Invoking the no true Scotsman… Nope!

All over the internet the logical fallacy referred to as the no true Scotsman defence is used as an excuse. It’s used in the guise of no true Christian more than one can imagine. And as a Christian person I get it, because I am so often dismayed at the hate, the bigotry, the nastiness, the frankly so non Christ like behaviour of those that claim the name of Christians.

All over the internet we see prominent Christians spreading hatred against all manor of minority groups, not least of which, the LGBTQIA+ community. In the name of Christianity, the horror of Orlando happened. In the name of Christianity, the Westborough baptist church exists. In the name of Christianity James Dobson declares transgender humans should be shot if found in the bathroom not of their assigned sex at birth.

A facebook page, known by the moniker Warrior for Christ, recently posted that anyone using the Facebook pride react or rainbows emoji would be immediately banned from the page.

It’s all so ugly, and frankly, antithetical to the message, ideals, and life that the human Jesus espoused and lived 2000 odd years ago in the land of the Fertile Crescent. There is nothing remotely Christian in the behaviour of these actions and attitudes espoused by these hateful individuals, churches, organisation and social media groups.

As such, the reflex action is to invoke the no true Scotsman defence, because my heart breaks at the subversion of the message of Christianity that has occurred in order to hold such attitudes. But that defence is not appropriate, not acceptable, and is a mere distraction from the issue.

Because here’s the thing, whether I like it or not, these horrendous people with their horrendous attitudes are true Christians. As difficult and depressing as it is to admit this fact, it is a fact no less. You see all that is required to be able to claim oneself a true Christian is to adhere to the text of Romans 10:9 – paraphrased as If you believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord and proclaim with your mouth that God raised him from the dead you will be saved.

You see to claim yourself a true Christian, as you can see, not much is actually required. There’s no list of rules and regulations, no bylaws, no rules to follow to be able to claim Christian status.

Oh yes, the Christian texts are full of rules, regulations and so on. But the thing is, adherence to them is not a requirement to be Christian.

Therefore, the no true Christian argument really is a complete fallacy of a defence.

I for one am sick and tired of seeing these people expel hate and bigotry. I am tired of the actual message of Jesus being diluted down by such hate and bigotry. I am sick and tired of having to be embarrassed by hateful people who claim the same faith that I do.

So whilst these people can’t be claimed to not be true Christians, what can be said is that they are completely out of touch with the actual teachings of Christ, and are not behaving as Jesus exhorted them to. They have not gotten insight and understanding in what the universal acceptance of God proclaimed by Jesus really means.

The life of Jesus, as we see it recorded in the Christian texts, shows a man, dedicated to justice, mercy, compassion, inclusion and love. A counter cultural teacher taking aim squarely at the established religions. We see a man, who when confronted with one who was shamed by the establishment and the general populace, sat down in the dust with them, spent time with them, and asked of others, if they were without sin, then they could cast a stone.

It is this reality, the reality of the way this man lived that directly led to his violent and horrible death on a Roman cross in the first century CE. Yes, prophetic speaking of these things are found in the words of the Bible, but it is not those words that led to the actual events happening, it was the life and work of Jesus.

I am sick and tired of bigots usurping the wonderful love, mercy, compassion and justice of the life of Jesus and tainting that into bigotry and hate.

In the prophet Micah, a question is proposed. What does the Lord require of me? The answer is simple, if one of the most difficult things any human could aspire to – To Do Justice, to Love Kindness and to walk humbly before their God.

The Jewish people have always considered themselves to be God’s special people, set apart, called to be Holy, because God is Holy. It’s right there in the Hebrew Bible. There can be no denying that. But what is often forgotten, and not talked about, is that always, scattered throughout that same Hebrew Bible, is the call for this set apart God’s special people to cater for and care for the outsider, the other. In the words of the time this was expressed as caring for the widow the stranger and the orphan. In effect, the other.

Jesus, the Palestinian Jewish man, lived a life that exemplified this. And he called his followers to do the same. Those of us that are Christian, because we believe in our hearts he is Lord and confess God raised him from the dead, should move beyond that simple maxim and aspire to live a life where we exude justice, mercy, compassion, care and love for our fellow human persons. Whether they share our faith or not, whether they share our gender identity or not, whether they share or sexuality or not.

Never did Jesus place a caveat on people being Christian in order to qualify for being treated with dignity, respect and justice. Indeed, Jesus, made it very clear that all, both the insider and the outsider should be treated with that dignity and respect.

When the rich young ruler came to Jesus to ask what he must do to be saved, Jesus declared, follow the commandments, the young man declared he had. Jesus replied, you lack one thing, give all your wealth to the poor and needy

Evidently, this was a hard word for the rich young ruler as he walked away in dismay as it was too hard a thing.

Elsewhere Jesus was asked what the most important commandment was, his reply was again a hard word, to love The Lord with everything you have, and to likewise love your neighbour as yourself. On this hangs all the law and all the prophets, he declared.

In the intimate gathering of Jesus and his 12 closest confidants, Jesus declared, a new commandment I give you, to love one another as I have loved you, by this shall all people know you are my disciples, that you have love one for another.

What this all means, I believe, is, that whilst these hateful bigoted horrible Christians can claim rightly they are Christian, they are but babes in their understanding of what that means.

Whilst I can not claim no true Christian as a defence, I can call into question their dedication to the emulation of the life and teaching of the one they claim to follow.

In the end, I am not embarrassed to be known as a follower of Jesus, I am not embarrassed to be one attempting to do justice, to love kindness and walk humbly before my God, and to love my neighbour as myself and to provide care for the widow the stranger and the orphan.

But I am embarrassed, horrified and angry that what my faith really means is so regularly and horribly subverted in the perpetuation of hatred and bigotry.

I suppose as it has been said, this Jesus, I like, not so much those who say they follow him.

Yes, I am a Christian, I follow the way of Jesus, or at least I try to. That most excellent of ways, mercy, justice and compassion.