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My own opinion is that all of us pretty well know the gist of this book without reading it. Why must a pastor experience such drivel in order to be informed.
Other various things that we also desire to occupy no space in our mind are floating around daily but we dont have to experience each of them personally to know they are not conducive to pure thinking! Think of other notorious periodicals on the market and consider whether you must be informed of their content to advise against partaking of them!
This reminds me of a time while working as an R.N. and having inservice given to the group by the local police department on the 'evils' of smoking marijuana. I was totally horrified as I watched them pass a joint around to the group to puff on, in order to 'experience it' and know what it truly was. I saw what I thought to be otherwise clearheaded adults think nothing of puffing away on an illegal marijuana joint! How skewed is such thinking?
I agree. One often hears the comment, "If you haven't read it, how do you know anything is wrong with it?" However, we really don't have to watch p0rnography to know it's sick and evil regardless of how many people - even church-going people - are watching it.
I.e., I never read the book or saw the movie that touted Jesus and Mary Magdalene having a baby. So I must be wrong for condemning them?
My own opinion is that all of us pretty well know the gist of this book without reading it. Why must a pastor experience such drivel in order to be informed.
Other various things that we also desire to occupy no space in our mind are floating around daily but we dont have to experience each of them personally to know they are not conducive to pure thinking! Think of other notorious periodicals on the market and consider whether you must be informed of their content to advise against partaking of them!
This reminds me of a time while working as an R.N. and having inservice given to the group by the local police department on the 'evils' of smoking marijuana. I was totally horrified as I watched them pass a joint around to the group to puff on, in order to 'experience it' and know what it truly was. I saw what I thought to be otherwise clearheaded adults think nothing of puffing away on an illegal marijuana joint! How skewed is such thinking?
I agree. One often hears the comment, "If you haven't read it, how do you know anything is wrong with it?" However, we really don't have to watch p0rnography to know it's sick and evil regardless of how many people - even church-going people - are watching it.
I.e., I never read the book or saw the movie that touted Jesus and Mary Magdalene having a baby. So I must be wrong for condemning them?
In that case, you know the heresy without watching, the substance to condemn is clear and obvious. Reading "The Shack" seems to me to be a different issue. I cannot really intelligently and succinctly inform people about the heresies and dangers of a book I haven't read. I put very little faith in book reviews.
EDIT: Ms. Kathleen beat me to the post!E
So I Started Reading "The Shack" This Morning...
I have never even heard of this book....
I think there's a pretty big difference between condemning p0rnography and condemning a work of literature, philosophy, or theology. There's no real mystery about what's going on in a pornographic movie or magazine. Very few people (even staunch secularists) are going to argue that a Christian "just doesn't understand" the purpose or meaning of a **** film.
On the other hand, if you're criticizing ideas, its important to make sure you're understand them thoroughly. And it can be difficult to understand them unless you've read them entirely. I have a friend who is an avowed follower of Nietsche, and I really can't argue with him because I haven't read Nietsche. Even though I can tell that we have philosophical differences, I can't really understand those differences until I've read the philosophy that he draws from. That's not to say you can't even comment on something you haven't read or seen - just that you probably won't be able to make a complete critique unless you are familiar with it.
In his book on Discernment, Tim Challies addresses this very thing. How can a pastor address his flock to read with discernment and all the while be screening the shallow, unclear and blasphemous books they inquire about. Is he not subject to having his own mind influenced by such while he reads? Our focus is on the truth, not error.
The Shack fits right in with this trend, don't you think!
How does Phil 4:8 apply: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
If one knows quite well the book they plan to read is not God honoring and deliberately reads it anyway is this sin or not?
Add me to that PM if you would, especially since it's so prominent a book.Kathleen, I am think of posting my thoughts about the book on my blog. I'll PM you and possibly post on this thread once I get the first one up and running.
My recommendations to you, however, will be the same as I would recommend to my own congregation: don't waste your time on such garbage. There's plenty of good stuff out there that gets neglected by Christians. Pick up a Puritan Paperback and read that!
Add me to that PM if you would, especially since it's so prominent a book.Kathleen, I am think of posting my thoughts about the book on my blog. I'll PM you and possibly post on this thread once I get the first one up and running.
My recommendations to you, however, will be the same as I would recommend to my own congregation: don't waste your time on such garbage. There's plenty of good stuff out there that gets neglected by Christians. Pick up a Puritan Paperback and read that!
Christiana I think it is for the same reason one would, for instance, sit on a jury or study to become a lawyer or a judge, when details of crimes and sins will be the order of business. In a sinful and fallen world, sometimes delighting in truth and virtue and justice takes the form of having to deal with knowledge of very unlovely things.
Certainly I hope no one would push for everyone to read the book; but it's good that we have some 'juries' and 'lawyers' and 'judges' to deal with the world's literary and theological crimes, and bring the errors to light in the interests of truth and beauty and justice!
Christiana I think it is for the same reason one would, for instance, sit on a jury or study to become a lawyer or a judge, when details of crimes and sins will be the order of business. In a sinful and fallen world, sometimes delighting in truth and virtue and justice takes the form of having to deal with knowledge of very unlovely things.
Certainly I hope no one would push for everyone to read the book; but it's good that we have some 'juries' and 'lawyers' and 'judges' to deal with the world's literary and theological crimes, and bring the errors to light in the interests of truth and beauty and justice!
Thanks so much Heidi, for that thought provoking response!
Blessings!
I have been trying to lose weight lately. May I borrow The Shack when you are done to speed up the process