By Now you see Shack author Wm. Paul Young’s new book Lies We Believe About God promoted on TBN, now you don’t. For seven straight episodes of Trinity Broadcasting Network’s weekly series Restoring the Shack, Wm. Paul Young’s new book was prominently featured and even offered as a fundraiser for TBN. Each week’s episode was then posted on the Internet—promos and all. But starting with episode 8, everything changed. Young’s new book was no longer featured and promoted. It also disappeared from episodes 2-7 that had been previously posted on the Internet. TBN editors had actually gone into the previously posted original programs and edited out all their prior offers for Lies We Believe About God. Into the spots where Lies had been offered, a promotional offer for The Shack has been inserted into its place—who would ever know? Only the first episode of Restoring the Shack has retained the original promos for Lies, perhaps as a minor concession to the author or as a way to keep their editing process from being a complete and total whitewash.
Why the disappearing act? From all appearances, it looks like an emergency edit for the purpose of damage control. You would have to ask the publicity department at TBN, but one can only speculate that the network had not done themselves any favors by endorsing and promoting Young’s extremely controversial new book. In Lies, Young had announced, among other things, that he was a proponent of “universal salvation,”1 that the statement “You need to get saved” is a “lie,”2 and that Christ is “in” “every single human being.”3 TBN was probably getting a mountain of questions on all fronts as to why they were promoting this book—a book that in so many ways is at complete odds with biblical Christianity. In light of Young’s new book, one major ministry wrote TBN stating that having Young’s program on TBN was “inexcusable” and “downright blasphemous.”
In a week that saw the graphic artist who helped design the cover of The Shack renounce the book and renounce his involvement with the project,4 TBN made their move. Young’s book Lies has—at least for now—faded into the background and disappeared from TBN. And while some might commend TBN for eliminating their promotion of Young’s new book, the question that still begs to be asked is—”Why did TBN ever promote Lies We Believe About God in the first place?
Endnotes
1. Wm. Paul Young, Lies We Believe About God (New York, NY: Atria Books, 2017), p. 118.
2. Ibid., p. 115.
3. Ibid., p. 119.
4. Dave Aldrich, graphic artist for The Shack book cover, said this on his Facebook page on April 4th 2017 . Also see “Artist “Deeply Regrets” Designing “Shack” Cover, Says A Loving God Must “Judge”
When will the show Restoring The Shack be back on
There were only 1 to 3 things that I recall were not Biblical… So maybe TBN could either “crop” those words out of the episode(s) Or if Wm Paul Young &/or his “reps” are not ok with doing that, then simply remove those specific episodes entirely… (& If he or they’r still not good with doing that, then as the lady said in 1’v the comments prior to mine… Bye Bye “Restoring the Shack” Completely… Boo hoo some of us will miss @ least most of it… I PRAY THIS IS A USEFUL COMMENT, IN JESUS’ NAME, AMEN! THANKS
Question: Are the 3 DVD offered on TBN exactly like the broadcasts, each containing promos? Would appreciate this information.
But if the meat is sour, it’s better not to eat it April.
I am inspired by RESTORING THE SHACK. Billy Graham affirmed in every meeting the message of Jesus, “God loves you”. Censorship? The religious establishment tried to shut Jesus up and shut Him down. When that didn’t work, they tortured and killed him off. I’m am against censorship. Another good evangelical , Pastor Paul Graban, once said “While we may not agree with everything, take the meat and throw away the bones!”
I must say that Iam a Pastors wife. I may not be perfect but every written word of the Holy Bible is my way, truth and life. The Bible’s says not too add or take away any of those Holy written words. And though the Shack is a lovely story of someone’s life story, I must remain faithful to Gods Holy word and instruction. We must be born again , that is stated in the written word of Gods Holy scriptures… I can not believe any thing more or less. If TBN decides to compromise the written words of God then sadly I will no longer be able to support there ministry. It’s about Jesus…. That’s it! His holy scriptures are the only truth, His blood paid for that….
I emailed many people the 20 episodes of “Restoring the Shack” because of the contents and what Mr. Young was relating though his experience with writing the book. The stories that have come out of people reading The Shack are really great. And Now I have been informed by TBN (an answer to my question, what happened to the 20 episodes of the Restoring the Shack}: Per our Production Department, a “Restoring the Shack” DVD package is being offered on the TBN website at http://www.tbn.org for a gift of $45. Since this offer is being made, the “Restoring the Shack” episodes will not be available on the website’s “videos on demand” in the future. So it seems a marketing strategy-making money off of the episodes. I don’t agree since it was offered originally as “Free” reviewing. Looks like their motive for this move is “Manna”- money.
Restoring the Shack has been life changing for me, and to remove the series just because it challenges orthodoxy, leaves me to no longer support TBN. Stop the requests for financial support.
Wm Paul Young’s episodes of Restoring the Shack have meant more to me, showed God’s unending pursuit of all, more than any one theologian. I am deeply distressed to be unable to find the daily episodes on TV or online. The enemy of our souls wants God’s message of love and relationship squelched. But fortunately the rocks will cry out before His message will be squelched!
I was watching those episodes. They were removed. The world needs to know God’s love, truly is unfailing.
I enjoyed the show “Restoring the shack”, the Bible clearly states, “You must be born again!! WE know that truth, so I will miss the show, but its ok we only want shows that truly are out of the Bible!