behavior > 'beliefs'

Definitions Part 1: Jesus vs Religion

Anyone who sets himself up as “religious” by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes and musters before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and the loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.

James 1:26,27 MSG

So this video had taken over my Facebook newsfeed the other week. It went viral. Everyone was reposting. And after watching it myself, I reposted it because I understood and agreed with the poet, Jefferson Bethke. Then the next week, the Christian blogosphere went crazy. Suddenly everyone was freaking out over how illogical, condescending, inaccurate, and unchristian this video was. I watched it again with a more critical eye, and I think many of us are missing Bethke’s point.

When I was in high school and people would find out I was a Christian, the conversation would go something like this:

“Oh, so you’re religious?”

I would say something like this, probably rolling my eyes at this point. “NO. It’s more than that just religion. Its more than just something I do.”

I have always hated that term. Always. To me, it meant two things, (1) doing something superstitiously in hopes of saving my own soul and (2) those who showed off their religion like one who flaunted his knowledge to make you feel stupid, one who overly demonstrates his power just to make you feel worthless, or one who shows his opulence to make you feel poor, to put it simply, religious pride. Either way, ‘religion’ seems to always have man at its center.

Looking at history, religion has a terrible track record with the Crusades, the Inquisition, and even the current war of terrorism. Religion has developed many negative connotations to it, despite the actual definition of it (literal definition). Man using ‘religion’ to accomplish his own personal goals. What a perversion of what we are supposed to be? We can’t keep sweeping this under the rug anymore.

In the video Bethke is referring to the modern day Sadducees and Pharisees. Let me make it a bit more personal, more post-modern for you. When I say religion, I think we can expand that to church pride. The men who pride themselves on how good they were at the law, at church, than what the law/church was supposed to be, and condemning those who could not do it as good as they did. The elite, the self-righteous, the hypocrites.

Religion has become focused on how man can save himself. It has become a selfish thing. There is nothing real, no authentic faith or genuine conviction. It was all about how could I make my own name better, how could use this for my own glory. As Bethke, says it’s become this list of chores, a façade, behavior modification. Religion has become a mask to hide behind and to judge others from. And it’s this type of religion is bondage and makes many into slaves.

Religion could be dressed up so close to the truth, that we sometimes don’t even realize how blind we are to the real truth.

 Before we jump to conclusions about how terrible this video is, take one second and think. Are you upset because you are personally offended and sought to defend yourself? Or can you take your eyes off yourself and realize the point of this video, that maybe we’re losing sight of the humbling, Christ-centered truth?

"Whenever we find that our religious life is making us feel that we are good- above all, that we are better than someone else- I think we maybe sure that we are being acted on, not by God, but by the devil." 

- C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

The title of the video is this: that Jesus is GREATER than a religion man created. Instead of you or I trying (and failing Romans 3:23) to save ourselves by being ‘religious’, Jesus saved us already. He abolished the need for man to save himself. Jesus was the fulfillment of the Law. Up until that point, we had to sacrifice animals and perform rituals of cleansing. But when God sent His son as the Ultimate sacrifice. We no longer ‘needed’ the law for that purpose. The curtain was torn. (Matt 27:51)

The rest of the New Testament is spent trying to explain the idea of grace and works go together, hand in hand. Religion, or works, alone does not work and belief alone doesn’t make sense. Both are natural requirements. (James 2:14-26 and Romans 2:12-29, 3:21-26)

“For a God humbled himself to become man, so religion humbled itself to become Christianity.”

 -C.S. Lewis

Letters to Mary Van Deusen

February 5, 1956

So then what is Christianity? What makes someone or something Christian? I would like to know what you think. 

For my thoughts, check out my next post. 

Brazil: Tudo Bem? Tudo Bem :)

the Brazil team

First, I thank all of you for your prayers and what you gave so I could even go on this life-changing trip to Brazil. It was a humbling experience for me as well as a reminder how truly blessed I am.

