Lately it’s become popular to slam “religion” and say follow Jesus instead. I see it everywhere. Jefferson Bethke’s video “Why I hate religion but love Jesus,” caught that wave, went viral, and in so doing helped to spread what I think is an impossible view of what it means to be a Christian. I get the sentiment, dead religiosity and traditionalism are not good things. But, religiosity and religion are not the same thing. Dissing religion is the way lots of people get a gig… it’s a mistake. If you don’t believe me, take a short Hauerwas moment and watch this video.
Hauerwas says, “Worshipping God with other people is absolutely essential to learning to live as a Christian. This is not work that can be done by yourself. It can only be done in a community through which you are made part of an ongoing history that you don’t get to make up.” Religion isn’t bad. Of course, bad things have been done in the name of religion. But throwing the entire category of religion out is like saying that because a few professional baseball players took steroids, we should stop playing baseball altogether.
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