious gall for this man to write a book about God. "What does he know?" I asked myself. And then I would get peeved by its brazen declarations of its own goodness, and the inevitability that it would change my life, and if I don't like it then it wasn't meant for me.
"I'll be the judge of that." (That's right. I talked back to this book a lot.)
In spite of my own inner belief that I know more about God than anyone else, I had to admire the fact that this guy had the guts to cut through all the bullcrap and write a book about God. He didn't hide behind symbolism, or write a veiled allegory about a grandfather whom we could choose to interpret as God. He simply wrote God directly into it. That takes some balls. So after some initial kicking and screaming I just decided to go with it. Take it on its own level. And I found myself actually enjoying it, and thinking a lot about it.
I really respect that this book was able to take a deeper look at what "christianity" should be about but without making me feel like a terrible person. It has always seemed to me that a lot of religion is based on the idea that I am a terrible person. If everyone followed the example that this book sets than the world would truly be a beautiful place. My favorite part of all is when Mack asks Jesus what it means to be a good christian, and Jesus responds saying, "Who said anything about being a christian? I'm not a christian." I don't like the way religion is often used as an excuse for people to put themselves above others. The parts of this book that touched me the most were the parts about freeing yourself from hierarchies, and expectations, and worldly judgement so that you can be open to the mutual love, and relationships that we as humans were made for.
So in short: this boook didn't really change my life. But I did like it a lot. It forced me to think about a lot of things that, quite frankly, I don't like to think about. And that's not a bad thing at all. So I appreciate it. Thanks Karalee for picking it for this club.
Just thought I'd post this and get people talking about it. And, on another note, I will be posting next month's book choice in the next few days. So brace yourselves. I'm definitely going to throw down with something totally different. Just returning the favor. ;)
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4 comments:
I thought this book was refreshing for sure. I'm almost finished and I have lot of thinking ahead of me. It's been a healing and painful process. but even if you were not Christian at all, this book should be respected.
Sorry guys, but I totally disagree.
I really didn't like this book. After all the build-up---I was expecting more----but I thought that the writing was terrible and it sometimes made me laugh out loud at how cheesy the conversations were. Who talks like that in real life? Even to an African American/Asian/unattractive man God? Maybe I just totally disagree with the authors beliefs and just couldn't get over it.
I actually didn't like that part, Brandon, when Jesus CHRIST says that he is not a Christian....uh....isn't that what it means to follow Jesus CHRIST?
Hmmmmm----anywho----sorry to be a downer on this one----but I had to STRUGGLE to finish it----and I really had high hopes for it! I did! But instead, I felt a bit too much of the author's particular preachiness---not especially written well, and oh, yeah----whats up with all the gluttony? Does God spend all his time eating?
Well, bottom line, this book made me hungry. For some good food....and for another book.
So---bring it on, Brandon!! :)
Whoops---I meant to say "African American woman/Asian gal/unattractive man-God" Totally don't believe in the three as one deal, either....
:)
I haven't finished yet, but I wanted to put some of my feedback on here. What I've liked so far is that they said they chose to portray themselves in those characters to help Mack feel more comfortable. I definitely don't see the Trinity in that way, but I think that's always up for interpretation. The only time we will know for sure is when the time comes and we are done here on earth.
Being LDS, I went into this book with my mind closed and I expected it to make me laugh out loud. But I haven't done a lot of that. I'll admit, some of the dialogue has been cheesy. But I've been able to look past that and think about what Mack is learning.
I don't see God as some distant guy up in the sky with all the power. I see him as a my heavenly father. So, I agree with what they are trying to get Mack to understand with relationships.
Again, I'm not done yet. I'm sure I'm getting ahead of myself, so I'll just go finish. So far, I'm not impressed with the writing, but I'm liking the message a lot.
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