Yuku free message boards

I went ahead and read the reviews anyway, just because I'm very cautious about giving anyone money when it comes to matters of faith. At any rate, some of the descriptions and quotations I've read are disturbing. I used Amazon's "search inside" feature to verify them, so it wouldn't be just a matter of hearsay.

Here is one that is bothersome:

(pp.145-146) "Jesus" tells the protagonist, Mack, that the members of the Trinity are equally submitted to one another in a relationship of "love and respect," and to we humans as well:

Mack gave Jesus a blank look.

"Have you ever noticed that even though you call me Lord and King, I have never really acted in that capacity with you? I've never taken control of your choices or forced you to do anything, even when what you were about to do was destructive or hurtful to yourself and others."

Mack looked back at the lake before responding. "I would have preferred that you did take control at times. It would have saved me and people I care about a lot of pain."

"To force my will on you," Jesus replied, "is exactly what love does not do. Genuine relationships are marked by submission even when your choices are not helpful or healthy."
"That's the beauty you see in my relationship with Abba [the Father] and Sarayu [the Holy Spirit]. We are indeed submitted to one another and have always been so and always will be. Papa [again, the Father] is as much submitted to me as I am to him, or Sarayu to me, or Papa to her. Submission is not about authority and it is not about obedience; it is all about relationships of love and respect. In fact, we are submitted to you in the same way."

Mack was surprised. "How can that be? Why would the God of the universe want to be submitted to me?"

"Because we want you to join us in our circle of relationship. I don't want slaves to my will; I want brothers and sisters who will share life with me."

Wow, I think we're really looking at some warped theology here.

First, the Bible clearly tells us that the Son does the will of the Father, and the Spirit seems to do the will of both the Father and the Son. But the Father is never said to be in submission to anyone. There is fellowship and love there, yes, clearly; but Jesus told us that the Father "is greater than I," meaning first in priority, which is a matter of authority. (John 14:28). Jesus was not forced into this situation; He chose to humble Himself. But the Father is always portrayed as absolutely supreme in the scriptures.

Second, the author presents Jesus as almost shunning the titles of King and Lord, but the Bible portrays the resurrected Christ in just that way, and He spoke over and over again in the gospels about His coming kingdom and how those who loved Him would keep his commandments. The Jesus I read about in scripture is absolutely a ruler, one who will judge His subjects according to whether they performed His will or not. Look at the parables of the talents and the wicked servant, for instance. I have a hard time reconciling the Jesus I read about there with the one speaking in "the Shack." What about the references that the apostles, specifically Paul and Peter, make to being "bond-servants" of Christ? One is never in submission to a bond-servant. Jesus is Lord. He serves no man.

And the part where "Papa," [the Father] talks about wrath and sin is particularly glaring:

(p. 119-120)

"I am not who you think I am, Mackenzie. I don't need to punish people for sin. Sin is its own punishment, devouring you from the inside. It's not my purpose to punish it; it's my joy to cure it."

This is downright dangerous! If scripture teaches us anything, it's that God hates sin and will "destroy" those who will not turn from it. He never, ever treats it lightly, but repeatedly warns that He will judge it.

I'm sure that there is some good content in the book, but I think these excerpts contain some dangerous ideas. I'd be very wary of recommending it to anyone.

- Robert