Why Your Worldview Can't Be Both Christian and Dehumanizing

In a world increasingly defined by "us vs. them," it’s easy to let our politics, our social circles, or our personal grievances dictate how we treat others. We find ourselves tempted to demean, dismiss, or diminish those who think, look, or live differently than we do.

But here is a hard truth for anyone claiming the name of Christ: If your worldview allows you to devalue or degrade another group of people, that worldview is not Christian.

Grounded in the Imago Dei

The core of Christian anthropology is found in the very first chapter of the Bible.

"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:27)

This concept is known as the Imago Dei. It isn’t just a nice sentiment; it is a fundamental claim about the worth of every human being. To be made in the image of God means that every person—regardless of their status, nationality, or behavior—possesses an inherent, untouchable dignity.

When we dishonor a person, we are not just insulting a human; we are desecrating the "icon" of God Himself. To treat an image-bearer as "less than" is a direct affront to the Creator who stamped His likeness upon them.

The Proof of the Claim

The validity of this claim is woven throughout the fabric of Scripture and the life of Jesus:

• The Commandment: Jesus stated the second greatest commandment is to "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31). He famously expanded the definition of "neighbor" to include the "enemy" (the Samaritan) in His parables.

• The Warning: James 3:9-10 points out the hypocrisy of a hateful worldview: "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness... This should not be."

• The Example: Jesus sought out the marginalized—the tax collectors, the lepers, and the outcasts—not to join in their degradation, but to restore their dignity.

"Does This Mean I Can't Confront Wrong?"

A common pushback is the idea that if we "honor" everyone, we lose the ability to stand against sin or injustice. This is a misunderstanding of what it means to value a person.

Confronting sin and honoring the person are not mutually exclusive. In fact, the most Christian thing you can do is hold both in tension:

1. Truth without Love is Brutality: If you "confront" someone by demeaning their personhood, you have failed the Gospel.

2. Love without Truth is Hypocrisy: Real love cares enough to address things that are destructive.

3. The Goal is Restoration: Christian confrontation isn't about winning an argument or "owning" an opponent; it’s about calling an image-bearer back to their highest calling.

You can disagree with someone’s actions, vote against their policies, or rebuke their behavior without stripping them of their humanity. If you have to turn a person into a monster to oppose them, you’ve lost the Way of the Cross.

The Bottom Line: Our faith is measured by how we treat the people we like the least. If our worldview leaves room for disdain, it’s time to trade that worldview for the Way of Jesus.

• Copyright 2026 by Steven Chapman.