"I Hate Religion But Love Jesus" is an intellectually bankrupt argument
This video has become quite the viral phenomenon in the past few days. In it, a charismatic and good-looking young man offers us a spoken word performance on why he "hates religion but loves Jesus." This performer seems like a very well-meaning, talented, and intelligent person. I don't disagree with everything that he says. But in the end, his argument is self-contradictory and makes him guilty of the same selective Christianity he accuses others of.
If one believes in the Bible, one must also believe that the Bible represents absolute truth. Among the principle teachings of the Bible is that 1. God is omnipotent 2. Jesus is the Son of God 3. Through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, God enkindles the faith of Christians to ensure that "Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven." If God is an omnipotent deity that has daily communion with his flock, it follows that the structure and actions of Christianity are in accordance with his Will. Therefore, He must be evaluated in light of what Christian believers and institutions do in the world.
Essentially, this young man is saying he hates Christianity but loves Christ. And I don't think that makes any sense, because who else is more responsible for Christianity than God through Christ? If you'll allow me a bit of psychoanalysis, I feel that this young man is reacting to the cognitive dissonance he feels when he sees the hypocrisy and illogical beliefs inherent in Christianity and religion in general. However, instead of that inspiring him to find a more intellectually consistent worldview, he is picking and choosing what he wants to believe about his professed faith.
