franciscanheart Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 i just started on friday and haven't been able to commit much time at all to reading it but am already half way through it. it's just good. anyone else read it? anyone even know what im talking about? some of y'all will likely tear it to pieces but i think any honest reviewer can see that it's a worthwhile read. it's an engaging story and makes a lot of awesome points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I know what you are talking about, but I have not read it. (I'm not planning to, either.) My biggest gripe about books like this is that they have a cult-like following. Pastors will preach on "The Shack"... bible study groups will start up around "The Shack".... and anyone who doesn't read it is just crazy. (I'm talking in evangelical circles, not necessarily Catholic ones.) Since I have many Evangelical friends I get "Oh! You have GOT to read this book!" a lot. I don't mind a good book recommendation, but I don't like being guilted into reading something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscanheart Posted September 30, 2008 Author Share Posted September 30, 2008 i wasn't sure i was going to like it either. felt the same way about the twilight series. but i actually have liked this book. i think it's a good read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil Red Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 [quote name='homeschoolmom' post='1666837' date='Sep 30 2008, 08:17 AM']I know what you are talking about, but I have not read it. (I'm not planning to, either.) My biggest gripe about books like this is that they have a cult-like following. Pastors will preach on "The Shack"... bible study groups will start up around "The Shack".... and anyone who doesn't read it is just crazy. (I'm talking in evangelical circles, not necessarily Catholic ones.) Since I have many Evangelical friends I get "Oh! You have GOT to read this book!" a lot. I don't mind a good book recommendation, but I don't like being guilted into reading something.[/quote] +J.M.J.+ agreed. a coworker keeps bugging me about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TradMom Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Praised be Jesus Christ! I read it for reasons listed above. I actually found it to be anti-Catholic and very disappointing. I would not recommend it. At all. TradMom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscanheart Posted September 30, 2008 Author Share Posted September 30, 2008 Happy Catholic reviewed it at her blog. She said the last third or fourth of it weren't very solid but that it wasn't a total turn-off. I hope there are some more positive voices around. I'm not afraid to try something that non-Catholics like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddington Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 What is good about it? What is anti-Catholic about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Autumn Dusk Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 My co-worker loves it, too. We sell it, too. Unfortunatly she's in charge of the re-ordering and always orders an extra just to "give me the chance" to buy it. UGGG I don't want to read it just based on her insistence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prose Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I heard it was great and it is on my "To read" list for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscanheart Posted September 30, 2008 Author Share Posted September 30, 2008 [quote name='Paddington' post='1667095' date='Sep 30 2008, 03:59 PM']What is good about it? What is anti-Catholic about it?[/quote] The story is really engaging. It's really cool to read about the Trinity in human persons. It's an interesting new relation to them that I wasn't expecting. The dialogue is funny and sometimes catches me off guard. It's funny to hear the main character question one person of the Trinity about the other and listen to them reply, "Yes, I do"... since they are three in one, after all! I'm only about halfway through the book but already there have been some really good points about love and life and freedom (free will). I haven't gotten to the "anti-religion" part of the book of which my friend, Happy Catholic, has warned me. It's not necessarily "anti-Catholic" but apparently "anti-religion". My feeling is that it probably leans more toward a non-denom type feel than an inherently "anti-Catholic" feel. [quote name='prose' post='1667127' date='Sep 30 2008, 04:31 PM']I heard it was great and it is on my "To read" list for sure.