The Shack

[Onesiphorus]

Dear Wabco , you say on the one hand that it is a work of fiction and on the other hand you give it equal prominence with the bible by saying it was inspired by the Holy Ghost ,many Christian organisations use this book as a witnessing tool so to say it is harmless is not accurate ,as the Gospel of salvation is only found in one place that is the bible and the Holy Ghost only inspired that work and can only teach from the word of God

[inquisitive]

The Holy Spirit does far more than teaching through the bible alone, that is a very blinkered viewpoint. What is taught needs to be aligned to scripture, but the methodology of the Holy Spirit teaching is not through bible alone, IMO and experience.

[canny]

What you seem to have missed is that only 1 point was about God being female but what about the rest of the points that the book teaches

Soz I been away, and have not really kept up,,, but that was kinda my point, it does not claim to "teach",,, its a novel,,,,simply thought provoking IMO

Onesi -

so if I wrote a book and wrote that God was a talking pink pony who loved eating popcorn and burgers and watched daytime TV that would be OK

I wanna know which section of the Library that would go in Onesi ... What about the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe,,,?

[Onesiphorus]

Welcome back , you have been needed here to keep me under control ,hope youve had a great time

[eddybear]

.......you give it equal prominence with the bible by saying it was inspired by the Holy Ghost....

Eh? That doesn't follow, onesi. Plenty of things benefit from the blessing of God's Holy Spirit, especially IMO in the realm of the arts, be it classical music, theatre, poetic writing (e.g. George Herbert) and so on. To say that these things are "inspired" does not for a minute mean they are on a par with Scripture, but does recognise they are blessed by God.

Canny also makes a good point about the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Another CS Lewis phantasy piece is "The Great Divorce", which I found very helpful, and then there is the Christian classic "Pilgrim's Progress".

Something does not have to be literally true, in order to convey truth. Just look at the fiction Jesus employed to teach about God!

[Onesiphorus]

Dear Eddybear ,I ahve not suggested that at all but to equqte any of these with Holy Ghost inspiration is not true ,Pilgrims progress is a wonderful read but to say it was inspired by the Holy Ghost ,no way .But if people would rather draw their own opinions on what the Holy Ghost inspires then we will just as well close up the bible and make it up as we go along

[MagnaniMiss]

So what else is new?

[Lynwood]

the Gospel of salvation is only found in one place that is the bible and the Holy Ghost only inspired that work and can only teach from the word of God

Dear Eddybear ,I ahve not suggested that at all but to equqte any of these with Holy Ghost inspiration is not true ,Pilgrims progress is a wonderful read but to say it was inspired by the Holy Ghost ,no way .But if people would rather draw their own opinions on what the Holy Ghost inspires then we will just as well close up the bible and make it up as we go along

Wow, talk about putting God in a box and saying He cannot inspire anything other than scripture. Just because He is the inspiration behind something does not put it equal to the Bible! I know of many hymns for example that I believe to be inspired by God, but that doesn't mean I use them as a replacement for scripture.

[Onesiphorus]

dear Lynwood ,if putting God in a box means using only scripture to teach you the things of God by the Holy Ghost then yes i stand accused ,you show me any work of literature or music that gives us anything like
God is Eternal...deut 33:27

God is infinite Jer 23:24

God is Self-existent.. Exodus 3:13


God is omnipresent.. Psalm 139:7 -12


God is omniscient.. Psalm139 :2-6

God is unchanging.. hebrews 1:10-12

God is sovereign..Isaiah 46:9-11

God is wise Romans 16:26&27


God is holy....1 Peter 2:1

God is righteous Deat 32:4

God is faithful...Deuteronomy7:9

God is true and truth Mark10:18

God is merciful..deut 4:31

God is gracious 1 Peter 5:10

God is Love John 3:16


GOD IS SPIRIT John 4:24


God is light


This is what God is now pay particular notice tp the one GOD IS SPIRIT and tell me if the author of the shack is Holy Ghost inspired to write of God as he did .Saints may compose or write anything they may but if it is unscriptural it is in error and cannot be defended as being anything other than a work of fiction .

The above are scriptural characteristics of our God and are the standards of our God but it appears that the clay can now mold the potter into any shape the creation can depict the creator any way it sees fit and that is a perversion

[Jay Dub]

This is what God is now pay particular notice tp the one GOD IS SPIRIT and tell me if the author of the shack is Holy Ghost inspired to write of God as he did .Saints may compose or write anything they may but if it is unscriptural it is in error and cannot be defended as being anything other than a work of fiction .

Onesiphorus

It is a work of fiction

Please, let me ask you a question, to help me better understand who God is.

Before the incarnation was Jesus Spirit?

I am not sure of your answer but, I believe he was, if you agree, Who did Abraham see and talk to if God and Jesus were both Spirit?

Gen 18:2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw [them], he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

Gen 18:3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
¶ And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
Gen 18:17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Gen 18:18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him

If Jesus was spirit and the Father was spirit,who wrestled with Jacob

Do you see it possible that God reveled himself in different ways in the old testament. We see God as a person, we see him as a flame, as a burning bush. We see God as physical things, even though he is spirit.

In this book of fiction the author chose to have God reveal himself as a black female. It is not meant to be taken as a truth. Read the book as a biblical tool and you will be disappointed. Read the book as a journey of love and compassion and you will be blessed

The above are scriptural characteristics of our God and are the standards of our God but it appears that the clay can now mold the potter into any shape the creation can depict the creator any way it sees fit and that is a perversion

Onesiphorus

I am asking you honestly

Do you believe it is impossible for God to reveal himself in anyway he wishes, even though he is spirit.