I am a Christian. I am a religious person. In fact, wish I were more so. I wish I more religiously cared for my own mind and body; more religiously cared for my family and more religiously served my neighbors. I wish I more religiously acted on the decisions I make when I have the eyes to see and the ears to hear clearly. I wish I more religiously practiced and acted on what I believe to be True and Good and Beautiful. I am a religious man because I practice what I believe and only wish I were more faithful to my religion.
Perhaps obviously, I’m responding to the viral video entitled “Why I Hate Religion But Love Jesus.” Even side from the generally false and far-too-easy accusations leveled against “churches,” the young brother’s poem is an example of what I find worst in religious practice: reactive emotionalism. I believe I understand what he’s reacting to. The cross-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-generational, communal practice of Christianity is often messy and sometimes downright ugly. Yet I would suggest that the thing to do in response to poorly practiced religion is to work at practicing it well and helping others to do the same.
Serve the poor.
Support single mothers.
Visit and encourage the imprisoned.
Pray.
Study.
Sing.
Heal.
All of which are outward evidences and practices of inward convictions and beliefs
Religion is exactly that; the outward practice of my inward conviction and belief. It is the pattern created by regularly and consistently (and communally) acting on what I believe. Without the outward work of my life (my religion), the inward conviction I have regarding the Goodness, Truth and Beauty of God in Christ is meaningless (James 2:14-26). I practice my faith regularly and consistently instead of allowing it to be an emotionally-rooted and nearly thoughtless sequence of reactions, each with a life-span roughly equivalent to that of a YouTube video’s popularity.
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Thank you for such an eloquent response to that video. I love and am inspired by what you said our response to poorly practiced religion should be: to work at practicing it well and help others to do the same. My only thought to add is that everyone seems to define religion a little differently and I think that causes some foundational disagreements when we discuss how to properly practice religion, or even if we should practice religion. You’re right–our faith should be grounded in reason and our approaches to the rest of the world about what we believe should also be grounded in reason. But I wonder, when people react so strongly to something, what it was that caused them to react that way? What sort of pain are they acting out of? Learning to ask that question lately has allowed my compassion for others to grow, rather than my frustration.
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My thoughts on the manner, I don’t like to see people going through the religion hoops while forgetting about about the purpose for ought faith, Jesus Christ. A statement that you made in this blog was that you wanted to be more faithful to you religion. Its not the religion you serve but your Lord and Savior. That’s the misconception so many have, that by going through the “religious” moves they think they are Christians. But that’s not the case. The Pharisees were faithful to their religion while completely missing the point Jesus was trying to make. I know you are not like that, but people trip up on religion so often. Its all about following our Savior, not the rules religion creates.
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Justin Reply:
January 15th, 2012 at 11:46 pm
Shawn,
Thanks for your thoughts, man. I find that, in the absence of the internal “push” or whatnot, the structure of religious practice holds my life in place. In other words, the things I do because of my convictions and internal motivation (hopefully God-inspired) create patterns that I can hold to when I am not riding the wave of inspiration.
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Justin,
Thank you for this blog. I will admit that I am one of the many that saw this YouTube video and went and posted it on my own wall. I understand where you are coming from with speaking against having an emotional reaction, and being more proactive in bringing about change (being the change you want to see) however, I must admit that this video really struck a chord for me. As someone who did not grow up in the church a had many difficult experiences “finding my faith” (not to speak too callously),I have constantly felt ostracized and judged from the very church family that I was taught to confide in. Years have passed since then and only through becoming stronger in my relationship with the lord have I realized that I perhaps was putting too much faith and emphasis on my relationships with PEOPLE, but I believe this is something that most believers…or non-believers for that matter- do struggle with at some point or another. It was hard for me to leave my church when I realized that I was more concerned with how they looked at me, judged me, and talked down to me than I was with my relationship with God. In the end I am sure it made me stronger and was a great lesson to learn but it was still disappointing feeling as if there was no such thing as a real family in Christ. People are conditional and always will be, but it was still a difficult lesson to swallow. I think in some way this video helps those who have at one point felt the way that I have simply by showing them that they are not the only ones… And that it is not about the church or the people- it is about God.
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[...] Justin McRoberts [...]
Religion, simply defined(not Webster but based on Truth) is doing something for God but without God Himself. If you look at every reference to religion in the New Testament, it always refers to some kind of practice for serving God. And, in those references, it indicates that God is not behind those practices.
Jesus came to bring us into Himself and Himself into us so that we could abide in Him and He could supply us with a divine life enabling us to live a life that glorifies Him. The problem with Christianity is that nearly all its structure and practice is for God, but, sadly, without Him. There is very little glory to God in it. This is what this brother’s reaction is about. I’d say it’s a spiritual reaction, not emotional, and I say, “Amen!”
