The Shack- Book Club Discussion Questions.... My Answers

Were you drawn in by the plot of The Shack?

A: Yes, so may quests were coming through my line at target ranting about this book,So I read the back of it and it totally pulled me in.

How did reading this book affect your faith?

A: Personally it made my faith even stronger in what I believe in to be right, but there were certain aspects of the book that made me sad for others who took the book as scriptural, cause it is far from. But as a FICTIONAL book it was a good read.

Does it change, challenge, strengthen your image of God?

A; Absolutely not.It does not change or challenge my view of God. It does however reassure that my view of Heavenly Father is on the right track..... I am not a believer in the Trinity at all, it is a false teaching. I can see how those who do believe in the Trinity are so confused, because the concept is outrageous. God is not complicated. The image and nature of God and who he is, is so simple children can understand it.

Why is God portrayed as a woman, what reasons does God give Mack?

A;Mack had a bad relationship with his father and the way Heavenly Father presented himself was in the form of a woman because he knew that would be a softer approach to get Mack to listen. He would have been very standoff-ish had he shown himself as a man.

What part of the book spoke to you the most, and why?(If you can find it please read it) .....

A: I cant find it specifically in the book, but I like when Mack is behind the waterfall and he gets to see his daughter in the other side. . . To see that she is not in pain, not suffering, but enjoying a beautiful and beyond comprehension a land we cant even imagine, and is the presence of the Savior, and talking with him and Playing with him. I think that is right on target. The passing of someone or a loss stinks so bad, but there is great joy for them, and I think that is a wonderful thing to remember.

Are there any brief quotes in the book that you like?

A;Yes ---- "Don't ever discount the wonder of your tears. They can be healing waters and a stream of joy. Sometimes they are the best words the heart can speak."

"...if anything matters then everything matters. Because you are important, everything you do is important. Every time you forgive, the universe changes; every time you reach out and touch a heart or a life, the world changes; with every kindness and service, seen or unseen, my purposes are accomplished and nothing will be the same again."

""Sometimes honesty can be incredibly messy""

Last one....."Each relationship between two persons is absolutely unique. That is why you cannot love two people the same. It simply is not possible. You love each person differently because of who they are and the uniqueness that they draw out of you."

Why do you think Mack's encounter with God took place at the shack?

A: The shack would be the place that would cause you to be vulnerable, and would humble you and bring out any and all emotions which is what is needed in order to heal. It is required that you be completely broken.

If God were to invite you somewhere, where would it be? (In other words, where is the center of your doubt and pain)?

A: It would be anywhere, where I am constantly broken down and rejected for who I am and what I believe and trying to share that with those that I love. It hurts me so bad. It hurts because I want them to know of the happiness that I have in my life and the HUGE blessings that come from believing what I believe. I know that what I believe is true, I see its effects everyday, especially on my husband. He is living proof! My ultimate sadness is that I am constantly rejected or made to feel inadequate about being able to share my beliefs and the thing is is my faith is who I am. Its not just a Sunday thing, its a way of life and and my (our) way of being.......That would be one spot.

Do you think suffering makes people closer to God or causes them to distance themselves from Him?

A:I think it all depends on your beliefs. What your perceptive is. I know from my life and what I have learned and been taught and found for myself is that. Suffering and trials are given to us to help us grown and become something knew. The story of the refiner;s fire. When we suffer it is the purpose to understand that we CANNOT do things alone, we must rely on Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to EASE our burdens, not take them away. If they took them away....What would we learn? Nothing. When we do not learn we do not grow.

What has been the pattern in your life? See above answer....

Were you satisfied with God's answers to Mack about suffering? A: Yes

Do you struggle with believing God is good in light of all the tragedy in the world?

A: Yes, absolutely, the best gift we were given when coming to earth was the ability to have free agenct..the right to choose. When different things happen it is because of others actions, and sometimes good people are in the wrong place, and at he wrong time. . . As far as natural disasters....That is part of the world that was created, our job is to be prepared for whatever may some as we have been taught since day one to do.

Did The Shack change any of your opinions about God or Christianity?
A: No, it confirmed to me that most of the Christian world is mislead by the false teachings of the Trinity.

What were some of the things The Shack teaches about God, faith and life that you disagreed with?

A; The trinity- obviously as I have stated..but also that you do not have to forgive and forget. That is also false. We are told to forgive and forget, Only the Lord ( Jesus Christ) has the option to do one or the other.

Does God answer convincingly the reason for the trinity?

A; No. and it is confusing. Confusing because it was created by man. The Gospel and The Nature Of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and The Holy Ghost are so so so simple. I think because they are so simple it is hard for people to wrap their mind around it, and that's because of the confusing they have been taught. The trinity was never biblically spoken about, the word Trinity is not even in the Bible. Strange why so many by into it. Three will never be One.

Does the idea of God a character in the book, or God's first-person voice, bother you...or does it work within the context of The Shack's story?

