Posted on 03/15/2009 3:08:57 PM PDT by Salvation
**Any portrayal of YHWH as anything other than Who he really is is unacceptable.**
Bump that thought!
If going what Mack (or the author) goes through is an easy way to know God then I sure wouldn't want a hard way!
Paul Young wrote the book as a way of expressing what he learned from VERY difficult life experiences.
For the record, the book does not intend to be taken as an example of an experience that we might have. It is best understood as a "photo-realistic parable" (especially to those like me who know many of the places in the book.
I find that most critics of the book either haven't read it or take statements very much out of context.
I *do* have some points at which I sharply differ from the author but this book does a wonderful job of showing God's loving heart -- even in VERY difficult circumstances.
Have you read the book? I find most people who criticize the book, haven’t.
What’s an amusing point is how ignorant the author is. “Sophia,” is an Old-Testament Greek name for the Holy Spirit. No femininity is indicated by the name, but neither is masculinity. It’s simply the Greek word for wisdom, and it’s used throughout the Wisdom literature of the bible, even being personified.
So the author doesn’t even recognize when she has a defensibly female person of the trinity, probably because the protestant-minded pop-culture of the Holy Spirit bears little resemblance to Wisdom.
By Protestant-minded, I mean those notions of how the Holy Spirit work which exclude the magisterium. Because the author doesn’t recognize the magisterium as a work of the Holy Spirit, she needs to create her magistrate as a character separate from the Holy Spirit!
If you are looking for a deeper understanding of God there is little, if anything to be gained from this book. I consider it a dangerous book because of its misinterpretation of scripture.
That is truly a beautiful sentence. ROFL!!!!
Following the example of the teaching style of Christ- Young has found a way to describe God that delights and stirs the multitudes while at the same time frustrating and angering the religious leaders of the day.
As I read the book I heard the voice of God as He reached into my heart and changed me with his Love.
Theologians on the other hand seem to see their omnipotent God as too fragile to exist outside the well drawn and studied framework that they have painstakingly built for Him.
Can't you just hear Jesus saying- “The kingdom of God is like a man who went to a shack. . .”
I can. I do.
Like the religious leaders of Jesus’ time, those who control people with their systematic theology, and place burdens on people that they're not willing to lift a finger to help carry- those who primarily study God (Theologians) are dismayed at the freedom of grace found by those of us who primarily experience God.
Read the book- It will thrill you and irritate a religious person. What more could you ask for?
Will Wallace
I did. I bought "If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat" By John Ortberg.
It is in reference to your personal faith in G*d and it uses as a reference the scripture describing Peter getting out of the boat during a storm to walk to Christ.
Do you think the type of books a Catholic reads is important? Do you think it is legitimate for Catholics to read any book at all? Concerning Christian books, written about faith issues or topics but not by a Catholic author, should Catholics read those? Should they be concerned about the content if the book is written by a Christian and/or sold in a Christian store? Do you think the Catholic Church should bring back the List of Forbidden Books?
Not being a Catholic I won't answer some of these.
But, I believe that it is important, as any type of Christian, to be careful what you read.
You can find diamonds in the mud but you will probably have to get dirty to find them.
“it is not inspired by the Holy Spirit at all.”
I agree...it’s nothing but blathering.
“it is not inspired by the Holy Spirit at all”
Really?
Not at ALL?
That’s a pretty sweeping statement for a jar of clay to make isn’t it?!
Will Wallace
To me, this is the compelling reason NOT to read the book. There are too many Christians who can not discern right from wrong uses of Scripture. And too many today are not interested in theology, just feelings.
“it is not inspired by the Holy Spirit at all”
Really?
Not at ALL?
That’s a pretty sweeping statement for a jar of clay to make isn’t it?!
Will Wallace
“too many today are not interested in theology”
Of course the flip side is people who can’t or won’t admit that God is bigger than their theology. Both are dangerous, but only one hides behind the mask of piety.
Will Wallace
Why would an OT era Greek word be any different than a NT Greek word??? My OT was written in Hebrew...However, in the NT Greek, wisdom comes from the Greek word Sophia but Sophia doesn't seem to mean Holy Spirit...It means, 'wisdom'...And can be secular or spiritual wisdom...
By Protestant-minded, I mean those notions of how the Holy Spirit work which exclude the magisterium.
The written word of God may be a 'notion' to you, but to many of us it is the Final Authority on All matters of Faith and Practice...And the word of God DOES NOT limit the power and widsom of the Holy Spirit to the teachers in the churches...
One theater I went to years ago had a play with the title of the Carpenter...
A modern day carpenter who went thru a few of the trials of Jesus' life...
Very entertaining and uplifting...I thought and still think it was very acceptable...
Likely zero...It sounds as tho the 'shack' has a serious protestant type slant...
So if you're saying Protestants in general will fail, I got news for ya...
I'll be basking in the presence of Jesus in Glory while your church is sitting in purgatory waiting for it's chance to defend itself at the final White Throne Judgement...
You know that we can’t pre judge our own destiny. Only God knows!
**To me, this is the compelling reason NOT to read the book. There are too many Christians who can not discern right from wrong uses of Scripture.**
I won’t read it either. But I will be taking comments to the women who supposedly are reading it.
Have you read the book? What did you think of it?
No, I will not read the book or encourage others to do it.
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