Jesus>Religion Video Anti-Biblical Part 1
This is a response to the video going around titled “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus.” For the full version, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IAhDGYlpqY
I copied each of the lines and wish to discuss them, because here, this young man not only uses very poor logic, lots of red-herrings, and lots of contradictory statements, he also borders, or walks directly into, heresy because he directly contradicts, misquotes, and warps the teachings of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
This is not going to be a “I’m a Catholic trying to best the Protestants” post that some people seem to think the responses are. This is just going to be a Christian sitting down and logically, and biblically, evaluating each of his statements.
“What if I told you Jesus came to abolish religion”
I would say you do not understand religion or Jesus’ teaching about it. Let me show you why I say this.
Firstly, God and Jesus are one in the same. Therefore, one cannot contradict the other. That said, since God the Father – Yahweh, Jehovah, whatever you wish to call the God of the Old Testament – gave the Israelites a very clear religion. He gave them two rule books: First, the Ten Commandments, then the Law. He asked for outward signs of an inward devotion. He knew that they would never find Him if left to their own devices, so he gave them a religion that would lead them closer to Him. Those that followed the law and counted themselves as Jewish because of this were called the Children of God.
Secondly, Jesus himself, when talking about the Pharisees – those he called ‘whitewashed tombs’ and ‘broods of vipers’ – said “Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.” (Matthew 23:1-3). He says “Do what they tell you, do and observe.” Yes, he calls them hypocrites of the First Order, but he also says that what they teach, the religion they have been entrusted, was worth following.
Thirdly, John 17:11 and 1 Corinthians 1:10 both preach unity among all believers. “I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are.” “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.” Both of these imply a unity of thought, belief, and indeed profession of faith. These things are not contrary to religion. Rather, they are the basis for it.
And if that is not enough evidence, then how about Jesus’ other comment in Matthew 16: “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” (18-19). Authority is being given to men, by God, to be his spokesmen. He is starting the Christian religion here and now. He is not abolishing it, not even condemning it. No! He is building it.
If you want further proof of religion, look at the first council in history, the Council of Jerusalem is Acts 15 or Paul’s language in 1 Corinthians 4 and 5. Luke and Paul are describing the actions of a formed religion, not a bunch of people who do whatever they please.
“What if I told you that voting republican really wasn’t his mission. What if I told you republican doesn’t automatically mean Christian.”
Well, on those points, I agree with you. Anyone can hide behind a title, and nowhere in the republican “mission statement” or definition does it say “We are a party of Christians.” In fact, that is a totally non-sequitor that seems to be a personal beef with you but has nothing at all to do with religion. Republicans tend toward more conservative, Christian values such as protection of the dignity of life and marriage, and that is what, as a true, practicing Christian, we should be looking for. We are told to protect the orphans, the widows, the unborn, and the sanctity of marriage. If none of the democrats are doing that, then we must look to whichever republican will. If no republicans are doing that, then we must look at whatever democrat will. However, since most democrat stances are against those issues, then we must look to the republican party if – and only if – they do uphold those values that are central to living a Christian lifestyle.
“And just because you call some people blind doesn’t automatically give you vision.”
This same statements applies to you as well. But, this is why we have Holy Scripture and the lives of Christ, Paul, the other Apostles, and the Saints to help guide us as I will be doing later on.
“I mean, if religion is so great, why has it started so many wars?”
Yet another red-herring. Something you seem to forget is that religions are made up of two type of people: Those who are nominally a part of a religion and those who actually follow it. Most of your talk seems to be referring to those that don’t actually follow what their religion professes. It’s hypocrisy that is your enemy, not the religion itself.
And as for why it has started wars, that could be in part, because people spoke out, disagreed, and fought over it. It could also be that religion was simply an excuse for men to go swing swords at each other. I’m not saying religion is not at the heart of many wars (Look at the Israeli-Muslim war or the Crusades), but it is not the sole fault of religion.
I copied each of the lines and wish to discuss them, because here, this young man not only uses very poor logic, lots of red-herrings, and lots of contradictory statements, he also borders, or walks directly into, heresy because he directly contradicts, misquotes, and warps the teachings of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
This is not going to be a “I’m a Catholic trying to best the Protestants” post that some people seem to think the responses are. This is just going to be a Christian sitting down and logically, and biblically, evaluating each of his statements.
“What if I told you Jesus came to abolish religion”
I would say you do not understand religion or Jesus’ teaching about it. Let me show you why I say this.
Firstly, God and Jesus are one in the same. Therefore, one cannot contradict the other. That said, since God the Father – Yahweh, Jehovah, whatever you wish to call the God of the Old Testament – gave the Israelites a very clear religion. He gave them two rule books: First, the Ten Commandments, then the Law. He asked for outward signs of an inward devotion. He knew that they would never find Him if left to their own devices, so he gave them a religion that would lead them closer to Him. Those that followed the law and counted themselves as Jewish because of this were called the Children of God.
Secondly, Jesus himself, when talking about the Pharisees – those he called ‘whitewashed tombs’ and ‘broods of vipers’ – said “Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.” (Matthew 23:1-3). He says “Do what they tell you, do and observe.” Yes, he calls them hypocrites of the First Order, but he also says that what they teach, the religion they have been entrusted, was worth following.
Thirdly, John 17:11 and 1 Corinthians 1:10 both preach unity among all believers. “I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are.” “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.” Both of these imply a unity of thought, belief, and indeed profession of faith. These things are not contrary to religion. Rather, they are the basis for it.
And if that is not enough evidence, then how about Jesus’ other comment in Matthew 16: “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” (18-19). Authority is being given to men, by God, to be his spokesmen. He is starting the Christian religion here and now. He is not abolishing it, not even condemning it. No! He is building it.
If you want further proof of religion, look at the first council in history, the Council of Jerusalem is Acts 15 or Paul’s language in 1 Corinthians 4 and 5. Luke and Paul are describing the actions of a formed religion, not a bunch of people who do whatever they please.
“What if I told you that voting republican really wasn’t his mission. What if I told you republican doesn’t automatically mean Christian.”
Well, on those points, I agree with you. Anyone can hide behind a title, and nowhere in the republican “mission statement” or definition does it say “We are a party of Christians.” In fact, that is a totally non-sequitor that seems to be a personal beef with you but has nothing at all to do with religion. Republicans tend toward more conservative, Christian values such as protection of the dignity of life and marriage, and that is what, as a true, practicing Christian, we should be looking for. We are told to protect the orphans, the widows, the unborn, and the sanctity of marriage. If none of the democrats are doing that, then we must look to whichever republican will. If no republicans are doing that, then we must look at whatever democrat will. However, since most democrat stances are against those issues, then we must look to the republican party if – and only if – they do uphold those values that are central to living a Christian lifestyle.
“And just because you call some people blind doesn’t automatically give you vision.”
This same statements applies to you as well. But, this is why we have Holy Scripture and the lives of Christ, Paul, the other Apostles, and the Saints to help guide us as I will be doing later on.
“I mean, if religion is so great, why has it started so many wars?”
Yet another red-herring. Something you seem to forget is that religions are made up of two type of people: Those who are nominally a part of a religion and those who actually follow it. Most of your talk seems to be referring to those that don’t actually follow what their religion professes. It’s hypocrisy that is your enemy, not the religion itself.
And as for why it has started wars, that could be in part, because people spoke out, disagreed, and fought over it. It could also be that religion was simply an excuse for men to go swing swords at each other. I’m not saying religion is not at the heart of many wars (Look at the Israeli-Muslim war or the Crusades), but it is not the sole fault of religion.
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