Why I Hate Religion Video
This is a video that was posted on January 10, 2012. When I viewed it on January 12 there were 842,000 views. This is an excellent discussion resource for any youth program. I thought I would include a few of my thoughts an then provide some good discussion questions to use if you show this video to others.
This man, Jefferson Bethke, is saying what many youth are thinking about the Church.
Hypocrisy is a definite problem within any religion. Religion should be the root of all that we do and when our youth see adults who claim to be Christian and act completely different the rest of the week, that can be enough to turn them away from Christ. Using this video as a discussion tool can be an excellent way to bring up issues that the youth have with the Church.
Does he mean “religion” or “false religion”
In the description of the video he points out the he hates “false religion.” In the video, though, he even goes on to say that he resents religion. I get the points he is trying to make, but I think it can be a great danger to continually beat down “religion” if what he is really attacking is “false religion.” I believe in Religion and the Church if it is lived out as it should be, broken and humbly dependent on the saving and merciful loving power of God.
Is he judging people who judge?
I understand the effectiveness that an engaging video can have and it’s usefulness in leading others to Christ. But the extreme nature of the lyrics in this poem can easily appear to be judgmental to the Church, when his message is that it is wrong for the Church to judge. If I were to say it in my own words, it would sound like “I hate people who hate me because they shouldn’t hate.” I am not implying that this is the intention of the author, but it is a discretion I have with encouraging others to watch the video.
Overall, I love the message and the challenge that a video like this places in the laps of those who say they believe but struggle in living it out. It brings awareness to how many in our culture view the Church and some ideas on what needs to change.
Discussion Questions
- Talk about one point in the video that struck a nerve with you, whether or not you agree with it, and why?
- Why do you think so many people are turned off by the Church?
- Do you think there is a difference between Religion and Church? If so, what do you see as the differences?
- What are some things that you think the Church you belong to should change in order to be more loving, open, and inviting to others?
- In what ways do you think you can help improve the mission of the Church?
Do you have other concerns/thoughts about this video? Do you have other questions you may bring up in discussion with youth about this video? Please post them in the comments section below!
Only comments that are helpful to youth workers to use in discussing this or good questions will be approved.
