I am not an alumnus of Liberty University. I’ve never even taken a class from Liberty. I am not a Baptist. I have never met Jerry Falwell Jr. I don’t know any specifics about Falwell’s theology other than he identifies as a Christian. That being said, I stand in solidarity with Jerry Falwell Jr. If you’re not too busy hyperventilating, I’ll explain myself.

Jerry Falwell Jr. didn’t sin.

Unless you’re reading a translation of the Bible that I’ve not encountered, there is nothing sinful happening in the “scandalous” Falwell photograph. At worst, you could say it’s in bad taste. You could say it is unbecoming. And I would agree with you.

Do you know what else is unbecoming? Hyper-judgmental Christians with no sense of humor. Your self righteous criticism is repulsive, but it’s not, strictly speaking, a sin. If I had to choose between ten minutes on a bed of nails with Falwell or a weekend on a yacht with one of his sanctimonious accusers, Jerry and I would be bunk buddies in a heartbeat.

Here’s the thing, personal taste is just that – personal. When you decide that personal taste is a terminable offense, you have now crossed over into sin. If you crack open the Bible to some passage other than 1 Thessalonians 5:22, you’ll find lots of talk about grace. You’ll read about pulling planks out of your eye before trying to pull bits of dust out of Falwell’s eye. And you’ll read this:

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 13:34–35

Jerry Falwell Jr. is my brother.

If you think it’s good and fitting that Falwell is taking heat for his stupid photograph, I assume you’re an only child. You’re used to thinking about yourself and you’ve never had to consider the plight of siblings. When the Bible talks about Christians being “brothers and sisters,” you can’t grasp the concept. As someone with both a brother and a sister, I can help you understand how the Bible wants you to treat Jerry Falwell Jr.

Siblings are annoying human beings that occupy space in your family. They have the same status as you. They compete with you for your parent’s attention. Their presence guarantees that you will almost never experience a quiet moment to yourself. Having siblings means you will share EVERYTHING. You don’t get your own room. You can’t eat all the Twix bars yourself. Your whole life is spent waiting for your turn. And here’s the worst part: You don’t get to pick your siblings. God foists them upon you without even consulting you first.

There is an excellent chance that your siblings will behave differently than you. They will have personalities that don’t exactly match yours. They will have minds of their own. They will frequently do things that baffle and irritate you. You will fight with them daily (or hourly in my case.) But despite your glaring differences, after all the conflict, outrage, confusion, and wounded feelings, your siblings ARE STILL FAMILY!!

I probably wouldn’t pose for a picture like this one:

However, it’s not difficult for me to imagine my brother posing for that picture. And when he posted it to Instagram, I would groan and facepalm. My brother wouldn’t think about all the ways his picture might be interpreted. He grew up with siblings like me in an environment of grace and good humor so my brother forgets that there are Christians with no concept of how a family works. He forgets that some of the most vicious, hateful people on Earth claim to be followers of Jesus.

I am Jerry Falwell Jr.

When I stand with Jerry, I’m really standing for myself. I’ve committed many scandalous acts that make Jerry’s picture look like an illustration from a Dr. Seuss book. I have been inappropriate. I have exercised poor judgment. I’ve done a lot of straight-up, no-doubt-about-it sinning! The difference between me and Jerry Falwell Jr. is there is no photographic evidence of my transgressions. Falwell got caught. I didn’t.

It horrifies me to see what will happen if my brothers and sisters in Christ ever find out that I’m a sinner. I’ll lose my reputation. I’ll lose my job. They’ll kick me out of the family. I’ll be destroyed by the people who claim to believe that Jesus eliminated my sins.

Stand With Jerry and Me or Leave

You are entitled to your opinion of Jerry Falwell’s photograph. Just remember, Jerry Falwell is ALSO entitled to an opinion about his photograph. Your opinion is not superior to Jerry’s. Your opinion is not even superior to mine. In my opinion, Jerry Falwell Jr. is a sinner who is saved by God’s grace. The same grace that rescues me every day. That makes Jerry part of MY family. He is MY brother. My brother does stupid things but he remains my brother. I will not stand by while you attack him. He and I stand together, justified by the unfathomable act of love that our other brother, Jesus Christ, displayed on the cross.

When you come after Jerry you’re coming after me. We’ve owned our mistakes. We’ve acknowledged our sin. God calls us his children. If you can’t find it in your heart to forgive us, then you’re not part of our family. Go pound sand.