Blue Like Jazz, by Don Miller
I skimmed Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality
What I Don’t Like
One thing I didn’t appreciate was that Don includes two stories of other people who hear God speak to them while drunk or on drugs. The reason I have a big problem with this is that the Bible is clear that we are not to be drunk with wine but filled with the Spirit. If being drunk impedes the Holy Spirit’s work in our hearts then it’s hard for me to believe that God chose that time to audibly speak to them. It just doesn’t make sense with what Scripture says.
What’s with all the cussing? I don’t’ get why cussing is so glorified in this book. Don describes Reed College as cool because of cussing and smoking, he loves the cussing pastor, he just seems to love cussing. I don’t’ get the fascination with using dirty words as cool. It’s not cool, it’s just unnecessary. It seems immature to love cussing that much.
What I Loved
I do not have the space here to tell you everything I loved about the chapter on Grace, but I loved it. I identified with it. When he started describing his summer at camp and all the ways he tried so hard to be good. He makes a pact with his friends of all the evil they are going to avoid in order to be good. What I found particularly striking was that there is no mention of the good things he is going to do, just the bad things they are going to avoid. Anyway, Don explains how miserable he is the first time he breaks the rules on their year long pact. This is not the grace of God, it is simply man trying to earn God’s favor. I understood it. Grace is not a list of do’s and don’ts.
Authenticity. Wow. I know who Don is. I love that. He admits to unbelief, how sinful he is and his need of Jesus. I loved reading how he shared his beliefs and feelings with so many people. Not just the good stuff to make them admire him. He shared the bad stuff too and that is a behavior Christians can learn from.
He doesn’t shy away from sin. He calls it sin. He makes it clear that as humans we are depraved.
What I Still Don’t Get
What is with all the gay stuff? He seems to come back to this several times and I just don’t get it. Does he think homosexuality is a sin or not? Does he think it’s “cool” to be gay? I’m just confused.
Does he actually like any conservatives or republicans on a personal level? I know he says he loves fundamentalists, but is he friends with any of them currently? It seems he gravitates toward the liberal, as though they are better. They aren’t. Every group (in my opinion) has flaws. What is not flawed is Christ and we need him.
Conclusion
Don Miller is a popular guy among people in my generation and now I understand why. Young people crave honesty and transparency and Don Miller fits that description to a Tee. However it often feels as though he is just immature. Some ideas are good, but some are not accurate when it comes to theology, and that matters to me. A valid point mixed with bad theology doesn’t make a good book. I think that is what scares me about someone like Don Miller and Blue like Jazz. It becomes something more than just a book of a guys journey through Christianity. He has created a following of people who might not discern what is right and wrong. Blindly following this book or frankly any book that is not God’s Word is going to lead to a flawed world view. Should a Christian decide to attend and expound upon how much he loves a Unitarian church? NO.
There are things to ponder from this book. Is Satan using religion to keep us from God’s grace and to make us waste time? Yes, honestly agree with the author on this point.
If you are looking for a book to challenge the way you think pick up Blue Like Jazz. You will be forced to think about how you live and I would encourage you to compare that to Scripture. Read this book with a discriminating eye.
If you have read this book, I’d love to hear what you think about it. Tell me if you love it or hate it.
loraena
1190 days ago
I’ve read it, and like you, I’m not completely decided on what I think about it either. I am curious to read one of his more recent books to see whether his thinking is developing. In Blue Like Jazz I felt like he did a good job of pointing out problems in fundamentalism, but he didn’t really offer a solution.
Showell
1190 days ago
I have not yet read it, but know many who have and dubbed it as their favorite book. I will say, though, that said people do have a rather progressive bent. This isn’t a bad thing, in my opinion, as long as the Bible is being taught, the gospel clearly given, people are accepting Christ and being discipled. Like you, I believe that any book regarding Christianity/religion needs to be filtered through God’s word or otherwise it is just extra-biblical. God doesn’t do or condone anything that goes against His character, so yeah, what you mentioned about Him talking to people while drunk and the cussing bit?? We know what he Bible says about drunkenness as well as what it says about the tongue. Could go even further by filtering it through the fruits of the Spirit. Anyway, I might read it thoroughly in the near future and read up on the author.
Keri
1190 days ago
Loraena,
I am glad I’m not the only one. I know some people just love everything about this book. I want to be open minded but I just ended up confused by its appeal. My notes are a mess, I have all these notes, love it! Hate it! What in the World??
Are there any books you have read recently that you recommend? Or would you like to write a review of one you like for my blog?
Keri
1190 days ago
Shannon,’
That is exactly what I kept hearing from people about this book. I think you should read it (you can borrow my copy if you want to). I think you would enjoy the challenge to your thinking. While I still find it a bit out there, I think I have an idea of why people like this book so much.
loraena
1189 days ago
I absolutely recommend ‘A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World’ by Paul Miller. It’s one of the more helpful and insightful books I’ve ever read. So much more than simply how to pray – it’s about how to “do life”. Keri, I’d love to talk to you about doing a review sometime. Want to message me privately?
heidi
1188 days ago
I’ve read it as well, and hesitate to recommend it new believers or even struggling believers. It is easy to read but dangerous, and as Loreana mentioned – it points out the problems with the Church today but doesn’t offer solutions. (That seems to be a problem that we all struggle with, and right now I feel like I’m doing the same with my comments!!) My greatest grievance with the book was the ending, though – “just give Jesus a try.” It summed up all my frustrations with the entire book – say something definite, but please, please don’t end with “give Jesus a try.” I love to identify with someone else’s spiritual struggle, but Jesus has assured us that He IS the answer, not something we should flippantly try out.
I have a few of Donald Miller’s other books on my shelves but haven’t read them yet…
Tara
1175 days ago
Hey Kerri! I missed this post and am late commenting. I have had MANY conversations about this book and agree with your conclusions. If you want to read a great article about the Emergent church in general and Blue Like Jazz here is a good link:
http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?id=670745711#!/note.php?note_id=13560016003
I am afraid that my alma mater (Cedarville) is becoming a Blue Like Jazz University–in some ways that’s good and in some ways it’s very very scary. I’m actually reading “Searching for God Knows What” by Donald Miller now– it reads a little less like a diary, but he’s still transparent. Interesting stuff.
Keri
1174 days ago
I wondered if you would find this post Tara! I had a feeling ou conclusions about this book would be similar. Let me know what you think about the book you are reading now by him.
Keri
1174 days ago
Heidi, I completely agree with you. “Just give Jesus a try.”??? What a ridiculous way to end the book. I also agree that this is not a good book for new believers. I think it is a good book for mature believers to challenge their paradigm but think it would be misleading for a non-discerning believer.
Thanks for your thoughts!