I really wanted to write about the book, Jesus > Religion by Jefferson Bethke. I finally received it this week, and I hate putting it down! Because there is so much in the book, and literally amazes me on every page, I'm going to blog about every 2 chapters. The book is titled after Jefferson Bethke's YouTube video, in which he is most known for. I am a huge fan of his because he's young (26), and therefore is able to reach out to the younger generations. Many of his YouTube videos are spoken words (poems), and he clearly dissects them in this book, along with talking about his life, and how his poems came about. No matter if you're a devoted Jesus-lover, or just coming to know the Lord, this book is SO worth the read!
Chapter 1:
Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up?
Clearly a spin-off of Eminem's "The Real Slim Shady" LOL. In the first chapter, Jefferson talks about his faith growing up, and openly talks about how as a kid, he was a Christian by default. In other words, his Mom was taking him to church every Sunday, and she kept a Bible in the house, so he thought that automatically classified him as a Christian. In this chapter, he also talks about his Dad's absence in his life, and how he had resentment, which resulted in rebellion in school. He moved several times growing up, and discusses how that, too, had a negative part in his adolescence. I won't give any spoilers out, but he talks about what led him to God's grace while in college, and I think many people can relate to the situation Jeff was in.
*Highlights From the Chapter that Inspired Me*
"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." ~C.S. Lewis
"The Bible isn't a rule book, it's a love letter.
I'm not an employee, I'm a child.
It's not about my performance, it's about Jesus' performance for me" (pg. 7)
"We've lost the real Jesus -or at least exchanged him for a newer, safer, sanitized, ineffectual one." (pg. 9)
"But we don't like a dangerous Jesus because a dangerous Jesus isn't a profitable Jesus." (pg. 11)
"The reason we aren't fulfilled or satisfied by our version of Christianity is because it
isn't Christianity." (pg. 12)
Chapter 1 Discussion Questions (& some Answers)
The questions I've answered are ones that can be found in the book, and the ones that I have left blank are questions you will have to answer personally. Take the time to read these questions and honestly answer them to how they apply to you!
1. What do you think Jeff means by “My true religion, as it is with most of my American Peers, was just moralism dressed in Christian clothes?
He felt like he was a Christian because he grew up in a “Christian” environment; he was just going through the motions, but in his heart he hadn’t truly found Jesus.
2. How has Christianity been the default option for you in your life?
3. After his Mom’s news about her sexuality, Jeff gave up on God and rebelled. He likens this rebellion to drinking salt-water. Have you ever tried to quench thirst but realized you were at the wrong source? If so, describe what happened.
In other words, have you tried to fill a void with something that couldn't?
4. Why is the fear of silence the greatest fear for many in our culture, especially young adults?
5. Have you ever interpreted the Bible as a love letter? Why or why not?
In other words, have you ever looked at the Bible as God's Love for us?
6. Soon after he began to follow Jesus, Jeff realized he had been duped into following a safe, ineffectual Jesus -a Jesus of his own making -rather than the real one. Describe the real Jesus.
The real Jesus is described in the book as “dangerous”, but it is a good thing because if Jesus were as safe as society tries to make him, he wouldn’t have even had the opportunity to die on the cross for us. The world would be much more dangerous than the real Jesus today.
7. Jeff states that Christianity has become a financial industry. In what ways have you experienced this? Have you ever experienced Christianity rising above a consumer driven culture?
8. Have you been resistant to believing God’s plan might include discipline for your life? How might God use trials to help you become more like Jesus?
9. Why do Christians focus more on supposed acts of righteousness than the needs of others?
Chapter 2:
Why I Still Think Jesus Hates Religion (And You Should Too)
Jeff talks about the irony in how he was a Christian when he transferred to a secular college, but not while he was previously at a Christian college. He became his dorm's RA his senior year, and that ultimately inspired him to write the poems, because he wanted to develop something that captured the attention of his fellow college students. One of the biggest things Jeff addresses in this chapter is how as humans, we try to hide our brokenness, and mask our insecurities from other people.
*Highlights From the Chapter that Inspired Me*
"You don't try Christianity; either your heart has been transformed by Jesus or it hasn't.
But you can
try religion.
You can
try to follow the rules.
You can
try to climb up to heaven.
But all you'll do is white-knuckle your way to religious despair. It won't work. It never does." (pg. 27)
[Excerpt from 'Jesus > Religion' spoken word]
"Religion says do. Jesus says done.
