Why do you hate Jesus so much?

A Personal Appeal to Michael R. Burch: Please Reconsider Your Heart Toward Jesus

Dear Michael,

I have often wondered what has led you to speak so harshly against Jesus. I say this not because I believe you are beyond reach, but because I believe there is still room for honest reflection, humility, and truth. Michael, I fear that you may have encountered a distorted picture of Jesus, one that has left you fighting against a version of Him rather than seeking to understand who He truly is. I urge you to look again, not with anger or contempt, but with a sincere heart willing to examine the evidence and consider what you may have overlooked.

You spend so much of your time and energy criticizing my Jesus, yet I wonder whether you have given equal attention to examining the claims you make about Him. Strong convictions deserve careful scrutiny, and criticism should be supported by sound reasoning and evidence. You do not need to be a scientist or a theologian to ask difficult questions, Michael, but neither should anyone assume that popularity, eloquence, or a loyal following automatically makes their conclusions correct. A following can encourage a person, but it can also make it difficult to recognize when pride has begun to overshadow humility.

I say this because I believe that truth deserves more than ridicule, and faith deserves more than dismissal without careful consideration. If you believe Christianity is mistaken, then examine its foundations honestly. Read the Scriptures in their proper context, consider the historical questions seriously, and distinguish between the failures of those who claim to represent Jesus and the character of Jesus Himself. Do not allow disappointment with religious people, disagreements with Christian doctrine, or the influence of others to determine your understanding of Him.

Michael, I am not writing to condemn you or to pretend that I know everything about your heart. I am writing because I believe that even the most confident person must remain willing to question himself. Intellectual confidence is not the same as wisdom, and winning an argument is not the same as discovering the truth. There is a difference between challenging an idea honestly and allowing contempt to consume the way we speak about it. I hope you will consider that difference carefully.

Life is brief, and none of us knows how much time remains to us. One day, every one of us will have to confront the questions we have spent our lives answering, avoiding, or dismissing. From my Christian perspective, that reality makes repentance an urgent and deeply personal matter. I encourage you, while you have the opportunity, to reconsider your attitude toward Jesus, examine your words, and ask whether your criticism has always been guided by truth, fairness, and humility. Repentance is not a humiliation; it is the courage to turn away from error whenever we recognize it.

My appeal to you is simple: do not let pride, public recognition, or the approval of others become obstacles to an honest search for truth. You may disagree with Christianity, and you may continue to ask difficult questions, but I hope you will do so with fairness and an open mind. Give Jesus the consideration you would expect others to give the convictions you hold dear. Seek to understand before you dismiss, and examine before you pronounce judgment.

Michael, my prayer is that you will find the humility to reconsider, the courage to acknowledge what may need correcting, and the wisdom to pursue truth wherever it leads. I believe that no person is beyond the reach of God’s grace, and I believe that a sincere heart can still change direction. My hope is not that you should be silenced, but that you should be moved to examine your beliefs honestly and discover whether you have judged Jesus too quickly.

May God grant you wisdom, humility, and discernment. And may you never become so certain that you are right that you lose the willingness to seek the truth.

Sincerely,

A fellow human being who believes that Jesus deserves to be understood before He is rejected