As a Christian, I spend a lot of time convincing non-Christians that we are not bad people. Over time, it seems that we as Christians have forgotten the kind of love we are called to show people, and instead are showing anyone that doesn't believe exactly as we do hate rather than love. I am here to tell you that, no matter who you are or what you believe, I don't hate you.

Don't get me wrong. I believe in sin, and I believe that things like being gay and having premarital sex are definitely sins. It says as much in the Bible, in plain old black and white. However, it also says that envy is a sin. That lying is a sin. That stealing and cheating and bragging are sins. And I cannot with a clear conscience hate someone for being gay knowing that I have been jealous or lied or bragged about certain things.

We may hold certain sins higher on the scale of severity, but God doesn't. All of our sins are equal in his eyes, from murder to greed. And if my God doesn't think me any better than you, how dare I decide that I am? How dare I judge you because my earthly eyes see your sin as greater than mine?

While the Bible labels all of these things as sins, it also says that one of our greatest commandments is to love one another, as the Father first loved us. I think that a lot of Christians, myself included, don't really understand the full weight of that. When we read "love one another" we immediately think "love the people that love us back." But that isn't what it says. When the Bible says to love one another, it doesn't just mean your family. It doesn't just mean your friends. It doesn't even just mean the people you go to church with.

It also means that woman that scoffs every time you mention Jesus in her presence. It means that man that is addicted to heroin. That unmarried couple with a baby on the way. That lesbian girl in your English class. Jesus didn't die on the cross only for the people he knew would accept Him.

We aren't called to love people we "want" to love or even people that love us back. We are simply called to love people, all people. In the end, it isn't about whether or not someone believes the exact same way that you do. I can promise you this: a malicious Facebook comment has never brought a single soul closer to Christ, but a kind word or a helpful hand can go a long way.

So no, I don't hate atheists. I don't hate gay people or women that have had abortions, or drug addicts, or former prisoners. I don't hate, period. I don't have to agree with you to love you, or even just to be decent to you. Yes, Christians are called to bring people to Christ, but no, that simply cannot be done by shoving bibles in the faces of people that aren't ready to read them, or yelling at "sinners" on the street that are just going to ignore you and keep walking anyway.

It is my constant prayer that we spend less time arguing with each other, and more time just being kind and going from there. It's not about religion. It's about loving people, all people.