What is Religion?

In ancient times, people tried to explain the world around them as work of the gods. This is how religion began, with prayers and thanks being offered to the gods of nature for the gifts of the sun, rain and crops that enabled people to survive. Today, there are many different religions, with a wide variety of beliefs and ways of worship. Most religions, however, share the common purpose of trying to explain the mysteries of life: how the world was created, why it was created, what happens to people when they die and why there is suffering in the world.

“What if I told you Jesus came to abolish religion? … And just because you call some people blind doesn’t automatically give you vision? … I mean if religion is so great, why has it started so many wars? Why does it build huge churches, but fails to feed the poor?”

These lines are from Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus, a slickly produced YouTube video that went viral and been viewed 25 million times since 2012. The previously unknown creator of the video is a 23-year-old born-again Christian Jefferson Bethke, from Washington. The controversial rap in America ignited a modern debate of an age-old question: What does it mean to be Christian? This is certainly an interesting question to explore with a senior cycle R.E. class here in Ireland with clear links to Section A and B of the Leaving Certificate syllabus. Below is the  video itself, a response video from a priest and another video from Christian Bethke about Jesus.

 Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus                                          Why I Love Religion, And Love