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Why God is a curvy, black woman in ‘The Shack’ and some Christian critics say it’s ‘heresy’
Washington Post ^ | 12/21/16 | Katie Mettler

Posted on 12/21/2016 11:42:47 PM PST by Timpanagos1

In the coming film adaptation of “The Shack,” a fictional book by William P. Young about a father’s path to renewed faith and healing after his young daughter’s murder, the character of God — as depicted in the novel — is portrayed as a curvy, maternal black woman.

And just as the book earned widespread notoriety and scathing critiques nearly a decade ago, the film is garnering its own praise and condemnation.

At issue is Young’s characterization of the Holy Trinity, seen through the eyes of the story’s main character, who on the four-year anniversary of his daughter’s brutal killing is mysteriously invited by someone named “Papa” — his wife’s affectionate name for God — to the abandoned shack in the Oregon woods where the girl died.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Music/Entertainment; Religion
KEYWORDS: religion; theshack; washingtonpost
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From the article:

"“If the film is a faithful portrayal of the events and the theology of the book, then every Christian should be gravely alarmed at the further advance of beliefs that smear the evangelical understanding of the truth of the Bible,”"

If there ever was an understatement, there it is.

But, 'black,' 'curvy' and 'woman.' have are not the heresy of the film.

1 posted on 12/21/2016 11:42:47 PM PST by Timpanagos1
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To: Timpanagos1

If it wasn’t an intended poke in the eye, the Washington Post pro’lly wouldn’t be reviewing a movie with a religious component about an encounter with God.

Replace “curvy black woman” with heavy black man or thin Jewish man and they’d lose interest rather quickly.


2 posted on 12/22/2016 12:06:08 AM PST by a fool in paradise (The COM-Left is saddened by the death of the Communist dictator Fidel Castro. No surprise there.)
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To: Timpanagos1

He’s not George Burns, either.


3 posted on 12/22/2016 12:09:46 AM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: Timpanagos1

".....and I'm a Dobbler radar station"

4 posted on 12/22/2016 12:10:47 AM PST by Doogle (( USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated)))
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To: a fool in paradise
Surely this is a trope, God as a ... what? You name it. I seem to remember STEAMBATH ( this is realtime! )

... ah yes ( 1973 TV Movie )

TV adaptation of Bruce Jay Friedman's off-Broadway play. Tandy, Merideth and assorted others unexpectedly wake up in a steambath with no easy exit. After spending some time there, it becomes clear that the steambath is a sort of Afterlife, where indifferent souls come to tell their stories to God who happens to be the attendant picking up the towels.

5 posted on 12/22/2016 12:43:21 AM PST by dr_lew (I)
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To: dr_lew

And, if memory serves, which is a question, the attendant was Puerto Rican ... from Time Magazine, I think. We’re talkin’ Wayback Machine here!


6 posted on 12/22/2016 12:59:33 AM PST by dr_lew (I)
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To: Timpanagos1

Theologically, if there were no social streams of contamination, I have no problem with the premise. His ways are not our ways. That said, to think the author had no clue as to how his carefully crafted weapon would be used is naive. That the BSM is eager to receive this weapon and wield it is understandable. The libtards weaponize everything. In this sense it is heresy. To abuse Faith in this manner is a First Amendment violation.


7 posted on 12/22/2016 2:24:43 AM PST by wastoute (Government cannot redistribute wealth. Government can only redistribute poverty.)
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To: Timpanagos1

These boring, classless, talentless people.


8 posted on 12/22/2016 2:32:34 AM PST by Stentor
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To: Timpanagos1
Here's a thorough analysis of "The Shack" by Tim Challies.

It really is one of THE MOST heretical books--on multiple levels--to come out of the evangelical world in a long time.

9 posted on 12/22/2016 4:17:02 AM PST by AnalogReigns (Real life is ANALOG...)
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To: Timpanagos1
I don't recall complaints about Morgan Freeman's portrayal, or George Burns' old Jewish comedian take, or Rex Ingram as God back in 1936. Seems to me the Supreme Being and author of all things can manifest as He (or She) chooses. If they want to complain about sacrilege there are far better targets.


10 posted on 12/22/2016 4:19:00 AM PST by katana
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To: Stentor

I will wait for the Islamic sequel where Allah is portrayed as a pig farmer...


11 posted on 12/22/2016 4:21:17 AM PST by Russ
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To: Timpanagos1

I heard all the “bad” about The Shack, and just chose not to ready it. But a friend asked me to read it to give her my take.

I loved the book. Number 1, it’s fiction. Just as with LOTR movies, or
C.S. Lewis children’s books, there is a representation of God. But the book clearly explains why “papa” took the form of a woman. He (papa) explains that if he’d shown himself as a father figure to begin with, the message would have been rejected due to the main character’s relationship with his dad.

At the end of the book, papa takes the form of a man, once he explains why he chose to be take on a woman’s form in the rest of the book.

I will say that anyone who has suffered loss or disappointment, the book is
window into the soul of a sufferer.


12 posted on 12/22/2016 4:24:58 AM PST by Dawn53Fl
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To: Dawn53Fl

Well said. I also read it and enjoyed it quite a bit.


13 posted on 12/22/2016 4:48:18 AM PST by day10 (You'll get nothing and like it!)
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To: Timpanagos1

Just how many flops can Hollywood stand?


14 posted on 12/22/2016 4:56:30 AM PST by moovova
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To: AnalogReigns

My sister in law came to our church when our sons were baptized. It was also the message in which our pastor made a comment about The Shack. It was something along the lines of I’ve read it, now you don’t have to-it’s way off.

She called me a few days later, upset about that comment as she and many others had really been helped by that book. Strange conversation as she is a believer. I was shocked at how easily believers could dismiss false theology as harmful. She just dismissed any legitimate concerns and focused on how it made people “feel”. Rather frightening.


15 posted on 12/22/2016 5:32:36 AM PST by NorthstarMom
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To: Dawn53Fl

I remember a story about God taking the form of a dove. Also a bush that was on fire.


16 posted on 12/22/2016 6:24:48 AM PST by sportutegrl
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To: Timpanagos1

The Bible says that we are all created in His image.

So logically it would follow that in some way God must resemble a curvy black woman.


17 posted on 12/22/2016 6:31:31 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: ifinnegan
He’s not George Burns, either.

Or Morgan Freeman. But he sure was hilarious in Bruce Almighty.

18 posted on 12/22/2016 7:11:43 AM PST by al_c (Obama's standing in the world has fallen so much that Kenya now claims he was born in America.)
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To: Timpanagos1

There’s a lot more in The Shack to be concerned about that who is playing God in the movie.


19 posted on 12/22/2016 7:12:24 AM PST by al_c (Obama's standing in the world has fallen so much that Kenya now claims he was born in America.)
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To: Timpanagos1

One of the problems with the story (yes, I read the book) is that the only human incarnation of God is Jesus. I just could not get past that in the book.


20 posted on 12/22/2016 7:15:40 AM PST by Mr. Douglas (Today is your life. What are you going to do with it?)
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