Recently, our country has been divided over many issues involving people.

Whether it be same-sex marriage, accepting transgender people, illegal immigrants, the Muslim ban, and so on, our people become divided and defends their viewpoints aggressively. One of the ways people defend their viewpoints and essentially condemn other's choice of lifestyle is by using their religion and God.

Using God or the Bible as a mean to put down others makes it harder for others to live a happy life, and hating others is not at all what God wants you to do.

Let me be very clear: the Bible will NEVER defend you hating someone or a group of people or justify you telling anyone how to live their life. Never.

When you use the Bible to tell people that being who they are is wrong or that they are going to hell for living a certain way is not legitimate in the least. The Bible is open to interpretation, yes, but some parts of the Bible are very clear.

You need to read the Bible for yourself and learn what God intended you to learn from him. Plenty of verses very clearly let us know exactly how he wants us to live and treat others. If you read the Bible and truly follow it, you would be very knowledgeable about one of the most important verses in the Bible: Matthew 22:37-40.

Need a reminder?

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:37-40

If you are truly a follower of God and want to live by the Bible, you would understand that besides loving God with all of our heart, our biggest duty is to love others as we love ourselves, our family, and our friends.

There is no verse in the Bible that can outweigh this.

If you want to use the Bible, use it to enforce love not hate. Yes, the Bible says certain behaviors should not be done. Yes, the Bible tells us exactly how we should live. But no, the Bible does not tell us to ever turn our backs on others.

God doesn't turn away from us in any circumstance, so why would he allow us to turn our backs on others? God made all of us perfectly unique and in his image. He made no mistake in creating anyone. He made us fully aware that we would go on to choose who we love, the way that we live, and the choice that we make.

I'm not saying that you can't disagree with the way someone chooses to live their life, but I am saying that you can't tell them they are going to hell or that the Bible completely disagrees with their lifestyle because then you would be going against the Bible.

Just in case you still think you are better than others and have the authority to tell them how to live their lives just remember:

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23

We're all in this for the same God. Love each other.