Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus Video. Is It Truly Controversial?

This inspirational (and for many controversial) video is a poem composed by Jefferson Bethke. What is captivating about the video is Jefferson’s take on religion. He demarcates between religion and Jesus, claiming that they are on two different spectrums. He calls religion a false man made, man centered invention, whereas Jesus as God centered, God made creation. He voices the gap between what Jesus followed and what Churches preach or follow.

How religion opposes Jesus’ gospel with Self righteousness. The poem tells his tale, his journey to discover this truth. Jefferson clearly states how Religion being followed in churches entices men to follow a life of hypocrisy, where, a man spends his Saturdays in sex and goes to the church on Sundays. He mocks religion, stating that religion does not know how to solve their problems, so they mask it.

He compares religion with mummies. How religion gives you an outer neat façade but it’s actually like a mummy, with a corpse underneath. He aptly states how calling yourself a Christian, does not specifically make you a true Christian.  He also states how the church should not be a museum for the good people but rather a hospital for the broken. A refuge where people can appear honestly with their failures and their sins. Jefferson states how religion abandons the sinful, but Jesus does not. In fact Jesus does not give up on his man.

Jefferson’s poem goes on to say how religion blinds you with phony rules and how on the contrary Jesus and his gospel gives you vision.

 “With Jesus though you have humble confident joy because He represents you, you don't represent yourself and His sacrifice is perfect putting us in perfect standing with God!” – Jefferson Bethke

This video has gone viral in just 2 days, since it was uploaded on January 10, 2012. Obviously, attracting a huge platter of comments. Comments, that either slur anger, comments that praise him. But what is more important is to probably listen to the core essence of what Jefferson is trying to say.

“Now let me clarify: I love the church; I love the Bible, and, yes, I believe in sin. But if Jesus came to your church, would they actually let Him in?” – Jefferson Bethke

From where I see it the video, it does not disrespect Christianity, or religion. But it actually questions the man-made perceptions of Christianity. It questions the gap between Jesus’ Gospel and the currently followed religion. It questions the rigidity of perceived Christianity over the free flowing love of Jesus.