Answering "hate religion, love Jesus"

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An unfortunate tendency to identify religions with their members’ actions, and repeated assertion that religion is no more than rules. I am also not sure how he can say that Jesus is opposed to religion in general since He Himself started the Church, or even the Judaism of time since God made that as well.

Some good stuff in there along the lines of “calling yourself a Christian isn’t enough,” but a lot of stuff that’s just wrong too.
 
I think it’s really just a matter of perception. When I hear the word “religion” or “religious” I don’t think of relationship with Christ but rituals and rules and people who believe that if they simply follow those rituals and rules they have bought a spot in heaven. I think there are a lot of people who have that perception. There are always people who prove perceptions right and ones who prove them wrong…that’s just the way it is. I do believe that God hates religion devoid of relationship…because, seriously, what’s the point?
 
I wonder if those who claim to not have, or have anything against “organized religion”, if they claim any sort of tax exemptions or credits based on their faith. Because if they do, then thats “organized” religion because they are registered with the government 😉
 
Slinger said:
I think it’s really just a matter of perception. When I hear the word “religion” or “religious” I don’t think of relationship with Christ but rituals and rules and people who believe that if they simply follow those rituals and rules they have bought a spot in heaven. I think there are a lot of people who have that perception. There are always people who prove perceptions right and ones who prove them wrong…that’s just the way it is. I do believe that God hates religion devoid of relationship…because, seriously, what’s the point?
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Didn’t Jesus follow rituals and rules? Why do you think we shouldn’t?
 
Thaelros said:
I honestly feel really bad for him and everyone who follows suit. That ideology is the result of being uneducated in church history.
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Yes I agree, but its spreading like crazy among my friends in college… Even the Catholic ones.
 
Reminds me of that part in the bible where the devil quoted scripture
 
In this same line, I really do not understand what in the world a “nondenominational Christian church” is. I feel like this violates some law of logic.
 
hannajomar said:
In this same line, I really do not understand what in the world a “nondenominational Christian church” is. I feel like this violates some law of logic.
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It does violate logic, IMO. I know and am friends with some “non-denominational Christians,” who go to whatever Church they want but probably believe their own thing. I think a specifically “non-denominational Church” is mostly trying to get across to people that they aren’t some kind of faceless hierarchical institutionalized Church. This seems ideal to people who don’t like the hierarchy, bureaucracy, or organization of Catholic, Methodist, Episcopalian, Southern Baptist, etc. Churches. But I always just saw non-denominationalism as a total cop-out. If you’re “non-denominational,” it gives you the right to believe whatever you want and still be a Christian.
 
yellowbird said:
There is a video that keeps getting posted and shared on Facebook -

youtube.com/watch?v=1IAhDGYlpqY

Why I hate Religion but love Jesus.

He claims Jesus was always opposed to Religion and he makes a bunch of other ridiculous claims about religion.
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This is what the author has said in a post to an apparent Catholic on his ministry’s FB page about what he meant by the word religion:

"the word ‘religion’ is used to connotate those who are counting on their self-righteousness to earn salvation. It can be Jews, Muslims, etc. but Christians as well who think that by their good works, deeds, and obedience they will find themselves earning their own salvation. There is no hate behind the poem toward any person. There is, however, disgust with the distortion of the gospel that says we can earn salvation. Eph 2:8-19, Tit. 3:3-8. It’s by God’s unmerited grace alone that we are saved.

facebook.com/seasonofchisel/posts/322434024444366?notif_t=share_reply

Whatever his zeal might be, it appears to be misguided. 🤷
 
I just want to add that this sentiment tends to come from the same type of people who believe that their walk with God is no one else’s business. I’ve alawys taught that while our walks are personal(God may deal with me differently than with you) they are all public(everyone should be aware of your walk with God and what He has brought you threw, it is your witness).

I disagree that this is a Evangelical thing as it tends to be more of a sofa christain thing. The closest they get to church and fellowship with other christains is the TV and that’s only if nothing else is on. They simply wish to fool themselves into thinking that claiming to believe in Jesus is enough to get them into heaven. The problem is a belief means you know something as a FACT. They have taken the term in modern English to mean an uncertainty(possibly due to doubting christain in the past?). When I say I believe in gravity I know for a FACT that if I jump off a roof I will fall. When I say I believe in Jesus, I know for a FACT that He died for me and His grace covers me.

