The Shack Movie: God and your Tragedy

18 March, 2017 by 1 Comment

When this book was first published, I heard it was great, but wasn’t in a good place to read it because I had a five-year-old little girl at the time. As soon as I realized what could happen, I put down the book and finally picked it back up when she was ten.

Paul Young has written and incredible story and though it was initially self-published it for his family. Mainstream media caught wind of it and, well, you know the rest.

There has been much controversy over the movie on theology, though not clearly evident. It wasn’t until I looked back and thought about some of the scenes that I questioned whether or not Mr. Young was keeping biblical truths in tact.

One big question asked was “why wouldn’t God save Mack’s little girl?” or in general, (why do bad things happen to good people?”) Here’s my opinion on that one if you’d like to check it out: “Why Bad Things Happen to Good People”

The following is an article written by a co-writer who has published quite a few books and is a good Christian man. I’ve heard him speak and taken several classes from him. He offered this article to be shared with the release of this movie to answer some of those shaky theological questions.

Hope the article sheds some light on the good and the bad in this fictional story. Any conversation starter about God is a good thing in my book.

The Shack movie: God and your tragedy

By Rusty Wright

 

When your personal tragedy strikes – and it will – is God good?

Millions wrestle with that question. The Shack, a bestselling novel and now a movie, uses fanciful fiction to help people process age-old intellectual and emotional struggles about evil, suffering, and divine character.

Did a loved one just die? Maybe your marriage is failing, your boss showed you the door, your lump is malignant, or an earthquake leveled your home.

Perhaps an important business deal collapsed or false gossip torpedoed a treasured friendship.

“God, how could you allow this?” comes the cry. How could God be all loving, all powerful, and all just?

From Office Depot to a theater near you …

Author William Paul Young first self-published fifteen copies of The Shack at Office Depot as Christmas gifts. It’s now sold 19 million copies and been translated into 50 languages. Clearly, the story has hit a nerve. Film stars include Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer (The Help), Sam Worthington (Avatar), and Grammy winner Tim McGraw.

(Spoilers ahead.)

Mack, the protagonist, has submerged much of his childhood pain from his abusive, alcoholic father. He now enjoys life with his wife and family, until a serial killer abducts and murders his young daughter Missy, sending him into deep depression. Through some curious happenings, he revisits the murder scene, a decrepit shack deep in the woods.

There he spends a fascinating weekend with … God. Actually with all three members of the Trinity: God – a large, loving African-American woman named “Papa” (the story explains this); Jesus – an actual Jewish carpenter; and the Holy Spirit – an Asian woman with a Sanskrit name, Sarayu, meaning “wind.”

Processing pain

The four enjoy sumptuous food, starlit nights, and lots of conversation. The three guide Mack through processing the painful “if only” questions related to Missy’s death, and in forgiving his adversaries.

They also help with the intellectual questions: God gave humans free will, hence human evil. Jesus came in love. By his death and resurrection, humans can be reconciled to God and enjoy the relationships – divine and human – for which they were created.

Multiple resonances

Many may find The Shack emotionally/spiritually therapeutic and intellectually satisfying. The story resonated with me on multiple levels.

I agree that God, though sovereign, gave us freedom to follow or disobey him. This does not answer all concerns (because he sometimes does intervene to thwart evil) but suggests that the problem of evil is not as great an intellectual obstacle as some imagine.

Pain’s emotional barrier to belief can be formidable. Jesus understands suffering. He was scorned, beaten, and cruelly executed, carrying the guilt of human rebellion.

When I see God, items on my long list of questions will include a painful and unwanted divorce, betrayal by trusted co-workers, my second wife’s tragic death last year from cancer, and all sorts of disappointing human behavior and natural disasters. Yet in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection I’ve seen enough to trust him when he says he “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God.”

Serious conflicts

That said, The Shack book has some serious conflicts with a biblical view of God, and some with simple logic. (The movie avoids some – but not all – of these.) Others have detailed such issues, so I’ll mention just a few.

The book seems to indicate that Jesus’ death and resurrection will bring all humanity back into a relationship with God, regardless of individual decisions. The biblical documents maintain that individuals must personally accept divine pardon for it to be effective in their lives. The film only hints at this issue.

The book’s Sarayu and Papa say rules like the Ten Commandments were given not to make humans good but to reveal their flaws and their need for God. Fair enough. It took me nineteen years to understand that important distinction. But the two also believe rules and expectations harm relationships, which should be our focus. (The movie touches this matter tangentially.)

I would stress the proper emphasis. Biblical expectations (about love, service, forgiving, spousal faithfulness, etc.) can be tracks for healthy living once we’re plugged into divine power for living.

In the book, Sarayu perplexingly claims the word “responsibility” is not found in the Bible. A simple search disputes that. The film omits this mistake.

