Knights of the Crusades, crosses on their chests and swords held high, rushed toward a Muslim horde with violence in their eyes and scimitars raised. That image circulated on social media ahead of the Aug. 18 political march in Dearborn, Michigan — only a few miles from where I have lived my whole life, first as a Muslim, now as a Christian for the last 26 years. The image, and what happened that day, troubles me — but not for the reasons many assume.

I support Christians engaging in the public arena, politics included. But we must ask whether our engagement bears the image of Christ or confirms the caricature of Christianity we hope to overcome.