Understanding Poetic Intent: “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus”
The recent viral youtube video, “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus” has sparked much discussion.
I am glad this video went viral. I am a big fan of it. I think it was extremely well done in most every aspect. I appreciate the creative energy, talent, and time that went into producing it. Therefore, this increases my saddness to see so much misunderstanding surrounding the video. Due to misunderstanding, I fear items worthy of all of our consideration and reflection are missed while Christians argue about the proper use of the term religion. The purpose of this post is to state how (I think) the poet is intending the word “religion” to be understood in his message. My aim is to bring clarity to the way in which the author/poet uses the word “religion,” so that the focus can properly be put back on the heart of the matter.
We should define the poet’s use of the word “religion” in the context the poet himself provides. We must define words as how the author/poet intends to mean them. If we do not do this important interpretative step, misunderstanding ensues. Therefore we must be aware of the specific technical way in which an author uses and means a word. This is an important foundation for how language/meaning/communication works.
If some dislike or are uncomfortable in moving away from the listed dictionary definition of religion or how it has been used throughout church history, that is a different discussion altogether. I am not here to debate the legitimate semantic range of a word. I won’t debate it, because if I did, then, I too, would be missing the larger point of the video. I am here to simply shed light on how he is using the word “religion” in this piece of poetry.
Tentative definition of religion used in this video (as defined by me, and hopefully faithfully close to the intention of the poet)
Religion: A term that has evolved in contemporary evangelicalism to speak against a misunderstanding of biblical Christianity. It is used by some today in a broad sense as a grab bag term (junk drawer idea) to encompass all negative things wrongfully associated (i.e. legalism, hypocrisy, judgmentalism, works based salvation, etc) with Jesus and the Christian message both now and throughout centuries past.
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Filed under Christianity
Christian Basics
1. HUMANKIND IS SINFUL. We’ve all messed up, we’ve all sinned, we’ve all done wrong. Because of our sin, a gulf separates us from a relationship with God. We cannot bridge the gap and restore our relationship with God. We need a Savior to accomplish what we cannot do.
2. JESUS SAVES PEOPLE FROM SIN. JESUS RESTORES RELATIONSHIP SEVERED BY SIN. Jesus Christ is humankind’s only hope to become reconciled to a holy God. When people put their faith and trust in Jesus he cleanses them of their sins. This is called atonement. Jesus pays the penalty on the cross by sacrificially substituting his life for ours. A person’s sins are exchanged for the Jesus’s righteousness. Jesus restores the relationship with God sin had severed.
3. PEOPLE CHANGE THEIR LIFESTYLE AND SEEK DAILY RELATIONAL INTIMACY WITH GOD. Numerous lifestyle changes take place when people put their faith and trust in Jesus. If lifestyle transformation is not happening, people should question whether or not they are truly Christians. After all, the faith people state with their mouth, nod their head in intellectual assent, if it is genuine, must take root and grip their heart. The Holy Spirit comes to live/indwell every believer. He is our Helper, He aids us in the spiritual transformation process. Christians live in reliance upon the Holy Spirit. Through cooperation with the Holy Spirit our lives become steady transformed into the image of Christ. Christians practice confession and repentance of sins. Christians seek to live obediently with how God has revealed Himself through the Scriptures, His authoritative Word. People who place their faith and trust in Jesus, and desire to live obedient God honoring lives, will continue their relationship with God for eternity, enjoying God’s presence forever.
Filed under Christianity
Hell
Hell is real. How does the existence of hell impact the way you live?
If Christians truly believe in a hell, it will influence the way they live and the conversations they have with others. People who believe in hell are motivated to tell other people about Jesus and the gospel.
Filed under Christianity
Feelings Fade, God’s Word Stands
“Feelings come and feelings go,
And feelings are deceiving;
My warrant is the Word of God
Naught else is worth believing.
Though all my heart should feel condemned
For want of some sweet token,
There is One greater than my heart
Whose Word cannot be broken.
I’ll trust in God’s unchanging Word
Till soul and body sever,
For, though all things shall pass away,
His Word shall stand forever!”
— Martin Luther
Filed under Devotional
Historical Case for Christianity (part 2)
1. See post “Historical Case for Christianity (part 1)” for the foundation.
2. With these established historical facts we can begin to mount an argument.
i. Other world religions have a THEOLOGICAL SYSTEM (doctrine/teachings about the supernatural)
ii. Christianity has BOTH the THEOLOGICAL SYTEM + the HISTORICAL EVENTS
iii. Other religions agree with the historical events, but become uncomfortable at various points with the theological significance that the eyewitnesses attribute to the historical events.
iv. We cannot accept the historical events without giving adequate voice to the theological system associated with the events.
v. The historical events of Jesus set apart from any other prophet, enlightened one, moral teacher of any other world religion.
vi. This makes Jesus the 1st be dealt with because of the extravagance of the claims made. Because of the types of claims made he sets the parameters to only be considered as a Liar, Lunatic, or Lord.
vii. Only if we dismiss Jesus as a Liar or Lunatic must we consider the other world religions. If we come to conclude Jesus is Lord, the examination ends. We then can positively rule out all other candidates.
3. Notice in my argument I am simply asking the skeptic to consider the Bible as a reliable historical document (as the referent historical document to the claims of Jesus), I am not asking the skeptic to accept that the Bible is the inspired word of God.
Filed under academic
Historical Case for Christianity (part 1)
The general consensus of modern scholarship accepts the following ten details as established historical facts:
1. Jesus died by crucifixion 2,000 years ago.
2. Jesus was then placed in a tomb.
3. A few days later, the tomb was found empty.
4. Soon after, the Apostles began testifying that Jesus had risen from the dead.
5. The Apostles really believed they had seen Jesus alive again.
6. Even opponents and skeptics of Christianity at the time claimed to have seen Jesus alive again, and their lives were transformed as a consequence.
7. Almost all of the Apostles eventually died for their testimony that they had seen the resurrected Jesus.
8. In the face of brutal persecution, the movement of Christianity grew beyond all reasonable expectation.
9. The belief that Jesus was physically raised from the dead was central and foundational to Christianity from the very beginning.
10. The corpse of Jesus has never been produced.
Filed under academic
Dangers Lurk Here
“I believe that pluralistic secularism, in the long run, is a more deadly poison than straightforward persecution.” – Francis Schaeffer
Dangers lurk in every culture. The more crafty the more sinister the more deadly that poison. Physical persecution is straightforward. The demons in this society are far better hidden. There are a lot of serpents where we live.
Filed under Honest Life
