Humphries Nation

I woke up, yesterday, to this video being shared all over my Facebook wall. So many were posting it. So, of course, I am going to watch it! I mean, as a Christian, when you see a title that says “Why I Hate Religion, but Love Jesus,” you have to take a peek to see what’s up. Especially when a lot of your friends are watching it.

{This is where you watch the video}

Wow. COOL video, right? Catchy, even. It is moving, giving several camera angles, it is well edited, and had a real draw to it with the rhyming and such. Add some fading texts across to make points and it becomes a visual learners dream video! So I kept watching it because of those things. Mentally taking note of content.

Question. If I take all that away. If I take the location, the editing, the music, and the angles away. If I was watching a video of a young guy sitting down in front of his laptop with a webcam making a YouTube video, would I be writing a post about it today? No.

Why? Because it was not done in a visual manner I liked? Maybe a little. It truly pays to spend money to get a point across. It was a great marketing video.

I think as it is a strong artsy video it is a weak theological video. Don’t get me wrong. I think we need someone to stir the pot every now and then, and He makes some good points. Some denominations and individual churches do not do some of these things like feeding the poor and judging divorced people, etc. Some people assume your faith based on your political vote. Then do I wish some would take “Christian” off their religious status on Facebook? Yes. Do most people really care what religious status you put on your Facebook? Doubt it. Probably just other Christians. And when he talks about what Christ came to this earth for? To die for our sins? Spot on, my friend! You should have just kept it at that.

So what gets me so offended about this video? Why do I think it is theologically weak? He makes a statement on religion, as a whole. He takes scripture and places it into his context, his point, his message, rather than giving a rallying speech from scripture. I just get really tired of followers of Christ (since he does not want to be called a Christian) taking scripture out when they feel they need it to make a point, or video. The whole reason for the Bible is to make IT the point. We can all take snippets out to go with our agenda, but when we use it as a whole, that is when it gets tough. That is when real work begins.

Are you going to keep going?

Yes, because you know what? What may bother me more than this guys view of religion, is the fact that so many of my Christian friends seemed to love it.

Why? When you have chosen to be a Christian and identify with it, why love or “like” a video that tells you Jesus came to knock down the religious? That “Jesus and religion are on opposite spectrums,” “Jesus is the cure but religion is the infection,” “religion is like spraying perfume on a casket,” and “it’s just behavior modification like a long list of chores.” You just announced “Hey everyone! I am being un Jesus like for being part of a religion. Watch this video to see why. “Like” if you agree! Woohoo!”

So who really cares?

I do, actually.

I care when someone can stir up Christians to question their choice or agree that religion is what Jesus does not want. That is a real concern to me.

I care when Christians do not know the Bible enough to even recognize when a lot of this is questionable.

I am not breaking down each point this guy makes but I do care, strongly on a few.

I care when a guy tries to be all up in my grill saying I would tell a divorced lady she’s wrong, or a hungry person they can find their own food because I am too busy making a bigger building. Why? Because I accept people who are divorced and I feed the poor. And growing “the church” is what we are called to do, as Christians. We have been given the challenge. The Bible talks about it being The Great Commission? Okay, so that was a bit snarky. So yes, I love the divorced, feed the poor, and try to grow the church with more Christians. So has every church I have been a part of. It is what we are called to do, by Jesus!

But I mainly take issue because this video suggests I would not accept Jesus today in a church.

THAT offends me. Why? Because I HAVE! I have accepted Jesus. He’s in my life. He is my “vision board” on how I want to live. I try daily to live by what He taught and came here for. I believe in what He taught. ALL of it. For someone to call me the “whore” for that, to say I am the “infection,” that I am a bunch of do’s and don’ts, that I am a slave to it? I am in bondage? That offends me.

You want to take a stand on some religious people? Do it. But call them out. But before you take your stand on religion and what Jesus wants, look at yourself as well, my friend. Who are you? Make sure there is not a splinter in that eye first. Or as my Bible says, even a speck. Is religion perfect? No. Are religious people perfect? No. Are there some that are idiots with their life? Very possibly, yes. But take the Bible as a whole before you start making blanket statements.

James 1:25-27 (New Living Translation)
But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

Does not sound like Christ was against religion, does it.