Truth Refuses False Choices.

"What about Iryna Zarutska?!

Over the last several days, I have watched countless people argue about a photograph, one that I posted as well.

The image shows a Black woman sitting alone on a train surrounded by masked members of the white supremacist group called "Patriot Front" as they traveled to Washington, D.C. on the 250th anniversary of American independence.

For many, the image immediately evoked memories of America's long history of white supremacy. Some were reminded of photographs from the Civil Rights Movement. Others recalled images of the Ku Klux Klan marching openly through the nation's capital a century ago in 1926.

Yet almost immediately, I watched as many people sought to dismiss those concerns.

Some claimed the marchers were not white nationalists at all. Others spread conspiracy theories that the event was staged. Still others responded by bringing up the tragic murder of Iryna Zarutska, arguing that the woman on the train was never in danger and that society should be more concerned about violence committed by Black people.

This is the disingenuous work of presenting a false choice, as if we have to care about one more than the other. It is the refusal to allow more than one truth to exist at the same time.

The murder of Iryna Zarutska was horrific. A woman made in the image of God lost her life in an act of terrible violence. That reality deserves grief, justice, and honest reflection. It should never be minimized.

At the same time, the presence of hundreds of masked white supremacists marching through the nation's capital, who are part of a group that has been charged with numerous crimes ranging from conspiracy to riot to assault on Black people, who were waving confederate flags and the fascist flag flown under Benito Mussolini, all while chanting anti immigrant and racist slurs, is also alarming.

That reality deserves honest reflection as well. It should not be minimized either.

The problem begins when we treat these realities as competitors. When one tragedy becomes a tool to dismiss another. When one evil is used to excuse a different evil. When human suffering becomes political currency.

That is not the pursuit of truth. It is the pursuit of advantage and revenge.

Followers of Jesus should be especially cautious about this temptation. Jesus consistently resisted the false choices people tried to place before him. He refused to reduce people to categories. He refused to treat human beings as props in ideological battles. He insisted on seeing the whole truth, even when it was uncomfortable.

Truth often requires us to hold multiple realities at once.

Violent crime is real.

Racism is real.

White supremacy is real.

Human suffering is real.

Political manipulation is real.

The existence of one does not erase the existence of another.

Yet our culture increasingly demands simplicity and flat, either/or binaries. Everything must become a contest.

Whose suffering matters more?

Whose fear is justified?

Whose outrage is legitimate?

Whose tragedy deserves attention?

These are often the wrong questions.

A healthier question is this:

What is true?

Not what helps my side.

Not what embarrasses the other side.

Not what generates the most clicks, outrage, or applause.

What is true?

The truth is that white supremacy has a long and painful history in the United States. It often went hand in hand with those claiming to be Christian. It is not an invention of the media. It is not a conspiracy theory. It is not a relic of the distant past.

From slavery to segregation to JIm Crow, from racial terror to organized extremist movements, white supremacy has left deep wounds that continue to shape American life today.

I am a Millennial, born in the 80s and grew up here in Idaho. The white nationalist compound called "The Aryan Nations' Church," which was located in the pan handle of my state, held annual meetings where thousands of neo-nazis and white nationalists would converge every year. The white nationalist stand off with the federal government in Ruby Ridge Idaho and subsequently the white nationalist bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City can all trace their lines back to these annual meetings at the Aryan Nation's compound. This all has happened within my lifetime. As one who felt called to be a pastor at a very early age, it haunted me deeply to hear how often these white supremacists and neo-nazis would claim their stance as "Christian." Working to reclaim "white Christian America."

The truth is also that Iryna Zarutska's muderer was brought to justice. He did not claim to be motivated by nationalism or racial superiority. All the evidence points to him being deeply mentally ill and many in positions of authority are still struggling to understand how this tragidy could have been prevented. Violence affects people of every race and background. Every victim deserves dignity. Every act of violence deserves condemnation. No victim should be reduced to a talking point. The moment we begin using one victim to diminish concern for another, we stop honoring either of them. We begin using human beings as tools.

This is one reason authoritarian movements so often thrive on division. Authoritarianism depends on keeping people locked in cycles of resentment and fear. It teaches us to interpret every event through tribal loyalty. It encourages us to care less about truth than victory. Less about nuance than slogans. Less about people than power.

The result is a society where empathy becomes weakness and complexity becomes suspicious.

But followers of Jesus are called to a different way. We follow a Savior who is himself described as "the truth." Not a slogan. Not a propaganda campaign. Not a partisan narrative.

The truth.

That means Christians should be among the first people willing to reject false choices.

We should be able to clearly condemn racism and white supremacy that so often masquerades around under the banner of "Christian."

We should be able to grieve victims of violence without weaponizing their suffering and perpetuating even more racism.

We should be able to hold complexity without surrendering conviction.

Most importantly, we should be able to see every person involved as bearing the image of God.

The Black woman sitting on that train bears God's image.

Iryna Zarutska bore God's image.

The victims of racial hatred bear God's image.

The victims of violent crime bear God's image.

Truth requires us to remember this.

Because once people cease being neighbors and become symbols, statistics, weapons, or enemies, we have already begun losing our grip on reality. And whenever truth becomes secondary to tribal victory, injustice is never far behind.

The path forward is not found in choosing whose humanity matters. The path forward is found in defending the humanity of everyone.

That work is harder. It requires nuance, courage, and humility. It requires a commitment to truth even when the truth refuses to fit neatly within our preferred narratives.

For Christians, that commitment is not optional. The One we follow calls us not to partisan victories but to bear witness to what is true.

And truth refuses false choices.

The church is called to something better than propaganda, fear, and tribal loyalty. We are called to tell the truth because we belong to one another. As Paul writes, "Putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another" (Ephesians 4:25).