[/quote] Can't wait to have someone to talk to about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TradMom Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Praised be Jesus Christ! Yes, I believe that is anti-"formalized" or "institutionalized" religion. (As in the Holy Roman Catholic Church.) It is not particularly well written; it is a fast read and has a very good "hook". If one wants to read books that are pop and well written, I would be happy to provide a list of secular writers (that I happen to enjoy and find well-written, entertaining and just sheer escapism). If one wants to read a book that deepens their Faith, their understanding of Holy Mother Church and Her rules, tenets and dogmas, they can be found easily enough. I found the book to be disrespectful, overly "politically-correct" and thoroughly disdainful of the power, glory and beauty of organized religion. For the record, I did read all of Dan Brown's books so I could speak intelligently and know what was happening in the world. They didn't ruin my faith, and this one didn't either. I just wouldn't recommend it for a Catholic audience or reader. If you want to read it because everyone else is and you want to be informed, go ahead. If you want to read something that is life changing, with the ability to deepen your Faith, I don't recommend it. I believe this book was a waste of time - especially considering how many wonderful books are out there. Just my opinion. TradMom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscanheart Posted October 1, 2008 Author Share Posted October 1, 2008 [quote name='TradMom' post='1667196' date='Sep 30 2008, 06:53 PM']Praised be Jesus Christ! Yes, I believe that is anti-"formalized" or "institutionalized" religion. (As in the Holy Roman Catholic Church.) It is not particularly well written; it is a fast read and has a very good "hook". If one wants to read books that are pop and well written, I would be happy to provide a list of secular writers (that I happen to enjoy and find well-written, entertaining and just sheer escapism). If one wants to read a book that deepens their Faith, their understanding of Holy Mother Church and Her rules, tenets and dogmas, they can be found easily enough. I found the book to be disrespectful, overly "politically-correct" and thoroughly disdainful of the power, glory and beauty of organized religion. For the record, I did read all of Dan Brown's books so I could speak intelligently and know what was happening in the world. They didn't ruin my faith, and this one didn't either. I just wouldn't recommend it for a Catholic audience or reader. If you want to read it because everyone else is and you want to be informed, go ahead. If you want to read something that is life changing, with the ability to deepen your Faith, I don't recommend it. I believe this book was a waste of time - especially considering how many wonderful books are out there. Just my opinion. TradMom[/quote] I don't approach the book with a desire to deepen my understanding of the [b]rules, tenets and dogmas[/b] of the Church. That would be ridiculous. This book isn't a briefing on the Catholic church and what she teaches. It's a book about God, the Trinity, and how we relate to Him/Her/Them. Call me crazy but I found a LOT of little things in this book... and I'm only at chapter 12! There are a lot of really awesome reminders in this book about relationships not only with the Trinity but with each other. The lessons of LOVE AND TRUST are enough for me to read it. These are things I needed to hear. I think many people do. I'm glad you're okay in your faith and you can mosey along with heavy reading of rules and politics, "tenets and dogmas". Sometimes I like to read something that encourages me, my faith, my struggle. I used to pick up books by saints, scholars, and theologians. I tried to do the heavy stuff. I could tell you almost anything you wanted to know (at least on a semi-basic level) and find anything for which I did not have an answer. I could say and sing all the right things but in my heart of hearts I did not have Love within me. And why? Because I didn't know how. I'd not been taught and I asserted my own power over the situation. And I floundered. I'm not saying this is everyone or that only flounderers need read this book. I think it is useful to anyone who doesn't approach it with an extreme opinion/anticipation/assumption, positive or negative. Here's the review from Happy Catholic in case anyone is interested: [url="http://happycatholic.blogspot.com/2008/07/book-review-shack.html"]http://happycatholic.blogspot.com/2008/07/...view-shack.html[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bone _ Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 [quote name='hugheyforlife' post='1667090' date='Sep 30 2008, 02:54 PM']I'm not afraid to try something that non-Catholics like. [/quote] If all the non-Catholics jumped off a bridge, would you do too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscanheart Posted October 1, 2008 Author Share Posted October 1, 2008 [quote name='T-Bone _' post='1667592' date='Oct 1 2008, 09:08 AM']If all the non-Catholics jumped off a bridge, would you do too?[/quote] Sometimes Catholics (especially round these parts) are really ridiculous. Did you really just compare [b]reading a book objectively[/b] with [i][b]jumping off a bridge[/i][/b]? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bone _ Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 [quote name='hugheyforlife' post='1667594' date='Oct 1 2008, 08:14 AM'] Sometimes Catholics (especially round these parts) are really ridiculous. Did you really just compare [b]reading a book objectively[/b] with [i][b]jumping off a bridge[/i][/b]?[/quote] I was joking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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