The Church and its members are messy. This much is understood. The reality leads to a common quote of Gandhi in our churches. When we speak of the way we treat one another and the connection with the gospel, we quote Gandhi. (anyone else see the strange reality in that?) The quote is something to the effect of: "I would become a Christian if they were more like their Christ." or "I would have become a Christian if it weren't for the Christians." or "I would have become a Christian but they are so unlike their Christ."

Any look at logic reveals a large list of what are termed "logical fallacies". These are the ways of approaching logical conversations, which automatically deter the conversation from being logical or reasonable because they are false ways to communicate a point.

A conversation with a student last week had me thinking this statement by Gandhi commits several of these fallacies. Just a few might be:

Fallacy of Illicit major - majoring in the minor Fallacy of False Attribution - attributing importance to something that is not Definist Fallacy - Defining one notion in terms of the other

Today a common phrase is similar to Gandhi's; "I won't become a Christian or go to Church because they're all hypocrites."

The fallacy lies in that Christianity is about Jesus, not its Christians. Becoming a Christian is becoming a follower of Jesus Christ; not Christians. Just because Christians are hypocrites does not change the sacrifice, resurrection, call, and promise of Jesus Christ.

Gandhi and the like are majoring in the minors. They are focusing importance on the notion that is NOT important. Christianity is about Jesus Christ; not its Christians.

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What say you? Am I crazy?