By
now, most people have seen this video pitting
Jesus against religion. I know that a lot of people have already made
their various responses to it but I thought I would also join the
masses and sharing what I thought about this video.
My
friend wrote this as a response:
"I
totally oppose this video. It is hate crime. It contains the logic of
Hitler. Contrary to the arrogant speculation of our
semi-transgressive wanna be Linkin Park narrator, the Christian New
Testament is not ashamed to self-identify as a religion (James 1:27),
and most good inner city work done to feed the poor is done by
Christian, religion based, missionary initiatives (Salvation Army,
Covenant House, Yonge Street Mission etc). Unfortunately, the moment
we begin to see our practices as normative, pure, or more
"authentic"--the moment we think our practices are not
practices--that is when the ideological language of hatred is used to
delegitimize the "Other". Not surprisingly, this video ends
with a statement of hate, and that is what this video is, a hate
video."
I had
to really think about the comment my friend made. This is a man who I
admire and I definitely would define him as a thought-leader. He
knows his stuff. And so, while it is too easy to dismiss his claims
as too "overboard" or "way out there" at first
glance, I really took the time to think about what he said. And so,
while the comment may seem excessive, I would heartily agree with
it.
First,
I have a big problem with the way "religion" is often
portrayed in today's mainstream society. This video merely adds to
the current misconception that "religion is bad" or that
"religion has started wars". Religion, however, has often
been hijacked by religious people and have been twisted and
manipulated to be used to further their own selfish, sick ambitions
and desires. How much of it is the "religion" and how much
of it is the result of evil people who pervert a religion to benefit
themselves?
Religion
comes from the word "re" and "ligio", with the
word "ligio" meaning "to bind" or "to mend".
When you break a bone and have to re-set it, this is the meaning
imbued and hidden in the word. Religion, then, at least in its purest
sense, is a way to re-bind the cosmic separation between humans and
God. It is a way to re-connect, to fix the great divide that
separates the creation from its Creator. Religion is the attempt of
man to experience the divine unity that was severed by sin. And so in
humanity's attempt to fix this cosmic break-up, it has come up with
different, alternative ways to connect with God. Christianity, Islam,
Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism are but some of the names that humanity
has come up with to connect with the Higher Being we are connected
to. I'm not saying that Christianity is the same as other religions
(I am not a relativist...) but I guess I don't understand why so many
Christians are insecure about the fact that there are other
religions. If anything, it is but a testament to the fact that we are
all image-bearers who long to be with the One who created us.
Some
North American Evangelical Christians are completely offended that
Christianity is lumped in with other religions. Christianity is not a
religion, it's about a relationship with Jesus Christ, they say. Why
can't it be both? Jesus didn't seem to be uptight about it. While
Jesus did get mad at "religious" people, it is important to
note that He was mad at "religious" people who tried to
subvert religion to suit their needs. The main "villains"
in the Gospel were Pharisees and Sadducees who were intent in the
"law" rather than the "spirit of the law." (The
law is actually amazing but the way that we understand it has been so
twisted! But that's for another post...) What I find ironic is the
fact that so many evangelical Christians point to this example and
yet their attitudes are rather similar to the attitudes of the ones
they're attacking.
And
here is probably my biggest problem with this video: it sets up a
false claim that Jesus is against religion when in fact, Jesus is
against FALSE religion. While I understand that this is not what he
was trying to say (based on published exchanges between Kevin DeYoung
and Jefferson Bethke), it is important to differentiate between the
two. Being religious is not the same as being a hypocrite. Hypocrisy
is the antithesis of what religion means and aspires to be. At the
same time, there's this underlying insinuation that if you disagree
with what he said, you are in the wrong and probably not even a
Christian. Of course, he doesn't do this explicitly, but I have been
around enough North American Evangelical Christians to know that it
is true. Evangelical Christianity must understand that its own
practices, rituals and particular way of understanding Christianity
is subject to the same criticism that it levels at other groups under
the Christian banner.
Maybe
the reason why I am so riled up by this video is because I could see
myself saying and thinking the same thing a few years ago. Maybe the
reason why I am so riled up by this video is because I'm forced to
face my past ideas and be humbled at how wrong I could be. And maybe
the biggest reason why I am so riled up by this video is because I
see the lack of humility in the way the Gospel is presented and
think, wow, how could I have gotten it so wrong?
I
agree that Christ is the only way, the truth and the life. I agree
that without Him, I am nothing. I agree that we are saved by grace
through faith, and not by works, lest any man should boast. But I
guess what I don't see is the heart of Paul when he said that he
would rather be accursed and separated from God if it meant the
salvation of the Jews. Where is the heart of compassion that weeps
for the lost and mourns for them? Where is the heart of grace we're
supposed to extend to everyone? Am I saying we should sin so that
grace may abound? May it not be so! But for a video that talks a lot
about grace, I just didn't find it that gracious to begin with.