A few weeks before I was supposed to be leaving, I didn’t think I was able to go to Brazil. I was feeling so much doubt and the last thing I wanted to be doing was leaving the country to go on a mission’s trip. I didn’t even know how I was going to pay for any of it on time. I was already discussing with the leaders of the trip about pulling out at that point. A few days later, I get a call from one of them saying someone had anonymously decided to cover the rest of my finances so I could go. I was in absolute shock and astounded. God had performed a miracle and I now knew I had to go to Brazil. Thank you so much anonymous person, I am so grateful and I hope you read this.

The church that hosted this trip, Princeton Alliance Church is affiliated with something called Hope Unlimited. Hope started because in the early 90’s, street kids were literally being shot and killed because they were seen as a ‘public nuisance.’ The best way I can explain what Hope Unlimited today is an orphanage the Brazilian government sends children who are so physically, mentally and/or emotionally abused and cannot stay in their current situations anymore. They take in kids and give them an education, structure, and most importantly, love. If you would like to read more about Hope Unlimited, click here!

The specific purpose of our trip was to help out with a camp/retreat during their winter break. (Fun Fact: Brazil has winter and it’s actually cold at night. Like down to 40’s cold.)

After our 10 hour flight that I could not sleep on, we landed in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Brazil itself is an amazing and distinctive country. At first, and through out the entire trip, I was taken aback by the graffiti. I didn’t realize that Brazil was in fact known for its street art and graffiti. They truly take their street art seriously. It was beautiful and gritty and so full of talent. The graffiti was definitely a huge reflection of Brazil’s culture and the people’s struggle with such vast differences in class, poverty and government. The craziest thing…I can’t even fathom that this even happens… is this thing called an Invasion. A lot of the favelas, or slums, are created this way. From what I understood it to be is that people come together and plan to invade a piece of private but open land, then they take whatever they can, wood, cardboard, tarp, anything, to create a ‘shack’ and claim that piece of land as their own. If the government does not intervene fast enough, that land legally becomes theirs. I was amazed that something like that happens today. 

The town right outside the Cidade Dos Meninos

City of the Children, this is where the boys live and go to school.

One of the girl's houses where we had lunch.

The camp itself, with my darling friend, Lindsay.

Now, I love doing camp. I’ve done some form of camp every summer for as long as I can remember. And I’m pretty sure I have done it all. I’ve attended day camps, sleep away camps, been a counselor for both day camp and sleep away camp ( any age between preschool through junior high), been in charge of crafts, bible time, drama, and music, photography/media, ect. In short, I love camp.  But, I have to say that this camp was awesome. It was nestled in the hills and the view I woke up to was simply…gorgeous. The kids were so friendly and loving. I felt so blessed by all of them. Many kids (and adults) thought I was Brazilian and would assume I spoke Portuguese fluently, which caused hilarious situations.  I tried learning as much as I could, but I simply could not get it down. (So I made sure to be really good friends with one of the translators and we actually became really good friends by the end of the week.) But even with the massive language barrier between the kids and I, I learned that friendship bracelets, face painting, and sarcasm transcend all differences.

face painting

If you are more curious about the whole camp experience and Princeton Alliance Church’s relationship with them, check out their Brazil Missions blog and the blog, Refuge Benefit Concerts, which is how I first heard about Hope Unlimited. 

 

On our last day there, the buses were supposed to pick us up in the afternoon but they would end up coming later that night. After packing and cleaning up the camp, we all had a time to just relax and process the week. I took this moment to sneak off from the group and lay on one of the main hills to look at the stars. There were so many stars, and they look so different to me that night.

During that time, I simply was a mess. I was just having this conversation with God about so many things. My heart was breaking for these children that I had spent the week with, my relationships with people back home, the idea of letting go, and of forgiveness. One of the main themes of the week was being challenged to not just exist, but to live out the big things God has called us to do.  I find that we we are so easily blinded by our issues and failures that we forget how blessed we are. Brazil and the wonderful, beautiful kids at Hope reminded me how blessed I am, to be grateful and to be content in all situations. Basic principles, but when you let those sink in, they are powerful and will change how you live everyday. I never want to forget how to live with gratitude and awareness of others, in honor of the kids I spent my week with. It is the very least I can do for them.

GO BLUE TEAM!!!

Saude, Kristen.