I finished The Shack last night. I went back and looked at the so-called "spoiler" discussion questions, but actually didn't find them that intriguing.
Therefore, I'm going to just leave you to state your own thoughts/opinions/likes/dislikes/movements/meanings about the book. From that, maybe questions can be developed for more thorough discussion.
I will read through the discussions over the weekend in case questions develop and will post them on Sunday. On Monday I will do an intro to the next list book, Main Street by Sinclair Lewis. If you aren't ready to post about The Shack yet, that's fine. The comment sections will always be open and I can always create a new discussion post later on.
If you'd like more formal discussion questions, here are some links:
- For more broad discussion questions, visit: "Book Club Discussion Questions"
- For extensive, chapter-by-chapter discussion questions, please click HERE.
I was kind of shocked to read that God appeared as a robust black woman and the Holy Spirit as a fluttering Asian woman- well not shocked, but it was unexpected. The way Jesus appeared was of course less surprising because I already knew him as a carpenter and a Jew. In the book God explains that He appears this way to make it easier on Mack- to appear as more of a father figure would bring too much pain from the past. I also think that it is a great way to show that God is everywhere and can be within the most unexpected of people, reminding us that we need to be kind to all people in our lives. It also shows that God is willing to take any form to help us be comfortable with Him and trust in Him.
ReplyDeleteThe book actually confirmed some things I already thought and believed, like how important love is. I really liked the part about responsibility and expectation- I definitely think living by responding and with expectancy sounds much better. It is hard, however, to comprehend the idea that God does not have expectations of us. I always feel like I should strive to do better, that I should be searching for and trying to live the purpose God has for me. However, I am glad to see someone else shares the perspective that living with/through kindness and love, by having meaningful relationships with others, is as important (if not more important) than being without sin. After all, there was only one perfect human and it was not me or you.
By writing what I've written so far, I've found I could go on and on about this book. But I'll hush for now and wait for others to respond. I look forward to talking with some of you about this book in person as well.
I know it's been a little while since you finished this one, but I just finished it and figured I would contribute something. I definitely think it was interesting to see these figures we are so familiar with being represented in a way that is unique and maybe a little strange to us. It makes sense though, there are thousands of different kinds of people in the world--there is no reason God or Jesus or the Holy Spirit would appear as any one of them in particular, except based on our ethnic bias or preconceptions.
ReplyDeleteI don't necessarily agree with everything in the book, nor am i able to really understand a lot of it honestly, but I liked the idea that you don't necessarily have to follow every rule in the bible and that it isn't essential to be part of an organized religion, that it is ok to just believe in God and just know that you love Him and that he is there no matter what. I know that it is important to know what is in the Bible and to believe in it, but I don't think that it is necessary to live strictly by everything it says or think that you are going to Hell just because you stray from it a little. I have a hard time saying I am religious because I don't go to church regularly and I have read very little of the Bible, but in this book it says that those things are not so important as long as you love and believe in God unconditionally.
One other thing that I liked was the part about being judgmental. One of the biggest things that I can't stand is people being judgmental and I know that I am guilty of it too, but the idea that we judge God is really interesting. There are times when I think 'What's the point of praying, He hasn't helped out much before' or wonder why He lets so many bad things happen, but I try to remind myself that everything happens for a reason and that it's all part of a bigger plan and it was a big part of this book and Mack's journey to realize that. And it is something I think everyone struggles with at some point.
Anyway, I will hopefully find the next book soon and finish on time with whoever else is reading. Speaking of which, is anyone else reading these, because no one else is posting?? I think it's time I found the local library anyway, so I'll try to get on board. :)
When I started reading The Shack, I was put off by the personification of God. I was reading the book with my head and not my heart. I didn’t like how Papa was in the person of a large African-American woman. It didn’t seem biblical to me and I fought the idea. I thought a lot about how I view God, the Father. After a Friday night discussion with Grama, I went home and really meditated on the ideas being put forth in the book. All of a sudden, I had a vision of being 12 years old. I was in Nana and Gramps’ dining room on the phone—talking to my dad.
ReplyDeleteI realized, in my heart, that I view God from “long distance”. I know that He loves me and wants a relationship with me but I’ve felt distanced from Him. I finished the remainder of the book with my “heart” and feel there was so much truth in the book’s message.
God wants to be in relationship with us. Unlike Karen, I believe it’s not how much I love God, but how much He loves me. I could never return to Him what he has given me. Mack’s great sadness reflected a pain of my own. Grama mentioned it to me in another discussion about the book. I have feared my daughters would be taken from me as punishment for a decision I made 28 years ago. I can see now that God has blessed me and been with me, even through the wrong choices I have made.
Because I (mistakenly) believe we get what we deserve based on performance, to find out God loves us and wants to be a part of our lives no matter what is a hard message to grasp. I loved the part when Mack finds out God was with his daughter when she is taken and stays with her, comforting her. I think I compartmentalize God. What a comfort to realize he is with me, even when bill collectors are shouting at me when I am on the phone at work!
Probably the number one message for me from the book is when Mack is told that when he judges others, it’s as if he is saying he is better than someone else. I felt convicted by that. I don’t consider myself better than others but I am guilty of being judgmental. Jesus, in His earthly life, never judged. He loved each person. In loving them, they were transformed. That’s what happened to Mack. He was brought to The Shack to be loved into transformation.
If there were any weaknesses in the book for me, it would have been the lack of reference to evil. I do believe evil exists. It is not simply within us and our choices as suggested in the book. Evil IS personified in this world and works to keeps us from knowing God’s love. I also believe there is only one true path to God and that is through Jesus Christ. The Bible says “no one comes to the Father, except through me.” I believe that is true.
Lastly, Mack was able to bring his message of love, transformation, and forgiveness to his daughter. What a relief for her to know what happened to her sister was not her fault. The book reminds me to see people as God sees them—in need of love, transformation and forgiveness. One of my favorite words in the Bible is “Emmanuel” –God with us. The Shack, while it was a work of fiction, had many truths in it worth pondering. Most of all, that God, is always, always with me, even when I don’t recognize Him.
I could go on and on. I'm with Karen about the "organized religion" part. That's worthy of a real time conversation!