Answering "hate religion, love Jesus"

[hiinEnkelte]

youtube.com/watch?v=1IAhDGYlpqY

In the description of the video, he writes: “A poem I wrote to highlight the difference between Jesus and false religion. In the scriptures Jesus received the most opposition from the most religious people of his day. At it’s core Jesus’ gospel and the good news of the Cross is in pure opposition to self-righteousness/self-justification. Religion is man centered, Jesus is God-centered.”

This video has been pooping up on my Facebook feed like crazy the past few days, and I admittedly get angry every time I see it.

I guess this is an issue of “having faith without religion”… what do you guys think of it/how would you respond to someone who told you this?

There were Christians at my undergraduate institution who believed that Jesus was “not religious” and that Christianity is about a “relationship, not a religion.” This was the evangelical variety who ran the local Campus Crusade for Christ.

My response is that Christianity is both a relationship and a religion. 1 Timothy 3:16 “Great indeed we connfess, is the mystery of our religion: He was manifested in the flesh…” The remainder of the verse is clearly about Jesus.

It is clearly a sign of the times that Christians must be so reactionary against the Zeitgeist of the world that they change–if I may so put it–their own religion to argue that it is not religion. When the world, the Zeitgeist, says religion is unnecessary, stupid, dangerous, etc, the best course of action is to be so reactionary that we need to claim that Christianity is no longer a religion? This is what I see current evangelicals as espousing. They are being negatively affected by the spirit of the age. It’s unfortunate, I think, but it’s hard to say that it “doesn’t work” as perhaps it truly does bring more people to Christ.

 

[hiinEnkelte]

I would tell them that you cannot make a dichotomy out of Jesus the Christ, our Lord and Savior and religion by claiming its simply not about religion. “Religion” (councils, theologians, Tradition, Scripture), in every sense of the word (as far as I understand it all), stomped out heresies throughout the centuries and through the Holy Spirit, religion gave us the doctrines of the God-man incarnate, Jesus Christ. Christianity, from a Christian perspective, is the ‘ultimate religion’ or the ‘only true religion.’

 

[JJPeachum]

The video has gone “viral” and has been posted a gajillion times on facebook. Frankly, I think it’s a clumsily rhymed, poorly argued and overtly emotional appeal on behalf of a stupid and self-contradictory concept.

Here is a blog post not authored by me, which picks it apart pretty accurately: patheos.com/blogs/badcatholic/2012/01/why-i-hate-religion-but-love-jesus-the-smackdow.html

 

[jfmarm81]

I’ve seen it popping up all day on facebook. I didn’t look at it because I haven’t had time, but I am interested in a rebuttal since I’ve actually seen it on some Catholic and Christian people’s pages- which i find sad…

 

[Corki]

One of my friends put this on her facebook page. Yuck!

1. supposedly based on a poem. If so, it’s a very bad poem.
2. the video is about 4 minutes long and has about 15 seconds of truth. The rest is the usual “I’m not religious, I’m spiritual” anti-Church rant.

Studid.

 

[kiqueen]

I would perhaps note that Jesus and his earthly parents were, in fact, religious. Also, you can mention that Jesus set up the Catholic Church, starting with Peter, and that it was while he was celebrating Passover, a religious celebration, that he instituted the Eucharist. The list really goes on and on. But to say that religion is contradictory to Jesus is to say that Jesus is contradictory to Jesus.

 

[followingtheway]

It’s funny the man in the video says Jesus came to abolish religion, when Jesus of Nazareth was the one who started a 2,000 year old religion called “Christianity”

 

[anp1215]

-]Four/-] 5 threads on this have already been merged on this and put into the apologetics section, fyi

 

[graceandglory]

youtube.com/watch?v=1IAhDGYlpqY

In the description of the video, he writes: “A poem I wrote to highlight the difference between Jesus and false religion. In the scriptures Jesus received the most opposition from the most religious people of his day. At it’s core Jesus’ gospel and the good news of the Cross is in pure opposition to self-righteousness/self-justification. Religion is man centered, Jesus is God-centered.”

This video has been pooping up on my Facebook feed like crazy the past few days, and I admittedly get angry every time I see it.

I guess this is an issue of “having faith without religion”… what do you guys think of it/how would you respond to someone who told you this?

The video makes me roll my eyes. If JESUS didn’t have a RELIGION, there would have been no LAST SUPPER.

The friends of mine who are posting this are ones who are burnt out on “Church” so don’t go anymore. These are folks I used to worship with every SUnday, SUnday night and Wednesday night too! I get the feeling that the video is judging those of us who still feel the “need” to go to CHurch.

 

[graceandglory]

youtube.com/watch?v=1IAhDGYlpqY

In the description of the video, he writes: “A poem I wrote to highlight the difference between Jesus and false religion. In the scriptures Jesus received the most opposition from the most religious people of his day. At it’s core Jesus’ gospel and the good news of the Cross is in pure opposition to self-righteousness/self-justification. Religion is man centered, Jesus is God-centered.”

This video has been pooping up on my Facebook feed like crazy the past few days, and I admittedly get angry every time I see it.

I guess this is an issue of “having faith without religion”… what do you guys think of it/how would you respond to someone who told you this?

If JESUS didn’t have a RELIGION, there would have been no LAST SUPPER.