Another way some of these people think that faith alone is enough to get them by. We know this is a lie as James chapter 2 tells us that faith without works is dead. I have faith in the heat of fire, I back this up by my work of trusting the fire to cook my food and keep me warm. I have faith in Jesus I show this by going into the world and preaching the gospel. The people the OP was talking about are simply lieing to themselves in one way or another.
 
Basically, religion tells us what God’s revelation is, and how to apply it to our lives.

The guy who made this video is telling us what he thinks God’s revelation is, and how to apply it to our lives.

Therefore, the poem in this video is, in essence, this poet’s religion, so he uses religion to tell us not to use religion.

One would think that a poet would have a better awareness of irony…
 
Slinger said:
I think it’s really just a matter of perception. When I hear the word “religion” or “religious” I don’t think of relationship with Christ but rituals and rules and people who believe that if they simply follow those rituals and rules they have bought a spot in heaven. I think there are a lot of people who have that perception. There are always people who prove perceptions right and ones who prove them wrong…that’s just the way it is. I do believe that God hates religion devoid of relationship…because, seriously, what’s the point?
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Can you help me and name the groups that have the rituals and rules that believe that they have bought a spot in heaven?
 
Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,
Code: 
     Oh boy,  I had a sick feeling at the title of the said video and  I don't know  I just could not watch it all.  This is very bad.
BP
 
From this video’s text commentary:

“This poem highlights my journey to discover this truth. Religion either ends in pride or despair. Pride because you make a list and can do it and act better than everyone…”

But pride can also manifest itself in making a YouTube video spouting off a bunch of unsubstantiated and poorly conceived anti-Church cliches. Here are some things this guy says, and my thoughts in response to them:

"What if I told you, Jesus came to abolish religion?"
I would ask you why Jesus didn’t tell me this himself.
There’s lots of stuff Jesus said in the Bible, but “I came to abolish religion” isn’t in there.

"If religion is so great why has it started so many wars?"
It hasn’t started any wars. Economics is the real reason behind wars, so make an anti-economics video.

"Why does it build huge churches…"
Like the Temple in which Jesus prayed, taught, paid the temple tax, and drove out money-changers?

"…but fails to feed the poor?"
The Catholic Church is one of the largest charity organizations in the world. Add the charities run by Orthodox Churches and Protestant denominations and you have the poor being fed in every corner of the world. My parish helped establish the local food bank, routinely staffs it with volunteers and takes up 12 collections each year to help support it.

"Tells single moms God does not love them if they’ve ever had a divorce"
Uh, exactly who ever said this?

"But in the Old Testament God actually calls religious people whores"
Yes, but the specific religious people being referred to were idolaters.

"Tend to ridicule God’s people; they did it to John the Baptist"
Uh, exactly who is doing this ridiculing of God’s people?
And John the Baptist was not ridiculed. The Pharisees questioned him, and refused to accept him, and Herod Antipas imprisoned him and executed him, but I know of no instance of him being ridiculed.

"It’s just behavior modification…"
Ever hear of the Ten Commandments?

"…like a long list of chores"
Ever hear of the Book of Leviticus?

"I ain’t judging, I’m just saying…"
Well that’s good to know.

"Quite putting on a fake look, because there’s a problem if people only know you’re a Christian by your Facebook"
I thought you weren’t judging.

"Because if grace is water then the Church should be an ocean…"
My parish baptizes between 70 and 100 people a year. How’s that for some grace-filled water?

"…It’s not a museum for the righteous but a hospital for the broken"
My parish has an ER and an ICU. It’s called the confessional.

"I don’t have to hide my failure, I don’t have to hide my sin, because it doesn’t depend on me, it depends on Him"
A sentiment shared by every person who goes to the above-mentioned confessional.

"Which is why Jesus hated religion"
I didn’t know Jesus hated anything. And where in the Bible did Jesus say, “I hate religion”?
Maybe it’s in the place with that other hard to find passage about Jesus coming to abolish religion.

"Don’t you see it’s so much better than just following some rules?"
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)

"But if Jesus came to your church, would they actually let him in?"
He’s already there.

"He was called a glutton and a drunkard by religious men"
And other religious men called him “Lord” and the “Son of God.”

