The Shack - False Jesus Misleading Many

DANGER!

With The Shack in theaters it will be no surprise if it's a highly popular movie due to the major hit of the book of the same name which was written by William P Young. God has provided the way to life, but you won't find the way by watching the movie or reading the book. With this information I find it impossible to remain silent in light of it's many problems and direct contradiction to Scripture.

People must be made aware of it's subversive nature; namely it's false gospel message. In no way does it represent the God of the Bible, but rather a universal god with no power to save or send to hell. This impotent god makes everything all right just by being "loving". In that sense is that all God is...... is loving? Does not love also encompass judgment and wrath? You cannot love a thing without hating it's opposite. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 6:24, "No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." God loved the world enough to send His Son to die, but He also hates sin. And sin is serious enough that it sends people who sin to hell.

God loved His Son and gave Him to be the propitiation for our sins. Because He laid the sin of the whole world upon Him and poured out His wrath in an incredible display of holy retribution and turned His back on His only Son, if only but for a moment, is why it is so important to understand what exactly His death on the cross represents. 1 John 2:2, "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." Isaiah 53:5, "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." Because of the preciousness of this sacrifice it is short-sighted to believe that minimizing the cross somehow makes His love just as meaningful. To say that God doesn't punish sin because sin is it's own punishment (what the movie/book says) is as if to say Jesus Himself did not die on the cross and suffer the accompanying agony. But, in fact He agonized, He was punished for our sin, He was separated from His Father, He who knew no sin died in our place. But no matter because everyone, whether they repent and believe or not will be in heaven according to the message that this movie sends. That is flat-out Universalism. The Shack states that, "In Jesus, I have forgiven all humans for their sins against me, but only some choose relationship.” A large, black woman whose name is Papa is supposed to be God the Father. Why would a book portray God as woman? I know, God is supposedly trying to make Himself appear more approachable because the subject character can't take God as a man, apparently. God does not change to suit us humans, sorry. And going to a place where you portray God in human form is just plain wrong. In the words of theologian Bruce Waltke, "It is inexcusable hubris and idolatry on the part of mortals to change the images by which the eternal God chooses to represent Himself." (Old Testament Theology 244). This so-called Papa says at one point, "Honey, I've never placed an expectation on you or anyone else.  The idea behind expectations requires that someone does not know the future or outcome and is trying to control behavior to get the desired result." He can't be serious!? God doesn't put expectations on us? Let's look at a few scriptures to disprove this...1 Peter 1:16, "Because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy." Luke 13:5, "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."

To call this a Christian movie is blasphemy. It takes Christ off the cross and puts man on his own supposed cross of suffering in this world as his own payment for sin. Cross be gone. Christ be gone.

So take my advice and don't waste your money on this deceptive and beguiling movie that paints Jesus in the wrong light; a light which is darkness. Luke 11:35, "Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness."

See also: https://ilikemycoffeeblack.com/2017/02/24/the-shack-is-messed-up/

Focus on the Family Misses it and More...

The Christian ministry, Focus on the Family, has been on a downgrade for years. I have decided to bring attention to this destructive trend in so-called Christianity in which they are a strong voice. Their programs air multiple times a day on the radio here in Colorado so it is hard to miss them.

A while back Jim Daly interviewed Bono and with raised eyebrow I listened as he said things like, Bono is not your conventional Christian or something to that effect and that he had colorful language. Colorful indeed!! Bono uses foul language and is a hardcore anti-Christian man who thinks anyone who adheres to historical, biblical Christianity is a Pharisee. He mocks us, in fact. But FotF is willing to overlook that because he does so much good in the world...but not in the name of the Christ of the Bible, so why did they even give him an interview? It should also be noted that FotF has been trending toward Catholicism for quite some time, which also includes Contemplative Spirituality, if they aren't already fully embracing the Catholic religion. That's another story for another time.

I think the final straw for me was the article on www.christianpost.com HERE where Jim Daly, the President of FotF, defended his ministry reviewing the filthy movie, 'Fifty Shades of Grey', by stating that it was necessary to warn the Christian public about it's evils...of course, to see for themselves just how evil it was, their reviewer, Paul Asay, of their "Plugged In" movie review SITE mentioned that it was his job to expose the dark by bringing a bit of light to this movie. As if the secular reviews weren't explicit enough he found it necessary to go see for himself. Huh?? I can remain silent no more!! What is further causing my blood to boil is his condescending response to someone who sent him an email that said, "....and I am troubled at the thought of sending one of your employees to go see it.” Asay responds, "I love this email. I so appreciate that he, and many other readers, worry about us over here. And pray for us, too. The sentiment and supplication both mean a lot." Uh-huh, I wonder if that would be his response to someone like me who says he is a hypocrite and how dare he present himself as being pious by watching the movie; a movie by the way, where if a Christian unknowingly (not likely) attended, within a very short amount of time, I'm guessing, would up and leave in protest, but not this fella, no, he was going to give a detailed account of the vile stuff. Shame, shame on him! At the end of his review he writes, "It’s not very bright, this little light of mine. But in the darkness, every little bit helps. And I hope that my tiny light of a movie review might lead others to a better, brighter one." I think the verse in Luke 11:35 fits nicely, "Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness."

I wrote a response (some slight changes) to Paul Asay's defense on the Plugged In site..we'll see if my comment gets published, as well as on Christian Post in response to Jim Daly's article which was published. Here it is:

"My blood boils when a Christian ministry defends an action that is clearly outside the bounds of Christian duty. It is the duty of the Christian to avoid any semblance of evil and the fact that Jim Daly is making excuses as to why their ministry went to the movie is unconscionable!! You should be ashamed of yourself! You are a hypocrite."

But then this is the ministry that defended interviewing Bono who twists Scripture, scoffing at it. But to FotF it's defensible because this man does so much in the name of philanthropy. Focus, you are a legalistic organization which puts the actions of people over and above their belief system. You are not promoting the interests of Christ but the interests of people who want a watered down version of the Gospel. And the fact that you defend actually going to and seeing what should've been an X rated movie merely for review purposes implies voyeurism and titillation. How dare you defend this, but one thing is for sure...you have shown your true colors.