There is such a mess of counterfeits out there, and I was getting swayed -- and I know the Word! The allure is so strong in the spirit of this age, especially evident in higher education, even sadly so called "Christian" education. As far as my experience goes, I just graduated with my masters at a purportedly Christian university, well, it is anything but that, at least in its graduate programs. I had to FIGHT for my faith throughout: against Post Modernism, against acceptance of homosexuality as a valid, 'loving' lifestyle, against moral relativism... I had to FIGHT for my right to hold to God's Word as the final and ultimate TRUTH.

I had "Christian" professors ARGUING with me in my papers that I should refer to God's truth, his Word w/ a little t for 'my own truth,' not a big capital T for ultimate Truth because that was "so exclusive"! I fought back. I said, "God's Word IS ultimate TRUTH!" Ugh! If this had been the state university I would have expected it, but not from a 'Christian' University. It really blind-sided me and stressed me out for three years while in that program. I felt very alone there as a Bible believing Christian. I could have saved myself a lot of money and heartache had I gone to state!

My husband and I have been reading The Shack over the past two weeks and I have shared with him why portions trouble me so much, "And it sounds just like what I was hearing in that crazy Episcopal church and at school! And here are Scriptures which refute this... where is this author going?!"

I haven't finished it, but in the part where it subtly suggests that Buddhists and Muslims are His kids and believers -- and the part where "Jesus" is saying, "I'm not a Christian either" -- I was like NO WAY! Feeling really irritated and deeply grieved. This is the kind of craziness I just escaped from! So your critique of The Shack in light of God's Word and comparing it to the blasphemous New Age Course in Miracles was very helpful.

I am deeply grieved that so many Christians, including pastors, just do not get the gravity of how misleading and dangerous The Shack is! I had a pastor and a couple of Scripturally grounded Christian friends tell me, "Well it's not meant to be a theology book, it's a novel, it's fiction." And I said, "He talks about theology throughout. He is answering a lot of theological questions, not w/ Scripture but w/ New Age ideas, so it IS a theology book. Besides, story is powerful, that's why Jesus spoke in parables." Lord, please wake your people up, get them back into your word, and come quickly--deliver us from this evil age.