In our modern cultural discourse, a subtle defensive tactic has woven its way into our conversations, our media, and most prominently, our political arena. It is known as "what-aboutism"—the practice of responding to an accusation or difficult truth by raising a different, unrelated issue or pointing out the flaws of an opponent. We use the phrase, "But what about what they did?" to justify actions that we would otherwise firmly condone or condemn.
It serves as a psychological shield, an attempt to blur the lines of morality so that our own failures do not look quite as dark against the backdrop of another person’s transgressions.
We see this played out daily on our news feeds and political stages. When a political figure or party is called out for an ethical compromise, a policy failure, or a lack of character, the immediate defense is rarely an honest explanation. Instead, it is a deflection: "But what about the other party's scandal?" or "What about when our opponents held a different view and did something worse?" Political parties use this loop of reciprocal finger-pointing to score points, bypass accountability, and convince voters that their own bad behavior is justified because the "other side" is worse.
For the follower of Jesus Christ, however, this political rhetorical escape hatch must be permanently closed. We cannot adopt the deceptive tactics of partisan warfare to navigate our spiritual lives. God’s truth does not exist in a fluctuating spectrum of relative comparison or political convenience. Scripture reveals a standard that is definitively black and white. There are no gray areas when it comes to the commands of God, and there is no allowance for practicing unrighteousness simply because a political opponent or another group set a poor example.
The Trap of Moral Relativism
What-aboutism is fundamentally a form of moral relativism. It relies on the false premise that our behavior should be judged in relation to those around us rather than in relation to the perfect holiness of God. When we say, "What about them?", we are trying to establish a grading curve for sin. We imply that our disobedience is acceptable, or at least understandable, because our ideological opponents are doing things that seem far worse.
But the Word of God strips away this illusion. God does not measure our faithfulness by looking sideways at our political rivals or our neighbors; He measures it by looking directly down at our hearts, holding us to His unchanging standard.
1 Peter 1:15-16 NIV But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; [16] for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Holiness is not a relative metric. We cannot achieve it by pointing out the unholiness of a rival political party or the failures of a brother or sister in Christ. God’s call to holiness requires a complete rejection of compromise, regardless of the cultural climate or the choices of those around us.
Every Soul Stands Alone Before the Creator
The foundational flaw of using "what about" as an excuse is that it completely ignores the biblical reality of personal accountability. On the day of judgment, God will not ask us to give an account of our political opponent’s indiscretions, our neighbor's behavior, or our coworker’s malice. He will look strictly at our own lives, our own choices, and our own obedience to His truth.
Romans 14:10-12 NIV You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: “ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’ ” So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. (emphasis mine)
When we attempt to use the sins of a opposing political faction to minimize our own, we act as if we can stand before the throne of God in a group line. Scripture makes it clear that we stand alone. The disobedience of another person or political party will never serve as a valid legal defense or spiritual justification for our own rebellion against God's law. A wrong does not become right just because it is committed in response to another wrong.
It serves as a psychological shield, an attempt to blur the lines of morality so that our own failures do not look quite as dark against the backdrop of another person’s transgressions.
We see this played out daily on our news feeds and political stages. When a political figure or party is called out for an ethical compromise, a policy failure, or a lack of character, the immediate defense is rarely an honest explanation. Instead, it is a deflection: "But what about the other party's scandal?" or "What about when our opponents held a different view and did something worse?" Political parties use this loop of reciprocal finger-pointing to score points, bypass accountability, and convince voters that their own bad behavior is justified because the "other side" is worse.
For the follower of Jesus Christ, however, this political rhetorical escape hatch must be permanently closed. We cannot adopt the deceptive tactics of partisan warfare to navigate our spiritual lives. God’s truth does not exist in a fluctuating spectrum of relative comparison or political convenience. Scripture reveals a standard that is definitively black and white. There are no gray areas when it comes to the commands of God, and there is no allowance for practicing unrighteousness simply because a political opponent or another group set a poor example.
The Trap of Moral Relativism
What-aboutism is fundamentally a form of moral relativism. It relies on the false premise that our behavior should be judged in relation to those around us rather than in relation to the perfect holiness of God. When we say, "What about them?", we are trying to establish a grading curve for sin. We imply that our disobedience is acceptable, or at least understandable, because our ideological opponents are doing things that seem far worse.
But the Word of God strips away this illusion. God does not measure our faithfulness by looking sideways at our political rivals or our neighbors; He measures it by looking directly down at our hearts, holding us to His unchanging standard.