"But the Son of God never supports self-righteousness, not now, not then."
This is very true!
As a matter-of-fact, every time I feel compelled to create a YouTube video to tell people what I think is the proper attitude they should have in order to be true Christians, I remind myself of the dangers of self-righteousness and refrain from doing it.

"Religion puts you in bondage, while Jesus sets you free"
I would like to know of one thing that my religion has enslaved me to that Jesus wants to free me from.

"Religion is man searching for God while Christianity is God searching for man"
I thought Christianity was a religion.

"Which is why salvation is freely mine, and forgiveness is my own, not based on my merits, but on Jesus’ obedience alone"
And this is a doctrine taught by the Catholic Church, all the Orthodox Churches and all the Protestant denominations. This guy acts like this is some sort of new revelation.

"That’s why I literally hate religion, in fact I resent it, because when Jesus said ‘It is finished’ I believe that he meant it"
And what exactly are you saying here? That when Jesus died on the cross it was supposed to be the end of religion? Then explain how you would have known that Jesus died on the cross for your sins without religion as a vehicle to preserve and teach this to every generation for 2000 years?

And I believe that when Jesus established the Church and gave his followers the Great Commission, he literally meant it.
Exactly how does a person have a Church and obey the Great Commission not in the context of a religion???
 
Luvtosew said:
Christianity is a Religion

a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
2. a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.
3. the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions.
4. the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.: to enter religion.
5. the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith
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I find many evangelical/fundamentalist define RELIGION differently than the dictionary definition of it At least the Calvary Chapel crowd tends to define it in this way.

Religion is Man trying to do RITUALS to please God.
Christianity is having a relationship with God because what He has done for Man.

That was the answer a Calvary Chapel pastor gave me, and I’ve found many others in the non-denominational crowd regurgitate that same definition.

Well, it sounds nice at lest 🤷

That is why so often you hear the Evangelical crowd say “It’s not about religion, it’s about a relationship”

My response is “Who gave you the authority to redefine the dictionary definition of the word religion?” lol
 
Oops Let me clearify 😊

Religion is Man trying to do RITUALS to please God.
Christianity is having a relationship with God because what He has done for Man.

or some variant of that!
 
DaddyGirl said:
Well, the kid’s an artist and he’s got charm and good looks and he’s trying to express himself in a creative, healthier way than a lot of kids do, and I think that’s good.

This Washington artist, Jefferson Bethke, says on his Facebook page:
"I love Jesus, I’m addicted to grace, and I’m just a messed up dude trying to make Him famous.

Why does what he says annoy you so much? Just because it is different than how you think/believe?

For some people, Jesus and religion is not an all-or-nothing deal.
For some people, Jesus lived and said many peaceful, wise things and they admire him and even think he’s the son of God, as this kid does…but they don’t believe he intended to start the whole structure of a religion as we have it today.
There are many people who have been disappointed or disallusioned by the structure of religion.
Is it not better that he at least has the “message” of what Jesus is saying–the peace and love part–even if he doesn’t not follow all the rituals and rules, than have nothing at all?

Of course a Catholic is never going to say these things, as per your comment. Because being Catholic means being part of the structure of it all–the rituals, the religion, the “rules” as this kid calls it.

So while he may not be doing it the way you think is “right”, he at least gets the gist of it and it sounds like he lives it. Which is more than we can say about a lot of people.
So many–even those who go to church and profess to be Catholic–may not have this kid’s passion for Jesus.
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I would say that a belief in a God and that this God has incarnated as a human being and then sacrificed himself on a cross to save mankind and to give people an eternal life and then also resurrected from the dead is kind of a religious belief, whether you have rituals or not. And then someone says that it is not a religion and adds a lot of negative stuff to the word which does not have to be there, like they could change the meaning of the word, that is what annoys me. I won’t dispute his love for Christ, because I don’t know anything about that and while misdirected in some of his beliefs he does seems to be sincere about them. However, it is not exactly him that annoys me, its the phenomenon of saying ‘‘I love Jesus but hates religion’’ etc. By the way, I would not call that a ‘‘belief’’, it is just a new way of interpreting the word religion and this interpretation is wrong to most people, it would be like if some people claimed that beavers should be excluded from the word mammal because they think that their tail looks un-mammalish.
 
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