Ink

Somebody asked about tattoos... Here's a writeup I did a while back, but also check out this video which was just released today, which takes it from a slightly different angle but that's basically on target.

So Jefferson Bethke has a new video out... it's okay and I hope it helps people (a lot), but the "in-your-face" accusatory tone to it is a double-edged sword.

Best line: "If you can't give it up, you don't own it. It owns you."

Jefferson Bethke is back, and this time he's in a church :-) talking about sex, marriage, and fairytales.

This has to be the most uptempo video response to "Jesus > Religion" that I've seen yet. Thanks to riceyarncandles for pointing it out!

Fr Barron's turn to comment on "Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus."

Jesus > Religion?

So riatumbles asked what I think about the video that's getting all the attention over the last few days.

Basically I think it's a shame that all that amazing talent spent so much time at the service of a message that's so self-contradictory.

From the first line: "Jesus came to abolish religion." If that's true, then why didn't he say so? Why did he take so many Old Testament religious traditions (the Passover, sacrifice, the priesthood, ablutions, even the books of the Bible themselves) and then give us new versions (fulfillment) of them? Why did he say things like this?

Or this?

Anyway. Also, if religion is "just following some rules," and if a quote from Romans 4 is the best way to end the video, perhaps we could profit from reading Romans, chapters 12-14. It's all rules. For example.

Perhaps the shortest answer is this, though:

I'm about to leave to go hear confessions at a conversion retreat. I fully expect to be "in the box" for 5-6 hours at least. I fully expect to see people reconciled to God for the first time in years or decades, and I fully expect to see plenty of tears of joy. A flood of God's grace. I'll be back late tonight, but up early tomorrow to celebrate 3 Masses and give the Eucharist to hundreds of people who have been waiting for this moment of divine intimacy all week. I'm hoping to preach up a storm about our personal relationship with Jesus with the Holy Spirit's help, and I want to see people's eyes go wide.

So... whose side am I on? Jefferson Bethke's, or religion's? Beats me. Sounds like one of us is a little confused.