Help with explanation of story to questions about it.

[w2ioshears]

Hi to all. I am new to the forum, so excuse the lack of finesse. I have read "The Shack
 twice now, and plan do do so again. My wife has also read it twice. Shehas a hairdresser who is confused about Jesus' comment "I am not a Christian." We have answered that He could not be a follower of Himself, He follows only "Papa", and some others I can't remember. Additionally. we have come up with "He was a Jew and couldn't be a Christian, If He was a Christian would he be a Roman, Greek orthidox, or Russian Orthidox Christian, or if a Protestant, would he be Lutheran, Methodist, Baptisit, Pentecoatal, or Nazarene, Seveth day Adventist, Mormon, or even a Jehova's Witness, among all there is to be "a Member of". Help me to add any other answers that might persuade her or eliminate any confusion.  I am almost 75 and have been a Christian for over half my life. I learned the hard way about how to "be" a Christian, and praise "Papa" for His patience.
                                                                                             W2ioshears, but call me Will

[ShackBibleGuy]

Hi Will, welcome to the zoo!

I think that when Jesus says "I am not a Christian," he is indicating his disinterest in religion.  He never asked anyone to convert from one religion to another.  Instead, he said "Follow me."  Do you see that distinction?

The New Testament seems to indicate that Jesus never asked Jews to "convert" from Judaism to Christianity.  They continued being Jews who did Jewish things.  What changed was that their relationship with Jesus transformed how they related to God and how they practiced their Judaism.  There was a lot of conflict when they tried to make foreign Jesus-followers to "convert" to their Jewish way of following Jesus.  That's what Paul's epistles were all about, telling them to chill out.

Again, welcome Will!

John

[arus]

Hi there Will, good to see you here.  I have to say that I agree with John here - I too think he meant that he doesn't follow any organised religion.

[ShackBibleGuy]

Hey Will,

If you want to better understand what goes on inside the mind of The Shack's author (and understand better what he meant by writing some of the things he wrote), you can check out Paul Young at http://windrumors.com and his unofficial co-author/collaborator Wayne Jacobsen at http://www.lifestream.org

I thought those links might help,

John

[lakoda]

Hello all and welcome.
I AM NOT A CHRISTAN. I am a child of the Great Spirit.I do not go to or belong to any faith or orgnized religons. I believe spirtually. My church(people) are the beautiful people I have met here.I worship where ever I please when ever I choose.
I have had prayers answered by Papa and I talk and share with Papa every day.
I see the word Christan has been so misused and so many have lost lives and fought and it has split love ones and familys and I see it as a word I choose not to be assoiated with.
My beliefs are the beliefs of native americans.We do not judge others nor say they are wrong. BUT other faiths are quick to judge me and others as I.In my many yrs of walking my paths I have been attacked and abused and put down and judged and when it was found out I was not a christan then I had a one way express ticket on the path to the dark one.
Christan in my eyes is suppose to mean God Like and in my travles I have NEVER seen nor met anyone that came close other than several people.(They were close)
I see the Shack as a message from God to his children and messangers were used to guide Paul Young in the writeing of the Shack.It is a ficton only if someone wants it to be. I see it as Gods message and it is a beautiful message from my Papa and has open doors that have never been open.
I say to all no matter your beliefs  (Bless all of you )
        (Lakoda)

[kmbeargi]

wow thats really interesting. i have just started associating myself with christianity but i agree with what your saying. i simply believe in papa and jesus and sarayu and thats good enough for me. the christians that i have come into contact with have simply been the people that i feel i can relate most to. these few are the people that i know who are not afraid to show their belief in and their llove for jesus and i guess thats what attracts me to them and to that title. Truly, i consider myself a christian because i am just a weak human and appreciate having support, friendship, and understanding from the people around me. Honestly, i do not consider myself anything but His child, and I am at peace with that.

thanks for listening guys.. i love being able to talk to you all!

[Joe]

Welcome Will... and you too kmbeargi... pull up a chair and join us... the coffee is good and the pie is the best!  

Like lakoda, I don't follow any one organized religion... I did grow up catholic, so christianity is a form of spirituality that I understand and can relate to... yet, I like to take in a little of all faiths and religions... take what works for me and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away...

We each find our own path to god... and should walk hand in hand in respect and love for each other...

In that spirit I think Paul Young was saying that religion should not be the focus... but rather the individual and personal relationship with our creator...

[kmbeargi]

well said joe!

i have decided to pull up a chair after all

[ShackBibleGuy]

When forced to label myself, I self-identify as something like "a follower of Jesus," or "Trinitarian."  Then, people usually say: "Oh, so you're a Christian?"  To which I reply: "I guess so."

On Facebook, in the RELIGION box, I put "Cult of the dancing mammal-god, his dad, and their amazing pyrotechnic bird."  I'm pretty proud of that.

Though I'm leery of the label, it is obvious to most people that I am a Christian.  I have a cross on my wall.  I teach my kids about Jesus.  We put up a nativity scene on our mantel at Christmas.  I have ashes on my forehead on Ash Wednesday.  I fast during Lent.  The Bible is important to me.  I get together regularly with my spiritual family--usually at least every Sunday morning, but usually much more than that.

But my spiritual tradition is not THE core thing about me.  The thing that is true of me, regardless of my beliefs or behavior, is that Jesus' Papa is my Papa and always will be.  And that's how I relate to other people and their varying beliefs.  I listen to them and learn from them and their religious tradition.  But fundamentally, the one thing I know about them is that Jesus' Papa is their Papa, which makes them my brothers and sisters.

[BarbaraB]

There were no "Christians" in Jesus time, though there were people who understood what He was teaching and wanted to follow His way. But the term "Christian" didn't originate until after His death. I think He's asking us to remember not to separate people into Christians and non-Christians, but rather to know each Soul is precious to Him and to Papa. Perhaps in this way He is reminding us that the Christ Consciousness is in all of us and not to get caught in labels.
 
I was raised Jewish and I'm a Buddhist teacher, but yes, I'm also a Christian. I go by none of those labels. So much harm comes from the ways we divide ourselves and label others.  I choose to follow His path of Love. He reminds me of what all we humans are capable of, if we will make an effort to walk in His footsteps. 

[arus]

Hey BarbaraB, welcome!  I love your post and fully agree!

[Joe]

Welcome BarbaraB... good to have you here...

This thread is filled with the love of God... I feel a golden light shining in this thread that dispels all darkness...