The book’s Jesus maintains that all mental turmoil and anxiety are related to religious, political or economic institutions. Including concern for tsunami deaths, for instance? “Allness” claims invite rebuttal. Better “much,” or something similar. The movie omits this overstatement.

The Shack film will get people thinking about important issues. If you view it – or read the book – I encourage you to do so with discernment, discuss it with friends, and measure it by the Good Book.

Rated PG-13 (USA) “for thematic material including some violence.”

www.TheShack.movie Opens March 3 (USA) International release dates

Rusty Wright is an author and lecturer who has spoken on six continents. He holds Bachelor of Science (psychology) and Master of Theology degrees from Duke and Oxford universities, respectively. www.RustyWright.com

Copyright © 2017 Rusty Wright

The Shack movie: God and your tragedy. When your personal tragedy strikes – and it will – is God good? Millions wrestle with that question. The Shack, a bestselling novel and now a movie, uses fanciful fiction to help people process age-old intellectual and emotional struggles about evil, suffering, and divine character.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mack (Sam Worthington) and “Papa” (Octavia Spencer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mack and his family

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus, Mack, Papa, Sarayu

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From a Mother’s Perspective

2 December, 2012 by 5 Comments

As we celebrate the first Sunday of Advent, anticipating the celebration of the birth of our Savior, I’ve been trying to imagine the birth of Jesus from different perspectives. We read the Christmas story year after year, but we are always spectators, watching from a distance.

What would it be like to be the one chosen to give birth to Jesus?

Listen to this song by Francesca Battistelli and imagine these words are being spoken by you, the mother of Jesus, Savior of the world.

Filed Under: Worship Through Music, Your Relationship with God Tagged With: , , , , ,

Washington D.C.~In Honor of Our Veterans

11 November, 2012 by 6 Comments

I’m sleepy.

It’s a little after 8:00 a.m. and I’m sitting at church before the early service while Trevor is in band practice. If you know me, you know I’d rather be home in my bed planning to come to the 11:0o service.

I’m trying to get used to my new WordPress blog. I could post so quickly on blogger, but this is taking a bit longer to learn, and life is super busy right now. My brain is tired!

So, in an attempt to get used to this new process and give you guys something to look at (provided you haven’t forgotten about me by now 😉 I though I’d post some pictures of our trip to Washington DC. We made it just before Sandy hit the northeast. After five days in Washington DC with 115 eighth graders, we made it home at 1:00 a.m. on the Sunday morning that Sandy hit.

It was a whirlwind trip, leaving at 5:am on Tuesday morning and touring Washington DC from 7:30 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. every day through Friday, then hitting Kings Dominion on Saturday on our way home.

Although it was a busy trip, I left with a new appreciation for our veterans. Arlington Cemetery and the tomb of the unknown soldier left me speechless. And believe me, that’s hard to do.

Now that I think about it, I’m probably just still sleepy from the trip!

Okay, I’ll let the pictures upload while he preaches…

 

Now that I’ve heard the sermon for today I have to share a little more about my Washington trip.

We went to Union Station to let the kids shop, eat, and have a little free time. I was enjoying some free myself without kids, checkout out a menu and a much needed salad bar when a very tall man with a full beard, dressed in all black and somewhat intimidating approached me from behind and asked me point blank if I’d buy him dinner. I really don’t know why I was surprised. After all, we were in a train station in a big city, but I suppose I still had my Simpsonville brain on.

My first thought was I must have the word “sucker” written on my forehead. But thankfully, my Jesus eyes quickly shifted my paradigm.

“Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’ (Matthew 25:40 Msg)

I don’t know this man’s story, and I only had a brief encounter with him. But I did buy him a good meal and have the brief opportunity to wish him good luck on his journey, but more than luck, God’s blessing. I shared with him Jeremiah 29:11:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)

 I will never know what happened to this man, but thankfully, I planted a seed. I gave.
{The least of these~Jesus}
Btw, if you’re wondering, the sermon today was about the good samaritan.

Enjoy the pics! Wish we could have had an effect on the election while we were in Washington 🙁 Four more years. Sorry my friends. Keep praying for our country and our president—whether he’s the one you voted for or not.

 

 

Filed Under: Just for Fun, Life Through the Lens, Real Relationships, Uncategorized, Your Relationship with God Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Sometimes You Just Have to Suffer

5 April, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Do you ever feel like God has left you or forgotten about you? Do you think Jesus thought His father forgot Him? 

Jesus did not want to endure the pain and agony of the cross. But He knew that His crucifixion must take place for God’s plan to be carried out. 
God never left Jesus during His suffering. When Jesus hung on the cross at the very end of his life, He separated Himself from God when he sacrificed Himself for the sins of the world. He became sin, and where there is sin, there is not God. But at the moment Jesus gave up His spirit, He bridged the gap… 





…between sin and God—between us and God. God’s plan was that of a Divine Conspiracy and Jesus knew His suffering would end with the greatest miracle ever on earth. And it was his death and resurrection that would bring the gift of salvation and eternal life to mankind. 


