There is a video circulating called “Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus”. You can see it here….
As I watched it, I started scrolling through the comments on the You Tube page to see how different people were reacting to it. When I did I noticed two things; how many people were commenting in a quick manner and how many emotional responses there were on all sides. The simple fact is this video represents a much larger discussion that is going on today.
“Religion” is a hot button term. I get it. Some people think it’s judgmental, dead, and evil. Some responses were from people’s hurt, disgust, and boiled up from emotions from their past experiences. Others were confused because you say are a Christian but you say you are not “religious” and find that suspect. Others are angry because they cherish that “Old Time Religion” and don’t understand why we have to water things down. Then there is the uproar of Christians who applaud the message as Christ followers tired of the “religious leaders” hypocrisy and lack of love.
To be honest, the whole thing is flawed. So many people wanting to trash on the word “religion” but no one is defining it. To be part of the conversation, we can’t use a word and expect that we all define it the same.
If you define “religion” as hypocrisy and judgment then sure, we’re all in. No one champions that cause. However, that’s not the way God defines it.
James 1:27
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
When I define religion as God does, now I’m pro-religion! Jesus is not greater, his heart is religion.
I understand championing against how others or the world has defined “religion”. I really do… However, if I can add a thought to the conversation…. I wonder if we live boldly God’s definition of religion, would it impact the world more than telling people with words we hate the world’s definition of the word?
It doesn’t have to be one and not the other but it does seem it’s easier to call it out than live it but living it is what brings change.
Random thoughts…..
Emerging Conservative 
Thank you for this voice of reason. I wrote something (lengthy and maybe a bit too involved with the whole discussion) that you might enjoy. This was shared with me via Facebook and I intend to share it there with my friends. Thank you for the voice of reason.
Mark Cowperthwaite
http://cowperthwaitefamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/i-hate-religion-but-love-jesus-video.html
Thanks for chiming in Mark….. I will check yours out…..=)
Blessings to you! Great way to articulate the feelings I had when watching this. If you don’t mind, I am going to share this if I can figure out how to post it.
Hi Janis… feel free to share…. Blessings!
You really can’t preach the entire Gospel in four minutes. I’m with you, in a sense, My thing would be, “let’s lift up Jesus.” He called us to a higher law, a higher religion that can only be accurately practised by loving.
As you say, it’s easier to drag a stick through the mud than to lift up the standard of Christ’s love, cross, and resurrection. Let’s reach for the higher (and the lower, when appropriate).
Good thoughts Matthias… thanks for chiming in….