People need to turn away from not only the religion of Christianity, but, also the religion within themselves and to living and abiding in Jesus. Living by His life may cause us to do the things we try so religiously to do, but, it will be God produced not from our own self effort. And the result will be Glory to God.
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Justin Reply:
January 16th, 2012 at 12:51 pm
Hal,
Thank you for your thoughts. I understand what you’re saying but simply disagree. It seems to me that your definition of religion is oversimple and more like a masked insult than an actual attempt at defining it. Much the way people define “Politics.”
Buechner writes about living faithfully between our moments of clarity or inspiration. I find myself in that in-between place most of the time. I do have moments of clarity and revelation etc.. and the patterns set by the decisions I am led to in those times hopefully mark my life.
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I imagine there are at least a few reasons why people are posting this video. My guess is some have actually been put out by ‘church’ in the past and are now deeply moved by how much God actually loves them despite their experience with God’s people, some jumping on the rebel bandwagon who are inspired by the booyah feeling of someone taking a stand against the man (I’ve been there), some who just reposted because posting things on facebook is the substance of their christian activity in the world, and others because they have baggage with the word ‘religion’…like me. I was taught, like Hal I imagine, that religion was wrong, that we were to pursue relationship with Christ…that Christianity (following Christ) was not one viable religion among many, it was Truth; above and set apart from religious thought or behavior. I still believe this as true, but incomplete…because as you mentioned, faith without works is dead.
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Justin Reply:
January 16th, 2012 at 1:31 pm
Thank you for your thoughts, Jbot.
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There you go redeeming the word religion. Can’t you let us Protestants keep our trigger words.
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Justin Reply:
January 16th, 2012 at 7:04 pm
haha.. we can keep fearing out over words like “tithe”
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[...] Justin McRoberts and Mike Morrell have offered helpful insights on this viral phenomenon. Check them [...]
[...] by guys like Voddie Baucham (an old article re-posted; i.e., this is an old topic) and musician Justin McRoberts. The one that was brought to my attention is the one that seems to be getting the most buzz. [...]
[...] of today. In the past week, I have read a number of response articles, the one referenced here, one here, a decent one here, and my personal favorite by an Orthodox priest [...]
Does anyone else get the feeling that this video doesn’t actually say anything of substance? There are a lot of catch phrases, but what exactly does he mean? Why does he dislike religion? At the end of the video he seems to affirm most of Christian orthodoxy. So, what about his belief is different from the Christian “religion?” It just seems like more religion to me.
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Lance Christian Johnson Reply:
January 18th, 2012 at 3:45 pm
No! It’s totally different!
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Justin Reply:
January 18th, 2012 at 8:42 pm
I would completely agree. In fact. I do.
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Justin,
Well said, and I agree. But, internationally, and among those outside the walls of institutional Christianity, here, It’s way more effective if we speak of Jesus, and avoid leading with “Christianity”. When I’ve done that, I find myself having to defend Christianity. When I just focus on Jesus, I find that people want to know more about him. The Gospel is Jesus, not orthodoxy, not the Bible, not the church. Jesus transcends all religions. (I love God’s people, the body of Christ, and appreciate religion. But I don’t love religion.)
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[...] today. In the past week, I have read a number of response articles, the one referenced here, one here, a decent one here, and my personal favorite by an Orthodox [...]
Saying you
“Love Jesus, but Hate Religion”
is like saying you
“Love Your Wife, But Hate Marriage”
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Justin Reply:
January 30th, 2012 at 2:38 pm
Well stated.
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really appreciate what you had to say! curious what you think of this response video, i liked it a lot!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru_tC4fv6FE&feature=share
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Justin Reply:
January 30th, 2012 at 1:05 pm
I think the video response is very thoughtful. The comments below it are revelatory of the kind of emotional reactivism Bethke’s original video feeds off of and feeds into.
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Justin, a very smart and humble response.
I must admit the while that kid’s video rather sickens me, that we have turned timeless Truth into a brand off moral relativist pseudo Christianity, does hopefully open up the doors of discussion.
Instead of constantly slamming religion or each others doctrines, which me thinks makes the enemy rather happy, we should be, in a spirit of trust and humility, be seeking to find out if what we are following is actually what our Lord wanted.
Naturally, for me it is the Catholic church.I never wanted to be Catholic, but with God’s grace I read the Bible objectively (no Protestant or Catholic glasses as I was raised without a faith) and everything pointed to Rome.
I do believe nothing could help the world and make our Lord happier (and the enemy pissed) than for us to be the “one” He prayed for before His passion.
Our job is, in part, to humbly seek that “one”
I found it in Rome, in the sacraments, and more fully in Christ.
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