1 Peter 1:15-16 NIV But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; [16] for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Holiness is not a relative metric. We cannot achieve it by pointing out the unholiness of a rival political party or the failures of a brother or sister in Christ. God’s call to holiness requires a complete rejection of compromise, regardless of the cultural climate or the choices of those around us.
Every Soul Stands Alone Before the Creator
The foundational flaw of using "what about" as an excuse is that it completely ignores the biblical reality of personal accountability. On the day of judgment, God will not ask us to give an account of our political opponent’s indiscretions, our neighbor's behavior, or our coworker’s malice. He will look strictly at our own lives, our own choices, and our own obedience to His truth.
Romans 14:10-12 NIV You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: “ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’ ” So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. (emphasis mine)
When we attempt to use the sins of a opposing political faction to minimize our own, we act as if we can stand before the throne of God in a group line. Scripture makes it clear that we stand alone. The disobedience of another person or political party will never serve as a valid legal defense or spiritual justification for our own rebellion against God's law. A wrong does not become right just because it is committed in response to another wrong.
The Clear Line of God’s Truth
To walk in the light means recognizing that God’s truth is absolute. Jesus did not leave room for situational ethics, partisan biases, or convenient exceptions. In the Sermon on the Mount, He calls for an uncompromising transparency and simplicity in our speech and conduct:
Matthew 5:33-37 NIV “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (emphasis nine)
If our defense of our behavior or our political stance requires complex justifications, deflections, or pointing fingers at others, we have stepped out of the realm of God's absolute truth and into the deceptive gray zones of the enemy. Sin is sin, righteousness is righteousness, and the line between them is drawn cleanly by the hand of God.
1 John 1:5-7 NIV This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (emphasis mine)
Abandoning Deflection for Repentance
The use of "what about" is ultimately an act of pride—a stubborn refusal to allow the Holy Spirit to convict our hearts. When confronted with truth, the flesh naturally seeks to deflect. We see this from the very beginning of human history. When God confronted Adam in the Garden of Eden, Adam immediately pointed to Eve: "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate" (Genesis 3:12). Eve, in turn, pointed to the serpent.
Christians must break this ancient cycle of deflection, whether in our personal interactions or our political allegiances. True discipleship requires the humility to look inward, to accept correction, and to seek repentance without making excuses based on the external environment.
A Call to Uncompromising Integrity
Let us resolve to banish "what about" from our vocabulary when it comes to living out our faith. Let us stop looking at the speck in our political opponent’s eye to avoid dealing with the plank in our own (Matthew 7:3). God’s truth is pure, unwavering, and beautifully clear. May we hold ourselves to His high and holy standard, walking with integrity, taking full ownership of our spiritual journey, and anchoring our souls firmly in the absolute, unchanging truth of Jesus Christ.
To walk in the light means recognizing that God’s truth is absolute. Jesus did not leave room for situational ethics, partisan biases, or convenient exceptions. In the Sermon on the Mount, He calls for an uncompromising transparency and simplicity in our speech and conduct:
Matthew 5:33-37 NIV “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (emphasis nine)
If our defense of our behavior or our political stance requires complex justifications, deflections, or pointing fingers at others, we have stepped out of the realm of God's absolute truth and into the deceptive gray zones of the enemy. Sin is sin, righteousness is righteousness, and the line between them is drawn cleanly by the hand of God.
1 John 1:5-7 NIV This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (emphasis mine)
Abandoning Deflection for Repentance
The use of "what about" is ultimately an act of pride—a stubborn refusal to allow the Holy Spirit to convict our hearts. When confronted with truth, the flesh naturally seeks to deflect. We see this from the very beginning of human history. When God confronted Adam in the Garden of Eden, Adam immediately pointed to Eve: "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate" (Genesis 3:12). Eve, in turn, pointed to the serpent.
Christians must break this ancient cycle of deflection, whether in our personal interactions or our political allegiances. True discipleship requires the humility to look inward, to accept correction, and to seek repentance without making excuses based on the external environment.
A Call to Uncompromising Integrity
Let us resolve to banish "what about" from our vocabulary when it comes to living out our faith. Let us stop looking at the speck in our political opponent’s eye to avoid dealing with the plank in our own (Matthew 7:3). God’s truth is pure, unwavering, and beautifully clear. May we hold ourselves to His high and holy standard, walking with integrity, taking full ownership of our spiritual journey, and anchoring our souls firmly in the absolute, unchanging truth of Jesus Christ.
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