The other day, I got into a sort of heated debate about the recent Muslim ban ordered by our President with someone on social media. And this person claimed to help refugees was not our job, but helping them was God's job. A friend of mine pointed out that many of the struggling countries have put their faith in God, yet still continue to struggle. The response received was one I don't think I will ever fully wrap my head around. This person said:

"That's because they are not putting their faith in the right God."

This response floored me. I had absolutely no idea how to respond to this comment.

As someone who believes in Jesus, I have always thought that it was our job, to be Christ-like, and to show Christ's love through our own actions, which to me, has always meant unconditional love and acceptance of people, despite our disagreements with some of the things they may do. To me, that is what Christianity is all about. So that is how I live my life. But the more educated I get on politics, the more I have come to realize something:

Too many Christians confuse their politics with their religion.

Growing up, my father had a bumper sticker on our old Jeep that said:

"God is not a Republican...or a Democrat"

As an 8-year-old girl, this bumper sticker meant little to me. But now that I am older, I understand what it means the more I watch people defend each different party's actions.

You see, many Christians believe that God would want our country ran a certain way. Many Christians seem to think that Jesus Christ himself is looking down on our country and saying "No, no, no, THATS not what I want, come ON guys!" when that is not the case. God is not concerned with the politics of this country any more than He is concerned with how we do our hair. God want His children to be loved and happy. Nobody considers what God wants for the world. Nobody considers people around the world. All they care about often times is America. Nobody worries about our brothers and sisters in other nations, dying of hunger, or living in extreme poverty, or being sexually abused. Nobody considers that all people are Gods children.

Many Christians have forgotten what it means to be a follower of Christ, instead of a follower of a candidate or political party.

Many Christians have become so wrapped up in the politics of this country, that they refuse to show love to those who need it. Many Christians are so concerned with what THEY think is right, they are forgetting that Jesus Christ walked around with tax collectors, prostitutes, adulterers, and fishermen. Jesus walked the earth as one of us and spoke with the lowest of the low.

So many Christians are too busy worrying about their moral high ground, that they forget that Jesus' love extends to everyone. Jesus did not create us to judge one another. Jesus did not call on us to be hateful and unaccepting of people who don't live the way we think they should. God called on His people to show love to one another and acceptance.

I won't pretend that I don't get wrapped up in politics. I won't pretend that my views are not actually quite opposing to that of many Christians. But at the end of the day, my goal is to make believe that Christianity is a religion of love, not exclusion because that is how the God I believe in, would want me to live. My God is not a militant, punishing God. He is a loving, graceful, open-hearted God. And so that is what believing in Him is to me. And I wish more people were willing to drop their prejudices.

Despite my own political views, I will not say any one political side is more "right with God" than the other. But keep individual religion out of politics, and keep politics out of individual religion.