Most people are shocked when I tell them I'm Catholic (Confirmed and everything), especially when they hear what I have to say about religious people.

I've gotten to the point in life where I'm just tired of people using the Bible as an excuse to be hateful assholes. People pick and choose which parts of the book to follow, and I wouldn't have a problem with it if they would just keep their beliefs to themselves, but they don't.

People pick which parts of the Bible they want to follow, then bash those who do something that's against their beliefs. For instance, people say homosexuality is wrong because the Bible says so, yet the Bible also tells the reader to stay away from the meat of pigs, but those Bible-thumping Americans sure do love bacon.

These folks like to use the Bible as an excuse for being against something but are the most hypocritical people on Earth. I recently wanted a video promoted to me on Facebook about a young girl who wanted to wear a white suit to her communion, but her church told her no. A woman in the comments kept writing something about the Bible stating that women who dress in men's clothing are an abomination and are doomed to hell. Out of curiosity, I clicked on this woman's page and saw that in one of her photos she was wearing pants. Gee, doomed to hell, are we?

These people make me sick and have ruined religion for me. They'll scream and holler at women who get abortions, and then turn a blind eye to how children are dying because of famine.

They'll come into the retail store where I work and spent $200 on clothes, and while they wear their t-shirt from church with a Bible verse about caring for others printed on the back, they'll say "no" when I ask if they'd like to donate to Save The Children, an organization that saves children.

I laugh at those who consider themselves to be good Christians while treating those who don't conform to their ridiculous beliefs like dirt. The problem is that it's not actually funny, but rather extremely dangerous. It's dangerous because these people often gain power and end up in positions where they can hurt nonconformists in cruel ways, just look at the GOP.

The best way, in my opinion, to fight this nonsense is to call them out. Tell these people that they're not really religious and provide proof. Don't allow their ridiculous thoughts be heard. Don't make them feel as though they're correct.

To use the Bible as an excuse for being a hateful person is most definitely not what God would want. Let's take away organized religion for a moment (Especially since I could speak for days about the Catholic Church's hate for gay people when child-predator priests have a habit of mostly going after young men). In what world would a God ever be okay with his followers harassing women walking into Planned Parenthood? What God would be okay with refusing rights to the LGBTQ community? What God would be okay with followers flaunting the word of the Lord while refusing to help those in need? No God that I know.

So stop hiding behind the Bible and face the world. If you're going to be a hateful bigot, then do it because your terrible personality told you to be, not because of the holy book.