The friends of mine who are posting this are ones who are burnt out on “Church” so don’t go anymore. Too hard to fit it in, and get their kids t o church. Thus raising a generation of spiritual non practicing, non religious people w/o a moral compass. These were the same folks I used to worship with every SUnday, SUnday night and Wednesday night too! I get the feeling that the video is judging those of us who still feel the “need” to go to CHurch.

---

 

[MTMMB]

I think the video is FANTASTIC! catholicism is a bunch of man made traditions that get in the way of the truth about salvation. Salvation is a gift and all we have to do is knowingly accept it.

 

[Lily0fthevalley]

That guy in the video is wrong in so many levels!. The Catholic church is the most giving, which is why i’m always seeing carts filled with food for the poor, containers filled with clothes lined up against the wall for the poor, they even invite the less fortunate in that can’t afford a decent meal for breakfast after mass. I could go on and on. I’ll just stop here before i say something that will get me into trouble

 

[SMA_12]

This video has been Exploding on Facebook and around my campus like crazy and it has been really frustrating because everyone thinks its the greatest thing ever.

Our priest even mentioned it in his homily tonight. He compared the idea of loving Jesus without religion is like being in a relationship without having rules to guide that relationship. It’s like punching your spouse in the face and then expecting him or her act like everything is fine because you still love them. When you claim to love Jesus without trying your best to follow the rules He gave us, in reality, you are running away from his grace. It was a good sermon.

Here is a good article in response to that video…

youngandcatholic.net/2012/01/why-i-love-jesus-and-religion/

 

[nickybr38]

I wish someone would make a why I love religionvideo… ):

 

[SMA_12]

This article is a response to a video called “why I hate religion, but love Jesus”

It’s a good article that I hope helps…

youngandcatholic.net/2012/01/why-i-love-jesus-and-religion/

 

[DominicJoseph]

Idolizing Jesus? Wait, so idolizing our Lord and Savior is a bad thing? That is absurd.

By the way you wrote that you make it sound like Jesus and God are two different persons, and that they aren’t to be worshiped the same.

Jesus Christ is God himself. We are to worship God. I call it worship, but even if you call it idolizing how is that bad if he is idolizing GOD and no one else?

About the “Jesus-ism,” so I should not call myself a CHRISTian because it means that I am disregarding God and focused on Christ even though I believe that Jesus Christ is God so it is okay to focus on Him

Idolizing is defined as worshiping, to love, and to admire. There is nothing wrong with idolizing Jesus who is not just a man I am worshiping but my God.

I think you misunderstood what I meant by Idolizing. What I meant was idolizing to the point of regarding with blind admiration or devotion. There is nothing wrong with worshipping.

But isn’t God and Jesus two different persons ? God the Father and God the Son ? please enligthen me ?

I believe being a “CHRISTian” means following Christ and his teaching right ? Didn’t Christ taught us about His Father, God ? I might be wrong.

My apologies if my questions brought the religious fervor withthin you. I felt like I’ve just been struck by thunder. Perhaps it is my own fault.

 

[DominicJoseph]

This video has been Exploding on Facebook and around my campus like crazy and it has been really frustrating because everyone thinks its the greatest thing ever.

Our priest even mentioned it in his homily tonight. He compared the idea of loving Jesus without religion is like being in a relationship without having rules to guide that relationship. It’s like punching your spouse in the face and then expecting him or her act like everything is fine because you still love them. When you claim to love Jesus without trying your best to follow the rules He gave us, in reality, you are running away from his grace. It was a good sermon.

Here is a good article in response to that video…

youngandcatholic.net/2012/01/why-i-love-jesus-and-religion/

Good find ! The most interesting part is the comments section though. Somewhat entertaining and thought provoking.

 

[Slinger]

Can you help me and name the groups that have the rituals and rules that believe that they have bought a spot in heaven?

I wasn’t referring to groups but to individuals who have this line of thinking. As I said though, this is my “perception” when I hear the word. I’m not defining anything or pointing fingers at anyone in particular.

 

[JustaServant]

I wasn’t referring to groups but to individuals who have this line of thinking. As I said though, this is my “perception” when I hear the word. I’m not defining anything or pointing fingers at anyone in particular.

Gee, when I hear the word ‘marriage’ I think of a piece of paper and a couple of pieces of bent steel around a man and woman’s fingers.

 

[yellowbird]

I think you misunderstood what I meant by Idolizing. What I meant was idolizing to the point of regarding with blind admiration or devotion. There is nothing wrong with worshipping.

But isn’t God and Jesus two different persons ? God the Father and God the Son ? please enligthen me ?

I believe being a “CHRISTian” means following Christ and his teaching right ? Didn’t Christ taught us about His Father, God ? I might be wrong.

My apologies if my questions brought the religious fervor withthin you. I felt like I’ve just been struck by thunder. Perhaps it is my own fault.

I understood what you meant in your previous post. And you are right - God the Father and God the Son are two persons, but both God.

What you were talking about - I see this in some of my Evangelical friends… it is all about Jesus so much so that they never mention God the Father. All prayers are directed to Jesus… I’ve even heard some say that Jesus WAS God the Father… that is just wrong.

It’s what I love about being Catholic… for us it’s all about the Blessed Trinity… Father, Son, Holy Spirit… nobody is left out.