Religion is man searching for God. Jesus is God searching for man.
Religion is pursuing God
by our moral efforts. Jesus is God pursuing us
despite our moral efforts.
Religious people
kill for what they believe. Jesus followers
die for what they believe."
(pg. 28)
"Love is the new law.
The way I think about it is this: if I'm ever tempted to cheat on Alyssa, I could motivate myself by the law -I won't cheat on her because I might go to hell, etc. -or I could motivate myself with love -I don't want to cheat on her because she is
better than anything out there. So it is with us and God. Jesus ushered in a more beautiful covenant. One that is perfected in love, not in hateful and fearful obedience." (pg. 30)
Chapter 2 Discussion Questions (& some Answers)
1. Jeff describes the brokenness he witnessed while he was an RA, a brokenness that remained largely hidden. What drives us to keep our brokenness hidden from others, and what does that cost us?
Especially in my generation, we want to seem almost perfect to others because we don’t want to be judged negatively, or we want to uphold a certain social status, but it’s very detrimental, because you can only pretend to be something you’re not for so long, and while you’re putting on that act, you’re denying yourself the truth, as well as the people motivating you to act that way. Lastly, the scripture says that we were all born sinners. By acting as though we’re not, we are almost claiming God as a liar, and we then are denying him as well.
2. Jeff writes, “My generation is the most fatherless and insecure generation that’s ever lived, and we are willing to sacrifice everything if we can just be told we are loved.” Do you agree with this assessment? Why or why not?
I agree with this statement whole-heartedly; as I answered in the first question, we want to be viewed a certain way so that we can gain positive attention, and this is just a more in-depth point. I’ve seen it, and also experienced it myself, that sometimes we get caught up in lust, or in what we think we want, that we might start doubting God’s morals, and plan for our life, because we’re seeing what we “want” right in front of us. We often forget that when we have God, we have everything we’ll ever need. He Loves us more than any human being could imagine.
3. Why do you think Christianity’s essence has devolved to “hates gays, can’t drink beer, and no tattoos” in the minds of so many? Is this a result of the institutional church, individual Christians, or something else?
I really think this is a belief that’s taught through the institutional church, because the institutional church is where the set of rules come from, and why so many people that go to church have this mentality. I know myself, before I REALLY came to know the Lord, I believed this too, because it’s what had been taught.
4. How has the Christian faith been more about good advice rather than good news in your experience?
How I’m interpreting this question is that often times, we as Christians go to the Lord for advice and guidance in a tough situation, when bad things are happening, but sometimes it’s rare when we take the good things as blessings. Again, before I REALLY came to know the Lord, I would mostly only go to him with problems, and when I was sad, but now I also thank him for every day, and for all of His blessings, big or small.
5. If relationship with Jesus is the new law, how does that influence your understanding of rules or expectations within Christian Faith communities? Does it shift your understanding about an external code? If so, how?
Having a true relationship with Jesus Christ influences my understanding of the rules that Christian Faith communities set because we are NOT God, and Jesus makes us realize that no, we sin every single day, we make mistakes every day; we are not perfect, but He Loves us as though we are. Christian Faith communities can make it seem like you have to be a literally perfect person, but Jesus wants us to accept that we’re not, and be happy with being perfectly flawed.
6. Jeff claims that he hates any system that promotes moral behavior as the only way to have a proper relationship with God. Do you agree? Why or why not?
7. How is the Jesus portrayed in the Gospels different from the Jesus promoted by religion?
In the Gospels, Jesus is portrayed as a man, who happens to be able to give sight to the blind, and turn water into wine, but from a religious standpoint, He is promoted as not being good enough for God, and saying that His sacrifice wasn’t necessary. In simpler terms, Jesus is good in the gospels, but evil in religion.
8. If God doesn’t want rule-followers, what does he expect from us as believers in Jesus?
God doesn’t necessarily want rule-followers, because you could be going through the motions, and not truly be following him with your heart. As I answered in questions 4, 5, and 6, is that He wants us to accept that we are not HIM! As humans, our lives end, and everything within us, is finite. Therefore it is impossible for us to not have sin. He wants us to develop a true relationship with him, and in doing so, you’ll look at things differently, but in the BEST way. Don’t only come to the Father in times of despair, but in even your smallest joyous moment.
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