If you consider yourself a Christian and you’re reading this, welcome. I hope you continue reading.

If you are not a Christian, welcome. I really hope you keep reading too.

The thing is, Christianity looks pretty bad right now, in many ways.

Racism, prejudice against immigrants, LGBTQIA exclusion and marginalization, belittling of women, support of [or at the very least, silence about] the killing of Palestinians, the money from the United States that funds wars, the horrific treatment of Black people on the streets, in schools, and in places of business, and the exploitation of girls and women.

Christians in churches now have earned the reputation for caring more about their “core values” that they list on their pretty webpages. Said core values quote Bible passages and mention Jesus a lot. They align well with politically conservative ideals like gun rights and capitalism and segregation. And then the core values also exclude, and persecute, and separate, and marginalize. And then those same core values don’t inspire people to care about others different than them, nor to stand up against social injustices. All of this terrible “Christianity” at large in the world is as radicalized and as well-funded as it ever has been. You do realize, right, that there are hundreds of “Islamic Watchdog” sites out there [some funded by so-called Christians] that supposedly monitor radical Muslims? So how many sites exist that are well-funded and closely monitor the radical, terrorist Christian churches and groups?

Still reading?

I say this as someone who was raised a Western Christian. I say this as someone who is imperfect and well-aware of the flaws in every religious tradition, including Christianity. I say this, because it saddens and sickens me and begs me to walk away from all of this and to disassociate myself completely from anything Jesus-related.

Until I’m reminded of something that isn’t fake news—something that’s meant for everyone.

Whether or not you or I see it in the radicalized, prejudice, and selfish Christianity of today, the crux or core value of Jesus of Nazareth and those who followed him was the very thing that bonded them together:

LOVE.

Now I don’t mean some flowery, abstract, intangible image of love. I am not referring to Jesus somehow saving you from all your sickness or helping you get that new car or making it possible to find your future spouse…

I’m talking about LOVE.

The LOVE of Jesus’ time, John’s Gospel, with a twist of Greek and Hellenistic philosophy.

You see, it’s simply put in the later communities [like those John’s Gospel was written for]:

God’s name=LOVE. We belong to God, so: we are Love’s.

We have kept Love close to us. The words of Love have been given; we know them.

We are protected in the name of Love.

And in Love, we are One.

Hey, dear readers, if you’ve made it this far, please know that I only do this because I care—about you, and the world, and all the living beings in existence. Yes, right now may seem to be a sad, heavy, and unsafe time for many of you. I don’t have all the answers. What I do know, however, I try to pass on, pay it forward, share.

So here goes:

Anyone who doesn’t know what it means to show love and compassion to another just isn’t someone to be trusted. No matter how many Bible verses they can quote, or how religious they are, or what name they claim. If they don’t love people as they are and for who they are, the god they worship has nothing to do with Jesus, or Gospel, or Yahweh or Allah or Krishna or Buddha or….

Don’t listen to them. Don’t follow them on Twitter. Don’t friend them on Facebook. It’s okay. It’s ridding yourself of toxicity that you don’t need.

Instead, let’s band together, all of us. Doesn’t matter if we are of the same tradition or don’t have a tradition. Let’s band together in love. We don’t have to agree about politics, or sports, or finances, or social issues. We just need to decide to intentionally love people as they are, where they are. That’s it. Don’t bring morals or ethics or religion into it. Just love people.

Calling all artists, nerds, musicians, queers, engineers, lawyers, teachers, doctors, nurses, accountants, activists, politicians, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, Baha’is, Wiccans, Secular Humanists, Hare Krishnas, Taoists, Agnostics, Atheists, Jedi Knights and anyone else I missed–calling all ya’ll!

We are better together.