Dear Non-Christians,

I am sorry. It breaks my heart and makes me feel sick to know that you have been hurt by so many “God fearing” persons who identify as Christians.

Let me begin by saying, on my own behalf, not the entirety of Christianity, that I consider myself your equal. Somewhere in the last couple of thousand years, Christians have developed their own sense of superiority over other group’s people. I do not look down on you with harsh judgment or a condemning attitude. Upon enrolling in a Christian university, I’ve noticed that there are clearly some students who have not developed the tools necessary to share their faith and not look like a jerk.

Now, in my second semester, I have made some sad and somewhat truly disturbing, but not necessarily surprising observations have been that I’ve noticed the lack of ability that many students have to think for themselves. We have grown up in our separate churches and have accepted a majority of what we have been taught in our own communities as fact and have inherited an insensitivity to views unlike our own. We tend to blame things like Islam, liberalism, and the media for the corruption that takes place in the world. Instead of living a life with actions similar to the historical Jesus like eating and sitting with the poor, lepers and prostitutes, we gain a sense of power with our intolerance of people who have, perhaps, not been given a shot at life that is equal (as well as unfair) to our own.

We come up with derogatory phrases for people, like “welfare leaches,” and blame poverty on the homeless and poor. I am likely setting myself up for a few attacks by fellow “Christians” in saying this, but there are times that I will admit to doubting my faith, or what my life will ultimately become. I do not blame you for not believing, and I definitely don’t blame you if the reason you don’t believe is the result of a negative experience with somebody who took on the role of God and shoved the certainty of your eternity in Hell down your throat.

This letter is, by no means, me denouncing my faith in God. However, I do want you to understand that you are loved unconditionally. Now, in most cases this is the part where the author goes into talking about the unending and everlasting love of God, and although I believe this is true, the unconditional love I am speaking of comes from me. I am challenged by my faith to love each and every person I come into contact with. This is admittedly an extremely difficult thing to do. No one wants to love the students or teachers that made life miserable for them growing up,

Christian or not, and this is where I am challenged. My heart is drawn toward the people who have been exposed to Christianity (or religion in general) in a judgmental, unthoughtful, condemning, harmful, or unhealthy way. I am quite unsure of how Christians could possibly think that people are going to throw themselves one hundred percent into a faith that has painted an enormous canvas notorious for excluding everybody who does not think the same way they do. I think a majority of Christians would admit to the idea that if you have not accepted Christ as your savior then you’re hell bound and that’s the end of it. I find it hard to believe that the “oh, so loving” and “just God” preached about in Christianity would allow individuals who have been chased off by his own followers, to succumb to extreme punishment, after being exposed to God with such hate filled and accusatory speech.

When we post hateful things on social media, boycott and picket gatherings, and design petitions and laws to exclude individuals, the majority mistakenly expects that somehow, this is paving the way to drawing you into the Christian culture, not realizing it has the inverse outcome. I don’t not believe that because our faith differs that you worship Satan, that you’re going to hell, or that you are a horrible person.

I’m sorry that we throw all this in your face and expect you to be the ones who owe an apology to us. I am sorry that you have been treated as less than human beings and more like adolescent children who need to be rescued, saved or awakened. It’s an awful truth that so many of us Christians have used the Bible as a manual or instruction book to point out the flaws in everybody but ourselves. I want every non-Christian to know that the Bible is not a book written to attack or to be used as a weapon against you or others who do not identify as Christians.

I am deeply sorry for all the hurtful and painful things that have been said about you and want you to know that there are some of us that are interested in getting to know you in detail that could care less if you go to church every Sunday. I have witnessed firsthand that there are a countless number of extremely internally beautiful people who have very strong and equally beautiful morals and ethical reasoning. Although pride is also sinful according to the Bible, I believe that the reasons that not many Christians have openly apologized is because they think that by saying sorry, they’re throwing everything they believe about Christ away and that for whatever reason feel as though an apology to people that they have hurt somehow discredits everything they have ever said. I apologize for not being able to myself in your shoes because Christians in America have always faced little resistance because of their power and mainstream acceptance.

I promise that as a person I will strive my hardest to never see myself as morally or spiritually more superior than you or the people around me and instead, embrace the individuality and uniqueness of everyone while finding joy in serving others and sharpening my ability to fiercely and fearlessly love you.