Editing Jesus Christians (section)

===="Strange Bedfellows" video and defamation case====
In June, 2021, a video titled "Strange Bedfellows"<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-qMgbiahMY |title=Strange Bedfellows |date=2021-06-07 |last=A Voice In The Desert |access-date=2024-06-18 |via=YouTube}}</ref> was published on the Voice in the Desert YouTube channel, discussing Jesus Christian allegations that they were the recipients of coordinated opposition from several parents of adult members of the group. The video stressed that these parents had widely diverse religious views. In particular, it mentioned parents of three different Jesus Christian members, identifying one set of parents as Neo-Nazi, another as Pentecostal Christians, who had previously physically attacked a Jesus Christian member,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Joe |date=2010-01-23 |title=Joe's Story - A Murderous Attack |url=https://jesuschristians.com/media-section/controversies/the-whipping-trial/joe-story/666-joes-story-part-1 |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=jesuschristians.com |language=en}}</ref> ([[#California Whipping Trial|Refer to #California Whipping Trial]]) and an Australian mother whom they referred to as "a Luciferian, a Satanist if you like". They based their claim on letters from the mother to her daughter, in which she wrote about her many years studying, amongst other things, witchcraft, and other spiritual beliefs, including "occult, esoteric traditions, ancient mysteries", and considering Lucifer "a catalyst for finding the true light of Christ."<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Cowie |first=Tom |date=2023-12-23 |title=Renee beat the 'kidney cult' in court, but her own daughter testified against her |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/renee-beat-the-kidney-cult-in-court-but-her-own-daughter-testified-against-her-20231221-p5et46.html |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=The Age |language=en}}</ref>

This mother, Renee Spencer, identified only as "Renee" in the video, felt that her reputation and her relationship with her daughter had been ruined by such an accusation, so she sued David McKay in the Victorian (Australia) civil courts for defamation. The case went to trial in September 2023. McKay was unrepresented, as he could not afford a lawyer, and no court-appointed lawyer was available. McKay was not allowed to give testimony in his own defense, as he said that he could not in good conscience affirm the court oath due to the "whole truth" clause, stating, "I am quite happy to say that I will try to be totally honest in everything I say today and I understand that there are penalties if I knowingly do not do that. The reason for wanting to word it that way is that I can't honestly tell you that I would say the whole truth and I don't think the court wants to hear the whole truth"<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" />

In December, 2023, Judge Julie Clayton ruled that McKay had acted maliciously in defaming Renee Spencer, but also noted that, "it is likely that the allegation caused harm to Ms Spencer's reputation within the Jesus Christians but it is unlikely that her reputation will be damaged more broadly, including in her professional life." Renee Spencer was awarded $85,000 in damages and McKay was ordered to edit the video to remove any reference to Ms. Spencer, as well as some additional words and imagery.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Stuart |title=County Court of Victoria |url=https://www.countycourt.vic.gov.au/news-and-media/news-listing/2023-12-18-judgement-spencer-v-mckay |access-date=2024-06-12 |website=County Court of Victoria |language=en-AU}}</ref>