Did Jesus Hate Religion?

That's the controversial claim made in this smartly made video, which lots of religious folks don’t seem to like very much:

 

I actually think Jefferson Bethke, the maker of the video, says a lot of things that need to be said, not the least of which is that the church is not in any sense the same thing as the Republican Party. My only real criticism is that I would have liked him to emphasize a bit more clearly - as he does on his Facebook page - that “religion” is not the same thing as “church” either.

In other words, there’s much about religion that should be rejected, and far too much of that overlaps with the church and her teachings, practices and actions in the world. There is a reason, after all, why Jesus told us to pray for both understanding and the forgiveness of sins, even as he warned us to beware of those false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves (Matthew 7:15). And - to paraphrase (I believe) Flannery O’Connor - it's also true that Jesus promised the gates of hell would not prevail against the church, not that they wouldn’t try.

But none of this means the church - for all her faults, which are really our faults - is not the bride of Christ who one day shall be made spotless and pure.