Home > Anything Else, Good News > Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus || Spoken Word (Video)

Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus || Spoken Word (Video)

01/16/2012 Leave a comment Go to comments

By Jefferson Bethke – “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 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, or despair because you can’t do your own list of rules and feel ‘not good enough’ for God. With Jesus though you have humble confident joy because He represents you, you don’t represent yourself and His sacrifice is perfect putting us in perfect standing with God!”

Categories: Anything Else, Good News
  1. Wisdom Hunter's avatar
    phartgerink
    01/17/2012 at 9:50 AM
    Reply

    The poem makes some valid points but also has serious theological weaknesses. There is an excellent followup discussion between the author and one of his critics on the Gospel Coalition website.

    http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2012/01/14/following-up-on-the-jesusreligion-video/

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  2. ICA's avatar
    ICA
    01/17/2012 at 10:48 AM
    Reply

    Hi phartgerink, I understand the issues that some may have with the video. I also understand, however, that Bethke was referring to “man’s religion”, and not “God’s religion.” Perhaps a better title would have been “Why I Hate Man’s Religion, But Love the Son of Man’s”.

    James 1:26-27, “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion [is] useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, [and] to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

    This is the thrust of Bethke’s video, and it is one that I agree with 100%. Some other points contained therein are open to discussion and debate, as it should be.

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  3. Wisdom Hunter's avatar
    phartgerink
    01/18/2012 at 2:38 PM
    Reply

    Thanks for your feedback. I liked the video when I first saw it, still appreciate what it is trying to say, but also think some of the critiques are valid. It’s noteworthy that Bethke thinks so too.

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