There's an article on Donald Miller in today's cnn.com. Personally I agree with Miller as he revisits the meaning of "Christian" and "Christianity." The article, e.g., states: "Watching TBN one night on TV, Miller, 36, realized the conservative religious network was many people's baseline for Christianity. He wanted to change that."These people are absurd. I've been a Christian all my life and I don't even know Christians this weird," said the Portland, Oregon-based writer, who is single."
As for myself, when I watch "Christians" on TV I see some things that connect with actual Christianity and I see a whole lot of things that make me go, "Nooo! That's not the real thing!!!" In this regard I challenge people to read for the first time Matthew/Mark/Luke/John. That's our baseline; viz., the life and ministry and words and deeds of Jesus. Get that stuff deep into your soul. Then, note the great disconnect between the actual Jesus and some of the stuff on TV that's, sadly, done in his name.
Miller has some importance in the Jesus-dialogue thing in America. A bit more from the article that highlights his importance and expresses some concerns:
""People like Donald Miller are speaking almost like a prophet of a new age and describing the landscape in a way people who feel comfortable in that landscape really couldn't articulate before," said David Kinnaman, a researcher for The Barna Group and author of "Unchristian."
Critics call Miller's works casual and glib and that he strays from biblical truths when he downplays homosexuality and other sins.
One such critic, Shane Walker, says Miller presents Jesus as a "nice fellow who meets one at the campfire and swaps stories." He forgets to remind readers that Jesus is also a judge and avenger who "wants to save you from his just wrath," according to his review for "Blue Like Jazz" , an organization designed to help local churches re-establish their biblical bearings."
"Don has teamed up with Steve Taylor and Ben Pearson to write the screenplay for Blue Like Jazz which will be filmed in Portland in the spring of 2008 and released thereafter."
