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Jefferson Bethke Hates Religion on CBS Morning Show

I thought Jefferson Bethke did a fantastic job on CBS News’ morning show earlier today. He said a lot of good things, and he included some of the critical feedback he had received from Kevin DeYoung and others. He even gave a shout-out to Tullian Tchividjian and Tim Keller. He seems like a humble guy who is trying to honor Christ. Good on him.

If you don’t know who Jefferson Bethke is or if you have somehow missed his viral YouTube video, you are one of the few. It has been all over the internet that last couple of weeks, and you can watch it here.

15 Comments

  • Matt Svoboda

    I like this kid. Dude loves Jesus and uses what he has to try to make Him famous.

    Constructive critique (like from DeYoung) was helpful and productive. Sadly, there was a lot of unhelpful criticism from people who merely like to nitpick.

    Thanks for the video, Denny. Mr. Bethke did a great job.

  • Dillon

    He seems genuine and makes a few good points. One thing that’s always kind of interested me is that while our youth desire to expand or find more authentic worship, which is great, it seems to me the older you get you seem to appreciate traditional styles a bit more. At least for me anyway.

  • donsands

    Give me that Old Time Religion!n I suppose that’s what he is saying. Lord bless him, and help him to grow in the Word and become strong in the joy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who died and rose from the dead, and will return soon, where He will judge every soul from Adam to the last person born in this world.

    Thanks for the post.

  • yankeegospelgirl

    Essentially, my feelings are that while Jeff seems to be a nice, earnest young man, there are too many red flags here, particularly if you go back and watch the other version of his poem. In one of the first lines, he makes fun of “Fox News” conservatives who “hate” people of a particular orientation. When you put that together with what he says here about how he’d like to see more “grace-filled, God-loving, etc., etc.” Christians, it becomes apparent that he probably doesn’t think conservatives like Rick Santorum would fit the bill. This is evidenced by the fact that he didn’t even specify the folks like the Westboro crowd who walk around with way over-the-top signs. The bottom line is, in Jeff’s book you’re full of grace and love ONLY if you’re liberal enough. Otherwise, you’re a “hater.” But sadly that’s all too common among his generation.

  • donsands

    Here’s a quote from a friend of mine for your pondering:

    “There’s a definition of the word “religion” that isn’t literal? My problem with him is that he presents a false dichotomy, one that isn’t Biblical and which doesn’t even make sense from a logical or lexicographical standpoint. Besides, if he really loved Jesus, he would know that even Jesus didn’t hate religion. In fact, Jesus established one:

    “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” — James 1:27″

    • yankeegospelgirl

      Right. Well, he’s tried to get out of that by saying, “Well I JUST used it as shorthand for hypocrisy, pride, etc.” but that’s giving in to a sad cheapening of a theological term anyway, and it just makes it obvious where his political inclinations lie. “Church isn’t a museum for good people.” Read “old conservative people.” We got it.

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