It probably seems too recycled by now, talking about the events that took place in Washington D.C. almost a month ago.

Whether you think it was all because of a “MAGA hat-wearing teen,” or that the Vietnam veteran played too much into the hero –but victim– narrative, one thing is true: the incident harmed the public perception of Christians.

The school, Covington Catholic, has a history of doing “not so Christian” things, from wearing blackface at basketball games to having a student arrested for sexual assault.

Locally, the San Angelo Diocese released a list of twelve local priests and one deacon accused of sexual assault on Jan. 31. Though most of them are no longer living, the reputation they left broke the trust of the public.

San Angelo Bishop Michael Sis said no one currently serving in the diocese has a credible allegation of sexual abuse of a minor against them, and he called for prayers for healing for all the victims of sexual abuse.

“By far, the majority of our priests and deacons have served with honor, dignity, and virtue. While trust has been compromised by the serious misconduct of a few, I publicly affirm the goodness and the fidelity of the many,” Sis said.

The university had its fair share of “not so Christian” problems, including two child pornography arrests in one week. The ongoing debate questioning to what extent we allow LGBTQ+ students to have leadership roles on campus has caused division and among alumni, including “not so Christian” dialogue.

Part of being Christian is understanding that we are imperfect people. We don’t have it all right and we never will, but our reputation cannot be tainted by the extreme, “not so Christian,” decisions others make.

These situations are not a true representation of Christianity.

Though a foundation of our religion is to love others and forgive, the actions of few cannot be the primary representation of our religion as a whole.

As a community of Christians, we must continue to represent the gospel by loving others and seeking to be our best selves. 

The “not so Christian” actions are anomalies to the religion we claim, and we cannot and will not be represented by them.