An Argument Against Reading the Shack
Before I make it, two things:
1. This is supposing that all arguments on other grounds have failed (a kind of Pascal's Wager argument).
2. If any sisters or brothers post snarky comments applying this argument to any or all trashy science fiction novels, said comments will be treated with lordly disdain.
Here we go:
Let's say you're going on a date. Your date tells you that you can either eat at the best restaurant in town, or a restaurant that costs the same price, but isn't as good. Which do you choose?
Or. Let's say you could go on a vacation to your favorite vacation destination, or a vacation of the same price to a place that is 10th or 11th on your list. Which do you choose?
Therefore...
Let's say you have a choice to read a truly excellent book with deep spiritual insight solidly based in the Word, that has been proven to be of profit to all generations. Or you can read a book of unproven excellence that is currently the fad of the moment. Which do you choose?
So, I say, all faithful readers contemplating reading the Shack...
Only read once you have read all books of proven high quality.
(Also, don't read The Shack. It features God portrayed as a sassy black women named Papa. Isn't that information alone enough to make you cringe?)
posted by Steven at 4:36 PM
2 Comments:
one of the girls I traveled with had that book. She didn't like it very much--thought it was very boring. It's not science fiction, is it?
1:23 AM
Steven's just saying we could make the same argument (there's something better out there) to argue against, say, reading Timothy Zahn.
But the argument really isn't very useful, since if followed to its logical conclusion you could only read the best (how do you define best--most edifying, funniest, most likely to end up in a fire) book you haven't read yet.
That would require figuring out the hierarchy of books before you had read them.
But if you start reading now, take a speed reading class, quit your job, and convince everybody to stop writing (or at least stop writing well) and medical science doubles your life expectancy you might hit Star Wars before you die.
10:12 AM
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