I so seldom complete a book. It's not for lack of trying, I'm just slow. While the rest of the world was reading Harry Potter, I finally finished "Searching For God Knows What" by Don Miller. When I started attending Imago Dei (which Don made so famous) I decided to read all of his works which are sold at Imago. I enjoyed "Blue Like Jazz" and "Through Painted Deserts", but I wasn't as impressed with "Searching For God Knows What" .
It's not say that I didn't get a lot out it and didn't enjoy it, but I found Miller makes a lot of assumptions about the Bible and it's writers that I thought were a bit of a leap. That would be only criticism of the book.
Don spends the last couple of chapters writing about Romeo and Juliet and drawing the parallel between Christ and the Church (with the church being Romeo and Juliet is Christ). It is a interesting theory that Don says Shakespeare might of did this on purpose, but not being a scholar on the subject, I find it a bit of a stretch.
I did get a lot of the book however. Miller does have other good arguments which I totally agree with. One is the reoccurring "Lifeboat" theory. Basically Miller says that we as a society operate as people who try to appear worthy to be saved on a sinking ship with only a few small lifeboats available. He says we find some people are more worthy of saving because they are attractive, have money, etc. Consumer culture feeds right into it. Christ operated in reverse from the life boat theory and found worth in anybody he would come across. He would hang out with those deemed as "less desirable."
Another point I strongly agreed with was Miller 's argument that Christ's love cannot be understood through bullet points. I feel that Miller is right that love is an emotion that is felt, not numbered. Please be aware, that this is only a little of what Miller is saying through out the book. These are just the points that stuck with me.
I think I might take a break from Don Miller books for a while and find out what's the deal with Harry Potter. I feel like the only person on earth who isn't excited about The Deathly Hollows.
5 comments:
The two things that I remember really sticking out to me were the lifeboat concept (which is something I have noticed a lot in and out of church) and the point that Christianity is about relationship. I'd recommend the book to others on those two points alone.
It has been a little while, but I probably agree with you about his point about Shakespeare. That part was at least entertaining, though.
So you may actually read Harry Potter? Are you sick, do you need to lie down?
Sounds like an interesting book. I like the points of Christ's love being felt not numbered. I feel that it doesn't matter what's being said up front in a church it's what's happening at the heart of it that keeps it alive and draws others to Christ.
Over the past couple years we've really focused on teaching the kids about Christianity being a relationship. It's a relationship with God and if you have that it should extend to your relationships with others.
I'm not sure I'd follow the Shakespeare thing--but I haven't read the book, I possibly would like the way he presents it?
Your comment about the "less desirable people" struck me. We should reach out to them more. I didn't take the time to do that yesterday when God told me to.
Sounds like an interesting read. I've always wondered what we should do with the less desirable - I mean not the poor or something obvious, but someone who is mentally unstable. We tend to allow in the church and at the same time avoid or minimize contact with. Hard ideas.
No, I'm the other person on the planet not doing Harry books!
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