Author of 'The Shack' Rejects Religion at Lifetree Café

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrLHFKsjGsE

Contact: Craig Cable, 970-292-4697

LOVELAND, Colo., March 22, 2011 -- Best-selling author of The Shack, William Paul Young, shares his struggles with abuse, infidelity, and a dysfunctional religious upbringing in an exclusive filmed interview for Lifetree Café.

The film will be screened across the country next week at Lifetree Cafés, which are community forums.

Young experienced a number of personal crises before writing the controversial novel that has sold over 10 million copies. The son of missionaries, he was abused by a New Guinea tribe. He became a predator himself. And he later cheated on his wife.

He describes the shack as a symbol of the "house of the soul." In the interview he said the metaphorical shack is "the place you hide your secrets and you store your addictions."

He said he found healing through relationships -- with people and with God. But he said his religion failed him. "Religion won't heal us. Religion can't."

The Lifetree program explores Young's spiritual breakthroughs that finally brought him peace.

The 60-minute program, titled "Can God Love a Mess Like Me?" combines the film with live conversation among attendees. It will be offered in venues across the country during the week of March 27. Locations and times may be found at www.lifetreecafe.com.

Admission to the event is free.