Tim Tebow Slammed on Twitter for Promoting ‘The Shack,’ Which Depicts God as Woman

Feb 22, 2017 12:44 PM EST

Tim Tebow has come under criticism on Twitter after praising the upcoming film "The Shack," a film based on a novel of the same title that depicts God as a woman and has been the subject of debate among Christians for years.

"Got a sneak-peek of @TheShackMovie last night. Great reminder that God is with us in our highs & lows & LOVES us no matter what!" the former NFL player posted on Twitter on Friday.

While his post received over 1,000 "likes", not all of Tebow's followers were pleased with his endorsement of the controversial film.

"@TimTebow @TheShackMovie I can't support this movie nor have I the book. Scripturally unsound," wrote Jessica Brown.

"@TimTebow. @TheShackMovie and the book are heretical. Unfollow. Sorry," wrote Bill Prange.

"@TimTebow @TheShackMovie bad portrayal of the living God especially the holy spirit," wrote another critic.

Other followers took their criticism a step further and accused Tebow of "enjoying heresy."

"@TimTebow @TheShackMovie Except for the heresy and misrepresentation of a holy God. Great reminder to read our Bibles," tweeted another follower.

Based on William P. Young's 2007 bestselling novel, "The Shack" film stars Sam Worthington and Octavia Spencer and hits theaters March 3.

The Lionsgate Entertainment film tells the story of Mackenzie Phillips (Worthington), a father who struggled with devastating pain at the loss of his daughter, who was abducted and killed, and her body left in an abandoned shack.

While mourning his daughter's death, Phillips received a note from "Papa" inviting to meet with him at the same shack where his daughter was found. Phillips went to the place thinking the message was from his daughter's murderer, but instead he encountered the Godhead.

God the Father, or "Papa," was shown as an African American woman named Elouisa (Spencer), while the Holy Spirit was portrayed as an Asian woman named Sarayu. Jesus was shown as a male carpenter of Middle Eastern descent.

Together, the Godhead attempts to help Phillips deal with his faltering faith and to learn to forgive.

While supporters of "The Shack" say the whole thing is mainly symbolic of God being who we need Him to be and should not be taken literally, critics argue it's a "dangerous" story that flies in the face of Scripture and provides a "false, blasphemous portrayal of God."

In a recent op-ed, Pastor Joel Rainey explains that while "The Shack" "deals with real life issues of pain that too few churches are willing to honestly address," the "god" portrayed in the story "isn't the one true and living God who has revealed Himself to us in scripture."

"The 'god' of the Shack is air. It doesn't exist. It's a worthless and damnable idol," he writes. "The author's view of God as presented in this story reflects an ancient heresy known as modalism - a doctrine that conflates the clear biblical distinctions between the members of the Trinity and as such, compromises the role each plays in the process of redemption."

He encourages every pastor to see the film, however, so that they are able to engage with those who will have questions about the theology presented in it.

Meanwhile, author and blogger Tim Challies says that due to the blasphemous nature of the film, he will not be seeing it - and encourages others to avoid it, as well.

He writes: "The Shack presents God in human flesh. It makes the infinite finite, the invisible visible, the omnipotent impotent, the all-present local, the spiritual material. In its visual portrayal of God it diminishes, it obfuscates, it blasphemes, it lies. Even though I would watch the film to help others interpret it and to bring correction to error, I would still be subjecting myself to a false, blasphemous portrayal of God."

He adds, "I cannot allow myself to watch it even for that purpose. I cannot and will not watch or review it."