The Five People You Meet in Heaven. ABC Dec. 5th

I haven't seen too many movies or anything else from the secular media that could be considered as containing "good theology".

 

No one is worried about Christians being influenced by this, but what about unbelievers? Most people are unbelievers, you know. This book will reassure them that good people go to heaven - so they will be less likely to think they need anyone else. When the culture continues to give this message, it's always bad.

I realize that we cannot control this, but I don't understand how Christians can be so blase about it. I can't read a book with a wrong message about the afterlife and not be troubled. It would be the same as reading a book that featured and glorified reincarnation. This book is as wrong about heaven as is a book about reincarnation.

 

The airing of the movie may be out of our hands, but how we deal with it is up to us. It's what it is. Consider it an open door to discuss the Truth with your co-worker in the morning. Watch the movie to prepare yourself.

Colossians 4:
3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

 

In what way was it "excellent"?

 

I understand what you're saying, but we need to leave that to the Holy Spirit. One of our shortcomings is when we try to have God do our bidding, rather than us do God's bidding. Let the Holy Spirit worry about the unbelievers. All of us believers were unbelievers once, and I'd say the Holy Spirit didn't do to bad there.

 

You've got this guy who is cynical about God and doesn't appreciate Him. So he's given the chance to be God for a while. He abuses the privilege, and in doing so, learns that God isn't there for our will, but we're here for His. At the end, he surrenders himself to God's will. Most works of fiction that address spiritual aspects never have anyone saying that they surrender themselves to God's will. I know of not less than three people who were unbelievers who are now churchgoers after seeing the movie. One has accepted the Lord since then.

 

I understand what you're saying, but we need to leave that to the Holy Spirit. One of our shortcomings is when we try to have God do our bidding, rather than us do God's bidding. Let the Holy Spirit worry about the unbelievers. All of us believers were unbelievers once, and I'd say the Holy Spirit didn't do to bad there. </font>[/QUOTE]John, I understand the role of the HS, but how can a believer actually enjoy a book with a wrong message about the afterlife? That's what I'm wondering.

 

I understand that how we deal with it is up to us. That's not the issue. No one is reading what I said. What concerns me is that Christians do not seem disturbed that such a book is a bestseller and they actually enjoy reading it!

I have to deal with these kinds of books all the time in my ministry -- it just makes it all that much harder to see book after book leading people into deception. I have evaluations of several New Age bestsellers on my site that I had to read and then write about. I respond to people who read these quite often! They love these books. The books make them feel good. So I'm thinking, "Great, just what we need! Yet another book to further deceive people!"

But instead, Christians here are saying, "What a great book. It was a good read." See the discrepancy here?

Of course, I'm going to watch it. I alerted my prayer partners in my most recent update about it.

 

I agree.

 

The book was not written to give a message about the afterlife. It is a work of fiction. Discernment, folks, discernment. And before you say "but what about the unbelievers", let me address that: Believer or unbeliever, discernment is a must. Don't assume that a nonbeliever is going to get a "wrong message" about the afterlife any more than a non-scifi fan might watch a Star Wars movie and get the "wrong message" about the ease of space travel.

I understand your concern, but methinks thou dost worry too much

 

No, I don't worry too much because I see the results of these books, as I said before.

The Celestine Prophecy was fiction as well, but it influenced large numbers of people because it had a spiritual message. My friend, a travel agent at the time, went to Perus with other travel agents. She was surprised to discover that her roommate and over half of the group had take the trip due to that book (which takes places in Peru).

Conversations with God, books one, two and three and other books by Redfield have not only influenced a large portion of people, but are being used as spiritual guides across the country in study groups. I have received many emails on this book, including from Christians who say they realized their co-worker was getting into spiritual beliefs because of this book (but also more resistant to Christianity as this book has a strong anti-Christian bias). And I hear from fans of the book as well! Redfield's latest book, Tomorrow's God, is making a splash as well (this book says we are going to have a new kind of God, one that will not judge anyone or anything -- same message as the other books).

And need I mention The Da Vinci Code? People are converging on a small town in France where part of this book alleges the burial of someone, I think Mary Magdalene, because they are believing it. Of course, it doesn't help that the author makes it sound like all documentary references are factual.

However fictional and however small a role any spiritual message may be in Albom's book, it will have some effect and Christians, imo, should be saddened by this.