I get the impulse to say Christians behaving poorly as not "true" or "real" Christians.

It's reprehensible to do bad things in the name of a benevolent God.

But it's not very helpful.

Like the folks who want to MAGA, it begs the question, when was America ever great?

When have Christians EVER behaved like "true" Christians?

The first followers of Jesus clamored for power. It didn't take all but a few generations before followers of Jesus literally established an empire.

Christians not acting Jesus-y has always been a thing.

So I would challenge the notion that Christianity as it exhibits right now as Trump loving Right wing power grabbers, as a "false" religion.

If we want to say that, then when has it ever been "true?"

But, you say, Christians have also borne good fruit. The ones who build hospitals for the sick. Who share their wealth with the poor. The prophets who stood up against injustice.

They are "true" Christians.

Well, then who gets to decide which ones are true and false? You?

If you get to decide who's true and not true, guess what? You're a bad Christian who just wants power.

But hey, I'm not gonna judge whether you're a "true" Christian or not. If you say you're a Christian, I'm gonna trust that you are. And I'll do the same for Trumpers.

Okay, so it's not very helpful, but does it hurt anyone? Throw me a bone and let me feel morally superior to other Christians, okay Cindy?

Well, it kinda hurts me.

Because I've openly told my story of experiencing spiritual trauma from Christian institutions. When you say that the people who hurt me are not "true" Christians, it gaslights me:

Did I NOT grow up in a world who claim Christianity?

My religious trauma came from people who claim to be Christians before, now, and for all of eternity.

If they aren't "true" Christians, then I must be crazy.

I know it feels like the Christianity we see today needs a massive "refresh" button, and I agree.

But there has never been a version of Christianity that didn't need to refresh, that's why my favorite Christians keep their refresh buttons handy.

Everything I learned about this I learned from @C_Stroop

Thank you Chrissy and thank you all for never using the "false Christian" accusation again. <end thread>