Jen takes us to “The Shack” this week and deep into a world of theological and idealogical questioning intertwined with a quest for a peace. Her review of William P. Young’s recent novel is insightful, inspiring and intriguing, or to put it another way, we can’t wait to snuggle up with this book (and its seasonally-appropriate cover) in front of a roaring fire.
This is going to be hard to do without offending anyone. Any book that embraces a political, social or religious view will inevitably alienate someone with a different view.
In the interests of exhibiting unbiased book reviewer-ness and maintaining a modicum of personal interest, I will truly try to be non-preachy (pun-intended.)
Heck, this may be too hard even for my formidable talents, so just give me the benefit of the doubt. To neither an atheist nor a bible-thumper be is my humble intention.As Grouch Marx said, “These are my principles. If you don’t like them, I have others.”
In “The Shack,” Mackenzie Philips is a 40-something married father of five children. After barely surviving a terribly abusive, religious, alcoholic (good combo) father, he raises himself and tries to keep his heart open to God. He is a good man.
Horribly, his six-year-old daughter falls prey to a serial killer and her death trips an internal “Off” switch in Mack. He enters a period he refers to as the, “Great Sadness.” Where is his salvation? How could this be allowed to happen to his daughter? Where is God?
Mack is very angry with God, although he tries not to be. One wintry day, he receives a note that will save him.
He is mysteriously invited to the shack where his daughter’s bloody clothes were found. I hate reading books like this and, as of this point, was not happy to be obliged to continue.
But I did and what he finds is quite something. Without ruining the plot, he finds the help he needs to be at peace. He meets entities that have words of wisdom and strength. Their guidance is hard but necessary and Mack “re-turns” to his heart.
For the record*, I believe in God, but I do not believe that most organized religion is other than a human creation to maintain power over others and, as such, is dangerous. I do not think God wants us to be exclusionary or hierarchichal within human bounds. No one is better than any one else and, excuse me, has no one heard of science? Wm. Paul Young has very strong, clear thoughts along these lines, some with which I agreed and some with which I did not. If Jesus were the forest, somewhere along the way the forest got lost for the trees.
That aside, “The Shack” is interesting. No denying that this is an important subject and it is a creative approach. I don’t like being preached to and I found it a bit pedestrian in its over-simplicity. Chicken Soup-type stuff. There is certainly a place for this, however, and it is never a bad book that recommends love, forgiveness, and offers more than the eye can see.
*Good job keeping my thoughts to myself, hmm? Now you appreciate what my poor husband goes through …