Jesus, Religion, and Rude Bloggers.

Every Christian in the world has seen this video. Well at least 6.2 million people have and it has only been 3 days. This guy posted a video called “Sexual Healing” and I enjoyed it a lot. My only criticism to him as a poet is that though I feel like the words are good. However, his flow is a bit weak. However, this is from a guy who raps like this.

So he made a new video called “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus”

Since the day it has been posted on YouTube it has been circulating though Facebook and Twitter like crazy! However, not for all the same reasons. Particularly on my own Facebook most of the comments were about how this man is creating a false dichotomy and that this poem is full of strawman arguments and even theologically incorrect statements.

Let me first say this. If you are going to critique someones thought or argument. Do so with respect. At the end of the day this is a brother in Christ who we are talking about. I don’t think that anyone would say this person is a false teacher or someone trying to lead people astray. He is a man with a passionate heart to see people come to Christ and live a life worthy of the Gospel. He uses personal life examples to illustrate the realness of legalism and the damaging idea that “praying a prayer” or “just going to church” is what saves you. He is a brother that has been purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ and therefore we should treat him as such!

However, just because he is a brother does not mean you can’t disagree with him. There are claims that he is using the word “religion” incorrectly. What he is really trying to show is the difference between Christianity and legalism or Christianity and people who think their self-righteousness gets them right with God. These people throw around James 1:27 because it has the word religion in it. I do agree that the dictionary definition to religion is not contrary to what Christians believe. However, the only major error I found in this poem is that when he said “When Christ said it is finished, he meant it” I don’t believe “it” meant the end to religion but an end of the wrath of God being poured out on to him. The full cup of God’s wrath was being poured out on to Christ and when he said it is finished, it is Christ turning the cup over and saying I took it all!

But my issue with people who criticize this video and calling him wrong is that words change meanings. Words are not concrete. Depending in context and where we are as a culture, words can have a meaning of negativity where previously it was positive. The word “religion” is often associated with legalism. It is also associated with, as the man said in the video, mans attempt to get to God. Though the true definition is not defined that way, culture often dictates the definition of words stronger than Webster. So regardless of what the word really means, culturally speaking, the word “religion” has the same connotation as a legalism. It is also associated with the Pharisees that Christ often rebuked. We can blame this definition change to modern day evangelicalism but honestly who cares. Words are not sacred and there are more important things to redeem than words. So when this man says Christ and religion are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Within context of 2012 American Christianity, that is true. His point is accurate.

Now, I don’t disagree with the people who call Christianity a religion. It must be a religion. If it were not, what would we put on our Facebook as our religious preference? Christianity must a religion legally and must be recognized by one otherwise we have no argument to stand on when we complain about people taking Christ out of schools but they still teach about other world religions. More Churches would be closed down because they would lose their tax exemption status. And while all other religions are looked upon as such, the world will see us as a giant moral social club that argue with others within our giant moral social club.

But we can disagree without being rude.

This is an example of how to disagree with this video without being rude: Voddie Bauchman, which I love him but disagree with him on a few issues, writes an excellent article articulating his point that Christianity is a religion.

However, this is the wrong way to go about it. Calling something lame and making snide comments about the person personally doing the poetry is not ok.What benefit to the argument is there to make a comment about the way the guy looks (which by the way, to me, his swag is very high, do you see that watch?). He isn’t wrong in his critique of the content but it could have been done with a bit more grace.

I do believe Christianity is a religion. Defining religion as: a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involvingdevotional and ritual observances, and often containing amoral code governing the conduct of human affairs. I also agree with Matt Chandler, the Resurgence and others saying religion (in the legalistic, self-righteous sense) is not Christianity.

I guess I am too post-modern for my own good when one word can mean two things.

UPDATE: I do think words matter. There are certain words that need a clear definition. Heresy is one of them. We need to be careful before we call people a heretic.  Calling one self “reformed” is another. Reformed does not mean Calvinist. Calvinists can be reformed, but they are not interchangeable. The word religion is in scripture and within the context of James 1:27 we need to clearly define what that means. However, if someone uses the same word to define false religion or legalism, it is fine with me. Not a hill to die on.

Quick thought on Jesus Jukes…

I love Stuff Christians Like. Jon Acuff is a wonderful man! Fun fact: a long time ago he read my blog and critiqued it for me to help me be a better blogger. He had a lot of nice stuff to say to me and a lot of good advice (some of which I have yet to implement but I am still working on).

He made a post on SCL about Jesus Jukes. I was so glad he did! In my youth group we had the definition of a Jesus Juker! I mean he would go out of his way to break the ankles on any conversation. For example:

Student: Did you watch The Office last night?

Jesus Juker: No, I was to busy feeding the ushering in the Kingdom of God.

or

Student: Wow! Did you see how many people started following Lecrae after he performed on the BET Awards?

Jesus Juker: If only more people followed Jesus’ life like the way they follow Lecrae on Twitter, maybe we would see true revival in America.

Ok, those conversations never happened. But maybe it did when I was not around. Needless to say, he was a professional Jesus Juker.

I have found myself commenting when people Jesus Juke other people and even rate the level of Jukeiness on a Jesus Juke (The higher the conviction the better the juke). But one thing I am afraid that is happeneing that perhaps Jon Acuff or myself didn’t intend was that calling something a Jesus Juke may be hurting the community of believers.

For example, lets say someone over the weekend watched “The Hangover 2″ or “Bridesmades” (pretty much the same movie but with genders reversed). They talk to you about it and you are maybe concerned because perhaps those movies aren’t the best thing to put our minds and eyes on. I mean if we are honest we can’t say those movies fit in Philippians 4:8 as being something worthy of putting our minds on. So you hearing this feels the need to say, “um…I am not sure if it is really God glorifying to watch those movies. I mean, they can be kinda raunchy and lets be honest, do you leave closer to God after watching those movies?” If your friend replies, “Wow, thanks for that Jesus Juke” we may have lost the battle. If I am honest I put Jesus Jukes in the same category as Trollers. By that I mean their sole goal is to make a normal conversation or topic into something awkward or at least go down a direction that was not expected.

If our out look on Jesus Jukes is that, then are we creating an environment where it is not ok to confront brothers in sin? Where striving for holiness makes you just look like a Jesus Juker. It is something I have seen in my local community and I am kinda worried. We already struggle with calling everything legalism. Legalism is saying, “I don’t do this or that and that is what qualifies me as a believer.” What striving for holiness is, “Because I am already saved, for me to best glorify God, I abstain from this or that.” Big difference and we need to get our definitions straight. Maybe calling something a Jesus Juke blurs that line.

Perhaps I am making a mountain out of an ant hill. Perhaps this post was just a giant Jesus Juke. But my concerns are real.