Commitment to Truth Will Make You Hated by Almost Everyone

As a theologian, I've devoted my life to pursuing truth, wherever it leads—and no matter the cost.

I’ve sought to think logically, interpret Scripture responsibly, live accordingly, and speak the truth in love. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned on this journey, it’s this: if you are committed to truth, you will make enemies. Many of them.

Not because you're trying to. Not because you're cruel or abrasive. But because speaking truth inevitably confronts error—and people don't like being confronted, especially when the stakes are high or when one is emotionally attached to a particular view.

My Journey Toward Isolation

Early in my public ministry, I spent several years focused on refuting atheism. I showed why naturalism was intellectually bankrupt and why belief in God made far more rational sense of the world. Predictably, this made many atheists upset. Some viewed me as a threat. Others tried to smear my character or dismiss my arguments.

But many theists—across various religions—loved what I was doing. They applauded my work and cheered me on.

Then things shifted.

I began to make the case for Christian particularism: that not only is theism true, but Christianity is the one true worldview that can account for all of reality. That Jesus Christ is the risen Lord and the only way to God. Suddenly, some who once supported me turned against me. Muslims, Jews, Hindus, and others who welcomed my arguments against atheism now saw me as an enemy of their faith.

But I wasn’t done making enemies.

After affirming the truth of mere Christianity, I took a hard look at theological systems within the Christian tradition—especially Calvinism. Over many years, I developed arguments showing that if exhaustive divine determinism (as entailed by Calvinism) were true, then we could not possess theological knowledge at all. This being the case, Calvinism ultimately undermines the gospel.

Many people have found these arguments persuasive. But others, particularly those emotionally or culturally attached to Calvinism, responded with anger and personal attacks. Some seemingly have even made it their life's mission to discredit me. Ironically, some of the most hostile opposition I’ve faced has come from fellow Christians—"brothers in Christ" who responded with shocking vitriol.

And yet, on the other side, my work was embraced by many others: Catholics, Eastern Orthodox believers, Arminians, Open Theists, and a wide swath of evangelicals. Even some Mormons appreciated my critique of Calvinism.

But then came the next wave.

I examined and refuted Mormonism (although I have many close Mormon friends). Then, although I affirm that Catholics are my brothers and sisters in Christ, I also made it clear why I am not Catholic. I argued why the Pope is not needed and why infant baptism was irrelevant. I argued that Young Earth Creationism is probably false. I argued that God could have created via evolution. I took a stand against Christian pacifism in my article entitled, "Love Thy Neighbor and Pack Thy Heat," reasoning from Scripture that while Jesus preached peace, he also affirmed the moral legitimacy of self-defense and even lethal force in extreme situations.

I kept going.

I began exposing the dangerous ideologies that have crept into the modern evangelical church—cultural Marxism, critical race theory, and “wokeness,” all of which stand in direct contradiction to the Law of Christ. I even argued that it is impossible for an informed, consistent, and faithful follower of Christ to vote for the modern-day Democrat Party. This ultimately led to my family being disfellowshipped from our church -- the same church I pastored at for nearly a decade and served for another eight years. This same church, who was my first and biggest financial supporter disfellowshipped us and stopped supporting us financially.

A commitment to truth, logic, and consistency has a literal price to pay!

With every new issue I addressed, more people turned their back on me, and walked away. Some eventually turned around, not to support me, but to turn their sights on me in an effort to destroy my ministry. More supporters became critics. More friends became enemies. And every step of the way, I had to ask myself a big question:

Is this worth it?

The Cost of Consistency

Let’s be honest. From a human perspective, this path doesn’t make a lot of sense—especially when you're trying to raise financial support as we do here at FreeThinking Ministries. It often feels like I’m talking to a potential donor… only to immediately give them a dozen reasons why they probably shouldn’t support me.

But I’ve come to accept something important: a theologian committed to truth, logic, and consistency will inevitably disagree with almost everyone at some point. If you're doing this right—if you're relentlessly pursuing truth without favoritism—then you're going to step on toes. A lot of them.

The good news is, there are still reasonable Christians out there who recognize the bigger picture. They know it's impossible to agree with someone on every secondary or tertiary issue. They understand that truth matters—even when it’s uncomfortable. And they know that voices like mine (and my fellow colleagues at FreeThinking Ministries) are needed, not because we’re always right, but because we’re committed to asking the hard questions and following the evidence wherever it leads in an effort to getting everything right.

Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing

At the end of the day, my goal isn't to alienate people. It’s to draw all of us closer to the truth.

We can—and should—disagree charitably about peripheral issues. But we must remain united on what matters most: that God exists, that Jesus rose from the dead, that Christianity is true, and that the Law of Christ shows us how to think and live.

So let’s reason together (Isaiah 1:18). Let’s sharpen each other like iron (Proverbs 27:17). Let’s strive for truth, even when it's costly.

Because if you're living for the applause of the crowd, you’ll never live consistently. But if you're living for the glory of God and the good of the Church, then truth is worth every wound.

"You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved." - Jesus (Matthew 10:22, NIV)

Stay reasonable (Isaiah 1:18),

Dr. Tim Stratton