A phrase I saw on Pinterest, "It's Facebook, not your diary" is with me this morning so I'm doing a quick blog entry in lieu of a super-long Facebook status. You're welcome.
A couple of friends re-posted a youtube video titled "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus." I immediately went to click on it, but it definitely made me pause to think what in the world?!
[ok now would be a good time to watch his video, link above]
Jefferson Bethke's poem asks the question, is religion a verb or a noun?
Let me start with what I love about what he has to say.
As of 10:15 AM on Friday January 13, 6.3 Million people have watched this video and heard that Jesus died for them and in God's grace they are forgiven of their sins.
According to Wikipedia, 15% of the adult population in the U.S. claim to have no religion. Of the others polled, only 9% said religion is the most important part of their life. Mr. Bethke, now that we all know who you are, I hope you continue to share God's love with the masses and clarify that the Church is our home, a place to gather and worship our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ! Your words are fluid, but convoluted and confusing!
I've been sitting here reading over and over the words he spoke, and that's pretty much what I have to say about the positives. I kept pausing the video and asking myself, "wait, wait. Is he talking about faith or the church?" It's hard not to be defensive, I love my church! I love the church I grew up in, I love my brother and sister-in-law's church...there are some amazing church families out there!
I think one of the big points he's trying to make is that some Christians want to feel perfect, like there's a checklist and if we do more good than bad we get into heaven. Wrong. The challenge to lead, to give, to share His love, to be thankful and humbled is daily, never-ending.
I also saw another friend re-post a status that said: "If Christians stopped judging each other, that would be a real miracle ♥" via I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me. Isn't that sad? We all need the reminder?
So maybe I fit a cookie-cutter mold that people like Mr. Bethke perceive to be. I would call myself (mostly) republican (not sure what that has to do with anything BTW) if someone asked me. I post about going to church on Facebook, as well as teaching Sunday school, christian song lyrics and bible verses. I have a "cross wall" in my house, a religious decal on my car and I'm listening to Casting Crowns as I type! But I don't think any of that is wrong. Those things make me happy, remind me of my savior and I hope encourages others to be open about their faith or ask me questions about mine!
Before I joined Redeemer I never would have thought I would substitute teach a Sunday School class or volunteer to help with Vacation Bible School. My church has made me a better person but more importantly a better Christian and has taught me to BE the church.
"Christ has no body on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion for the world is to look out; yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good; and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now." ~Saint Teresa of Avila
Hopefully his choice of titles was to grab attention. It worked. It got my attention, my full attention that resulted in lots of reflection and this blog. I can't imagine hating religion. In his description beneath the video on youtube, Jefferson Bethke says this is "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." I just wish he made it more evident in the text that he's calling out false religion.
I'm going to borrow a couple of phrases from our church belief statement:
Jesus has called us to be His witnesses in spreading the gospel to all people
and serving others as he did. As faithful Christians, it is our response to
Christ to live a life of love and service to others. We continually ask,
and serving others as he did. As faithful Christians, it is our response to
Christ to live a life of love and service to others. We continually ask,
“Lord, what would you have me do?”
Isn't that what a christ-centered community should encourage us to do?
Jefferson is correct in that God already took care of our sins.
Personally I don't give a flip if you go to church or not. But for my family, our church has been the best thing to happen to us.
If someone asked me 'Are you religious'...I would say YES.
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