Jesus was God’s son. God didn’t enjoy seeing His son in pain, but He knew the extreme measures that must be taken to wash away our sin—to purify the corrupted heart of man. After all, he did create us. 

Haven’t we all known someone—or been that someone—who had to hit rock bottom before he/she saw the light and decided to make changes? 
I look back at my seven years of hell and am amazed at all that I learned during that miserable existence. God taught me things I couldn’t even see at the time. And though there were many moments I wished I could cease to exist, I wouldn’t trade them for anything now that I see what God was teaching me. I’m guessing Jesus felt the same.
We are God’s children. When God looks at us, He sees Jesus. No one wants to endure hardship and pain, but God has a plan, and just as Jesus’s pain was necessary for the salvation of man, we must endure trials in order to carry out God’s plan for us.
Your pain and suffering could just be the best thing to ever happen to you. 

It was for me. 
From my heart,
Celeste 
Filed Under: Beating Depression, Chronic Illness, Fighting Your Fears, Living in Faith, Living with Purpose, The Power of Prayer, Your Relationship with God Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Be My Valentine

14 February, 2012 by Leave a Comment

 

Filed Under: Your Relationship with God Tagged With: , ,

So where is Jesus?

27 August, 2011 by 1 Comment


We battle bullying as kids and teens, but as adults, I hope that we are past that stage, but how often do we judge someone without really knowing them, or avoid talking to them because of the way they look? 

Jesus says, whatever you do for the least of these, you do also to me. Yes, we need to have compassion for the poor, feed the hungry, help in times of crisis, etc., but I don’t think that’s all Jesus meant when he said that. Look again at the part, “you have also done unto me.” How often could we actually be encountering Jesus in “the least of these”?

How would you react in the following situations?

Your assigned seat on your flight is next to a mentally retarded man. You know he will talk to you the whole time if you sit beside him, and you really wanted to relax and read your book.

You are rushing through the grocery store to get home, an see a woman on your isle leaning in really close to the spice jars struggling to find what she needs because she has very limited vision, obviously from a terrible accident.

The mom of a girl in class with your daughter always tries to duck away unnoticed because she is scarred from a burn on one whole side of her face, and you know she really wants to be involved with class activities.

You are sitting in your doctors office waiting for them to call you back and a hearing impaired man, who speaks very loudly, strikes up a conversation with you.

What if one of the people you want to avoid could be Jesus Christ himself? Should we assume that it’s not because he doesn’t look like the Jesus we know? Or because Jesus ascended back into Heaven after being risen from the dead so we won’t see him again til we get there? 

I went to a financial seminar yesterday and met a sweet new friend. The really weird part…well, let me tell you the story. 

I have to start with the fact that I have vitiligo. It’s an autoimmune disease that destroys the cells in your skin that hold pigment. You might recognize it better as the “Michael Jackson disease.” There’s not too much research on it because it’s a cosmetic problem more than anything else, and the other autoimmune diseases like lupus & rheumatoid arthritis are much more important. I developed it during my second pregnancy, and it gets a little worse each year, but because I have fair skin anyway, it’s not that noticeable. 

Last year, David and I ate with some friends at a downtown steakhouse, and I noticed a black waitress with vitiligo on her face, and it was very noticeable. I had the thoughts, “I hope mine is never that bad.” and “I’m glad I have fair skin and am not dark skinned.” And that was the extent of my thoughts. This was not a situation where I avoided her, I just noticed her.

At the seminar yesterday, I saw a black woman with pretty bad vitiligo. Only this time, I found myself wanting to talk to her. I am trying a new herbal treatment for my vitiligo, and if it works, I wanted to be able to tell her about it. But I wondered, “ Is she going to think I’m rude for bringing it up? Will she tell me to mind my own business? Will I just make her more self-conscious?” Nevertheless, I felt a gentle nudging to talk to her. And wouldn’t you know she had the sweetest, most endearing personality? And when we talked, she revealed to me that she saw someone years ago with vitiligo all around their eyes, and she hoped she’d never have it that bad, but now she does. That’s when I told her about the waitress I saw at the restaurant.

“That’s where I work!” she exclaimed.

She was the waitress that I’d seen that day! 

I was so glad that I was not to “whatever” to talk to her. Afraid? Intimidated? Uncomfortable? I gave her my contact info, and I hope to talk to her more. God has people cross our path for a reason. You never know who that person could be, or why they cross your path, but when you feel that little “nudge,” there’s a reason. I have no idea where this contact will go, but I knew God was nudging me to make it. And I’m so glad that I did!

So next time you decide to avoid that person who might make you uncomfortable, think about who it might be, or who you could be to them.  

Do you wonder where Jesus is?

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Filed Under: Real Relationships, Your Relationship with God Tagged With: , , , ,