The Shack

Nice presentation of forgiveness and how to be free of feeling guilty from tragedies that affects our life and family members.

Touching and intelligent. Very well done and very much needed!!

What an overwhelmingly beautiful piece or art. It made me weep in several segments. I wish the gods represented in the film were real and then I would like them and be on board with them every time. I was raised in a Baptist Church and went religiously (ha ha) up until I was in my 50s. I have also been in the world and was a rougher than a cob Air Force Officer for 22 and a half years and then a civilian contractor to the air force another 18 and a half. I am a whiskey drinker and cigar smoker. For 20 years, at night, I was a college, then University History Professor and one evening I stopped in lecture and wondered if I believed what I was telling my students or did I believe what I heard on Sunday mornings. I had always thought that it was all reconcilable and it may be meaning that 4.5 Billion years ago god or the gods said let there be light and then later said let their be evolution. If he or she or they or it is really god then they do their own thing. This movie is largely from the Christian perspective and I have always thought that it really was the greatest story ever told. I have wrestled with religion for the last 15 years and am convinced that if you are happy with what you believe then just leave it alone. Study will only generate questions that cannot be answered. The newest crazy thing are the Young Earthers who want people to believe that the world is less than 10,000 years old. Which makes sense because humans have been only been writing a record for about 10,000 years and having and having and been saving a record and evidence of cultures. I am not an atheist but I dont think anyone knows and maybe we are not supposed to know. It would be very cool to have a or many supernatural entities that care about us and look after us to some extent. In a graduate level history class Charles Shows told us a Confucius saying that works for me: He who says he knows, knows not, because if he really knew then he would understand how much that we really dont know. Good show but if you are all about Christianity and want it to be like it is in Sunday School since you were a child you may be pissed off but if you have a college education it is probably well worth your time. May the Force be with you. Chuck

If you tune in to your spiritual side and watch this movie more than once it WILL astound you

I was leery of watching this because Ive heard mixed reviews on this movie. So I asked for discernment and asked God to show me anything I might learn from this movie and help me not to be deceived in any ways from this film. In the first 15 minutes or so it didt feel quite right. But I stepped back from the literal interpretation of it, and seeing the bigger picture I can see it as a good way to explain Gods love for all of us. It didnt delve into evil really at all, which makes it a bit incomplete to me. One main message of this movie was that bad things are allowed because of Gods mercy and love for each of us, even those who do wrong or bad things. While that is truth, it is not the complete picture. Perhaps that aspect was left out because many or most Christians really dont take spiritual warfare seriously. Since we battle not with flesh and blood but against spirits and principalities (Ephesians 6:12), including that may have made it a truer picture. I didnt really think it was necessary to make God a female in the role, I think a male could have gotten the same message across. But that part really wasnt important, it was seeing the attributes of God that was the message, that He is loving and with us always. I am glad they included the message about forgiving others

This was based upon a novel written in pain and hope concerning the problem of evil and the need to maintain a relationship with God. It is Protestant--with the rather vague, confused theology--but it hit the larger issues quite well (which is also normal). It portrayed Jesus as stating that he is not religious and not Christian: but if you even begin to ask who Jesus is...sorry but thats religion and thats Christian...larger than we can imagine for sure, but we cannot consign Christianity to mere vagueness. The second lack of clarity concerned that people really can go to hell according to Christ Himself. The film was not explicitly universalist, but it also was not explicit that serious criminals should be arrested and need to repent before their deaths.

The Shack alone is an amazing movie, I’ve watched it twice. I believe watching Restoring The Shack prior to the movie was so very helpful me though. Watching Restoring The Shack help me with all the parables in the movie. I have told everyone about these two wonderful movies. It is worth every penny. I wish I was a book reader and I would read that too, but will be a great gift for Christmas! I think my favorite part was meeting wisdom.

This was an excellent rendition of the novel. I had tears in my eyes for most of the scenes set in the shack with the three persons of the trinity. The way the story depicts Gods immense love for His creation is brilliant. Yes, at times a little preachy but Im okay with it. I loved the 3 choices of actors for the Father, Son and Spirit. Fabulous. And the intensity of their connection and love for Mac was beautiful to watch. I kept saying to God, this is what I want, Lord; to live like this. And crazy to think its how He wants us to live with Him, always staying close and dependent on Him. The story does a great job exploring the mysteries of why does God allow suffering, the role evil plays in the world, the importance of forgiveness and our own susceptibility to being judges of right and wrong. All good reminders for me. I watched the DVD with a non-believer who found it a tad boring and I can understand that. As she said, theres a very specific market for this movie and as far as she was concerned she wasnt it. Which made me sad. However, Im sure the Lord will use this story to convict many non-believers and be another link in the chain that draws them to Him. The scenery is gorgeous and the representation of the shack when God is present is beautiful. And there are laughs as well but I wont spoil it by mentioning the scenes. Im sure Ill be watching it again soon.

Let me set the stage a bit. The Case for Christ was getting ready to be released and I heard some women in my theology class talking about the Shack. Shortly after this, I saw a trailer. I was a bit put off thinking Octavia Spencer might be representing God.. hopefully not. I decided not to see it at the theater and instead read the book. The book helped me get past the God as a woman with its explanation for it but some of the things in the book were hard for me to visualize. I liked the book though and had no trouble finishing it. then I preordered the movie. This movie is a GOOD thing. I dont understand why people are trying to make it bad. If more Christians operated on the basis of love, forgiveness and trusting God to be the judge there would be... wait for it more Christians. Call me crazy but Im pretty sure God would approve. Ive started reading this piece called The Shack -- the Missing art of evangelical discernment thanks to a commenter. I have a lot to read still but one thing I have noticed is that the writer doesnt seem to get the concept of the trinity saying that the Father and the Holy Spirit werent suffering with JKesus on the Cross. That is like saying Jesus wasnt there at creation when the bible clearly states he was John 1:1, 14. The trinity is very hard to wrap our heads around but the movie did a good job representing it when Mack asked: Whch one of you is... The answer says it all. Watch it if you love God, watch it if you dont believe in God but arent so opposed to God you cant stand any references to it. Watch it if you have a semi-open mind. The message in this movie is something the world needs so much more of and though I am a professing active Christian Im not referring to the believing in Christ part. I thought this was a beautiful movie wonderfully acted and it almost brought my stoic husband to tears. I am so sad to see so many Christans not supporting something that could be so helpful to the faith if they just practiced the Biblical principals of love and forgiveness this movie does so well at conveying.

Inspiring. Wondrously, exquisitely, and beautifully filmed., Great actors with humanity and kindness. I loved seeing the faces and characters of God. At times I was afraid that the narrative would fall into platitudes, but the story resurrected itself, dealt with challenging issues, and ended with a positive message: Nice pacing. There were points when the message was awkward and problematic, but it also had transcendent moments. We need more movies with loving hope, and that transcend religiosity.