Donald Miller Vs Thomas Merton

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Within the Christian tradition, followers of Jesus have traditionally maintained that they have a personal and understandable relationship with God. They seek to develop this relationship and to more closely know their God, whom they view as being personable and approachable. In order to develop this relationship, Christians have searched for thousands of years to recognize the proper course of daily action to live a life pleasing to God. Part of this proper course of action is avoiding the trappings of the material world that hinder our relationship with God. Donald Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz, sites living without people to encourage growth as one of the largest barriers that must be passed and Thomas Merton adds an inability to fully accept vocations and make decisions as an obstacle that must be cleared before enjoying the fullness of an uninhibited relationship with God.

Donald Miller believes that humans are social creatures who cannot prosper if they are continuously isolated from the rest of society. Miller asserts that the inner soul of humans not only craves interaction but also cannot survive without it. The reason for this according to Miller is simply because God designed us that way. Why is it so important for us to maintain healthy social relationships? The first key advantage of social relationships is it guarantees that we keep a tight grasp on reality and what is and isn’t accepted in the society around us. Miller reminisces of a time he was so persistently lonely, he began to invent fictional friends to interact with because his soul so desired social contact. If people lose track of this social reality, they become unable to interact efficiently and effectively with their fellow human beings. This becomes a problem if, as Miller believes, loving your fellow humans is a little slice of heaven (173).

Living alone consistently is also an issue because it keeps one from living and participating in community.

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