A: I think that the way the introduced is perfect to who they are...individuals. One in purpose but seperate beings. As you read in the book, they all have their own duties and conversations with Mack, all witht he same purpose to show him about love ad forgivness and to understand that others choices in no way make Heavenly Father the bad person. The Trinitarian aspect really bothered me.

Why did God let Missy die?

A; Again, others choices, can effect us good or bad. That is a gift from H.F. to us. but again in trials we grown and draw closer to him.

Do you think The Shack answers convincingly the central question of theodicy, the existence of evil—or why, if there is a God, bad things happen to good people?

A;Yes

What does The Shack say about forgiveness—toward the self or toward those who have wronged you.

Young has been criticized for advocating lawlessness (p. 122) ...or universalism (p. 225)? Do you think that is a fair or unfair criticism?

A: Ithink it is a fictional story, It was meant to entertain.

Many readers find the first 4 chapters of The Shack almost too painful to read. Could they have been written in a way that would be less painful—without changing the book's message?

A: No, harshness is real. Sadness and Pain are real. In order to fully understand you had to be brought into Macks sadness, and it felt very very real. Made it that much better to read.

Does the book's ultimate message satisfy you?

A: Yes, I like that the message is about ot being angry with God. but to understand that trials are there for a reason.

Is it possible to let go of control and certainty in life?
A: No. I think that is part of Human nature. What we can do is rely on The Lord to help us in the right direction, to pray and study, that how we can be in control, but not. Make sense?

Is it possible to live only in the present?

A: I find it hard. I am a worrier. I am also a perosn who likes to be 2 steps ahead if anything were to go wrong or change I want to always have a Plan B.

If you think about your soul as a garden, what do you imagine it being like? Is it neat and all in order? Is it a mess? Do you want it in order? Do you want it to be a mess or in order? Does it need weeding?

A; I think of my life as A beautiful yet thorny Garden. Some things are like roses, beautiful outcome in the end, but thorny and tough all the way up to get that reward of the flower. I think everyone;s garden needs weeding. Weeding to me is using the Atonement of the Savior.


Did you have a hard time with the way the author presented God's gender? Why or why not?

A: I did. i do not think God is a woman in anyway shape or form, Scripturally we know that. I do however believe that we have a Heavenly Mother. Who is not spoken of so she can be preserved, and kept for us when we return to live with our Heavenly Father and our Older brother and Savior JEsus Christ again.

Did you find the presentation of the Trinity helpful or totally off balance?

A:Totally off balance. As I said before it is a false teaching.

When you pray to or think about God, what is the mental picture that comes to mind of what God looks like?

A; I picture someone who looks very closely to the savior, just older and with white hair. Sweet and tender with such a warm smile and loving approachable arms, and I picture him to be relativly large in stature.

Mack naturally relates to Jesus the best out of any member of the Trinity? Which do you tend to relate to when you pray?

A: Well when I pray I pray to Heavenly Father, in the name of his Son. So I look at Heavenly Father as a father figure, much like my earthly father. The same kind of comfort and ablity to speak to him freely as if talking to my dad. I think there is not one that I lean towards more that another. I love them both very very much but differently.

Do you think God is too nice in The Shack?

A: No, i think that Heavenly father is even nicer. I think that he is so great and wonderful and compassionate, especailly

What do you think about how Papa, Jesus, and Sarayu relate to one another?

A; They are one in purpose bt Three seperate beings with their own individual jobs.

The Great Sadness goes from being something that is the grief of Mack, to the thing that defines him. How did this happen?

A: Sometimes I think that people let their trials, and grief and sorrows, define them. And they depend on that sadness their whole life. If they could only step back and see the wonderful workings of The Savior in their life......They would have no choice but to let go of everything they thought defined them and they would find that in those hard times and the :" Why this, and why that?" That they had become new creatures, they had been refined.

I think Mack realized that when he was able to see that, Papa had never left his side, he was always there, but it was up to mack to make that change,and make the outreach to him, and to ask him for help, once that happened, Mack became someone knew.
How does this happen in people that you know?

In what ways does the Great Sadness in Mack hurt him in his relationships with other people?

A; It is easy to be consumed with with the burden and hurt and pain. The thing is the Gospel, and our relationship with Heavenly Father and with Jesus Christ and with the Holy Ghost, is this, they will lead us, guide us, and help us. It is our job to listen and heed their council.

Throughout the story we see that Mack, although he can hardly speak it, blames God for taking his daughter away. When do we blame God? Why?

A; I will say again, I think that it is all i how you have been taught, and what you have learned form studying the Scriptures, and understanding our purpose for being here. It makes everything much more clear.

How do we reconcile with God after this?

A: By using his sons Atonement. Asking for forgiveness, and hopefully praying for the answers that you feel you are lacking, and then praying for the direction to be shown to you.

How does Mack's forgiveness of himself, God, and others get him to the point where he can be a better husband, father, and friend?

A: He let go of anger, anger takes a lot more strength. and ALOT of Effort. Once that is put to the side, it is unreal how much time is freed up.

Do you think this is true of all of us?

A: YESSSSSS